Meadowbrook Arches

[NenaE]

I just looked those houses up on GoogleEarth...couldn't find a red brick fence...maybe was just in my imagination. ...some addresses are (approximately) 8354 Howard(covered in English Ivy, on corner), 8310 Howard, Red Brick traditional, black shutters, 8326 Howard, Blue? Brick (whoa), 2 story, Traditional. These were all on the south side of the drive. There are some nice one story tan brick ones on the north side. This layout reminds me of Park Place, with the blvd. & median.

[ernie5823]

I just looked those houses up on GoogleEarth...couldn't find a red brick fence...maybe was just in my imagination. ...some addresses are (approximately) 8354 Howard(covered in English Ivy, on corner), 8310 Howard, Red Brick traditional, black shutters, 8326 Howard, Blue? Brick (whoa), 2 story, Traditional. These were all on the south side of the drive. There are some nice one story tan brick ones on the north side. This layout reminds me of Park Place, with the blvd. & median.

Those are pretty neat, but check out 8334 Barkley - looks a lot larger. Also, house at 8466 Howard. I remember when that was one of nicer houses around. Was a large "L" shaped ranch. Howard was two lanes, just like other streets in area, when I lived there.

Ernie

[Vertigo58]

It's surprising that the row of apts (on stilts) near the north side of Howard are still there. These are the ones right behind the once was a barbecue place right on the RR tracks.

PS, that barbecue was soooo delicious all you had to do was pull over order, get to go or eat on the wooden picnic tables. Now under new management I think.

[NenaE]

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/topo/texas/..._place-1947.jpg

this 1947 map (from the houstorian map link) shows (in the right bottom corner) which streets & homes were the first ones in the 'hood. Guess the arches on the west side of Howard would have been located where that two lane entrance is seen on the map.

It's by the "Melinda Bonner" school name.

[Gary K]

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/topo/texas/..._place-1947.jpg

this 1947 map (from the houstorian map link) shows (in the right bottom corner) which streets & homes were the first ones in the 'hood. Guess the arches on the west side of Howard would have been located where that two lane entrance is seen on the map.

It's by the "Melinda Bonner" school name.

Now there's an interesting map!

I did not know that Winkler Dr. ran continuously from Meadowbrook to Telephone Rd. I guess quite a lot of Winkler got obliterated when the Gulf Freeway was built. I wondered why there is a "Winkler" by Gulfgate, and another "Winkler" by Meadowbrook. Now I understand why!

A portion of the subdivision at Telephone Rd. and the Gulf Freeway was sacrificed for the Gulf Freeway.

Glenbrook Golf Course was called Carlton Park Golf Course.

Nice look at the layout of the Houston Municipal Airport and runways.

-Gary K

[NenaE]

Now there's an interesting map!

I did not know that Winkler Dr. ran continuously from Meadowbrook to Telephone Rd. I guess quite a lot of Winkler got obliterated when the Gulf Freeway was built. I wondered why there is a "Winkler" by Gulfgate, and another "Winkler" by Meadowbrook. Now I understand why!

A portion of the subdivision at Telephone Rd. and the Gulf Freeway was sacrificed for the Gulf Freeway.

Glenbrook Golf Course was called Carlton Park Golf Course.

Nice look at the layout of the Houston Municipal Airport and runways.

-Gary K

On this topo. map, the golf course at Glenbrook is not named, one side of Carlton Park faces Park Place Blvd. As far as I know, they have always had different names, although the land is connected, separated by the bayou. I can see where you might think that, looking at the map. What's interesting, also is oxbows that have been taken out, or the bayou changing it's path. Above the name Meadowbrook, north of the bayou, the culdesac is actually on a small island, now.

[gnu]

On this topo. map, the golf course at Glenbrook is not named, one side of Carlton Park faces Park Place Blvd. As far as I know, they have always had different names, although the land is connected, separated by the bayou. I can see where you might think that, looking at the map. What's interesting, also is oxbows that have been taken out, or the bayou changing it's path. Above the name Meadowbrook, north of the bayou, the culdesac is actually on a small island, now.

I think the golf course has always been Glenbrook (even before Glenbrook Valley was built - They took the name of the course for the subdivision)

The Bayou was straightened in '94ish. That is when they bypassed the part up by Charleton Park (note the topo map has a spelling error) and lopped off wyne st. The neighborhood wanted that part of the bayou to stay connected though, but it can get sort of stagnant now.

[ernie5823]

It's surprising that the row of apts (on stilts) near the north side of Howard are still there. These are the ones right behind the once was a barbecue place right on the RR tracks.

I don't really remember anything about those apartments on Alaska - maybe they weren't there yet when I left Houston in '63. I know the barbecue place, on OGR side of RR tracks, wasn't there until later. Seems like it was first a filling station - some off brand.

Ernie

[ernie5823]

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/topo/texas/..._place-1947.jpg

this 1947 map (from the houstorian map link) shows (in the right bottom corner) which streets & homes were the first ones in the 'hood. Guess the arches on the west side of Howard would have been located where that two lane entrance is seen on the map.

It's by the "Melinda Bonner" school name.

Neat map! Looks like map was actually from '46, with the gridwork added in '47. This probably does a good job of showing what was there before the war - and Dogpatch evidently was, along with all houses in 8100 block of Barkley (where I lived) and Lenore.

Interesting that many of the streets are not even there, or are not shown - and are shown on some of other maps from about the same time. I remember when Arizona & some other cross streets were just crushed oyster shell paved, but I was just one year old in '46, so no memory from that far back.

Looks like Arches were on other side of Winkler with no roads going to or through them. Maybe they were originally designed to be entrance to another phase of Meadowbrook - which ended up being called Glenbrook Valley after the freeway was built.

Ernie

[NenaE]

Now that I look at the picture again, they do look like walkways w/ auto road in the middle, promotional ad from 1926. So approx. 20 yrs. later, who knows what was going on. There was a similar one described for Woodland Heights, with the same type of entrance, in an old book I read at the library. Would have been neat to see those gates, especially at night. No sign of the ballroom structure at the golf course, in 1946/47, I notice. Those apts. near Alaska were more like garage apts., parking underneath, very sixties, spiral stairs were outside, not a huge lot.

[Gary K]

I think the golf course has always been Glenbrook (even before Glenbrook Valley was built - They took the name of the course for the subdivision)

The Bayou was straightened in '94ish. That is when they bypassed the part up by Charleton Park (note the topo map has a spelling error) and lopped off wyne st. The neighborhood wanted that part of the bayou to stay connected though, but it can get sort of stagnant now.

Yes, I see! I had that thought, I went to grade school for 8 years across the street from Charleton Park.

I can believe the Golf Course has always been "Glenbrook", I wonder why that name didn't make it to this map?

I actually am more familiar with the Golf Course before the Sims straightening, I used to explore over there when I was a kid on a bicycle. I used to ride my bicycle through the Golf Course and cross the bayou (Meadowbrook to Park Place and vice-versa) to get to school. I recall that Glenbrook GC allowed cars to go through the GC. The bridge over the Sims was built to handle cars. Once the GC closed off car traffic (around 1965), they continued to allow pedestrians/bicycles to pass through and use that bridge.

I think the map labeling (and spelling) is a little sloppy in places, but for me it is a facinating map to look at.

It lets me see what the entire area where I grew up (Park Place, Meadowbrook, South East end) looked like before I arrived (was born) in '57.

-Gary K

[ernie5823]

Now that I look at the picture again, they do look like walkways w/ auto road in the middle, promotional ad from 1926. So approx. 20 yrs. later, who knows what was going on. There was a similar one described for Woodland Heights, with the same type of entrance, in an old book I read at the library. Would have been neat to see those gates, especially at night. No sign of the ballroom structure at the golf course, in 1946/47, I notice. Those apts. near Alaska were more like garage apts., parking underneath, very sixties, spiral stairs were outside, not a huge lot.

It just seems strange that there's nothing to either side of the arches & nothing to the west, with Howard dead-ending there. When the arches were built, I guess the interurban was still operational, so maybe there was a stop, or planned stop, at the arches. I don't remember anything about a "ballroom" at the golf course, just normal things you'd see at a golf course (I caddied there a while, before going to work at Peppermint Park) - maybe ballroom burned down sometime during the depression.

Ernie

[Gary K]

It just seems strange that there's nothing to either side of the arches & nothing to the west, with Howard dead-ending there. When the arches were built, I guess the interurban was still operational, so maybe there was a stop, or planned stop, at the arches. I don't remember anything about a "ballroom" at the golf course, just normal things you'd see at a golf course (I caddied there a while, before going to work at Peppermint Park) - maybe ballroom burned down sometime during the depression.

Ernie

Regarding the arches, am I understanding things correctly:

1) The Gulf Freeway did not yet exist.

2) The 3 routes from Downtown area to Southeast Houston (and Galveston) were: (Old) Galveston Highway, The "train"(?) whos tracks went to Galveston, and Winkler Dr.

3) Perhaps the developer of Meadowbrook built the arches on Howard to attract attention (to the new subdivision) of the passers-by traveling the 3 routes listed above?

-Gary K

[ernie5823]

'Gary K' asked:

Regarding the arches, am I understanding things correctly:

1) The Gulf Freeway did not yet exist. Correct. Not until about 1952

2) The 3 routes from Downtown area to Southeast Houston (and Galveston) were: (Old) Galveston Highway, The "train"(?) whos tracks went to Galveston, and Winkler Dr. There was also interurban train (electric) between Houston & Galveston until mid/late 1930s & was operational in 1926 when arches were built. Don't know if regular train service (tracks along OGR) was available.

3) Perhaps the developer of Meadowbrook built the arches on Howard to attract attention (to the new subdivision) of the passers-by traveling the 3 routes listed above? Seems like would have been on the other side of Winkler - entrance to neighborhood, rather than entrance to nowhere. I'm not sure exactly where OGR arch was.

Ernie

[NenaE]

Regarding the arches, am I understanding things correctly:

1) The Gulf Freeway did not yet exist.

2) The 3 routes from Downtown area to Southeast Houston (and Galveston) were: (Old) Galveston Highway, The "train"(?) whos tracks went to Galveston, and Winkler Dr.

3) Perhaps the developer of Meadowbrook built the arches on Howard to attract attention (to the new subdivision) of the passers-by traveling the 3 routes listed above?

-Gary K

Yeah, there was an interurban railway, as well, that went from Houston to Galveston...I believe from the 1920's, may be wrong on that date. The Gulf Frwy followed the same route as the IU railway, until about where Berry Bayou at Winkler is, then it veers to the right a bit (looking south). The arches would have sat very near it. That Spanish style architecture was very popular at that time. There are several park structures from that time period that are still around. Golfcrest CC (Golf Course), Hermann Pk Golf Course, and Mason Park all have Spanish style bldgs. Originally, River Oaks had some, as well. If you read the first post, 2 arches were mentioned, at each end of Howard Dr. I do know from my grandmother's own experiences that the Old Galveston Road was used by autos to get to Galveston. She talked about hiring jitneys, and going to Sylvan Beach, as well.

[NenaE]

http://sloanegallery.com/newpage61.htm

There is a picture in this collection of the interurban railway, and the stop at Meadowbrook. Notice that it is of Spanish style. The land in the background sure was flat & empty.

[ernie5823]

http://sloanegallery.com/newpage61.htm

There is a picture in this collection of the interurban railway, and the stop at Meadowbrook. Notice that it is of Spanish style. The land in the background sure was flat & empty.

Made lots of trips to Galveston with parents, from Meadowbrook, both before & after Gulf Freeway opened. Old Galveston Highway - US 75, I believe - went through lots of towns but the whole freeway route was pretty "flat & empty", as I recall it in the early to mid 1950s.

[Texasepies]

Would someone re-post a picture our a link to the meadowbook arches.

I would love to see them.

Thanks, Mike

[NenaE]

Just ran across this on the Glenbrook Golf Course web page...it was first built as the "Rio Rita Country Club" in 1924, as a "9 hole course with sand greens". Says opened in 1927, I'm assuming they are referring to the opening under the new name of Glenbrook. Also, it mentions that Al Espinosa won the Houston Open there, in 1929.

[Texasepies]

Still looking for a picture our a link to the meadowbook arches.

I would love to see them.

Thanks, Mike

[NenaE]

I just saw on Facebook, on the Park Place page, that Glenbrook Pool was torn up, diving towers to come down, to be remodeled. There were changes in the layout of the bayou, making the pool sit too close to the bayou. The new layout puts the pool much closer to the road.

I'm sad to see the old pools and 1960's pavilion come down. Lots of summer memories there.

Check out the pics, glad to see someone documented this. Facebook page is from a month ago.

[NenaE]

I also learned from the picture collage of the Park Place Facebook page, that there was an equestrian center in the 1940's at Glenbrook, by the golf course.

There are pics of a girl in riding gear, in B/W pictures.

Never heard that, before!

[Texasepies]

I just saw on Facebook, on the Park Place page, that Glenbrook Pool was torn up, diving towers to come down, to be remodeled. There were changes in the layout of the bayou, making the pool sit too close to the bayou. The new layout puts the pool much closer to the road.

I'm sad to see the old pools and 1960's pavilion come down. Lots of summer memories there.

Check out the pics, glad to see someone documented this. Facebook page is from a month ago.

Link to the Glenbrook Pool photos.

https://www.facebook...375.71454851372

[NenaE]

Glenbrook pool has a "twin", diving board/platform w/olympic pool, off of the beltway, @ Spring Branch. (Campbell St. area) Does anyone know about it? Bye the way, that Glenbrook tower needs a good paint job.

I just looked up that pool in Spring Branch, reminded me of the one in Glenbrook. It looks like it was built later than the Southeast Houston pool, not in the 1973 map, but appears in the 1981 map, source: Historic Aerials. Surprised me, that it was built later. The time I actually passed by the Spring Branch pool, it looked very similar to the Glenbrook one. It had those white diving towers . Too bad the Glenbrook pool was just torn down. The SB pool is named Agnes Moffitt Park, aka Spring Woods Park) at 10645 Hammerly (close to the beltway, north of I-10, Katy Frwy).

[NenaE]

<BR><BR>Here's a 1944 aerial shot of Meadowbrook, Sam Houston Gardens, and Glenbrook Country Club, from GoogleEarth.<BR>The arches were probably removed by that time, I can't spot them in this photo.<BR>What really interests me about this shot is this: notice all the little square white houses on the streets Lenore & small part of Barkley, next to the military housing. Wonder if they were built as part of the govt. facilities, as well. Notice how different they are, from the Meadowbrook lots. They are so identical to each other,<BR><BR>PS: I'm still learning how to edit/ download a photo properly... <BR><BR><BR>

[ernie5823]

I think we have "talked" before about Meadowbrook & Dogpatch. When I was six months old (July 1945) my parents bought the little house at 8128 Barkley. I lived there until I joined the Air Farce, in 1963, and my mother lived there until 1975.

In the Google Earth shot, I believe one set of arches was right next to the I45 symbol. I have no idea where the OGR set was - or if it really ever existed.

As I remember it, all of the houses on Lenore were similar in construction (asbestos siding, metal windows, linoleum floors, etc.) to the Dogpatch duplexes, as were most of the post war units built on Elrod, Barkley & Howard. "My" block on Barkley looks similar to the Lenore houses in this pic, but they were altogether different - real wood siding, wood double hung windows, hardwood floors, etc. HCAD shows these units being anywhere from 800+ to 1300+ square feet, but many must have had "add ons", closed in porches, closed in garages, etc. Every one that I was ever in had 2 bedrooms & 1 bath, probably between 850 & 950 sq. ft., about the same size as the one I grew up in. The "Lenore houses" might have been even smaller.

By the '50s, when I was wandering the neighborhood, most all of the vacant lots in the picture had been filled in, quite often with small, cheap looking houses (compared to ones that were there pre war).

[LTAWACS]

I think we have "talked" before about Meadowbrook & Dogpatch. When I was six months old (July 1945) my parents bought the little house at 8128 Barkley. I lived there until I joined the Air Farce, in 1963, and my mother lived there until 1975.

In the Google Earth shot, I believe one set of arches was right next to the I45 symbol. I have no idea where the OGR set was - or if it really ever existed.

As I remember it, all of the houses on Lenore were similar in construction (asbestos siding, metal windows, linoleum floors, etc.) to the Dogpatch duplexes, as were most of the post war units built on Elrod, Barkley & Howard. "My" block on Barkley looks similar to the Lenore houses in this pic, but they were altogether different - real wood siding, wood double hung windows, hardwood floors, etc. HCAD shows these units being anywhere from 800+ to 1300+ square feet, but many must have had "add ons", closed in porches, closed in garages, etc. Every one that I was ever in had 2 bedrooms & 1 bath, probably between 850 & 950 sq. ft., about the same size as the one I grew up in. The "Lenore houses" might have been even smaller.

By the '50s, when I was wandering the neighborhood, most all of the vacant lots in the picture had been filled in, quite often with small, cheap looking houses (compared to ones that were there pre war).

You should see what's there now.

[NenaE]

It's a shame it was allowed to decay...one person on Facebook was just saying that, way back when, probably 1940's, Meadpwbrook was considered the River Oaks of the southeast side. Don't know if I'd go that far, but it was a beautiful property, around the golf course, country club, until the stinky petro-chemical companies arrived. I can say that, I grew up next to them.

[sevfiv]

Also - http://www.chron.com/business/article/Historic-Hobby-neighborhoods-see-a-revival-2176269.php

[ernie5823]

I sure never saw any similarity with River Oaks. When I was a kid it was just a lower middle class working neighborhood. By the early '60s, the neighborhood had gotten pretty rough & Dogpatch was borderline slum area (in my opinion).

Oak Meadows (other side of tracks & OGR) was several steps up from Meadowbrook, while Glenbrook Valley & Meadowcreek Village were where the "rich folks" lived. Seems amazing that Glenbrook Valley is now "historical", since I remember when much of the neighborhood was "under construction".