Gone But Not Forgotten in San Antonio! - Part I (Dallas: rattlesnakes, firms)

[Tronguy]

MLeahy - Macarthur class of 87

[GWhopper]

Originally Posted by majormadmax

The San Antonio Historic Preservation web site list (http://epay.sanantonio.gov/historic/listscreen.aspx - broken link) said the Humble Oil station was at 1019 Laredo Street South...and when I looked it up on Maps.Live.Com, it showed it; but on GoogleEarth it looks like the building is gone. Does anyone know if it is still standing?

Cheers! M2

I am going to try and take a ride over there this week and check it out. I think mjr7025 took the pic that's been posted on this site. If so, mjr7025, can you tell us when you took it?

[SATEX38]

Originally Posted by Fujifrontier

someone should buy, restore, and restart it.

so, has anyone dug up any pictures of mccreless or wyatt's for me?

have not taken pictures in a while of Mccreless but here are some i took about a year ago all this is gone now but the movie9 ( and it is closed)
the ground is all cleared out only Beals is left ad the SS office
hear that the SS office is moving to pecan valley and Southcross across from the Golf couse..... also hear that the new HEB will be open around March or May of 2008 ( maybe )

[SnappyBob]

Found another A frame Whataburger this weekend. It's on the corner of Steves and Roosevelt. You may even be able to see it from the Freeway. It would be just south of Hwy90/IH10. It is still an operating Whataburger.

[majormadmax]

Originally Posted by GWhopper

I am going to try and take a ride over there this week and check it out. I think mjr7025 took the pic that's been posted on this site. If so, mjr7025, can you tell us when you took it?

GWhopper

If you happen to see a silver Honda Odyssey or blue Jeep nearby...that may be us. I plan to do the same thing, I would really like to see this old gas station...before it too disappears. It isn't in the best of locations, but I agree that it would make a great restoration project. At least it is on the city's historic building list, which may mean it is protected from destruction.

Cheers! M2

[spaceage007]

Stumbling about on the web, I came across this postcard. The text says:

THE BLUE BONNET
San Antonio's Newest Hotel
Centrally Located
250 Rooms - 250 Baths
Circulating Ice Water
Ceiling Fans
San Antionio, Texs
(from late 1930s postcard)

Anybody know where this was? Also, what the heck is Circulating Ice Water?

The Blue Bonnet was located at the corner of N. St.Mary's and Pecan. Ive also seen this post card and another with a real picture of this hotel.

[johnrex62]

Originally Posted by GWhopper

Stumbling about on the web, I came across this postcard. The text says:

THE BLUE BONNET
San Antonio's Newest Hotel
Centrally Located
250 Rooms - 250 Baths
Circulating Ice Water
Ceiling Fans
San Antionio, Texs
(from late 1930s postcard)

Anybody know where this was? Also, what the heck is Circulating Ice Water?

Some of the more upscale hotels featured chilled water in their taps since air conditioning was not commonly available in those days.

[Willsatx]

Originally Posted by SATEX38

have not taken pictures in a while of Mccreless but here are some i took about a year ago all this is gone now but the movie9 ( and it is closed)
the ground is all cleared out only Beals is left ad the SS office
hear that the SS office is moving to pecan valley and Southcross across from the Golf couse..... also hear that the new HEB will be open around March or May of 2008 ( maybe )

How sad that it was torn down, saw many movies at the mall at the old movie theather before it became a dollar movie house. I also remember going to Woolworth, handy andy, and eating pizza next to Wards.

[shortscorner]

This is such a cool thread. Just started reading all 155 pages 2 days ago and have caught up. A lot of these things I thought only I remembered and no one else cared about. I have a list of my own.

Alligator Gardens next to Witte Museum. The building was still there for years after it closed. Remember the crippled alligator who had polio and children would throw coins in to be donated to march of dimes? Terrible existence for any animal. Don't remember his name.

With all the talk about Wonderland no one mentioned the Alice in Wonderland Theater under the escalator that would put on skits every hour. A little girl dressed as Alice and other charaters would perform. Magical.

I'm glad other people remember the Sears downtown where the new library is. The smell of popcorn and stale choclate covered peanuts will live forever. Last time I went into the new library I thought I could still smell them.

20 years ago, I swear there was an electric car dealership downtown between the old Express Building and the Bonham exchange. ELECTRIC CARS 20 years ago! Does anyone else remember this? It was open for a bout a year with cars in the window!

I remember the Sinclair Dinsoaurs outside Wonderland in the late 60's and the plastic dinos you could create fresh in the machines. I have photos I will try to find and post.

One of the myths of north San Antonio is the Indian Lookout/ Fort / Devils Castle thing way out Nacogdoches Road (now called Naco-Perrin) . It was built by the brother of my next door neightbors in 1938 and has no historical value.

I would give anything to see pictures of North Star mall in the 60's. I remember the bird cage near the time capsule outside Record Hole. I wanted to be there whene they opened it in 1985. Guess I will have to be there in 2010 when they open the next one.
What was the pet store in North Star Mall called? Pet Pantry! and the toy store, Toy Box? And the Donut Shop? Ken's Donuts! What was the store across from Lerners. Was it Neissners or Kresgie's (the spelling is fading)

[Tronguy]

Now that you mention the tower on Commanche hill being built in the 30's, that sparked a memory that there is actually a date that is chisled somwhere near the top that is visible from the ground. I seem to remember this was in the early 1900's. Could be 1938 for all I know, but that would definitely blow away the therories of it being a watch tower against Indians or Santa Anna's army. Did this person mention why this tower was built? In my high school and into my college days, people went up there to party, and they would start fires inside the tower. Seems like there was a foundation up there too, suggesting there may have been a house up there at some time. If anyone has any info on this, I have been curious about it for more than 20 years now. Would love to hear anything at all about it.

There has been some mention of midget mansion too, that is a vague memory for me, I dont know if I ever saw that or not. Was that in the I10 Callahagn area? Anyone know any details about that place? Where it was? What it looked like? How did it get that name? Any story surrounding it?

Another thing I would like to bring up, and I believe this to be a really good collaborative idea. If anyone uses google earth, it has the ability to put markers on exact places on its map. The arial views are amazing and you can zoom down close enough to make out cars on the roads. There is also the ability to share these markers with anyone. What a great tool to reference for this thread. Its my opinion too that somebody with some html skills could put together a 'San Antonio Memories' or 'San Antonio Remembered' website that has an extensive photo library from its users, as well as a library of google earth markers. Just an idea.