HomeMy WebLinkAboutEastgate Panel 1Eddie Putz
Edward Putz
Charlene Taylor
Gail Pate
Jean Rosprin Robertson
A ,ritsz
City of College Station
Memory Lanes Oral History Project
This is 1�� L,���� . Today is 9 ✓' , 1s�
(mon h) (day) (year)
I'm interviewing for the / time
?eth_x,0* WL1,24 (_* ,c qbtAzw
(Mr., Mrs.,
Miss, Ms., Dr
s ., Etc.)
/ J?d,
This interview is taking place in Room / of The
/ e-vt. C 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.
Have each person introduce themselves so their voice is
identifiable on the tape recorder.
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preserve historical documents by means of the tape - recorded interview.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)
-irifiramor
4.
7.
9.
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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 Confer t►'e C ter A Committee.
I rviewer (signature)
Date
d e I)?
Interviewer (Please Print)
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.
/ S ' L / 1 .9 \ 2 -
Inte9t vie yee (P ease print) /
•
D / Q
Sign to e of In rviewee
Signature of Intervi. er
7 /40..m (°D. i1
Place of Interview
List of photos. documents, maps. etc.
Name
s (
Telep ne
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.
— 4
Interviewer (Pleas
List of photos. documents. mans. etc.
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.
ctim
Interv4ewee (P1 se,priLt)
Sign re of Werviewee
Name ig
C/ en, L GOO r\
Address A (:;_e4 rE; IV
Telephone k `V<
Date of Birth Ai& n ;A U , J 5 ' l
Place of Birth (ya // -rte rv( n6tn
Print/
ature of In ervie r
Place of Interview
INTERVIEW STATUS: Completed
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
Init
.71/474(
AlAit.
In progress
Interviewer
Oyu
Place of Interview
List of photos, documents, mans. etc.
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.
GAIL SCH>_tS -MAIN A! L.
tervi wee (Please prin
Signature of Interviewee
/
qlt- 5CN1- ESSELMAnr P E
Name
I I 1 W EsToYER
Address
Col- -EC � j�AT lowf)( 778►
Telephone 7 6 -
Date of Birth D ZCEM 8ElL kt, )/ I-O
Place of Birth p, KrAnr�)iA 5
(Plle sel1rint)
Intery wer
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
Init
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 cl 'ms, demands and causes of
action in whole or in part are covered by insurance. �/ 7 / � % -
� ,J (� ■
n erviewee (Please print)
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
City of College Station, Texas 77840
ORAL HISTORY DATA SHEET
I/ r
'Oh h
Interviewer (Plpase/Print)
/..%1GLe-
gnature of Intervi6wer
, ee, 6L, ,/
Place of
List of photos, documents, maps. etc.
rtue `
Tx
Name
Address
/1C-A74 4 6
lepofnB /� // -� r
Date of Birth (�fj��
r
Place of Birth /, — /O — R2
Date Q
Initial
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.
g % 7/9
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 clams, demands and causes of
action in whole or in part are covered by insurance.
Interviewer
se/ rint)
gnature of Intervi er
f
Place of Interview
List of photos. documents, mans. etc.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
City of College Station, Texas 77840
ORAL HISTORY DATA SHEET
Z
ase print)
Signature off' Interviewee
Name
Address
ress V
? —
Telephone
Date of Birth
Place of Birth
INTERVIEW STATUS: Completed
In progress
Dates
Initia �T
iyeicavr.—
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.
Remarks:
Memory Lane: e
Interview No.
Name E J ,'e // -/ z Interview date 7/
Interviewer .?a hr7 hl my Interview length
interview Place C • 3. T -re rr rte, i4- - 2r77. /
Special sources of informatipn G7
Date tape received in office F2- /Q # of tapes marked / Date Ai Ifig .S
Original Photographs Yes No # of photos Date Recd
Describe Photos
Interview Agreement and tape di sal orar.'
Given to interviewee on 27 G S Received Yes No
Date Signed Restrictions - if yes, see remarks below. Yes No
Transcription:
F i r s t t y p i n g completed b y eka, Pages Date i ? 1 /f AS _
First audit check by Ir fl �� Pages Date / C70 79'5
Sent to interviewee on /d2 -Pf
Received from interviewee on
Copy editing and second audit check by Pages Date
Final copies: Typed by
City of College Station
Memory Lanes Oral History Project
Oral History Stage Sheet
Proofread by: 1) Pages Date
2,' Pages Date
Photos out for reproduction: Where to: Date:
Original photos returned to: Date:
Indexed by: Date
Sent to bindery by Date
Received from bindery Date
Deposited in archives by: Date
(name)
Pages Date
Remarks:
City of College Station
Memory Lanes Oral History Project
Memory Lane: E Ga f e
t
Name �1t /,
7241/4
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Interviewer John e i-u
interview Place C. 5. �,r
Special sources of information
Oral History Stage Sheet
Interview No.
Interview date
Interview length
CCIi_/. f'r r
Date tape received in office 7 h jy S y # of tapes marked
Original Photographs Yes flo # of photos Date Recd
Describe Photos
z - 7/95
Date I /� Ms
Interview Agreement and tape dis o al f rip:
Given to interviewee on 17 g Received Yes No
Date Signed Restrictions - If yes, see remarks below. Yes No
Transcription: 41dte-1 First ty ping completed by .�' / Pages Date
ame
First audit check by
/ � , ,Fi;aA
Sent to interviewee on " _ / 7 `/ y S
Received from interviewee on
Copy editing and second audit check by
Final copies: Typed by
•
Proofread by: 1)
2;
Photos out for reproduction:
Original photos returned to:
Indexed by:
Sent to binplery by
Received from bindery
Deposited in archives by:
(name)
Where to:
Pages
Pages
Pages
Pages
Date:
Date:
Date
Date
Date
Date
Date
Date
Date
Date
Remarks:
Memory Lane: Z051 Gam
Interview No.
Name (i/'/ Pak Interview date
Interviewer t fn tin Alen Interview length
Interview Place C 5, Teen ren - er'7. /
Special sources of information
Date tape received in office 7p 7 / �� # of tapes marked / Date 1/2 7/9
Original Photographs Yes No ✓ # of photos Date Recd '
Describe Photos
Interview Agreement and tape dispos I form:
Given to interviewee on l 1 9SReceived Yes No
Date Signed
First typing completed by efeal„) Pages Date "1
Transcription:
First audit check by
Sent to interviewee on
Received from interviewee on y /_
Copy editing and second audit check by Pages Dat e
(name)
Final copies: Typed by
City of College Station
Memory Lanes Oral History Project
Oral History Stage Sheet
Proofread by: 1) Pages Date
2) Pages Date
Photos out for reproduction: Where to: Date:
Original photos returned to: Date:
Indexed by: Date
Sent to bindery by Date
Received from bindery Date
Deposited in archives by: Date
Restrictions - If yes, see remarks below. Yes No
/0 Pages Date 7
Pages Date
Remarks:
City of College Station
Memory Lanes Oral History Project
Memory Lane: Ea S+ 6 ez '
Oral History Stage Sheet
lac Interview No.
Name Jean r i n r Interview date 9/2. 7/95
Interviewer .J, Henry ' Interview length
Interview Place c, s. TY e,1 Cen, ern,
Special sources of information
Date tape received in office Y /c27 /4' _C # of tapes marked / Date ' /.? 7 /9S
O r i g i n a l Photographs Y e s No ✓ # of photos Date Recd
Describe Photos
Interview Agreement and tape dispo al firm;
Given to interviewee on V-.11 9.5 Yes No
Date Signed Restrictions - If yes, see remarks below. Yes No
Transcription: �j l
First typing completed by ,Gyy1v /(.�.'Gc"�t i-� Pages Date / 4 V f S
amen
First audit check by /././y0 kil [ti Pages Date /U/9/9,i _
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Sent to interviewee on /Ol Y /7jS
Received from interviewee on
Copy editing and second audit check by t4Q
name)
Final copies: Typed by Pages
Proofread by: 1) Pages
2 i Pages
Photos out for reproduction: Where to:
Original photos returned to:
Date:
Date:
Indexed by: Date
Sent to bindery by Date
Received from bindery Date
Deposited in archives by: Date
Date
Date 11 IC '1
Date
Date
Remarks:
Final copies: Typed by
City of College Station
Memory Lanes Oral History Project
Memory Lane: Ea 54 lad e
Name EdriJa rc+/ Pu f
Interviewer 'ii')? Hevl -u
Interview Place C.
Special sources of informati
Date tape received in office
Original Photographs Yes � N
Describe Photos
Sent to interviewee on
Oral History Stage Sheet
Interview Agreement and tape dis
Given to interviewee on
Date Signed
Transcription:
First typing completed by
First audit check by i , GX
Interview No.
Interview date 7/0 7191"
Interview length
re n-1.01,- 2rn •
# of tapes marked /
✓# of photos Date Recd
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Received from interviewee on
Copy editing and second audit check by
Indexed by:
Sent to binffery by
Received from bindery
Deposited in archives by:
Received Yes
Restrictions - If yes, see remarks below. Yes
/ �Yj" J C& Pages
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(name)
fi1. m
Proofread by: 1)
2 i
Photos out for reproduction:
Original photos returned to:
(name)
Where to:
Pages
Pages
Pages
Pages
Pages
Date ':1/) i/ t ;
Date:
Date:
Date
Date
Date
Date
No
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No
Date /� // 9 S
Date
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Date
City of College Station
Historic Preservation Committee and
Conference Center Advisory Committee
History Project: Memory Lanes
"EASTGATE "
Kymberli Rucker: Ok, my name is Kymberli Rucker. I work for the Public Service
Department in College Station. This is my second year transcribing for the Conference
Center. I've enjoyed it. I've listened to meaning events during the 1940 and 1950 and I
hope to do this again next year. I look forward to doing this again next year. And my
name is spelled Kymberli and my last name is Rucker.
Mr. Henry: Ok very good. Next is Mrs. Pate, there I believe.
Mrs. Gail Schlesselman Pate- Pm Gail Schlesselman Pate, (Mr. Henry- You want to
spell that for us here.) I was. My Gail is spelled Gail, my maiden name Schlesselman, my
married name Pate. I was born in Bryan. Grew up in College Station, and after marriage
my husband and I were in the army. My husband was in the army for 20 years, and we
moved back here 12 years ago. I now live on Westover in Carter's Grove.
Mr. Henry: Ok now is this your husband next to you here?
Mrs. Pate: No my husband is working today.
Mr. Henry: It is Pate though isn't it?
Mr. Eddie Putz: No.
Mr. Henry: No, Putz, I know some Putz, and I know, we won't go into all that. Tell us
about yourself. And that's Eddie Putz.
Mr. Putz: Well my name is Eddie Putz, I was born in raised in College Station. I now
live in Bryan, and own and operate my own business. Just glad to be here.
Mr. Henry: Ok very good.
Mr. Bill Kling: You run the business over there by Randalls ?
Mr. Putz: No.
Page -2-
Mr. Henry: And your name again?
Mr. Edward Putz: I'm Edward Lawrence Putz Sr. (Bill).
Mr. Henry: Now how are ya'll related.
Mr. Eddie Putz: He's my dad.
Mr. Edward Putz: He's my son.
Mr. Henry: Ok, and now tell us about yourself there.
Mr. Putz: Well I was born on Putz Hill, in the College Hills area, off Lincoln Drive.
Lived here all my life. I am the son of Ed and Fannie Putz, pioneers of that area.
Mr. Kling: - Not quite yet.
Mr. Henry: Ok, and your name is?
Mrs. Charles Taylor: Charles Alene Taylor, known as Charlene Taylor. I was Charlene
Tibbs to begin with. I graduated from Consolidated in 45. I lived here all my life. Where
the University Towers is now. Use to be the Old Ramada Inn. Well I born and raised
right across the street. Nothing but cow field in front of our house. And look at it now.
It has truly changed.
Mrs. Jean Robertson: Pm Jean Robertson, I was born on Hwy. 6 in 1928. And lived
within two blocks of there from of my sixty six years. The Putz pasture was behind us.
Mr. Henry: They use to say that Hwy. 6 went East and North and South. Some, the
highway department makes you call it East and West, but now you say North and South
Ok our recorder over here is?
Mr. Kling. Pm Bill Kling.
Mr. Henry: And he's a quite of surveyor and historian and him and his wife are all active
in these kind of activities and the historian committee What else would you like to tell us
Bill,. I don't know how to start this but I guess we can start right here. I was thinking
maybe we might start with the oldest. I don't know if anybody would agree to be the
oldest here. If we could start back as far as we could. Lets start with your early
recollection of College Station here. Would you tell us about your farm for years.
Maybe you would like start back and tell us where you first raised or born or whatever
and when you moved to College Station and about your family where your lived and who
Page -3-
2
Mr. Henry: your neighbor were this sort of thing here. A little back thing about your
past. The earliest history your remember here.
Mr. Edward Putz : I was raised right off of Lincoln in College Hills.
Mr. Henry: So you were born here in College Station, at home probably?
Mr. Edward Putz: At home, where Lincoln is now. We use to go to school and walk to
Hwy. 6 to catch a bus.
Mr. Henry: And where was that school then?
Mr. Edward Putz: It was up on the A &M campus.
Mr. Henry: On campus. That's before they built this one and that one. You want to tell
us about what years those were. You were born what year? Women might not want to
tell that.
Mr. Henry: You were born what year?
Mr. Edward Putz: In '22.
Mr. Henry : 1922, ok thank you.
Mr. Edward Putz: I was about (6) six years old when I went to school.
Mr. Henry: Six years old when you went on campus. And where was that school
located there?
Mr. Edward Putz: Oh it's about where those dormitory are (pointing to the
dormitories).
Mr. Henry: The corp dormitory ?
Mr. Edward Putz: Over there, Pm not sure what is there now.
Mrs. Taylor: The new area. Before you get to Rudder Tower.
Mr. Edward Putz: The cafeteria (mess hall) where the corp guys eat.
Mr. Henry: Duncan Hall.
Mr. Edward Putz: That entire area was once a cow pasture.
3
Page -4-
Mr. Henry: Did you ever hunt rabbits out there in all that? My dad said they use to hunt
rabbits all over that campus area. How long did you go school on campus there?
Mr. Edward Putz: I don't know, about ten years; I mean eight years.
Mr. Henry: How many grades did the school have?
Mr. Edward Putz: It had all 12.
Mrs. Taylor: It had all of them, but they build a new school.
Mr. Edward Putz: They moved the highschool back on another building
Mr. Robertson: It was on campus also.
Mr. Henry: Now where was it?
Mrs. Taylor: It was the Science building.
Mr. Henry: Now where was it? Near the Science building you say?
Mrs. Taylor: It was in the Science building, where the highschool was.
Mr. Henry: Now when was that?
Mrs. Taylor: That 's before we moved. We moved when I was in fifth grade. We
moved from on the campus over to the chicken shack where the chicken huts were.
Mrs. Robertson: The early 40's.
Mrs. Taylor: When we moved over there, but the highschool stayed over at the Science
building for awhile. Because they didn't finish the highschool in time.
Mr. Henry: Ok, let's go back to where you were raised there. You said you were born
there off Lincoln. Have you lived there all these years?
Mr. Edward Putz: No, I lived Colorado for two years. I was in the service for four
years to. Then I came back and lived here since then.
Mr. Henry: Ok, who were your neighbors and so forth around where you lived there?
You said you lived on Lincoln street or was in Lincoln now.
4
Mr. Edward Putz: It use to be Broiskie
Mr. Henry: Can you spell that?
Mr. Edward Putz: I don't know how to spell that.
Mrs. Taylor: Broiskie
Mr. Henry: Speak up if you can. I'm not sure if they heard that.
Mrs. Taylor: You want me to spell it again?
Kymberli Rucker: Broiskie
Mr. Henry: Ok, was that the one in politics?
Mr. Edward Putz: All his kids went to A &M.
Mr. Henry: You went on and graduated where?
Mr. Edward Putz: No, I didn't graduate. I went on to the service.
Mr. Henry: And the highschool was where then, it was here?
Mr. Edward Putz: On the campus.
Mr. Henry: When you
Mr. Edward Putz: I lived on.
Mr. Henry: Completed your schooling there, Ok now what year did you go into the
service?
Mr. Edward Putz: 1940.
Mr. Henry: Then you were in the service how long?
Mr. Edward Putz: Four years.
Mr. Henry: Four years, 1944 those were good years.
Page -6-
5
Mr. Henry: Ok, can you tell us anything else about your, your birth family, your
background there.
Mr. Henry: I believe Bill said you had a lot of land there. I don't know what kind of
acres you kept.
Mr. Edward Putz: My dad use to have a contract for the woods on the campus. He use
to sell them wood. He use to fire a power plant, he use to get that about every year.
Then they switched to coal.
Mr. Henry: How was this wood cut? Did you have to cut the wood?
Mr. Edward Putz: No, he use to have it cut and hauled with wagons, mules.
Mr. Henry: Then about what acreage did he, was involved in this9
Mr. Edward Putz: Oh it was about, (700 acres). Where they were cutting wood off.
Mr. Henry: So that land has been sold, and do you still own part of the land there.?
Mr. Edward Putz: I own (14 acres).
Mr. Henry: 14 acres, the rest have been sold off? Bill help survey some of that off?
Mr. Henry: Can you remember or either of you remember your pre - school activities, so
forth that would be of interest of what happen before school that could be along time
back.
Mr. Edward Putz: We use to play down there on the creek.
Mr. Henry: What creek was that?
Mr. Edward Putz: Over there by University Drive.
Mrs. Robertson: Right across from the Hilton.
Mr. Edward Putz: Did you get your eye put out over there?
Mrs. Taylor: No, I got it put out at home.
Mr. Edward Putz: Oh I thought shoot you in the eye.
Page -7-
6
Mrs. Taylor: No, I got it put out at home. Only thing it was a big creek where that tall
building is there where on University Drive, and the Cooner's lived back there.
And,oneday that lady Mrs. Marthie, told us not to go play in that creek because they
throw trash and all that in there. We said ok. When didn't listen to here like we suppose
to, so we went ahead and played in it, and her daughter went in the creek and that tank
there and she cut her foot they had to take her to the hospital to get some stitches. And
she said I don't feel sorry for you, because I told you not to go in there, and you went
anyway. For she' deceased now. Gladys Cooner she's one of the (Mr. Henry - cut in).
Mr. Henry: We, some of us didn't have the toys and supervision that they have today,
and we use to have to make our,
Mrs. Taylor: We used corn tops with haywire on them for horns, and match horses.
Snuff bottles for bulls, and cows. That's what we played with, because we didn't have it.
But, in one time when the Cooner's lived there at the (Where they had all that Conner's
addition) where Luby's is, and they were going to move there house from there to on
Cooner street, behind Cooner Street down the end of Cooner Street to where they still
had there land so he had sold all that. And ah, so they moved it that weekend and it come
a big flood and right there in front of the Motel, right next to the new Motel that just been
built on there on the right hand side, before you get to Fajita Rita.
Mr. Eddie Putz: Super 8.
Mrs. Taylor: Right next to that where that little oh BBQ stand was, well it wasn't
anything there then but a big gully, and they moved Mr. Irvin, house there and they were
going to wait for the next Monday to move it. Well what happen, it come a flood that
weekend, and of course, there house was up high; and they couldn't move it until it
completely dried, and they had to stay there in that house, for I don't know how long
before it was ever moved. That was the funniest looking thing, that house just sitting in
the water. You couldn't see anything, but water. Until they could move it back on the
end of Cooner street.
Mr. Henry: Charlene Taylor, what, how do you spell that name. Cooner, do you have
that spelling?
Mrs. Taylor: Cooner, yea, that's the one that own where Luby's is and also where, back
towards the TV Station. We use to play all back in there, cause we didn't have any other
place to go you know. We didn't have any neighbors. We had to walk from there in front
of University Towers to the intersection where that service station, Chevron service
station it was house grocery store there called Louis Mais. We all use to gather there and
catch the bus everyday, and then you come home.
Page -8-
7
Mr. Henry: Can you remember any other family names that back in those early days
there that you want to recall that you want to record there.
Mrs. Taylor: Yea it was a whole bunch of them
Mrs. Taylor: Jean and I have been reminiscence. Yea the Brien, George Brien, Francis,
and Roger, weren't it Roger Brien. And the Myers, use to have a lumber yard, behind
where LaQ vita Inn is. There use to be a lumber yard there, and he raised 4 of his
grandchildren there in that lumber yard. Of course there were Jean Robertson, Ren
Harper off of University Drive where Black Eyed Pea is, that use to be the Ring Harper's
there, and then the Schotzskys lived across the street from there, Frank Schotzskys, and
Ross and Roger Hill, they were on the corner where that new Exxon Service Station.
(inaudible) right next to them and Wil Smidt, and grandma Wison lived there then her
son and his wife. Lived beside the highway there. Then the Griske, lived across the road
where that Chevron Service Station, where University Tower is.
Mr. Edward Putz: Griske was the first mayor wasn't he?
Mrs. Taylor: Charlie Griske,
Mr. Edward Putz: He was the first mayor of College Station
Mrs. Taylor: And he had a photography shop for A &M College
Mr. Henry: Who was the first mayor of College Station?
Mr. Edward Putz & Mrs. Taylor: Charlie Griske
Mr. Henry: That's spelled with a G.
Mrs. Taylor: Charlie Griske, he had a house there and some rent property to.
Mr. Herny: Ok, lets see if you can remember any of your teachers in school there, and
the activities at school that you caught off of school. Either of the three of you mainly
Mrs. Robertson: I had Mrs. Holzman in the third grade, Mrs. Bright, Mrs. Slutter, was
the first grade teacher.
Mrs. Taylor: Mrs. Slue was my first grade teacher, and Ms. McGee.
? ?: Mrs. Smith.
Page -9-
8
Mr. Henry: Tell me about your church activities or social activities, this sort of things
back in those early days, what did you have that you could remember there?
Mrs. Taylor: We went to the movies, we went skating. We use to walk to the
Cheveron.
Mr. Henry: Ok where did you go to the movies, where was it?
Mrs. Taylor: In Bryan, it wasn't one out in College Station. We had to walk down to
the four corners there were Skaggs - Albertson is to catch the bus and ride into Bryan, and
go skating or go to the movies and then come back to catch the bus, and go home.
Mrs Robertson: Now we skated at the Administration Building at the parking lot.
Mrs. Taylor: And then you would go when you had the skating ring that use to come
here you know. They would travel different places, they would stay a month or two. We
use to go skating there.
Mr. Edward Putz: You never would go to the free concerts on the campus did you?
Mr. Taylor: I didn't.
Mr. Edward Putz: They use to have them every Sunday.
Mr. Henry: Now was that at Gyan Hall.
Mr. Taylor: I guess I did to, I may have years ago.
Mr. Henry: Some of them you use to slip in to the movies there, and crawl through the
window.
Mr. Edward Putz: They were free.
Mrs. Taylor: They use to give us knothole ticket at school to go to the football games.
Mr. Henry: Tell us about you mention Football games at A &M. Can you remember
some of those early games and some of the activities around that, and if you went or if
any families going.
Mrs. Taylor: I never did go, I didn't care about it. I would always give my ticket away.
If they gave us knothole tickets. Then later they charged us 25 cents for them.
Page -10-
9
Mr. Henry: It was free at first there. Free movies at Gyan Hall, and free knothole
tickets, and then later on 25 cents to into the end zone.
Mrs. Taylor: Use to have graduation at Gyan Hall. Consolidated had graduation at
Gyan Hall.
Mr. Henry: See like Bill, was saying then there seem like that changed the face of the
campus changed. You mentioned riding the bus into Bryan. What did that cost? What
did that cost to ride the bus in there?
Mrs Taylor: It probably a nickel or time.
Mr. Henry: Was the train available for you to go on then?
Mrs. Taylor: No we didn't have a train. We had a train that came through the campus.
But this was just going into Bryan.
Mr. Henry: It didn't stop
Mrs. Taylor: We use to have a trolley.
Mr. Henry: Do you remember the trolley?
Mrs. Taylor: No, I don't. My parents told me about the trolley. It was there where
Cavitt Street. That's where the trolley was.
Mr. Henry: Ok, can you remember when they put Hwy. 6 through here? Like Bill, was
talking about, and they had to change the face of the campus.
Mrs. Taylor: Sure do, because we were living there, right now. It wasn't nothing but a
cow trail in front of our house. From Bryan to Navasota more less College Station. And
we had to go to that were the Chevron Station is and go down to four corners and get on
the bus or either go to town. Either go to Bryan or College, that's the only way we could
go. It wasn't nothing, but a cow trail, just a dirt road. And all where we lived nothing but
a pasture.
Mr. Henry: Do you remember when they put the Highway in there. Highway 6. In the
30's 38's?
Mr. Edward Putz: 32, I think My brother worked on it
Page -11-
10
Mr. Henry: Ok as far as transportation, and where you shopped, and that sort of thing
what. Tell me about shopping experience with the family.
Mrs. Robertson: Well there was a grocery store at the corner of University Drive and
Hwy. 6. Mais grocery. The Broskie, had a grocery store. There was a Burkhalter
grocery store south and most of the people shopped in those stores right there. There was
a Mais grocery on the corner, they lived next door. There was Myers lumber yard and
then the Breins, and then there was a house, I can't remember who lived in that house, and
the Burkhalter's and our house and the Burkhalter's grocery store and then his brother
build the beer joint White Way Cafe. And on down was a blue top courts and white
(inaudible) and (inaudible) McCall Service Station where going South.
Mr. Henry: Ok, who were the early builders and businesses that at the Eastgate? Can
you call those others that you haven't mention. I know you have mention several all
ready.
Mrs. Taylor: The Burkhalter's were one of the main builder's. Norton Burkhaulder, and
Delmar Burkhalter. They were the main builders.
Mr. Henry: When did the Culpepper's come in and start building in that area? Do you
remember when that was?
Mr. Eward Putz: 38 I think
? ?: 38 or 39 somewhere along there.
Mr. Henry: Let's talk about your military
(inaudible)
Mr. Edward Putz: We use to drive cows across that thing when they build that new
road. We had to rope them and drag them across. We use to take them through the
campus over there where the stadium is. They had a place where we could ship them over
to Fort Worth.
Mr. Henry: I guess they had the pigs, and hogs and cows all around this and rabbits and
everything around, where the campus is.
Mrs. Taylor: Well it was a dairy there behind the school there, where the new area is,
where the dorms are "Duncan Hall" is the Doublebounder's had a dairy back there. And
we use to go over there and play. With the Bonner, kids.
Page -12-
11
Mr. Henry: I know the interview I did in Southgate were I would ask them where they
had entertainment they say over on campus at A &M, and who the leaders were.
Everything I would ask them it was A &M over there. A &M was such a big factor back in
those days, out here in this particular area that was the main thing seem like. Is that the
way you found it to be?
Mrs. Taylor: The campus kids and the rural kids.
Mr. Henry: You want to tell us about that?
Mrs. Taylor: If you were a campus kid you were find, but if you a your kid your stepped
aside.
Mr. Henry: Well do you remember some of the leaders of the active school board or
whatever here in forming the community here ?
Mrs. Taylor: W.D. Bunting was one and Mr. Langford, Alvin Langford, and
Mr. Putz: Culford
Mrs. Taylor: Who?
Mr Putz: Culford, wasn't that his name?
Mrs. Taylor: Culford's daddy.
Mr. Henry: What did the war years mean to this community? What was, you were not
station near here? You were on four years and then came back here. Tell me about those
war years there if you can, and what you remember about that in this community, and
how it effected the community here.
Mr. Edward Putz: Well, when I went into the service they moved the Navy here to the
college, A &M, and I got in the Navy . They shipped me overseas for about (6) six
months. I stayed on Uhaberdies, Okinawa Island. We were getting ready to go to Japan
when they dropped that bomb saved us.
Mr. Henry: Ok you felt like that was all right, since you didn't have to go to Japan
imagine. I have a brother who was in that outfit to.
Mr. Edward Putz: We were sitting over there ready to go, you know when they
dropped that bomb, and Coreman he told us so many lies, so we didn't want to believe
him when they say that dropped that bomb, but we went on and believed him, it was really
true at that time.
Page -13-
12
Mr. Eddie Putz: What did it do to the community?
Mrs. Robertson: Well it really didn't affect Bryan and College Station. We had the
sailors here, and the Marines came in.
Mrs. Taylor: And they were stationed here, and then the Airforce out in Bryan field . It
moved in and it was all mixed together.
Mr. Henry: Do you remember what happen after the war in regards to the annexed out
there, the Bryan Airfield? Did you call that? I know when I started here at A &M in 47
the kept freshman out there. I was wondering if you could remember those.
Mr. Edward Putz: I went to Body school there 2 to 3 years.
Mr. Henry: Is that Veterans.
Mr. Edward Putz: Yes Veteran.
Mr. Henry: That was a big thing. Alot of students came back here that were Veterans,
and helped the enrollment there, I'm sure. That's the reason they had to open the annexed,
for the freshman out around 47.
Mr. Henry: Is there anything relating to your jobs, and businesses that your family had
that you want to share with us here?
Mr. Edward Putz: I labored on the farm, raised cows.
Mrs. Taylor: Well my mother worked at the laundry, sewing on buttons at night. She
worked from I think it's 5:30 to 2:00 the next morning or 2:30. They had two shifts at the
laundry. She set there at the machine, and she sewed on buttons.
Mr. Henry: Now the laundry is at A &M?
Mrs. Taylor: Yes, behind Chigger Homes.
Mr. Henry: When I started here the (audible) the first two years, and we had uniforms
we wore, and the laundry, and she worked in that laundry.
Mrs. Taylor: She worked there, well then she was a sub - station supervisor, she retired
from that years ago. To the Aggies we use to sit on our front porch between us and
Skaggs it just wasn't anything. No house or anything. There was a little airport there,
Page -14-
13
Mrs. Taylor: and we sit on the front porch, and watch the Aggies march in from supper
from Sbisa Hall, and the band played . It was a lithe bittie airport right there were the
veteran houses is now.
Mr. Henry: Did you ever see them hitchhike out of here and so forth?
Mrs. Taylor: Sure did.
Mr. Henry: Where would they form this line, and do all that? So they wouldn't be up
streaming somewhat?
Mrs. Taylor: Just anywhere, where ever they wanted.
Mr. Edward Putz: Anywhere along Highway 6.
Mrs. Robertson: I thought they had a main spot, where they stood right at each gate of
course they changed the roads and widen, but they had a little spot where the guys would
stand, and somebody would come by and pick them uh up.
Mr. Edward Putz: But they go along the highway though to. They just stood out
there.
Mrs. Taylor: And during fish day .
Mr. Edward Putz: Fished stopped the train.
Mr. Henry: Do you remember there, where they stopped the train? Tell us about what
you remember about that? I have an uncle that has told me a little bit about that. It's
back in 38 or 39 of somewhere, where they had a good football team, and it wouldn't stop
here. Tell me about it.
Mr. Edward Putz: Kimbro and old Marshall Robnet, they would have parties down in
our pasture, and we BBQ from goat have beer; and they'll have out there every two to
three weeks.
Mr. Henry: Now there was a football team.
Mr. Edward Putz: Yea, Cassey, and what's the guy name that runs the Northgate, they
use to give it to them. Hersel Burgess, he was playing cute; he was playing on the team.
Mr. Henry: That was the National Championship Team.
Page -15-
14
Mr. Henry: Your talking about as far as having beer. Did they drink other things? Was
it homebred, did you say?
Mr. Edward Putz: Yea, just beer. Yea, they use to have homebrew.
Mrs. Robertson: It was a dry county. So it had to be homebrew or go across the Brazos
River.
Mr. Eddie Putz: Grandpa use to run a little, now this is here say
Mr. Henry: Ok, now don't say anything that you don't want repeated here you know
Mr. Eddie Putz: But grandpa use to make real homebred, and yea we use to party.
Mrs. Robertson: My daddy did to. Made homebrew.
Mr. Henry: In those days, beer was sold here locally? Is that right?
Mr. Eddie Putz: No.
Mr. Henry: No beer.
Mrs. Robertson: No it was dry. Brazos county was dry in those days.
Mr. Henry: Well I know there was time you would have to go across the river to buy
alcohol.
Mr. Edward Putz: Yea, whiskey
Mrs. Pate: To buy anything.
Mrs Taylor: Old Avalon Club had to go across there.
Mr. Henry: And when did that condition change? Do you remember was after
probitsion?
Mrs. Pate : Brazos was dry when I was growing up.
Mrs. Taylor: Brazos was dry for along time.
Mrs. Pate: When did it change? I didn't live here. My husband was in the Army for (20
years, and we did not live here between (63 and 83) so I suppose it was the 70's
sometimes or late 60's, I don't know.
15
Mrs. Pate: You'rr probably right, it probably was around that time. I married and moved
away from here at the end of 63. (I married in January & moved away in August.)
Mr. Eddie Putz: I don't remember because Adolph had,
(inaudible)
Mr. Henry- Ok, let's me get back to one talking at a time. I'm sure it's going to be a hard
time. Eddie, your younger. What are your early regulation of College Station?
Mr. Eddie Putz: I'm just dropping a bucket compared to these folks. From what I can
remember.
Mrs. Robertson: He was a baby,
Mr. Eddie Putz: Yea, I'm telling you. I just remember, you know, I use to play in the
woods which is now Subdivision, and it's just unreal of what it's done. Ah, over the years,
places I use to play in as a kid, and hunt as a kid. It's all developed, the creeks I use to
play in covered up, and there a building sitting on them.
Mr. Henry: Where did you go to school?
Mr. Eddie Putz: Right here at A &M Consolidated.
Mr. Henry: And, now when did you start here, do you know the years?
Page -16-
Mr. Eddie Putz: No, I don't remember what year it was. I went to first grade right over
here. I can't remember my first grade teacher, it's a shame.
Mr. Henry: Gail, did you start here too?
Mrs. Gail Pate: Yes sir I did. I had Ruth Wilcox, in first grade.
Mr. Henry: Now is it her husband a commissioner? Was that the one.
Mrs. Pate: No, I don't believe so. Ruth Wilcox married a man named Brown.
Mr. Henry: And so you, how long did you go to school here?
Mr. Eddie Putz: Through the (8th) eighth grade.
16
Page -17-
Mr. Henry: Through the eight grade. Was that your completion of the, or did you go
somewhere else?
Mr. Eddie Putz: No, I quite school,
Mr. Henry: Like your dad quite.
Mr. Eddie Putz: Yea, the eighth grade. I had the father figure, I guess.
Mr. Eddie Putz: Back in my day education wasn't a big factor if you had a trade. I
worked all my life. I've been around work, worked on the farm. I had cattle, I knew
what I wanted to do. I wanted to get into learning how to cut meat, and wholesaling
plate. I learned how to cut meat, and worked at several stores over the years. I've had
my own business now for a little over seventeen years.
My Henry: That's meat business? And that's in Bryan?
Mr. Eddie Putz: Yes, the past changed.
Mr. Henry: Let's see your dad, I want to go back to his training there after the war.
You said you went to GI School there. What was that trade again?
Mr. Edward Putz: Body work.
Mr. Henry: Did you follow that?
Mr. Edward Putz: No, I didn't follow that. I went back to buying cattle.
Mr. Henry: Buying cattle. Are you in the meat business to?
Mr. Edward Putz: No, Pm a farmer, a catttle man.
Mr. Henry: And who's in the business with you Eddie? Do you have other family
members.
Mr. Eddie Putz: Ah, original I was in partners with my brother, younger brother Bill,
and we split up in 1987, and he's no longer in the business.
Mr. Henry: Those he live in the community here?
Mr. Eddie Putz: He lives in Bryan.
17
Mr. Henry: What's his business relations?
Mr. Eddie Putz: Right now, he just went back to cutting meat, and he works at Super
Wal -mart. Sad, but true.
Mr. Henry: Gail, what, what you would like to wherever you want to jump in there, and
tell us you had a story about where you were born here, and how you went to school
here, and so forth, don't let me tell it. What you were telling me earlier. About your
experience here.
Mrs. Pate: Well I was born in Bryan, lived in College Station all my life, until I went
away to college, and married. But my dad was an A &M professor, and my mother taught
school at Stephen F. Austin High School in Bryan for about fifteen years.
Mr. Henry: What field?
Page -18-
Mrs. Pate: Taught Geography. My parents came to College Station in 1934. My dad
taught at A &M until he retired in 1968. We lived in the same house when I was growing
up, the address is 602 Bell, it's in the College Park Area. It's a block off of Park Place
between Welsh and Hereford. And, that's where I grew up.
Mr. Henry: Do you remember all of your neighbors there.?
Mr. Pate: Rebecca Lloyd, still lives in her house on Park Place, and across the street was
the Schembers, and they still live there, but they didn't live there when I was real small.
Mr. Henry: Did your folks build the house there? Do you know the builders of the
house there?
Mr. Pate: I know the people who owned it before we did, but I don't know the original
owners. A family name Bonnen, owned it before we did. But, I heard later that they
were not the original owners, and I'm not sure who was. Vera Brison, told me one time
before she passed away that the Bonnen, was not the original owners, but I don't know
who was.
Mrs. Taylor: Mrs. Fleming lives over that way to.
Mrs. Pate: Oh, she didn't live that far from me, she lives closer to A &M, on Fairview, at
Fairfiew and Bush right there. I think she still lives there.
Mr. Henry: Ok, can you tell us about your social activities, and religious activities.
Some people that you remember back in those days.
18
Mrs. Taylor: Check with Mrs. Leighton.
Page -19-
Mrs. Pate: Well my mother taught alot of the kids square dancing before she started
teaching school. I actually went five years to College Station schools right here. I had
Ruth Wilcox, Ms Dulaney, Mrs. Leighton, ah Helen Perry, for forth grade, and Pearl
Tanzer, for fifth grade. And my mother was teaching school in Bryan around that time,
so my sister and I went to Junior High and Highschool in Bryan so we rode to school with
my mother. So at that time I knew most of the people in College Station and Bryan.
What I really want to find out ( Mrs. Pate had a picture or a house divided in half,
and a picture of the oldest black church in College Station). In 1938 my father's
brother was an artist, and he was in the area from Iowa, he was down here visiting us.
And there was a family that divorced, and they divided everything in half, and they cut the
house in half, and it was in Repliey's Believe it or not, or I heard it was. I would like to
find out the family, and the exact the location.
Mrs. Pate: She's working on it for me, and Mrs. Delley is working on it for me. I'm
going to find out one of these days.
Mrs. Robertson: She told me that story.
Mr. Edward Putz: I thought that was Bryan that cut that house.
Mrs. Pate: It was right out here in College Station some place I think, but I don't know.
Mr. Edward Putz: You know where Redfield's is? They cut that one in two.
Mrs. Pate: Right behind there. I know where that is to. But anyway I heard this was in
College Station. In the meantime he painted this church too, we're trying to find out
about this too. Now I can't part with these, but Mrs. Delley, has a copy, and I might get
some more made. Somebody told me this morning that this might be a church on
Holleman.
Kymberli Rucker- I think she said that it could have been St. Matthew's Church
Mrs. Pate: Is that the right one? Mrs. Delley says that St. Matthew's Church is the
church my uncle painted.
Kymberli Rucker: Umm.
19
Mrs. Pate: Maybe so that could be right. I don't know. And she thought this house
might be on Fairview, or was at one time, probably not there now. But she thought that
might be where it was, and it was a black family also.
Page -20-
Mr. Henry: Ok, I was wondering if anyone want to tell us about the Adults up bringing
here, as far as marriage, husband, spouses, anything regarding that A &M or College
Station background? (Audible)
Mrs. Pate: Yes, Sir, back then nearly all the children took swimming from Art Adamson,
and I did that of course. Everybody else did too. Some of us who enjoyed it a whole lot
were pretty good swimmers & we helped him teach some of the classes. And my husband
when he was in school took a Water Safety Instructor class from him in the Spring, and
was in Summer school that Summer, and was one of the lifeguards, and that's were I met
my husband, at the swimming pool. But, that's the summer I met my husband was 1961.
Mr. Henry: And he was in the service, and you left with him in the service?
Mrs. Pate: Yes, we married just before he finished A &M, and went to the service for
twenty years. We moved back here in 1983.
Mr. Henry: What changes did you see, when you came back here?
Mrs. Pate: Oh, lots. Lot more development, lot more people. But it's still a good place
to live.
Mrs. Taylor: Amen
Mrs. Pate: I wouldn't live any place else.
Mr. Henry: Tell me about Loupot.
? ?: He's not here today because he's probably in bad health. But Lou helped meaning
little boys in Little League. Buying shoes and baseball gloves, and bats for those kids, and
I want everybody to know that.
Mr. Henry: Now he still lives in Eastgate?
? ?: He lives on Walton.
Mrs. Taylor: And another one is Luke Paranella.
20
Mrs. Pate: And his wife is not in good health either. They lived up the street from me at
the end of Ayrshire, what use to be Old Jersey.
Mrs. Taylor: The home economic class would die and boil the Easter eggs and color
them. Lou Patranella, always furnished the eggs for Easter each year. Will have it at the
park off of Dexter. That's where we use to have the Easter egg hunt (Brison Park).
Mrs. Pate: That's real close to where I grew up.
Mr. Henry: That's named at Fred Brison?
Mrs. Pate: Fred Brison was a horticulture Professor.
Mr. Henry: That's what I was trying to say. He was a pecan man.
Mrs. Taylor: But anyway, Luke Patranella, always furnished the eggs for that one.
Then later they moved in to Hensel.
Kymberli Rucker: Spell his last name please.
Mrs. Taylor: Patranella.
Mr. Henry: Any other Leaders or PTA groups or Civic organization you were active in
or know about that helped with the development here?
Mrs. Taylor: Yea, Mr. Dulaney, he use to be over where the City Council. We lived on
(inaudible) right off of University close to where Black -Eyed Pea is. That road is in a
mess, always was; there was so much traffic cutting from one street to another. Mr.
Dulaney, is the one that got that rode paved the ones on that street. He has been up and
down that street so many times he knew what kind of pavement, and Mr.Dulaney, was
over the top at City Hall on the City Council. He's the one that got that road paved for
u s.
Mr. Edward Putz: Oh, we liked it. It was good.
Page -21-
Mr. Henry: I was particular interested back in those times you were telling about the
football players here, and I was wondering if you wanted to elaborate on that anymore,
and about the train business. Funny activities seem like, students were, how were they
taken by the community. In other words, how did that impact on family members living
here at that time?
Mrs. Taylor: Well I worked with John Crow's wife, and John Route's wife, she was real,
her, family had plenty of money. Then the wives weren't suppose to go with the players
21
to the ball games and all, exceptional the one's out of town. What they would do was
wait until they flew out, and then they'll take off from work, and get on the plane and fly
over there to them. And of course they always had a spu, because they didn't suppose to
Page -22-
Mrs. Taylor: go with them, they say it interfered with the ball game when the wives
went to watch, but they would always take off and go with them. John Crow wife,
Route's wife. They would always go with them.
Mr. Henry: The airport is really been making it really convenient for them to fly out of
here. Is it anything regarding the airport and the air field you want to state, transportation
wise?
Mrs. Taylor: It use to be a little airport in front of Veteran Housing was, were the
barracks was. Mr. Garretton, he use to have his little gig and his horse, he use to go
around, and around. We use to sit on the front porch and watch him We use to sit on the
porch and watch just about anybody, because there wasn't any houses or anything there.
We enjoyed it. Because we couldn't get out, and go anywhere we didn't have ways to go
like we do now. Then the students on fish day the upper classmen they were scared to
death of the fish, because they would do everything they could to them. All though the
fish knew they would get caught the next day, and where my parents lived, we lived there
between Luby's and University Towers it was all nothing but pastures, and you could see
heads popping up in that pasture because those boys. And mother use to rent rooms out
to the students here, they didn't have rooms for people to stay in ( the boys) and there
girls would come down, and they want places to stay in, and people would rent there
rooms out to the girls, and let them stay. They'll tell mother, Mrs. Percey, now I'm going
to be out there today now don't you be calling the cops for me, because tomorrow fish
day, and we've got to hid out. You could see them and here them out there in the woods
moving around, getting away from the freshmen
Mr. Henry: Tell me about Community Services, and Facilities in particular. Was safety
any problem back then, police protection, and this sort of thing, theft?
Mrs. Robertson, Mrs. Taylor: We did not need it.
Mrs. Robertson: You could leave your doors unlock. You could walk down the street
back in the pasture or whatever, and there was never any problem. It was safe.
Everything was safe.
Mrs. Pate: We use to leave our front door wide open, just had the screen there, many
nights, heck it was too hot, no air conditioning.
Mrs. Taylor: My poe folks did not even have a key to there house.
22
Mr. Edward Putz: We didn't even have one to lock.
to.
Mrs. Robertson: You went to Bryan to go shopping, and you left the house unlock.
You never missed anything.
Mr. Edward Putz: The only they would do is steal a few watermelon.
Page -23-
Mr. Henry: How was the Bonfire handled around here? Is that any problem?
Mr. Edward Putz: We use to get and outdoor thing every year. (Laughter).
Mr. Henry: Toilet removed huh? They put it in the Bonfire
Mr. Edward Putz: They did that several of times.
Mr. Henry: So you would get a new one every year. That's for in door plumbing.
Mr. Eddie Putz: Even when I was a kid, we never locked our door; never had any need
Mr. Henry: Well WI had a relative or know of a relative, but still they had a skeleton
key to get in. You could buy a skeleton for a dime.
Mr. Eddie Putz: That's a type of lock that we did have was an old skeleton key, but
never had to lock them, that's for sure.
(inaudible)
Mr. Henry: But, as far as electricity, who provided that, and water and sewage, and so
forth?
Mr. Edward Putz: We did not have electricity.
Mrs. Robertson: Coal oil lamps and stoves for cooking - wood stoves to heat with.
(inaudible)
Mr. Henry: Up into when? Would the C.O.O.P. come in and help in the 30's there?
Mr. Edward Putz: When Roosevelt, 33 or 34.
23
Mr. Henry: What even of you remember Roosevelt, being here? What do you recall
about that?
Mrs. Pate: That's before my time, I don't remember.
Page -24-
Mrs. Taylor: I went to see him And I have gotten me a brand new pair of shoes to go.
And my shoes hurt, I wore them to school, and they started hurting my feet, and I pulled
them off, and I went barefooted.
Mrs. Robertson: When I was (6 or 7) is when Electrical Lines went through though,
because, it was right before Christmas because my dad went to buy string lights to put on
the Christmas tree.
Mr. Henry: Was there somewhere around 33 or 34?
Mrs. Robertson: I was born in 28, so about when I was 6 or 7' somewhere along there.
Mrs. Taylor: And we use to have snow here. We have snow here for 2 or three weeks
at a time.
Mrs. Robertson: Use to go ice skating on the tank by your house.
Mr. Henry: That was C.O.O.P electricity wasn't it, didn't we get a fund for that
Everyone REA
Mrs. Taylor: It is very cheap then.
Mr. Henry: And that was for the county, is that right?
Mr. Edward Putz, Mrs. Taylor: Yes
Mr. Henry: And I don't know if you want to bring up any issue about that or not.
Mrs. Robertson: Well we had no choice. (Laughter).
Mr. Henry: And about water and sewage, you didn't have that until when?
Mr. Edward Putz: Until we got into the city.
Mrs. Taylor: We had a well in back of our house.
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Mrs. Robertson: Whenever College Station became a city. That's when we had water.
Thirty eight (38) wasn't it?
Page -25-
Mr. Henry: Ok how about Health Facilities, and doctor's. Do you remember any of
those? What were your facilities, hospital was that in Bryan? Where was the doctors, and
who were they?
Mrs. Taylor: Wasn't nothing, but a few doctors.
Mrs. Pate: Turner Walton was ours
Mrs. Taylor: Umm, and Dr. Wilkerson, Dr. Richardson, they were the main ones.
Mrs. Pate: Dr. Marsh.
Mr. Henry: Was any of them here in College Station?
Mr. Edward Putz: Marsh, was College Station.
Mrs. Robertson: In 42 ah TT and TO came down to the building where the Zoning and
Planning. TT built it for TO. When he got out of the service. But TT came out a couple
of morning a week, and a couple of nights.
Mrs. Pate: Because that's were we usually went. And there was only the Bryan
Hospital, and the St. Joseph Hospital.
Mrs. Taylor: And, Dr. Walton, built, Bryan Hospital.
Mrs. Pate: Yea, I was born in that old Bryan Hospital.
Mrs. Robertson: I was born at home.
Mr. Henry: Were there any serious outbreaks of fevers or whatever during your tenure
you remember, problems with health problems?
Mrs. Pate: I don't remember anything, there might have been something.
Mrs. Taylor: Didn't have any problems like we do now.
(inaudible)
25
Mr. Henry: Ok, some of you were farmers, and talked about the rural area, and you say
some distinctions there anything regarding that you wanted to tell about? Said some of
rural, and they were thought of differential then the one that went to school?
Page -26-
Mrs. Taylor: Well we was in a rural area, but all we had was cows. We didn't have
anything else, but cows.
Mrs. Robertson: Well my daddy worked for the University out at the Poultry
Department so we didn't farm, except to raise our own food.
Mrs. Taylor: We had our own garden.
Mrs Robertson: Right, we had a hog, and killed that hog every Fall, and had a cow had
milk, and butter; and our own garden.
Mr. Edward Putz: We use to go out on ribbon cane, and make our own sugar.
Mr.Henry: Was there other types of jobs available other than at the University?
Mr. Edward Putz: That was about it.
Mrs. Robertson: Most people worked for A &M somehow, or they didn't live here.
Mr. Taylor: That's right, that's the only place they had to go to work.
Mr. Edward Putz: Well that had WPA.
Mrs. Robertson: Unless you had a small business, you worked at the University.
Mr. Henry: I don't have alot of other questions I'm just trying to bring out some
discussion among you here, it's 11:20 now. I don't know if you have any other
commitments here, but we got alot of information I think here. I appreciate you being in
here for this. Do you have something else here?
Mr. Eddie Putz: Well I just want to throw something in here. You know when I was a
kid of course daddy didn't say, but ah the black community off of Lincoln most of that
area was some parts of the Putz Family that we broke up that we cut into lots. I
remember that when I was a kid, and I heard that the city come ask to have that done
or dad and grandpa just did that on his own. But I mean there is alot of black families, of
course when I was growing up, I played with more black people probably then what I did
kids, I mean white kids, ah, of course names I don't remember. I know nicknames rabbit,
and a few of them, which I think rabbit is gone now.
26
Mr. Henry: Is Preston Smith.
Page -27-
Mr. Eddie Putz: Preston, Tommy Preston, we use to coon hunt together when I was a
kid.
Mrs. Robertson: Booker T. Washington
Mr. Eddie Putz: Yea, old Booker T., and Isaiah. Old beer joint up there Ethel and
Frank Banks, use to have alot of good ole gambling parties back off in our creeks when I
was a kid, there were some old gullies down there that I guess right there across from
Hilton, back in some creeks there. There's some creeks down there 40 to 50 foot deep
covered up. There's an old dump ground that use to be there to.
Mrs. Taylor: Well we just mixed and mingled with everybody then, black and white, and
everybody mixed in.
Mr. Eddie Putz: When I was a kid I use to after they, after Saturday night I would
always go back, they use to do a little shooting craps, and what not. I use to go pickup
the nickel's, and the dimes. (Laughter) But, that was a big deal. But grandpa did sell alot
of stuff to alot of black people just to know, dollar down dollar a week almost you know.
Of course I remember I use to go down and help daddy with the tape measure. I don't
guess our surveying was that great back then, but they'll find a stake and were survey it
off.
Mr. Henry: This is kind of a melting pot actually I guess here, there's alot of families
that came in my aunt sisters came in, and got married in 1820, and came to this county so
thought that battle of San Jacinto, and I'm the fifth generation that has lived here up in my
family, and the Robert Henry Chapter DRT is named after him in Bryan. But what I was
saying his one Ireland is the point I was trying to make. But there's people here from
Czechoslovakia alot of Italians, and so forth. I don't know all the nationality, but it's kind
of a melting bolt. I wonder if any of you have anything to say there?
Mr. Edward Putz: Daddy moved here, and he use to run a gin, first store in College
Station.
Mrs. Robertson: Well there was the Renghoters which were German, and then their was
the Mais, that were Czech. We were Czech, the Putz's were Czech, the Visoski's were
Czech, the Burkhalters were , I don't know. It was a variety of nationality.
Mr. Henry: Skrivanek I guess that's what is?
27
Everyone - Czech
Mr. Henry: He's read several books.
Mr. Putz: I saw him on TV, I saw a deal about him I haven't seen him lately.
Page -28-
Mr. Henry: I heard where they all got a long, worked together, they all formed a Union,
and this sort of thing.
Mrs. Taylor: Everybody got along just find.
Mrs. Pate: When was the Mobil filling station built that was owned by John Bravenec as
far back as I go, and then some. When was that built?
Mrs. Robertson: Well it was before Dr. Walton's building was built. That service station
was there. Between Luke's Grocery. Bravenec service was right between there.
(Audible)
Mr. Henry: Bill Kling, is back there running this video. Do you have any comments you
want to make on this tape. They can here you well out there.
Mrs. Robertson: Your being real quite.
Mr. Kling: No I think a success of a pretty good record of what went on here
(Audible).
Mrs. Taylor: It's been alot of changes.
Mr. Henry: Yea, I started here in 47 as I said, and started Annexing, and then I came in
to track here, and on Campus, and that was real nice, but I had alot of students that were
back, and my brother came back from the service, after being wombed over in Germany,
and studied to be a doctor. He decided after being shot five times that he rather try to
save peoples lives, and I went back to Germany with him in May, and that was real
interesting with those that have been there, and here what all they went through. But he
said when he been here as a freshman in the Aggieband he been through so much he didn't
think anything else would bother him "Laughter ". He shared some of those experiences
with us there, but I was here from 47 -51, and then moved back here in 76. So I lived
here about (25 years). But I was county extension Agent up Northeast Texas for about
(22 years), and when I moved back here I started working with Agricultural
Extension Service, in the Economic Department, and traveled in a thirty three county
area and did alot of interviewing with women about where they bought stuff, and why and
so forth. It was kind of interesting what they told me. But, I'm with First Baptist Church,
and were doing some oral history over there, and Bill and his wife are active in that to.
28
It's real interesting, and study what happens in the past here. But things have grown so
fast here, and I guess about the 50's you know when all them came back you know with
the Citrus study made possible for the women to come here. I think that was a big think
that caused a big change here. It was eccentric for me to set up the organization here.
29