What's on top that hill near Ralph Fair? (home, park)

[TexaCo Mom]

I asked my Dad if he knew what it might be. He worked there at the quarry for many years. This is what he told me...

"It was known as Hill Top. It was originally a place to drink and the little cottages I heard were brothels. Then some Hell's Angel type gang hung out up there. We had a girl named xxxxx that lived up there for a while and worked for us as an Accounts Receivable bookkeeper. She eventually became xxxx xxxxxxx's second wife and moved in his big house. After that it became trashed out. It has now been razed and is part of the RIM Shopping Center. Long history!"


For the privacy of the mentioned individuals, I left their names out

[satx56]

Originally Posted by Sweetie Pie

festyle"

LOL I vaguely remember that one. I was trying to live the "hippie" lifestyle, back then

P.S. can't find your hippie commune 70's era thread. I'm still lookin'.

I'm sorry, I was kidding about the commune thread. Didn't realize you probably meant where I had mentioned the speakeasy Idea. I don't recall what thread that was. Maybe ("outside 410") something or other.

[satx56]

Originally Posted by TexaCo Mom

I asked my Dad if he knew what it might be. He worked there at the quarry for many years. This is what he told me...

"It was known as Hill Top. It was originally a place to drink and the little cottages I heard were brothels. Then some Hell's Angel type gang hung out up there. We had a girl named xxxxx that lived up there for a while and worked for us as an Accounts Receivable bookkeeper. She eventually became xxxx xxxxxxx's second wife and moved in his big house. After that it became trashed out. It has now been razed and is part of the RIM Shopping Center. Long history!"


For the privacy of the mentioned individuals, I left their names out

Thanks, very much for the info. Looks like Sweetie Pie wasn't kidding! Wonder how many people over those years confused that actual hilltop with the old Hilltop Dance hall on 181 south.

[majormadmax]

Try using Live Maps

First use the road or aerial view, then go to bird's eye.

Once you find it, click on 'share' and copy the URL here.

Cheers! M2

[wCat]

Originally Posted by satx56

Okey Dokey.

I had to go to a house kinda in the middle of nowhere back in the 70's. Seems like it was on a street off Rittiman Rd. It was between Harry Wurzbach and I-35. Didn't see another house anywhere near. (That was a commune) Hippie dudes and pregnant gals and kids everywhere. Hey dude what's up man. Never forget that experience.

Glad you got the info on Hill Top! Interesting story.

I can't think of anything that might have been a "commune" in the 70's along Rittiman Rd where you mentioned. Could it have been along Holbrook Road, down along the Salado Creek? That used to be the back road to Ft. Sam. Victoria's Black Swan is down there....and there are still horse stables on Holbrook Rd. VBS has a really interesting history...as a lot of that land.

But...there are some creepy shacky type houses sort of hidden up along the bluff along Holbrook Road that could be as you described. Most everything up along Rittiman would have been developed by the 70's. It was always a bit creepy driving down there back then. Dead bodies showing up every now and then. The flood in 98 that killed so many horses scoured out so much of the creek bottom that it doesn't look the same. It is growing back up again....wish it could be maintained better for biking and hiking. It's just too remote and not the best area to be aloooonnne! LOL!

[satx56]

Originally Posted by wCat

Glad you got the info on Hill Top! Interesting story.

I can't think of anything that might have been a "commune" in the 70's along Rittiman Rd where you mentioned. Could it have been along Holbrook Road, down along the Salado Creek? That used to be the back road to Ft. Sam. Victoria's Black Swan is down there....and there are still horse stables on Holbrook Rd. VBS has a really interesting history...as a lot of that land.

But...there are some creepy shacky type houses sort of hidden up along the bluff along Holbrook Road that could be as you described. Most everything up along Rittiman would have been developed by the 70's. It was always a bit creepy driving down there back then. Dead bodies showing up every now and then. The flood in 98 that killed so many horses scoured out so much of the creek bottom that it doesn't look the same. It is growing back up again....wish it could be maintained better for biking and hiking. It's just too remote and not the best area to be aloooonnne! LOL!

Yeah, you know that might be right! It might have been along Salado Creek.Let me absorb more of this.

[satx56]

Originally Posted by wCat

Glad you got the info on Hill Top! Interesting story.

I can't think of anything that might have been a "commune" in the 70's along Rittiman Rd where you mentioned. Could it have been along Holbrook Road, down along the Salado Creek? That used to be the back road to Ft. Sam. Victoria's Black Swan is down there....and there are still horse stables on Holbrook Rd. VBS has a really interesting history...as a lot of that land.

But...there are some creepy shacky type houses sort of hidden up along the bluff along Holbrook Road that could be as you described. Most everything up along Rittiman would have been developed by the 70's. It was always a bit creepy driving down there back then. Dead bodies showing up every now and then. The flood in 98 that killed so many horses scoured out so much of the creek bottom that it doesn't look the same. It is growing back up again....wish it could be maintained better for biking and hiking. It's just too remote and not the best area to be aloooonnne! LOL!

Thanks for the map Major. Wcat that's bound to be it. Was the home on the east side of the street? That's what I recall. By the birdseye on the map, is that it just north of the stables maybe two seperate stables? Was it two story?

[Sweetie Pie]

Originally Posted by satx56

I'm sorry, I was kidding about the commune thread. Didn't realize you probably meant where I had mentioned the speakeasy Idea. I don't recall what thread that was. Maybe ("outside 410") something or other.

U R a stinker! I spent an hour or more looking for that thread! LOL

Originally Posted by satx56

Thanks, very much for the info. Looks like Sweetie Pie wasn't kidding! Wonder how many people over those years confused that actual hilltop with the old Hilltop Dance hall on 181 south.

I tole you! I'm glad I got to go up there, and no my friends that lived there weren't the biker outlaws, that trashed the place. It must have been after my groovy hippie friends moved out.

Originally Posted by wCat

Glad you got the info on Hill Top! Interesting story.

I can't think of anything that might have been a "commune" in the 70's along Rittiman Rd where you mentioned. Could it have been along Holbrook Road, down along the Salado Creek? That used to be the back road to Ft. Sam. Victoria's Black Swan is down there....and there are still horse stables on Holbrook Rd. VBS has a really interesting history...as a lot of that land.

But...there are some creepy shacky type houses sort of hidden up along the bluff along Holbrook Road that could be as you described. Most everything up along Rittiman would have been developed by the 70's. It was always a bit creepy driving down there back then. Dead bodies showing up every now and then. The flood in 98 that killed so many horses scoured out so much of the creek bottom that it doesn't look the same. It is growing back up again....wish it could be maintained better for biking and hiking. It's just too remote and not the best area to be aloooonnne! LOL!

I'm familiar with this area, also. Don't remember any commune around there though. But hey, I didn't know all the communes around town, believe it or not. Heh heh! I remember taking a friend to that house out Rittiman, it was before all that Camelot(?) development started. It was an old farm house looking place with lots of shady trees and brush. I don't remember if it was past Montgomery going East or not. Oh well.

Originally Posted by satx56

Yeah, you know that might be right! It might have been along Salado Creek.Let me absorb more of this.

LOL..........Think, dangit!

[satx56]

Originally Posted by Sweetie Pie

U R a stinker! I spent an hour or more looking for that thread! LOL


I tole you! I'm glad I got to go up there, and no my friends that lived there weren't the biker outlaws, that trashed the place. It must have been after my groovy hippie friends moved out.



I'm familiar with this area, also. Don't remember any commune around there though. But hey, I didn't know all the communes around town, believe it or not. Heh heh! I remember taking a friend to that house out Rittiman, it was before all that Camelot(?) development started. It was an old farm house looking place with lots of shady trees and brush. I don't remember if it was past Montgomery going East or not. Oh well.



LOL..........Think, dangit!

Sorry about that. Now your talking about east of I-35 this one I'm talking about probably is the one on Holbrook. Read wCat'S reply. I think it was a two story house. P.S. It could have just been a home for unwed mothers and all the daddies were hippies.

[gospursgojas]

Can someone post a pic or url so I can see the exact spot you are talking about.... Reall interesting story, and I live in the 10 DeZavala area so its in my neck of the woods!