HomeMy WebLinkAboutEastgate Panel 3Eastgate Oral History
Group 3
Margaret Hudson
Cleo Schwab
Ed Ho!dredge
* *Nobody in this gruop has sent back their corrected transcriptions.
I hereby give and grant to the HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE, City of College
Station, Texas, for whatever purposes may be determined, the tape recordings, transcriptions, and
contents of this oral history interview. Also, permission is hereby given for any duplications of
original photos, documents, maps, etc. useful to the history project to be retupned unharmed.
Interviewee releases, relinquishes and discharges CITY, its officers, agents and employees, from all
claims, demands, and causes of action of every kind and character, including the cost of defense
thereof, for any injury to, including the cost of defense thereof for any injury to, including death of,
any person, whether that person be a third person, Interviewee, or an employee of either of the
parties hereto, and any loss of or damage to property, whether the same be that either of the parties
hereto or of third parties, caused by or alleged to be caused by, arising out of, or in connection with
Interviewee provision of historical information, whether or not said claims, demands and causes of
action in whole or in part are covered by insurance.
L
I va.ewee (P,leas print)
Signature of Interviewee
List of photos. documents. mans. etc.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
City of College Station, Texas 77840
ORAL HISTORY DATA SHEET
e.7-7 S,9
Interviewer (Please Print)
Signature of Interviewer
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Place of Interview
Name
Address
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Telephone (r' ( ) 1? .2 - 2 3 o
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Place of Birth
INTERVIEW STATUS: Completed d
Interviewee agrees to and shall indemnify and hold harmless CTTY, its officers, agents and
employees, from and against any and all claims, losses, damages, causes of action, suits and liability
of every kind, attorney's fees, for injury to or death of any person, or for damage to any property,
arising out of or in connection with the use of the items and information referenced aboved by
CTTY, its agents, representatives, assigns, invitees, and participants under this grant. Such
indemnity shall apply where the claims, losses damages, causes of action, suits or liability arise in
whole or in part from the negligence of city.
Date
Initial
In progress
with
The City of College Station, Texas
Memory Lanes Oral History Project
INTERVIEW AGREEMENT
The purpose of The Historic Preservation Committee is to gather and
preserve historical documents by means of the tape - recorded interview. Tape
recordings and transcripts resulting from such interviews become part of the
archives of The City of College Station Historic Preservation Committee and
Conference Center Advisory Committee to be used for whatever purposes may
be determined.
I have read the above and voluntarily offer my portion of the interviews
(Name of Interviewee)
1- ei c 7.
8.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
In view of the scholarly value of this research material, I hereby assign rights,
title, and interest pertaining to it to The City of College Station Historic
Preservation Committee and Conference • nter Advis ( com4t
9_
10.
11.
12.
Interviewer (signature)
Date 7/
/ l
Interviewer (Please Print)
This is
City of College Station
Memory Lanes Oral History Project
I'm interviewing for the / time
- :-
Miss, Ms., Dr., Etc.)
This interview is taking place in Room of The
at 1300 George Bush Dr.
College Station , Texas . This interview is sponsored by the
Historic Preservation Committee and the Conference
Center Advisory Committee of the City of College Station,
Texas. It is part of the Memory Lane Oral History Project.
. Today is ( Y ,
(month) (day) (year)
Have each person introduce themselves so their voice is
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Memory Lane: Ea 54- Gal
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Transcription:
First typing completed b
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Oral History Stage Sheet
Name May 1- 4udsc+r1
Interviewer n 5041).tr
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63.4t,„
The City of College Station, Texas
Memory Lanes Oral History Project
INTERVIEW AGREEMENT
The purpose of The Historic Preservation Committee is to gather and
preserve historical documents by means of the tape- recorded interview. Tape
recordings and transcripts resulting from such interviews become part of the
archives of The City of College Station Historic Preservation Committee and
Conference Center Advisory Committee to be used for whatever purposes may
be determined.
I have read the above and voluntarily offer my portion of the interviews
(Name of Interviewee)
1. '! ��� 7.
2. ��. BOG 8.
3 . aGlX�v G(c���.eJ 9
4. 10.
5. 11.
6. 12.
In view of the scholarly value of this research material, I hereby assign rights,
title, and interest pertaining to it to The City of College Station Historic
Preservation Committee and Conferen enter Advisory Co mittee.
Interviewer (signature)
Date 9/ 7/9 3
/Yee, T��
Interviewer (Please Print)
I hereby give and grant to the HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE, City of College
Station, Texas, for whatever purposes may be determined, the tape recordings, transcriptions, and
contents of this oral history interview. Also, permission is hereby given for any duplications of
original photos, documents, maps, etc. useful to the history project to be returned unharmed.
Interviewee releases, relinquishes and discharges CITY, its officers, agents and employees, from all
claims, demands, and causes of action of every kind and character, including the cost of defense
thereof, for any injury to, including the cost of defense thereof for any injury to, including death of,
any person, whether that person be a third person, Interviewee, or an employee of either of the
parties hereto, and any loss of or damage to property, whether the same be that either of the parties
hereto or of third parties, caused by or alleged to be caused by, arising out of, or in connection with
Interviewee provision of historical information, whether or not said claims, demands and causes of
action in whole or in part are covered by insurance.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
City of College Station, Texas 77840
ORAL HISTORY DATA SHEET
Interviewer (Please Print)
Signature of Interviewer
�Cr.1��� nom ,dam
ce of Interview
List of photos, documents. mays. etc.
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Signs Ma of Inter ie ee
0 G s lb
Address
Name
/' C / ' 7 //, , i ✓v - 1 - 6 3 n/
Telephone
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Place of Birth 7` prti
INTERVIEW STATUS: Completed q/�,9-
In progress
Interviewee agrees to and shall indemnify and hold harmless CITY, its officers, agents and
employees, from and against any and all claims, losses, damages, causes of action, suits and liability
of every kind, attorney's fees, for injury to or death of any person, or for damage to any property,
arising out of or in connection with the use of the items and information referenced aboved by
CITY, its agents, representatives, assigns, invitees, and participants under this grant. Such
indemnity shall apply where the claims, losses damages, causes of action, suits or liability arise in
whole or in part from the negligence of city.
Dat� D
Initial
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
City of College Station, Texas 77840
ORAL HISTORY DATA SHEET
I hereby give and grant to the HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE, City of College
Station, Texas, for whatever purposes may be determined, the tape recordings, transcriptions, and
contents of this oral history interview. Also, permission is hereby given for any duplications of
original photos, documents, maps, etc. useful to the history project to be returned unharmed.
Interviewee releases, relinquishes and discharges CITY, its officers, agents and employees, from all
claims, demands, and causes of action of every kind and character, including the cost of defense
thereof, for any injury to, including the cost of defense thereof for any injury to, including death of,
any person, whether that person be a third person, Interviewee, or an employee of either of the
parties hereto, and any loss of or damage to property, whether the same be that either of the parties
hereto or of third parties, caused by or alleged to be caused by, arising out of, or in connection with
Interviewee provision of historical information, whether or not said claims, demands and causes of
action in whole or in part are covered by insurance.
Nor (i r e + rsc)h
Interviwee (Please rint)
Signature of Interviewee
Name
Address
Telephone
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Z --//&e7 Place of Birth
'l X //7 e r
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S ignature of Interviewer
�� 3Gl'G (�i7 �.�4��►r/ / 7
Pl>(ce of Interview
List of photos. documents. mans. etc.
INTERVIEW STATUS: Completed
In progress
Interviewee agrees to and shall indemnify and hold harmless CITY, its officers, agents and
employees, from and against any and all claims, losses, damages, causes of action, suits and liability
of every kind, attorney's fees, for injury to or death of any person, or for damage to any property,
arising out of or in connection with the use of the items and information referenced aboved by
CITY, its agents, representatives, assigns, invitees, and participants under this grant. Such
indemnity shall apply where the claims, losses damages, causes of action, suits or liability arise in
whole or in part from the negligence of city.
Date
Initial
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
City of College Station, Texas 77840
ORAL HISTORY DATA SHEET
I hereby give and grant to the HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE, City of College
Station, Texas, for whatever purposes may be determined, the tape recordings, transcriptions, and
contents of this oral history interview. Also, permission is hereby given for any duplications of
original photos, documents, maps, etc. useful to the history project to be returned unharmed.
Interviewee releases, relinquishes and discharges CITY, its officers, agents and employees, from all
claims, demands, and causes of action of every kind and character, including the cost of defense
thereof, for any injury to, including the cost of defense thereof for any injury to, including death of,
any person, whether that person be a third person, Interviewee, or an employee of either of the
parties hereto, and any loss of or damage to property, whether the same be that either of the parties
hereto or of third parties, caused by or alleged to be caused by, arising out of, or in connection with
Interviewee provision of historical information, whether or not said claims, demands and causes of
action in whole or in part are covered by insurance.
1 /7 Oie
L
Interviewer (Please Print)
P], ce of Interview
List of photos, documents, mans, etc.
Interviewer
/a,
Interviewee (Please print)
Signature/of I e iewee
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Address
Telephone
Date of Birth
Place of Birth
INTERVIEW STATUS: Completed
In progress
Interviewee agrees to and shall indemnify and hold harmless CITY, its officers, agents and
employees, from and against any and all claims, losses, damages, causes of action, suits and liability
of every kind, attorney's fees, for injury to or death of any person, or for damage to any property,
arising out of or in connection with the use of the items and information referenced aboved by
CITY, its agents, representatives, assigns, invitees, and participants under this grant. Such
indemnity shall apply where the claims, losses damages, causes of action, suits or liability arise in
whole or in part from the negligence of city.
Date e A /
Initial
MODERATOR:
VIDEO OPERATOR:
TRANSCRIPTIONIST:
INTERVIEWEES:
TAPE STARTED
CS: Dragged in you might say.
PE: No, actually I enjoy it...
CS: That's good.
EASTGATE MEMORY LANE ORAL HISTORY
September 27, 1995
Eileen Sather (ES)
Joan Lamkin (JL)
Pamela Einkauf (PE)
Margaret Todd Hudson (MH)
Cleo Schwab (CS)
Ed Holdredge (EH)
ES: ...our transcriptionist to run our tape recorder - Pam, do you want to just briefly tell us a little
bit about yourself, please?
PE: My name is Pam Einkauf. I work for the City of College Station Parks & Recreation
Department and I'm also the secretary for the Historic Preservation Committee, so that's how I
got involved in the oral histories....
PE: ...it's very interesting to me so I enjoy being on the Committee and doing the oral history stuff.
We'll have a lot of good stories to tell after this is all over.
ES: And I'm your moderator and my name is Eileen Sather. I'm new to College Station -- in 1980
is about when I moved here as Telecommunications Manager for A &M. But I'm on the
Advisory Board for the Conference Center and consequently when we came up with this idea
to do this for the City, along with the Historical Society (Historic Preservation Committee), I got
involved too and I ran the camcorder at the last one for Southgate and then today I'm going to
be a moderator. So, we're happy to have you and how about introducing yourself?
MH: I'm Margaret Todd Hudson, and I was born and raised right here. Uh, I teach school now in
Hearne, and I can remember back at some of the old, old things.
ES: Well good. We'll get into that in a minute. And...
CS: I'm Cleo Schwab and we came here in 1967 and purchased the Saber Inn at 701 Texas
Avenue. Long hours...
Eastgate Oral History
Page 2
ES: Yeah, I can imagine.
CS: ...hard to get out and meet people but uh, we love it here and we lived in the area also.
ES: (To Pam) Do you want to turn that off for a minute?
TAPE STOPPED
TAPE RESTARTED
ES: ....about our backgrounds, and Margaret -- let's talk about you -- where you were born and
where you lived and what your Mom and Dad did, if they were working business folks or
teachers -- whatever.
MH: I was born in the old Bryan Hospital. Ah, 56 years ago. And uh, I was raised right here in
Bryan /College Station and went to the Consolidated Schools - went through the system. I got
my degree from A &M so I'm really local, I stayed right here. Uh, Dad -- I remember him telling
me when he was younger that the Consolidated School system was located on the A &M
campus, and uh, he went to school over there. I can remember, the earliest I remember, is
the white buildings that used to be here -- they called them the chicken coops and I went to
school over here when I was in those buildings and at that time this was the high school.
ES: And your Dad?
MH: My Dad's name is Wayne Todd and he was born and raised here and my Mom was Moselle
Winder Todd and Mother was born in Nacogdoches but her family moved here early on.
ES: And how about brothers and sisters?
MH: I have a brother who is on the College Station Police Department and he has been right here
his whole life. And I have another brother who, when he graduated from A &M left, and he
lives in Lewisville. And the one that's a police officer is Lt. Irvin Todd and uh, my other brother
in Lewisville is John Wayne Todd.
ES: Okay And let's hear a little bit about you.
CS: Okay. I'm Cleo Schwab and right now I live at 1017 Harrington, but when we first came here
we purchased a house up on Walton Drive -- 306 Walton Drive -- and lived there until my
husband died. And then I moved to another house that we owned on Harrington and I live
there now. I have one daughter, Stephanie, she was eight when we came here and she went
to the public school. She's married. Married to a family that's been here for many years -
Elmquists -- his mother was uh, head of the Modern Language Department on campus for
many years and just retired. And my -- my grandchildren, I've got one seven, excuse me, one
will be ten Saturday, one twenty, and a seventeen year old that graduates this year at A &M
Consolidated. We operated a business and as I said we didn't have a lot of time. We
purchased the Saber Inn at 701 Texas Avenue and uh, sold it in 1989. The uh -- let me look
at my notes here. We were open twenty -four hours a day, seven days a week, and the
restaurant from 6 a.m. and closed at 12 midnight. So you see, I had no time to get out and
2
Eastgate Oral History
Page 3
meet neighbors. But it was interesting work and uh, I liked it. I was trying to think a while ago
of some of the people who were just down the street from us. I know uh, the black's had a
drugstore. They were in the 700 block also on Texas Avenue, and several others -- I'll get
around to thinking about them in a little bit.
ES: Well 700 as we know it now -- what was there? Do you remember?
CS: Well, we were on the corner at 701. Next was a vacant lot and then, uh, there was a little
building right in front and in back of it was Dr. Cooper's office. And, uh, then the black
drugstore and I don't remember what was beyond the drugstore then at the end of the 700
block, which would have been -- I don't remember that street there.
ES: Okay. Now both of you, and Margaret -- where you lived -- when you looked out your front
door or your back door, whatever, what did you see?
MH: More houses...
CS: More houses.
MH: ...we lived, I was raised over at Southgate.
ES: Oh, okay.
MH: And I was born and raised on Park Place. And uh, at that time...
ES: That was built up.
MH: ...that was built up.
ES: See like when I came in '80 -- now I live on the other side of Southwest Parkway -- but in the
corner of Texas and Southwest Parkway the Pelican Wharf and Fort Shiloh was it. And now
you know the big Kroger thing, the Commerce Bank, was Winn Dixie and that big... and so for
me, I was -- that was the growing part of College Station. Course now, well I'm probably way
on the north side practically it's growing so much.
CS: No, we're on the north side! (Unintelligible).
ES: And so now, when -- how about you?
CS: Well, of course we were directly across the street from campus.
ES: So then you saw...
CS: So the whole 700 block was -- and more, 700 and 800 block was -- we looked at the campus.
At home, I was on Walton Drive and that was really a through -- still is -- a through street
through there that was very heavily traveled, and uh....
MH: The Saber was where the Taco Cabana is now.
3
Eastgate Oral History
Page 4
CS: Right. Uh -hmm, Uh -hmm.
ES: Now, when you think of Eastgate, what do you think of as the Northside, Southside. I mean,
does it go to Culpepper?
CS: Oh yeah.
ES: Or Dominik, do you think that that's...
CS: No, No, No.
ES: ...it goes beyond to Harvey Road?
CS: Well uh, Eastgate, I don't know, uh...
MH: I can remember when I went to this school that there was nothing but cow pastures thataway!
CS: Yeah, well uh, yeah. There was just cow pastures next door to us and we were at the corner
of 701 Texas Avenue and that little street was, I don't remember what that was, I guess it's
uh....
MH: It's Live Oak.
CS: Live Oak, yeah.
ES: See that's why I was thinking behind you would be all...
CS: All pastures.
ES: All pasture land and stuff.
CS: All pastures, one house -- one or two houses back there -- some little small houses back
there.
ES: Where everything is now built up...
CS: Oh yeah.
ES: ...as we know -- both directions all the way out to the bypass and then as we know, way, way
out to...
MH: When I think of Eastgate though I think of from Kyle here over to where Walton comes back
out on the north side over there.
ES: Oh, okay.
CS: Or like University Drive, cause that was -- there was a little grocery store right on that corner
there. 4
Eastgate Oral History
Page 5
MH: Yeah, Mais' Grocery was there.
CS: Yeah. Mais, was that?
MH: Mais, M - A - I - S.
CS: Yeah.
ES: You know where Executive Travel and stuff is now?
CS: Yes.
ES: What else was in that corner?
CS: Uh -- nothing.
ES: Nothing at all?
CS: No.
ES: That was just open?
CS: Uh hmm
ES: So all of that came much later.
CS: Uh, 707 was built by uh, oh goodness, uh -- Shaylan Jones and several attorneys purchased
that land and built 707.
ES: Okay, cause in the back there is several businesses...
CS: Yes, uh -hmm.
ES: ...and in the front we have Charlie's and the beauty shop and uh...
CS: Yeah. But other than that, then when -- in fact that was the people we sold the hotel to twenty
years later.
ES: Yeah, see I was thinking farther down the highway going south, you know then there's...
CS: Uh -hmm. Well the Culpeppers own that whole corner around there.
ES: ...the Red Lobster and the gas station and then it's those few...
MH: That gas station was there.
ES: ... that caddy- corner...
5
Eastgate Oral History
Page 6
CS: Yeah, yeah, the gas station was there.
MH: Mr. McCall owned the gas station at that time.
CS: I was trying to think what was in that Culpepper corner there.
MH: Used to be a real estate company in there -- I don't remember who it was.
CS: Well it was Culpepper who was the real estate...
MH: Was it?
CS: Yeah.
MH: Okay.
CS: and I've forgotten who it was.
MH: And Nita and Manning Smith had a place in there where they made square dancing outfits.
CS: That's right.
ES: Okay, I'd like...
CS: Brings back a lot of memories.
ES: ...to -- of course you already kind of did, but describe a good work, or family, or school day.
So when you were a little girl how did you get to school?
MH: Walked.
ES: And now you can't, like up in Minnesota, say you know "I walked two miles in the snow" and
my kids never liked to hear from me saying those type of things ...
CS: Yeah, no snow -- no snow.
EH: ...you know when they got on the bus on the corner and...
CS: Well, we did have a good snow, in fact I've got some pictures of the campus with snow on it.
MH: See now, on the way home was Madeley's Drug Store and you could stop in there and he had
the old soda fountain in there and you could stop in there and get you a cherry coke or a
vanilla coke or...
ES: Do you remember what you paid for it at that time?
MH: Yeah, about a nickel.
6
Eastgate Oral History
Page 7
ES: And today, a $1.50 probably...
CS: That's about...
ES: $1.95 or something.
CS: You know back then in the -- when we first came here -- the hotel of course, we were not the
Waldorf by any means, but uh, our rooms were, I think $10, and now the cheapest thing you
can find is $35 - $45.
ES: And on a football weekend....
CS: Well, you couldn't, you can't find a room.
ES: You can't find a room!
MH: I can remember back...
CS: We were usually booked from one year to the next.
MH: ...I can remember back when uh -- and I think maybe they still do it -- that the boys would rent
rooms from different families for the girls to stay because there was just no place to put 'em.
ES: Oh, when they'd come down like for uh...
MH: Yes, for a football game.
ES: a football weekend?
MH: Yes ma'am.
CS: Yes, or just come down to visit for the weekend they'd stay at the hotel.
ES: Of course, now I have done this for former Aggies when there's nothing in a big radius all --
you know -- around here, and the League of Women Voters would have different ones put
you, you know, up in their...
CS: Homes, uh hmm.
ES: ...homes, and I haven't since Bob died, but before that, we'd have guests in our home at Bed
and Breakfast, if you will, that's what we kind of called it, but...
MH: Used to back at that time though, we didn't have to worry about -- really -- the person that was
going to be staying with you. The - it hadn't gotten to the point to where you were just not real
sure who you have coming in.
7
Eastgate Oral History
Page 8
ES: That's true. Of course now here they really screen the people and they figure any good Aggie
is going to be okay, you know -- so! But I've -- we've only done it three times. Since Bob died
I haven't done that because I, you know, I don't think they'd be comfortable maybe with a
single lady as.... you know, whatever -- but. Let's see, I had a thought as we were talking
about that, now it has escaped me, but that's nothing unusual for me either. But anyway!
How about memorabilia and photos and things, do you have any of those things that you'd be
able to share with us?
CS: Let me read what I wrote on here -- "pictures - still looking for them ". Yes, we have them, I've
got plenty and I will get some of them to you, certainly.
ES: Okay, that will be good. Because the office -- they'll make copies you know.
CS: Well now, mine are all in these little -- that you stick them down in the thing and...
ES: Oh, okay.
CS: They could be made copies of I'm sure.
ES: Yeah.
MH: I'm sure Dad had some. I can go through his pictures and pick some out.
ES: That would be good. Because they really want to go back as far as we possibly can to like
1920. Because like I've explained to you, where we're doing the different gates -- Northgate
and Southgate we've done and now Eastgate. We'll do a campus one, we'll do churches,
we'll do the community -- isn't that right (to Joan Lamkin)? All that, and then we'll just uh, we
haven't quite decided, I don't think whether its going to be one big book or different uh books,
but it'll be for the whole city and they're going to....
CS: That's interesting.
ES: Yeah.
CS: Who's doing this, I mean what's the... the campus, the city?
ES: Well, no, we really started it here with the Conference Center together with the Historical
Society (Historic Preservation Committee) you know.
CS: Oh!
JL: (Unintelligible)
ES: Right. And uh.... so Gracie and them in the office -- you know, we really got it started...
CS: Uh hmm.
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ES: ...and she has a lot to do with it too. And uh... it's something we just want to leave for the city.
And I think Bryan -- I don't know if they've done it as in -depth as we have -- but they've done
some things like that too, I think. Uh... how about like churches -- were there any churches
near you? Did... which one did you attend?
CS: We uh... Episcopalians when we came here and joined one up on George Bush Drive ...and
of course, that's the thing to go into because that has just boomed. It was a little bitty thing
when we first came here -- so tiny -- maybe 150 people.
ES: And I think that's true of a lot of the churches, you know.
CS: Yes.
MH: My family and I attended First Baptist and at that time it was over at the Northgate. The old
church is still there.
ES: Uh -huh, and then they built in Bryan. Is that the one you're speaking of?
MH: No ma'am, the one in College Station.
ES: Oh! All right. And is that the one that is out on Welsh?
MH: Yes Ma'am.
ES: Okay. I know a few people that go out there. And that is a real growing, thriving community.
And for myself, uh, I'm with Peace Lutheran Church which is out on 2818 there across from
the Fire Station -- people used to say partially underground -- and that was because of the
Our Savior's Lutheran, uh... behind Northgate there -- they needed to expand and then they
started that mission church -- and a part of that... and we're growing in leaps and bounds. Of
course this is the way the whole community is growing so that's helpful too, to us.
CS: The thing that amazed me is our library here. I can remember -- I don't think we even had one
-- at the schools but now, they're out there and I understand now that they've already
purchased this land. You all would probably know -- across from the high school on 2818 and
Welsh?
ES: But they're going to build a library out there?
CS: Yeah, that's where the College Station Library is going to be.
ES: Okay, I didn't know... Ed do you know anything about that? Why don't you join us for a while
Ed, please?
EH: I've got to take -- I need to take photos of a few more pictures of groups like this and then I'll
come back.
ES: Okay. Good, good.
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EH: It's on 2818 and Welsh. And I was told -- because I'm a member of Friends of the Library, and
I was told that it was near 2818 but didn't remember the other street.
ES: It's just across from the high school.
EH: It's just about five acres.
ES: Oh, okay and that's where their new College Station Library is going to be?
CS: Uh hmm. And the George Bush Library! Should we talk about that? I do volunteer work at
the George Bush Library twice a week.
EH: Of course, it's the Brazos County system really.
ES: Oh, okay.
CS: Yeah.
EH: Right now the administrator is head of the primary library but could be, of course, some
administration down here too.
ES: I see.
CS: It will be separated you think?
EH: No, no it won't be separated.
CS: It will not?
EH: No. Right now they have a vehicle running between the two libraries who are... if you ask for
a book if they don't have it one (unintelligible) ...it will be delivered the next day to the library.
ES: So the Bryan and College Station libraries now they interact all the time?
EH: They interact.
ES: I knew that they did, you know, after the fire. I didn't know how much they did before.
EH: Well, actually the Bryan Library has always had the contract to operate the College Station
Library.
CS: Oh, I see.
EH: and, uh....
CS: That's why it takes so long to get a book. I was on the waiting list out there for about two
weeks.
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MH: Used to that was all we had was the Bryan Library.
CS: Yeah.
ES: Well, I can understand that, and at A &M right?
MH: Oh yeah, that's true.
EH: Just throwing in here -- that are looking to add (unintelligible) to find some libraries you need
cities now so you won't be so far away from one.
CS: Right. Of course I think as far as money is concerned they should have put our Bryan Library
in the city hall -- I mean at the fire station because that is going to be vacated. That whole
building.
EH: We'd like to have it close to us too.
CS: Save money. No, save money.
EH: Let me get some pictures here so... and then I'll be back.
ES: Okay, good because we'd love to have you join us. Ed knows a lot of what's going on around
here in our community and he's lived here for many years. How about the base that used to
be here? Were any of you interactive with the military?
MH: I married a fellow that was stationed at the base.
ES: Okay. And then did you move away?
MH: Well, we were gone about three months and that was it.
ES: And then you got back here. Okay. I married a military man and traveled all over the world
until we retired in '67 and moved to Texas so, uh...
CS: From where?
ES: I'm originally from Minnesota. And uh, but when we retired we were in Washington D.C. and
then we moved to Greenville, Texas and lived there for 13 years before we came here and
now it will be a total of fifteen years that I've been here in Texas. And you married a military
man also (to Cleo)?
CS: Military. Uh hmm. Air Force.
ES: Yeah. Air Force here, too. But nothing with that as for your coming down here to...
CS: No, no, he was actually in the oil business and when we came here -- well we lived in Houston
way out on Westheimer. And it was when they started widening Westheimer that we said
"gotta go ". So that's when we came here and purchased the hotel.
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ES: And you just chose this out of the blue?
CS: Well, yes. Uh hmm.
ES: And you've loved it and stayed ever since?
CS: Oh, yes. Uh hmm.
ES: (To Margaret) And you've loved home so much that you've just stayed around here?
MH: If you know anybody that knows me, they'll say you're never going to get her anywhere but
College Station.
ES: And your maiden name was Todd?
MH: Yes ma'am.
CS: I'm recently from Ft. Worth so... and this was always on the way from... and I lived in Houston
so...
ES: Yeah.
CS: ...so you pick it out on your many trips back and forth.
ES: And we loved College Station. And so when Bob died I just chose to stay here because of
friends, church, bridge, involvements, etc.
CS: Sure.
ES: And my children are up in the Dallas area but I'm close enough I can get there...
CS: Oh yeah.
ES: ...and then get here and I'm not in their back pocket, so... but I really do like to be part of a
growing community. I think it's exciting.
CS: I do too.
ES: And the same way our church is growing too and that's exciting and that's why I'm enjoying all
this hearing from the back and why people have stayed here all their lives because I have
several friends born and raised here, you know. Traveled around, come back, and then
others like me who've transplanted and have loved it.
CS: Well I just have... of course, I'm a native Texan but uh, and I just have the one daughter, so
when we came here she was grade school age.
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ES: Okay, so tell me about some of the activities you're involved in and maybe with your mom and
dad were involved in years ago. Their social life and their, you know -- fun time.
MH: Right. My dad worked for the post office for years so most all the activities we had were
revolved around the United States Post Office and the people that worked for the post office
or else church.
ES: And you and your husband?
MH: Uh, we don't do much socializing at all. I teach school and usually by the time I get home in
the evening I don't particularly want to go out again.
ES: Well how about...
MH: We raised our children here though. Both the girls were raised here.
ES: Okay, so...well how about like a movie theater back years ago?
MH: The Campus Theater was here and at that time, where the MSC is now -- the newer part of
the MSC -- there was Guion Hall, and it was a movie theater for the University. And a fellow
named, uh....I've lost it... I cannot remember his name. I'll think and tell you in a minute, but
his children were raised here, and... Putty! That's what it was! And his daughters were raised
here. But that was the University theater.
ES: And that was the only theater?
MH: That and the Campus Theater. And the Campus Theater of course, is right where it's always
been. That's where I met my husband was at the Campus Theater. He worked over there.
CS: Now there was... the best I remember wasn't there... the only theater I can think of other than
downtown Bryan was... well the one that just closed.
MH: Bill Schulmann. The Palace and The Queen were downtown.
CS: Yeah, and then there was one out here -- the one that just closed a couple weeks ago.
ES: The one that used to be by Skaggs?
CS: Uh huh, uh huh.
MH: No.
CS: That was there.
ES: That's been closed for awhile.
MH: Well it wasn't even here. There was nothing over there.
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CS: Well how far are you going back then?
MH: A long ways.
CS: Oh, well I can only say that in 1967 there was a theater there.
MH: I can remember when, over where Albertson's and Mr. Gatti's is now, there was a big circle
and eventually they put the Circle Drive -In there.
ES: You mean where the IHOP and all of them are now.
MH: Uh hmm.
ES: Oh, okay. Because there again see, I can only relate to the '80's and stuff. But when you
think about everything that has grown between there and Bryan and then from our Eastgate
now that we should be concentrating on and all the way back...
CS: Well there wasn't much growth between... north of us that I can... everything has been there
for...
ES: Everything is south.
MH: Yeah, yeah.
ES: Mostly south wouldn't you say?
MH: You mean now? The growth recently?
CS: South and east.
ES: In the last 15 -20 years it's all south?
MH: Yes, yes.
CS: Yes.
ES: And then also, behind Eastgate out as far as the frontage road right?
MH: Right.
CS: Yeah.
ES: Because that has grown so much with Scott & White.
CS: They're building every day out there and all the way back out there.
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ES: Well, uh... when you were... there again I've got to go back to you and your family. What did
you do as a family on a weekend? Did you uh, you know, have picnics or did you meet with
other families?
MH: Yes, yes. Family outings and with friends and of course always the football games.
ES: Roller skating or anything like that?
MH: No at that time there was no roller rinks around -- the closest one was Kurten.
ES: And you didn't just drive over to Kurten to go roller skating, not back then.
MH: Not very often.
CS: Well we still don't have a roller rink out here. Is there?
MH: Well they had one until a few years ago over there in -- I think it's called Brazos Landing --
where the ... Rolling Thunder or something they had over there. But it didn't stay long.
CS: Yeah. The street is the best!
ES: Okay now, how about also like uh, do you remember who your family doctor was and your
family dentist and this type of thing?
MH: Uh huh.
ES: Names of them?
MH: The only family dentist I can remember is Cathclark who is still around here somewhere. He
no longer practices but he's still... And our family doctor at that time was Dr. L.O. Wilkerson
and uh, of course Dr. Wilkerson's been dead for many years, so...
ES: And how about even in '67, did you uh...
CS: Dr. Cooper.
ES: Dr. Cooper?
CS: He was in the same block with us and he was our family doctor except when he retired.
MH: You know there are two of the Cooper brothers, James and O.C?
CS: Yeah.
MH: And Dr. James, when I had my first child, was practicing at Bryan Air Force Base. The
doctors in town gave time to go out to the air base to take care of patients out there.
CS: Interesting. That's way before my time.
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ES: Okay, and there again where its just the two of you being here interviewed, as far as your own
families which we are of course interested in, but also, how about... do you know any of your
neighbors and anything interesting that they were involved in?
MH: Yes there was a couple that lived across the street from us it was Betty and Don Weeks, and
ES: W- E- E -K -S?
MH: W- E- E -K -S, yes, and as I grew up I remember I always loved to go over and visit with Betty
because she made puppets and she would always have a little puppet show for us. They
were real special people. They had no children of their own so she kind of adopted the
neighborhood children.
ES: Did you hear what she said Ed, of the name of Weeks? Did you know anybody by that name?
MH: Don and Betty Weeks?
EH: I've got to remember -- I know the name -- we're talking about what period of time?
MH: Yes sir.
EH: When?
MH: Oh, what period of time? Well, I'm 56 and I was probably about 9 or 10 years old then so...
ES: (To Ed) She was making puppets and stuff. You know I asked them about some of the
neighbors and friends that they had. You know, something about their backgrounds and who
they were with too, so that we can include some more in our...
EH: Which neighborhood were you a part of?
MH: I grew up down in Southgate on Park Place. First block of Park Place.
ES: And (to Cleo) do you want to tell Ed what business that you were in if he missed that when he
was here before?
CS: The Saber Inn.
EH: Oh, okay.
CS: You didn't know that I'm sure.
ES: And you remember all of that too don't you?
EH: Of course I do.
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CS: Well, in fact when we first came here, there weren't very many places to eat.
MH: No.
CS: Ramada Inn was here and they had a restaurant, and us -- and that was about it. No
McDonald's no...
MH: Youngblood's.
CS: ...yeah that's right and, uh... was the Texan out there I don't remember?
MH: Yes.
CS: Probably.
ES: Where was the original Ramada?
CS: Texas A &M and University Drive.
ES: Okay, on the corner there which is now the tower?
EH: The University Tower.
ES: And that was the original Ramada?
CS: Uh hmm.
MH: Yes.
ES: And that...
CS: Joe Ferraro was the...
ES: Yeah, and that and The Texan, and your place.
CS: Well that's a restaurant (unintelligible)...
MH: On College Avenue.
CS: ...but hotels -- we were it, I think.
ES: See that was a shocker for me when you first come and someone wants to take you out to
dinner at The Texan, you know, till you know what it is and you drive up and you say wow.
But once your inside...
CS: Yeah!
MH: It used to be a drive -in.
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CS: Yes
MH: It was a drive -in restaurant also.
CS: I finally just... well, my sister died and her two children left to go someplace else to live and I
have just the one daughter and my husband died the same year and uh, I just couldn't handle
it and so I leased the restaurant part of it to Patsy... the Grapevine...
ES: Oh, okay.
CS: ...and they were there -- she was there about five years, I guess.
MH: I can remember when the Grapevine went in.
CS: Yeah.
ES: But that must be, when you think about everything that we have now, with the University
growing so big, of course, we have a lot of the fast foods but we always have the other.
CS: Oh yeah, well there's a restaurant on almost every corner now. It's just...
MH: Jose's at that time was located over right off of University Drive between University...
CS: boondocks...
MH: ...yeah, well what is University drive now and Cooner. It was located in that little dip down in
there.
ES: Oh! Uh huh. Before they moved out...
MH: It was Zerape's at that time.
ES: Oh, okay.
MH: And then he moved out on Highway 30.
ES: Do you remember what kind of car and everything your dad had?
MH: A Plymouth, but I couldn't tell you what year, cause I don't know.
ES: Do you remember the first car you drove? That you learned to drive in?
MH: No, not really. I learned to drive down on what is now George Bush. At that time you had to
go over the railroad tracks and the road curved around and my grandfather was the shepherd
for the University, and at that time it was just a gravel road. And I can remember standing out
in his front yard, we would holler at the boys when they went by to cut wood for the bonfire.
They cut wood back in there somewhere. I don't know -- I think it was University property.
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ES: And Ed, how about you telling us a little bit. I bet you can go back a few more years than
Margaret can and she came here in '67.
EH: I came here in '39.
MH: I was born in '39.
EH: The city was incorporated in '38, and on the Eastgate, there wasn't very much there.
ES: Yeah, that's what they were saying.
EH: And uh, now I know (unintelligible) was right on the corner -- I mean on the curve of Walton
Drive as it sort of turns south there, and there weren't too many houses in that neighborhood.
I live on Ashburn now and the house that John Calhoun lives in now was the first one built in
that neighborhood. And then Culpepper built his on Francis and Munson some time right
about that time. And I've seen all the others built since then. And the only place to eat in town
then was the Aggieland Inn.
CS: Where was that at?
EH: On campus.
CS: Oh yeah, right.
EH: In fact, uh...
ES: The only place was on campus?
CS: On campus, yeah.
EH: That was just about it. In fact, now there were some boarding houses and so forth but you
had to go to Bryan or to Navasota. Now I -- actually for the first three years I ate almost three
meals a day at the Aggieland Inn.
ES: Okay now how many students and staff would you say were there at that time?
EH: There were about 4,000 students in '39. That was the year that the corp area was built, so
they were moving in just as I came into there. And it was all male of course. Everybody on
campus wore a uniform. If you weren't in the military you had a non - military insignia on there.
CS: But you were still in uniform?
EH: You were still in uniform.
MH: She asked about movie theaters earlier and I was telling her about Guion Hall over on the
campus. Do you...
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EH: Well actually, there was the uh, I can't think of the name of the wooden building but it's across
from the YMCA and uh, Mr. ? Gay had movies in there to keep them busy and they were I
know, I think Wednesday night and Sunday afternoon. Otherwise you had to go to Bryan.
MH: See what I remembered -- it was over where part of the MSC is now.
EH: Yeah, that's where Guion Hall was. They didn't show a lot of movies there. And the --
(unintelligible) but the Campus Theater was built probably in about 1941.
CS: That was on campus?
EH: No, no it was on -- it's on University Drive just about a block from Wellborn Road.
CS: Oh, okay.
EH: That one.
ES: And they were telling us what churches they were affiliated with -- First Baptist and
Episcopalian, and what were you?
EH: A &M Methodist.
ES: Okay, now where did you first go? Where was it located? Or is it in the same place - I don't
know?
EH: It's that same place it was in a wooden building.
ES: It's just grown...
CS: And added a little brick to it.
EH: No, now they tore that one down.
CS: Okay.
CS: Where's A &M ...? Oh, I know ... University.
EH: Just almost right at Northgate really. In Northgate really.
ES: And do you recall any of the other businesses that were in 707, other than the couple that we
talked about?
CS: There wasn't anything.
EH: When they built 707 they had restaurants in one of the buildings at the front on the second
floor and there were about three different ones in there.
ES: And what year was that built?
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CS: 19
ES: After you were here?
CS: Oh yes.
ES: '50?
CS: No we were here in '67. About '70, '72 -'73?
EH: I would say about 1960 would be my guess.
CS: No it wasn't there, cause we came here in 1967 and they weren't built.
ES: Of course, every time I think of 707 what pops into my mind is Charlie's. I don't know
how long that's been there but...
CS: Yeah.
MH: Not very long. There used to be a little long building right in there that was a restaurant. And
then there was a grocery store, or something in there, and they tore that down. The Second
Baptist Church actually started off in that little grocery store and then they later built back
behind on Eisenhower.
ES: Well now, was Texas Avenue always named that or was it Highway 6 and when did it get
paved?
MH: It's not always been Texas Avenue.
CS: It was paved...
EH: It was in the late '30's -- I mean mid '30's.
ES: So before you too.
EH: Yeah, it was paved in '39. It had been paved about four years.
ES: See, I think that's...
CS: But as far as -- it's always been Texas Avenue -- well actually it's been both.
MH: When I was growing up it was always Highway 6.
CS: Highway 6, yeah.
MH: They later changed it to Texas Avenue and I cannot...
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CS: Or just added it I think.
MH: ...yes, and I can't remember when.
ES: And the property of A &M campus was it always this large?
EH: Oh yeah, oh yeah.
ES: I mean from Wellborn Road to Texas Avenue? It was always...
CS: The original grant was like...
EH: well, it almost goes to the Brazos River.
ES: Yes well, yeah and then goes to Texas Avenue and George Bush Drive. So that's always
been there.
EH: That's right.
ES: So then everything else that couldn't -- wasn't affiliated with that had to be built across
the street?
CS: Right.
ES: Everything from Northgate to Eastgate.
CS: And Eastgate too, yeah.
EH: They had horses and cows in those front things -- where the golf course is now.
ES: Oh, okay.
EH: The golf course was probably built in the mid 50's. (Unintelligible)
MH: I can remember when I was in high school there were a bunch of us there were some cows
out right in here somewhere. So we were going to be smart and move them on back up and
put them back into the fence and we were late coming to school and we all got into big trouble
for that. But I can remember taking the cow back to its pasture.
ES: Well any of the homes that were on the campus before -- I know some have been moved out
back here in this area -- were any of them moved across Texas Avenue into Eastgate?
EH: Oh yeah. Mrs. Manning Smith -- Nita Smith has one on Francis and Ashburn. And the inside
of it is real modern. In fact she's here down at the end of the hall.
CS: And that was moved from the campus?
EH: It was moved from the campus sometime in about -- in about 1950 somewhere in that area.
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ES: I don't know what particular home, I mean I know the street but I don't know the particular...
you know, recognize the particular home.
EH: You know where that place with the... where the lily pond in the front yard is?
ES: Yes.
CS: Where the mosquitoes were the other day.
EH: Yeah, well he's got fish in there now. There are mosquitoes in the neighborhood but not
there.
CS: Oh!
MH: Dad was raised on the A &M campus. Like I say, my grandfather worked...
ES: Yeah, he lived on... your grandfather worked there, and your Dad was born and raised -- well
not necessarily born but raised on...
MH: Where part of the Hensel Terrace Apartments are over in there...
ES: Yes.
MH: ...they had houses there and they also had them on the drill field right up here where they
used to have the bonfire.
ES: Oh! And there were homes all...
MH: Yes.
ES: Streets...the whole -- streets, the whole thing huh?
EH: What she's talking about in the neighborhood where the police station is -- they called them
project houses -- and the various counties built them for the students in their county to live in.
And uh, those were wooden buildings built in about 1930 during the Depression and they
lasted until... I guess until about 1950.
ES: And I asked the ladies, and... Ed what did you remember -- as a young man -- doing for
entertainment and what did your family do like on weekends did you drive off to Navasota
someplace...
CS: Go fishing?
ES: ...go fishing, have picnics or...
EH: Actually, then everything was sort of on campus. And uh, during the springtime all of the
military units had a dance on the weekend and there was one for the entire, entire -- members
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ES: So you could go?
EH: You could go that's right.
CS: Well they had to import all the girls.
EH: That's right. We did girl watching in front of the Aggieland Inn when the buses came in on
weekends.
CS: There you go!
ES: Now is that how you picked your wife?
EH: No, I brought her down from Tennessee.
ES: Oh, okay.
EH: When I got married that stopped that!
ES: Well, now we know that Margaret found a military man here right?
MH: Yes Ma'am.
ES: And can you think of anything else in your youth Ed, that you could share with us or uh... what
are some...did you get into mischief and do things you shouldn't or uh...?
EH: Well I tell you I was an adult when I came here.
ES: Oh okay.
CS: Ever get arrested?
ES: How about your family and kids? Did they stay around here or...?
EH: No, but they stayed in Texas. My son's an accountant with a firm in Athens, and my daughter
lives in Dallas. One grandson graduated last Spring in Accounting and another grandson that
majored in Spanish will graduate next spring.
ES: And he's been... Ed is also on the Advisory Board here at the Conference Center. That's
where I first met Ed and uh, so we've been working together on this here with the other
people.
CS: Did I mention that my only daughter works at the A &M campus library?
ES: No you didn't. Is she married and family here and everything?
CS: Yes she's married, uh huh.
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ES: And how about your family Margaret are they gone? I mean the kids...
MH: I had two girls, uh, the one that's still living is -- lives here in College Station and worked for
the City of College Station for a number of years. And she's now employed by Dr. Lindsay's
son in communications.
ES: Oh, okay.
MH: We lost our other daughter in '94.
ES: Oh, I'm sorry.
CS: Oh goodness.
MH: And she had two sons and those are my pride and joy.
ES: And where are they?
MH: They're in North Richland Hills.
ES: And they must still be fairly young right?
MH: Uh, one of them is twelve and the other one is nineteen.
ES: Well, your such a young lady that with your children...
EH: Let's see there was an Arnold's Barbeque where 707 is right?
CS: They were just down from us there was a vacant spot in there... yeah.
EH: Arnold's Barbeque was over there...
CS: in the 700 block.
EH: ...around the 700 block somewhere and all that went out -- well Arnold's moved, and they
moved into Bryan about three feet for quite a while.
CS: Yeah.
MH: The little restaurant that I was talking about that was over in there Tom was in that -- Tom's
Barbeque was in there for awhile.
EH: That's right it was Tom's and Arnold's both. They changed the name.
ES: Before they moved way out there in Bryan? Did they live, I mean did they have a business
farther in?
MH: Yes, right there by where 707 is now.
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ES: Okay, then did they move that out to Bryan out there by the railroad tracks? Isn't that Tom's
Barbeque out there?
MH: No, that's -- that was Gideon's. Tom's has a place over on College Avenue.
ES: Okay.
MH: And now he's also got one out south in College Station.
ES: Yeah, right on Holleman and uh.... Well, now you all give me some ideas. Is there something
else that you can add to -- about... in the olden days?
MH: I can remember when there was one policeman in College Station.
CS: One policeman?
MH: Yes ma'am.
ES: And how about College Station and Bryan. Have they always gotten along or was there ever
a lot of dissension or...
CS: I think they just sort of ignored each other. Don't you?
ES: ...nothing of any significance they just kind of...
CS: They just ignored each other.
ES: ...co- existed?
MH: I could put it to you this way. We bought a home in Bryan about eight years ago and my
stepmother told me she said "I cannot believe that you ever agreed to move to Bryan ".
CS: You live in Bryan now?
MH: Yes ma'am.
CS: Oh you do? Traitor...traitor!!
MH: And ready to come back to College Station too!
ES: Well our twin cities you know, just like Minneapolis and St. Paul and a lot of others.
CS: I've got an old beat up house and three lots if you want to buy that you can tear down.
ES: Of course, I think those of us who live in College Station we're partial to that. Of course we
love all of our friends in the community of Bryan too.
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CS: Well, you know when we first came here the only place to go was...to Bryan.
MH: Downtown Bryan, that's right.
CS: Main Street and Edge's and different stores, but there was nothing out here.
ES: Well now, when I first came, Manor East Mall was the place to go.
CS: Yeah, right.
ES: Because when we came in for an interview in the summer of '80.... now I've been around
small towns before so it wasn't a turn -off for me to drive down Texas Avenue there is no....
you know, you have to go here to buy...
TAPE SIDE ONE ENDED
ES: ...for anyone who did not like small towns, it would have been a real turn -off...
CS: Uh huh.
ES: ...when they first... until they got to know the people.
CS: Wasn't it John Culpepper that...? Yeah -- that built Manor East Mall.
ES: Culpepper had Manor East Mall also?
CS: Uh huh.
ES: And now there's not that many things left out there is there?
EH: Not too many.
CS: It's coming back I think.
ES: You think so?
CS: My son -in -law works for the Culpeppers in real estate, and then... and Stallworth Company
and they're doing a lot of things down here. It's going to be...
ES: Well, I'd like to see that.
CS: Yeah, me too.
ES: The theater closed down there and everything too didn't it?
CS: Yes.
ES: Of course after the big USA 16 it interfered with a lot of them I would think.
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CS: Uh hmm.
ES: Same way now they're just talking about Aerofit and a lot of them are really hurting...
CS: Sure!
ES: ...because A &M has opened their big complex. But then that's more convenient for all of the
students so you can't blame them either.
CS: Yeah. That's true.
ES: So uh, that's the way it always goes.
MH: My grandfather used to be -- L.E. Winder, Sr. -- was the health inspector for the University
and at that time he had to go and inspect anyplace where the Aggies were fed. And the
swimming pool. At that time there was the one and the water had to be checked once or twice
a day at the swimming pool.
ES: And that was for the Aggies?
MH: Yes ma'am. He worked for the University.
ES: Well we all know that as Aggies go, so goes the community, right?
CS: That's it! That's it!
ES: Do you remember... do you remember what kind of money your Dad made compared to now?
MH: (Shook her head no).
ES: Ed?
EH: A fraction.
CS: Not much.
EH: When I came back and was getting $1,800, the new people were getting $1,700 and $1,800 a
year. $200 more.
MH: Before Dad went to work at the post office, he worked for the campus cleaners. At that time
there was a place right on campus, right in the area of where the first parking garage was put
up. In there was a place called The Campus Cleaners and it was run by a fellow called Joel
English. And Dad worked over there for him.
EH: I used that laundry too. See I used that laundry too -- and I worked at Campus Cleaners.
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MH: That was I guess in the '40's. Early '50's -- late '40's probably -- maybe early. I can't
remember. I was quite small.
ES: Okay how about the local newspaper. What was it?
CS: Never had but one.
MH: The Eagle.
ES: It has always been The Eagle?
MH: And The Battalion.
ES: And how was it delivered? I mean like when you were a kid, do you remember how it uh....or
when you were older...
MH: I don't remember.
CS: Well, of course...
EH: Well, actually, The Battalion was delivered uh, in the neighborhoods. And they paid
somebody - the kids.
CS: And it was free.
EH: It was free and it was delivered until probably about 1970.
ES: Well now we got The Battalion when we first moved here in '80.
EH: Well it depended on what neighborhood you lived in.
ES: Yeah, they came to the house you know, and it was free and everything. And of course, we
subscribed to The Eagle.
CS: Delivered?
ES: Yes, you know it was thrown out on our drive just like the newspaper.
CS: Oh!
EH: You can get it now at the various shopping centers.
CS: Yeah, we had them then. Of course, they'd bring them over from the campus and put them at
the hotels. And the newspapers were delivered to the hotels.
ES: And way back, uh now, (to Margaret) your dad or your grandfather -- uh, your dad was with
the postal service? Of course, they had cars and everything then, but how about with your
grandfather? How was the mail... would they get to their house?
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MH: They had boxes.
ES: And they were delivered?
MH: The post office was -- at that time, was where it is now and...
ES: Oh, and you had to go there and get it?
MH: ...right, it just wasn't as....
ES: However you got there was how you got it?
MH: Right.
EH: They had a branch in the Academic Building. At the center of the Academic Building there
was a branch. And uh, most the people who worked on the campus got their mail at their
office.
ES: And didn't we in College Station have to go there on campus a lot of time before they got that
little one there in the Redmond Terrace area? They opened up a little post office there?
EH: They did, but yeah, that was all they had at the North gate...
ES: Yeah, then...
EH: ...until they had that branch...
ES: ...and then now that we have the big one out there. Then they closed the one at Redmond
Terrace and stuff -- so.
EH: they closed.... uh hmm.
ES: And now, yeah, our big, uh... post office out there as you know, when they built all of those
apartments, you can't hardly see it. If you come down 2818...
CS: lost...
ES: or up Southwood there is that little old building, I mean not little but there's that low building
that's hard to see. They'll have to run up the American flag a little higher so they can know it's
a federal building over there.
CS: Times are changing, I'll tell you.
ES: Well, (to Joan Lamkin) have you, can you think of anything that we should be asking? Pam,
how about you?
JL: It might be nice to have Clara, tell us...
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CS: Cleo.
ES: Cleo.
JL: ...yeah, a day in the life of your hotel. And particularly what happened on like, big weekends.
ES: Yeah!
CS: Oh, you die and that's about it!!
ES: Well start from preparation of /for someone coming in for the Aggie weekend.
CS: Well, actually, we would be booked way before the Aggie weekend for rooms, so there was
no problem there it was just getting them to their rooms and so on. But uh, the food was the
problem. You know, keeping help in the kitchen and people to serve and menus and all that
sort of stuff, you just... you die that's about it. From the time the game starts, but it was fun, I
mean everybody was jovial and had a good time and it was not a real big problem, it was just
long hours.
ES: Well, way back then did you have that they had to stay for two nights or pay for two nights like
they do know?
CS: We didn't have it then, no.
ES: Because a lot of things have changed. They book them in and they say you have to stay for
two, you know.
CS: And that's so ridiculous.
ES: Because it's so...
CS: Well of course it's saving money -- they don't have to change sheets and all that sort of stuff.
MH: Well they didn't have to worry about it though, used to it was mainly the girls that came in and
they stayed all weekend.
CS: True, oh yeah.
ES: And the girls that came in you said they were put in homes a lot, weren't they?
MH: Some of them, yes.
CS: Well now this was before our time in 1967, but ...
MH: When the motels were booked.
ES: So you loved the weekends? Loved and... is it a love /hate relationship?
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CS: Oh, you loved them...
ES: I mean you love that business but you hated all the extra work?
CS: ...you loved them when you went to the bank, really. It was nice!
ES: What would be the typical menu and stuff that you would try to have out?
CS: Oh...
ES: Chicken fried steak stuff and roast beef and...
CS: There you go! You had it. Chicken fried steak that was the main thing.
ES: Fried chicken?
CS: Yeah. And of course the breakfast was just your normal things, you know -- nothing fancy, but
just good food.
ES: And now we have to have all of the non -fat, low cholesterol.... everything.
CS: Oh, I tell you. Yes, yes, it's ridiculous.
ES: And then we find out later it doesn't matter at all.
CS: I know I was just noticing a thing on television last night where they're -- I guess it's going to
be tonight, I'm not sure -- uh, how nasty and dirty the kitchens are in every hotel, every
restaurant. And that's the one thing we really were very, very careful about is cleanliness
and... in the restaurant, and, cause you know -- you get somebody sick in your hotel -- you've
got a problem. And I don't know, of course I haven't been affiliated with it now for about five
years so I don't know what the situation is.
MH: Ed may remember my grandfather I don't know. But I do know... his name was Winder -- that
was a health inspector for the University?
EH: I really don't remember...
MH: And people did not like to see him coming because if their kitchen was dirty, he was going to
shut them down. Especially if those kids were eating there.
CS: And they should.
MH: Yes, that's right.
ES: And it's important that we do. But, you know here -- I guess if I owned a business, I'd really
want to make sure that whoever was inspecting me uh, that they were sure that they were
right otherwise it could ruin the business.
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CS: Oh yes.
MH: Yes
ES: Because of the turn -off now people will turn away quickly.
CS: Well, when they'd come in to inspect our kitchens, I was right beside them -- right beside
them! Make sure that they're not just skipping over...
ES: So if there was an infraction, you could fix it.
CS: That's right.
ES: What kind of clubs Ed, and everything, did they have when you were... you and your wife
were young here that you belonged to or participated in?
EH: The main thing was everybody played bridge and she's still in one that was organized in the
Southgate area and uh, she's still a member of the group.
ES: And that hasn't changed at all. I play bridge twice a week.
MH: You do?
EH: Twice a month, not twice a week.
ES: I play twice a week. And then did they have uh, you know... like Kiwanis and all those? Did
you belong to any of that?
EH: Well, Kiwanis was started...
ES: Rotary?
EH: ...right here, somewhere in '45, '46 -- in that area. I was out of town. And uh, Rotary was
always -- was here. And now we have a Lion's Club that meets every day.
ES: I know we have a noon one and an evening one don't we?
EH: Yeah, well there are about six in town.
ES: Cause different ones come by, you know selling the light bulbs. One is Noon and then the
other... somebody else doing, you know doing their bags that they... trash bags and things...
which is -- I'm glad. Do you remember the uh, original cost of your first home Ed?
EH: Yeah, the first one I paid more for a down payment than I paid for a house and I bought it
before 1950. Back when we built in 1950 Regulation X was the... the government added it in,
you had to have a third down. And uh, my lot was appraised for more than twice what I paid
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for it and an insurance company loaned me money to get a down payment. And it cost almost
as much to roof it now as it did to build to begin with.
ES: That's true.
EH: It was -- the house -- was a little over $5,000 -- 1,600 square feet. Now one interesting thing
is that I found out later in the late '30's and '40's, the way you built a house, the builder would
buy a lot -- give you the deed to it. When you had the deed to the lot -- you had a second
mortgage -- then you could borrow the money for the house so you could buy a house with
nothing down. I didn't find that out till after I'd done it the hard way.
CS: I imagine that still goes on doesn't it?
EH: Oh yeah, it's still going on some. In fact, I was told listening to a real estate man at the
Kiwanis Club, the average lot for a house the lot is around $25,000. And it's awful hard to get
a house for under $100,000 with those conditions.
MH: Well I don't remember -- I was too young to remember what Mom and Dad paid for the house
on Park Place but, they later bought one when this edition was starting right in here on Village
Drive and all, when all that was new, and I think they only paid $30,000 for that one.
ES: Now that's doubled or tripled.
MH: Yeah.
EH: That was somewhere around 1960.
MH: I don't remember what year but I know, uh our oldest daughter had been born and she was
probably three or four so...
ES: Now, on your grocery shopping and things, did you do it once a week or did you do it every
day and uh, where did you -- where could you go?
MH: We went once a week and we always shopped at Mais' Grocery that sat on the corner of what
is now University Drive. You know where the -- what is it a Shamrock Station there or Citgo --
right there that... Mais' was right there.
ES: Oh, okay.
CS: We shopped a lot there too.
ES: You shopped there also?
CS: Uh hmm.
ES: And Ed?
CS: And of course, when you're in the hotel business...
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EH: We shopped here and in Bryan. Went to Bryan about once a week and went to Mais' often.
ES: To pick up...
MH: I have to go.
EH: Well I had friends....
ES: Just a minute. Excuse me...
EH: Sure.
ES: I want you to sign that please (to Margaret).
EH: I have some friends who still do it the way they did it in the '40's. They go to the bank once a
week and go shopping for groceries once a week.
CS: Well we, uh, of course through the hotel you'd have these purveyors that would come in and
sell you wholesale groceries so there was not a lot of shopping per say in the hotel. And the
hours that I worked we ate at the hotel so there was no...
ES: Right.
CS: ...we were lucky if we had a loaf of bread at home, you know.
ES: Did you, of course you didn't have time for a vegetable garden or anything like that did you?
CS: Oh no. No, no, no.
ES: And did you ever -- parents have one of those (to Margaret) do you recall.
MH: (shook her head no)
ES: Did you have one Ed?
EH: Yeah, I still do.
ES: Oh yeah, you and your flowers -- your roses and all that stuff.
MH: You raise roses Ed?
EH: (unintelligible) almost a miniature.
MH: I think they're so pretty but I don't have...
ES: He's got the little miniature.
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MH: Yeah, I really like those.
ES: ...a lot of those little miniature ones that are so pretty.
EH: When we get through I'll answer questions on roses.
CS: (to Margaret) Nice meeting you.
MH: Yes ma'am, you too.
ES: Margaret thank you very much for coming -- enjoyed visiting with you and meeting you.
MH: You're welcome. I've enjoyed it too.
MARGARET TODD HUDSON LEFT
ES: So we've talked about A &M and what it kind of had to do with our life and everything and we
talked .... A dinner at your restaurant -- about -- if I came in to have dinner would it cost at
that time back in '67.
CS: Uh.... $1.50. A $1 to $1.50. Chicken fried steak.
ES: You know I don't remember as a child being taken out to dinner if you will, you know uh, it
wasn't until dating and the teens when you got to go out. Now you think about when your
children now are going on a date how much it cost just to...
EH: In 1939, the meals at the Aggieland Inn were thirty -five cents up to fifty cents. And on...
CS: Well know you...
EH: ... and on -- but on weekends on football weekends they upped it to fifty cents to make it easy.
But if you were a regular customer you could still get it for forty. Actually, I paid once a month.
ES: Okay, then and did you do your business with cash or did you have bank accounts where you
wrote checks?
EH: Oh yeah, I had a bank account. When I arrived on the campus ( ? ? ?) had a letter in my
mailbox inviting me down to his bank, so I went down and stayed with him...
CS: Been there ever since?
EH: No, I changed.
CS: Oh, you did?
ES: Because I guess way back when, I'm talking farther back -- like you know -- when you were a
young man, I guess a lot of people didn't have checking accounts and things did they? They
just...
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EH: Anybody on faculty staff probably had one. A lot of others didn't.
ES: Cash or barter! One or the other. Okay, (To Cleo) and you said you had some pictures and
things that you would bring for us...
CS: I do, uh hmm.
ES: ...and we'll appreciate that. Or any maps or anything like that too, we'd uh, you know...
something of the area.
CS: And I don't even know if I have any of the outside of the building but, uh, mostly the inside of
the court, and swimming pool and that sort of thing.
ES: Uh huh, and that's the type of thing that we'd really like to have to show...
CS: Uh huh, yeah.
ES: And uh.... All of your family worked in
husband that came here?
CS: Well, my husband wasn't in the business
but he was not in the business.
ES: Oh, okay and you did that. Okay. Well
you'd like to add to this?
EH: I don't believe so.
EH: I don't care.
END OF EASTGATE ORAL HISTORY SESSION
the business with you or was it just you and your
at all. He was in the oil business. He was in and out
, other than that... Ed can you think of anything that
ES: Or any questions that you'd like to ask or anything? So, if not, I think that will conclude our
Eastgate thing. And I appreciate your coming, and Ed I'm glad you came in and contributed to
that and I'll need to give you a... do you want to sign a release or you don't care?
37