Fez1964

Magnolia Park City Hall and Central Fire Station addressed at 7301 Avenue F, zip code is 77012.

Texas Historical Commission marker dedication for the Magnolia Park City Hall & Fire Station building at 7301 Avenue F.

A Recorded Texas Historical Landmark marker has been approved for the Magnolia Park City Hall & Central Fire Station building addressed at 7301 Avenue F, zip code 77011. Look for the historical marker to be dedicated sometime in mid-2010. Thanks goes out to the Special Recreation Services and the Magnolia Park Historical Preservation Association for making this possibles. Here is how the marker inscription will read:

THE CITY OF MAGNOLIA PARK WAS INCORPORATED ON JULY 1, 1913, ON PROPERTY FIRST DEVELOPED BY JOHN THOMAS BRADY IN 1890 AS A LARGE EXCURSION PARK. FOR THE MUNICIPALITY’S FIRST TEN YEARS, CITY OFFICES WERE LOCATED IN VARIOUS TEMPORARY FACILITIES, ALL SITUATED ALONG HARRISBURG BOULEVARD.

BY THE EARLY 1920s, OFFICIALS DECIDED TO CONSOLIDATE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES FOR THE MAYOR AND CITY ALDERMEN WITH THE CENTRAL FIRE STATION IN A SINGLE BUILDING AT THE SITE OF THE CITY’S ORIGINAL FIRE STATION, WHICH WAS RAZED TO MAKE WAY FOR THE NEW STRUCTURE. DESIGNED BY THE HOUSTON ARCHITECTURAL FIRM OF McLELLAND & FINK AND CONSTRUCTED BY MAGNOLIA PARK CONTRACTOR CHARLEY DAHL, THE COMBINED CITY HALL AND FIRE STATION WAS DEDICATED ON JULY 1, 1923, THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF MAGNOLIA PARK’S INCORPORATION.

ON OCTOBER 16, 1926, THE CITY OF HOUSTON ANNEXED THE CITY OF MAGNOLIA PARK. THIS FACILITY THEN SERVED THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT AS FIRE STATION NO. 20 AND AS A REGIONAL BATTALION HEADQUARTERS. A HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT SUBSTATION WAS ALSO LOCATED HERE. EVENTUALLY, THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT VACATED THE BUILDING AND FIRE STATION NO. 20 WAS RELOCATED IN 1973. THE BUILDING HAS ALSO SERVED AS A HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT VOTING LOCATION.

THE TWO-STORY DARK RED BRICK AND CAST STONE BUILDING IS DIVIDED BY VERTICAL PIERS INTO SECTIONS, WITH AN ENTRANCE DOOR LEADING TO A STAIRWAY TO SECOND FLOOR OFFICES ON THE WEST, AND THE FIRE STATION AND SUBSEQUENT ADDITIONS TO THE EAST. LATER RENOVATIONS INCLUDED A BRICK CALABOOSE APPENDED TO THE BUILDING’S EAST SIDE. THE PARAPET OVER THE ENTRY CONTAINS A SCALLOPED PEDIMENT FRAMING A CAST STONE PANEL INSCRIBED “CITY HALL.”

Redscare

I wonder if I'm the only person that (sic) wonder what "saling" is.

REDSCARE

I am also wondering what does this discussion on street peddlers laughing all the way down the money trail to Mexico have to do with celebrating the history of Magnolia Park?

May these Texas Historical Commission markers educate, inspire and bring pride to Magnolia Park for many decades to come.

Two Texas Historical Commission markers will be dedicated on Tuesday, October 6.

At 10:00 AM that morning, a marker will be rededicated for the Republic of Texas historic figure, Lorenzo De Zavala, at the De Zavala Elementary school, 7521 Avenue H. The attached photo shows the 41-year old marker as it remained weathered and damaged in a county warehouse for over 10 years. The marker was originally dedicated in 1968 in Channelview, three miles from the original homesite and grave of De Zavala. Magnolia Park efforts have successfully relocated, repaired and refinished the marker for unveiling on October 6.

At 6:00 PM on the same day, the Magnolia Park historical marker will be unveiled at the De Zavala Park community center.

The dedications will include the attendance of local officials and a Texas Army salute to Lorenzo De Zavala with cannons. (KABOOOM!!)

Please bear with me here as I post on a subject not related to Magnolia Park but to East End as a whole and one of great importance to me.

Project Respect is a group that is scheduled to visit the historic Harrisburg Jackson Cemetery near Lawndale and Broadway on Saturday, July 11 for a clean-up event on the cemetery. I believe that the clean-up will begin very early that day.

Here is a link of Project Respect: http://projectrespect.com/

Follow the links on the site for more information. It would be nice to see East End rally together to preserve what is perhaps Houston's oldest surviving African American cemetery.

I noticed in the last few days that city crews have been scrapping off the top surface of my neighborhood streets (Eastwood/Lawndale). They did my street on Tuesday. I'm assuming they're going to lay down new asphalt.

I think you are mistakened here. The streets of Eastwood and Lawndale are not in Magnolia Park.

After many months of preparation, research, fundraising, and meetings with the community, our efforts to secure a Texas Historical Commission marker for Magnolia Park have just about come to a successful conclusion. Below is how the inscription will read on the 27' X 42' marker that will be installed in De Zavala Park. Numbers in parenthesis represent the years that that particular institution or landmark was organized. While the marker is being fabricated in the foundry, we are looking at a date, perhaps in September, to dedicate it. The other marker approved for the Magnolia Park City Hall building addressed on Avenue F will probably not be ready until after September of this year.

MAGNOLIA PARK

ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED AS A SPRAWLING EXCURSION PARK AREA BY JOHN THOMAS BRADY IN 1890, MAGNOLIA PARK EARNED ITS NAME FROM THE ABUNDANCE OF MAGNOLIA TREES PLANTED IN THE AREA. STARTING IN 1909, THE MAGNOLIA PARK LAND COMPANY REDEVELOPED THE PARK INTO TWO RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISIONS, MAGNOLIA PARK (1909) AND CENTRAL PARK (1912), WHICH WERE INCORPORATED TOGETHER IN 1913 AS THE CITY OF MAGNOLIA PARK. COVERING TWO SQUARE MILES, THE CITY WAS BORDERED ON THE NORTH AND EAST BY BUFFALO BAYOU AND THE HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL, ON THE SOUTH BY BRAYS BAYOU AND ON THE WEST BY RAIL LINES. EVENTUALLY, THE CITY OF MAGNOLIA PARK WAS ANNEXED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN 1926.

WHILE THE FOUNDERS OF MAGNOLIA PARK WERE OF EUROPEAN DESCENT, PERSONS OF MEXICAN DESCENT HAVE DOMINATED MOST OF ITS HISTORY, MAKING IT ONE OF HOUSTON

Robert Downey madness in less that zero...man I hope it wasnt the scene I`m thinking of.

Now this is even weirder...Fiesta on Telephone...typical tejano playing then.. Gene Vincent, WTF...that was kinda crazy.

Do not underestimate the musical tastes of hispanics. It can be diverse. In Mexico, for example, the 80s music discussed on this thread is popular among the younger generations.

Thanks goes out to Ernesto Nieto of the National Hispanic Institute for co-sponsoring with the Magnolia Park Historical Preservation Association the Texas Historical Commission marker that will be installed in De Zavala Park.

But we have encountered a "snag" in our efforts to install two duplicate community markers. According to their current policy, the Texas Historical Commission disapproved our application to have a duplicate marker for the community installed in Hidalgo Park. Needless to say, we are petitioning with the Texas Historical Commission to reconsider their decision. In our defense, we have cited that the Heights community has duplicate markers for the neighborhood. One is at the Heights public library and the second one is on Heights Boulevard near I-10.

We also received final approval from the state commission for the marker to be installed at the Magnolia Park City Hall & Central Fire Station building addressed at 7301 Avenue F and plan to move forward with that project.

Wow! A real long time mystery solved!

Now here is another question what came first the Church or the school? Any dates on the adjacent school?

I recall us kids loving to run and play on the swings/slide in the far back corner under the big trees with tons of leaves everywhere. It has since been updated and moved up some if memory serves well. One thing that hasn't changed in ages is that really bland odor that permiates the air from the nearby bayou or factories? Mom said one of our uncles once lived in one of the small homes directly on the side street circa early 1940's. A miracle these houses are still there....for now anyway.

I copied the article below directly from the Lady of Guadalupe Church website and it gives a more detailed history of the church, school and cemetery. For clarification, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church off of Harrisburg Boulevard in the community of Magnolia Park founded Our Lady of Guadalupe as a mission.

On May 4, 1847 as the Lone Star Republic was about to become the State of Texas, the Diocese of Galveston was established and John Odin became our first Bishop. At that time the diocese covered the whole State. On December 29, 2004, Pope John Paul II created a second archdiocese in Texas, raising the Diocese of Galveston-Houston to the status of a Metropolitan Archdiocese. Bishop Fiorenza was named the first Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, and Bishop DiNardo the Coadjutor Archbishop.

Archbishop DiNardo became ordinary of the archdiocese upon Archbishop Fiorenza's retirement in 2006. Pope Benedict XVI elevated Abp. DiNardo to the position of Cardinal on Nov. 24, 2007. Two auxiliary bishops, Bishop Emeritus Vincent M. Rizzotto and Bishop Joe S. Vasquez currently assist Cardinal DiNardo. In 2008 there are now 15 dioceses in Texas.

Houston was founded in 1836 when the Allen Brothers landed on the banks of the Buffalo Bayou about a mile northwest of where Our Lady of Guadalupe parish is now. It was not until 1911 that a great influx of Mexicans began coming to Houston because of the unrest in Mexico. At that time it became apparent that the Sacraments needed to be administered in Spanish.

The Oblates of Mary Immaculate were sent to begin Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in 1912. Father Robert Chatillon celebrated the first Mass on August 18 in a two-story building erected that same year. The top floor was the church, and the bottom floor was the school. School opened for class on September 8, 1912. It is the oldest Catholic grade school in Houston. The Diocese has owned the property on which Our Lady of Guadalupe stands since about 1856. The first Catholic parish of Houston was St. Vincent, located a half mile away, across Franklin Street from the present county jail. St. Vincent

The Magnolia Park Historical Preservation Association (MPHPA) would like to thank the Greater East End District for graciously sponsoring the Texas Historical Commission marker honoring the community of Magnolia Park's history that will be installed in Hidalgo Park later this year.

Came into the store on December 30 and immediately noticed that there were playing a 70s format this evening. It didn't sound well. Let the management know that we want that 80s music back in the store.

I want my MTV back in HEB at Gulfgate! *fists pounding table*

Can any provide background or information on the brick building on the northeast corner of Wayside Dr. and Harriburg Blvd. which used to be an old telephone exchange for Southwestern Bell? As early as 1925, the property had some kind of telephone exchange structure on it according to some old Sanborn maps.

The building is solid and looks structurally sound but I see no traffic entering it. Is it currently being used for something?

Thant's great news Fez...that's where my great-grandmother spent many a day(from the stories I have heard)...never visited this place with her...too bad, I never new of it. Will check it out soon...great old photograph.

Here is a photo of how the building currently looks like. If you visit the building during normal business hours, drop in and thank the management of the Special Recreation Services for funding the Texas Historical Commission marker. The Magnolia Park Historical Preservation Association would also like to thank the General Services Dept. of the City of Houston for allowing us to move forward with project on property that they own.

Thanks goes out to the Special Recreation Services, Inc. for raising the money to fund the Registered Texas Historical Landmark marker for the Magnolia Park City Hall & Central Fire Station located at 7301 Avenue F. We hope to unveil this Texas Historical Commission marker in late 2009.

I believe the Ford plant was on Harrisburg, not Preston St. It's current site of the coffee plant (used to be Maxwell House, now it's some other name).

Yes, the Ford plant was on Harrisburg but the building on Preston St. was the original site for the Maxwell House plant before it moved to the Ford plant in the 1940s.

What I find unique about this building is that it is one of a few in Houston that still has a storage tank on its roof. Granted, the tank is rusted out and needs to be replaced, I hope that it is replaced when the building gets renovated.

Here is a photo of the original Maxwell Houston coffee plant on Preston St. that has been referred to in this thread. The building is a protected landmark and will be converted into some kind of lofts. It was built in 1917 and the coffee plant stayed here until around 1945.

My wife has attended retreats at Villa de Matel and I understand that they have Midnight Mass there every Christmas Eve that is open to the public.

Thanks goes out to the Special Recreation Services, Inc. for raising the money to fund the Registered Texas Historical Landmark marker for the Magnolia Park City Hall & Central Fire Station located at 7301 Avenue F. We hope to unveil this Texas Historical Commission marker in late 2009.

The City of Houston's Planning & Development Department can help designate this building as a Protected Landmark of the City of Houston. This designation needs to be initiated by private concerns and takes little effort. As a protected landmark of Houston, the building will receive that much more protection against demolition.

For the long term, the school can be designated as a Registered Texas Historical Landmark (RTHL) with the Texas Historical Commission. This designation gives more recognition and protection to the landmark with an opportunity to apply for state grants to preserve it.

Our neighborhood group is successfully applying for a RTHL for the Magnolia Park City Hall & Central Fire Station addressed at 7301 Avenue F. We also intend to apply as a protected landmark with the City of Houston.

We were looking at the cemetery & I think I remember reading on one of the historical markers that the oldest graves had been moved there from "nearby". Maybe to move them inland from the encroaching water.

You are correct. The original De Zavala Cemetery was located across the ship channel in the Channelview community. Tragically, due to erosion and development of the ship channel, the graves in the cemetery were lost. However, the headstones somehow survived and were moved during the 20th century to their current location on the battleground.

The desecration of a cemetery will definitely support the claims that the San Jacinto monument grounds could be haunted. Spooky stuff.

All of Houston's bayous are haunted.

There is that old Spanish tale of the woman that had a child that died and she is heard calling out for the child along the bayous. Maybe its just the wind right?

They call her La llorrona (spelled right)?

This is hilarious, someone actually did a story via internet:

http://www.blueicehouse.com/chickenskin/llorrona.htm

Beside the alleged haunting on the Battleship Texas docked at the San Jacinto Monument, can anyone share cases of the San Jacinto battle grounds be haunted with the ghosts of little girls?

On the evening of November 26 of this year, two of my nephews, my son, and his friend were fishing on the west side of the Lynchburg Ferry along the banks of the Houston Ship Channel. In the wee hours of the night, they heard and one of them claims to have seen an apparition of a young girl dressed in a period attire watching them from the bushes when no one else was around them. Perhaps this ties into the La Llorona tale.

De Zavala Cemetery is located on the battlegrounds about a mile down from where they were fishing. In researching De Zavala Cemetery, I see that a few little girls were interred in this cemetery. And, of course, the grounds has a history of bloodshed with the Battle of San Jacinto.

With all of this in the mix, I am surprised that I have not heard of more hauntings on the grounds.