Gone But Not Forgotten in San Antonio! - Part II (Houston: tools, trucks)

[huckster]

I spent a lot of time with my Pat. Grandparents there on Rayburn as a kid. A friend of mine was an Airplane mechanic at Stinson Field for many,many years. He was the father of a very close friend.
Our church was on Division. Presbyterian and in Spanish. I liked it , but did not like Sunday School.

Originally Posted by SATX56

We went to the church on Ascot. Wife's mother and father's house on Rayburn Drive was taken by I-35. My cousins lived on McCauley behind Spotted Horse and Hungry Farmer later. I knew lots of civil service folks from Kelly over the years. Use to be a couple propeller shops over here on the south side.

[Phillip0WEB]

Originally Posted by Basse Bud

Not just San Antonio, but all over the country. Finding affordable local restaurants is something of a chore
nowadays. Actually, S A has more "mom & Pop" restaurants than many other places. (larger cities,, especially!)

If you ever go out to West Texas, Big Bend, Marfa, Ft. Davis, Alpine area, you don't have any chained restaurants at all except maybe the chained fast food. Most of everything out there (while more expensive) was delicious. All locally owned and amazing!

[SATX56]

Originally Posted by Phillip0WEB

If you ever go out to West Texas, Big Bend, Marfa, Ft. Davis, Alpine area, you don't have any chained restaurants at all except maybe the chained fast food. Most of everything out there (while more expensive) was delicious. All locally owned and amazing!

Yeah ...desolation. I know I've hunted out there and been to Alpine and Marfa. There's a 47,000 acre ranch I stayed at near there checking on a well progress among other things. But, I heard they built a giant Bucee's or a big truck stop in Langtry of all places. I've hunted deer on 29,000 acres near there in Comstock.

[huckster]

The King Ranch was I believe 800,000 acres. At one time. Workers used a compass to navigate and a fence crew was busy year round mending fences. Larger than Rhode Island it was.
Big Bend is almost that size at 500,000 acres.

Originally Posted by SATX56

Yeah ...desolation. I know I've hunted out there and been to Alpine and Marfa. There's a 47,000 acre ranch I stayed at near there checking on a well progress among other things. But, I heard they built a giant Bucee's or a big truck stop in Langtry of all places. I've hunted deer on 29,000 acres near there in Comstock.

[ranchodrive]

Belton Kleberg Johnson, was a descendant of the founders of the King Ranch.
Mr. Johnson's mother, Sarah, who wanted her son to take over operation of the
King Ranch in Kingsville one day, insisted that he speak Spanish as a child
because that was the language spoken on the ranch.

Among the elder Mr. Johnson's other business interests through the years were
the Carmel Ranch Company in California and the Fairmount Hotel in San Antonio,
which he arranged to have moved across the city and restored in 1986.
He also invested in other real estate and in oil, banking, plastics manufacturing
and a video franchise.
The Chaparrosa Ranch thrived, and Mr. Johnson's annual sale of prized Santa Gertrudis
cattle attracted astronauts, politicians and other celebrities.

He sold his interest in the King Ranch in 1976, and he sold the Chaparrosa after
his only son, Belton Kleberg Johnson Jr., died in 1991 in a car wreck near Corpus Christi.
I recall his son “Kley” as a very quiet and gentle person. He was married to my niece.

[huckster]

Rancho.
A very, very young LBJ was also involved with the Klebergs- was a political volunteer for the famous Richard Kleberg- during the Congressional race for the seat that represented the King Ranch in Congress.
After the campaign was finished, realizing the phenonemenal political acumen of the young LBJ during the campaign, Kleberg hired Johnson as a Cong. secretary.
Klegerg was uninterested in the actual everyday running of the office of a Congressional Rep. after the election. Because of the absence of Richard Kleberg in his own office; this gave the very young Johnson a free reign to do what he was born to do, enter national politics.
Soon afterward Secretary Johnson was entirely running the Cong. office in the place of Kleberg.
Making all of the right political contacts all over Washington .....for himself that is,
not for Kleberg. Until he was fired.
However it could be easily recognized a what political talent LBJ was in D.C., he had already earned a reputation for knowing how to get things done in D.C.at a very early age and this did not escape the eyes of Powerful Speaker Sam Rayburn. The most powerful speaker ever to hold that office in the House. Rayburn took to LBJ and his young wife and after he was fired by Richard Kleberg Rayburn obtained through his powerful influence for Lyndon Johnson- a state wide appointed office back here in Texas, the CYO- where once again political acumen came to the fore and the Young Johnson once again made all of the right political contacts.
Except this time, all over Texas. He was poised to enter Natl. politics.
it was a waiting game. Then suddenly Hill Country District Rep. Pat Buchanan died. ( I can't remember the number of the district. Blanco is in it.) So.
Within a few years 28 yr. old LBJ had won the Congressional seat for himself of his home hill country district.
Many accomplishments for the benefit of the people of his district marked LBJ's time in the House.
Many. Dramatic, particularly electricity. The all lived in the dark before.
The first of many accomplishments which revealed the genius for politics that was LBJ.
Particularly later on in the Senate, where that body functioned smoothly during his time as leader , something that has never happened before his tenure or since. The Government actually functioned then and then during his Presidency. LBJ was without doubt the greatest legislator to ever occupy the White House.

And now?

Originally Posted by ranchodrive

Belton Kleberg Johnson, was a descendant of the founders of the King Ranch.
Mr. Johnson's mother, Sarah, who wanted her son to take over operation of the
King Ranch in Kingsville one day, insisted that he speak Spanish as a child
because that was the language spoken on the ranch.

Among the elder Mr. Johnson's other business interests through the years were
the Carmel Ranch Company in California and the Fairmount Hotel in San Antonio,
which he arranged to have moved across the city and restored in 1986.
He also invested in other real estate and in oil, banking, plastics manufacturing
and a video franchise.
The Chaparrosa Ranch thrived, and Mr. Johnson's annual sale of prized Santa Gertrudis
cattle attracted astronauts, politicians and other celebrities.

He sold his interest in the King Ranch in 1976, and he sold the Chaparrosa after
his only son, Belton Kleberg Johnson Jr., died in 1991 in a car wreck near Corpus Christi.
I recall his son “Kley” as a very quiet and gentle person. He was married to my niece.

[ranchodrive]

B.K. Johnson's Spanish was excellent.
If he was to enter the room and I had
my eyes shut, I'd swear it was a ranch
hand I was listening to.

[huckster]

The Richard Kleberg that was elected to congress was the same way as your B.K.
Johnson's spanish- excellent.

It was said of Congressman Richard Kleberg that he would rather have spent time with his Quineros than any place else He was as accomplished a horse man as were the quineros, riding, roping etc. and, that was where he felt most at ease. [sic] With his Quineros.
Robert Caro -

Originally Posted by ranchodrive

B.K. Johnson's Spanish was excellent.
If he was to enter the room and I had
my eyes shut, I'd swear it was a ranch
hand I was listening to.

[SATX56]

Originally Posted by huckster

The King Ranch was I believe 800,000 acres. At one time. Workers used a compass to navigate and a fence crew was busy year round mending fences. Larger than Rhode Island it was.
Big Bend is almost that size at 500,000 acres.

Yeah....down in south Texas near the King Ranch is the Diamond O Ranch. Owned by W.B. Osborn III of North Frost Towers here. Oil tycoon. Very large ranch with it's own airfield I believe. King Ranch is 911,000 acres plus now. Just found out Nicole Kidman's family owns a 24 million acre ranch in Australia.

[malcorub16]

Every time I drive on 281 near the Brackenridge Golf Course, I remember those billboards on the property of the self storage business with hairy backs, toe nail fungus and other gross things.

To this day, I still think of this as I drive up 281. They are gone but not forgotten from my memory (as much as I wish they were).