Abandoned mansions - gecu - midget (Taylor, Van: apartments, credit, house)

[maluminse]

In high school we used to go to these and drink beer and make out. Midget mansion (sorry if thats rude but thats what we called it) was behind Santikos. Gecu mansion was behind where gecu used to be on I10. I think its sacu now.

Huge mansions abandoned. boy if i knew then what i know now.

[jimbobvandy]

I always heard of these places, but never knew where they were. Can you elaborate about their locations?

[waynechef]

Does anyone remember the "Fat Farm" out off of 281 a few miles North of 1604?

[maluminse]

lol fat farm. heard about it but never seen it.



gecu mansion is gone but it used to be where some big medical place is now on I 10. there is a bank there too north of vance jackson. the two lane street lead right to it up on the left. used to be one small road cutting across the field from i 10. i can still see it.

first park ten blvd is the street

midget mansion

elbow of tupelo Ln

In both you can see the wide open field/area where an estate once was.

[Grant_Taylor1959]

Midget Mansion, is gone now, but it was on the corner of I10 and Callaghan Rd, you would drive west on Callaghan and take a right on Tupelo, it came onto Callighan and you would curve over to Mockingbird Rd.. the Mansion was a huge two story white colonial/georgian style, with square columns.

We went into one time, and all the doors were locked, but there were little doors cut into the regular doors. it was dark and scarry.

anyone remember Donkey Lady? did she not live over behind the Roaring 20's Club off of Blanco, (now burned)?

OH,, and who knows about this red brick georgian building now abandond near Bandara Rd. and W Woodlawn Ave?? what was it?

[PaulW]

Originally Posted by waynechef

Does anyone remember the "Fat Farm" out off of 281 a few miles North of 1604?

I went out there quite a bit for a year or so. Towards the end, DPS Troopers would check on the place, dump our beer, tell us to go home. Engineerd some truly scary experiences for the high school girls, then drank beer and made out. Great fun! one night we went out there and a cable with pad lock was up across both drives and that was it.

There were a few buildings, one big one, you could walk through it on two levels, there were torn up magazines and newspapers all over the floors. It was kind of creepy.

[JimmyFred]

You may be referring to the old Gillispie Home which was behind the SACU (GECU) building on I-10 just north of Vance Jackson. There was a road that curved around from Vance Jackson and dead ended at the SACU Building, but likely pushed through to I-10 before the SACU building was build. The Gillispie home was actually "moved" a couple of years ago for a shopping center anchored by Walmart. I seem to recall that the Gillispie family moved it out to a family ranch out of town. The "bank" you refer to may be SACU (actually a credit union) or the Blood Bank next door.

[Primo]

Originally Posted by Grant_Taylor1959

Midget Mansion, is gone now, but it was on the corner of I10 and Callaghan Rd, you would drive west on Callaghan and take a right on Tupelo, it came onto Callighan and you would curve over to Mockingbird Rd.. the Mansion was a huge two story white colonial/georgian style, with square columns.

That is not midget mansion. That is Mockingbird Hill. Midget Mansion was bulldozed about 20 years ago on the site that is now Promitory Point Apartments, which is near that location. It was right where Donore makes a 90 degree turn.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/L_IMAGE.10eaf6a6a7e.93.88.fa.d0.2b787c13.jpg (broken link)
(Bob Owen/Express-News)
Mockingbird Hill — also known as Denman Estate or Rosemont — was built in 1920 and is valued at nearly half a million dollars. Councilman Art Hall suggested it could serve as a library.

[dangeruscurves]

Originally Posted by Primo

That is not midget mansion. That is Mockingbird Hill. Midget Mansion was bulldozed about 20 years ago on the site that is now Promitory Point Apartments, which is near that location. It was right where Donore makes a 90 degree turn.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/L_IMAGE.10eaf6a6a7e.93.88.fa.d0.2b787c13.jpg (broken link)
(Bob Owen/Express-News)
Mockingbird Hill — also known as Denman Estate or Rosemont — was built in 1920 and is valued at nearly half a million dollars. Councilman Art Hall suggested it could serve as a library.

This is my dream home!! I have been in love with this house since I was 9. When I'm rich, I'm going to try to buy this home and I will do whatever it takes or at least build a replica. LOL

[Chakapu]

Only half a million? Surely it's worth more than double that!

All the homes on Mockingbird/Tupelo are amazing. I drive through there everyday on my way home and dream. It's a wonderful setting - a bit of the Texas Hill Country in the middle of the suburbs.