Gone But Not Forgotten in San Antonio! - Part II (Austin: income tax, shelters)

[cherylsteele]

I think that was it.....that name does ring a bell.

[flatliner12]

I worked at the Majestic for a couple of years. I spent hours upon hours exploring that fantastic theatre. I found many hidden hallways and mysterious rooms. I never saw anything that would seem to be a tunnel. Doesn't it wasn't there. It just means that if it was there, i never saw it.. We were always sharing stories about the theater ... Being ushers, we often had down time. There were lots of stories passed down from an usher who worked there since the 40's, and although he had a hundred fascinating things to pass on to us youngsters, he never mentioned "tunnels" ... We would been all over that one!

[Deep Forest]

Originally Posted by mudpuddle

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just out of curiosity,

one what??................
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A Dunkin' Donuts. I don't know how my reply got here.

[Willsatx]

Originally Posted by ged_782

Could have been. The old Turtle Creek Inn at Datapoint & Parkdale became a place called River City Fair around the late 1980s. Never went there myself (I don't think it lasted more than a year or two), but it was billed as an entertainment/gaming venue.

I tried going there in high school and they informed me i had to be 21, it was a pre dave and busters.

[johnrex62]

Originally Posted by flatliner12

I worked at the Majestic for a couple of years. I spent hours upon hours exploring that fantastic theatre. I found many hidden hallways and mysterious rooms. I never saw anything that would seem to be a tunnel. Doesn't it wasn't there. It just means that if it was there, i never saw it.. We were always sharing stories about the theater ... Being ushers, we often had down time. There were lots of stories passed down from an usher who worked there since the 40's, and although he had a hundred fascinating things to pass on to us youngsters, he never mentioned "tunnels" ... We would been all over that one!

I don't know specifically about the Majestic, but would be surprised if there were not tunnels to it's basement.

My father did some remodeling work at the Aztec back in the early 80s and told me that there are tunnels going between many basements in the downtown area. He had not known about them prior to the Aztec job, but was amazed at how extensive they were. I don't know how many he walked in those months, but as the general contractor he had plenty of time and authority to check them out. He did not know how old they were or why they were constructed, but he felt they predated WWII and were likely included as part of the civil defenses during and after WWII due to some of the supplies stocked in the one at the Aztec. It appeared it was storage or passage to one of the bomb shelters although he was not sure if the Aztec had ever been a designated bomb shelter.

[flatliner12]

Originally Posted by eyeta2

Does anyone remember "Atlantic City" on Fredricksburg road, just a mile or so south of 410? It would have been there around 65 or 1966...

my parents used to shop there when it first opened. They had a great record department. Every album I bought there is still part of my 14,000 record collection

[flatliner12]

Originally Posted by HillCountryHotRodMan

Sizzler had the most excellent salad bar! I remember when the Sizzlers became Finkels.... and then the Finkels became nothing....

I used to eat at the Mama's next to Northwest 14 theatre (When it was Northwest 6). It was a good place to take a date before or after catching a movie. I think it's now a Hot Tin Roof place. We went to see True Grit last weekend at the NW 14 because it was dead there. Oddly, there is still a Mama's sign in the movie parking lot right next to the Hot Tin Roof.

I worked for the Finkles and their Sizzlers for several years. They were hands-down the nicest family I have ever worked for. I actually worked directly for Larry but Ron was always involved too. I opened their new braunfels store off walnut and 35. I learned an aweful lot from Ron and Larry.. Wonderful people ...

[*mud*]

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anyone remember the HemisTower going up??

I helped build it, and remember well.

some good images here, butt, ya gotta click and zoom a bit.....

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,,,,,,,,,,,,, UTSA Libraries - HemisFair
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[huckster]

I used to watch it going up daily from my high school biology class at Highlands High, a
Mr. Foster was the instuctor. From a hilltop the building stood facing north
you could directly see the thing going up if you looked to the left and out the window
everyday, bit by bit.

It is interesting Mud... that you worked there, what part did you play in its' construction?
I remember Lyda Contracting was in there.

[TrapperL]

I knew Mr Foster real well. I went to school with his boy, Eugene. Mr F decided he was going to buy a new car but he was kinda inclined to be cheap. On teachers wages he obviously didn't make a lot back then. He went and picked up a brand new red 66 Impala that he just knew it was the cheapest they made cause it had a standard transmission. Turns out it also had a fiberglas front end on it and a 396 under the hood with 2-4's. A VERY limited production Impala. Gene drove it for a few years and as I remember correctly, it got wrecked parked on the street. Bad deal.
I knew some folks that worked the steel on the Tower named Duke. Supposedly there was a guy that fell in the shaft as it was being poured and he's still in it as they couldn't stop the pour. Don't really know if that's true or BS but it made a good story.