Midget (and Gillespie) Mansion San Antonio Local Stories
A lady from San Antonio contacted me via email about Midget Mansion and wrote up a nice little story about her interactions about 24 years ago.
Here is her story
When I was younger, about 13-14 (24 yrs ago) me my brother and friends would drive around the city scaring ourselves....Midget Mansion, Ghost Tracks, Gillespie Mansion, Haunted Baseball Field and the Old Indian Fort...not sure on Donkey Lady (please if you know that info..email it to me).etc.... The one thing that sticks out about Midget Mansion was a wine cellar. As you walked in the entry way winded and would get smaller and smaller...of course that freaked me out and I chose to wait outside. I do remember the pool being HUGE and the maids, servants, guest houses along the edge of the property. I remember after I got married and moved away (in 85-87) listening to news (lived about 400 miles north of SA) and hearing that a raid took place due to neighbors complaining about the cries of animals. Apparently some dumb teenagers who were self professed devil worshippers (dumb kids) were having rituals up there and due to the complaints the police raided, arrested and put up cement blocks to avoid more trespassing.
I do remember hearing most of the kids were bailed out by their parents (just a stage of rebellion was the excuse the parents gave as to why they bailed them out)...anyway.....when I came back for a visit a couple of weeks after the raid a friend and I drove by and you could clearly see tire tracks heading into the property (I'm guess that was the police entering and ambushing) and some tire tracks heading out. I was like...wow!
If anyone remember GECU Gillespie Mansion, from what I was told Mr. Gillespie (Gillespie Ford...etc...the car guy) owned these properties. Once his family out-grew the GECU mansion they moved to the other off of Horizon Hill and eventually moved from that after more builders moved in and started a new neighbor just to the borders of his property. It use to "county" but at the end, there were homes everywhere. Anyway......I just thought I'd pass on what I know and also ask.....did anyone ever go into the hallway, basement, or wine cellar? That totally freaked me! out...It's hard not to believe the spooky stories when I personally experienced that and have no justification for it.....as for the door knobs being low? I went post fire so I didn't get to see all the door knobs but from what I remember the granddaughter (we went to the same church..that's how I know this stuff) saying....grandmother was in a wheel chair and it was for her convenience. Happy Halloween!!!!! Please do not post my email....I'm all grownup, mom of 3 with one married. I was telling my teenage girls about spooky things I did as a teenager and this came up so my youngest looked it up and I found this site so I thought I'd share.....take care.
Yeah, that's the place. They were in many malls. I knew someone who had been to one in the Kileen mall. They were sort of a "mall Bennigans".
They had the 3 for 1 drink specials until the state outlawed that practice, so then it was one drink at full price, the next two were a nickel.
Peppermint Lounge on San Pedro.
Listening to Gary DeLaune give the play by play to high school play-off games.
Streaking.
Man from Uncle lunch boxes
Using old cigar boxes for taking school supplies to school.
Mini Skirts
Paul Venema and Lydia Alegria on the Seven Show in the morning.
Getting in trouble in school for trying to grow our hair out like the Beatles.
Being released from school at Mount Sacred Heart the day that JFK was killed--buses lined up to take us home--all the Nuns crying--dad coming home early from work to watch the TV crying all day long.
Slip and Slides
Bell bottoms in junior high
Lou Roney (sp) on the radio
Yeah. At least until I moved out to La Vernia at age 10.
Watching Paul Thompson do editorials after the 10pm newscast on KENS.
............when the Spurs were good, but never went past the first round of the playoffs.
Watching Jammin on Saturday mornings...
I grew up near there, a few blocks from Woodlawn Lake. That place is still open in spring/summer, still the same owner and still playing Frank Sinatra and other oldtimers tunes.
Playland Park and that old rickety wooden roller coaster.
That big Indian on the roof of Superior Pontiac on Broadway, while when driving north on Broadway, his left thumb made it look like he had a 3' weiner hanging out of his pants.
Pig Stands and The Black Cow.
Concerts at the Municipal Auditorium.
...or when he did those investigative pieces and ended with his gruff trademark......"Paul Thompson...Eyewitness wants to know...."
Better yet, when you could smoke @ concerts
Flying bottle rockets in the arena, before concerts
The Arena's floor "moving" like running water, during first LZ concert
Let's not forget, running to your seats instead of waiting for a damn plastic bracelet.Better yet, when you could smoke @ concerts
Flying bottle rockets in the arena, before concerts
The Arena's floor "moving" like running water, during first LZ concert
The Rocket -- (1947-1980) Built in 1947. At its opening it was hailed as "the largest roller coaster in the world." The first hill measured 78 feet and there was some 3200 feet of track. Playland Park closed in 1980 leaving The Rocket standing silent.
http://www.coasterphotos.com/Playland/history.htm
Also, let's not forget..................General Admission, you could sit anywhere you wanted, even stand in front of the stage, @ the dome
Nice work Taco.The Rocket -- (1947-1980) Built in 1947. At its opening it was hailed as "the largest roller coaster in the world." The first hill measured 78 feet and there was some 3200 feet of track. Playland Park closed in 1980 leaving The Rocket standing silent.
http://www.coasterphotos.com/Playland/history.htm
Wasn't that Playland roller coaster dismantled and sold several years ago to some other amusement park out of state?
Lets not forget that stampede to buy tickets for the 1975 Rolling Stones shows at the Arena. Everybody lined up for hours at the ticket windows on Market Street......but then it was announced that tickets would actually be sold at the Arena ticket windows. It got nasty when everybody starting running from the Market St. windows to the arena with many people falling down and getting trampled. Typical 1970's Stones concert.Also, let's not forget..................General Admission, you could sit anywhere you wanted, even stand in front of the stage, @ the dome
Damn, I was still in my Mom's womb in 1975.
In 1985 Knoebels from Elysburg, PA undertook the huge project of dismantling the ride and moving it to Pennsylvania. Knoebels staff began taking the ride apart in January 1985. The dismantling proceeded smoothly through February and March. Just three months later, on June 12th, the renamed Rocket’s (The Phoenix) orange train made the first successful trip around the reborn coaster. It opened to the public on June 15th to rave reviews and has been consistently ranked as a top ten coaster ever since.
http://www.coasterphotos.com/Playland/history.htm
Ride-O-Rama baby!!!!
Remember when the Market Square used to be The Farmers Market and you could drive your truck up in there and sell your fruits and veggies out of the back of your truck.......
When Mi Tierra use to sit about 50 people and Produce Row was better known as SKID ROW..........
The only reason I remember calling them was to hear Frost Banks time, so I could make sure I had enough time to catch the bus
Were there psychadelic colors too?Better yet, when you could smoke @ concerts
Flying bottle rockets in the arena, before concerts
The Arena's floor "moving" like running water, during first LZ concert
YUP!!Were there psycedelic colors too?
Mel, are you sure it's still open? I tried to take my nephew there last summer and it was closed. For years they still had the coke machine that dispensed a plastic cup, ice and then the soft drink.
In high school I used to go to this head shop called Music 70 on Alamo St. to buy records.
Watching Dan Cook on the 10 PM news......
That ugly old bas ! But yea, he was so in to it
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