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Deward Bowles
Posts: 16
Location: Houston, Harris
Joined: 3/29/2009
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Some Houston, Texas street monuments |
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Most of these monuments were set between 1890 to 1920 or so. They mark the center of the street intersections and control large parts of downtown Houston and the surrounding areas. Most have been destroyed at this point and many of these photos are of monuments that have either been destroyed or have been "replaced".
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DewardBowles/IM000587.jpg
The one above is a 1" brass rod set sometime around 1900. It has lost it's box but it is still there.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DewardBowles/528-2.jpg
Here is one that does not look like it has been recovered since I first found it in 1997.
Notice the box has almost been paved over.
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Monday, April 06, 2009 at 9:32:40 PM |
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Deward Bowles
Posts: 16
Location: Houston, Harris
Joined: 3/29/2009
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Re: Some Houston, Texas street monuments |
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DewardBowles/IM000084.jpg
Here is one that has lost it's lid and is about to be paved over.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DewardBowles/IM000087.jpg
Here is one that has lost it's lid.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DewardBowles/Tuam2.jpg
Above is a typical street monument, this one probably set some time in the 1890s. 1" brass rod with a dot punched on the top of it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DewardBowles/WGray2.jpg
Above is a close up of one of these rods.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DewardBowles/NMQ.jpg
Here is one in good condition, relatively. At least it still has it's box.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DewardBowles/NMain3.jpg
Not all the rods are brass or as fancy. This monument controls North Main and the subdivisions on either side for about 1/2 a mile coming out of downtown Houston.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DewardBowles/NMain2.jpg
Above is a close up. It is a badly decomposing 5/8 iron rod (not rebar).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DewardBowles/henderson2.jpg
Above is a close up of another one in better shape, identical to the first one.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DewardBowles/henderson.jpg
Here is a shot further away of the same iron, dug from the street by me in 1998.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DewardBowles/silver.jpg
Above is an iron rod I found in 1997. I do not believe it is the street center line monument because it does not agree with other known center line monuments found and was of different character than other center line monuments in the area. It is at the intersection of Silver and Crockett Street.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DewardBowles/silver2.jpg
Above is a close up. Somebody has since replaced this 1/2" iron rod with a 3/4" rebar. You have to be careful about what you hold as a monument!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DewardBowles/1st.jpg
I will wrap this up with a shot of one in excellent shape, to lift the spirit after this sad series of photos.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DewardBowles/Hadly1.jpg
Enjoy and do not work inside the loop in Houston without knowing where these monuments are or use to be.
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