EVERYTHING IS IN TEXAS

[happyfilmluvguy]

This really isn't a complaint, believe me, but just, Everything is in Texas!

They preserve beyond anywhere I know of. Art Deco Post Offices?! Recreationed Radio Theatre?! Auctioning Rare Records?! Movie Houses....what else is in the Lone Star State that is vintage?

Really, it seems like you have everything.

So there's my complaint.

 

[Jay]

I must say I'm jealous. Both New Jersey(Where I'm from) and Florida(Where I am) has no such interesting sites. Well, there is Stetson College, which got it's name from John B. Stetson, who was a big trustee of the college in the early 1900's. I hear he also died down here, but that's about it concerning Golden era sites/other stuff...

 

[Hemingway Jones]

The City of Newark, New Jersey is an art deco gem. Of course, you would be taking your life in your hands to visit any of it, but it's there.

 

[Atomic Glee]

Heh. I'm not sure what it is about us. We've always been a little weird about our history - after all, we used to be a country!

Here in Fort Worth, we've tried our best to keep our Art Deco, Streamline Moderne, and similar buildings up and in use. We've also now taken to building Art Deco, Streamline Moderne, Neoclassical, French Deco, and other structures brand-new, to replace blight that happened in the '60s and '70s. Quite a few brand-new buildings here would look perfectly at home in the '20s, '30s, and '40s.

 

[Harp]

Texas

So right 'bout TEXAS. Man, if the Alamo had been located in
downtown Chicago, it would have been bulldozed for a tax-generating
City Hall boondoggle condominium complex. (Since politics is off-table,
I'll refrain from further comment).

 

[Lincsong]

I must say I'm jealous. Both New Jersey(Where I'm from) and Florida(Where I am) has no such interesting sites. Well, there is Stetson College, which got it's name from John B. Stetson, who was a big trustee of the college in the early 1900's. I hear he also died down here, but that's about it concerning Golden era sites/other stuff...

Go up to St. Augustine and see the old hotels that Flagler built. They're 1890's but still interesting. And St. Augustine has some interesting old buildings.

 

[Baggers]

Heh. I'm not sure what it is about us. We've always been a little weird about our history - after all, we used to be a country!

Here in Fort Worth, we've tried our best to keep our Art Deco, Streamline Moderne, and similar buildings up and in use. We've also now taken to building Art Deco, Streamline Moderne, Neoclassical, French Deco, and other structures brand-new, to replace blight that happened in the '60s and '70s. Quite a few brand-new buildings here would look perfectly at home in the '20s, '30s, and '40s.

I'll second that! However, about 40 miles to the east lies "Big D," where they never seem to miss an opportunity to bulldoze history. Back in the eighties, the motto was "Let the dirt fly!" And it did and still does. It's very often a race between the historic preservationists and the developers, and even when the preservationists win, the developers still occasionally demolish the just saved building. Recently, an old warehouse in the "historic" West End of downtown got torn down one night after the city warned them that it was to be preserved. "Whoops, our mistake. The crew was only supposed to remove the guard shack on the property (nudge nudge, wink wink)," or some other lame excuse. Some developers look upon such tactics as the cost of doing business, because the fines for tearing the building down are only a small fraction of the money they expect to make from redeveloping the property.

Now I don't think that we should be as preservation crazy as Carmel-by-the-Sea California, where they are trying to preserve a 30 year old bank building to prevent needed development, but there has to be a common sense middle ground.

Cheers!

 

[Tomasso]

So right 'bout TEXAS. Man, if the Alamo had been located in
downtown Chicago, it would have been bulldozed

The Water Tower was nearly torn down in the 30's. It had fallen into disrepair and had been condemned. My grandmother was a member of the group that saved it from the wrecking ball.

Chicago has razed more architecturally significant buildings than any other city but the main reason was that there were just so many of them, something of a glut. The present Chicago skyline came at the expense of architectural gems authored by the likes of Sullivan, Holabird, Jenny, Wright, etc......

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

oh yes! There's a REAL Fedora Lounge there too!


No...jealousy isn't my fortay. I'm rather admiring Texas than being jealous of it.

 

[Harp]

ChiTown

The Water Tower was nearly torn down in the 30's. It had fallen into disrepair and had been condemned. My grandmother was a member of the group that saved it from the wrecking ball.

Chicago has razed more architecturally significant buildings than any other city but the main reason was that there were just so many of them, something of a glut. The present Chicago skyline came at the expense of architectural gems authored by the likes of Sullivan, Holabird, Jenny, Wright, etc......

I live in the Gold Coast and can walk to the Water Tower
within minutes, so I am indebted to your grandmother. Unfortunately,
the wrecking ball has been swinging here this past year, and I recently
learned that yet another neighborhood gem has been targeted for
demolition; supposedly for a condominium development. So the
mindless destruction continues unabated.

 

[J. M. Stovall]

Here in Houston the "devilopers" (sic) are tearing history down as quick as they can get permits. I live in the historic Heights just north of downtown and they tear down two bungalows to build three, three story monstrosities. The city doesn't care, they just picked up another property tax revenue. Last month there where 71 permits just in the Heights for removal or demolition of prewar houses or structures. There is a group called Save The Bungalow trying to slow the tide but it's a loosing battle. We also have an 1930's art deco shopping center (one of only three in the country), and two deco theaters that are in the sights now. There is a petition of almost 25,000 names to stop that deal. That story was even picked up by the New York Times. I think the main reason the stuff made it until now is that town was bust for a while, now it's boom so look out!

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

:eusa_booh :cry:

Okay, everything was in Texas.....

well, start fighting and keep fighting those hungry hippos!

 

[Pilgrim]

I lived in Texas for 13 years, and it's a truly interesting place to visit. They have a great tourism catalog that's like an old JC Penney Christmas catalog - easy to order from their state's tourism website. But it's very definitely a different culture - and I'm happy to have moved north.

 

[fortworthgal]

Heh. I'm not sure what it is about us. We've always been a little weird about our history - after all, we used to be a country!

Here in Fort Worth, we've tried our best to keep our Art Deco, Streamline Moderne, and similar buildings up and in use. We've also now taken to building Art Deco, Streamline Moderne, Neoclassical, French Deco, and other structures brand-new, to replace blight that happened in the '60s and '70s. Quite a few brand-new buildings here would look perfectly at home in the '20s, '30s, and '40s.

Yep, another happy Fort Worthian checking in. Aside from our wicked hot weather, we're a pretty awesome state.

 

[Harp]

North Dallas Forty

I read in Peter Gent's football tribute to the Dallas Cowboys,
North Dallas Forty,that Texas is "...a band of outlaws loosely
allied with the United States." lol

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Yep, another happy Fort Worthian checking in. Aside from our wicked hot weather, we're a pretty awesome state.

yes......(snickers)

 

[Girl Friday]

I think it is all the different cultures, and such a big state too. German, Polish, Mexican, Asian, African, a large group of French, Scots, Irish, English... where they settled or where they have all come together.

Driving to Austin I always have to stop in West to get kolaches, and Salado just because it looks like a story book.

All the small towns that were rich during the oil (or even the cotton) boom, that probably has a lot to do with it as well.

 

[Atomic Glee]

I think it is all the different cultures, and such a big state too. German, Polish, Mexican, Asian, African, a large group of French, Scots, Irish, English... where they settled or where they have all come together.

Driving to Austin I always have to stop in West to get kolaches, and Salado just because it looks like a story book.

All the small towns that were rich during the oil (or even the cotton) boom, that probably has a lot to do with it as well.

Oooooooooooh! Yes! That Czech bakery in West is a state treasure! YUM! Makes me want to go get a kolache!

That's one thing that's so cool about Texas - it's huge, and used to be a whole country, and has an incredibly diverse range of people. The Hispanic influence in places like San Antonio, the heavily German towns like Fredericksburg and New Braunfels, the Czech and Polish towns, the Scots (like my family), etc. etc. etc.

 

[Girl Friday]

And by the way...the Texas Film Commission is trying to change legislation so more film makers will come to Texas, I was trying to find a link that explains this better, but I couldn't find anything.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

And by the way...the Texas Film Commission is trying to change legislation so more film makers will come to Texas, I was trying to find a link that explains this better, but I couldn't find anything.

Interesting....

I hope there isn't yet another city named Hollywood put in yet another state.

Hollywood, TX?

That'll be interesting.

Yes...I'm actually considering moving there....