Houston In The 1910s

[FilioScotia]

Is that the guy who married Anna Nicole Smith??

No. You're thinking of J. Howard Marshall, who was born and raised in Pennsylvania. In his younger days he was one of the country's most outstanding corporate leaders. He got to be a billionaire the old fashioned way -- he earned it -- but he got very frail of body and mind in his old age, and Anna Nicole Smith took full advantage of it.

Here's a link to his bio http://factweb.net/Profile.htm

[TJones]

No. You're thinking of J. Howard Marshall, who was born and raised in Pennsylvania. In his younger days he was one of the country's most outstanding corporate leaders. He got to be a billionaire the old fashioned way -- he earned it -- but he got very frail of body and mind in his old age, and Anna Nicole Smith took full advantage of it.

Here's a link to his bio http://factweb.net/Profile.htm

Not trying to defend Anna Nicole, I find her utterly disgusting. IMO, Anna did not take advantage of J.H.Marshall. From all reports she treated him like most hookers would treat an ailing oldman that they didn't give a rat's patootey about. J.Howard knew the score though, and he got exactly what he wanted, he used his money and got Anna, but he didn't realize that the Anna Nicole package was "damaged goods", and there was no return policy on it.

[editor]

1912 again

[editor]

[torvald]

that was the old masonic temple dowtown!

(on the left)

[RedScare]

1912 again

There's the NEW Rice under construction. On the far right is the 11 story Scanlan Bldg, which still exists. My office is on the 9th floor.

[MexAmerican_Moose]

wow....where do you get all of these pictures?? library or wuuut?

[Pumapayam]

Who knew that downtown had smoke stacks back in the day. The skyline was sure shorter back then.

[sevfiv]

wow....where do you get all of these pictures?? library or wuuut?

they're from the li-berry of congress

[WestGrayGuy]

Question: Where was the 1913 Red Light District?

[TJones]

Not architecture related, but this photo from October, 1913 caught my attention because of its description:

"Eleven year old Western Union messenger #51. J.T. Marshall. Been day boy here for five months. Goes to Red Light district some and knows some of the girls."

J.T. Marshall was very popular with the ladies back then, his nickname was "Tripod" and he used the kickstand off that bike to hold up his....................oh nevermind, but he was VERY POPULAR with the ladies.

[DJ V Lawrence]

Is that the guy who married Anna Nicole Smith??

That was what I was thinking as well. Thanx for the clear-up, yo.

So if this picture is of a different dude, then how did this tripod Western Union dude get a picture taken in 1913. I'm thinking that if U had a camera back then and weren't working for the Chronicle, you must have been a rich dude, right?

[Earlydays]

they're from the li-berry of congress

Here's a good web site....

http://www.birdseyeviews.org/browse.php?ci...ties&page=7

[Pumapayam]

1873!

Looks at all the farm land!

[dbigtex56]

That was what I was thinking as well. Thanx for the clear-up, yo.

So if this picture is of a different dude, then how did this tripod Western Union dude get a picture taken in 1913. I'm thinking that if U had a camera back then and weren't working for the Chronicle, you must have been a rich dude, right?

Not at all. Photography had been common and affordable since 1888, thanks to George Eastman.

[Subdude]

Question: Where was the 1913 Red Light District?

I don't have the source to back this up (a Fuermann book?), but I believe I read that the red light district was west of downtown in the Fourth Ward, approximately where Allen Parkway Village was eventually built.

[Montrose1100]

I always thought it was westheimer, you know, those 24 hour chiropractor/spa places. Oh yeah, you know...

[native_Houstonian]

Don't know about the 1913 Red Light District, but in the 40's and 50's it was on Mid Lane. Mid Lane is about 1/2 mile east of the West Loop and runs between San Felipe and Westheimer.

Don't know about the 1913 Red Light District, but in the 40's and 50's it was on Mid Lane. Mid Lane is about 1/2 mile east of the West Loop and runs between San Felipe and Westheimer.

[FilioScotia]

Don't know about the 1913 Red Light District, but in the 40's and 50's it was on Mid Lane. Mid Lane is about 1/2 mile east of the West Loop and runs between San Felipe and Westheimer.

Don't know about the 1913 Red Light District, but in the 40's and 50's it was on Mid Lane. Mid Lane is about 1/2 mile east of the West Loop and runs between San Felipe and Westheimer.

Mid Lane? I don't remember Mid Lane that way, but it came close. There was a lot of young swinging action on Mid Lane in the 50s and 60s, but it wasn't a "red light district". A red light district is a whorehouse neighborhood. Mid Lane was an apartment complex area filled with young up and coming "swingers", and all the action was "FREE". Didn't cost a thing, beyond your rent and liquor bills.

In the early sixties, I had a college buddy who lived on Mid Lane, and another friend on the next street over, Bancroft, and they were partying ALL the time. I slept off a fair number of hangovers in one friend's apartment or another, trying to remember the name of the young lovely I had spent most of the night with.

Mid Lane was called "Sin Alley" by the newspapers, and everybody who -- like me -- couldn't wait to get their name on the waiting list for a vacant apartment. Turned out I never did move there because I found a better area to live and enjoy that kind of life style -- the Clear Lake area around NASA. Now that was a hot part of town in the sixties.

[native_Houstonian]

Mid Lane? I don't remember Mid Lane that way, but it came close. There was a lot of young swinging action on Mid Lane in the 50s and 60s, but it wasn't a "red light district". A red light district is a whorehouse neighborhood. Mid Lane was an apartment complex area filled with young up and coming "swingers", and all the action was "FREE". Didn't cost a thing, beyond your rent and liquor bills.

In the early sixties, I had a college buddy who lived on Mid Lane, and another friend on the next street over, Bancroft, and they were partying ALL the time. I slept off a fair number of hangovers in one friend's apartment or another, trying to remember the name of the young lovely I had spent most of the night with.

Mid Lane was called "Sin Alley" by the newspapers, and everybody who -- like me -- couldn't wait to get their name on the waiting list for a vacant apartment. Turned out I never did move there because I found a better area to live and enjoy that kind of life style -- the Clear Lake area around NASA. Now that was a hot part of town in the sixties.

Thanks for the correction. My information came from my mother, who is very straight-laced. It sounds like there were loose women there, and that's close enough for my mother to call them whores.

[WestUNative]

My reality sensor tells me I am sitting here at the computer, but I must be doing the Time Warp AGAIN! In 1964, my husband and I, married in 1963, moved into an apartment on Mid Lane. We were on the corner at the far north end of that stretch. It was utterly quiet, no heavy traffic or cars piled up at curb all night. The guy who lived upstairs from us was a John Birch Society weirdo, lived alone, never had visitors and his only objectionable habit, other than his politics was his propensity for attempting to life weights. Every night, he'd raise the barbells a bit, then drop them on the floor over our heads. I thought they would come through the ceiling any minute.

We knew nothing of its reputation, this is the first I have heard of same. We chose the spot because my husband was working at the Highland Village Post Office around the corner. Apparently the "swingers" made a hasty exit by 1964.

I tell you, Filio, it is becoming eerie, how often our paths 'almost' crossed!

[Subdude]

I believe that for a while South Main was considered a bit of a red light district. All those cheap motels..

[FilioScotia]

Thanks for the correction. My information came from my mother, who is very straight-laced. It sounds like there were loose women there, and that's close enough for my mother to call them whores.

Yes there were a lot of "loose women", and a lot of "loose men". "Whores" of both sexes, I suppose, guilty of all manner of "immoral" behavior, but they didn't get paid for it. They just did it for the fun of it. Ah yes. Those wonderful days before AIDS.

[isuredid]

I don't have the source to back this up (a Fuermann book?), but I believe I read that the red light district was west of downtown in the Fourth Ward, approximately where Allen Parkway Village was eventually built.

I looked at the George Fuermann book "Houston: Land of the Big Rich" and he said the red light district was on Howard Street which was the street in Fourth Ward just to the south of the old Cemetery on Valentine.

[enviromain]

I looked at the George Fuermann book "Houston: Land of the Big Rich" and he said the red light district was on Howard Street which was the street in Fourth Ward just to the south of the old Cemetery on Valentine.

This is from O.W. Gray "National Atlas" published in 1884.

[57Tbird]

I looked at the George Fuermann book "Houston: Land of the Big Rich" and he said the red light district was on Howard Street which was the street in Fourth Ward just to the south of the old Cemetery on Valentine.

This cropped portion of a 1913 map shows a little more detail of that area. What was a little confusing on the older map above was that Howard was north of the only cemetery noted just below it, and Valentine Street was not named. Maybe Fuermann was referring to the Glenwood Cemetery shown here. However, it is not on Valentine. ???

[musicman]

from the map the cemetery referenced may be the Allen Parkway village cemetery that was forgotten.

[dbigtex56]

Founders Memorial Cemetery

Founders Memorial Cemetery, located at 1217 West Dallas at Valentine Street, was dedicated by the city as a memorial park in 1836.

It's plausible that Mr. Fuermann got his norths and souths confused; everything else about the location fits with his description.

[57Tbird]

You can see that cemetery/park on this Google Map

Some of the 1913 street names are still the same, but some have changed. San Felipe Road on the 1913 map became West Dallas.

I think you're right about Mr. Fuermann being confused on his directions.

[isuredid]

You can see that cemetery/park on this Google Map

Some of the 1913 street names are still the same, but some have changed. San Felipe Road on the 1913 map became West Dallas.

I think you're right about Mr. Fuermann being confused on his directions.

I think I was the one that got my directions mixed up. Mr. Fuermann was alive much closer to the period than I. I thought I saw Howard south of the Cemetery on a Sanborn Map, but I had my directions backwards