50_year_native

I remember reading that Houston's first airfield (just a well-mown, fairly flat 20 acres or so) was situated in the late 1900s or early 1910s on the west side of S.Main, just south of the present Kirby Drive intersection. I would bet that's where these air shows took place, but I have no firm information on that.

But is this the same Bray that disembarked from the schooner "Only Son", with his son-in-law, at Matagorda Bay in 1822? It is certainly possible, but I don't know how likely. I believe whichever Bray that arrived in Matagorda Bay in 1822 is the one after whom Bray's Bayou is named - but that is just a hunch with very little to back it up.

Great post, great book page images and thanks a million to all who have pursued this information. I live 1/2 mile from Bray's Bayou and my first cousin (also a native Houstonian) married a fine young man from the interior (I think San Antone?) a few years ago with the surname of Bray. Hence my interest, as an amateur local history buff, in where the name of the Bayou came from. In the Texas Room this past weekend I found a reference to the "Bray family" arriving in Harris County in 1822 and specifying "Brays Bayou" in parentheses. It wasn't an original document but a more or less chronological list of early Harris County settlers derived from other sources. The loose-leaf document was the only entry in a vertical file titled "Harris County - History". The source referred to for the "Bray family" entry in the loose-leaf document was the History of Galveston by Dyer (I have the exact citation at home). I will seek the Dyer History of Galveston as soon as time permits. I also came across a reference to the Brown book (containing the two pages imaged above), but the Texas Room couldn't locate it while I was there. Obviously, information about this "Bray family" seems very limited and abbreviated. There is no reference to the family (that I can find) in the Handbook of Texas Online. I am still interested in learning more about the family if possible, just to satisfy my curiousity and because they were such early (western) settlers in the area. If I find any more information of value, I will post it here, and of course would and do greatly appreciate any and all efforts by others in this amateur historical pursuit. Sincerely, 50_year_native (Amateur local history buff)

No, the property bounded by Bray's Bayou to the north, 610W-Northbound feeder to the west, 610S-Westbound feeder to the south and Willow WaterHole Creek to the east. As mentioned above, there was once a auto service station on the Westbound feeder that was apparently subdivided from the property. The service station has been demolished, I'm not sure about the foundation. http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&a...mp;t=h&om=1

I think I remember that the reason they condemned it (on the spot) a few years ago was that they discovered that the second floor slab was only 3-4 inches thick.

Main Riding Academy located at 6805 Old Main Street Road. Edit: Main Riding Academy Phone: Hadley 5288

Don't forget Gaido's at about Main/Murworth and Lee's Den at about Main/Kirby. Ye Olde College Inn - Main/University Youngblood's Fried Chicken - Main/University? Christie's (Seafood) - on Main between University and Holcombe. Sonny Look's Sirloin House moved from Westheimer/Fountainview area (near The Palm, today) to South Main just north of 610S sometime in the 60's/70's Also, a long time ago, there was an amusement park with ponies (ala Playland Park) on South Main just across University from the Old Rice Stadium. Probably 30's/40's. It was the same rides that moved further south on Main to just north of Kirby and was there until 10-15 years ago (of course with newer ponies). Also, some of the rides in the newer location came from Wee Wild West on Westheimer about Sage which shut down about 1960-70. I was told or read that Houston's FIRST airport was at the SW corner of Main and Kirby (near where Kaphan's used to be). Apparently, it was just a large relatively flat area of well-mown grass and I read that the first airplane to land in Houston around 1905-1910 landed there.

Valian's (Italian, pizza) on South Main across the street from the Shamrock Hotel. One of THE places to go in high school on a Saturday night (especially with a date). Ye Olde College Inn on South Main near University. Youngblood's Fried Chicken - several around town. Green Parrott (near UH?) Prince's Hamburger old-fashioned drive-in at South Main and OST intersection (the waitresses did wear roller skates, just like in "American Grafitti". These are fond memories from my youth, circa 1960's. Also, the original San Jacinto Inn on the Ship Channel.

I remember this site as Roy Hofheinz home before he moved into the Astrodome, or that suite on top of the Astroworld Hotel. Whoever told me that might have been wrong, but I definitely heard it from someone, 30-40 years ago.

Many place names along the RR tracks on old maps were not actually town names or stations, but rather names of water stops for the old steam engines. The trains would stop very briefly, just to take on water. I'd bet Stella was just a water stop, rather than a small town or community.