May 7, 2010

parkview motel

In the 1950s the Parkview Motel, located on Highway 62/82, boasted air-conditioned rooms with a restful view of Mackenzie State Park. Visitors could dine in the nearby Cliff House Restaurant, 520 East Broadway. Today, what remains of the Parkview Motel, up the hill and hidden from the roadway, are shells of the stucco rooms, still with arched doorways into the bathrooms -- still air conditioned with decorations by taggers and dopers.

May 5, 2010

courtyard

The newest boutique winery in Lubbock is McPherson Winery. McPherson retro-fitted the original Coca-Cola Bottling Company at 1615 Texas Avenue in the historic Depot District as a winery, complete with grape crusher, vats, tasting room and event area. One may sip a glass of Sangiovese and while away an afternoon in the courtyard with melodic fountain.

April 30, 2010

1502 avenue h

At the formal opening May 31, 1930, the B. E. Needles Tire & Service Station was touted as the finest and largest on the South Plains. Built at an expense of $50,000 (according to Needles), the building was exemplary of the commercial architecture of the time. Unfortunately, time and lack of funds beat out the Lubbock Heritage Society and historical preservation.

(Comments courtesy Sally Abbe, Lubbock County Historical Committee; City of Lubbock Planning Department "A Guide to Lubbock's Architectural Heritage")

April 5, 2010

sign from the past

The Lindsey Theater was an elegant movie palace, with balcony, built in 1940 at Main and Avenue J. Saturday date night would find kids from all over the area standing in line for a popular movie. One could tell the various schools because the guys all wore their letter jackets. After the movie, we'd circle the Hi-D-Ho or A&W Rootbeer or the White Pig. You couldn't "circle" the new Char-King but had to park (#4 chili-cheese is what I ordered).

The theater was razed in 1997 and all that remains is this salvaged sign -- now at home in the bay of Tornado Gallery. Maybe I'll learn that story some day.