tmariar

The two-story Western Union building that was incorporated into the Bank of America building was incorporated into the banking hall:

I have a copy of the book, which is pretty small (my copy is from the third printing, and so maybe it was originally bigger). Some of the pictures are a little bit larger in my copy of the book, but not much. If there's anything in particular you want me to look for in the photos, though, let me know.

So suggested the GHPA bit linked in Pineda's link, and the 1929 article seems consistent.

Now that's a nice view!

Yeah - KTRH just said the one on the bayou at Crockett/Hogan was just a grass fire, and the one at Airline was a house fire. No word on the "highrise" fire on Allen Pkwy at Waugh, but I never saw anything out that direction. Was too quick in posting this - should have waited to hear the news at the top of the hour... And should probably stop staring out the windows so much...

I've been watching two fires in the near distance out of my north-facing window downtown. I checked here to see what they might be, and saw this listing as well: FDALLEN PKWY BLK WAUGH493J02/01/2008 13:22Highrise on FireN Don't know anything more about any of them, and the two to the north look like they're now out or close to out. One may be this one: FDN LOOP AIRLINE DR 453P02/01/2008 13:30111 FireN Don't know what a "111" fire is. I'm guessing this is the closest fire I see: PD/FD CROCKETT ST HOGAN F 02/01/2008 13:31 Y UPDATE: The two to the north are both out now. If I see anything on the news sites, I'll post it - otherwise, guess I'll just have to watch the news tonight.

That's a hard one. I can't remember ever seeing any maps of the Heights for sale. I bought an old map once at the Antiquarium on Kirby, which sells some old Texas maps; and my parents got me some prints of historical maps of Texas at the Key Maps store on West Alabama once. My guess is that your best bet, if you want an original map, is to talk to a seller like the Antiquarium and ask them to do some market research for you. Some of the links on this page of old Houston maps lead to sites that sell copies of the maps. The 1913 map file is big enough that you might be able to make a nice printed detail of the Heights from it.

Good recommendations above. I'd also check with the Heights branch of the library (they have copies of books similar to Sister Agatha's), the Woodland Heights civic group (I think someone posted that they prepared a collection of historical photos recently), and maybe even Carter & Cooley, as they have their own collection.

Gay Dot Party Shop (mentioned above) - 640 Westbury Square - circa 1965. Photo from an Ebay auction (not mine).

C.F. Schaff, the receiver for the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad, had a "country estate" that was "on the Houston-Galveston Road near Harrisburg," per a 1922 newspaper article. --- As for the historical marker for the site of the (very) temporary Harrisburg capitol of the Republic (which was in the home of Jane Birdsall Harris, widow of the John Harris whose headstone is pictured above), could it be this one?: "Buffalo Bayou, Brazos & Colorado Railroad" "Building of a railroad from here to the Brazos, to handle commerce of rich plantations, was attempted unsuccessfully in 1840-41 by early merchant Andrew Briscoe and the Harrises who founded Harrisburg. Their holdings, including Harrisburg townsite, were sold in 1847 to a group of Bostonians and Texans-- headed by San Jacinto hero Gen. Sidney Sherman-- who succeeded in building the first railroad in Texas. The Buffalo Bayou, Brazos & Colorado Railway was chartered Feb. 11, 1850. Construction materials, shipped from Boston to Galveston, came up Buffalo Bayou by barges. Chief engineer John A. Williams began survey in May 1851. When a few miles of track were laid, the first passengers ever to ride a train in Texas went to Thomas Point (3 mi. W), April 21, 1853, to a celebration featuring salutes from 'Twin Sisters' cannon used in 1836 Battle of San Jacinto. Four months later tracks reached Stafford's Point, and B. B. B. & C. operations officially began, with Harrisburg as the terminal. One block north of here were depot, roundhouse and docks; a half block south, site of 1836 Texas Capitol. The railroad was sold in 1870, and name was changed to Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio. It eventually became part of the Southern Pacific system." This is/was marker 10621, erected in 1967 at the corner of Elm & Frio.

I heard about that, but can't play the video in the story. Does it say what restaurants have been hit? From the small map, it looks like a much broader area than what I'd call Lower Westheimer.

Super Happy Fun Land was up near the North Loop for a long while, but has recently moved to the Polk St. address.

Apologies if it's a forum faux pas to revive dead threads, but this didn't really warrant a new one... I recently did some shopping at a place I think is called India Grocers (6606 SW Fwy, Hillcroft exit) and a very similar store close by called Patel Bros. Grocery (5815 Hillcroft). They both had a broad selection of Indian spices and curry powder mixes in bulk, at low prices (at least compared to Whole Foods and Penzeys). As well as all sorts of other Indian food. I'd recommend either to anyone who makes curries on a regular basis.

I don't recall having ever seen any historic photos of that intersection. Studewood is newer than many streets in the Heights - I'm not sure how much newer, but it wasn't there in 1913. I'd think your best bet would be to talk to the branch library in the Heights. I think they have copies of most or all of the Heights history books, and might be able to give you some guidance. Good luck with it - if you find one, it would be interesting to see.

Here's one: http://tinypic.com/2dhbibq.jpg

If you haven't tried it yet, you might check out the John P. McGovern Historical Collections and Research Center site - it has a lot of good historic photos and postcards of local healthcare facilities. The U.T. Center for American History has some good photos as well, including some older shots of Memorial Hospital.

Marks Hinton's street names book says Waugh is named after Thomas Terrell Waugh, a Marine killed during WWI. Not saying that makes it so, but for what it's worth.

The information I've seen seems to weigh in favor of Shepherd having been named for Daniel Shepherd (and his dam) and not Benjamin Shepherd. More than one source gives the Benjamin Shepherd attribution, though - so it's apparently still an open question.

Today's Chron: "Though inconclusive, a video tape may show a figure running inside the Crowne Plaza moments before detonation" "The video, police said, is very short and inconclusive, but appears to capture what may be a figure running on one of the upper floors just before the explosion and seconds before the structure collapsed." "Other videos officials took of the implosion show shadowy movements, ... but they appear to be blowing cardboard or other debris." "HPD could not release the video to the public because the person who turned it over to the police Wednesday asked that it not be made public." A photo caption states that the video was taken from the north side.

Chron: "An amateur video seems to show a person running on one of the top floors seconds before the implosion, police said. However, no images of any person were found in still photos examined by investigators. Workers in the Texas Medical Center, adjacent to the site, also reported seeing someone enter the building just before the explosions began."

Is this the same project reported on in January? I remember the Texas Limited venture in '89-'94, which is mentioned in the Chron article. They seemed to try various scheduling/pricing combinations over the course of the time they operated - but my recollection was that it was priced too high (and thus marketed for special occasions), and that the ride took longer than you would think it would. The railroad museum website says "track speed restrictions and liability insurance costs ended operations."

KHOU is saying that the basis for the police inquiry is video showing a door closing, and KHOU is suggesting that the door closing can be seen in video shot from the St. Luke's building, e.g., this video. If you look in the center of the bottom floor of rooms, there's one room that appears to be half white and half black. As the explosions start, the white part expands to the right. I can't say what's being shown, but I hope it was just the wind or a shift in the building that caused it.

Anyone know anything more about this, off the KHOU site? Hope it's not true. "Someone may have been inside the Crowne Plaza Hotel at the Medical Center when it imploded Sunday morning, police sources told 11 News. Just before noon Wednesday, police received a tip about a possible death on the site during the implosion. Two crime scene trucks and homicide detectives were at the site of the blast investigating Wednesday. According to the tip, there may be video showing the person inside the building when it went down. It was unclear who had the video. Police have yet to determine if the tip is legitimate."

Attaching (I hope) some pre-1900 Puls family news clippings for isuredid. Puls.doc

Here's a December 27, 1885 Galveston Daily News article about a murder committed in the area: