Gone But Not Forgotten in San Antonio! - Part I (Mission: transfer, middle school)

[catriona]

Wow, Dementia_Impaled! Thanks for an update to the old neighborhood!

Here's a few more I can add to your fabulous memories:

In the strip center at the SW corner of Goliad & Pecan Valley: There was a fabric store called T&T Fabrics.

Across the street -- the SE corner of G & PV -- there was a gas station, but next to it was the DQ, then the bowling alley

Originally Posted by Dementia_Impaled

Down PV where La Fiesta is was once Handy Andy, an Eckerd's, and a Mr. Ghatti's that ten of my friends and myself were once asked to leave because we had cleaned out the buffet. Rocky's Taco was much smaller and had TV's at each table. The Beer Box has pretty much stayed the same. Where the Texaco is was a little league baseball field.

I believe there was a Sommers Drugstore before the Eckerd's. I remember when Eckerd's bought out the store and it changed, but I'm not really clear if it was Sommers or another name.

THE BASEBALL FIELD IS GONE? What a tragedy! I remember watching many a little league game there. How sad...

Originally Posted by Dementia_Impaled

Down by Floyd's, I can't recall what the warehouse-type building across the street was before (was a drive-in once!!); a pizza place occupied the small building now housing a church by the Firestone that's also been there forever. Highland Pharmacy was either right next to Floyd's or on the property of the former Albertson's. On that place was the bingo center, a La Feria, a neighborhood newspaper (the Reporter offices??), and some other things.

Next door to the Highland Pharmacy was New York Fabrics and before that it was a Ben Franklin's. The Pharmacy had the old soda fountain with the formica countertops and the stools. My dad used to take me there to get a soda and while he talked to who ever was there, I'd go around the corner and read the magazines. The lady that ran the giftshop portion of the shop was really sweet. My mom used to go to New York Fabrics and I hated that store! There was something in it that used to give me headaches and make my eyes water. I assume it was because there was a high concentration of dye fumes from the fabrics and poor ventalation system in the store.

Where the bingo center is, there used to be a clothing store, Leeds, perhaps? They sold LEVI's jeans and had a big display wall with them on it. I think there was a drycleaner's there, too.

Oh my gosh, I can't believe that Floyd's is still there! Has anyone eaten there lately?

I went to Highland Hills Elementary and can't believe how much of the big playground has been taken over by buildings. When I was there, it was just the three main buildings that face Glamis. We drove by there a few weeks ago and I saw that the playground had been cut down by 3/4. That's sad!

Remember the big house that was on the hill where the apartments are on the corner of Stringfellow and Southcross? Supposedly, a Mrs. Burke, an elderly rich lady, lived up there. If you made the trek up the dark road to her house on Halloween, she would give you these huge Hershey's candy bars! I guess when she died, they sold the land and the apartments were built.

Remember how bad the flooding was on Stringfellow and Dollarhide? They finally fixed the problems, but not until after we had left.

[moeowo]

You know it could be a faulty memory when it comes to the DQ. I was two when we moved here in 1977 and from age two to four I seem to remember my grandfather taking me there and it being in that location. I remember it had real high steps...lol

You've got a great memory. I remember just about everything you were talking about.

Originally Posted by Dementia_Impaled

I don't remember KFC/Taco Smell being DQ; must have been before we moved here. Lessee..

[moeowo]

Whoo Hoo!! I guess my memory wasn't too bad after all. I was pretty sure there was a DQ there before the KFC

Catriona, You also have a great memory! You mention Highland Hills Elementary, the elementary school I went to was Kate Schenck and it also has changed a great deal. All the play ground that was facing Goliad Rd. is gone and I guess in it's place is a new gym/lunch room??

How things change...

Originally Posted by catriona

Across the street -- the SE corner of G & PV -- there was a gas station, but next to it was the DQ, then the bowling alley

[Eily71]

I love this thread!!! I was googling for some info and all these links for this thread kept popping up. Never did find the answer I wanted, but with the brainpower on this thread, maybe somebody knows:

What was the teendance show that Bruce Hathaway hosted on Saturday mornings? Teen Time??

And who else remembers B. Baily Brown and his Yum Yum Tree on KONO? You could call in and have your science teacher, ex boyfriend etc fed to the Yum Yum Tree complete with sound effects and a stupendous belch.

And the Spirit Petitions in the late Sixties? This was a challenge by KONO to all the high schools to gather as many signatures on petitions to see which school had the most school spirit. The winning school was awarded money for a spirit dance. I think they did it two years with the first being the most successful. I attended many petition signing parties the first time around and even persuaded my dad who hated driving in downtown SA, to take a bunch of us down to hand deliver two shoeboxes of petitions to the KONO station. My school, Jay was co-winner that first year.....not sure who the other school was...anyone remember?

And before Northside Stadium was built and all NSID schools played their home games at Marshall.....one particular Football Friday, police stopped every car leaving the game (Jay played Marshall, I think) looking for two robbers and traffic was tied up for what seemed like days.

And I really, really, really would make major mischief right now for a plate of First Mate fish with those yummy seasoned fries. You can put the Hickory Hut BBQ plate and the Big Red right beside the dish of mango ice cream from the Menger Hotel.

[irnag]

Eily71, you are the missing link. We have had several Marshall posters, one from Clark and I am from Holmes, so now with you, we have NSID covered.

Unfortunately, I can't help you with with any of those questions. 940 however, is pretty good at remembering this stuff. I have some buttons from KTSA that you had to wear around town because if they saw you with the button, you could win $5500!

Those contests that you speak of do ring a bell with me, but I'm thinking that they were held in the early to mid 70s because I kind of remember my older cousins being involved in things like that. I graduated in '81. Also, I don't remember the time before Northside Stadium.

[OzzyRules]

Does anyone remember the KTSA buttons? Back in the mid-70's while KTSA was still a top 40 music station. If you were "caught" wearing a KTSA button pinned to your clothing a radio station rep you would supposedly get amazing prizes that would enable to retire early or something (not really, I'm exaggerating).

They may have been red, white and blue. Unless I'm mixing it up with a bi-centennial thing.

[940]

Originally Posted by Eily71

And before Northside Stadium was built and all NSID schools played their home games at Marshall.....one particular Football Friday, police stopped every car leaving the game (Jay played Marshall, I think) looking for two robbers and traffic was tied up for what seemed like days.

Hi Eily and welcome! Irnag, you can relate to this..I'm up at my sister's house in Ohio with about 16 inches of snow outside right now and freezing my butt off! Guess it's about the same there in Indy too, eh??

My sister was reading this with me and as an ex Marshall-ite, she didn't know that home games were played at MHS. She started school in the early 70s but NISD Stadium was already built so no recollection of home games anywhere else but there. That's interesting though...and yea, I guess we do have most bases covered now with the original NISD schools...that is, if you count CHS as an original school too.

[smuboy86]

The birthday thread brought up this memory...I miss Jungle Jim's everyone who was anyone had to have their birthday at Jungle Jim's!

[irnag]

Originally Posted by OzzyRules

Does anyone remember the KTSA buttons? Back in the mid-70's while KTSA was still a top 40 music station. If you were "caught" wearing a KTSA button pinned to your clothing a radio station rep you would supposedly get amazing prizes that would enable to retire early or something (not really, I'm exaggerating).

They may have been red, white and blue. Unless I'm mixing it up with a bi-centennial thing.

Remember them? I still have those buttons! Yes they were red white and blue. I'll post an image when I have some time.

940, we "only" got a foot of snow. Somehow I don't feel that fortunate.

[spaceage007]

I loved reading these post, I have lived in SA most of my life and I remember a few of these places. I am 33 now, lived in SA from when I was born 73-78ish, moved back to SA 84-present. I use to get my clothes from Joskies and Ben Franklins. I grew up in Heritage NW we were one of the first familes to move into that negihborhood. I went to kindergarden at Adams Hill. I lived on gold hill street near Pease middle school, and their would be cows standing right where my bus stop was every mornning. When I moved back to SA in 82 my grandmother took me to the Wataburger on Marbach for the frist time, it was great. Does anyone remember the movie theater near John Jay. I went there to see Footloose with my grandmother. At the end of the movie people ran to the front and started dancing as the credits rolled. Till this day it is the stupidest thing I have ever seen a bunch of strangers just do on a hunch.

I remember when Potranco was two lanes. I was a skater when I was growing up, and there was a ditch near by where the Pope was to visit, we called it Pope ditch. I was there skating when the Pope towers fells because os high winds. I was also on Potranco with skateboard in hand in the Pope was leaving mass in the Popemobile, he waived at me and almost blinded me with that diamond ring looooon before BLINGIN was cool. We use to ride our bike up to where they were building Sea World to try to steal wood for ramp building. Anyone who lived in Heritage remembers the fire dept doing the Santa bit every winter throwing candy on every street.

My grandfather was the manager of Joskies at Las Palmas. Anyone remember Monty Biggs on Marbach, then it was changed to Fajita Junction? I remember when Westlakes Mall first opened I was in 4th grade and two girls got into a fight there...it was my first time seeing two people fight in public.

There is a drive in movie screen right off 90 near Gen McMullin, what drive in movie was that?? I cannot believe there was a drive in near Bandera and 410.
Does anybody remember the riot in Ingram Mall because of the band Menudo?

My good friends Dad showed me his yearbook (in the earlt 90's) and said they were the last SA football team to win state. He showed me this picture of a guy named Warren McVae, I looked him up on Wikipedia.....he was a great player. Remember when Jay beat Holmes for the first time in like 10 yrs.

Where can I find old pics of SA, especially my area NW side? Has anyone read the book The Secret School? Is there anyone here whom was involved with that or had friends who may have been. Its a book about alien abductions of childeren (one in particular) in SA in the 50's, and they were all brought to the Olmos Basin to learn their lessions. Many people from SA wrote to the author after the book was written recalling stories or strange events that happen to them in that era. Has anyone seen any activity here in SA? The same author from above Whitely Strieber is also the author of Communion and grew up here in SA.Theres so much more I remember about this area, I will post more and would love to hear more.