neuman

So many places!  Castle Golf and Games was on the west side of the loop between I-10 and 290. The go cart track was just to the north. 

There was a waterslide hill inside the loop where 290 comes in during, at least, the 80's.

The bungee jump tower was inside the loop at Richmond. 

The original Peppermint Park was on the North loop near TC Jester.  It moved to 59 south in the 80's or 90's.

You're not crazy, at least no more than I am. I remember them as well. By my recollection, they were between 20th and 610, near the old RR tracks. My grandparents used to take my by in the late 70's.

In 1870, Houston's population stood at a paltry 9,332. To house this puny population would take no more than 300 residences. Given that these mansions housed only the wealthiest Houstonians, and then, like today, their numbers were a tiny fraction of the total, you can estimate that no more than a couple dozen of these homes existed. The entire town of Houston fit within what is today's downtown and part of Midtown.

You may have to move your decimal point. I doubt that 30 people were living per house in the 1870's.

It was there into the 80's and I always wondered about it myself. I have no answer for you though!

Here's an aerial from 1957:

http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials.php?scale=5.31082712400951E-06&lat=29.7643938636902&lon=-95.5386990482226&year=1957

If I remember correctly, the law firm that occupied 917 Franklin did the legal work for Southern Pacific at 915 Franklin. The bridge was built for easier access. I will dig out my files to confirm and elaborate.

When did Houston become home to the Space Center? I thought it was in New York. Isn't that why they received a shuttle? Obama said that the decision was not based on politics and he has never lied to us!

Before it was a WW1 training camp, the area was a National Guard training camp. And the camp hospital building was in use until 1925. Agreed that most of the soldiers trained there were from Illinois, but many from the Houston/Galveston area also were trained there also.

While the hospital was used until 1925, it ceased being a military hospital in 1919. I would think that any troops from the area which died would be claimed by their families.

I'm always willing to admit when I'm wrong and will if proven so in this case. It just seems impractical to have a cemetery dedicated to Camp Logan.

I would think an easy way to determine is to check maps of the era in the Texas room. While I haven't been there in years, I recall that they had many from the period.

Camp Logan was a hastily assembled, temporary camp for training soldiers during WWI, and I seriously doubt that they would have a cemetery dedicated solely for the few soldiers that would have died during training or during treatment at Camp Logan Hospital. Since this was an Illinois Guardsman camp, any casualties would have, most likely, been returned home. Unlike Fort Sam Houston that has been around for 140 years (40 years at the time of WWI), Camp Logan existed less than two years and would have no need for a veterans/military cemetery.

I think you are referring to Hickory Farms rather than Oakridge Smokehouse.

You are correct. The Oakridge Smokehouse is my favorite stop on the way to San Antone! I was there last weekend and it's still on my mind.

Oops

One of my favoriote places to go, as a child, in addition to those already mentioned, was the pet shop. It was located on the ice rink level at one of the corners, either where Radio Shack or FYE(closed) is today.

We would also frequent the Oakridge Smokehouse for free samples of their beef stick and handfuls of sesame sticks.

On Dec 12th {Sunday} 1983 when the plant blew up itz address @ that time was 1900 milam. Approx. same area when station 8 is today. Itz on the back side of that block {Louisaiana} where new super station is being built. So I'm unclear as to what you mean when you say that it was off Capitol orTexas {way to far north} on other side of Hwy 59. And yes I acknowledge your statement {if memory serves me correctly}.

The original Hotel Texas, by the way, was a grand structure -- very much the same style as the Rice. Wish I knew who built it. . . .

From www.fortwortharchitecture.com :

"In 1919, some of the city's most prominent businessmen formed a group to build a first-class hotel. They selected Fort Worth's top architectural firm of Sanguinet & Staats to design the building that would resemble the Burk Burnett Building. Sanguinet & Staats also recruited some help from Mauran, Russell, & Crowell from St. Louis. "

Mauran, Russell & Crowell were the architects of the Rice.

In other words, is the present occupant aware that they could very well be sitting in the same room where the pres or Jackie sat? If this is true I would like to take a peek albeit it wouldnt even look close to that it day in 63. I guess for the sake of plain curiousity. I would like to say I stood in the same room as JFK.

The way the building was gutted, there would be nothing left of the original rooms except for the windows. The interior walls were removed leaving only the outer brick and the inner steel columns. The current occupants, unknowingly, probably have breakfast where JFK rested. Luckily, I grabbed a souvenir while it was available!

I've taken a walking tour of downtown (starting at City Hall) with a very energetic older gentleman. He took us into the Rice Hotel Ballroom, so at least that was "being in the same room as JFK", but I admit, being in the more private suite they spent more private moments in would certainly be even more interesting. I highly recommend taking the tour.

I'm not 100% sure but I thought that JFK was in the Grand Ballroom, which was in the annex (demolished) where the parking garage now stands.

While working for the historic district in the 90's, I got to know "Whitey" Weidman, the head security guard at the, then vacant, Rice Hotel. He had worked at the hotel sine the late 30's and, I believe, was head of hotel security during the Kennedy visits. I spent hours listening to his stories of the Rice and was particularly interested in his recollections of President Kennedy. During JFK's visit in 1960 to address the Greater Houston Ministerial Association, he had a private meeting with the leaders in his room at the Rice. Whitey said that JFK requested a "mini fridge" full of Heineken brought to his room prior to the meeting. ("Mini" fridges weren't that mini in 1960!) After the meeting, the fridge was empty. Lesson: If you want to convince a group of Baptists that a Catholic in the White House would not be the end of the world, get them drunk!

Whitey's recollection of JFK's visit in '63 confirms nmainguys comments. Though I never knew the name of the suite on the fifth floor, I visited the rooms frequently before and during renovation. They were in the center wing at the rear of the hotel. JFK had a small single room on the left, as you entered, overlooking the A/C cooling towers and Jackie had a large corner room looking towards Main and Prairie. According to Whitey, they rested and freshened up prior to events that evening. He said that the Secret Service wanted the small room because it was more secure. It's a shame that they weren't as carefull the following day.

Maybe it got torn down around the time of the 610 being built?

Having known Kenny Meyer from downtown, the story is, if I recall correctly, that his parents were the last to live in the house. When they moved out, it was vacant for while and they had plans to move the corporate offices there. While still vacant, it burned down, probably due to the homeless "accidentally" starting a fire.

Shuckers is still open in the Galleria.

Does anyone recall the Windswept Inn? It was a home cooking/family style restaurant on a side street off of 45 North, south of BW 8 area. I remember going there as a kid in the mid 70's with my grandparents. They would bring huge (huge to a 5 year old) bowls of mashed potatoes, greens, beans, and platters of fried chicken and chicken fried steaks.

It was located south of the bayou where I-10 is today.

I had all my birthday parties at Peppermint Park until I was 11. I have some 8 mm film of the place which I had put on VCR format about 20 years ago. It shows the little roller coaster, The helicopter ride, the boats, the carrousel and the ticket booth. And yes, it was located at 610 and 45 before 610 was there. I guess that car dealership sits where it used to be. Right by the Carrousel Hotel.

I recall it being farther west on 610 around Ella or TC Jester.

DUHHHHH, I just realized you were speaking of 610 and 45 South.