Vertigo58

Thank heaven for Google! I simply could not remember the name of the train that stopped here for several days in celebration of our bicentennial. The American Freedom Train made a stop over at Union Station (still was opened) at this time. Our 10th grade class took a field trip to check the train out. Once inside, the train carried numerous items of Classic American Memorabilia/Nostalgia. I only recall seeing the ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz under glass, but there were many items of interest. The attached link will give the exact time line it was here Feb 19-24 1976. There were hundreds of school buses waiting their turn to get on board. Too bad we couldn't cruise around in it! Wonder if any others here may have any photos or memories of this event? I hope long time citizens of Houston can remember. As an addition, my mom says she still remembers the day her dad and mom dropped off my uncles at Union Station as very young men to go overseas soon after Pearl Harbor event. Luckily they all came back soon afterwards. Link below! http://www.freedomtrain.org/html/aft_timeline.htm

I have a scary feeling another Starbucks or carbon-copy thereof is envisioned by someone as we speak. Whatever happended to creativity?

I would have to bank on Baseball season around the corner. This is the only reason I honestly think people bother to venture to DT nowadays. Baseball game then go party. Like one of our other members says we have to just be ourselves. So I wont compare us to boomtowns like SFO or NY. I hear that's 24 hour fun in the mid-cities. We go to Yaaawwwnnnn ...sleep after 2:00pmish.

That is incredible! That footage is probably considered quite news worthy & invaluable now. As another remembrance during these times, I recall my mom always trying to talk my sister out of flying for Eastern because Cuba was at such odds with the US and that was the prime destination for hi-jackings! Castro was in his prime then. We still have her psychedelic-designed luggage from then too. Totally 60's.

Close enough, Thanks! Now if only if we can locate some good old photos. I have several but they are mostly of Eastern Airline staff in flight to Miami, Chicago, Canada.

I just remember the promo's as Yak. This was about the time Nickelodeon was becoming popular and "Nick at Night" was featuring really cool old reruns of 60's sitcoms like "Green Acres", etc. MTV was still sticking to it's original format of innovative music videos. All has changed dramatically since, cable has completely lost it's premise of quality viewing at least for the younger set. It's only worth watching for the documentary type shows and History channels, etc. There was even that music channel for the more mature group and even it hit the skids. VH1 was it! As stated, majority of music channels totally lost thier original premise. Pure trash now. Like the 1st MTV song said, "Video Killed the Radio Star"

I made an attempt to locate specific date the airport opened but could not find, was it 1969? I must say one of the most exciting times for me was going to the Intercontinental airport when it 1st opened. My big sister was a "stewardess" for Eastern Airlines from around 1968-1972. Whenever she was in town we would drive waaaayyyy far from Houston to pick her up at this new airport you always would hear about. Seemed like an eternity to get there but it was well worth it! As a nine year old kid it seemed so exciting to see the big jet planes taxiing down the runways and hearing them fly overhead. The hustle and bustle of the crowd was even more exciting. I recall almost everyone being so well dressed, but what really floored me was the airline staff. They were always dressed so professionally. In those days stewardess's had to be single, no children, beautiful and the right weight. Basically perfect in every way. Luckily I still have my old Eastern Airlines toy plane. Just wondered if any others remember visiting the airport and of other airlines that used to stop over at that time, ie: Pan-Am, etc. Anyone know where to find pics of official opening?

While working in DTfor over 16 years we always stayed underground, air conditioning and hardly any desperate homeless folks to bother us. Was well worth it. Evenings are becoming even more desolate, people hear horror stories of the rail crashes, being ticketed for jay-walking, extreme homeless people that won't take no for an answer, auto getting towed and being taken in for Public Intoxication just for exiting a club. I don't blame them at all. Television news did a big story last weekend on how the nightclub/restaraunt scene is fizzling out. Sorry all don't mean to sound so dismall just quoting everyday stories and local news. I'm wearing my helmet so start the pelting!

I wish someone would invent a time machine so that I could go back and experience it again. Check out East End - Topic - Gulfgate Mall - Snapshot to 1970. Thats as close as it gets for now. Many pleasant responses...enjoy the ride...

Super cool pictures we may have known some of those kids, never know.

Yes, I do. Makes you wonder where in the world it ended up? If auctioned where in the heck would you store it and why? Conversation piece I guess.

As I drove by it yesterday, I recall knowing a girl that said she attended a Reform School for Girls there? I heard this from several people over the years. Any truth to that? Just need to let my mind at ease I guess. Thanks

Fantastic info. Much appreciated as I am a real fan of Gothic/Romanesque Cathedral Architecture. Just found a great book at Barnes & N last weekend. I recreate woodwork in the old cathedral style especially Gothic. Let me know if you know of any sources where renderings or original drawings can be found. It is simply amazing how artisans and craftsman spent years on some of these historical churches/cathedrals/basilica's. Archiseek is a good source and Dover Publications offers some good ideas. Sometimes all I need is a photo then I create a "model" and if it seems right I produce more. Any advise is welcomed. Thank you fernz

There is recent topic of Busch Gardens out here somewhere. Maybe moderator could merge? Many people responded with clear information. It had some neat rides we could see them from the freeway. Very colorful too.

That would be great to see especially as moving film. Perfect timing... it would win Best Cinematography, Editing and Sound! Yeah!

It would be a cool job but not in our summer heat, wow! and real tough when time to go to the restroom. Wonder if anyone has already mentioned The Old San Francisco Steak House? The pretty girl would get on a swing and hang around over head as you had dinner. I always heard of this but was too teenage and hip (at least in my head) to check it out. Was on Katy Frwy??? anyone have a photo???

I am pretty sure that was the name. There was another record store at the bowling entrance (east side) of the mall. My friend worked there gave me a free Saturday Night Fever & Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind album (with a promotional disco version of the theme). Still have! I clearly recall JR Riggings mens store where I would by most of my Night at the Roxbury threads. Platform shoes were going away by then though! I still tease my cousin after all these years that we busted him buying an "ABBA" album at Pickwick Records. He could have burned me if he knew I had that Saturday Night Fever album!

I think, but I'm not certain, that a new building in Los Angeles may be taller. I am almost certain it's the Bank Of America building in beautiful downtown LA. However; this one has been here for several years. Remember they (Martians) blew it up in Independance day?

Correction!!! Your right it was on American Experience (Ken Burns?) PBS. I just saw it about 6 months ago. It was awesome. Maybe someone can contact PBS or channel 8 to rerun????

These are all excellent replies and information. Speaking of wooden plank (sidewalks) aside. If you have time one day to read up or see the NPR documentary on The Great Chicago Fire. Check out what a danger the wooden sidewalks became when this tragedy occurred. A combination of bad luck that night. High winds, dry leaves alll over. The gust of wind pushed many leaves under the sidewalks which at the height of the fire helped fan the flames into the main hub of the city. Turned them into instant fuses. Just aweful. The irony of this whole historical event was that Mrs O'leary's was cleared of causing the incident. Several disgruntled youths had stole items from the barn and they tipped over the lantern they brought with them. See the docu!

Must rival (neck to neck) with Gulfton/Sharpstown area. Big question for anyone! Does anyone know what the original idea was for the birth of Spring Branch way back when???? I worked with a much older friend that told me he and his new wife bought a home circa 1962 when the area was in it's prime. There is only one thing I can think of that brought it to it's knees. Low rent apartments right/wrong???

A Houston tradition, The Downtown Club, an exclusive, private club was added to the 49th floor in 1972. I used to work in that building and the Downtown Club is so elegant and has views that would leave one......breathless. You dont even feel like your in Houston when your up there. More like Toronto or Ontario. Ooops almost forgot...Be yourself Houston!

Good addition, I am almost certain these red brick roads can still be found all the way to the far east end of Navigation and Canal near ship channel. I say paint them yellow if we keep them and as a promotion to the city have Dorothy & hundreds of munchkins skip all the way to downtown. Sounds crazy but bet it works as far as publicity goes! Sometimes our skyline looks like an Emerald City.

Here is another one that never seems to die down. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that these bricks must have been the only thing available and affordable $ to use as pavement a long time ago. There must be record as to who the workers were that placed these where they now lie. I only know as a kid when we would drive over small portions of this terribly bumpy stuff it was very annoying. There was and still is quite a bit over by Guadalupe Church area (Navigation/Canal). I recall the ladies complaining about their heels breaking or getting stuck as they walked to mass. Older relatives tell me they hated having to walk on them eveyday to the store/school. When the rains came what a mess, puddles of mud for days, became mosquitoe issue. There was no city spraying insecticide in them days folks. Had to tough it out! People at the time were more than happy to see these ugly uncomfortable things removed or paved over. Common sense, smoother on your new car right? Well here we are decades later and some are dying to keep them. A person on the news the other day made a really incorrect remark as to who layed them down. Now everyone knows that The City of Houston has always employed people of all ethnicities so these were placed by any and everyone. We can't assume that only certain ethnicities placed them in Guadalupe Church area? Give me a break. I can tell you majority of people in that area would love to see them dissapear forever. Freedman's T area insists they are to be placed back exactly where they were removed plus keep the streets tiny and narrow. You cant fit a hairpin when 2 autos are trying to pass. Emergency vehicles cant reach destinations in time. Real mess. Basically, no one is ever happy.

What I have not been able to find out, is when was the building torn down and exactly where was it located? I was told the hotel was built in the very early 1900s. Our house was originally built in the mid 50s, but was remodeled and added onto through the years, so I do not know when our paneled den was built. Is anyone familiar with this old hotel? I've uploaded the postcard. and the real mystery is how and why was it placed in your home. Verrrrry interesting. That is; who decided it would be placed there? Maybe former owner had close connections to the hotel management. You dont mention the neighborhood but if the former owner was living close by it would make even more sense. I always hear these kind of questions on Antiques Road Show. People wonder how relics ended up in relatives hands and so on. There is always a story and explanation.