Historic Houston Images

[sevfiv]

and the Towers Motor Hotel is the one on Holcombe across from the Shamrock

[brucesw]

That is Valian's just north of the big parking lot across Main from the Shamrock.  I went there often when I was at Rice in the mid-50's.  Had my first pizza there.  Not sure if it was still Valian's when that photo was taken, but that is where it was.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't know where it was in the 50s; my first visit was probably '61/2. The phone book listings for 1969 have the Shamrock at 6900, Valian's at 6935.

[Subdude]

I have done some research about the theatres in Houston and the one on Rusk between Travis and Main was the Ritz Theatre. The original Majestic was off Texas, but I have seen reports of there being two "Majestics." There was only one Majestic built by John Eberson and it was the first "atmopheric" theatre that he built, but unfortnately it was demolished in the early seventies. He has two others that are still standing in San Antonio and Dallas. They seem to perserve their history better than us. If you know where the other majestic was, do tell.

Subdude,Sunday, June 26th, 2005 @ 3:42pm]

Is that in the original Majestic or the one on Rusk?

The original Majestic was on Texas. It is now incorporated within the Chronicle building. The second Majestic was the one on Rusk. It was torn down in the 1970s

Does anyone have any photos and/or information on what was at the corner of Allen Parkway and Waugh Drive? I think I remember it being called the Buffalo House?

It was the Town House hotel and Restaurant. I have some photos. I think there was a buffalo on the restaurant.

[TJones]

Peppermint Park, that was the indoor amusement park @ 59 and the Beltway right (before the beltway was there).

Man I went there a few times as a kid. Then it turned into an auto shop. It is still there, but not what it used to be.

Yep, Peppermint Park's building is still there, and still painted in the red and white stripes. 59S. at Beltway8. I drove by the old PP building the other day, and it has been painted a tan color. OH WELL !

Edited November 1, 2005 by TJones

[Subdude]

Does anyone have any photos and/or information on what was at the corner of Allen Parkway and Waugh Drive? I think I remember it being called the Buffalo House?

Town House hotel. Good memory on the buffalo!

[nmainguy]

Town House hotel. Good memory on the buffalo!

Thanks, Sub! Did you ever go there?

[Subdude]

Thanks, Sub! Did you ever go there?

No, before my time I'm afraid.

[nmainguy]

No, before my time I'm afraid.

EKKKKS...I dated myself! Busted again!

[Ashikaga]

Anybody remember Bush Gardens? By the Budwieser plant...?

Yes, I remember going to Busch Gardens back in 1970 when I was 12 years old. We fed pieces of an apple to a baby elephant. My dad drank a free Busch Bavarian Beer in the Guest Center. I also remember ponds with huge goldfish swimming in them.

[djrage]

Subdude, you wouldn't by chance have pictures of the old Windsor theater would you? Always wanted to know what that place looked like. I worked there when it was a tejano nightclub. (still turns my stomach whenever I think about it). Used to always wonder about it when I was there.

Edited November 2, 2005 by djrage

[brucesw]

Town House hotel. Good memory on the buffalo!

Awesome stuff, Subdude. My parents said they took me there once but I was too young to remember. IIRC, Allen Parkway was called Buffalo Speedway or Buffalo Parkway back then, and of course Buffalo Bayou is 50 yards away.

[Subdude]

Subdude, you wouldn't by chance have pictures of the old Windsor theater would you? Always wanted to know what that place looked like. I worked there when it was a tejano nightclub. (still turns my stomach whenever I think about it). Used to always wonder about it when I was there.

All I could find was it in the distance of this picture from one of the old Bob Bailey calendars:

[57Tbird]

Awesome stuff, Subdude. My parents said they took me there once but I was too young to remember. IIRC, Allen Parkway was called Buffalo Speedway or Buffalo Parkway back then, and of course Buffalo Bayou is 50 yards away.

Name of the street was Buffalo Drive. When I was a kid, I played baseball, in a teen league, against a team they sponsored... The Townhouse Buffaloes.

[neuman]

I had all my birthday parties at Peppermint Park until I was 11. I have some 8 mm film of the place which I had put on VCR format about 20 years ago. It shows the little roller coaster, The helicopter ride, the boats, the carrousel and the ticket booth. And yes, it was located at 610 and 45 before 610 was there. I guess that car dealership sits where it used to be. Right by the Carrousel Hotel.

I recall it being farther west on 610 around Ella or TC Jester.

DUHHHHH, I just realized you were speaking of 610 and 45 South.

Edited November 2, 2005 by neuman

[TJones]

Subdude, you wouldn't by chance have pictures of the old Windsor theater would you? Always wanted to know what that place looked like. I worked there when it was a tejano nightclub. (still turns my stomach whenever I think about it). Used to always wonder about it when I was there.

When was city streets a tejano nightclub ? I mean, sure, they play country music, but didn't know city streets had turned into that ? I think I could honestly draw a picture of the old Windsor, and scan it on here. I may do that. If we can't find any old pics.

Edited November 2, 2005 by TJones

[djrage]

When was city streets a tejano nightclub ? I mean, sure, they play country music, but didn't know city streets had turned into that ? I think I could honestly draw a picture of the old Windsor, and scan it on here. I may do that. If we can't find any old pics.

This was before City Streets.

(In case you don't know the history)

It originally opened as Avalon in mid 90. They started doing a sunday night thing called DV8 and that took off so they changed the name of the club to DV8. When the success of that deflated they flipped it to Tejano in late 92 calling it Zazz (it went through a period there in late 93 until 1/94 when they flipped it to an upscale R&B/Hiphop club targeting a black crowd) then back to tejano. Zazz lasted about two years and it got shut down (was never clear on why). The owners of Blue Planet (who once owned club 6400) bought it and turned it into the multi-room venue called City Streets. It's been awhile since I've been in the area. Whats going on over there now?

All I could find was it in the distance of this picture from one of the old Bob Bailey calendars:

Yeah, I've seen that one before.

Edited November 3, 2005 by djrage

[djrage]

IT'S A GOLF GALAXY NOW?!?!?!? Just did a google search on 5078 Richmond ave.

When did this happen? What idiot allowed this to happen to the Windsor theatre?

[Subdude]

I found it. It was located on the east side of Shepherd, about midway between Westheimer and W. Alabama. I remember it from the 40's - 50's. It was built in the late 30's. I don't know when it was torn down.

I found an aerial photograph that shows the Bible Cyclorama on the lower left. It was the corner of Shepherd and Harold, in what is now the parking lot of Shepherd Square strip center.

[Hoop-98]

In doing a search for Playland Park and the races they used to have featuring AJ Foyt and Billy Wade led me to a blurb about there being a racetrack at Arrowhead Park. I am pretty sure I know where it was because I remember seeing the monorail off South Main past where it makes the bend at the conjunction with Holmes. However, all my searches for Arrowhead came back with the stadium in KC.

Now, there used to be stock car races in the late 60

[Earlydays]

"

Meyer opened in the mid to late 50's and was a 1/2 mile paved banked oval. Ronnie Chumley was a regular winner in the modifieds in the 60s, he ran some when the late models replaced the modifieds in the 70's.

Terry Labonte won the late model championship in ~1975, without winning a race.

I finished third in the "Bronco's" in 79 or 80.

NASCAR ran one race there, the 1971 "Space City 300", won by Bobby Allison.

They had a big annual race on the 4th of July weekend called the Liberty Bell 300.

Names that come to mind are, Joe Plowman, Freddy Fryar, Larry Schild, Phil Cronin, Bill Blumrich, Bill White, the Bettenhausen's, Jerry Schild, Greg Davidson, Neil Bonnet and Bobby Allison, Charlie Ritter, Walter Ballard, H.B. Bailey, Munson Stoddard sp?, George Nash.

PS:

Here are photos from those days.

http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y103/Nift...eedway/?start=0

My Uncle and Dad raced at playland and my mom was reportedly the first woman to flip a stock car, in 1949 at Playland in the powder puff.

I'll upload a few pics when I get a chance.

rh

I remember running an autocross at Meyer's Speedwy in the late '60's...it was a lot of fun to run a sports car on the track.

[TexasFreeway.com]

If you check out Google Earth or Maps you can still see the oval at the southeast corner of S. Main and Hillcroft.

[Hoop-98]

If you check out Google Earth or Maps you can still see the oval at the southeast corner of S. Main and Hillcroft.

The starting pad at the old Houston International drag strip is also visible, east of 45 and north of Dickinson.

rh

[57Tbird]

I'll upload a few pics when I get a chance.

rh

Look forward to seeing them. I was a regular attendee at Arrowhead, Playland, and Meyer. I remember most of the names you mention. There have been several previous threads posted about the races at Playland and Meyer with more names. Check 'em out. I had a good friend who raced a '57 Chevy in a Novice class at Meyer, in the mid-60's.

[57Tbird]

I remember walking to the Fun Club at the Alabama Theater (bookstop) on Saturday morning on the West side of Shepherd (early 1950's). The Bible Cyclorama was on the East side of Shepherd (Jimmie Green?). St. Anne's was and still is on the Northwest corner.

Well... I walked and sometimes rode my bike to the Alabama Fun club on Saturday mornings. Only, I did that scene a few years before you, in the late 40's. Jimmie Green Chevrolet was not there yet. I don't remember when it was built (early-mid 50's maybe), but it was next to the Bible Cyclorama. Then there was a Gulf station just north of him on the southeast corner of Shepherd and Westheimer. Was Chris' Coney Island still on the southwest corner of Shepherd and W. Alabama? We would go there after the movie for Coneys and liquid refreshments. From what area did you walk to the movie? I'm familiar with the territory, since I knew a lot of kids who lived close to the Alabama.

[enviromain]

Additional trivia: Moving Sidewalks toured with Jimi Hendrix in '68 I believe. When Hendrix was on The Dick Cavett Show that year, Cavett asked him who his favorite guitar player was and he told him Billy Gibbons.

The only place I see them now is in airports.

[doug]

I'm making a film for a local Meyerland school's 30th Anniversary. I'm going to start the movie with a montage of short 1 second photos/slides of famous old Houston landmarks that were around & very recognizable back in 1977 but are no longer here. i.e. Westbury Square,Meyerland Cinema, Meyerland Shopping Center (the old one), Gooney Golf, South Post Oak bowling lanes,,Alfreds, The old Houston Post,The Purple Cow,Weingarten's grocery store, gas pump price signs 1977,Traders Vic, Sonny Looks, Houston skyline 1977......etc.

This will set the mood for the film by taking the audience back to the 70's & with some music playing in the background from that era too. I like the song,"Classical Gas" for this opening even though it was 1st recorded in '68, it wasn't popular until Eric Clapton's version in the mid 70's.

If you have any of the above photos (or other well known Houston landmarks around 1977...especially in SW) or know where I can get, please send to me! Any help/suggestions would be greaty appreciated.

thanks,

Doug S.

Westbury High (class of '77)

Edited October 20, 2006 by doug

[isuredid]

I wanted to start a topic place to share images of Historic Houston.

Chapman Street - Near Northside

Old Texas and New Orleans Rail Road Shops on the near Northside - (soon to be lost?)

Mallalieu Methodist Church First Ward

First Ward House lost to townhouse developers

Brick Building - Old Harrisburg

Paradise Motel - Old Hempstead Highway

[nmainguy]

Old Texas and New Orleans Rail Road Shops on the near Northside - (soon to be lost?)

Man! I love those two buildings. I'd love to get in their and get a close look at those steel doors.

[isuredid]

Abandoned East End House

Westmoreland District House

Old Drawbridge Under US59

[TheNiche]

Westmoreland District House

That one reminds me of the old one on Pasadena Street in the East End. Don't forget to take and post a photo of that one, if you get a chance.