rreini

Here is a little something that I wrote up for my website. I call it "When I Was Young: League City and Clear Lake in the 1960's

As Remembered By A Young Boy."

http://www.rreini.org/young.htm

I remember hearing the revving of the engines from the drag strip, which would have been a mile or two away from the house. I also remember the revving of the engines from our neighbor who worked on his drag racing boats!

You're right about the area becoming more upscale and more diverse. It was a big thing when the first McDonald's came to League City in 1979 (the one at I-45 and 518). Now there's Best Buy and Target and Home Depot and Kohl's, and then all of South Shore. Everything east of the high school where South Shore is today was all prairie.

My (former) sister in law said she appeared twice for her Bday too.

Can anyone help solve this true mystery? I could swear the phrase "Kitty's Korner" was used in Kitterick's or similar show? They would announce (or TV Guide) would have Kitty's Korner with both K's?

I would gladly buy someone a cheeseburger with the answer. I have wondered for decades....

That was another channel 13 show that I can barely remember: Kitty's Corner. Back in October 1966, according to the Houston Post TV guide that I have, it aired at 8:30 in the mornings. Cadet Don was on from 6:30 to 7, then came back from 7:30 to 8:30.

That TV guide had "Kitty's Corner" spelled that way, just the one K. But it did list the Kitirik show (4 PM) as "Kitirik's Karrousel".

Remember the Channel 39 news shorts back in the 70's (News Before The Hour) in the afternoon during cartoons?

Here's a Channel 39 retrospective:

More 39 (Who can forget Mary K Isaacs? LOL!!!):

Thanks for the links -- those montages were a blast! I'm a bit young to remember the hula weather girl...

Was it Hickory Farms, the label now which was once a whole retail store? There used to be lots of 'em in malls back in the day.

I don't remember a Hickory Farms being there prior to 1981. I can remember a Swiss Colony being at Baybrook during that time.

This thread has brought back some memories for me. I'd forgotten about Samperi's until reading about it here. Same with the Terrace restaurant and the pirate ship in the shoe department at Foley's. That building will always be a Foley's to me, no matter what name it carries or may carry in the future.

I remember Jack Lalane, Casper(was a favorite), and the "singing with the bouncing ball" show. I'm showing my age, now! Don't recall Cadet Don, but the name is familiar. I remember vaguely a show with a giraffe puppet, could that be "Happy Hollow" or "Mary Jane's Castle"? Couldn't find a pic in the links. Just wondering.

The only show I remember with a giraffe puppet was The Friendly Giant, which aired on channel 8. Jerome Giraffe, I believe (yes, I remembered correctly; thank you, Wikipedia!)

I vaguely remember Marijane's Magic Castle; it was on channel 2, and I think I won a prize of some sort from a contest on it. But that's all I can remember; I was 3, maybe 4 at the time.

This is a great thread and was gripping to read cause I have been working in Pasadena since 03 and never knew the history behind it.

The only bit of trivia I can add is that Manson family murder victim Sharon Tate went to that Catholic School north of Southmore on Shaver (St. Pius V Catholic School) between 48 and 51. Her family lived in Pasadena but left after her 2nd grade year. The whole church campus looks unaltered to I suppose it looked the same when she went there.

The Shaver and Spencer intersection is one I cross at least a few times a month. I took a look at that vacant lot that was the site of the parking lot puddle wrestling in the film....VERY sad to see how it is today. In fact, I went to that Ward's a few weeks before they were going out of business. The worker in the store was an old lady that said she had been there for about 25 years (back in 02 or 01). If I knew about that filming location I could have gotten info...grrrr. Man I wish I had at least taken photos of the Ward's in the final days. It looked so out of place.

In front of the flea market is a motorcycle shop that opened up about 1 or 2 years ago. On the SW corner of the intersection is an HEB dubed Mi Tienda that opened in early 07. They cater to the Latino market that is like 90% of the population in that part of Pasadena.

One question though...where exactly was Gilley's located? I know there is nothing left of it now but where was it?

Also, what used to be on the land that Walmart on Southmore sits on these days? When was that built?

If anyone wants pics of the Shaver and Spencer intersection I can shoot some anyday...it is a few minutes in the car to get there from work. You may cry if you grew up there when it was still sort of rural and clean.

Heck, I'll do a mini photo survey of the old parts of Pasadena since I have time to kill at work this week.

There used to be a big Sears store where that Walmart is located today. I grew up in League City, and that Sears store was the one we always went to, for it was the closest one to our house for 15 years. I imagine it was built in the 50's, but that's a guess on my part. I can't remember that area ever being rural and clean; it was built up and clean, with the Sears, the Weingarten's and the Abel Drugs building.

Thanks to everyone who replied -- I knew if I asked here, someone would know the answer!

When I was down in Galveston recently pedaling along the seawall and through town, I passed by what used to be an old Buick dealership at Avenue M and 23rd Street (Tremont). It's now a T-shirt store, and it's across the street from O'Connell High School. The old Buick name and logo are still quite visible on the building.

Does anybody know what dealership used to be there?

Yes! It was Dick Gottlieb! I just remember he sounded like Tony the Tiger and had a big nose like Hoagy Carmichael. The ladies name rings a bell but I was a kid too and its all seems so fuzzy too. I am almost certain you got the right announcer, but I want to know how long it lasted and what station ran it.

I think it was on channel 13 -- that's from fuzzy memory, but I think it was mentioned on another thread on the forum as well.

A home depot will be built at the intersection of Eldorado Blvd. and I-45 on the northbound side.

one complete shopping center has been designed and planned for 10 years now on the northbound side of I-45 between Bay Area & Eldorado.

It figures about the Home Depot -- there's a Lowe's not too far away, between Bay Area and El Dorado.

Now here is a good question for whomever can answer. I had mentioned this in a another thread but never got an answer.

Weingarten's used to sell you tickets or reciepts that had numbers for a horse racing show that would be glimpsed or announced at I think during the news or after the news.

When you checked out at Weingartens's they gave you these numbers that Paul Bosch? would announce it as "Let's Go To The Races! they showed the horses coming in to home stretch and then announce the winner. I am almost certain it was Paul Boschs's voice that came on this 2-3 minute program.

I would hit the floor if someone actually remember this rare deal. I clearly recall his unique voice. This must have aired around 1966-69? ish?

A million for whomever can give the right answer!

I kinda remember it (I was real young at the time) -- but wasn't the announcer Dick Gottlieb rather than Paul Boesch? And wasn't there a spokesmodel named "Janet Wentworth", as well?

Wow WestU, I thought I was the oldest one in this group. It's neat that you were there when it was being built. We moved to League City in 1971 when I was still in high school. But I remember everyone calling NASA "MSC" (Manned Spacecraft Center). It was changed to JSC later on. Nassua Bay was the "cat's meow" back then. Clear Creek Village had the next best seats, along with Clear Lake Forest which was just being developed. Nassua Bay had their own telephone company, "Continental Telephone Co". Webster and League City and places south were served by General Telephone Co. Electricity in Webster and League City was served by Texas-New Mexico Power. This was way back in the day before deregulation.

The power company used to be Community Public Service before it was Texas-New Mexico Power. I remember this very well from the bills my folks used to pay. I grew up in Newport, and there were times my dad thought he should have bought a home in Clear Creek Village instead. Now maybe he thought differently after the floods of Claudette....

Now for a picture of the space center area, circa January 1962. I downloaded this and a few others several years ago -- I no longer remember where, unfortunately. As you can see, there is NOTHING in this picture! The land for the space center has been cleared, and some construction has started. But there is no Nassau Bay, no Clear Lake City, and no Nasa Road 1. The old FM 528 is there, going much closer to the shoreline than Nasa Road 1 does. And you can see where the road curves, right where El Camino/Egret Bay is today.

WestUNative, you're speaking of the old Nassau Bay Hotel, aren't you? I can remember the NBC News studio and logos on top of that building. It's long gone now; on or near the site are a CVS drugstore, a Luby's, a Microtel and an Extended Stay America.

(Edit: I don't know how to post images so they show up inline rather than as attachments)

The one in Baybrook Mall is a JC Penny's now.

If I recall correctly, the Penney's there is a brand new building. The original Wards building housed Foley's for a while until it built a new store where the original Joske's/Dillard's was. Then the Wards building was leveled, and Penney's built a new store there.

I've never heard of Central Market and Whole Foods. Are they chains only in the Houston area?

Hardly. Whole Foods Market started in Austin but has gone national, while Central Market is part of the HEB family. There are stores in San Antonio, Austin (2) and the Metroplex in addition to the one on Westheimer.

Someone on this forum said that Kennedy & Cohen folded many years ago and that they are no longer in Houston.

Yes, that's true. I think they've been out of business since the late '70s.

No, Holder's doesn't ring a bell. Was it a picture of a roach?

Another big neon sign is coming back into my head. I think we were going westbound on IH-610 from Gulfgate. Is my memory correct when it sees a big LEVITZ furniture store sign?

Your memory is indeed correct. And in the same general area were Crossroads Furniture and Kennedy & Cohen.

Does anybody else remember the student "riots" in Galveston and at Sylvan Beach in La Porte in 1961? They were the local ripples of the spring break rioting that started in California and Florida around 1960 and spread to other beach areas around the country.

People all over the country were stunned by the pictures and news film showing students on a rampage in the streets and fighting with police. I've never been able to figure out why all that happened, because there was nothing political or social going on at the time, the last year or so of the Eisenhower administration.

I was a senior at Pasadena High School in 1961, and I remember the Galveston riot that happened on May 1st during the annual Splash Day Festivities. Contrary to its present day association with the gay community, the original Splash Days were a big promotion the Galveston Chamber of Commerce sponsored every year to kick off the beach-going season. They had a "Miss Splash Day" beauty contest, live entertainment and a lot of other stuff, and it was all great fun that pulled a lot of people and families to Galveston.

In 1961, hundreds of students there for Splash Days got into a fight with police when the cops tried to arrest some of them for being drunk and obnoxious. They ran up and down Seawall Blvd for hours and cops arrested as many as they could catch. Some reports said as many as 800 were arrested, and it made the national news. When the same thing happened again the following year, Splash Days were cancelled for good, and the entire event just died.

In approximately the same time-frame -- also 1961 I think -- a similar, but smaller riot happened at Sylvan Beach in La Porte. Hundreds of students there for some kind of event ran wild and trashed the Sylvan Beach Pavilion. La Porte police, Harris County Sheriff's Deputies and DPS troopers were called in to break it up. They even had to use tear gas. It was the beginning of the end for the Sylvan Beach Pavilion, which was a very popular place for banquets and school proms. It closed within a few years because it lost so much business.

The Sylvan Beach Pavilion was still going -- maybe not going strongly -- in the spring of 1981, for that's when and where my senior class (Clear Creek HS) had its senior banquet.

You are absolutely right and I am embarrassed. It's humbling and a little scary when you learn that you can't trust your own memory anymore. I lived in Dickinson when I worked at KVVV in 1968, and I always drove over to Alvin on FM 517, but for reasons I attribute to the onset of Mad Cow Disease, I just don't remember making that right turn on FM 528 and driving north a couple of miles to Lundy Lane. That part of my daily drive is a complete blank. I only remember how long it took to get there from Dickinson on 517.

I searched for Lundy Lane in Alvin on Google Earth and there it is -- big as life. The old KVVV building, still sitting out there in the middle of that field, just off FM 528. The pics taken last September by Invisible Texan are startling, to say the least. Very sad.

Invisible Texan may have taken those pictures just in time -- when I was last down there in November, I remember driving past and NOT seeing the building there anymore. It looked like the lot had been cleared. Can anyone confirm this?

Roger

It's on FM 517 less than a mile east of the N. Alvin Bypass. As you drive east away from Alvin it's on the right. Look for a TV tower with a delapidated two-story brick building next to it out in the middle of a field. I'm amazed the FCC or the FAA hasn't ordered somebody to take the tower down. It's been standing there unused since the late sixties.

Here's a link to some photos taken just last year by HAIF member Invisible Texan. To whom we owe our everlasting thanks for taking the time to go out there and crawl around in that old place. These photos are great.

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/invisible_texan/albums

They're labeled -- what else? -- Ruins of KVVV TV.

Actually, I remember it off of FM 528, not 517, not that far from the old channel 11 tower (which I remember more as channel 8's tower). The Wikipedia entry for KVVV gives the address as 1400 Lundy Lane in Friendswood. Definitely on the right when leaving Alvin.

Oh - my - God. All the gin joints in the world and I had to walk into this one. Somebody asking about a TV station where I once worked nearly 40 years ago -- for a brief time. Time for true confessions.

K-V-V-V Channel 16 was licensed to Galveston, but it was physically located in Alvin. Actually, it was in a brand new building in a cowpasture just outside of Alvin on the road to Dickinson. (One of the owners owned the land.) It went on the air in 1967, to mainly show movies, game shows and syndicated reruns. The big marquee attraction was a six hour live running analysis of the stock market called The Stock Market Observer. It had a large set with computerized display boards providing constant monitoring of the action on Wall Street. The Dow Jones 30, S&P 500, the Chicago Mercantile and the Board of Trade for livestock futures, and others.

It was presented on a repeating segmented hourly wheel by an on-air staff of 3 people -- including yours truly -- who kept viewers "almost" up to the minute on everything important in the markets, from opening to closing every business day, complete with the NY and American Stock Exchange tickers crawling across the bottom of the screen. I say it was "almost" up to the minute because the stock exchanges required a 15 minute delay in putting their tickers on the air. The Bloomberg Network is now doing almost the same thing we were doing in 1968.

I joined the air staff in early 68, and worked about 7 months with co-hosts Jeff Thompson and Roberta DeFranceso, until the station lost so much money it started laying people off in September and October. I was in the first group to get pink slips. You know what they say -- last hired first fired. It's true. Jeff and Roberta both moved to New York to continue doing the show up there, and it lasted for several more years. I went back to radio, Jeff now has his own PR firm in Raleigh North Carolina, and Roberta lives in Houston where she does the Fiesta commercials on TV. She's the Fiesta lady.

The Stock Market Observer was a great idea, far ahead of its time, and it had a lot of viewers in just about every company office in town, but the TV station sales staff had no idea how to sell it and get sponsors. They were clueless. The show's creators had identical shows in New York and Dallas, both of which were successful and making money, but the show at KVVV in Alvin ultimately failed for lack of advertising.

When the SMO went off the air in late 68, the station limped along on life support for a few months, until sometime in mid 1969, the owners decided to put it out of their misery. It was off the air and history by 1970. So now you know. You can't even find any sign of it in that cow pasture.

One telling factoid: the owners hired a station manager whose only TV experience was as Nod the Clown on Channel 13 in the late 50s and early 60s. That says it all. Jim Page was a nice personable guy, and I liked him, but he was in over his head trying to run a TV station. I wonder what Page is doing now. Anybody know him?

I just joined the forum and happened upon this thread (and a lot of other interesting ones, too) -- thanks for the history of channel 16, FilioScotia. I was only 5 years old when it was on the air, but I can clearly remember it. I do remember seeing the stock market coverage on occasion and definitely remembered someone named Roberta. Thank you for confirming some old memories for me!

Here's another memory of channel 16: No-No the Clown. I don't remember too much about the show, except that he used to air Dick Tracy cartoons during the program. I was on it once, along with several of my friends from the neighborhood (League City, so the station was very close to us).

Roger