Gulf Coast Airport At West Rd. And Airline Dr.

[Marty Blaise]

On a 1952 Houston road map there is an airport shown north of West Road and west of Airline Drive. Somewhere in the vicinity of where Aldine High School is today. Was there ever an airport at this location? -- Also just curious if anyone has any old pictures of Andrau Air Park.

[JLWM8609]

I see an airport in the 1952 aerial view in Google Earth.

[Ross]

The 1953 Google Earth images show a runway that's about 1700 feet long, a hangar, and a few airplanes.

[Earlydays]

Check out this website Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields Texas

[Andrew Broadfoot]

Check out this website Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields Texas

This is a great and ever growing website.

[littlebunny]

Yes, it was originally Gulf Coast Airport.

[ADC78]

My grandfather got his pilots license out of that airport using his GI bill money. That's is how Airline Dr got its name from what I'm told.

[Firebird65]

That's is how Airline Dr got its name from what I'm told.

I do believe Airline was already called Airline before the Gulf Coast Airport existed. From what I've found, the airport opened sometime right after WWII. There's a book at the Texas Room at the downtown library that states Airline got it's name because that's how you'd get to Dallas in an "air line" meaning it was a straight road, much like a line.

[littlebunny]

Now they should just change the name to Flea Market Row, or Junk Yard Lane. I just wish these people would pick up after themselves!

[LTAWACS]

Or Sinapecuaro, Nuevo Lion.

[littlebunny]

Ok translation please.

[billyf]

Gulf Coast Airport was located right where Stovall Middle school stands today and not Aldine High school is as commonly stated. I've been told that it opened in 1948 and closed in 1955, but I have no way to verify this. As for Airline Dr I don't know the origin, but it had nothing to do with the airport as Firebird65 stated.

If any of you are curious Airline Dr used to be called East Montgomery Rd and was part of US 75. Closer to downtown Today's Airline Dr was called Houston Ave, but US 75 ran where Fulton St is today from Parker Rd south. East Montgomery, West Montgomery and Stuebner Airline branched out from Tidwell. The southern part of Stuebner Airline would later become Shepherd Dr. East Montgomery became Alt US 75 when N Shepherd Dr was built and N Shepherd became US 75 (later changed to spur 261). Shepherd Dr from Little York (Little York School Rd) to Aldine Bender is where I-45 is today. In other words N Shepherd Dr used to extend further north than it does now. From Aldine Bender north, US 75 ran mostly where I-45 is today until Conroe. The remaining parts of US 75 still existed by name in Conroe until a few years ago, but it's now called state HWY 75. West Montgomery would become 149 and then later 249 (Tomball Parkway) from Mt Houston northward (where the big turn is on 249). South of MT Houston (249), West Montgomery still exist today.

As you can see the street alignments were a lot different than they are today.

Here are some maps you can check out.

http://www.harriscou...hives/Maps.aspx

Edited August 16, 2012 by billyf

[Firebird65]

Gulf Coast Airport was located right where Stovall Middle school stands today and not Aldine High school is as commonly stated.

Well, to be precise, technically, yes, the airport building and runway were located under Stovall. However, it is correct to say that Aldine is located "on the site" (as I word it in my report and is stated on Wikipedia) of the Gulf Coast Airport because it was on the property.

Speaking of Wikipedia, I've gone through the Aldine ISD and Aldine High pages and cleaned up a lot of things as well as added citations. I'm Aldine1984 (someone already has the name Firebird65).

[billyf]

Well, to be precise, technically, yes, the airport building and runway were located under Stovall. However, it is correct to say that Aldine is located "on the site" (as I word it in my report and is stated on Wikipedia) of the Gulf Coast Airport because it was on the property.

Speaking of Wikipedia, I've gone through the Aldine ISD and Aldine High pages and cleaned up a lot of things as well as added citations. I'm Aldine1984 (someone already has the name Firebird65).

Yea I saw that a few days ago. The history under "Aldine, TX" needs to be revised too. Right now it's just a quote right out of the Texas Handbook. I've been meaning to revise it with the information I've gathered, but haven't had a chance.

BTW did you ever finish your report that had the history of Aldine High school? If so and if you can, could you email it to me?

Edited August 18, 2012 by billyf

[OldHouseLover]

On a 1952 Houston road map there is an airport shown north of West Road and west of Airline Drive. Somewhere in the vicinity of where Aldine High School is today. Was there ever an airport at this location? -- Also just curious if anyone has any old pictures of Andrau Air Park.

Andrau Air Park was in Alief. Being native senior citizen raised on North Side, I have no memory of airport anywhere on N. Side. Blimp base was across from Spring Hi School, Hooks in NW county is my only memory. In the 50s, there was quite a bit of model airplane flying, but don't think a field would be on a map. By the way, as west of Airline, was it between Airline & I-45?

[Materene]

It was all still country out that way in the early 50's, we would go to the dirt track races every saturday night, I remember seeing nothing but cows and fence everywhere. That old North Houston Speedway property is still visible on the Airport authority maps and google earth, all grown over but still very visible. Where Jensen intersectst with 59 was at one time the end of town and a two lane, even in 1970 there were still a few cows and some fenced properties on Airline Stubner road around Gears road at that time, Gears was changed to Greens Road, why I'll never know and it was probably a politician that saw fit to have his name there instead. I can't think of any practical reasons why old streets would be renamed unless the people doing the renaming figured they were more important. I don't like abuse of power that comes from City Hall and there seems to be plenty of it.

[Firebird65]

Being native senior citizen raised on North Side, I have no memory of airport anywhere on N. Side.

Not sure if I'm allowed to post this or not. I'll take the chance and if I'm not, well someone can delete it.

Here is a picture of the Gulf Coast Airport from 1953, courtesy of Google Earth:

Here's the same area today:

[billyf]

It was all still country out that way in the early 50's, we would go to the dirt track races every saturday night, I remember seeing nothing but cows and fence everywhere. That old North Houston Speedway property is still visible on the Airport authority maps and google earth, all grown over but still very visible. Where Jensen intersectst with 59 was at one time the end of town and a two lane, even in 1970 there were still a few cows and some fenced properties on Airline Stubner road around Gears road at that time, Gears was changed to Greens Road, why I'll never know and it was probably a politician that saw fit to have his name there instead. I can't think of any practical reasons why old streets would be renamed unless the people doing the renaming figured they were more important. I don't like abuse of power that comes from City Hall and there seems to be plenty of it.

Well Greens Road has existed east of Aldine Westfield since the early 1900s and that area has been called Greens in some form since the 1800s. The name was changed when they expanded Greens Road from Aldine Westfield to I-45 in the late 70s. It only made sense to change the name of Gears Road as it connected to Greens and was so close to Greenspoint Mall. They did technically keep Gears Road, they just moved it further south.

We used to shop at a store called Gemco off FM 1960 and I-45 in the early 80. I remember riding in the car to go shopping there with my parents and remember how undeveloped everything was north of Greenspoint. FM 1960 was like a whole other town back. Hell where the Walmart is now at West road had cows until the store was built. I also remember East MT Houston being very rural. We used to go to Big-H Rack Track out that way and it was about as country as you could get.

Edited August 19, 2012 by billyf

[OldHouseLover]

firebird65, thanks for the pictures. I remember prior to I-45 being built. Going to Conroe area there was lots of open space between Little York to [in fact] Conroe:). Small businesses scattered along the way. I'll ask my 90+ yr old relative who still lives in the N. side area about the airport. He's lived on N. Side all his life. Long ago, my family lived on land near Parker & Jensen. I've heard many stories about the Epson Downs race track [which became a drive in theater & is now??]. The area was farm land back then. Jensen was a main business district for the area. Saturdays were like the old expression "kicking an ant bed" as the husband's worked all week using the only car the family owned. Saturday was shopping day. The Weingartens [during the 50s] was the only large grocery store for miles & the check out lines very long. Epson Downs tract was quite a social gathering place. Sad what has become of the area as the residential areas nearby are huge lots with beautiful trees. Hardy Toll Road also played a part in the decline of the area because it seperated the N. Side neighborhoods. Progress comes with a price.

Edited August 19, 2012 by OldHouseLover

[billyf]

Here is a closeup of the same year aerial that Firebird65 posted. That is Airline Dr to the right.

Hardy Toll Road also played a part in the decline of the area because it seperated the N. Side neighborhoods. Progress comes with a price.

I-45 had the same effect. Blue Bell Rd south of West Rd used to connect. After the freeway was built you had to go to either W MT Houston or West Rd to get to the other side. However the construction of the bridge at Sweetwater Ln (Hacker Rd) and W Mt Houston Connected neighborhoods previous separated by Halls Bayou.

I've always liked driving on the Hardy Toll Road, but it's been a complete failure. It has being unable to make the minimum payment on its bonds. The county has been using revenue from Sam Houston Parkway to make the payments. It's biggest shortfalls has been not extending it to downtown (in the works since the early 90s) and not having any express roads connecting I-45 between 6-10 and Beltway 8.

Edited August 20, 2012 by billyf

[OldHouseLover]

Here is a closeup of the same year aerial that Firebird65 posted. That is Airline Dr to the right.

Thanks for the close-up. Thanks everyone for memory lane walk! Old saying is true that we learn something new every day. With the dates, I'm realizing we moved from N. Side Houston in mid40s-mid50s, during the time the airport was operating. Amazing you mentioned Blue Bell as we had family friend living on the street & remember the diversion freeway caused. Hardy Toll Rd is really slow going from 610-downtown. Some clearing by tracks, but can't see real progress. At this rate, I may not live long enough to use it:). Kids probably will have convinced TDL dept to not renew my license:). Hopefully, when Exxon-Mobil is completed, it will pay for itself. Then Bltway 8 will probably compete for traffic?

I-45 had the same effect. Blue Bell Rd south of West Rd used to connect. After the freeway was built you had to go to either W MT Houston or West Rd to get to the other side. However the construction of the bridge at Sweetwater Ln (Hacker Rd) and W Mt Houston Connected neighborhoods previous separated by Halls Bayou.

While I've always liked driving on the Hardy Toll Road, but it's been a complete failure. It has being unable to make the minimum payment on its bonds. The county has been using revenue from Sam Houston Parkway to make the payments. It's biggest shortfalls has been not extending it to downtown (in the works since the early 90s) and not having any express roads connecting I-45 between 6-10 and Beltway 8.