Gone But Not Forgotten in San Antonio! - Part II (Austin: to eat, car)

[BudB]

Originally Posted by mudpuddle

.
.Bud I believe that would be the BlueBonnet Hotel. The Robert E. Lee stands, to this day, two blocks West and one block South.
mud.

You are absolutely right sir, that was the Bluebonnet(which I knew but momentarily forgot) and I stand corrected; actually I'm sitting. Anyhow, my gaff made a pleasant prompt to friend SATx56 so I'll take credit for that too. From the looks of Google Map's street view there's now a modernistic looking, mutli-storied What's-it on the corner opposite Greyhound now. And yes indeed the Robert E. Lee is still standing tall on the SW corner as a Seniors Hostel if memory serves.
Meanwhile, it appears to be a Checkers 1959 Biscayne that was captured on film while off loading passengers that day. That model Chevy was popular among the city's cab companies back then as the postcard below shows. That's a 1962 Biscayne in Red Ball cab colors and it's one of my favorite Alamo postcards.

[SATX56]

I see the Crockett behind the Alamo Bud. Maybe I confused it with the Robert E. Lee.. I'm trying to remember where those cab companies were. I used to pass by them many years ago. Checkers at least. Don't you and Mud remember the old Crain & Palmer's or Crane & Palmers drug store on Main or McCulloch? Had deliveries on three wheel motorcycles.

[BudB]

Originally Posted by satx56

Crane & Palmers drug store on Main or McCulloch? Had deliveries on three wheel motorcycles.

Can't say I recall them but I would dearly love to see a foto of the delivery mount you mentioned. Meanwhile, downtown SA was a much more interesting and diverse region back in the day when it had numerous colorful businesses like cab companies, supply houses of all sorts, strip clubs, chop suey joints or whatever. Now it's just hotels and tourist driven venues of little diversity instead of a Midcap Bearing on one corner then down the street and around another corner something like a Tiffany Lounge, Paul Anderson Co., Alamo Hobby Shop or a Brock's Book Store just full of treasures waiting to be discovered.

[SATX56]

Originally Posted by BudB

Can't say I recall them but I would dearly love to see a foto of the delivery mount you mentioned. Meanwhile, downtown SA was a much more interesting and diverse region back in the day when it had numerous colorful businesses like cab companies, supply houses of all sorts, strip clubs, chop suey joints or whatever. Now it's just hotels and tourist driven venues of little diversity instead of a Midcap Bearing on one corner then down the street and around another corner something like a Tiffany Lounge, Paul Anderson Co., Alamo Hobby Shop or a Brock's Book Store just full of treasures waiting to be discovered.

The trikes used.. had the box compartment on back. I remember seeing wrecked ones on the sides of the building. Wonder how many lost their lives delivering prescriptions. Paul Anderson's ...bought my drafting supplies there back in early 70's. Used to play pool upstairs across Broadway from it.

[majormadmax]

Originally Posted by majormadmax

gy2020, I wonder if it is the structure that is just off Highway 16 about a on Helotes Springs Road. You will see it to the southwest of that intersection at the top of the hill. It looks like there is a dirt road that circles the bottom of it, and you can the vegetation as grows along the contour lines. It appears to have a huge half-circle fenced courtyard behind it, and I've always wanted to explore it (you can see it from Hwy 16) but I believe it is private property and obviously I will not trespass; but it does look like it could have been a great party place at one time.

Here is the location on Google maps, you can see it better on Bing maps aerial photos but I can't figure out how to save a link from that site.

It would be cool if it turned out to be the place you were talking about!

Cheers! M2

Originally Posted by gy2020

M2: I am sure that is the same place. I've passed it many times and I heard my dad talking about it. He would be 100 in about two weeks.
12-22-09

gy2020

Funny thing, I was looking for some info on Government Canyon and came across this post, specifically...

Originally Posted by jimbobvandy

They have developed some land near 211 and 16 north of Government Canyon (Helotes Spring). My parents almost bought the property in the mid 90's for near nothing (they're kicking themselves). On this property is an old dancehall from the '20's. As you drive out 16 and a mile or two before 211 on your left is an old rock structure on a hill. I thought it was pretty neat.

Cheers! M2

[Dwangle]

Mentioning the three wheel motorcycles brought back my earliest memories of San Antonio. I also remember those black smudge pots on the streets where work was being done. I remember one year the roads were covered with crickets both alive and dead. Does anyone else remember that?

[RGJ]

Originally Posted by Dwangle

Mentioning the three wheel motorcycles brought back my earliest memories of San Antonio. I also remember those black smudge pots on the streets where work was being done. I remember one year the roads were covered with crickets both alive and dead. Does anyone else remember that?

I remember the smudge pots. A friend of mine in 5th grade got severely burned by one. Two of us were in the ditch with a lit smudge pot and two were above ground when one of the smudge pots above ground tipped over spilled the fuel into the ditch. Set my friend on fire. He survived but had numerous skin grafts for the next several years.

[BudB]

Originally Posted by satx56

The trikes used.. had the box compartment on back.

Motortrikes were notoriously unstable in quick or short turns which is why we rarely see them anymore. The Austin Police used them here into the 1970s but
not since then and for the same reason that three wheeled ATVs went away quickly. Can you guess what cross street on Main or McCullough Crane & Palmers drug store sat, how close or far from downtown?
Sadly, what fueled the old smudge pots, diesel, coal oil or whatever not doubt burned more than a few kids over the years.

[SATX56]

Originally Posted by BudB

Motortrikes were notoriously unstable in quick or short turns which is why we rarely see them anymore. The Austin Police used them here into the 1970s but
not since then and for the same reason that three wheeled ATVs went away quickly. Can you guess what cross street on Main or McCullough Crane & Palmers drug store sat, how close or far from downtown?

I'm sure they were quite unstable. They've been used to some extent by our PD in the past. Mostly for meter maid use probably. I believe it was a couple blocks north or nw of the Metropolitan hospital (Cypress?) on McCullough. East side of the street.

[SATX56]

This could be where it sat: N/M can't make Google maps URL's work. East Park street may have been near it.