1969 and prior San Antone (San Antonio, New Braunfels: to live, shop, bus)

[MarianAnnette]

So fun to read all these memories I share. And what about Playland on Broadway? And Christie's seafood restaurant where we got to eat once a year IF we were lucky.

I spent several years of my childhood living in Victoria Courts in the 1950's. Now I'm a history professor at UTSA and I'm writing a history of San Antonio Public housing, specifically focusing on Victoria Courts. Is there anyone out there who would like to share memories/be interviewed for this book?

[gy2020]

MA is my cousin folks. Strange who you will meet here.

[Blue Dog]

Anybody remember the First Mate's? Man they serve good fish there. The one I remember was located at Culebra + Gen Mac. How about the Sigmor gas stations where they gave you Stamps, glassware or dishes. Gas wars? .15 cent a gallon plus get free air in your tires and get your windshield cleaned. There were 3 sets of pumps at most locations, some had more. The building was separated in two with a beer and soda cooler in the middle of the two building. There were always guy's having a few beers after work there. I remember where as soon as you cross 410 by Ingram or Culebra, nothing but farmland. Between 410 and Leon Valley nothing but cops waiting to give you a ticket. Then there's was also Joske's at Las Palmas Shopping Center where they also had a Christmas train and decorations. Let's not forget the Drive Inn's. There was the Somerset Drive Inn was at Military/Somerset Rd. Davila's Drive Inn was at Old 90 West/40th. The Malt House Buena Vista/S. Zarzamora its still there. Cupples Drive Inn Cupples/Saltillo. Paul Marie Drive Inn was Zarzamora/Durango. At all these Drive Inn's there were car hops and they served beer too! Then there was the Drive-In's(Outdoor Theaters). El Charro Drive In at S.Hamilton/Merida. The Varsity Drive In at Culebra/24th. Lackland Drive at Military/Somerset. Loop 13 Drive In at Zarzamora/Military. TownTwin Drive In at W.W.White/Dietrich Rd. Valley Hi Drive In at Medina Base Rd/410. The Capitain Drive In at 36th/ Old 90. Fredericksburg Drive In at Frederickburg/Gardina. Kelly Drive In at Zarzamora/Frio City Rd. There was one at Bitters/West Ave can't remember the name getting old I guess. Went to all these places. God, sure miss them times. Oh! Lets not forget about the Indoor Theaters. Guadalupe Theater Colorado/Brazos,El National Theater 400 Blk W. Houston. Texas Theater 100 Blk W. Houston. Empire Theater n.St.Marys/Commerce. Aztec Theater 100 Blk E. Commerce. Majestic Theater 200? E.Houston. Woodlawn Theater. Fredericksburg/Donaldson. Josephine Theater 300 W. Josephine. Alameda Theater. 500 Blk W. Houston. I'm sure I missed some.

[sereneintexas]

Originally Posted by Blue Dog

Anybody remember the First Mate's? Man they serve good fishthere..................There was one at Bitters/West Ave can't remember the ........... Alameda Theater. 500 Blk W. Houston. I'm sure I missed some.

Thanks for the memories, Blue Dog. Yes, I do remember First Mate. The one I frequented most was on S W Military Dr. In addition to the great fish, didn't they have some sort of a wonderful cheesecake or something like that?

And the drive in theater at Bitters and West Ave, was that the San Pedro Theater?

Oh, do I remember the drive-in restaurants. I started out working as a carhop at the age of 14 at Buddy's Drive-In on Vance Jackson. Those were the days my friend.

[sereneintexas]

Originally Posted by MarianAnnette

.......
I spent several years of my childhood living in Victoria Courts in the 1950's. Now I'm a history professor at UTSA and I'm writing a history of San Antonio Public housing, specifically focusing on Victoria Courts. Is there anyone out there who would like to share memories/be interviewed for this book?

Hi there MarianAnnette, my mom, 4 of my siblings and I lived in Victory Courts for a while when my parents were separated. Best as I can figure from talking to my older brother we moved there about summer of 1954 but none of us remember how long we were there. I was only 3years old at that time. Before that, around 1943 or so, my grandmother had an apartment there as well. I have some pictures I'll try to find of my grandmother, my aunt and uncles standing in front of the apt. The only pic I remember seeing taken we lived there was a pic of my baby sister who was about 2 years old and a little boy who was our neighbor by the name of Danny Forkey (not sure of the spelling). He had an older sister named Linda, who must have been about 8 years old.
More later.

[sereneintexas]

I believe our address was 247 Labor Street, or maybe 147. My brother says that he heard Nelson Wolfe talk about growing up in Victoria Courts.

[flora68]

Originally Posted by hemisfan

...Several months before the Fair opened, while we were planning the programs, we saw a small item in the paper that the chorus of Alamo Heights High School had learned the national anthems of Mexico and Guatemala, to greet school officials visiting San Antonio from those countries. We got an idea, and my assistant and I met with the chorus director, Harold Greenley, and auditioned the chorus, which was excellent. Our proposal was that they take on the project of learning the anthems of the participating nations, and singing them at the Fair to greet the visiting VIPs from those countries on their special national day. The chorus and Greenley agreed, and the upshot was that the chorus stayed organized during the entire summer of the Fair, made uniforms for themselves, and ultimately sang the national anthems of 22 nations in nine different languages!
There was little publicity, because the primary audience was the special representative from that nation, for whom the rendition was a total surprise. We saw many teary eyes when the chorus had finished. Just one example was the singing of the anthem of Monaco for Prince Ranier and Princess Grace while they were on the grounds.
I wonder if any of the readers of this site were members of that chorus during 1968, or know people who were. I would like to see some of their memories. Mine couldn't be any more glorious.

I was! I was!... in Mr. Greenlee's chorus, and summer of '68 was great! I graduated in May, but chorus went on. I remember we girls wore navy blue dresses and mustard yellow (!) shoes (Alamo Heights' colors are blue and gold). I still remember a lot of the national anthems (or at least the alto part), particularly those of Mexico, Guatemala, Italy, France, and Canada.

Mr. Greenlee was an amazing musician and educator and a great person all the way around, and we were lucky to get to study under him. The acapella choir got a lot of outside gigs; I remember wearing a floor-length formal to sing for a conference or convention at the St. Anthony Hotel. Of course, we got into HemisFair for free when we were singing there (which was pretty often), and we could spend as much time there after the gig as we wanted to. I loved HemisFair. Especially the youth pavilion with it's hippie-poster shop and hippie-type Indian jewelry. There were free concerts there all the time....

But my favorite places to hang out in HemisFair were the U.S. and Texas Pavilions; because of the awesome films they showed there. At the U.S. Pavilion, now a courthouse, they showed a film called "US" by the late Hugh O'Connor, and if I could get a copy of that I'd die a very happy mule (Alamo Heights mascot). And at the former Texas Pavilion, they still project the same "dome show" on the multi-paneled domed ceiling at the center of what's now the Institute of Texan Cultures. I've probably seen it 100 times. And when I wasn't inside the gates that summer, I was just outside, campaigning for Eugene McCarthy. Man, those were the days. We had so much hope...

[sereneintexas]

thanks, flora, for sharing those wonderful memories. It's hard to say where my favorite spot was, but I do remember I loved to go into that saloon they had where they served the youngsters Chilled Apple Cider in the beer mugs. Do you remember that?

[sereneintexas]

Originally Posted by MarianAnnette

I spent several years of my childhood living in Victoria Courts in the 1950's. Now I'm a history professor at UTSA and I'm writing a history of San Antonio Public housing, specifically focusing on Victoria Courts. Is there anyone out there who would like to share memories/be interviewed for this book?

Hi there, Marian! Found a few pics but my scanner is not working right now. As soon as I can I'll post them.

[dpeche]

It's great to celebrate the Hemisphere's 40th this year.
All the best with your research. just a reply to an older post

Burger Boy is still a great place to eat. MR Naturals was a cool shop next to Demos on ST Marys back in 1973. There is still a few old school Burger Joints. Gyros number 1 on Nogaltios and Jennings and number 2 on Probant St. near the freeway 10 (90)east . Floyd's Dairy Barn , I think on Goliad Rd (532-3871)and for a change Oscar's Taco house off Zazamora and Barret . You can pull up order food and a beer and get the drink while you wait and look out to your left to see the old Kelly Drive Screen.
A way to almost go back in time, that is until you pay for the food and beer. But IT'S WORTH every penny.

Originally Posted by eyeta2

This was a good thread. I have posted several messages today in the "not forgotten" section...A few things I remember growing up in the early 60's and 70's. Storms Drive In and BarBQue on Fredricksburg Road. That was my grandmother who owned it. My dad went to Edison way back in the 40's I guess. He just recently passed away. My grandmother also worked at downtown Joskes for many years. I have her set of china that she bought while working there.

I remember Mutt Radicke auto parts on Fredricksburg. Also that locksmith shop a little further south, next to the donut shop.

Does anyone remember the "Buggy Whip" on San Pedro? That great neon sign of the whip, and JP's coffee house across the street.

My husband mentioned "The Princess Drive In" on Broadway. He remembers dragging Broadway up to Austin Highway and the Bun & Barrel.

Everyone has mentioned Playland, but has anyone mentioned the Kiddie Park that is still there on Broadway? I remember my grandmother taking me there when I was about 3 years old. That would have been around 1964. The big kids got to go to Playland, and us little kids were taken to the Kiddie Park.

Does anyone remember the big inflated "burger boy" on Josephine? I also remember going to Jr. High down there at Hawthorne, and every afternoon smelling the hopps cooking over at the Pearl Brewery. I also remember in the early 70's I think it was, this cool clothing store located in the building where Demo's is now, on St. Marys. Does anyone remember the name of that place?

My husband mentioned the Black Cow down on Broadway near the Pig Stands...

So much to remember....