Memories Of The Heights

[segovia]

We bought ours from the antique shop inside Yale Grill (Corner of 21st and Yale) last year. We had it matted and framed.

[20thStDad]

Thanks for all of the tips! They were just finishing matting and framing one at Dramatika when we went to look, and now it's on the wall at our house.

[tmariar]

The following is an excerpt from an 1892 newspaper article, in the Galveston Daily News, regarding the construction of Houston Heights. It probably could have gone in the History section as well, but I thought it might be of more general interest here.

MODERN TOWN BUILDERS

A MILLION DOLLARS BEING EXPENDED AT HOUSTON HEIGHTS

Paved Streets, Electric Lights, Waterworks, Sewerage System, Electric and Steam Railways - A Gigantic Enterprise

Wednesday a party of nine ladies and gentlemen went to Houston on the invitation of W.H. Green, general manager, and D.D. Cooley, treasurer of the Omaha and South Texas land company. The party consisted Mr. and Mrs. H.C. Cook, Miss Ada Cook, Mr. and Mrs. D.H. Beatty, Mr. E.H. Porter, Miss M.L. Porter, Mr. J.F. Nadeau and a News reporter. This party was invited on this occasion so that they might see how a modern town is built.

. . . .

The land on which Houston Heights is situated is 1696 acres in area. It is heavily timbered with pine, sweet gum and oak. The land is high and dry, and here it is that money and brains are working together under able generalship to build a town. The following statements are the facts, pure and simple:

Six weeks ago Monday last workmen were started in on this tract to cut out certain lines which had been marked out. Since that time there have been, on an average, 200 men each day employed on the work of town building. Today there are opened and being graded 28

[west20th]

The following is an excerpt from an 1892 newspaper article, in the Galveston Daily News, regarding the construction of Houston Heights. It probably could have gone in the History section as well, but I thought it might be of more general interest here.

I know the location and history of some of the structures/features mentioned, but not all. It could be that some weren't built, or at least not as planned.

The hotel is long gone. It was at the site of the Senior high-rise on 19th.

[tmariar]

The hotel is long gone. It was at the site of the Senior high-rise on 19th.

I knew the hotel was gone, but I have wondered about its history. The TSHA says that the hotel was converted into the Texas Christian Sanitarium, and I've seen that elsewhere. The sanitarium doesn't really look crescent-shaped - but then, maybe the hotel didn't turn out to be cresent-shaped in the end.

Also, I've seen in a number of places that the hotel was on the NE corner of 19th and Ashland - Carter & Cooley, for example, say that they are located on the former site of the Houston Heights Hotel. Sister Agatha also references the NE corner of 19th and Ashland.

Sister Agatha also mentions, though, that she hasn't found any record of the hotel. I think I might research it a little and see if I can find out more about it and the sanitarium. Seems like I remember reading about a fire at one of the two.

[udpate: More information from Sister Agatha regarding the hotel/sanitarium here. I'm combining that information with some newspaper searches and will post a timeline soon.]

Edited November 13, 2008 by tmariar

[west20th]

I knew the hotel was gone, but I have wondered about its history. The TSHA says that the hotel was converted into the Texas Christian Sanitarium, and I've seen that elsewhere. The sanitarium doesn't really look crescent-shaped - but then, maybe the hotel didn't turn out to be cresent-shaped in the end.

Also, I've seen in a number of places that the hotel was on the NE corner of 19th and Ashland - Carter & Cooley, for example, say that they are located on the former site of the Houston Heights Hotel. Sister Agatha also references the NE corner of 19th and Ashland.

Sister Agatha also mentions, though, that she hasn't found any record of the hotel. I think I might research it a little and see if I can find out more about it and the sanitarium. Seems like I remember reading about a fire at one of the two.

Speaking of Sister Agatha here is a link: http://community.rice.edu/focusresources/b...atha/index.html

Very interseting read for those that may not be familiar with "The History of Houston Heights" by Sister M. Agatha

[tmariar]

I got a hard copy of Sister Agatha's book for Christmas last year - it's nice to have the hard copy, but I always end up looking things up in it online instead...

So here is a jumble of notes about the Houston Heights Hotel taken mainly from the Galveston Daily News (the source if not otherwise identified) and Sister Agatha's book - if anyone else is ever looking into the topic online, maybe it will save them some time. To summarize, the hotel seems to have been in operation at 345 19th by August 1893, but then closed sometime in 1899. It appears to have served again as a hotel for a few more years in the early 1900's, but was otherwise used for medical services and/or a nursing school until it burned down in 1915. It sounds like photos of the sanatarium should give a pretty fair picture of how the hotel looked.

-------------------------------

An early manager of the hotel was Marshall W. Kennedy (whose house still stands - I hope - at 1122 Harvard).

08-11-1893 - The daughter of Mr. Miller, the new proprietor of the Houston Heights Hotel, was buried this afternoon. The funeral was largely attended.

About 1895 - Rev. B.A. Rogers begins holding non-denominational services in the hotel.

02-05-1895 - Report of a visitor staying at the Houston Heights Hotel.

06-11-1898 - Report of paving of "Houston Heights road" between the Cooley residence and Houston Heights hotel. Crew was also going to extend the road 2

[Dan the Man]

"There are on this tract of land between eight and nine million feet of timber, large enough for merchantable lumber. A steam sawmill is now on the way to Houston Heights, and this timber will be manufactured and used in building the town and its factories. The capacity of the sawmill is 16,000 feet a day."

I found this especially interesting. Some of the early houses in the Heights may have been built with lumber milled from trees that originally grew in the area.

Thanks for posting.

Edited November 14, 2008 by Dan the Man

[sevfiv]

Regarding the hotel, I found this picture with this comment in the Houston Daily Herald's 1893 "Houston Illustrated" (definitely the same building as the sanitarium)

Pending the erection of the magnificent one hundred room hotel in contemplation, to meet the immediate wants of the visiting and resident public, a smaller and less pretentious two story building of fifty rooms has been substituted. The hotel is prettily designed, and, while not strictly in accord with any special class of architecture, it is charming in its quaint combination of gables and invitingly attractive with its broad twenty-two foot galleries, giving it a semi-tropical appearance. The hotel is now open to the public.

[tmariar]

That definitely fills in some blanks - thanks for posting!

It's hard to tell whether the postcard shows the building after it was supposedly moved back on the lot. But, yeah, clearly the same building.

I'm guessing the crescent-shaped hotel with 100+ rooms and an office finished up in Mexican onyx was never built.

[tmariar]

On bike rides around the neighborhood, I've spotted (and tried to photograph) lots of places/things about which I'm curious. Here are some I've passed recently:

OLD BUILDINGS:

The Swift & Company Refinery Building @ 621 Waverly - HCAD dates this building (at least I think it's this building) to 1909. It now appears to be owned by Freedman Distributors, Inc. It looks from the internet like both Swift & Company and Freedman Distributors have/had something to do with meat distribution.

Southwestern Bell Building @ 743 Harvard - One site I found suggested this building was built in 1925-26.

ART:

Sculptures @ 620 W. 9th - There's a whole series of these along the fence - I think they're pretty cool.

Squirrel drawings on street @ 800 block of Harvard - I've seen a similar squirrel drawing elsewhere in the Heights, but don't remember where. They remind me of the chalk outlines police put around dead bodies at crime scenes.

FOOD/DRINK:

J&R Louisiana Cajun Boudin & Sausage @ 420 E. 20th - Sounds like they do some retail sales here, but only in large quantities.

3 Hermanos Grocery & Grill @ 6500 N. Main

La Coqueta Bar @ 2020 Studewood - No windows?

Jamail Family Market @ 1602 Airline Dr. - But for the name, I'd assume this is a wholesaler.

Puebla Bakery @ 6320 N. Main

La Carreta @ 208 E. 20th - I've seen reviews, but don't know anyone who's been there.

Polo's Sports Bar - Right by Dan Electro's

C&F Drive Inn @ 6714 N. Main

Rose Garden @ 2621 Link

Figured I'd post and see if anyone had more information about the buildings or art, or had been to any of the restaurants/markets/bars...

[Hartmann]

We're at Rose Garden fairly often. Rose is usually there (she lives across the street) and there is a brisket buffet setup. They only serve beer but you can bring your own liquor.

Puebla Bakery needs no introduction and is absolutely fantastic.

[EMME]

On bike rides around the neighborhood, I've spotted (and tried to photograph) lots of places/things about which I'm curious. Here are some I've passed recently:

OLD BUILDINGS:

The Swift & Company Refinery Building @ 621 Waverly - HCAD dates this building (at least I think it's this building) to 1909. It now appears to be owned by Freedman Distributors, Inc. It looks from the internet like both Swift & Company and Freedman Distributors have/had something to do with meat distribution.

Southwestern Bell Building @ 743 Harvard - One site I found suggested this building was built in 1925-26.

ART:

Sculptures @ 620 W. 9th - There's a whole series of these along the fence - I think they're pretty cool.

Squirrel drawings on street @ 800 block of Harvard - I've seen a similar squirrel drawing elsewhere in the Heights, but don't remember where. They remind me of the chalk outlines police put around dead bodies at crime scenes.

FOOD/DRINK:

J&R Louisiana Cajun Boudin & Sausage @ 420 E. 20th - Sounds like they do some retail sales here, but only in large quantities.

3 Hermanos Grocery & Grill @ 6500 N. Main

La Coqueta Bar @ 2020 Studewood - No windows?

Jamail Family Market @ 1602 Airline Dr. - But for the name, I'd assume this is a wholesaler.

Puebla Bakery @ 6320 N. Main

La Carreta @ 208 E. 20th - I've seen reviews, but don't know anyone who's been there.

Polo's Sports Bar - Right by Dan Electro's

C&F Drive Inn @ 6714 N. Main

Rose Garden @ 2621 Link

Figured I'd post and see if anyone had more information about the buildings or art, or had been to any of the restaurants/markets/bars...

3 Hermanos Grocery & Grill @ 6500 N. Main:

this is a fairly new grocery convenience store and hamburger stand. The people that work there are incredibly generous. Going in there can be a throw back to the hippie days of the 60s. The employees are always, let's see how to put this, happy? I stopped once right to ask if they happened to have a plunger for sale (have you tried to buy one of these at 3:00 in the mornin?) and they looked for one to lend me when they didn't have one to sell.

Puebla Bakery @ 6320 N. Main :

This is owned by a very nice young man. They have great breakfast tacos and I'll be they have great Mexican food as a large part of their patronge Mexicans, always a good sign.

Polo's Sports Bar/Dan Electros:

I live within spitting distance of this bar and I know nothing about it, good or bad. That is probably a good thing since it means there seems to be nothing to complain about, except I do hear of the occasional bar patron peeing in the alley. Dan Electros on theother hand, is a very good neighbor. Bob goes out of his way to be sure he or his patrons are not a nuisance. Plus he lets the neighbors in for free.

C&F Drive Inn @ 6714 N. Main

Another bar that seems to be good neighbors. Lots of bikers go there, don't know if they are of the yuppie biker variety or the real deal.

Rose Garden @ 2621 Link

The Rose Garden is one of, if not the last Polish bar in what was once a predominantly Polish neighborhood. There were many little bars speckled throughout Sunset Heights and these were family bars. Rose, the proprietor, lives up to her name. She has opened up to the neighborhood for association fundraising and is very generous when she does. It is a bar bar. you go there for no other reason than to drink and/or socialize. Beer and wine, and really cold sodas.

[goastros]

3 Hermanos Grocery & Grill @ 6500 N. Main:

this is a fairly new grocery convenience store and hamburger stand. The people that work there are incredibly generous. Going in there can be a throw back to the hippie days of the 60s. The employees are always, let's see how to put this, happy? I stopped once right to ask if they happened to have a plunger for sale (have you tried to buy one of these at 3:00 in the mornin?) and they looked for one to lend me when they didn't have one to sell.

The guy that works at 3 Hermanos hit my vehicle while trying to pass me on the left on 24th St. He tried to collect from my insurance company and gave me a fake insurance card. He is a low life. Would never step foot in this drug infested establishment--bunch of crooks.

[EMME]

The guy that works at 3 Hermanos hit my vehicle while trying to pass me on the left on 24th St. He tried to collect from my insurance company and gave me a fake insurance card. He is a low life. Would never step foot in this drug infested establishment--bunch of crooks.

Well, yeah, did I not mention that the "happy" is probably not from a natural source? I don't go there for many of the reasons you say, but the few times that I have gone in there as a last resort, they have really tried to accommodate me.

[tmariar]

Thanks, y'all - appreciate the information!

[Shamrock]

This is a very cool thread. Cheers tmariar, et al. I had no idea there was (used to be) a Polish community around here.

[tmariar]

I had no idea there was (used to be) a Polish community around here.

The only thing I really know about the Polish community here is that Fitzgerald's was originally built - back in 1917 or 1918 - as a Polish community center/dancehall. It was called Dom Polanski (which I think means "Polish Home"). The dances were held on the second floor, which used to have a lot of windows that could be opened to catch the breeze. I think there was a kitchen/dining area on the first floor.

[Hartmann]

The only thing I really know about the Polish community here is that Fitzgerald's was originally built - back in 1917 or 1918 - as a Polish community center/dancehall. It was called Dom Polanski (which I think means "Polish Home"). The dances were held on the second floor, which used to have a lot of windows that could be opened to catch the breeze. I think there was a kitchen/dining area on the first floor.

The Slavic community was large in the Heights and surrounding areas. Czechs and Poles came via Galveston and there are still a number of places, like Fitzgerald's, that were started by them. Mraz Dancehall on 34th Street is another Czech establishment.

[Tricky Matt]

The Rose Garden is an awesome bar and VERY friendly. Rose always asks where I've been and why I don't come by more often. Either she has a good memory or she says that to everyone. I stop by there with a friend once or twice a month and I know 4-5 of the regulars.

Don't know how Rose would react to a fullblown heights yuppie invasion. haha

[Tiko]

I used to live on Waverly and have always thought that Swift&Company building is neat. I bet the view from the top is great. What kind of refining would they have done there? Sugar?

[mkultra25]

Mraz Dancehall on 34th Street is another Czech establishment.

It burned down a year or two ago. I think there's been some new construction on the old site since then, but the Mraz place is unfortunately long gone.

[tmariar]

I used to live on Waverly and have always thought that Swift&Company building is neat. I bet the view from the top is great. What kind of refining would they have done there? Sugar?

As far as I know, Swift & Company was a meatpacking (and/or meat distribution) company. I saw somewhere on the internet someone saying that their relative had worked at the "Swift & Company Refinery" in Georgia, "working in the cold room packaging bacon." Plus, the company that is there now is a meat distribution company. But I'm hoping I can find more information about the place somewhere.

[Hartmann]

It burned down a year or two ago. I think there's been some new construction on the old site since then, but the Mraz place is unfortunately long gone.

I had no idea... I haven't visited since 2002.

[sevfiv]

Regarding Swift & Co.:

-1932 lists Swift & Co. refinery at the southwest corner of Waverly and 7th (no address)

-Swift & Co. wholesale meats was located at 1102-1106 Commerce St. (and the next block, 1016-1020, was Armour & Co. meat packers).

[marmer]

I clearly remember Swift's meat products in the grocery store when I was a kid. (60s-70s)

[tmariar]

Regarding Swift & Co.:

-1932 lists Swift & Co. refinery at the southwest corner of Waverly and 7th (no address)

-Swift & Co. wholesale meats was located at 1102-1106 Commerce St. (and the next block, 1016-1020, was Armour & Co. meat packers).

Thanks. I have been wondering whether the building started as the Swift & Company Refinery, or became that later. So at least it was that by 1932.

And I did see some things suggesting that Swift and Armour were related for at least some period of time.

Don't know why the building interests me - I think one reason is that it's large, especially for its (apparent) age. And I'm thinking it must have played a big role in the early economic development of the surrounding neighborhoods. There were a number of large factories around the Heights in the early 1900's, but we don't have much left of them.

It may well be, though, that the building is not as old as HCAD says. Alternatively, there's another very old building not far away - it's only 1-2 stories - and that may the 1909 building. Even if it doesn't date to 1909, though, it's still quite old - it's nice it's still being used.

[Tiko]

It burned down a year or two ago. I think there's been some new construction on the old site since then, but the Mraz place is unfortunately long gone.

Last news I heard onthe building that went in there. It's still closed last time I went by there:

http://swamplot.com/available-soon-dashed-...aks/2009-02-18/

[darva]

I've eaten at La Carreta. Several times in fact. My Grandpa LOVED this place and when my mom and I were taking care of him in his later years, we would eat there every couple of weeks or so. I haven't been in years... Sad considering I live much closer now! They used to have pretty good refried beans and good guacamole... The cheese enchilada's weren't bad either. It was always fairly cheap... so for the price, it certainly couldn't be beat.

I'll have to convince my husband to go over there one night and I'll let you know how it is now.

[terrbo]

I posted about this before but might have gotten some info wrong. When I was living in the Woodland Heights from '80 to '81 or '82, this friend of the guy I was living with and myself took us to this beer garden type place once, possibly twice.

I've driven around Morrison St. several times trying to find this, and was able to speak to my friend last week regarding this.

He says that it was kind of a "secret" neighborhood thing... and it was in the back yard of a Mason's (or some kind of organization) building, and it was around the corner from King Biscuit. After speaking w/him (but after a few ritas as I was off work), first I drove down Byrne (where my friend lived) where it intersected Morrison (I THINK) and it looks like a church or some kind of office, so that might not be where it is. THEN I drove to King Biscuit and drove about a block down Houston Avenue... and there IS kind of a building, and it looks like someone lives there... and a sign out front advertising "For information, call____________". I was so darn curious that I parked on Houston Ave. and walked in the parking lot, but got too chicken to look in the back yard. This place we used to go and drink beer.. There was a nice back yard, plenty of room for horseshoes... and I even remember a couple of guys playing live music one time we were there.

Does this pique anyone's memory?

terrbo