gonzo1976

I used to play at a Putt-Putt course on I-45 just north of Northline Mall between Airline and Tidwell.

This was in the mid to late 1970s.

Maybe this is a different one, but I know for sure there was one where Shepherd ends at I-45. It was sort of behind where the flea market is now. If I recall correctly, I think there was a multiple homicide at that site in the early '80s. If it wasn't that one, then it was at a similar one. I do know that a multiple homicide occurred at one of those putt-putt/go-kart places.

The windows appeared to be regular size. They may end up not being windows, but they sure appeared as windows to me.

It's just odd that the windows were oriented the way they are. Looking at the picture, you see that the windows weren't facing the street.

I have a feeling the workers are going to do what they need to do, then pave it over again. I'm not sure how much is really down there.

I wonder. Is it common (when razing a building for a surface parking lot) to just level the building without consideration for any sub-ground structures?

Is the photograph of the northwest corner of that block?

Yep. You can see the Hogg Building in the back.

Anyone know what's going on behind the Lyric Centre, Smith and Preston?

Just heard from a friend of mine who said he saw some interesting things while crews were doing work in the parking lot.

He says crews were digging and found what he says is the basement to the old Brazos Hotel. Apparently, workers found bathtubs, two large boilers and ornamental ironwork.

I went by early Tuesday morning and saw some type of underground concrete structure that could appear to be a basement. There were some windows facing west. Why a basement would have windows is beyond me, though. It seems like the original building was bulldozed, but the basement remained intact and was paved over.

By the time I took some pictures early Wednesday morning, work crews had put up some wood to protect the windows, I guess. Sorry for the poor image quality.

http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/3338/undergroundeb8.jpg

I find it interesting that there used to be numbered streets just north of where the downtown post office is today (Second through 10th streets). I guess what surprised me was that they don't exist anymore.

According to this site, they played the Summit on 5/21/77. Actually, if you search for "Houston" on that page, you'll find they played here eight times between 1969-1977, which is more than I would've guessed.

OK. Wow, 1977 sure seems like a high point during the Summit's time as a concert venue. Lots of great bands played there that year.

Robert Plant (June 7, 1988 and August 3, 1990);

I did see Jimmy Page/Robert Plant play at the Summit in 1994(5?). That was unforgettable. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think Led Zeppelin played the Summit.

Surely someone on this board had to have seen Yes play at the Summit. I know they played the Summit in 1991 (it was recorded), but I'm sure they played there in the '70s (though they did play the Astrodome, IIRC).

Edit: Just saw TJones' comment. Apparently, a few people did see them there!

So I take it that is somewhere near the Hard Rock Cafe?

Right next to it, yep.

I've seen video of Queen's 1977 show at the Summit.

Back in the days when I worked concert security, I got to say hi to Gwen Stefani. Twice actually.

I totally forgot about Bob Nicholas. He was there for quite a while, eh?

The KTRK music bumpers are interesting. If I'm not mistaken, the Million Dollar Movie bumper music was from "The Stunt Man." I've always been curious as to the bumper music KTRK used for the Sunday afternoon movie and the late night movie during those years. I remember what they sounded like, but I never knew what they were called or where it was from.

I feel that Weingarten ought to build that new B&N... however, the new store should not appear in the place of a half of a shopping center valued by the River Oaks community.

True. I just don't know why that area needs a B&N. The Alabama seems to have a pretty good selection of books. Sure, it's not as big as the Borders on Kirby, but I have no complaints about the Alabama.

Remember when there was a bookstore on West Gray? I think it was near the Pier 1 imports. It closed, but then again, I'm not sure what led to it.

Is this the Trevia Wooster Beverly book called "At Rest"?

Yeah. Was it actually published? I got a copy from the author a few years ago when it was still in the process of being published.

Here's an entry from a book (unpublished) on local cemeteries:

"KUHLMANN CEMETERY: 4001 Roseneath and Oakcrest, in old Riverside Terrace. Late 19th century settlers' cemetery. Only a low brick wall remains; all graves transferred to Forest Park Lawndale. Johann Frederick Kuhlmann had already buried his first wife and two children in the two-acre private cemetery when he died in 1883."

Further information appears in the 11/5/52 Houston Chronicle.

I'd love to see a film series consisting of films in which Houston locations play a prominent role; off the top of my head, besides BREWSTER, there's THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER, LAST NIGHT AT THE ALAMO, URBAN COWBOY, and TERMS OF ENDEARMENT.

To do that, you'd also have to include such clunkers as "Robocop 2," "Night Game," "I Come in Peace," and "The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training."

Actually, I like that last one.

I can't remember where I saw it, but I seem to recall City Council taking this whole issue up during their June 6 meeting.

Excellent stuff. The section on the Metropolitan Theater is really nice (http://www.endangereddeco.org/1920s/metro.html).

If you're ever in the Texas Room, the Alfred Finn collection of photos has some really detailed pictures of the interior. It should have been a crime to tear that building down.

My wife and I had seats up in the upper level somewhere above first base, and, you know how you can't take your eyes off something that's just spectacularly and unrelentingly embarrassing to watch? That's how it was. Not the movie mind you. It was bad enough, but the whole god-awful premier scene was a local nightmare I will never forget.

The event sounds like fun to me. It's the idea of watching a movie like "Brewster McCloud" with 20,000 other people on a huge screen inside the Astrodome that horrifies me.

this topic sounds real old, I mean the title. I just recall John Wayne in there somewhere. but this seems over 38 years ago?

I think you're referring to "Rooster Cogburn."

Don't forget "Living on the edge (of Houston)" by the Rev. Horton Heat:

Yeah, it's cool taht you live in a shack

And it's cool that you're hooked on smack

Yeah, you used to be in a band

You're the coolest guy to all your fans

Now you're livin' on the edge your livin'

On the edge you're livin',

Livin' on the edge of Houston

Yeah, it's cool everybody knows

That you're in and out of jail

You're a tortured artistic soul

But your daddy always pays your bail

Now you're livin' on the edge your livin'

On the edge you're livin',

Livin' on the edge of Houston

Yeah, you can't afford a car

All your friends like your real nice life

And it's cool everybody knows

That you're sneaking into all the shows

Now you're livin' on the edge your livin'

On the edge you're livin',

Livin' on the edge of Houston

Livin' on the edge of Houston!

Livin' on the edge of Houston!

Are there any pictures of this home? I'm curious to see how it looks.

Years ago, I read an article about time capsules and how they are being forgotten and badly documented for future generations. Very often, these buried time capsules get developed over and no one knows of their existence.

Can someone refer me to an inventory of buried time capsules we have around Houston? I know of one buried underneath the sidewalks of Sam Houston Park in downtown that is to be opened, I believe, on July 4, 2076. It was placed there in 1976.

I know of another time capsule in the basement of the Julia Ideson Library building in downtown. I have no details as to when it will be opened.

If no inventory of these Houston time capsules exist, perhaps someone can start a list.

If anyone knows of other time capsules around Houston, let us know about them here.

There's one at Antioch Missionary Baptist church that was created last year that will be opened at the church's 150th anniversary.

Pine Shadows Elementary in Spring Branch ISD had a 40-year capsule that was opened in 2005. Spring Branch Christian Church opened a 40-year capsule in 2004.

In 2004, the Chronicle reported of a time capsule dating back to the dedication of the Harris County criminal courts building in 1952. It was thought to be lost, but was found and later opened. The article mentioned "an even older time capsule may be found when the Harris County Civil Courts Building undergoes a restoration in 2006." Anyone know what happened to that?

Looking back, I think just about every school in the city has had some type of time capsule in the past.

Very cool shots we would never get to see otherwise. I love the way the shapes echo the skyscrapers in the background. Wasn't that originally a viewing area open to the public?

Probably. From Page 266 of the WPA Guide to Houston:

The Observation Tower (open 10-4 daily; adm 25 cents), is reached by express elevators and a metal and marble staircase. Through a long-range telescope mounted on a platform, Galveston and other points within a 50-mile radius are visible on clear days.

Some other things I wasn't aware of:

Just above the observatory is the Jesse H. Jones aeronautical beacon, 450 feet from the street level, and the vertical radiator of Radio Station KXYZ, which has studios on the fifth floor. Two shafts of light are visible on clear nights for a distance of 50 miles. A 15,000 candlepower beam is projected vertically into the heavens, while another of 8,000 candlepower is thrown horizontally toward the Municipal Airport.

At Christmas colored lights are used, which, at a distance, seem to transform the towering shaft into an emerald-and-ruby obelisk.

Wow, *19* people died in that storm. I wonder if anyone pursued a claim against the government for that.

Again, war era regulations did not permit release of records kept at these offices and we were informed anecdotally that in all likelihood any records taken would have been classified and shipped to Washington.

Sounds like a FOIA request is in order!