I was glimpsing through the Valley papers online this evening and saw where the Fort Brown in Brownsville was demolished today. That has really made me sad, I realize that it had gotten run down the last few years, and remember seeing where UTB bought it and it was student housing or something. But it is sad to see it go no matter what.

To me it is just another vestige of a better time dying out. I think it might have been the first hotel that I ever spent a night in, as an infant on my way back to Mexico City with my parents. Through the 70's when we travelled back and forth from Texas to Mexico we either stayed there, usually there, or at the old Hilton on S.10th St. in McAllen, depending on where my dad had more business, either in Reynosa or Matamoros.

I used to love to try and climb that goofy waterfall that they had at the Ft. Brown. For many years they also had those little pedal paddle boats you could rent and many times, as we stayed for several days, my dad would bring me a fishing rod and I would catch catfish with hotdogs and other weird bait in the resaca outback.

At night the resturant got pretty crowded and they had some good food. It was much more upscale than what is typically seen now. I remember that they would even do a flambe dessert of some kind by your table, a big deal circa 1975. It was a happening place for a Texas hotel/motel. There were many places like it all across Texas, independent community based hotels that were semi focal points for meeting, greeting, and eating. I guess McAllen had the Sheraton Fairway, and the Fontana I think it was in Mission. There was a similar place in Alice and a couple in Laredo. What was the place in Harlingen, Richards Sun Valley or something like that? The Echo in Edinburg, which I go to whenever I possibly can when I am in the Valley.

Recently I was in Del Rio and stayed at that Ramada that has been there forever and it took me back as it was pretty cool and had some character with the big lunch buffet, great happy hour and really neat service and such. I think they had the traditional Kewanis or Rotary club emblem in the lobby giving the weekly meeting time.

So much of Texana is going by the wayside, especially in South Texas. It just really made me feel old to hear the Ft. Brown was no more, another landmark and reminder of my happy youth laid to rest. Time marches on I guess, but progress isn't necessarily for the best sometimes.

let me help an old man out...


Cliff Notes:

I'm old and get sad when things die out. Thanks.


Do you fart dust yet?

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Do you fart dust yet?

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Not quite yet, I am aging gracefully thank you very much.

Don't need any help either, especially very immature help. You know the internets, lol, aren't only for being supposedly hip and fashionable.

I realize that was a long passage to read, hopefully it did not stress you too much. If it didn't look good you shouldn't have read it. Age teaches you things like that you know, so you have that going for you boss.

I read and enjoyed your story RGV AG. It is indeed a shame that historic landmarks, particularly in The Valley, are not preserved as they should be. Just recently, the old Glass House in Harlingen was demolished for ANOTHER CVS Pharmacy. Great.

You don't have to be old to lament the destruction of unique buildings with historical significance.

ok.

1. its the rgv. what historical significance?

2. they weren't kept up to speed hence they were condemned. condemned means eventual destruction cause it's unsafe to set foot in.

3. progress is good

4. it's not like any of these things were of the historical significance of the alamo nor were they brought up to speed like the alamo. if it were up to you guys we'd probably keep the famous leaning tower of padre just cause it was the only one of its kind in the area. whether folks could walk in it and use it would be irrelevent by your definition.

This Ghetto Vaquero fellow has a point...

A point? Maybe. A good point? Doubtful.

1.) Just because it's The Valley doesn't mean nothing cool happened there before Ghetto was born. The old buildings and businesses you are so annoyed with played their part in laying the foundation for modern commerce and economic culture in the RGV. In some cases, they laid the foundations of their respective cities/communities.

2.) Condemnded? Please. Tio Chuy's primo's camarada's nieto is an elected official and can condemn a stop sign to make room for a taco stand. Condemnation of old buildings is a moot point with respect to their structural integrity or safety.

3.) Progress is good for who and at what cost? Please Harlingen, 73 CVS Pharmacies just isn't enough. Let's rezone that old, ugly downtown Jackson Street whatever and build a shiny new CVS!

4.) Firstly, comparing the Alamo to any building on Earth should be a punishable offense. How dare you. Secondly, just because the magnitude of historical significance of a structure is less than that of the Alamo (which in most cases it is) doesn't mean it should be razed and forgotten about.

The Ocean Tower failure was a benefit to nobody and provided nothing remotely close to significance, let alone historical significance.

By your definition, we should probably consider getting rid of that Light House in Port Isabel, too. It's old, it's in the RGV, could be unsafe, and is in the perfect location for one more seafood restaurant, or maybe even a new pharmacy.

the old glass house in harlingen was an eyesore. no one will miss it, but another cvs isn't exactly an upgrade.

Can go further back, remember watching polo matches at Fort Brown on weekends, Sundays, as I remember, and band concerts by the military band. Was in the early fortys?? Memories!! Brownsville was a lot smaller then. Progress is good in some ways, not in others. To the younger ones, they never experienced the way things were then, know only what they have seen during their lifetime, do not know the easy, uncomplicated, way life was, sad!!

"57"

Agree with CM.....well said

A few definitions for the old guys:

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de⋅lu⋅sion  /dɪˈluʒən/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [di-loo-zhuhn]

Search delusional on the Web
–noun 1. an act or instance of deluding.
2. the state of being deluded.
3. a false belief or opinion: delusions of grandeur.
4. Psychiatry. a fixed false belief that is resistant to reason or confrontation with actual fact: a paranoid delusion.


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quote:

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old  /oʊld/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [ohld]
- noun

1. far advanced in the years of one's or its life: an old man; an old horse; an old tree.
2. of or pertaining to the latter part of the life or term of existence of a person or thing: old age
3. deteriorated through age or long use; worn, decayed, or dilapidated: old clothes.

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prog⋅ress  /n. ˈprɒgrɛs, -rəs or, especially Brit., ˈproʊgrɛs; v. prəˈgrɛs/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [n. prog-res, -ruhs or, especially Brit., proh-gres; v. pruh-gres]

–noun
1. a movement toward a goal or to a further or higher stage: the progress of a student toward a degree.
2. developmental activity in science, technology, etc., esp. with reference to the commercial opportunities created thereby or to the promotion of the material well-being of the public through the goods, techniques, or facilities created.
3. advancement in general.

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Ok, gentlemen, your points are duly noted.

Now, allow me to retort:

It's not so much that I'm trying to demean any of the old structures that brought you so much joy but rather I'm trying to say that the good old times were not necessarily all that great. What I'm communicating is that we always remember things in a better context than in reality they were...for example, think of that crush you had in high school. You remember her as being a real beauty but when you look in those old year books you notice she was an average broad or potentially an ugly broad with a big nose and huge bosom. What you really remember was the bosom not so much how ugly she was thus leading you to think it was a terrific time. This is where the word delusion comes to mind. I'm not calling you delusional...just know, if the shoe fits....

Old is a relative word. Most things that are old (you included) sure ain't what they used to be. You probably used to run a 6 minute mile and now a days you probably drive it on a good day with the wind at your back. All things, no matter how good they were, eventually run their course and must be replaced. Evidenced by your old buildings. And yes, I know, I'll be old one day too. When that day comes I'll toast some Ensure to you fellas and remember this convo. I'll even pour some out for my homies.

Let's get to progress. Progress in a nutshell is advancement in general. When once we rode horses for transportation we now have cars with airconditioning. Imagine that! Progress is good afterall! Fellas, these things happen...out with the old and in with the new.

History is a good thing, do not misunderstand me. However, the facilities you're referencing did not have a significant impact historically to the RGV or else they'd have been saved much like La Lomita in Mission or the Chalan in Los Ebanos. We could even consider old Fort Ringgold a part of RGV history and rightfully so. What your talking about is an old hotel? Really? Did Abraham Lincoln stay there when he was on the island for his fishing trips? Fellas, these places may have played a role in your past but alas, not in the RGVs significant past. Hence, they were destroyed and replaced by what society needs today. Clearly a CVS Pharmacy is not my idea of progress either but that's society for you nowadays.

Enjoy your week.

and just in case you habla more than you speak......


todo por servir, se acaba.

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Hey boss and your point really is????

You talked around a myriad of inferences and just basically stated that all things old should be replaced and are not what they once were. OK.

The OP called the Ft. Brown a "landmark" which it was for a long period of time. It was never referenced as historical. To many of us, that experienced it, the times that had more independent business and locally owned and operated establishments were in many ways better, good or bad that is my opinion. For instance, rarely do you hear of anyone wanting to take a road trip to eat at the "Austin Chili's" or stay at the "Waco Super 8", know what I mean. Nowadays things have become so "homoginized" that there is very little if any variety or difference between one place and another. Maybe your age doesn't let you appreciate that, but someday it might.

Your analogy is on progress is good. But flip it around a bit. Once you could catch all the trout and redfish you wanted, now due to a variety of progress related issues, you can catch and keep 5 trout I think and 2, it might be. redfish of a certain size. So, is progress always good?

You call the ferry at Los Ebanos historical, the only reason it is historical is that it is the last one. Progress has basically made an inefficient, un-sightly, and un-reliable operation historical. It was never any better than it currently is.

Getting back to the Fort Brown, anything its age had to see some history. The first Mexican/American Federal Judge was sworn in there and I know, more importantly, the bar there was named one of the 80 best in Texas at one time, and that is no small feat. I also know that there were some interesting political meetings at the hotel as well as some very interesting confrontations.

You just need to chill a little bit and realize that one day, just as we can't run a 6 min mile anymore, you are going to look back and yearn for the ol' chik-a-fil stand at the mall you once hounded.

And FYI, el diablo sabe mas por viejo que por diablo.

[This message has been edited by RGV AG (edited 2/2/2010 5:10p).]

Touché, viejo, Touché. Well played.

Si de tu vecino ves la barba cortar, pon la tuya a remojar.