BabyJaneHudson

Nick are you really the grandchild of the Salvatos, or ya just trying to scare us? I must admit after reading this thread and hearing about the baseball sign and deed papers that went walking out the barn door, I did get a little nervous when I saw your first post, lol.

Have you yourself gone to the old barn and looked through the stuff in there? Was there ever a house on that property or just the big barn? If ya ever do go out there maybe you could take some pics of all the interesting stuff in there.

Hummm...........I saw some pics of a woman on her balcony in one of those apartments. There were also lots of plants, so I assume she was living there. Could she be paying rent to someone or do ya think she could be a squatter? If she was a squatter, wouldn't somebody have run her off already?

If someone is charging her rent, I would hope it's not too much because surely she isn't getting her moneys worth.

I've always wanted to dress up as an elevator operator, go into some random office building, ask people "Which Floor Please?", then watch their reactions.

Hummmm.........shouldn't be too hard to pull off. You might get to wear the little red coat for a while, but then they may ask you to trade it for a white coat with very long sleeves, lol.

Oh you can't forget about the Foley's credit card. It was called a "charge plate" back then and it was made of metal, lol. After you gave it to the clerk, she would swipe it over that old fashioned heavy swiping thing that made a loud noise. Music to the ears...

I came across this link from the Houston Chronicle today for photos of Houston in the 20's.

Lots of goodies here, just click here bayoucity and then on the link to the photos.

Esperson Building 1926.

http://i41.tinypic.com/2mhyd61.jpg

We shopped at the one downtown. My mom use to dress us up, she with her alligator bag and pumps to match, and off we would go to the bus stop for our trip to town. If you did not have the correct change for the bus the driver would give you the change from his little pouch changer hanging from his waist.

We usually went to buy our shoes. It was an experience, the shoe clerk would "fit" you for your new shoes. You got lots of attention. After the shoes, we go to the beauty shop or up to the Terrace restaurant for a meal. On the way out we usually got some candy or a box of pop corn.

A trip like that today would be comparable to a mother packing the kids up in the Expedition and going to a mall, lol.

Ahh, the memories of getting all dressed up to take a family trip to Sears on Main or even further down to Foley's...

I think the drive to Sears was as much fun as actually getting inside the store. In those days, we happily hung our heads out of the car windows and we were never told to buckle up or sit back, this was our treat.

I can remember my mom getting out her aligator shoes with bag to match and even a hat. We put on out pretty little dresses with petticoats, white ruffle socks and patent leather shoes. Now you see families in jeans, pull overs and the kiddies are wearing flip flops. Take me back to the days when our mothers had to starch our clothes, this was before permanent press, a new fangled invention.

I can still smell the popcorn...

These pics were taken from http://www.houstondeco.org

1939

2006

Was the entrance to an old factory in the 1940-50's, one of my uncles worked there. I had asked mom years ago what the heck they were and she said it was where our uncle worked. I think they are still there just all grimey and aged. Seem like the ones you would see in Egypt or the like.

On a side note, the houses that are presently on York Street are rare these days. Many need to be leveled but still retain original Victorian detail, gingerbread, sawn ornamentation, leaded glass windows, spiderweb windows, turned posts, etc. Sadly the city/developers will probably demolish them for more ugly tin shacks. Blah. Anyone out there, please buy and move these beautiful homes now.

but it was great you brought up the pillars question or or as I call them "Houston's Portals To The Past"

Thanks Vertigo, I thought it looked like an entrance of sorts. Pretty portals, I wonder if the factory was just as interesting?

I'd love to have those things in my back yard garden. I wonder if anybody would notice if I loaded them up one night and brought them home with me?

As a kid growing up in the 60's & 70's we use to live way South of the dome but had lots of relatives living in East End, Denver Harbor and up to Liberty Road. My Dad use to take the scenic route through downtown and over to N. York. Well just as we would pass Navigation on the right hand side of York

were these 2 large pillars (shaped like the San Jacinto Monument).

I always wondered what they were and what purpose they served? They are made of concrete and

have finials on the tops. They kind of look like an entrance of sorts.

Any idea as to what they are or what they use to be?

Here is the street view link from google.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&...9359481196,,0,5

Yes, she did. My older brother and I fixated on the missing finger when we started going there back in 64.

Do you remember the song?

Devonhart, I too went to Montgomery Elementary from 65-70. What I liked about that

school was the wide walkway leading up to the front doors. It sloped down from the

front doors to the street. We lived across the street so we use to ride our skateboards

down the slope without having to peddle, it was great for riding your stingray bike down

it also, lol.

Ms. Nesbitt, was the talk of the whole school. She is the one who did indeed write the song

and we had to sing it every morning right after the Pledge of Allegiance. After all those years of

brain washing, who could ever forget the song? She did have a finger missing and all the

kids were intrigued by it. Rumor was that she lost it in one of those guillotine type paper

cutters that went "woosh" when you slammed down the blade. I also recall that she had very

large eyes. I am sure she was a very fine lady, but we were still scared of her. Just being

threatened that you were going to be sent to her office was enough to make you fly right.

I got lost in this thread, so interesting. There is a great link with lots of pics of Brownwood before and after.

Get comfortable and get a drink and snack, here it is.

http://www.rice.edu/~lda/wet/index.htm

"This Is Our Home, It Is Not for Sale" (1987)

Filmmaker Jon Schwartz

Color

190 Minutes

This fascinating documentary chronicles the transformation of Houston

Wow Vertigo, your mom looked like movie star material. If she had gone to Hollywood, your Dad could have been Cary Grant, lol.

Vertigo and John, yes I knew there was a reason for my liking that house, it is just like the one Daddy built for me with my money.

I've written my letter to Daddy and told him what they are trying to do to my house ....lol.

P.S. Carpet on the walls? I guess you can do what ever you want when you can afford it.

Hello everyone, I am new here, but as they say have been lurking for a long time. I get lost here for hours.

Prisclynn, John Finley is correct when he says thank you because some of us will never be able to view the inside of the mansion.

You were so brave to go into that big ole empty house. Weren't you scared? Were you alone? What if a vagrant or some undesirable was hiding upstairs? Were you calling out hello? Did you get to see the bathrooms? I was wondering if the mansion had fancy bathtubs that were original to the house?