May 31, 2010

Gulf Coast Deco XII


Liberty County Courthouse, 1931 (Liberty)
liberty county courthouse
liberty county courthouse

Temple of Rest, Beth Israel Cemetery, 1935
(Houston's Fourth Ward*)

temple of rest, beth israel cemetery
temple of rest, beth israel cemetery


*Had a surreal experience as I tried to get a decent picture of the Temple of Rest. The Temple of Rest is a historic Houston landmark because it was designed by architect Joseph Finger, who is also buried there. The Beth Israel Cemetery is the first Jewish burial ground in Texas. It was established in 1844. So it is a very old part of Houston. The area's historic name is the Fourth Ward and it has a reputation, I think, for being a rough neighborhood at some point in its history. I happened to drive down an alley in the neighborhood pictured above, and drove past a gang a group of five or six young men who were sitting on the backdoor stoop of a house backed-up onto the alley. One of the young men either flashed the neighborhood sign or signaled to me he was "holding" as I drove slowly past him and his friends in that tight little alley. For a brief, terrifying moment I didn't know what to do. Do I wave? Do I acknowledge him at all? I figured it probably wouldn't be wise to flash him the sign back, seeing as I wasn't one of the gang members one of his pals. So I kept looking straight, straight ahead, with both hands planted firmly on the steering wheel.

Chambers County Courthouse, 1936 (Anahuac)
chambers county courthouse
chambers county courthouse

Goose Creek Federal Building and Post Office, 1937 (Baytown)
goose creek federal building and post office
goose creek federal building and post office

Eldorado Ballroom, 1939 (Houston)
the eldorado ballroom
The good old days.

1837 Branard St., 1939 (Houston)
1837 branard st.

First National Bank of Goose Creek, 1941 (Baytown)
first national bank of goose creek
first national bank of goose creek

Sixth Church of Christ, Scientist, 1941 (Houston)
sixth church of christ, scientist
sixth church of christ, scientist
sixth church of christ, scientist
According to Houston Deco, this place is endangered. There's also a picture of the cornerstone with the word "COLORED" engraved in it.

St. Joseph Catholic Church, Late Gothic Deco, 1958 (Baytown)
st. joseph catholic church
st. joseph catholic church
st. joseph catholic church

What has come before:
  • Gulf Coast Deco
  • Gulf Coast Deco II
  • Gulf Coast Deco III
  • Gulf Coast Deco IV
  • Gulf Coast Deco V
  • Gulf Coast Deco VI
  • Gulf Coast Deco VII
  • Gulf Coast Deco VIII
  • Gulf Coast Deco IX
  • Gulf Coast Deco X
  • Gulf Coast Deco XI


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