Gone But Not Forgotten in San Antonio! - Part I (Keller: go bankrupt, budget)

[francogirl]

Originally Posted by Dan G

I just haappened on this page but I thought I'd offer some recollections of my own. The old drive-ins in addition to the Mission which at one time was a single screen, south of there was the Trail and outside of Military Dr. was the Pleasanton Rd. drive in on Pleasanton Rd. Pretty rough places in the 50's, always good for a good old fashioned "beef".
As far as the cafeterias go, at one time there was a real good cafeteria called believe it or not "Mammy's", but as you can tell it didn't last much past the 50's. Politically incorrect as well it should be in my opinion. It was located at the end of Donaldson near Fredericksburg Rd. In that area was and I think still is Kool Krest miniature golf near where IH10 crosses Fredericksburg Rd.. Something else of interest is that the Fredericksburg Rd. exit from the "expressway" as it was called used to be the end of the freeway at the time.
Roosevelt Park has been there since I can remember because we used to swim there when we had a dime to get in. Across Roosevelt from the park in the building which is owned by the state now,I may be wrong about that, used to be the public library where we used to go on Saturday's to listen to someone read the Sunday funny papers. We had already seen them and read them ourselves just like to hear someone else read them I guess. Just like BrianW said he remembers the Baptist church on Presa St, The Faith Baptist Church across from Roosevelt park is the church I grew up in. It's still there.

That building across Roosevelt Park was indeed the Roosevelt Public Library. Spent many hours there. After shutting the library down, I think it was used by the City's Public Works then it was vacant. It houses the San Antonio Firemans Pension Fund now.

[francogirl]

Hey GW.....is that Mrs. Albert Friedrich? Her first name is Emily. The City has either had alot of their land donated to them or the City has paid for it. Friedrich Park is part of that land.

[francogirl]

Originally Posted by sapphire

Remember when Kelly AFB was up and running? That was like the premier place to work in San Antonio. I remember too when USAA was like Ft Knox as far as getting on there--you had to know someone who knew someone. I got a call out of the blue from them last month calling ME for an interview. They got my resume off Monster.

Remember when Windcrest was considered "uppity"? They did have the coolest Christmas displays, though. Do they still do that?

Does anyone remember when American Airlines announced they were coming here--it turned out to be a call center and they paid their people like $6 an hour or something. Everyone was so excited at first!

Remember Henry Cisneros singing about the Alamodome? Dome, dome, dome, dome, dome, Al-a-mo-dome??? Remember the big scare when his son was born with the defective heart? Remember the Linda Medlar thing?

Remember when the pope visited?

I don't remember Cisneros being known for the Alamo Dome fiasco. I think he's more famous for the 'pink elephant' which was known as Fiesta Plaza.

[francogirl]

Hobos......I saw plenty of them in the late 1950's when we moved to this house, that sits next to Union Pacific railroad tracks. This was before the yard got fenced and way before Union Pacific started hauling coal to Calaveras. It was a time of open box cars and passenger trains and the hobos would jump the box cars and walk through the trees, through the side yard and come knock at the front door, asking for food. Bless her heart, my Mom never turned anyone away. She'd make them sit on the front porch and she'd come inside and fix whatever she had in the fridge. For a while, we had so many stopping, it was unreal. But with the years, she came to have only 3 regulars who got older and older, along with my mom. I miss those days and I miss my Mom.

Originally Posted by Dwangle

When I was growing up I always heard stories of things to be afraid of. The Donkey Lady was one. We were always told about Hobo's too. Stay away from them. I still wouldn't know one if I saw one. Polio was ANOTHER thing to fear. There was supposedly a water fountain in Olmos Park that would give you POLIO if you drank from it. You could also get Polio if you didn't shower before getting into a public pool. I heard most of this stuff from kids I hung around with. I don't know where they got it.

[francogirl]

Originally Posted by cygnet

One of the breweries -- Pearl? Lone Star? -- had a swimming pool on the grounds. The synchronized swimming team at SAC (I was a member in 63-65) used it for practice for a performance in Monterrey, Mexico. Was this a public pool, does anyone remember?

It was the Lone Star.....and it's still there.

[francogirl]

Originally Posted by oberglabs

Gary DeLaune was the sportscaster on KENS, that wore crazy plaids strpes and anything else! Crazy ties too!


Who could forget Jud Ashmore? He wore some of the funkiest suits. Seems like the anchors wore the sophisticated suits, but Jud wore the loud stuff. There was another news reporter that used to wear some loud jackets, too. Gary somebody? Can't remember his last name.

[/quote]

And who can forget the year KENS was broadcasting the Battle of Flowres parade live and then there were gunshots on Broadway Street, with Gary DeLaune running for cover AND still doing his commentary...but not on the parade, but on the gunfire! I don't think I'll ever forget it.....first time I had not been on Broadway watching the parade......everything happens for a reason!!!

[GWhopper]

Originally Posted by francogirl

Hey GW.....is that Mrs. Albert Friedrich? Her first name is Emily. The City has either had alot of their land donated to them or the City has paid for it. Friedrich Park is part of that land.

Emily,
Yes. The Algo difenete is Emily Fredricks family's place. I posted a whole history of this place months ago. And yes, Fredrick Park is part of the original family holding. What's cool is that this is the same Albert who started the Buckhorn Bar and Saloon in downtown SA.

[ged_782]

Originally Posted by Cookiemeister

What was that great seafood restaurant in close proximity to Naples?

You're probably referring to Christie's.

[Cookiemeister]

Originally Posted by ged_782

You're probably referring to Christie's.

Yeap, that's it... Christie's! Thanks.

[ged_782]

Originally Posted by francogirl

I don't remember Cisneros being known for the Alamo Dome fiasco. I think he's more famous for the 'pink elephant' which was known as Fiesta Plaza.

I remember the Alamodome campaign, and Cisneros was definitely one of the most vocal proponents. The pitch was that if we approved a temporary sales tax increase to build the dome, landing an NFL team would be a slam-dunk, because it would show the NFL that we're so earnest, we'll build and pay for the facility in advance.

If I remember correctly, the expansion team that was being sought by local officials was the one that ended up going to Jacksonville, FL.