Gone But Not Forgotten in San Antonio! - Part II (Mission: contract, government)

[SATX56]

Originally Posted by huckster

Attachment 159447 Don't know what happened but the second time around it has worked.
Huckster

Yeah that's better, thanks! Looks a little like what they've done at Espada. I remember what it was like before they changed the course of the river. Took the little ones fishing just above the dam Sunday afternoon.

[Basse Bud]

( dum - dum - dum - dum...the background music to a mystery..)


It is still there, but, what it is! The large, multi-story, brick building on the Southwest corner
of Mistletoe and Breeden. It is reputed to be a 70+ year old government (?) structure that was some
sort of intelligence facility during (and after?) WW2.

Seems strange to find a large, non-nondescript brick building in the middle of a residential neighborhood.
(a sneaked peek in a lower level window reveals part of a very large, clearly industrial - grade machine of some sort... (not peeping-tomism, merely glancing at an uncovered window )

Anyone have any ideas???

[TrapperL]

I can only assume you mean the old Bellhouse building. It looks like it should be a warehouse. A lady by the name of Alice Bellhouse lived there and I assume she was part of the family that built it in 1922. It has 5 bedrooms and 5 full baths with 2 half baths. For it's day, it was pretty opulent. The house has over 13,000 sq ft. I haven't been in the house in ages but the master suite had a raised platform for the canopy bed and the bedroom was the size of most small houses, probably 8-900 sq ft. The master bath was just as opulent. It was pretty dated when I was in it. I found the listing online. The pics shows it has been majorly remodeled since I was in it. The staircase went up to a landing and split going up each side, like you saw in the old Hollywood movies. It was wide enough to drive a car up it, probably 12 foot. When I was there, the kitchen was out of the 20's and pretty much a disaster. You almost needed a map to navigate the incredibly HUGE rooms.
Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site

[Basse Bud]

Trapper,

Thanks for the quick response. Wow, this is some house! You are right about it looking like it should be a warehouse.
(Do you suppose someone could pass for being a potential buyer to get a look inside?) Obviously, this place ( I feel
calling it a "house" hardly applies. Mansion, maybe?) It appears to be occupied, judging from the listing photos.
Yes, it does look like it belongs in a Hollywood movie. Looking at the home prices for that area, the family should have
bought back when they were rented for $400 - $600 a month...(that was a LONG time ago!) Thanks again for the info.

[SATX56]

Originally Posted by Basse Bud

Trapper,

Thanks for the quick response. Wow, this is some house! You are right about it looking like it should be a warehouse.
(Do you suppose someone could pass for being a potential buyer to get a look inside?) Obviously, this place ( I feel
calling it a "house" hardly applies. Mansion, maybe?) It appears to be occupied, judging from the listing photos.
Yes, it does look like it belongs in a Hollywood movie. Looking at the home prices for that area, the family should have
bought back when they were rented for $400 - $600 a month...(that was a LONG time ago!) Thanks again for the info.

Bud,
Follow Trapper's link. Click on the the thumbnails just under the house photo and take a grand tour of the interior.

[ichabodius]

Found article about the death at Super Water Slides off 281 in 1980:
Clipping from The Odessa American on Newspapers.com

[goldenhorn]

Ha ha ha ha!

[Basse Bud]

Dine. Thanks.

[Basse Bud]

Trapper,

The building was originally built for some purpose other than a residence. We lived down the block in the early
1950's. The building was some sort of office (telephone exchange?) at that time. I recall there was a large plaque
(I don't recall the content) next to the door the stairs led to. As a kid, I paid no attention. (My attention was devoted to the Mom and Pop grocery on the NW corner of Flores and Woodlawn, and/or the train tracks west on Mistletoe.)
My younger sister, says she remembers there was some sort of mapping service located there in the later 50's.

Interesting building, and would make a terrific 13,000+ SqFt, three story mansion for a total recluse! However, the 1.9 million price tag is a bit steep, considering the Bexar Appraisal Dist is carrying it at $400K+/-. Hey, at that price, I'd have to check petty cash! (Yeah, Right!}

[SATX56]

Mapping was Tobin's business maybe they were there. Aerial surveys and such. They were on Flores just north of Alamo at one time.