Memories Of League City

[rreini]

Okay, I'll buy that. Especially if you grew up in the area during that time and remember there being no overpass at 646. I was unaware of that....thank you!

So, if that is FM 528, then the building on the right is the Hooters I guess?

Nope... but I can't remember what it is or was. The "southwest" corner of the intersection had nothing major there until the late 80's. The only building I can remember between 528 and the cemetery was a small building (not the one in the picture) that might have been a gas station at one time. Last I saw it, gravestones were being sold there, I think. Then again, I can't remember the intersection with 528 ever looking like this. My earliest memories are of there being feeder roads but the main freeway being under construction. Maybe the building was torn down before I was old enough to remember it.

Checking the views on Google Earth -- this could indeed be from the 528 overpass looking south. But the perspective from 3002/646 can't be ruled out either, even though there was no overpass back then (perhaps it was taken from a mobile elevated platform). But I don't remember 3002 as a full interchange back then; it was just a highway crossover, so that would tend to argue against that. I am quite sure that it is definitely not from El Dorado looking north; the freeway bends too sharply for that.

If I were down there right now, I'd consider going out with a camera and attempt to reproduce that view...

[bred]

Nope... but I can't remember what it is or was. The "southwest" corner of the intersection had nothing major there until the late 80's. The only building I can remember between 528 and the cemetery was a small building (not the one in the picture) that might have been a gas station at one time. Last I saw it, gravestones were being sold there, I think. Then again, I can't remember the intersection with 528 ever looking like this. My earliest memories are of there being feeder roads but the main freeway being under construction. Maybe the building was torn down before I was old enough to remember it.

Checking the views on Google Earth -- this could indeed be from the 528 overpass looking south. But the perspective from 3002/646 can't be ruled out either, even though there was no overpass back then (perhaps it was taken from a mobile elevated platform). But I don't remember 3002 as a full interchange back then; it was just a highway crossover, so that would tend to argue against that. I am quite sure that it is definitely not from El Dorado looking north; the freeway bends too sharply for that.

If I were down there right now, I'd consider going out with a camera and attempt to reproduce that view...

I drove down that section of I-45 this past weekend with the sole purpose of figuring out where it was taken, and from the curve of the road and the power lines, I can say with about 90% accuracy that this was taken from FM 646. The power lines in the distance (or a new incarnation of them) are still there in the same spot, and the landscape itself just feels like it's that spot.

[detached]

The book "Houston Freeways" identifies this as looking northward from around the area of El Dorado Boulevard. But I've always felt it was taken south from FM 528/Nasa 1. It can't be from FM 646 (FM 3002 before that) because there wasn't an overpass there until the 70's. I remember it being an at-grade intersection until that stretch of freeway was made into a true freeway. I feel very confident in that, 'cause I grew up in Newport and would have passed that interchange frequently on the way to Dickinson or points south.

This view is looking southwards from NASA Rd 1 intersection (FM 528). Those large power towers marching across the background are still there today, running just south of the new Academy store which is now on the east side of I-45. This area was all farmland, operated by the Japanese-American family of Kobayashi. Many of their houses and barns dotted the area around this intersection. They have been slowly removed, but the original family farmhouse, and a strip of pasture land is nestled at the NW corner of NASA Rd 1 and Kobayashi Street, surrounded by development. I believe the family still owns much of the land, but leases it out to commercial interests.

[bred]

This view is looking southwards from NASA Rd 1 intersection (FM 528). Those large power towers marching across the background are still there today, running just south of the new Academy store which is now on the east side of I-45. This area was all farmland, operated by the Japanese-American family of Kobayashi. Many of their houses and barns dotted the area around this intersection. They have been slowly removed, but the original family farmhouse, and a strip of pasture land is nestled at the NW corner of NASA Rd 1 and Kobayashi Street, surrounded by development. I believe the family still owns much of the land, but leases it out to commercial interests.

Thanks for the clarification. I always believed that the farmhouse in the middle of the shopping center at Nasa Road 1 and Kobayashi Street probably belonged to the family. There are several areas along Kobayashi and over by the medical center that look as if they are remnants for Webster's farming days, nestled in among all of the development.

You can read about the Kobayashi family and the history of Webster here: http://www.cityofwebster.com/index.asp?NID=2#chpt5

[bred]

This view is looking southwards from NASA Rd 1 intersection (FM 528). Those large power towers marching across the background are still there today, running just south of the new Academy store which is now on the east side of I-45. This area was all farmland, operated by the Japanese-American family of Kobayashi. Many of their houses and barns dotted the area around this intersection. They have been slowly removed, but the original family farmhouse, and a strip of pasture land is nestled at the NW corner of NASA Rd 1 and Kobayashi Street, surrounded by development. I believe the family still owns much of the land, but leases it out to commercial interests.

A quick visit to my new friend "Historic Aerials" verifies that you are correct. In the southwest corner of the aerial photo you can see the houses from the right hand side of the 1-45 League City photo, and you can also see the Kobayashi house in the northeast corner of the aerial photo.

Case closed!

http://www.historicaerials.com/?poi=3435

[Fringe]

Anyone know how and when Pearce Lake got it's name? (Next to 270) Lived in the only house on that lake when I was a little kid in the early 60's. Long before 270 was built. Don't believe the lake had a name back then.

Edited December 23, 2008 by LunaticFringe

[bred]

Anyone know how and when Pearce Lake got it's name? (Next to 270) Lived in the only house on that lake when I was a little kid in the early 60's. Long before 270 was built. Don't believe the lake had a name back then.

I couldn't view your photo for some reason, but I am familiar with the lake. I lived in the Hidden Lakes apartments for a while and used to jog and walk my dog along the land bridge there. I have no idea how it got the name.

Pearce Lake now seems very polluted from the old power plant that was behind it (recently demolished) and beer cans and trash from the people at the apartments partying there. If you could post your photo in another format I would love to see it!

[bred]

Anyone know how and when Pearce Lake got it's name? (Next to 270) Lived in the only house on that lake when I was a little kid in the early 60's. Long before 270 was built. Don't believe the lake had a name back then.

LunaticFringe, is this your house just north of the middle of the Pearce Lake? Looks like there was a little road from what is now 270, north of Clear Creek, that led back into the woods to a structure.

http://www.historicaerials.com/?poi=3438

[Fringe]

That's it. Thanks bred. I tried to post that photo but couldn't get it right. Sharp contrast from 1964 to present.

[bred]

That's it. Thanks bred. I tried to post that photo but couldn't get it right. Sharp contrast from 1964 to present.

Interesting! Small world.....my apartment sat almost exactly where your driveway turned south to go into the trees towards Pearce Lake!

And that's why this site is incredible!

[Fringe]

Cool. Looks like the house survived until at least 1981. Don't know exactly when those apartments were built.

Would also love to know the history of the structure about 1000 feet NE of our house. It was a huge mansion that had already been abandoned and fallen into despair by the early 60's.

Edited December 23, 2008 by LunaticFringe

[bred]

Cool. Looks like the house survived until at least 1981. Don't know exactly when those apartments were built.

Would also love to know the history of the structure about 1000 feet NE of our house. It was a huge mansion that had already been abandoned and fallen into despair by the early 60's.

The apartments were built in 1984 I believe, so they probably cleared your land shortly after the 1981 shot.

Wonder if the name Pearce Lake had anything to do with the mansion you speak of? I tried to google info on it but came up empty handed. Maybe an old-timer on this board can shed some light?

[rreini]

Thanks for the updates, detached and bred. And another thanks to you, bred, for mentioning the Historic Aerials site. I used it to view what the area around Newport looked like in 1957 -- nothing? Only the ditch and Hobbs Road. Going up to 1964, I saw the beginnings of Newport and saw that our house had been built by then (we moved there in March 1965). And to add a bit of historical Houston to this, I panned up the Gulf Freeway into town -- tremendously different in 1957 from what I remember from later.

[detached]

A quick visit to my new friend "Historic Aerials" verifies that you are correct. In the southwest corner of the aerial photo you can see the houses from the right hand side of the 1-45 League City photo, and you can also see the Kobayashi house in the northeast corner of the aerial photo.

Case closed!

http://www.historicaerials.com/?poi=3435

This is a fantastic resource web site! Thanks so much for posting it. It's fun to see the past patterns.

And, rreini, when was the last time you visited ol' League City?

[rreini]

This is a fantastic resource web site! Thanks so much for posting it. It's fun to see the past patterns.

And, rreini, when was the last time you visited ol' League City?

It would have been last year, in October 2007. I might have been back this fall if Ike hadn't gone through.

[bred]

I have a new question now. Using Historic Aerials and Google Earth, LiveSearch, etc., I have come across what looks like man-made ponds in rural, out of the way areas in the vicinity of east League City. Many of them are square or rectangle shaped, and some have been around since at least the 1950's.

One of them in particular caught my eye, after I noticed that there was a dedicated road that led out to it in 1957. This road had largely disappeared by the 70's, but the remains of it can be seen to this day in aerial shots. There is also a structure near the pond that can be seen in some of the historic aerial shots, which looks like a trailer or house. The pond is located near the new Mar Bella subdivision, and I attempted to drive out to it today, only to learn that it has become part of one of "the lakes (detention ponds)" contained in the subdivision.

My question is, what was the purpose of ponds like this? They seemingly have no reason to be there, but clearly are not natural, judging by their shape.

Below is a link to the particular one in question in a 1973 aerial view, as well as several others near by. These are all near the Mar Bella and Bay Ridge subdivisions and the Clear Creek Gun Range. I'm interested in knowing anything about the purpose of the ponds, the road leading out to them that disappeared sometime after 1957, or anything else about the area at that time.

http://www.historicaerials.com?poi=3493 - Near present day Mar Bella and Bayridge subdivisions - 1973

http://www.historicaerials.com?poi=3494 - Near HWY 146 and Mar Bella subdivision - 1957

http://www.historicaerials.com?poi=3495 - Near Clear Creek Gun Range and Bayridge Subdivision - 2004 (using the comparison tool, note how this one changes over the years from 1957 to 1973 to 1981 to 2004. Your guess is as good as mine.)

[NenaE]

I remember going to a number of cubscout functions at "Galveston County Park", now Walter Hall, I think. We always took some chicken chunks and string to catch crabs and we've have a big crab boil. On one occasion we were there when a group of control-line model airplane enthusiasts were there giving a show. Those old planes were FAST! I have very pleasant memories of that old park.

My dad used to take us to that park, the first Houston AIA book lists the bldg. at that park as Galveston County Park Pavilion, Galveston County Park - Dickinson 1920/ Donald M. MacKenzie, architect. Wow, it's been there a long time.

The picture shows the distinctive white 1920's mission style architecture that was so popular at that time. Reminds me of several old bldgs in the East End.

Edited December 26, 2008 by NenaE

[NenaE]

Cool. Looks like the house survived until at least 1981. Don't know exactly when those apartments were built.

Would also love to know the history of the structure about 1000 feet NE of our house. It was a huge mansion that had already been abandoned and fallen into despair by the early 60's.

How mysterious, a huge mansion, would like to know more about that one.

[MikeO]

I grew up in League City during the 80's and 90's, and watched it grow from when it was described as "the armpit of the earth", through the development of South Shore Harbour and other large subdivisions in the late 80's and early 90's to now, when it is considered to be one of America's best small cities.

I would love to see any early pics, maps, whatever of League City, Clear Lake or Dickinson, or hear any stories or memories from anyone who lived in the area back in the 50's through the 70's, or earlier. Thanks again.....you guys are great!

I moved to Clear Lake City when I was 15, in 1973. I was fascinated by my first exposure to League City, because at the time it was truly a small southern town. I had previously lived in the New York suburbs, and this seemed exotic.

Main Street was a two lane, tree shaded street. The street now know as Egret Bay Boulevard did not exist; El Camino Real dead ended at NASA Rd. 1. There was an apartment complex and a convenience store -- a UTotem, I think -- across the street from Clear Creek High. The strip center on the northwest corner of the Main St -- Hwy. 3 intersection was there, as was the bank and a couple other businesses.

In the 70's, most of the land along Main Street from Clear Creek High all the way to Clear Lake Shores was cow pasture. There were one or two small subdivisions on the north side of the highway, which I assume are still there. Clear Lake Shores was funky, seedy, and very affordable -- no million dollar homes there at that time! Plenty of bikers, shrimpers and hippies. At the entrance to Clear Lake Shores stood Captain Okie's liquor store and Captain Okie's beer joint. Captain Okie was, according to rumor, a guy who had smuggled liquor into Clear Lake by ship during Prohibition.

[MikeO]

This was all before the gentrification of the League City -- Kemah area. In the 70's northern Galveston County was a pretty safe place, probably safer than today as far as major crime, but it was funky, semi-rural and somewhat blue collar. People talked about which "side of the lake" you were from -- meaning that the North side of Clear Lake was white collar and suburban, while the south side was really Texan. A lot of the ambiance on the south side of the Lake was kinda summed up by the old song, "My Long Hair Doesn't Cover Up My Red Neck." Or maybe that's just the circles I moved in at the time...

In the late 70's I rented a shack (there's really no other word for it) at the corner of 5th and Harris streets in Kemah. This location is now under water, part of the Marina. My rent was about $100 a month, and I had neighbors that kept chickens and goats. To those of us that remember those days, today's Kemah seems surreal.

[plumber2]

This was all before the gentrification of the League City -- Kemah area. In the 70's northern Galveston County was a pretty safe place, probably safer than today as far as major crime, but it was funky, semi-rural and somewhat blue collar. People talked about which "side of the lake" you were from -- meaning that the North side of Clear Lake was white collar and suburban, while the south side was really Texan. A lot of the ambiance on the south side of the Lake was kinda summed up by the old song, "My Long Hair Doesn't Cover Up My Red Neck." Or maybe that's just the circles I moved in at the time...

In the late 70's I rented a shack (there's really no other word for it) at the corner of 5th and Harris streets in Kemah. This location is now under water, part of the Marina. My rent was about $100 a month, and I had neighbors that kept chickens and goats. To those of us that remember those days, today's Kemah seems surreal.

Kemah was very different back then. You are right Mike O, most folks that lived there were of the red neck persuasion. I remember going to the Red Barn on weekends. It was your typical honky tonk dance hall. The best time to go was on opening weekend of hunting season. With all of the husbands and boyfriends out of town, us long hairs did our own kind of hunting.

I worked in Seabrook Shipyard back then in high school and most of college (1972-76). The area was so low back in those days. The streets were underwater most of the time. Some serious grade raising was going on at the time in both Kemah and Seabrook waterfronts. Most people don't realize it today, but they are standing 5'-6' above were we stood in that same spot anywhere near the waterfront. There were times when I would show up to work and have to park out on 146, wade in and then go back out to the highway in a boat to get the sales people.