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Historic Houston Images


doug

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I'm making a film for a local Meyerland school's 30th Anniversary. I'm going to start the movie with a montage of short 1 second photos/slides of famous old Houston landmarks that were around & very recognizable back in 1977 but are no longer here. i.e. Westbury Square,Meyerland Cinema, Meyerland Shopping Center (the old one), Gooney Golf, South Post Oak bowling lanes,,Alfreds, The old Houston Post,The Purple Cow,Weingarten's grocery store, gas pump price signs 1977,Traders Vic, Sonny Looks, Houston skyline 1977......etc.

This will set the mood for the film by taking the audience back to the 70's & with some music playing in the background from that era too. I like the song,"Classical Gas" for this opening even though it was 1st recorded in '68, it wasn't popular until Eric Clapton's version in the mid 70's.

If you have any of the above photos (or other well known Houston landmarks around 1977...especially in SW) or know where I can get, please send to me! Any help/suggestions would be greaty appreciated.

thanks,

Doug S.

Westbury High (class of '77)

Edited by doug
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  • 2 weeks later...

I wanted to start a topic place to share images of Historic Houston.

Chapman Street - Near Northside

Chapman_Street_House.jpg

Old Texas and New Orleans Rail Road Shops on the near Northside - (soon to be lost?)

TNO_Shops.jpg

Mallalieu Methodist Church First Ward

Mallalieu_Methodist.jpg

First Ward House lost to townhouse developers

First_Ward_House.jpg

Brick Building - Old Harrisburg

BrickBuilding_Old_Harrisburg.jpg

Paradise Motel - Old Hempstead Highway

Paradise_Motel_Hempstead.jpg

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Giant Oak - Glenwood Cemetery - Lots of Spanish Flu victims nearby

Glenwood_Giant_Oak.jpg

Old Houston and Texas Central RR Bridge - Frostown

HTC_Bridge.jpg

Arches - The Texas Company

Texas_Company_Arches.jpg

Old Church - Near Northside

Northside_Church.jpg

Alamo Plaza Motel - Old Spanish Trail

Alamo_Plaza_Motel-1.jpg

Downtown view from Glenwood Cemetery

Glenwood_Cemetery_2.jpg

Edited by isuredid
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Houston Texas And New Orleans Rail Road Shops from 1891 Houston Panoramic Map

Houston_TexasNew_Orleans_Shops_1891.jpg

Abandoned North Side Shops

Abandoned_North_Side_Shops.jpg

First Ward Fixer-up-ers

First_Ward_Fixer.jpg

Glenwood Cemetery Gully

Glenwood_Gully.jpg

George Hermann Grave Glenwood Cemetery (Hermann Park)

George_Herman_Glenwood.jpg

Old Heights Gas Station

Heights_Gas_Station.jpg

House off of North Main

North_Main_House.jpg

Edited by isuredid
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Abandoned East End House

East_End_House.jpg

That one is the Brady House (HAIF mention here). It's got tax issues etc. and so apparently is in legal limbo. The interior is pretty much gutted and there had been a small fire on the 3rd floor.

Great set of photos, isuredid. Preservation is helped by awareness and most Houstonians never notice old buildings still lingering so they are seldom missed once gone.

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Old Houston and Texas Central RR Bridge - Frostown

HTC_Bridge.jpg

Check out the tree on the left bank. I'm no tree expert, but can anyone guess if that tree was deliberately planted? Sometimes the best way to check out what *used* to exist at a razed site is to look at the nearby trees, flora/fauna.

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Old Farmhouse on Griggs Road

Griggs_Road_Farmhouse.jpg

Old House Behind San Jacinto Stone

San_Jacinto_Stone_House-1.jpg

Building on Rutland Place

Rutland_Place_Building.jpg

Sunset in the Old Sixth Ward

Sixth_Ward_Sunset.jpg

Helene Apartments on Hadley

Helene_Apartments_Hadley.jpg

Old Farmhouse in Cypress

Cypress_Farmhouse.jpg

German Church in Addicks

Addicks_German_Church.jpg

Thomas Street Health Center

Thomas_Street_Health_Center.jpg

Abandoned Robert E. Lee Elementary School - Northside

Robert_E_Lee_Abandoned.jpg

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Sunset in the Old Sixth Ward

Sixth_Ward_Sunset.jpg

funny! the house I used to rent keeps popping up on here! too funny, too bad I don't still live there, I'd invite you over :>

I did a drive through in the area North of the 6th ward, S I-10, E Taylor, W Houston a few months ago and took some pics. You might like those, that area if full of really neat houses just crying for renovation, but developers/townhomes are currently swarming through. I don't think there will be anyone to challenge them as the area is currently sketchy at best...

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German Church in Addicks

Addicks_German_Church.jpg

I read in the Chronicle a while back that this church will be torn down by developers. What a shame.

That's Addicks United Methodist Church. That church has deep ties to the region (including Hillendahl -- Blue Light -- Cemetery). I believe that particular building has been around since 1915.

It would be a shame to see it torn down.

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Incredible thread. Thanks for sharing these with me. I used to volunteer at the Thomas Street Clinic. That place always felt haunted!

Hopefully, people will begin to realize the importance of trying to save pieces of our past. In fact, I work in an old mill building that has been turned into lofts in Boston and my new gym is located in an old railroad building very similar to the one in these pics. They can be re-adapted to today's needs with just a little bit of imagination!

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German Church in Addicks

Addicks_German_Church.jpg

I read in the Chronicle a while back that this church will be torn down by developers. What a shame.

Yeah, this is just the kind of thing that I've always wanted to buy and turn into a microbrewrey. Sell the product under the label "Holy Spirits".

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Thomas Street Health Center

Thomas_Street_Health_Center.jpg

Abandoned Robert E. Lee Elementary School - Northside

Robert_E_Lee_Abandoned.jpg

"The Tom" is one of my favorite antique buildings in town. Lee School is also a keeper, and both sitting on one of Houston's best hills which might lead to developer/tear down interest at some point.

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Pasadena Street House in Forest Hill Neighborhood

I went to High School with someone who lived directly behind this house

Pasadena_Street.jpg

Pasadena Street House - Second View

Pasadena_Street_House2.jpg

Saint Nicholas Convent - Live Oak Street

Saint_Nicolas.jpg

Lorinos Grocery - Telephone and Lawndale

Lorinos_Grocery.jpg

Old Filling Station - Leeland at Ennis

Filling_Station_Leeland_Street.jpg

Old Watermelon and Fruit Stand off Navigation

Watermelon_Stand_Navigation-1.jpg

Port of Houston

Port_of_Houston.jpg

Edited by isuredid
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"The Tom" is one of my favorite antique buildings in town. Lee School is also a keeper, and both sitting on one of Houston's best hills which might lead to developer/tear down interest at some point.

My mom went to elementary at Lee in the 40's

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The railroad buildings are part of the Hardy Yards property. They have been gutted and remediated. Though the property is for sale to other developers, the intention is for those buildings to be reused. Obviously, the final decision rests with the final purchaser.

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The railroad buildings are part of the Hardy Yards property. They have been gutted and remediated. Though the property is for sale to other developers, the intention is for those buildings to be reused. Obviously, the final decision rests with the final purchaser.

"the final decision rests with the final purchaser" is the part that is worrisome and is true for almost all the remaining historical structures in Houston and Harris County.

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Excellent pictures!

Next door to the house in Westmoreland, the Waldo mansion (not pictured) was also used as a location for Terms of Endearment. It was a stand-in for the Jack Nicholson character's back yard (the house in the foreground in the Locke Lane picture).

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Old Dance Hall on Navigation

Navigation_Dance_Hall.jpg

Some info on this building from the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance's website;

Sociedad Mutualista Benito Juarez Casino Hall

7320 Navigation Blvd.

The owner of this Hispanic heritage site has paid the taxes owed on the property and removed the East End landmark from the auction block. Despite these developments, the future of this important property remains in doubt as the building suffers from deterioration and neglect.

As a result of Greater Houston Preservation Alliance's efforts to increase awareness of the property, the organization has been contacted by potential buyers with sufficient funds to renovate the building. GHPA is putting these individuals in touch with the current owner in hopes that this landmark can be preserved for Houston's Hispanic community. GHPA is also contacting the owner to encourage him to either stabilize and secure the building or sell the property.

Sociedad Mutualista Benito Juarez, a Mexican-American mutual aid society, built Casino Hall in 1928. The building provided a location for theatrical performances, public meetings and community events. According to the architectural historian Stephen Fox, the wooden structure was the first purpose-built, non-religious public institution constructed by and for the local Mexican-American community.

GHPA will continue to monitor this important property and provide updates as developments warrant.

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Old Heights Gas Station

Heights_Gas_Station.jpg

Unfortunately that one is a goner. That place, along with several houses around, it were sold off in one deal I believe (note the for sale signs on the two houses just north). That area of the Heights is in hyper McMansionization mode.

Great pictures though...especially the "real" mansions.

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Unfortunately that one is a goner. That place, along with several houses around, it were sold off in one deal I believe (note the for sale signs on the two houses just north). That area of the Heights is in hyper McMansionization mode.

Great pictures though...especially the "real" mansions.

This whole corner is still for sale and I've not seen that they were sold.

The gas station would make a great coffee shop with outdoor seating.. but the neighbourhood might not like a business right there. (as I live a few blocks from there)

I'm sure they'll all go to some developer.. so long as they don't build apartments here (townhomes, same thing) I'll be okay with a pseudo-victorian style rebuild.

Cheers!

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Alamo Elementary Harvard @ E. 27th

PB100001-1.jpg

Cooley Mansion Harvard at E. !8th

PB100002-1.jpg

Heights Library Heights at E. 13th

PB100004-1.jpg

My grandfather designed and made these fence panels for the Heights Library in 1935

PB100003-1.jpg

All Saints steeple Harvard @ E. 10th

PB100005-1.jpg

The Admiral across from Spanish Flower on N. Main

PB100006-1.jpg

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I need to get in there. Is it open, or do I need to contact the property managers?

Let me tell you from experience. I been shoot at, Detained Personally, escorted of properties by 6'7 Bubba's that is not a pleasant experience. Trust me get permission. That reminds me i need to buy another camera.

Edited by Marty
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Let me tell you from experience. I been shoot at, Detained Personally, escorted of properties by 6'7 Bubba's that is not a pleasant experience. Trust me get permission. That reminds me i need to buy another camera.

Well, there is always that "JP Morgan Chase Tower-Chance" that he would be denied. And when you want to get a shot, nothing will bother you more until you do.

Wait... I'm talking about taking pictures.

Edited by Montrose1100
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GREAT thread!!! :D

I've got a couple suggestions (will try to get pictures myself if no one beats me to it).

1) If my research is correct, the oldest building still standing in Houston is located at 813 Congress (LaCarafe) built around 1845.

2) Second oldest building - the Travis Building (TreeBeards) built around 1870

3) Annunciation Church - dedicated in 1871.

4) The Cotton Exchange Building - built in 1885.

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  • The title was changed to Memorial Dr.

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