Harris County Criminal Courts And Jail At 624 Bagby St.

[ChannelTwoNews]

Looking through some of the old photos of freeway construction, I've noticed a 9-story or so building adjacent to the Sam Houston Coliseum. It's to the left of it in the photo below. I'm going to guess that it was demolished for the Albert Thomas Convention Center since the site appears to be at the corner of Bagby & Capitol. Seems to be gone from the 1970's era photos posted on here as well, so that begs the question as to just what it was...

http://www.texasfreeway.com/Houston/historic/photos/images/i45_downtown_aerial_5_1961.jpg

[musicman]

criminal court building.

[gonzo1976]

Yeah, that's the old criminal courthouse. But wasn't there an old fire station in the vicinity, too (not the one where the aquarium is now).

[musicman]

Yeah, that's the old criminal courthouse. But wasn't there an old fire station in the vicinity, too (not the one where the aquarium is now).

yes it was between the two but closer to the coliseum

Edited April 14, 2007 by musicman

[Subdude]

The trusty Downtowner map shows the location of the fire station across from the criminal courts building.

[FilioScotia]

The trusty Downtowner map shows the location of the fire station across from the criminal courts building.

I'm almost a hundred percent certain that the smaller building next to the old Criminal Courts building was the old Houston Police Station. I remember it was still there in the early 50s, and it was very old and delapidated. It was torn down when HPD got the new building across the bayou at 61 Riesner Street.

And BTW, the very observant among us have probably noticed over the years that the city has never been able to agree on how the name "Riesner" should be spelled on street signs. "Riesner" or "Reisner"? I don't know what the situation is now, but until the 90s, there were street signs spelling it both ways.

Edited April 15, 2007 by FilioScotia

[musicman]

I'm almost a hundred percent certain that the smaller building next to the old Criminal Courts building was the old Houston Police Station. I remember it was still there in the early 50s, and it was very old and delapidated. It was torn down when HPD got the new building across the bayou at 61 Riesner Street.

the building he's talking about was the old fire station and is confirmed by the map

[tmariar]

Here are a couple of pre-Coliseum photos showing the fire station, which I think was called Fire Station Number 2.

Edited April 16, 2007 by tmariar

[musicman]

tmariar...that 2nd photo is amazing! thx for the post.

[Vertigo58]

Looking through some of the old photos of freeway construction, I've noticed a 9-story or so building adjacent to the Sam Houston Coliseum. It's to the left of it in the photo below. I'm going to guess that it was demolished for the Albert Thomas Convention Center since the site appears to be at the corner of Bagby & Capitol. Seems to be gone from the 1970's era photos posted on here as well, so that begs the question as to just what it was...

Both this and Mariars are very rare photos. I often wish they had never placed 45Gulfrwy as it is in the photo and present as it has presented such problems as far as traffic are concerned. The city never imagined we would grow so fast that the frwy is really outdated and simply too small to handle the flow in both directions. To make matters worse it goes up and down and swirls around, madness. Should have been farther away from the crowding buildings and it should have been way elevated and level throughout as it winded around DT. Around 4-6PM its gridlock in both ways. You learn to hate it now. It will only worsen I'm afraid. Imagine the costs to redo? Yikes! Guess this belongs in "Traffic section" oops!

[Heights2Bastrop]

Although it was a common term for freeway intersections, the interchange in the photo was Houston

[Vertigo58]

Although it was a common term for freeway intersections, the interchange in the photo was Houston's original "Spaghetti Bowl".

Lord knows we got plenty of meatballs (meatheads) walking around it.

[ChannelTwoNews]

Thanks for filling in the blanks on this building everyone!

[FilioScotia]

the building he's talking about was the old fire station and is confirmed by the map

I know. I'm talking about the building across the street from the fire station, on the north side of Rusk. The one behind the courts building/jail.

[tmariar]

I know. I'm talking about the building across the street from the fire station, on the north side of Rusk. The one behind the courts building/jail.

The building on Capitol, on the same block as the old criminal courts building? Just to the left of it on the downtowner map? It is interesting that it's not labeled.

It looked to me from the fire museum website that HPD headquarters were moved, in 1924, to the upper three floors (the fire department occupying the first two) of a building on Preston and Caroline. But I don't know what happened to HPD headquarters between then and Riesner, which I think was 1952. Don't know if this link will work, but the HPD history I found isn't that illuminating, unless I missed something.

[FilioScotia]

The building on Capitol, on the same block as the old criminal courts building? Just to the left of it on the downtowner map? It is interesting that it's not labeled. The HPD history I found isn't that illuminating, unless I missed something.

No you didn't miss anything. That's an interesting history. Where on earth did you find it? It's a shame the writer doesn't mention the location of the old building HPD moved out of in 1925.

I still think that unmarked building on the Downtowner map was the old HPD building they moved out of into 61 Riesner in 1952. But I could be wrong. I frequently am.

I'm fascinated that the department got its first police radios in 1927. The radios were ordinary AM radios tuned to KPRC, the only radio station in town at the time. The announcers would interrupt programming to broadcast police calls. Officers in cars could hear the calls but couldn't respond. Two-way police radios were still a few years in the future.

[Subdude]

According once again to the Downtowner, in 1940 the HPD was on the southeast corner of Caroline and Preston.

[FilioScotia]

According once again to the Downtowner, in 1940 the HPD was on the southeast corner of Caroline and Preston.

Thanks. You're right of course. Memory fails me once again. Memory is the second thing to go when you pass 60 you know. I forget what the first thing was.

[Vertigo58]

No you didn't miss anything. That's an interesting history. Where on earth did you find it? It's a shame the writer doesn't mention the location of the old building HPD moved out of in 1925.

Coincidence that you asked this question. I was in Barnes/Noble West U and there is a book in Texas history section called Historic photos of Houston, I saw that HPD building and just cannot recall the cross streets, but its in THAT book. There are rare photos I had not seen in previous articles on historic Houston. Are drifting from the subject?

[tmariar]

That's an interesting history. Where on earth did you find it? It's a shame the writer doesn't mention the location of the old building HPD moved out of in 1925.

I think it just came up on a search like "'houston police department' history". I've only just skimmed it, but put it on my reading list. Right behind an Ellington Field history prepared by someone at NASA, and a chapter of a Metro Solutions publication that seems to have some interesting information buried in it. Never enough time to get through everything...

To turn somewhat back on subject, I wish there were more close-up photos around of the old criminal courts building. I thought I remembered seeing one once with police officers posed outside with barrels of confiscated liquor, during Prohibition. But maybe that was another courthouse. I just remember not finding much when I was researching the "old courthouse oak tree" downtown - but maybe I didn't look very hard. Another addition to my to-do list.

[capt. kirk]

Looking through some of the old photos of freeway construction, I've noticed a 9-story or so building adjacent to the Sam Houston Coliseum. It's to the left of it in the photo below. I'm going to guess that it was demolished for the Albert Thomas Convention Center since the site appears to be at the corner of Bagby & Capitol. Seems to be gone from the 1970's era photos posted on here as well, so that begs the question as to just what it was...

THERE WAS THE MUSIC HALL AND RIGHT BEHIND IT WAS THE COLISEUM....ACROSS THE STREET TO THE SOUTH WAS THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY......ITS SINCE BEEN MOVED. ALLEN PARKWAY IS RUNNING UNDER I-45

[NenaE]

THERE WAS THE MUSIC HALL AND RIGHT BEHIND IT WAS THE COLISEUM....ACROSS THE STREET TO THE SOUTH WAS THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY......ITS SINCE BEEN MOVED. ALLEN PARKWAY IS RUNNING UNDER I-45

I don't recall the library ever being moved. It's located west of City Hall, across from the reflection pool. I'm talking about the older original library bldg. The newer Houston downtown library is located directly north of the older one.

Edited October 6, 2009 by NenaE

[rsb320]

I don't recall the library ever being moved. It's located west of City Hall, across from the reflection pool. I'm talking about the older original library bldg. The newer Houston downtown library is located directly north of the older one.

I think the old library that's being redone is to the south of city hall and the newer library is to the northwest of the old one. Regardless, I think you can only see a tiny portion in that photo, around the grouping of trees.

On another note, when was the Federal Building built? I did not realize it was so old.

[Subdude]

I think the old library that's being redone is to the south of city hall and the newer library is to the northwest of the old one. Regardless, I think you can only see a tiny portion in that photo, around the grouping of trees.

On another note, when was the Federal Building built? I did not realize it was so old.

In about 1963 I believe.

[DMac]

The building on Capitol, on the same block as the old criminal courts building? Just to the left of it on the downtowner map? It is interesting that it's not labeled.

It looked to me from the fire museum website that HPD headquarters were moved, in 1924, to the upper three floors (the fire department occupying the first two) of a building on Preston and Caroline. But I don't know what happened to HPD headquarters between then and Riesner, which I think was 1952. Don't know if this link will work, but the HPD history I found isn't that illuminating, unless I missed something.

A suggestion if I may. Next time your are @ Julia's (HMRC) might you check Capitol going west from Jct w/Rusk say about 43 to maybe 45-46 time frame for specific street address? Old Criminal Courts Bldg. was listed as having a Capitol address but no specific # was noted in City Directory for 45-46. Also old Central fire sta. 2 was noted as @ S/W corner of Capitol/Rusk, again w/no specific address.

I live No. of the city in Shelby Cnty & next time I come N2 the city I will search out specific street addy for unnamed structure as noted on the Downtowner (9A) map.

One last little tidbit, the very small Bldg. noted as an office just to the north (top) of Old Criminal Courts Bldg. might be the old Houston Anti- Tuberculosis League w/an address of 610-12 Bagby. My rationale is that odd #'d addy's are to the east & even #'d addy's are to the west.

[DMac]

I don't recall the library ever being moved. It's located west of City Hall, across from the reflection pool. I'm talking about the older original library bldg. The newer Houston downtown library is located directly north of the older one.

Sum brief notes on Houston's original Lyceum w/Ms. Julia Ideson as Librarian. First permanent Bldg. was from a grant from Carnegie & located @ N/E corner of McKinney/Travis.

Really beautiful old Victorian structure. Source: 1913 City Directory, pg. 1 Directory of Householders.

Second (and still standing 2day [HMRC]) is 1926 Julia Ideson Bldg. & immediately 2 the west is the Jessy Jones modern version of a library (fug ugly) looking structure.

[FilioScotia]

Sum brief notes on Houston's original Lyceum w/Ms. Julia Ideson as Librarian. First permanent Bldg. was from a grant from Carnegie & located @ N/E corner of McKinney/Travis. Really beautiful old Victorian structure. Source: 1913 City Directory, pg. 1 Directory of Householders. Second (and still standing 2day [HMRC]) is 1926 Julia Ideson Bldg. & immediately 2 the west is the Jessy Jones modern version of a library (fug ugly) looking structure.

Respectfully Danny Mac,

Speaking just for myself, please write in plain English. There are still a few people who haven't learned the short-hand language of Text Messaging, and it's hard for me to read your postings.

Edited April 15, 2010 by FilioScotia

[DMac]

Respectfully Danny Mac,

Speaking just for myself, please write in plain English. There are still a few people who haven't learned the short-hand language of Text Messaging, and it's hard for me to read your postings.

I take it U have issues w/the following short cuts:

Sum

w/

N/E

/ (separating 2 words)

pg.

2day

2

Etc.

W/the passage of tyme U will get over it.

[AtticaFlinch]

Speaking just for myself, please write in plain English.

It's not just you.

[DMac]

Looking through some of the old photos of freeway construction, I've noticed a 9-story or so building adjacent to the Sam Houston Coliseum. It's to the left of it in the photo below. I'm going to guess that it was demolished for the Albert Thomas Convention Center since the site appears to be at the corner of Bagby & Capitol. Seems to be gone from the 1970's era photos posted on here as well, so that begs the question as to just what it was...

Some additional information as reguards the old Cnty Criminal Courts/Jail Bldg. Started early this morn to search CD's (City Directories) for earliest mention & the 1897/98 edition mentions it on pg. 33 of misc. directory section. 1895/96 & prior years have it listed @ S/E cor. Caroline/Preston. Still gonna search out the un-named Bldg. just to the left of Cnty Courts/Jail facility.