El Paso Nostalgia-The Good Old Days!

[Ms Kitty 98]

I remember before they built the Delta Drive Bridge where people would have to take the road going into the Texico Refinery property reaching the railroad tracks and crossing the two lane bridge over the Franklin Canal just to get on Alameda Ave to get to Ascarate Park or the Drive Inn Theater.
And worst was when there were trains crossing in either direction and that would cause cars to back up all the way to Trowbridge Dr.

[katzpaw]

I have to ask - what if anything was lost/destroyed when the I-10 went through? Is that a drive-in at Paisano(?)/I-10 (5 photos down)

Constructing Interstate 10 in El Paso [Photos] | PochoBlog

[joqua]

Originally Posted by katzpaw

I have to ask - what if anything was lost/destroyed when the I-10 went through? Is that a drive-in at Paisano(?)/I-10 (5 photos down)

The freeway cut a wide swath through south/central El Paso with a lot of unsightly properties "cleaned up" in the process. I sold my small cinderblock home in Del Norte Hgts to a displaced city employee who paid with cash he got for his property that was condemned for the right-of-way. The house I moved my family to in the Eastwood area was built with the reclaimed red brick being salvaged at that time from buildings elsewhere in town that were being demolished. Used brick can be seen today on numerous houses in the oldest neighborhoods in the Eastwood area.

I seem to recall there was a Paisano Drive-In Theater, but the photo is not familiar to me.

[TexasCCW]

Interesting info, Joqua, concerning the reused bricks. My house is in the Cielo Vista East area and was built in 1967. I wonder if any homes in my area have these bricks. I suspect a few houses with the intentional seeping mortar between the bricks are.

[joqua]

Originally Posted by TexasCCW

Interesting info, Joqua, concerning the reused bricks. My house is in the Cielo Vista East area and was built in 1967. I wonder if any homes in my area have these bricks. I suspect a few houses with the intentional seeping mortar between the bricks are.

The "weeping mortar" was another fad that seems to have been popular for awhile. Nowadays, it's hard to find houses being built with any kind of brick facings since frame stucco took over. I was able to buy ordinary red bricks at Home Depot about ten years ago, and now they no longer carry them. What passes for red brick today are colored concrete. The true red brick were kiln fired - a form of ceramic.

[katzpaw]

Found these on Facebook - Basset Place in ~1964. Posted by the road manager (Burgess '62 grad) for the Bobby Fuller Four band.

Rick Stone's Photos | Facebook
Rick Stone's Photos | Facebook
Rick Stone's Photos | Facebook

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Originally Posted by katzpaw

Found these on Facebook - Basset Place in ~1964. Posted by the road manager (Burgess '62 grad) for the Bobby Fuller Four band.

Rick Stone's Photos | Facebook
Rick Stone's Photos | Facebook
Rick Stone's Photos | Facebook

Cool photos of that era. Something that stands out to me... do you notice there are not many, if any obese people?

[Ms Kitty 98]

Originally Posted by katzpaw

I have to ask - what if anything was lost/destroyed when the I-10 went through? Is that a drive-in at Paisano(?)/I-10 (5 photos down)

Constructing Interstate 10 in El Paso [Photos] | PochoBlog

That was a drive inn theater that was located between Paisano and Chelsea where the Chelsea Tower and senior citizen housing now stands, don't really recall the name but I believe it was the Cactus Drive Inn Theater.
Everything else that stood in the way of the freeway was mostly neighborhood housing except in downtown they had to relocate Martin Funeral to Montana Avenue close to Alta Vista School.

[rccorral1117]

Hello - I have been commenting on another forum regarding growing up in El Paso, Texas and I am glad I found this one. With regards to the area of which you speak of, I remember my mom shopping at what is now a Walgreen's that used to be a Piggly Wiggly on Montana by Chico's by Chelsea pool...... There was also a Red Rooster bowling ally and of course the billiards down the street off Montana (that is still there, I believe)...... Our family was Centrally located by El Paso High.... I just remember that going to Kress and the Popular with my mother in the early 70's were some of the best memories of my life!

Take care,

Roberto -

[rccorral1117]

Originally Posted by joqua

I didn't mention in my earlier reply that the very first house I purchased for my family to live in was in the brand new subdivision on Hunter, and we lived in what was then the last block on Hunter (at 1117 Hunter), just past the dairy yards where I obtained the manure that enriched my newly landscaped yard!

The freeway had not even begun construction in that area when we sold and moved to the even newer subdivisions being built west of McCrae Blvd in the Eastwood area. I used to hunt small game in the sandhills where the freeway and all those shopping malls now stand.

Wow - when I saw you mention 1117 Hunter my heart almost dropped! I grew up on 1117 Nevada right off Ochoa..... My brother and sister went to Lamar and El Paso High School..... My godparents still live in the same house across the street since like 1960! I need to get back home soon to visit them as they are both in their 80's now.......

Roberto -