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July 1, 2025

Roger Staubach, HVAC Spokesman — 1970s

Rog and Fran, comparing their Carrier systems

by Paula Bosse

Dallas Cowboys star quarterback Roger Staubach appeared in a series of ads — and did personal appearances around the country — for the Carrier air conditioning company. Many of the ads featured Staubach’s family — and what a stroke of luck, because, as the ad below proclaims, “Everyone in my family loves air conditioning.” Sing it, Roger!

1979

I came across an interesting piece of trivia about Roger Staubach’s time as a Carrier spokesman: if he was unable to appear in person, he could still be at your local trade show, in his Cowboys uniform, telling you how much his family loved air conditioning. In January 1978, the Cowboys were fresh off a Super Bowl win, and it would have been expected that world champions might have other things to do, but a week or two after the Cowboys defeated the Broncos in Super Bowl XII, Roger was at the National Association of Home Builders convention in Dallas hawking A/C. …Sort of.

The Carrier Air Conditioning exhibit featured a “telequin” of Roger Staubach, a mannequin with Staubach’s face projected onto the face, giving the general effect that the Cowboy quarterback was standing there in uniform, giving the Carrier sales pitch. Staubach is Carrier’s national spokesman. Steve Millheiser, a Carrier salesman, said response to the exhibit had been excellent. “The Roger thing has been great,” he added. (Dallas Morning News, Jan. 26, 1978)

I couldn’t find much about “telequins,” except that there were apparently other celebrities who had a model of themselves made by Telequin-A.V.M., Inc., a company that specialized in “animated, talking mannequins.” I’m sure it was odd watching a mannequin with Roger Staubach’s animated face professing its love for A/C. …The ’70s, man. Weird times.

1979

1978

Roger Staubach and Fran Tarkenton, 1977

***

Sources & Notes

All ads from eBay.

Roger Staubach did a ton of TV commercials — a lot are on YouTube. He declined to do ads for underwear, beer or sugary cereals

1 Comment

June 2, 2025

When Big D Had No Love for Bruce — 1974

Imagine what coulda been… (click for larger image)

by Paula Bosse

First off, apologies for the image quality of this advertisement. It’s from eBay (“He’s from Barcelona…”).

I thought it was an interesting ad, because I never knew that Bruce Springsteen played the Sportatorium, Dallas’ legendary wrestling mecca and off-and-on home to the Big D Jamboree. How had I never heard about this? (This was a show put together by local promoter Gene McCoslin, who had a long history with Willie Nelson.)

1974 was pretty early for Bruce to play in Dallas. He was starting to gain notice nationally, but he wasn’t a star yet. The tickets to the Sportatorium show were $4.50 in advance/$6.00 at the door (roughly $30 and $40 in today’s inflation-adjusted money). As it turns out, the show was canceled, because — hold onto yourselves — only 28 advance tickets had sold. …TWENTY-EIGHT.

That show was scheduled for November 10, 1974. A few months earlier — in June 1974 — Bruce was, for some inexplicable reason, booked as the opening act for… Maria Muldaur (“Midnight at the Oasis”). That show was scheduled at the UTA campus in Arlington. The Dallas Morning News reported that Bruce was a last-minute no-show, claiming a bout with the flu, but, apparently, he was unhappy with the small turnout and just didn’t go on. (Trouper Maria, having lost her opening act, performed for nearly 2 hours, and got rave reviews.)

Fort Worth Star-Telegram, June 9, 1974

Springsteen’s first actual performance on a Dallas stage appears to have been sometime in the same year as those two ill-fated non-gigs: 1974. Freelance rock critic Kim Martin-Pierce remembered it: “He always had a troubled history here. [He was booked to play at the old Mother Blues nightclub, but] he sold so poorly at Mother Blues that they moved him over to Gertie’s on Lemmon Avenue. He didn’t draw well at all there either, but he gave the greatest performance I’ve ever heard in a small club.” (DMN, “Springsteen Finally Shows Big D Who’s Boss” by John Anders, Nov. 30, 1984, after Bruce’s two sold-out shows at Reunion Arena)

Sorry, Bruce, for the cold shoulder! I think Dallas eventually came around. But you missed out. Playing the Sportatorium would have been really, really cool. And those 28 people would still be talking about the most amazing show they had ever seen.

***

Sources & Notes

Top ad from the Dallas underground newspaper Iconoclast, Nov.8-15, 1974; found on eBay in April 2024.

This post appeared previously in a slightly different form on the Flashback Dallas Patreon page.

4 Comments

June 4, 2024

KVIL: The “VIL” Stands for Village

Northeast corner of Preston & Mockingbird…

by Paula Bosse

Sewell Village Used Cars and a Mobil station were at the northeast corner of Preston and Mockingbird (Sewell was at 5460 Preston Road), catty-corner from Highland Park Village. The KVIL studios were right around the corner, at 4152 Mockingbird Lane, across the street from the Dallas Country Club — you can see the jauntily-lettered sign in the background of this undated.photo. I am really bad at determining car-model years, but let’s say this is about 1960. What does this corner look like these days? It looks like this.

I just learned (from the KVIL Wikipedia page) that the “VIL” in the station’s call letters stood for “Village,” as in Highland Park Village. Who knew? The AM station began broadcasting on March 1, 1960, and the FM station hit the airwaves on Aug. 25, 1961. I believe both stations had a strict “no-rock-and-roll” policy. In the early days, a block of programming was aimed directly at housewives:

The program policy followed by the station is designed to fit the various hours of the day. For the driving hours when listeners drive to work (5:45 to 9 a.m.) and return (4:30 to 6:55 p.m.) the music is livelier. “Sing Along” is the order of the day from 9 a.m. to noon for the housewife’s work hours. (“KVIL Mark’s First Birthday Wednesday,” Dallas Morning News, March 1, 1961)

Here are a couple of hep, caffeinated KVIL ads from those early days:

1961 ad

1962 ad

1962 logo

Most of my sort of generally vague awareness of KVIL was in the 1980s, when it was an absolute powerhouse in the ratings. But even its most stalwart fans would probably not describe its playlist as “bright,” “exciting,” or “swinging.” But look how much fun the promotions department imagined the effect on “young adults” was!

And what about Sewell Village Cadillac and its selection of “Village Fine” used cars? If circa-1960 Highland Park is going to have a used car lot, you better believe it’s going to be populated with Cadillacs. (UPDATE: Thanks to Peter K’s link in the comments, check out what appears to be the original photo by Squire Haskins, with a wider view, at the UTA Libraries website, here.)

March 1958

***

Sources & Notes

Photo from eBay.

KVIL ads from the 1961 and 1962 Highland Park High School yearbooks.

KVIL logo is a detail from an ad that appeared in the Dec. 24, 1962 issue of Broadcasting magazine.

This post appeared in an abbreviated form on the Flashback Dallas Patreon page.

9 Comments

April 15, 2024

Oak Cliff: No Germs, No Mosquitoes, No Malaria — 1907

Nov. 1907

by Paula Bosse

It’s 1907. How is it you’re not scooping up real estate in Oak Cliff?!

Aside from that “no saloons EVER” thing, it sounds positively idyllic.

On the Hills of Oak Cliff
When Thinking of a Home for Your Wife and Children You Need

- - First — Altitude
    Where the air is clear and free from mosquitoes and malaria.
  - Second — Water
    Clear and Pure and Free From Germs

In Oak Cliff these things predominate, you are on the hills, higher than Dallas, south of the river, and where your breezes come direct from the country, and, as for water, the water running in the Oak Cliff mains is from the great Nelms Well, illustrated on this page, and is the purest and clearest water in Dallas County.

Ask City Chemist Chisholm, or Water Commissioner Sullivan, or Water Superintendent Nelms, they are the three men most competent to pass on this question, and will verify these facts.

The water does not come from Bachman’s Dam or any branch of the river, but deep down in the earth, hundreds of feet, from God’s reservoir, gushing out like a great spring and sparkling like diamonds.

People living in Oak Cliff are healthy and live long. They cannot help it when breathing pure air and drinking clear water.

In spite of the present financial stringency Oak Cliff is building on, and her citizens have great faith in the future of Dallas.

As an evidence of this fact, Mr. J. F. Zang has this week let the contract for over $1,000.00 worth of cement walks to be laid on Zang’s Boulevard and other streets.

Lake Cliff, the beautiful, with its thirty acres of park scenery, its lake and its many costly improvements, is situated in Oak Cliff, and is one of the popular attractions of Dallas.

Oak Cliff has the combined advantages of city and country; it has gas, sewerage, water, electricity, streetcars, telephones, cement walks, and it is only ten minutes’ ride from its center to the center of Dallas; and it has the country scenery so much desired — hills and valleys, great oak and pecan trees, numerous springs and other rural scenes.

Raise your children where there are no saloons. By special act of the Legislature saloons are forever debarred from the territory of Oak Cliff.

Kidd Springs, one of the loveliest parks in Dallas, with the largest springs in the city, is in Oak Cliff, and is one of the leading resorts.

J. F. Zang’s home once stood at Zang and 6th and had what was probably the finest possible view of downtown Dallas, then or now.

Dallas Morning News, Oct. 26, 1900

This might have been a house being built in Zang’s Crystal Hill Addition:

I have to admit, this just looks like a water sprinkler, but here’s the “Nelms Well” in action:

I had never heard of the “Nelms Well.” It was the first deep artesian well in Oak Cliff (1907), and it tapped into a million gallons of spring water, which was, at the time, enough to satisfy the needs of Oak Cliff residents and to slake their thirst for the pure, clear water that put all other Dallas County water to shame.

Richard Nelms, the City Water Superintendent, is seen at the far right in the photo below. The well was named in his honor. And, again, the water? Let me just repeat the rhapsodic ad copy: “the purest and clearest water in Dallas County… [from] deep down in the earth, hundreds of feet, from God’s reservoir, gushing out like a great spring and sparkling like diamonds.” In other words, Oak Cliff had some damn fine water.

***

Sources & Notes

Ad printed in Dallas newspapers in November 1907.

A couple of water-related Flashback Dallas posts that might be of interest:

This post originally appeared in a different version in a Flashback Dallas post on Patreon.

9 Comments

March 14, 2024

Oak Lawn Ave. — Keep on Truckin’ (1971)

by Paula Bosse

This is a great little ad, which includes a bunch of notable Oak Lawn landmarks in the neighborhood’s hippie-fabulous days. I love this artwork — it’s almost as good as a photograph!

The 3500 block of Oak Lawn — between Lemmon and Bowser — is depicted in super-groovy, early-’70s, patchouli-scented artwork (inspired by R. Crumb). Starting at the left, here’s what we see:

A tiny portion of the sorely missed diner mainstay, LUCAS B & B, 3520 Oak Lawn
Next, NAME BRAND SHOES (men’s shoes), 3516 Oak Lawn
Next, R.F.D. No. 1 COUNTRY STORE (clothing), 3514 Oak Lawn, subject of the ad (formerly El Chico, which you can see in the second and third photos here)
Next, THE FOG (rock club), 3508 Oak Lawn
Next, SUPERIOR BAKERY, 3502 Oak Lawn
Next, NATIONAL AUTO SOUND OF DALLAS (car stereos), 3500 Oak Lawn (at Lemmon)

iconoclast_oak-lawn-avenue_aug-1971_1972-directory 1972 city directory

Watch silent home movie footage shot in this block around this same time at the Portal to Texas History, here (unfortunately, there are only glancing images of The Fog, which I would have liked to have seen more of). The Oak Lawn footage begins at 10:34 and continues until the end, with scenes shot at Lee Park. (There’s a guy who looks like he should be someone important — he looks a bit like Harry Nilsson — at 10:59.)

The illustration is by Steve Brooks, a 1967 graduate of Sunset High School who has had quite the career in illustration, commercial art, and rock posters. He’s worked extensively with Willie Nelson and Buddy magazine, and… yes, if you saw that drawing above and thought “head shop,” he’s the guy (THE guy) behind all the artwork connected to The Gas Pipe (which deserves a post of its own as a truly iconic Dallas success story!). Read an interesting biography about Brooks here. See some of his work in the collection of his alma mater, UNT, here.

***

Sources & Notes

Ad from the August 1971 issue of the underground newspaper, The Iconoclast.

11 Comments

March 12, 2024

The Girls of St. Mary’s

“Juxta Dallas Texas”

by Paula Bosse

St. Mary’s College, founded in 1889 in East Dallas (at Ross and Garrett avenues), was a prestigious school for girls, affiliated with the Episcopal Church. It had a statewide reputation, and many girls attended as boarding students — Lady Bird Johnson was a proud alumna. Around 1930 it became home to a relocated Terrill School for Boys.

The once sprawling “College Hill” campus covered 20 acres (see it on a 1922 Sanborn map here). I can find no news reports of its demolition, but one source says 1948. Read more about the school’s history in the Handbook of Texas entry here. and see other photos and a short history in the Flashback Dallas post “Private Education in Dallas — 1916.”

The site of the former school has recently been filled with apartments. The old chapel tower still stands, but the large, open school campus is long gone. See the most recent Google Street View of St. Matthew’s Cathedral here. — the main school building would have been directly to the right.

As far as the photo at the top of this post, I really love this image of smiling girl athletes (the basketball team?) posing in their gym togs in front of the school.

“Juxta Dallas Texas” (“near Dallas Texas”).

The ad below touts the school’s offerings in 1911 (including a school dairy):

ST. MARY’S COLLEGE AND SCHOOL OF MUSIC

Founded by the Right Rev. A. C. Garrett [Alexander Garrett], D.D., LL. D.
Twenty-third Year Opens Sept. 13, 1911

A College for Christian education of women — college, scientific and literary courses. Bishop A. C. Garrett, instructor in mental science and logic. Advanced classes in charge of graduates of universities of recognized standing. European instructors of modern languages. School of Music under direction of instructors trained in Germany, Paris, France and New England Conservatory of Music. Pianoforte pupils examined annually. Art and China Painting taught according to the best methods. Health, diet and physical culture in charge of two trained nurses and teachers of physical culture.

The group of buildings comprise:
1. St. Mary’s Hall (stone).
2. Graff Hall, which is devoted to the Schools of Music and Art.
3. Hartshorne Memorial Recitation Hall.
4. The Mary Adams Bulkley Memorial Dormitory.
5. Sarah Nielson Memorial for the care of the sick.

Houses heated by steam and lighted by electricity. A very attractive College Chapel and large Gymnasium built last year. A very attractive home. Artesian well. Milk supplied from college dairy. Homemade bread and sweetmeats. Night watchman. School opens Sept. 13. For catalogue address:

Bishop Garrett, President St. Mary’s College, Dallas, Texas

Laying the cornerstone for the chapel, Dallas Morning News, Sept. 29, 1907

Below, the chapel tower can be seen at the left. It still stands, as part of St. Matthew’s Cathedral (5100 Ross Avenue).

As seen from a distance — on the right, from Collett and Junius (more info on this photo from the Flashback Dallas post it originally appeared in, “Munger Place, The Early Days: 1905-1909”):

St. Mary’s appeared in an ad for a street-paving company in 1916 (from the original post here):

street-construction_vibrolithic-pavement_SFOT-booklet_1916_SMU_st-marys

Dallas Historical Society

***

Sources & Notes

Top photo by Frank Rogers, taken some time after 1911. Found on eBay. Originally used in a Patreon post, “The Girls of St. Mary’s.”

Last photo from the Dallas Historical Society, found in the book Dallas Rediscovered by William L. McDonald.

Unless otherwise noted, most other images/postcards found on eBay.

Please consider supporting me on Patreon, where for as little as $5 a month, you can get daily Flashback Dallas posts! (You can follow for free, but only a small handful of posts are “public.”)

st-marys-college_girl-athletes_frank-rogers_post-1911_ebay_det

3 Comments

February 27, 2024

Salih’s, Preston Center: 1953-1977

1968, Preston Center (W. T. White yearbook)

by Paula Bosse

If you’re reading this, chances are pretty good that you have fond memories of Salih’s Barbecue in Preston Center (or its later incarnation in Addison as “Solly’s”). I have to admit, I had never heard of Salih’s until I started this blog in 2014 (I completely forgot to note the landmark of 10 full years of Flashback Dallas a couple of weeks ago!). But, from what I’ve read, this was an incredibly popular place, and people still rhapsodize about the BBQ, the po’ boys, the fries, the cole slaw, and the potato salad.

So, I’ve read all these memories… but I can find no good photos of the place! There’s the cropped shot of the exterior above and a lot of not-very-helpful shots which appeared in high school yearbooks over the years, taken inside — but they don’t actually show the restaurant! And I understand there was quite a mural in there. I’d love to see a photo of that! Do YOU have any photos of Salih’s in Preston Center? Exterior? Interior? Mural? Please send me whatever images you have. I really want to see them!

UPDATE: Thanks to Mark Salih, son of co-owner Jack Salih, I have a photo of the interior, with parts of the mural visible. George Salih is on the far right, and his brother Jack is next to him. (Thank you, Mark!)

Mark Salih photo, used with permission

Salih’s Barbecue was opened by George and Jack Salih on March 20, 1953. The brothers had previously owned a small drive-in and later worked in or managed locations of Lobello’s in Lakewood (2005 Abrams) and Casa Linda (328 Casa Linda Plaza) — either before, during, or after these locations became “Fred’s” BBQ stands (owned by Fred Bell, founder of Kip’s).

That first business, Salih’s Drive-In, was located across from Fair Park at 912 S. Haskell — it opened around 1945. Read George Salih’s memories of serving the “circus people” there in a Feb. 11, 1987 article from the Farmers Branch Times here.

salihs-drive-in_haskell_DMN_081849 Aug. 18, 1949

After a few years of working for the Lobello family, George and Jack opened their own place at 8309 Westchester, in Preston Center, not far from the original Lobello’s on Northwest Highway. Eventually, Jack moved to East Texas and opened another barbecue place (the Angus Inn in Longview), and George ran the Dallas restaurant. (Click ad to see a larger image.)

March 20, 1953 — opening day

An article in the Dallas Morning News describes the new Dallas restaurant thusly:

The restaurant features unique styling in both interior and exterior design. Relief murals decorate the walls inside, while small wooden shutters afford a rustic flavor. The exterior incorporates Roman brick construction, with tall red columns decorated with glass paneling added as a decorative feature. (DMN, March 20, 1953)

It also notes that the Salih brothers were the restaurant’s chefs.

I mentioned this Park Cities landmark in a recent Patreon post, and a kind member described the mural (designed, I believe, by artist Frank J. Boerder):

It was a 3-dimensional cut-out depiction of a cowboy scene, back-lit by a set of red-orange lamps. It ran the length of the south wall of the interior. When you looked at it the scene was in black, back-lit by the lamps. Very striking for a BBQ place. (Plus, the food was very, very good.)

Salih’s is described in the ad above as “a dining area which provides an inviting atmosphere with ultramodern ranch-style design.” I would really like to see this!

Salih’s left Preston Center around 1977, leaving for the then-sparsely populated wilderness of Addison. The restaurant’s name was changed to “Solly’s” (which was either a new name for a new location, a guide for new customers on how to pronounce the Lebanese name, or a sad concession to deal with possible Middle Eastern biases). Solly’s closed in 2004.

Below are a lot of ads that appeared in the yearbooks of Highland Park High School and W. T. White High School. I was hoping to see more of the interior but, instead, got lots of photos of kids in paper hats (which I still enjoy!). So here they are!

salihs_smu-campus_081656 SMU Daily Campus, 1956
*

salihs_HPHS_1960-yrbk HPHS, 1960
*

salihs_HPHS_1961-yrbk HPHS, 1961
*

salihs_HPHS_1962-yrbk HPHS, 1962
*

salihs_HPHS_1963-yrbk HPHS, 1963
*

salihs_HPHS_1964-yearbook HPHS, 1964
*

salihs_w-t-white_1966-yearbook WTW, 1966
*

salihs_HPHS_1967-yrbk HPHS, 1967
*

Part of the mural over their heads?

salihs_w-t-white_1967-yrbk WTW, 1967
*

salihs_HPHS_1968-yearbook HPHS, 1968
*

salihs_HPHS_1969-yrbk HPHS, 1969
*

More of the carved mural?

salihs_w-t-white_1969-yrbk WTW, 1969
*

salihs_HPHS_1970-yrbk HPHS, 1970
*

salihs_HPHS_1971-yrbk HPHS, 1971
*

salihs_HPHS_1972-yrbk HPHS, 1972
*

salihs_HPHS_1973-yrbk HPHS, 1973
*

salihs_HPHS_1974-yrbk HPHS, 1974
*

salihs_HPHS_1975-yrbk HPHS, 1975
*

salihs_HPHS_1976-yrbk HPHS, 1976
*

And, the last one, from 1977 — could that be a another very, very dark part of the mural at the right?

salihs_HPHS_1977-yrbk HPHS, 1977

***

Sources and Notes

All sources as noted.

Read the obituary of George Salih here. Read a longer, more colorful obituary in the Dallas Morning News archives (“George Salih — Operated Barbecue Restaurant in Dallas” by Joe Simnacher, DMN, Aug. 14, 2009).

Jack Salih died in Gilmer in Jan. 1991.

20 Comments

December 24, 2023

Season’s Greetings from Dallas’ Most Stylish Banks

by Paula Bosse

Wishing you the happiest of holiday wishes!

–Paula

***

Sources & Notes

Both ads are from Dallas magazine, a publication of the Dallas Chamber of Commerce; the Mercantile National Bank ad appeared in the December 1956 issue, and the Republic National Bank of Dallas ad appeared in the December 1955 issue.

Many, many more Christmas posts from Flashback Dallas can be found here.

ad-xmas_mercantile_dallas-mag_dec-1956_det_sm

6 Comments

December 18, 2023

“This Month In Dallas” — Aug./Sept. 1962: The Clubs

Club Dallas, Browder Street

by Paula Bosse

Downtown Dallas was a cool place for entertainment and dining in the early 1960s, from high-class clubs and lounges to famous and infamous strip joints (some of which were higher-class than others). A few months ago on eBay, someone scanned a bunch of pages of a magazine called This Month in Dallas (“Where to Go, What to Do”), which seems to have been aimed at the conventioneer or out-of-town visitor. (I’ve never heard of this publication, but I would LOVE to see more!)

this-month-in-dallas_aug-sept-1962_cover_ebay

As far as image quality, I’m at the mercy of the person doing the scanning, but here are several of the ads featured in the eBay listing. All appeared in the Aug./Sept. 1962 issue of This Month in Dallas. (At the top, a detail from an ad for Club Dallas — the full ad is below.)

Let’s just do them alphabetically.

ARAGON BALLROOM, 1011 S. Industrial Blvd. (now S. Riverfront). Featuring the Aragon Red Jackets Western Swing Band, the “Over 30” Club Dance, and Chuck Arlington and His Orchestra.

CAROUSEL CLUB (or “New” Carousel Club), 1312½ Commerce, at Field. Jack Ruby, proprietor. “Dallas’ Newest and Most Intimate Burlesque Nite Club.” This ad (the first of several) features stripper Peggy Steele, “America’s Suzie Wong.”

More CAROUSEL. “Dallas’ only burlesque nite club with a continuous girl and comedy show. No stopping, 9:00 PM ’til 2:00 AM.” “America’s Suzie Wong” is back, now spelled Peggy Steel. MC’d by comic Wally Weston.

More CAROUSEL. Here’s Mili Perele, “the Little French Miss.”

More CAROUSEL. Heck, let’s throw in another Peggy Steel/e mention.

More CAROUSEL (Jack’s advertising budget was impressive). Tammi True, then in the midst of a pinching brouhaha.

Pat Morgan’s CLUB DALLAS, 206½ Browder (just south of Commerce). I love this ad, but I’m not familiar with the establishment or Mr. Morgan. Looks like it opened in the summer of 1962 (“Owner Pat Morgan has eliminated the semi-nude waitresses and aims for the family trade” — Dallas Morning News, July 27, 1962), changed its name in September 1962 to simply “Pat Morgan’s,” and finally closed in February 1963. I bet he rued the day he dumped those semi-nude waitresses….

CLUB VEGAS, 3505 Oak Lawn. Yes, there was swinging nightlife beyond downtown. Club Vegas was famously owned by Jack Ruby’s sister, Eva Rubenstein. This club booked a lot of Black and Hispanic bands (for mixed audiences), including Joe Johnson and Trini Lopez. (I’ve been meaning to write about this place for the past 10 years!)

CLUB VILLAGE / ITALIAN VILLAGE RESTAURANT, 3211 Oak Lawn. Another happening place in Oak Lawn. I wrote and wrote and wrote about Sam Ventura’s Italian Village here.

COLONY CLUB, 1322½ Commerce. Abe Weinstein, proprietor. The “high-class” strip joint. Also featured acts like Deacon & Co., King and Queen of the Limbo.

More COLONY CLUB. An unnamed exotic.

GUTHREY’S CLUB, 214 Corinth, at Industrial (now Riverfront). Very popular back in the day. “Girls! Girls! Girls! Set-ups, beer, wine.” This ad features Dave Martin’s Tom Toms (James McCleeng, Glenn Keener, Gene Summers — vocalist, Charlie Mendian, Melvin Robinson, and Dave Martin).

THE SPOT, 4906 Military Parkway. This ad features Joe Wilson & The Sabers.

THE SPOT, the “other” location, 10635 Harry Hines. House band The Spotters.

THEATER LOUNGE, 1326 Jackson, at Akard. Barney Weinstein, proprietor. “Glamour Girls Galore.”

TOWN PUMP, 5021 Lovers Lane. “Dallas’ Original and Largest ‘Sing Along’ Piano Bar.” That is one scary sentence.

***

Sources & Notes

All ads from the Aug./Sept. 1962 issue of This Month in Dallas.

club-dallas_this-month-in-dallas_aug-sept-1962_ebay_det_sm

4 Comments

November 23, 2023

An Elegant Thanksgiving Dinner at the Windsor Hotel — 1877

by Paula Bosse

Behold, a feast of yesteryear (and this is just the game and fish dishes):

Dallas Herald, Nov. 25, 1877

AN ELEGANT DINNER

The champion dinner of the season will be served at the Windsor to-day. Colonel Whitla is anticipating Thanksgiving day in this dinner, but he tells us that he will not forget the occasion, which will be remembered in a suitable manner at his hotel. The bill of fare to-day is the most elaborate one yet presented to the patrons of the Windsor.

The manager took time by the forelock and made his orders by telegraph for the particular edibles for the occasion. Last night we were shown a bill of fare for the dinner, by Mr L. J. Faessler, chief cook of the hotel. We have neither time nor space to mention the same entire, but can say that among the game and fish appears green sea turtle, black and red groupper and the sheep’s head, venison, antelope, quail, wild turkey, jack rabbit, opossum, oysters on shell, deviled crabs, and red-headed and canvas-backed ducks, etc.

Hava a Happy (Possom-Free) Thanksgiving!

***

Sources & Notes

Top ad for the Grand-Windsor Hotel from the 1878 Dallas directory. Originally two hotels (the Le Grande Hotel and the Windsor Hotel), they were joined by a little “sky-bridge” over Austin Street when they merged. See the Grand-Windsor on the 1885 Sanborn map here. (The room rates of $2-$3 back then would be the equivalent of about $60-$90, if you trust inflation calculators.)

Article is from the Nov. 25, 1877 edition of the Dallas Daily Herald, via the Portal to Texas History.

More Flashback Dallas posts on Thanksgiving can be found here;

thanksgiving-card

4 Comments

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