South Main Street in Houston

A classmate, Joan Maresh Hansen (DHS '68), sent me an email message recently that had these images in it.  I'm sure many people younger than I am remember the giant fiberglass Blue Crab that sat on the entrance of Gaido's Restaurant, which was located on South Main near its intersection with the 610 Loop.  (Of course, the Loop didn't exist in those days.)  Soon after the Colt .45s began playing in 1962, Gaido's also added a giant fiberglass shrimp that wore a cowboy hat, a neckerchief, and held a pair of drawn guns toward the street.

Stadium Bowl, located a little further up the street where OST branched off to the southeast, was a favorite haunt during my high school years.  I think we may have bowled there a couple of times, but the big attraction was the large pool hall with plenty of vacant tables.  I don't know if we ever developed into hot-shots, but we always had a good time.

Stadium Bowl was actually on Braesmain a few hundred yards from its intersection with South Main.  Fronting Braesmain between the bowling alley and South Main was a gigantic swimming pool called The Gateway Pool, or The Crystal Pool.   I never knew its name until I found this online article.  I remember the Plexiglas bubble, but it was hard on my ear drums, so I didn't dive down there very often.

Of course, Prince's Drive In was a favorite place to stop before heading home.  This is a view of the main entrance on the east side of the building.