gonzo1976

Wow, I always wondered what it looked like up there. Great photos.

It would be nice to get up to the top of the Esperson Building and see how that looks up close, too.

H-town Icon Williams Tower hands down

I think to a generation of Houstonians (myself included) the Williams Tower represents landmark on the city landscape similar to the Gulf lollipop all those years ago.

The view of the city and landscape itself is my favorite icon. The view is great at about 500ft- 1000ft when landing at Bush Intercontinental. Looks like there are 3 distinct downtown areas rising from a sea of thick and very vast forest!

Just curious, do you mean when landing from east to west? It's great because when I fly in from the east the plane flies to a point just east of Bolivar, then banks west over the northern section of Galveston Bay and over Lake Houston to IAH. That flight path allows me to see Galveston, the San Jacinto Monument, and the Houston Ship Channel all the way to downtown. It's quite a sight.

Glad you brought this up. I was told of a book called Electric Houston which supposedly focuses on history

of our 1st street cars. So far I have had no luck finding it. As I mentioned in another thread there is a cool book titled Historic Photos of Houston which have great shots of ribbon cuttings, etc.

I think Houston Electric can only be purchased from the author at his Web site. I've never seen it for sale at any of the major bookstores.

this is going to be a great event - and for a great cause.

This is true. I plan on attending, too.

The guys are Metro Traffic always told me it's pronounced "Two-am."

Learn something new every day. I was pronouncing it "Two-ahm."

Reminds me of time someone said Elgin Ave. was pronounced Elk-in. Can't remember where I heard that, though.

What a fascinating time capsule! I do hope that Channel 13 shows more vintage video on their web site. I wish that 2 and 11 cared half as much about their past as 13 does. Maybe next year they'll show the first Eyewitness News broadcast from 1973.

That would be nice. I distinctly remember one year, right after the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, KPRC ran a documentary about the station's history. I think it was to mark the station's 40th anniversary, but I could be wrong.

The thing I find interesting in the video is the attention they gave to city government. I don't think I see those kinds of stories leading off their newscasts these days.

All of those are great. I guess if we had to get more specific and name secondary streets, my suggestion would be Bayland Avenue.

No... I am serious... I know it seems... well, unimaginable... but it's something we used to do in the Northeast all the time... like in Philly and NYC. You actually go from point A to point B by walking using your legs and feet! It's great... you don't have to get in your car.. you don't have to use gas... you get a little bit of excercise (great especially for you fatties out there)... it's a win win situation!!

Er, walk from Bayou Place to HP (isn't it going to be near the Toyota Center?) AND back? After dark?

Sorry, no.

I personally like the interior.

Someone once asked me what the sculptures on either side of the escalator meant. I told them evolution of man.

And actually, I know of at least one wedding that used that window as a backdrop. Well, it was either a wedding or a wedding reception. Either way, it's available for rent.

It would be nice if there's transportation between both sites. Maybe some people might want to take in a movie at the Angelika and dine at the HP.

So guess what your wish came true because in the film it gets all smashed up thanks to ROBO !

That was "Robocop 2." And if I recall correctly, the exterior scenes leading up that image there were filmed outside the Wortham Center.

Yeah, that's the old criminal courthouse. But wasn't there an old fire station in the vicinity, too (not the one where the aquarium is now).

Ah, well, the Astrodome is still a great symbol of Houston. Other domed facilities have come along, but Houston's is the original.

If this were 40 years ago, I'd say the Gulf lollipop would be another.

But I'm sure others will come up with better ideas.

Ahh, shoot, how could I forget. From the 1/25/18 Houston Press:

RICE STUDENTS BLOW FUSES

SMASH WINDOWS, THREATEN

WALKOUT OF MEN AND CO-EDS

[...]

The discontent of the student body on account of what they term "Red Tape" military regulations, put into effect at the institute by Captain Reagan, military instructor, has spread to practically all companies.

Welcome to the group!

I live in the Woodland Heights, closer to I-45 than I-10, and I hear it multiple times during the day. Of course, being that far away means I don't have it as bad as some of the others on here.

My parents used to live along a flight path just west of IAH and eventually they learned to tune out the noise.

I saw it off West Mt. Houston and Veterans Memorial about 15 years ago.

From the article:

Weingarten said it is in the final states of negotiations with Barnes & Noble to anchor this redeveloped section of the shopping center.

I wonder what this will mean for the Alabama.

Funny, I didn't know they cleaned up Root Square Park. That might be worth checking out.

When I look at Market Square, I try to imagine it when the City Hall/Market was there. I came along a little too late to remember it as the Bowen Bus Center, but still, it must have really been a hub of activity during all those decades.

Now, I don't think I would walk through there at night. Lots of panhandlers in the area.

But, yeah, I'd like to see something done with it. Converting it for nighttime use would be difficult. Other than another Jones Plaza, I'm not sure what uses the park would have at night.

Of the ward names, it seems Fourth Ward and Third Ward are still fairly commonly used.

Same goes for the Sixth Ward, or even the strange term Old Sixth Ward, as if there's a New Sixth Ward out there somewhere.

These days, I don't hear much reference to the First and Second Wards at all.

The wards get renamed when yuppies move in. There are a lot of old black folks that still refer to Midtown and the Museum District as a part of 3rd Ward. They aren't incorrect, but developers just coined the new names to make the areas sound more urban and appealing to a new generation. "Museum District" is a natural fit, of course, but "Midtown" was entirely contrived. I always thought of it more or less as a joke.

I don't think I ever heard anyone use the phrase "Midtown" until the mid-1990s.

The funny thing is that the only people I've heard refer to the wards are those who either live there or have strong ties to the city. I don't even think the local media use wards as a point of geographical reference.

Try this:

http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/arc/maps/images/map0435.jpg

Basically, the first four wards are formed from the intersection from Main Street and Congress Avenue. First Ward is sort of the NW quadrant and it goes clockwise from there.

I forgot to mention that "Ray Miller's Houston" has a color photo of two Goodyear blimps flying over the city.