Vanishing Victoria: The boulevard : Rio Grande Avenue between Navarro and Laurent
Rio Grande Avenue, as seen in this undated photo, was once a tree-lined boulevard.
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By Gary Dunnam
I always smile when residents of Victoria refer to "the Boulevard." I arrived in 1971 and it was long gone.
I have tried in vain to find a decent photo of this stretch of Rio Grande in its heyday, but to no avail.
Rubin Frels was the first to speak of it. He remembered oleanders in the median.
Rubin has been a great resource for me. Having been born here in 1928, and paying attention to what has gone on around him, Rubin relates memories of a magnificent city, which reached its architectural zenith in the 1930s.
The evolution of this city began with the arrival of Martin de Leon in the fall of 1824.
Change has been a constant feature of our history.
Several years ago, I spoke with B.E. Leissner about the boulevard. I mentioned that someone had sworn that roses were planted its entire length.
The following response is verbatim: "The trees in the center were Arizona ash. Bordering on each side (now my memory fails a little) were either oleanders or ligustrums. Anyone who says different is just uninformed.
"I remember riding my bicycle in and out of them in a weaving pattern. Lester Giese was a country boy, but may remember.
"There was a rose garden but only at the entrance, which started set back a little way from the intersection of Laurent and Rio Grande.
"Laurent was under construction in the early '40s and my little brother and I made spending money on Saturdays pulling automobiles out of the mud with our Shetland ponies. You just had to give them a tug and you could get them to the intersecting streets that were gravel.
"There was a Grapette bottling company where Wienerschnitzel is now.
"The Patti Welder High School pep rallies on Thursday nights would start with a parade beginning at the Victoria Pharmacy and end at Patti Welder Stadium.
"They would march down the median to Laurent and turn right. A distance of eight or nine blocks. Just right on a fall evening.
"There was an old ramshackle building on the corner of Navarro and Rio Grande that was propped up on the west side with long poles to keep it from falling over and, next to that, was a vacant lot where Sally Rand set up her traveling 'exotic show.' I slipped in under the tent and got 'to see it all.'"
"The boulevard ended about 100 feet from the intersection of Rio Grande and Navarro. I shall always regret the rape of the boulevard. If you have any other questions, fire away. Those of us who were there are gradually vanishing."
I included the business about the paving of Laurent Street because there is more to the story than this.
B. E. related to me that he and his brother actually moved the traffic barriers at the entrance to Laurent Street so that motorists would unwittingly drive straight into the muddy bog where they would become mired, needing immediate attention.
In rode the valiant Leissner brothers on their trusty steeds. Once the boys had made enough spending money, they replaced the barricades and went downtown to the movies.
The mention of Sally Rand, the "exotic" fan dancer, takes me back to Rubin Frels. In order to perform her fanciful feathered flutterings, Ms. Rand required an electronic organ. The Frels family Hammond organ was dispatched to the site, and the show proceeded without a hitch.
I was told that George Filley played in the "orchestra" that accompanied her.
Thirty years later, Rubin Frels was in Fort Worth on business and saw that Sally Rand was performing at Casa Mañana. He bought a ticket, went backstage and met her. She remembered the kindness, and they laughed about it.
Others I have quizzed about the boulevard relate that it extended west of Navarro about to North De Leon Street.
I can only think that we should still have a boulevard today, and that it should be beautifully landscaped - to relieve some of the stress of driving in 21st century traffic.
Vanished From Victoria is written by Gary Dunnam and submitted by Victoria Preservation Inc.
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OldtimePhotos or anybody who can help:
I am looking for photographs of the old Shipley Donuts that is mentioned in this article.
Thanks.
January 30, 2012 at 2:24 p.m.There was Strawbridge-Parkway, little grocery store,
One year they had a contest giving away a shetland pony,
I lost.
Valley Gold Creamery, and during the summer some years
a skating rink.
Pete Wrigge Motors, and several car lots were along the way.
Sears and HEB were at Main/Rio Grande,
Shipleys Donut was at Cameron/Rio Grande.
On Sunday mornings, the line would stretch for blocks with folks
wanting fresh donuts. (not much other choice then)
One year a big fire at a service station burned some people up.
The smoke billowed up black.
There was a Dairy Queen across from Victoria Pharmacy,
we kids from Juan Linn could leave campus to have lunch either at the Pharmacy, Whataburger, or the Dairy Queen.
That was mid 1950s.
January 30, 2012 at 2:50 a.m.Nice article VA on history of Victoria.
Evidently we do not have an accurate date the esplanade was removed. I would guess mid to late sixties.
I noticed in the VA arcives was an article from the 25-50-75=100 yr that the city council had an item presented with a petition of 100 names to have the boulevard esplanades removed for safety reasons. Obviously that did not happen for a few decades to add two lanes for traffic and a middle turn lane.
January 29, 2012 at 5:50 p.m.Riverboat - no, B.O.H. (Houston).
But, close enough. Spent many an hour on the island, as well as Kemah, Seabrook, Texas City, Dickinson, etc. Also went boating a lot on Lake Houston. I think I do recall you being B.O.I.
The first thing I always think about relating to Galveston are those beautiful, gorgeous, splendid oleanders!
January 29, 2012 at 4:50 p.m.Sugar Magnolia, are you B.O.I.?
January 29, 2012 at 2:43 p.m.I enjoyed this article. I would definitely like to see more like it. Thumbs up.
January 29, 2012 at 12:56 p.m.I did like this article as well.
I remember Galveston's streets were much like this, and many still are; what wasn't destroyed by Hurricane Ike has been replanted with trees and oleanders to bring back some of the "old glory". I agree that if Victoria could somehow do this as well with some major streets, it would make a huge difference and nice impression not just to tourists, but to residents as well. I think wider boulevards with trees/landscaping in the medians would do much to beautify Victoria.
January 29, 2012 at 9:57 a.m.We always considered anything towards Navarro (from Main St) after the railroad tracks was "the Boulevard" to Laurent St. The section between the tracks and five point was nameless. Guess it was/is Rio Grande - until turning into Moody, but remained un-named.
January 29, 2012 at 9:51 a.m.Everything east of Laurent was the Houston Highway.
Nice article! Wish the Advocate would publish more like it. Thank you Gary for your time in this matter. Wish you could publish the tapes of your interviews with the old timers. That would be nice to listen to.
January 29, 2012 at 9:24 a.m.