Memories of "old" Downtown El Paso (Austin, Center: sales, house)

[joqua]

Originally Posted by Rogarven

Wasn't there the Martin Funeral Home on either Mesa or Oregon that had pillars in front and a blue light on them that was taken out by the freeway?

I know the name "Martin Funeral Home" but can't recall more than that. My family (big-time El Pasoans on both mom and dad's side) always used Harding and Orr. Both are still in business.

I played my first piano recital at the El Paso Piano Co. on Franklin st.

I remember that too. I played Clarinet and used to buy my reeds and such at a music store in downtown, but don't recall the store name.

BTW, we have that Frank Mangan book. Really interesting, especially to my daughter.

One of the most fascinating reads about old El Paso, to me, was "The Gentlemen's Club." My dad often told the story about how he delivered the local newspapers to the red light district and how "nice" the ladies were to him whenever he collected payment. Fortunately, neither his nor his brother's names appear in that book!

My dad and his brothers attended the "original" El Paso High School, located in the general area of the former Hotel Dieu Hospital. I too attended El Paso High School where it now stands, and had at least one teacher that remembered teaching my dad in the old school.

My grandparent's family home still exists, in a much deteriorated state, at 503 Prospect St. My granddad, the 28th dentist to be licensed by Texas, would walk to and from his downtown office from home. He even walked home, had lunch and returned to his office most days. I also had an aunt who was a dentist with her office next to the Cortez Hotel. One of the few women dentists in the USA at the time, she lived her adult life in an apt. across from the park next to the public library, and she never owned a vehicle since she had everything needed within walking distance. My maternal grandparents operated a dairy farm adjacent to the old "Cowboy Park" race track in what was then the "Lower Valley." Their family home burned to the ground sometime around 1980.

In my pre-teens, I delivered BOTH daily papers - Times and Herald Post - to a large segment of Kern Place. As a teenager, I worked 7 nights a week at the Fiesta Drive In on N. Mesa, when it sat alone out in the boonies. Later in my teens I was the shipping clerk for Bolander's Barber/Beauty Supply on Oregon, right across the street from the original Sal's BBQ, where I often bought my lunch. I worked one Xmas as a temp mail carrier from the main downtown post office and I must have been no older than 16 at the time. I attended UTEP when it was Texas Western College. My real working career began at age 18, when I was hired at the Chevron office complex at the refinery on Trowbridge (now Western Refining), leading to a 32-year career in petroleum refining, both domestic and foreign.

I retired to Ruidoso, where I've lived since 1997.

[mistabinks]

Not important, but Martin Funeral home owns Harding Orr.

[Rogarven]

My family always used to use Harding and Orr on Montana. Grandmother on mom's side had her service at the H and O on Pershing in the mid 90's. It was really run down. I personally think the one on Montana is not what it was. Del Angel owns all of them now, right?? Dignity is a corporate business. We had my mom's service at Martin's on Resler. It was nice. Sal's BBQ was terrific. I think you were talking about the Melody Shop downtown ( maybe on Texas St)?? The Harmony Shop was located in the El Paso National Bank building on the ground floor. They moved there after they had a store in Lakeside. They really were service oriented. Molly Shapiro owned it and she would order music for you, (or LP records) and they would deliever!! She was quite a gal!! She was SO encouraging to young musicians. Now a days, you have to order all music from out of town music stores. Downtown was really something in those days. It was alive, especially on Saturdays. Now I only go down there to go to the Plaza Theater. Nothing much interest me. BTW, I remember the Fiesta. It WAS out in the boonies, although I had friends that lived in Coronado Hills that drove Mesa back when you had to not drive VW bugs there, otherwise the wind would blow you over. LOL

[mistabinks]

I don't know the name of the parent company. Whoever owns Martin, also owns Harding Orr.

[joqua]

Originally Posted by mistabinks

I don't know the name of the parent company. Whoever owns Martin, also owns Harding Orr.

Actually, it's been called Harding Orr McDaniel for some years. Odd that they don't have their own web page - or maybe I just didn't search correctly.



Another thought on old El Paso culture. When I was a boy in elementary school, most of us wore "LEVIS" and a few outsiders wore "LEES." But woe be it to the new kid from "back east" who came to school his first day in cords, or worse yet, KNICKERS! Not the British knickers, but the knee high pants called knickers that were popular boys wear "back east." I don't know if other stores in El Paso sold LEVIS, but I always bought mine at The Popular.

[elamigo]

Originally Posted by joqua

I know the name "Martin Funeral Home" but can't recall more than that. My family (big-time El Pasoans on both mom and dad's side) always used Harding and Orr. Both are still in business.

I remember that too. I played Clarinet and used to buy my reeds and such at a music store in downtown, but don't recall the store name.

One of the most fascinating reads about old El Paso, to me, was "The Gentlemen's Club." My dad often told the story about how he delivered the local newspapers to the red light district and how "nice" the ladies were to him whenever he collected payment. Fortunately, neither his nor his brother's names appear in that book!

My dad and his brothers attended the "original" El Paso High School, located in the general area of the former Hotel Dieu Hospital. I too attended El Paso High School where it now stands, and had at least one teacher that remembered teaching my dad in the old school.

My grandparent's family home still exists, in a much deteriorated state, at 503 Prospect St. My granddad, the 28th dentist to be licensed by Texas, would walk to and from his downtown office from home. He even walked home, had lunch and returned to his office most days. I also had an aunt who was a dentist with her office next to the Cortez Hotel. One of the few women dentists in the USA at the time, she lived her adult life in an apt. across from the park next to the public library, and she never owned a vehicle since she had everything needed within walking distance. My maternal grandparents operated a dairy farm adjacent to the old "Cowboy Park" race track in what was then the "Lower Valley." Their family home burned to the ground sometime around 1980.

In my pre-teens, I delivered BOTH daily papers - Times and Herald Post - to a large segment of Kern Place. As a teenager, I worked 7 nights a week at the Fiesta Drive In on N. Mesa, when it sat alone out in the boonies. Later in my teens I was the shipping clerk for Bolander's Barber/Beauty Supply on Oregon, right across the street from the original Sal's BBQ, where I often bought my lunch. I worked one Xmas as a temp mail carrier from the main downtown post office and I must have been no older than 16 at the time. I attended UTEP when it was Texas Western College. My real working career began at age 18, when I was hired at the Chevron office complex at the refinery on Trowbridge (now Western Refining), leading to a 32-year career in petroleum refining, both domestic and foreign.

I retired to Ruidoso, where I've lived since 1997.

I lived in 620 Prospect St. from 67 to about 70. My parents lived there longer though. I was a nice area.

[elamigo]

Originally Posted by el borracho

I heard the coney island reopend near UTEP ,anyone been there, and if so do the hotdogs taste the same???

The Coney Island moved to Mesa St. close to UTEP but it closed down I would say about 3 years ago. My loved eating there when she was a teen and it was located across the street from San Jacinto Plaza. They were still the same when the moved close to UTEP. She still talks about them.

[mistabinks]

Originally Posted by elamigo

The Coney Island moved to Mesa St. close to UTEP but it closed down I would say about 3 years ago. My loved eating there when she was a teen and it was located across the street from San Jacinto Plaza. They were still the same when the moved close to UTEP. She still talks about them.

No. He is not talking about that one. As I replied earlier, the daughter of the original Coney Island owner opened up a new Coney Island near Executive.

[elamigo]

Originally Posted by mistabinks

No. He is not talking about that one. As I replied earlier, the daughter of the original Coney Island owner opened up a new Coney Island near Executive.

Thanks for the information. The one that moved from downtown to Mesa is the one I knew about. I just may take my wife to the one near Executive, take care.

[Rogarven]

That is funny about the Levis. I remember my mom would buy us Farah jeans. Maybe they were cheaper. I also remember she made us wear them WITHOUT washing them first. I always got red on the inside of my legs because they were so stiff. LOL Didn't have my first pair of Levi's until I went to undergrad in LA. Then I bought them at the GAP. Button flys. I don't remember eating at the Coney Island across from the Plaza but I sure remember it being there. There was the St. Regis Hotel next to the Mills Building and some nightclub bar in the basement.