Boost like the Dickens!

Ben Hammond's House THEN (San Antonio Light and Gazette Jan 9, 1910) :







NOW:


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Hammond was one of the first developers of Highland Park. One of the first developers in San Antonio. He had big plans for the city. Hammond and Avant and Peck street derive from the first round of developers of Highland Park, San Antonio.

I wonder if he survived the crash of 1929?

Historical Dignowity Hill

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All I have is a couple of maps today. I have a much more nuanced appreciation of the central city after all of the reading and mapping and research.

Here is a map of Cruz Ortiz's favorite haunts on the East Side. I actually met one of the co-founders of Sew-Delux and have not had a chance to check out the place. Its on the list ... the list is crazy long and includes a fishing trip to Mission County Park.


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I love driving to the west side on Steves Avenue ... from Steves its an easy little jaunt to the river and the Blue Star. I also love using Nolan to hook up to McCullough and San Pedro (okay okay really I mean the Luby's on Main ... Nina loves the jello and I love the ladies in the Sunday hats) ... no trains on Nolan and a fast entry to downtown w/o getting on the freeway.

Highland Park Car Line

The convergence of the history of the neighborhood and the streetcar line.

San Antonio Express News March 12, 1911

Mechanic's Liens ... how to track down old houses

I love San Antonio - we have a wonderful Conservation Society that holds lots of useful information and people regarding the neighborhood. I found out that you can discover the builder of your old San Antonio home by searching through the Bexar County Clerk's login search. The url is http://www.countyclerk.bexar.landata.com/Default.aspx. Select the Register button, once you have registered you will be able to select the Login-Search Button. Select the 1837-1863 Historical Records Search. If you know the original owner of the house - select Grantor/Grantee. Enter the search parameters of interest (I used last name and dates of interest.)

Gilman 1924-1928
a Mechanics Lien is the most useful in establishing the builder:

The Mechanic's Lien that was discovered for the house was a lien placed by HILLYER DEUTSCH and JARRATT CO to ensure payment.





HILLYER DEUTSCH and JARRATT CO was a lumber company specifically noted in Donald E. Everette's book, Montevista - Architecture and Society in a Gilded Age. On page 99 he documents that a home on East Lynwood designed by the Kelwood Company used lumber from Hillyer Deutsch and Jarrett. The similarities between the Spanish style Monte Vista homes and this Highland Park home are striking. On the other hand, the lumber company supplied the material for the project managed by Contractor Amos Sweitzer and built for Mrs. Maude B. Hall on 104 East. The house could have been designed by a whole host of builders. I am still holding lots of circumstantial evidence with nothing definitive. The mechanics lien guaranteed the payment of $13,000 for materials and labor to the lumber company and set the terms of payment. The Vice President of Hillyer Deutsch and Jarrett was at the Clerk's office to sign the papers that day.