# Houston, once upon a time...



## Pistol58 (Oct 9, 2009)

I searched to see if this was posted already and didnt see it. Pretty neat photos here:


----------



## Pistol58 (Oct 9, 2009)

*.*

.


----------



## Pistol58 (Oct 9, 2009)

*-*

-


----------



## Pistol58 (Oct 9, 2009)

***

*


----------



## jusintime (Jun 24, 2006)

Cool...I remember some of these places....LOL


----------



## Pistol58 (Oct 9, 2009)

Look at Marvin in that photo!! He was old school way back then too!!! MARVIN ZINDLER....EYE....WITNESS....NEWS!!!!


----------



## Pasadena1944 (Mar 20, 2010)

I remember all of those... 

And Play Land Park they tore it down when they built the Astro Dome...

It was the Astro World of it's day...LOL.... Rode that old coaster many times...


----------



## Feathershredder (Nov 29, 2009)

Pistol58 said:


> Look at Marvin in that photo!! He was old school way back then too!!! MARVIN ZINDLER....EYE....WITNESS....NEWS!!!!


SLIME IN THE ICE MACHINE, RATS IN THE KITCHEN LOL....


----------



## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

I remember the Kitirik show, Shamrock, Astroworld early days. The Sharpstown sign is cool with nothing visible for miles.


----------



## mikeleeski (Nov 17, 2005)

cool pics of the hotel... did a couple of waterski shows in that swimming pool in the late 70's....


----------



## Pasadena1944 (Mar 20, 2010)

There was also an oval race track behind Play Land Park, the crazy 8 races were the best....


----------



## TxDuSlayer (Jun 24, 2006)

Wow those are awesome pics! Love seeing how it was back in tha old days! I really love that sign test t.v. tubes here! I remember going to Joskes & Myerland mall with my mom & grandma, when I was a little guy.


----------



## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

if ya wanna go back a little ways....not necessarily Houston, but post cards from MY day....

(and that Toddle House on S. Shepherd wuz my home away from home..best danged chocolate ice cream pie in the WORLD)....:rotfl:


----------



## RedAg (Apr 26, 2007)

*Post #3*

What theatre is that in post #3? Looks awesome!


----------



## Pistol58 (Oct 9, 2009)

*'*

I have several more in an email. This is I-10 East....strange to think it was once not there.....


----------



## capt. david (Dec 29, 2004)

the theater stumps me but nothing else. grew up in meyerland/bellaire. remember eating at woolworth there and then riding bikes on top of the roof!


----------



## Poon Chaser (Aug 22, 2006)

awesome... thanks


----------



## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

RedAg said:


> What theatre is that in post #3? Looks awesome!


Back in the 60s......

*
Jimmie Menutis Lounge and Club
3236 Telephone at Wayside
Demolished*
_Jimmie Menutis Lounge and Club photo courtesy __theHAIF.com_

"The Jimmy Menutis Club was as close to a 'nightclub' as anything in Houston at the time in the early sixties. Seemed to me it was owned by gangsters, but maybe that was just implied somehow by the name. I do remember dark short white guys walking around. The place must not have really cared about who they served because I probably looked about 11 when I went there even though I was in high school. It was small, with a stage at one end and red table cloths on the tables; kinda classy. I saw Bo Didley and I think, King Curtis. My favorite memory was of Jimmy Reed of whom I was a giant fan. 
Jimmy was to have played one night (I used to have the picture I swiped from the club), but as the night wore on, he continued not to show. Rumors circulated through the club that he was 'sick', then that he'd been to the hospital to have his stomach pumped having been drinking 'wine, screwdrivers, and beer'. He finally came on hours late and it was still great. 
The highlight for me, however, and a scene that is branded into my memory, is of him playing along when suddenly his guitar separated from it's strap and plummeted to the floor. The guy next to him, who played the classic 'da Da, da Da, da Da, da Da' rhythm, reached over and grabbed it without missing a beat LIKE IT HAPPENED EVERY NIGHT. It was most interesting!"
_(thanks to Ernie Gammage)_ 
Performers included:
Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bo Diddley, and Louis Armstrong. More information about the club is in the book *Telephone Road* by Burton Chapman.


----------



## Pistol58 (Oct 9, 2009)

*Heres some more*

...


----------



## Pistol58 (Oct 9, 2009)

*Yet more*

---


----------



## Pistol58 (Oct 9, 2009)

*and finally*

**


----------



## V-Bottom (Jun 16, 2007)

Play Land Park was out by MeyerLand Speedway where stock cars raced. They tore it down about the time the owner was killed by a "splinter of wood" from the wooden pilings around the track...caused By a wreck and the roller coaster fell in...


----------



## Pistol58 (Oct 9, 2009)

V Bottom, thats some good history there. I enjoy hearing about older times in Houston. The freeways looked cleaner, Im sure folks were nicer, less crime. I wonder what kind of pictures and things will be said in another 40+ years.....


----------



## 24Buds (Dec 5, 2008)

Great stuff. Look what we have done to this place


----------



## 24Buds (Dec 5, 2008)

Oh and to think, the gulf freeway is STILL under construction! lol


----------



## Pistol58 (Oct 9, 2009)

24Buds said:


> Great stuff. Look what we have done to this place


No joke! There are places around Houston I just wouldnt drive through at night, and tons of them.

PS: 24buds, you think your post being the 24th on this thread is strictly coincidence? I think not!! :brew:


----------



## Pistol58 (Oct 9, 2009)

And all the billboards.....man, thats just ridiculous to me. Especially all the adult entertainment ones, before long your kids will have to wear blinders when riding into town with you, just so you dont have to have the birds and bees story too soon with them. Why dont they ban those things?


----------



## V-Bottom (Jun 16, 2007)

I surprised their are no pics of the ole' ''Teen Hall" on Grand Blvd....the pool, the "bubble" that was under water.....BJ Thomas and the Triumphs....before they split up. The drummer went on to be "Little Boy Blue and the Moon Glows"...darn good times their...went dancing then went swimming!!!!!


----------



## SeaTex (Aug 27, 2009)

I remember on the Kitirik show one time she asked these two boys why they were laughing...One looked at the other and then told her "Cause Leroy Farted"...They went straight to commercial...


----------



## Pasadena1944 (Mar 20, 2010)

24Buds said:


> Oh and to think, the gulf freeway is STILL under construction! lol


I moved here in 1954 as a kid and they were working on it then...LOL

two lanes going each way from downtown to gulfgate....but there was no gulfgate at the time.


----------



## Pasadena1944 (Mar 20, 2010)

V-Bottom said:


> Play Land Park was out by MeyerLand Speedway where stock cars raced. They tore it down about the time the owner was killed by a "splinter of wood" from the wooden pilings around the track...caused By a wreck and the roller coaster fell in...


I googled and cannot find anything on a MeyerLand Speedway, just a Meyer Speedway..I remember the race track behind Play Land Park being the Play Land Park Speedway.. But I'm getting old ....


----------



## Bonito (Nov 17, 2008)

Those are some really cool pictures. Thanks for sharing them.


----------



## Tex-Cajun (Sep 14, 2010)

I remember in 1984 working for a small company while in college, an older lady that was the book keeper was going out to dinner with her husband to celebrate making the final payment on their house in Memorial Area. She said when they moved in they were way outside of Houston. It was a long drive to go downtown. 

If I remember correctly she said their house payment was around $70 a month and they did not know how they were going to make that payment. I bet that home is worth well over 1.5 million now days.


----------



## Pasadena1944 (Mar 20, 2010)

Does anyone else here remember when a drive to Galveston was also a ride in the country?


----------



## Ditto (Apr 18, 2005)

I went to my first movie at Garden Oaks theatre. 
Thanks for the memories.


----------



## Pistol58 (Oct 9, 2009)

RedAg said:


> What theatre is that in post #3? Looks awesome!


Photo caption:

This is the Metropolitan Theater downtown. There was also a Majestic Theater, done with Roman sculptures. They were the flagships of the Interstate Theaters in Houston & the only 2 that had such extravagant decor. There were 17 total in Houston . Santa Rosa was on Telephone Road . Only the River Oaks still shows movies now. The Majestic in Dallas is still open.


----------



## IsleSurfChunker (Sep 25, 2009)

My goodness all of those seem so long ago, but in reality, it was just yesterday. Wasn't? "I'm just a wanderer of the wasteland".


----------



## fastpitch (Oct 15, 2004)

remember when Marvin zindler was a Deputy Sheriff. I played on the same Little League baseball team with his son Donny. He used to give us rides to opening day with his siren blaring. He was a hoot. All the plastic surgery he had started from the terrible fights he got into while a deputy. Marvin was a bad *** back in the day.


----------



## Nwilkins (Jan 18, 2009)

Great pictures, Kitty Kitterick?


----------



## Bull Red (Mar 17, 2010)

Can we have back the way it was? I think it was better this way.


----------



## Pasadena1944 (Mar 20, 2010)

Bull Red said:


> Can we have back the way it was? I think it was better this way.


I agree on that....


----------



## LandLocked (Apr 28, 2005)

Great pictures. Remember a good many.

My Dad & I had some fantastic dove shoots at what is now the corner of Gessner & Harwin. Used to buy shotgun shells at the utotum on the way.


----------



## workorfish (Sep 5, 2007)

*Wow - thanks for posting*

San Jacinto Inn - best biscuits I ever had - I can say that now that Granny is gone. Seem to remember the other grub was outstanding as well - the place to go to celebrate something for us po' folk living in the sticks of what is now Pearland.


----------



## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

It's been posted before but those pictures are always fun to look at.

TH


----------



## surfspeck (Jun 7, 2006)

Lots of memories as a kid around there.


----------



## John Redcorn (Sep 8, 2009)

Check this site: http://houstorian.wordpress.com/

Lots of stories and pics of Houston growing up.


----------



## TUNNEL HAND (Aug 5, 2009)

*WHAT A PLACE*

San Jacinto Inn - It was the first restaurant that I ate in when I came to Houston in 1974 and my wife and I were the last PAYING customers the night it closed. Had to beg them to scrape the jars for the strawberry jam to put on those tremendous bisquits. Always took visitors and relatives out there to eat, including one who threatened to jump out of a moving car instead of crossing on the Lynchburg ferry due to her fear of water. Had to drive back to the Ship Channel Bridge to get there. Wish it was still there. sad_smiles


----------



## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Yes they had the Majstic, Metropolitan, and the Kirby downtown. Spent lots of time in Jimmy Miinutis (sp) place back in the day. Yes, they had lots of big time show folks, one watress I remember named Johnny (female). You had to bring your own bottle no over the counter drinks then, went to many races at playland park, also rode the rides there, Aslo saw the Esquire ballroom on Hempstead road spent time there too. 
Rode the first open spots on the Gulf freeway when it opended. Folks went to work on their first job on the freeway and retired from there. Folks killed when getting on the freeway to Galveston before it was open and ran off bridges and overpasses that were not there. Bird hunted inside the loop(was no loop) off post oak. I could go on and on. Used to shoot bass in the bayou off the bridge on 11th street out west of Shepherd near Timbergrove.

Charlie


----------



## Miles2Fish (Dec 2, 2008)

Marvin Zindler.....EYE witness news!

Slime in the ICE MACHINE!!!!!!!!!

He was great....RIP Mr. Zindler.


----------



## InfamousJ (May 21, 2004)

Pistol58 said:


> Photo caption:
> 
> This is the Metropolitan Theater downtown. There was also a Majestic Theater, done with Roman sculptures. They were the flagships of the Interstate Theaters in Houston & the only 2 that had such extravagant decor. There were 17 total in Houston . Santa Rosa was on Telephone Road . Only the River Oaks still shows movies now. The Majestic in Dallas is still open.


1st picture in 2nd column on post 3.. I couldnt remember it but thought it was Magic Island  and growing up in a small town, whenever we drove through Houston and I saw Magic Island, I thought it was a place where all the breakdancers hung out and did their breakdancing.. LOL


----------



## gp2394 (Jul 1, 2008)

Pasadena1944 said:


> I googled and cannot find anything on a MeyerLand Speedway, just a Meyer Speedway..I remember the race track behind Play Land Park being the Play Land Park Speedway.. But I'm getting old ....


Meyer Speedway was an asphalt oval located on south main and fondren. I also remember all the drive in movies. They had a playground right in front of the screen, showed pink panther cartoons before the movie, people honked their horns for the movie to start, you burned an incense thing called "pic" to repel mosquitoes and you hung the speaker on your window. Certain days were $1 a car and we all piled in my dads truck, he would back in the parking space and sit in a lawn chair in the back of his truck. If you can believe this, there was a XXX drive-in on red bluff that showed the raunchy stuff. Imagine if that was still around.


----------



## InfamousJ (May 21, 2004)

gp2394 said:


> If you can believe this, there was a XXX drive-in on red bluff that showed the raunchy stuff. Imagine if that was still around.


I believe it, for that area of town..


----------



## mike1970lee (Jan 19, 2009)

I'll bet know one had touble finding a place to dove hunt back in those days.


----------



## kpko (May 10, 2006)

Great photos and memories. Anyone have a picture of Heights Tackle House that was located in the Houston Heights off Heights Boulevard?


----------



## Pistol58 (Oct 9, 2009)

InfamousJ said:


> 1st picture in 2nd column on post 3.. I couldnt remember it but thought it was Magic Island  and growing up in a small town, whenever we drove through Houston and I saw Magic Island, I thought it was a place where all the breakdancers hung out and did their breakdancing.. LOL


I remember driving by Majic Island ever so often as a kid.....I always thought it was just a place of magicians, and ONE day when I grew up, I was going to go there...

I also remember driving by the drive in theatre (not exactly sure where, somewhere on 45 north), and hanging my head out the window to see what movie was playing...


----------



## mchildress (Jul 11, 2009)

Meyer Speedway was located on the southeast corner of South Main and Hillcroft next to Butler Stadium. Grew up across the field behind the track.Went to many of races there.They had a bronco and late model class and always the crazy 8 demolition derby at the end. Mcclendon Triple drive in at Main and Hiarm Clark had dollar monday nights. You would not believe how many kids we could stack in mom's car trunk to only pay a dollar for the movie. I can't recall the name to the other drive in just around the corner at Steelalink and Main.


----------



## Triad_Marine (Aug 31, 2009)

very cool pics thanks for posting


----------



## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

Good memories...

Went to many a race at Playland Park Raceway.. Used to see A J Foyt every weekend running the 'midgets'...

Far as how neighborhoods have changed...during high schoo days we used to cruise over to Dowling St. and listen to the great jazz in the black night clubs there. They have little rooms in the back "For Whites Only"... just their way of getting back at 'The Man', I guess...but they had a free one coming back then.. Will say we were treated GREAT..Now, even the cops won't go thru the Fourth Ward after dark.
.
Changs??? When I was a tad, my Dad built us a 'country' house out on a gravel street called Post Oak Road..Had 10 acres...a cow..horse..hunnert chickens..etc.. Had to move out after just a couple of years because I was gonna start school..and my Momma wasn't gonna have her little boy going to no public school that didn't have indoor plumbing...Yep..the school on the corner of Post Oak and Westheimer still used outhouses...Dad sold the house and 10 acres for something like 35K and thought he had made a killing..LOL...Now that particular tract of land is known better as Joske's....
..


----------



## SetDaHook (Oct 21, 2010)

Went on the Kitirik show when I was about 5 and road the Magic Carousel. Kitirik was kind of creepy...but pretty hot in those leotards!!!

I can also remember my older sisters and cousins roller skating on Loop 610 north at Irvington when it was nearly complete, but not yet open to traffic. It was the biggest slap of open concrete they had ever seen. Try that today!!!!


----------



## trodery (Sep 13, 2006)

Anybody else remember piling into the family car and heading into downtown Houston to see all the Christmas lights?

Seemed like that was always a tradition, the city of Houston used to decorate the downtown streets very nicely at Christmas.


----------



## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

trodery said:


> Anybody else remember piling into the family car and heading into downtown Houston to see all the Christmas lights?
> 
> Seemed like that was always a tradition, the city of Houston used to decorate the downtown streets very nicely at Christmas.


Oh, yeah... Foley's would have all their Main St. windows FULL of toys, train setups etc....

Used to be a Sunday night tradition with us to go downtown every weekend , eat at the cafeteria in the basement of the Lamar Hotel...then go 'window shopping'.


----------



## wiltray4000 (Sep 16, 2010)

*Houston, once upon a time*

Do any of you 2coolers remember Gateway Crystal Pool?


----------



## Pasadena1944 (Mar 20, 2010)

Billwill555 said:


> Do any of you 2coolers remember Gateway Crystal Pool?


The one on south main? If that's the one you mean, Yes..


----------



## Pasadena1944 (Mar 20, 2010)

trodery said:


> Anybody else remember piling into the family car and heading into downtown Houston to see all the Christmas lights?
> 
> Seemed like that was always a tradition, the city of Houston used to decorate the downtown streets very nicely at Christmas.


We were poor (no car) and had to take the bus but I do remember going downtown to see the Christmas lights....


----------



## Cap-N-Red (May 21, 2004)

Tortuga , You're not the only one that looked forward to seeing the Christmas display in the Foley's window. I always wanted to see how it was different from the previous year. I guess us old pharts ,at least this one miss the old days when Houston was just a big town and not a city. Too much northern influence changed the general outlook of the population IMHO


----------



## mastercylinder60 (Dec 18, 2005)

i remember as a little kid (ca. 1965) going down to the 7-11 with my dad to test tv test tubes for the old b&w zenith we had when it would go on the blink. dad would get grouchy if he couldn't watch huntley & brinkley after he got home from work. he'd buy me an icee when we left.

the 7-11 is long gone, but amazingly the green slab is still there.


----------



## roundman (May 21, 2004)

Billwill555 said:


> Do any of you 2coolers remember Gateway Crystal Pool?


9th grade graduation party there when they still had the bubble http://www.examiner.com/history-in-houston/the-gateway-swimming-pool-on-south-main and diving off the platforms at glenbrook ,,, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Remem...mber-in-Houston-when/107646629279272?v=photos like this one/lol


----------



## roundman (May 21, 2004)

was not far from where i lived


----------



## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

I remember the Heights Taackle house and I think it was on 14th and Yale. The auto parts 16th and yale was on 16th and yale. Used to buy minnows at 14th and yale and fishing stuff. 

Charlie


----------



## Harbormaster (May 26, 2000)

Billwill555 said:


> Do any of you 2coolers remember Gateway Crystal Pool?


I remember Gateway...had the bubble down in 20 feet of water with air being pumped into it...if you made it down and cleared your ears you could stay down indefinately! Great fun with a bunch of brothers!


----------



## brotherDave (Dec 17, 2004)

Astroworld 1968 from my inlaws photo archive


----------



## wiltray4000 (Sep 16, 2010)

Brotherdave

I grew up in Pasadena. I lived on Oaks Drive. Went to South Main Baptist Church and South Houston HS. I remember this show Astro World put on.


----------



## wiltray4000 (Sep 16, 2010)

Brotherdave

I grew up in Pasadena. I lived on Oaks Drive. Went to South Main Baptist Church and South Houston HS. I remember this show Astro World put on.


----------



## kpko (May 10, 2006)

Charlie, I think you are right. Heights Tackle House was just off the corner of 14th and Yale. I used to go in there after school and admire the expensive tackle. Lots of good memories - wish I could find a photo of the place.


----------



## bigdaddyriverrat (May 24, 2004)

http://www.sloanegallery.com/houston_history_vintage_and_hist.htm

Found these online, neat old pictures.


----------



## Stringer (May 22, 2004)

http://www.texasfreeway.com/default.shtml

this site is really neat. click on the city on the top left and then lots of different pics


----------



## randeg (Dec 29, 2005)

Thanks to all who posted, brings back many good memories. 

Back in the day I remember Dad taking us to Glenbrook Valley to see the Christmas Lights.

Drive-in theaters, Pasadena Drive-In, Telephone, Gulfway and, oh yeah, Red Bluff Drive-In. Many Saturdays at The Capitan Theater and the Delman on Fannin (I think).

Vickies Drive In, Prince's and the Grove in Pasadena. Peppermint Park at what would now be Gulf Freeway and 610.

Thanks again.


----------



## Dutch Treat (May 21, 2004)

*Monorail???*

Do any of you remember a monorail demonstration set up out on South Main? It ran for about a quarter mile or less and was one of those "the future of Houston" promos. You could ride on it, I think.

This would have been in the early/mid 50's IIRC. I do remember it was before I was driving (legally) and I got my license at 14 in 1957. 
Bob


----------



## ralph7 (Apr 28, 2009)

i remember seeing a monorail set up off of ost a looong time ago.
it was a car and some track. think it was white in color.
i heard of another one, maybe the one you are referring to.
south main and where?


----------



## Mrschasintail (Dec 8, 2004)

Meyerspeedway! I wish it was still there! When I was young, we called it the roundyround races.


----------



## Terry G. (Jul 17, 2006)

man all of that sure brought back some memories, and i remember just about all of them - life sure was nicer back then .

Bob, i use to drive right by that monorail all the time , belive it or not its in the history books .


----------



## capt. david (Dec 29, 2004)

no pics of westbury square!!!!!!!


----------

