Barrio Azteca...Laredo, Texas (Roma, Hidalgo: rent, houses, transfer)

[ranchodrive]

Looking for photos,postcards,or anything related to a section of Laredo,Texas
where I grew up living with my dear "mamande" (grandmother). This area
is called Barrio Azteca. The house was located on Hidalgo St. near an arroyo.
Back then there was no paved streets, just stones. On fridays we would walk
to the "teatro" Azteca. It was always double feature movies...Pedro Infante
or Cantinflas. There was a bingo game between the movies. I did an oil
painting, mostly from memory. I was thinking of doing more and a photo
would make it faster to work with. The Laredo that I remember, the people,
places,foods has all gone and now only exists in my mind and memories.

[jtur88]

Can you post your oil painting here?

[lowviolette]

wow..thats a bad neighborhood.

[ranchodrive]

Originally Posted by jtur88

Can you post your oil painting here?

I gave the painting to my folks.

Working on another one of my other grandmother. She lived on a small
house overlooking the Rio Grande. Around Zaragoza St. and San Jorge Ave.

Can you post photos or postcards here ?

[AMAPO]

Originally Posted by ranchodrive

Looking for photos,postcards,or anything related to a section of Laredo,Texas
where I grew up living with my dear "mamande" (grandmother). This area
is called Barrio Azteca. The house was located on Hidalgo St. near an arroyo.
Back then there was no paved streets, just stones. On fridays we would walk
to the "teatro" Azteca. It was always double feature movies...Pedro Infante
or Cantinflas. There was a bingo game between the movies. I did an oil
painting, mostly from memory. I was thinking of doing more and a photo
would make it faster to work with. The Laredo that I remember, the people,
places,foods has all gone and now only exists in my mind and memories.

I live in Laredo and I'm willing to help you out. All I need is the address P.M. me with the address and I'll gladly help you out.

Meanwhile... I leave you this video runs through Barrio Azteca which also shows the Azteca Theater you are talking about (min 2:20).

Wow this barrio is close to 250 years old and some houses still stand and are occupied!


‪The Azteca Neighborhood Laredo, TX‬‏ - YouTube

[ranchodrive]

Had some difficulty logging in….ok now!
The video you provide of Laredo & the barrio is great !
I was born at 102 Hidalgo St. next to the creek, which we called
"el arroyo". The house is no longer there.On the National Register,
there are some photos of a house similar to my grandmothers.
In late 40's to mid 50's, my childhood days were spent here in this
barrio.
But Laredo back then was different, at least in my area. Most streets
were just rocks except streets like Iturbide St. where the bus line ran.
Back then there were no one way streets and they didn't appear narrow,
probably because not too many people had cars. It was a poor neighborhood
as compared to Las Lomas which was across the bridge on Iturbide St.
Some houses were shacks with outhouses for toilets others were real nice.
Laredo is "a sleepy little town" now, but at one time, it was a striving place,
especially with the Laredo Base being there. Downtown was the place to shop.
The Azteca theater when I went with my folks didn't have benches, they were
wooden folding seats. My cousin Delia was the ticket seller there. That booth
is no longer there. I went to Central school or as we used to call it " la escuela
Amarilla", I also lived in "las Colonias" near Martin High School . My dad used
to work for H.B. Zachry. At my grandmother's house, she had orange,peach &
lime trees besides her Gardinia's growing in her beautiful garden, my playground
was the arroyo, which was very wooded,mesquite trees, and river water. All the
houses on San Pablo street are gone. The Laredo that I remember is so different from what it is today…and that's why I wanted to capture on paint, a time, people
and places that now only exists in my memories.

[coolio69]

I had a Tia that used to live in this barrio. She and her husband would sell cokes and Mexican candy out of their kitchen. They have passed on.

My Tio used to bicycle to Mexico regularly to get the candy to sell. Their house was very near a cliff that overlooked the Rio Grande. They didn’t have a view or anything, because that area was overgrown with trees and such.

I used to think that they owned their house, but my parents later told me that they rented. The rent was very cheap, though. However, the house was small, not of very good quality, and you had to walk across a small courtyard to get the bathroom (outhouse?). I guess it would be considered sub-standard housing or “colonia” housing as the authorities refer to it now.

I miss them very much. I think of my Tio often when I ride my bike.

[ranchodrive]

When I was about 5 or 6, living in Laredo around 1949-1955. Remember
visiting my grandmother, who lived on a similar small house overlooking
the "Rio Grande".I remember the smell of chickens,the dirt road when it rained
& the outhouse. This "house" was located on Water St. near Zaragoza St.
I remember stories told of "La Llorona"….& I thought that el otro lado was
the name of the city across the Rio Grande ! We had no A/C….nobody did !
Just a fan by a window. No television, my entertainment was going down
the wooded arroyo.I remember the "Leche Quemada we bought in el otro lado
also walking across the border and the smells of the meat markets. I loved
the corn tortillas made in Laredo. The molinos where they were made fresh
daily, el pan dulce . My grandmother's beans cooked in a mexican pot…..the
home-made tamales my aunts would make in the small kitchen. I miss all
this,mostly the folks in Laredo that are all gone, Thanks for your reply !

[vero7744]

maybe some one can help im transfering to the prision there in laredo coming from oklahoma im a single mother of 3 does anyone know if rent is cheap if i should be worried bout being alone with my kids or do i need to sleep with my revolver under my pillow just want honest answers looking forward to making laredo my home

[gguerra]

Originally Posted by vero7744

maybe some one can help im transfering to the prision there in laredo coming from oklahoma im a single mother of 3 does anyone know if rent is cheap if i should be worried bout being alone with my kids or do i need to sleep with my revolver under my pillow just want honest answers looking forward to making laredo my home

Wrong thread. You need to start a new one or look for one that suits this question