Our Old House & The View From It
I mentioned the 'old hood' where I grew up, I-37 was our front yard, corner of Doss & Antelope. Close to Port & Leopard. A few years ago I went back, several of old trees still there, two houses long gone, the corner of property where we buried or pets that got hit by cars on Antelope (and people used to dump dogs and cats off at our place middle of night knowing my mom would care for them) but the 'pet cemetary' is corner of yard, in short video, I find a Hot Wheels car in dirt from 1960s, you can see the daily grind view of freeway, Driscoll, 600 Building & Wilson Tower over hill, the large 12 foot fences from long gone Coca Cola company still there. We had chance to sell our property for $28,000 to Coca Cola Bottling Plant in early 70s, should have taken it, would have been ticket out of this area. The sign that stretches across I-37 on hill, I scaled that and walked ACROSS traffic zipping underneath me, when I got back across street, momma had seen me and took the Hot Wheels track to my ass leaving racing stripes, so got a whippin (she called it shelealeigh) for doing something stupid This is a short video of our old property in Corpus christi, corner of Doss & Antelope st.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8got9HnXqUI&t=2s
photo #1 me standing with as usual, I-37 our front yard in background, the huge over the freeway sign pols barely visible, used to crawl over this to other side. You will NEVER SEE a photo from INSIDE our old house after hurricane Celia. 2009 Antelope or 723 Doss. NONE EXIST. The 2009 Antelope house destroyed when 500+ pound fan hit roof as we huddled under bed with 175 miles a hour winds. Grandma DeAlcala 723 Doss house was full of stuff momma stored. She was a hoarder, so almost all rooms filled to ceiling with crap.
Photo #2. Dismal industrial view from our front yard facing downtown. In this photo, I had moved from Corpus Christi in 1983, and was coming back from Houston once or twice a month to visit poppa, momma, brother Tommy who still lived in 723 Doss. The city had long abandoned this Whole area. Hell, even with frequent gunfire, no cops ever came by, and the police station was just over freeway corner of Brownlee & I-37!
Photo #3 same view of downtown except the huge green Agnes Street sign still up, not sure when it was removed. The car is a 68 AMX, behind it, all those cars were for Coca Cola employees next to us, some parked on Antelope, but this parking lot could easily fit 50+ cars for workers who would walk past our shit hole house, sometimes I was sleeping on porch in sheets as was nice breeze! I knew a LOT of the workers, one was guy who looked like Glen Campbell the singer, his buddy was tall thin guy about 6 foot 10 inches tall, I called them Bubba & Phil. If they saw me, or Tommy sleeping on porch, they would quietly walk by, to not wake us up. So did the secretary ladies.
Photo #4. About 1983, brother Tommy, momma, poppa in front of 723 Doss. They "built onto" the porch, making it basically a long bedroom, due to lack of space inside house. So good is it was screened, and breeze could go thru it, and no mosquitoes, and in a sense, a little privacy from winos, Coca Cola employees, even sailors who came around wanting to rent some of poppa's bikes to get around! The bad was still no plumbing, so had to walk around house to in back & use the outhouse thing. And if you ate at Pancho's then don't walk, RUN, and hope you make it! Watch is 10 dogs chained up too.
Photo #5. Another outside photo, hell, they ALL outside photos, this is one of the rare few with all four of us in it. Facing west, Coca Cola is just to side of dad Homer T Stakes. We are leaning on the 1970 American Motors AMX that is known as "the brochure car" as one of first made and appears in the dealer brochures, photos, was sold new from All American Motors on Water at I-37 to a fellow in Clarkwood, Texas before they had a stop light, in Aug 1969. Momma was battling cancer at this time, but STILL smiled thru the chemo. Behind Tommy, is THE HILL OF DEATH as kids we rode bikes down it, many times hit bottom fly thru air, great fun, lets do it again! If you rode brake down, it would many times eat hole in rubber bike tires, that is fine, my dad fixed bikes on the side. Straight back is Port Avenue.
Photo #6. After momma died in 1988, I fixed up a nice 1970 Javelin in Big Bad Blue & gave it to him. Was big deal in a lot of automobile magazines I write for. Late brother Tommy, me & dad. But look past this cool photo. Above Tommy's head, the roof had caved in 723 Doss. And behind fence far right, a small travel trailer is what they now living in, the remnants of 2009 Antelope fallen down house partially shown. There were three homeless missions on Leopard at this time which now, many businesses had moved, and area deteriorated...much like our old house. This is one of only 2-3 photos I have of Antelope side of house! It had survived many hurricanes back into early 1900s, was wel built, but ain't got no money, can't fix it up as time took toll. And yes, no electricity, hot water, indoor plumbing, air condition, phone, it is hell to be poor
