wendyps Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 So, spurned on by the discussions, I went to the history room at the old library downtown on Friday and has SO MUCH FUN! There were books, and maps and picutres! I could/will spend hours in there! In under an hour I was able to find out when my house was built, and the name and occupation of one of the early (maybe first) owners. That 1913 map was there, as well as maps from LOTS of years (that is how I was able to date my street, comparing a 1920 map to a 1921 map). The books (what are they called) where you can look up a year, address and then it gives you the occupants name, and occupation were really great! There were also tons of picture books, but I didn't have time to look through them. I reccomend that as a fun and wild Friday night! p.s. I know I can't spell, I would LOVE a spell checker on here 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
west20th Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 p.s. I know I can't spell, I would LOVE a spell checker on hereSounds like fun. Have to check it out sometime. If you load the Google tool bar it has a spell checker that works on posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 (edited) it's a neat place - i think several of us here spend wild friday nights doing stuff like that Edited March 6, 2006 by sevfiv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 Well, I haven't gotten to spending my Friday nights there, but I'll admit to quite a few Saturdays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roym Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 Well, I haven't gotten to spending my Friday nights there, but I'll admit to quite a few Saturdays. What I'm wondering is would they let you copy or scan any of the maps and photos? What they could do if they let you scan photos is every time you scan one they copy it to a database and put them online somewhere - that would reduce handling of the originals... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendyps Posted March 7, 2006 Author Share Posted March 7, 2006 What I'm wondering is would they let you copy or scan any of the maps and photos? What they could do if they let you scan photos is every time you scan one they copy it to a database and put them online somewhere - that would reduce handling of the originals... I believe they let you copy the maps...I saw a board before leaving with prices. I'll let you know later as I do want to copy a couple of them. That is a great idea about the scanning, but then, great ideas that make too much sense often get left alone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnu Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 They used to have a regular old copy machine in there. i have photocopied some of the information out of the old city directories. They also used to sell poster-sized copies of the old 1920-ish map that designated all the Wards and neighborhoods on it. Unfortunately, i haven't made it there in about two years. (since my son was born ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 last time i was there (not too long ago) i made regular photocopies of newspaper clippings and also saw the maps for sale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMac Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 While recently prowling/snooping about HPL's site I read a statement from them that went on to inform me that the Main unit would close April 3rd, 2K6 and reopen late 2K7 upon completion of a $14 mil retrofit{?}ALL circulating books & film and would be available @ the Express unit downtown and 4 regional + all local branches throughout the city.ALL reference, historical & special collections will not be available during that period & the main unit will not be open to the public during the retrofit.This is sad news for me as I am in the process of selling my home and relocating to the pineywoods country of SHelbe Cnty. And upon completion of the move I was planning on spending 6 weeks {or more} doing extensive research on all aspects of the big H.Will now have to wait until sometime late 2K7. Who sez poop don't happen? RespectfullyDanny Mac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 It'll give you a good excuse to return to H-town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Otto Mation) Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 elnina999 has added a photo to the pool: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8666/16152324341_0a6505972c_m.jpg Houston, Texas  Click here to view this photo at the HAIF Photo Pool on Flickr  1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 I'll be going to Houston on Tuesday for an interview, and I'm thinking about going to downtown since it's not very far away from where my interview will be (for reference, less than 4 miles by road). My current plan is to grab lunch in the tunnels but also spend some time in the archives where old directories and what not are kept. Problem is, I don't know where this place is exactly or what times they are open, and I don't know where I can safely park my car and have a reasonable chance of something bad happening to it (towed, broken into, etc.)Â The last time me and a colleague parked in Houston, it was a Saturday and we found a relatively empty parking garage but had to pay a few dollars in cash anyway. If it's a weekday, I imagine the price will be even higher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 http://houstonlibrary.org/location/julia-ideson-building Park in the underground parking garage mentioned at the link, beneath the main library building. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UtterlyUrban Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Or park in a surface lot over by The Toyota cneter/GRB. During the week those lots will be loaded with office employee cars and are quite safe. Hoof the 8 blocks to the library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparrow Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Everything you need to know about parking in Downtown Houston: http://downtownhouston.org/resource/parking/ (Friendly tip: Often on-street parking can be had without too much circling for much cheaper than a garage--and is free after 6p if you're ever headed to an Astros or Rockets game and don't mind walking a few blocks.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFootsSocks Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 I'm surprised they don't have an online database for all the archives and what not. What exactly are you looking for, if you don't mind me asking? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 (edited) I'm surprised they don't have an online database for all the archives and what not. What exactly are you looking for, if you don't mind me asking? Well, mostly to look for directories from before the age of the Internet and after sevfiv's archives. Headliners include the following: 1) What was Exclusive Furniture at 290 and Jones? It sure looks like it was a supermarket and was built in the early 1980s, but the Houston Chronicle archives (that I access with my library card I got mailed-in) don't have the answer. Sometimes Googling the address works, sometimes it does not. (HAIF did not help either) 2) Where were the Safeway/AppleTree stores, and what were their store numbers? There are at least 26 stores unaccounted for between the initial round of closings in 1992 and when the chain was split up in late 1993. Granted, some of these could be in Austin (one of them was a Waco location for sure), but there were at least a handful in Houston, including near Kieth Harrow and Highway 6 (near the K-Mart), and where Más Club was. Those are at least the bigger questions I want answered. I'll probably discover something else cool there too. Hopefully I can share some cool stuff. Edited April 12, 2015 by IronTiger 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Should be in the Julia Ideson building second floor, at the southwest corner of Smith and McKinney. That's the archive at any rate, or they may just be in the main building next door. It might be possible to find a metered parallel parking space around City Hall or Tranquility Park on the next block north. I would try circling around a little (70/30 chance in my experience), otherwise park in the garage underneath the library (enter from Lamar), it's not expensive and you are supporting the library. Parking over there is really a lot easier than people make it out to be. Ignore the advice to park all the way over near Toyota Center or GRB, I don't see any reason why you would do that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 otherwise park in the garage underneath the library (enter from Lamar), it's not expensive and you are supporting the library. I would guess that's not true. Even the library fines go directly to the general fund, and not to the library. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 I'm back from my trip! I did visit the archives for a few hours, and did get a large part of what I wanted to know, except what "Exclusive Furniture" was. Maybe they built it later. In a few 1980s directories, the number wasn't even covered. Bummer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 I think we are all wanting to hear where you parked. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 (edited) I think we are all wanting to hear where you parked.I parked in the garage, but getting to downtown was another issue. First, I had to drive down Commerce and was on the part where the railroad spur runs down the street (deep down, I was secretly hoping that there would be some activity, as that would at least make a neat shot), then got stuck, I think, at the Fannin intersection (and I hoped I wouldn't get ticketed by a cop for blocking the intersection, I know I heard a siren turn on), then had to make sure not to repeat that incident at Main (otherwise, it'd be the end of ol' IT). I ended up parking in the garage partially because it was raining, and I eventually found myself into the parking garage below ground (and almost had to go back out of the parking lot, because I turned into the loading dock). Then I missed the lobby, so I had to get out through this grimy staircase.In the end I paid $4 for about an hour and a half, I think.I circled around the block because I missed the garage entrance, and part of that was because the bike lane (with cool zebra-patterned curbs to prevent cars getting in the lane) caught my eye. Edited April 15, 2015 by IronTiger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Pragmatist Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 (edited) Shoot, if I would've seen this earlier, there is free on-street parking on Sabine, just across the bayou. You walk through Sam Houston Park and you're at the library. Edited April 15, 2015 by The Pragmatist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIREhat Posted May 1, 2021 Share Posted May 1, 2021 The museum shared this photo of their old building on Instagram. I read this was in the Zoo. Does anyone know where, exactly? I'd love to see more about this building.  1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmac Posted May 1, 2021 Share Posted May 1, 2021 (edited) That is not the building that was located in the zoo. That is the Julia Ideson building, I believe. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Ideson_Building  Edited May 1, 2021 by gmac 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted May 1, 2021 Share Posted May 1, 2021 From the HMNS Wikipedia page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston_Museum_of_Natural_Science  First housed in Houston's city auditorium, the collection was subsequently housed in the Central Library for seven years, and then at a site in the Houston Zoo in 1929. The Julia Ideson building was the original city Central Library. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted May 1, 2021 Share Posted May 1, 2021 4 hours ago, Ross said: From the HMNS Wikipedia page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston_Museum_of_Natural_Science  First housed in Houston's city auditorium, the collection was subsequently housed in the Central Library for seven years, and then at a site in the Houston Zoo in 1929. The Julia Ideson building was the original city Central Library. and, to be clear, is still standing, in use, and looking better than ever. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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