With a map of some of the places mentioned in his columns, I drove parts of the city that I never have need to visit. And it was great. A combination of lovely evening weather, only slightly rude drivers and new neighborhoods put me in a great mood.
One thing I felt closer to was why Sig wrote about a city that was so hard on so many people. I drove unfamiliar roads, and would get to a big intersection and see the towers of Downtown. The skyline was a familiar landmark that would appear in the wide streets only to be hidden by passing trees, run down cottages, abandoned storefronts, taco trucks, churches, factories, etc. Around 7pm, the golden hour took hold, and gave the city some extra warmth. I took the one good picture of the evening, and that was good enough for me. It was the cycle of getting lost and finding a familiar and comforting sight that put me a positive spin on my often terrible sense of direction. While I won't be going through a pair of shoes every couple of months, I hope to put some miles on the car getting acquainted with neighborhoods Sig strolled.
"The King Midas of Smith St." - The Stroller - Houston Press, Pg. 10 - Friday, Sept. 18, 1953, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.
"The House That Screamed at Night" - The Stroller - Houston Press, Pg. 11 - Monday, July 20, 1953, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.
"Four Underlings of the Tradewinds" - The Stroller - Houston Press, Pg. 11 - Tuesday, May 12, 1953, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.
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Also see: Facebook | Sig Byrd's Houston
3 comments:
Thanks, I'd never heard of this.
I'm writing a little about Houston, and so came across your blog. Thanks for the excellent link. I'd like to see this sort of thing in more cities. Though, walking in Los Angeles might only get you arrested...
Bill - My pleasure.
AM - Sig was a cynical newspaper guy, but that didn't stop him from delving into the supernatural. I particularly like the end of "Mr. Shafer and the Third Catseye".
"The Owlmen of Marble Falls, the Exploding Golf Ball and Some Other Hot Weather Items" - The Stroller - Houston Press, Pg. 5 - Saturday, June 27, 1953 on Flickr=
"Mr. Shafer and the Third Catseye" - The Stroller - Houston Press, Pg. 9 - Tuesday, July 28, 1953 on Flickr
"Cold Trail of the Phantom Lady" - The Stroller - Houston Press, Pg. 11 - Monday, Oct. 26, 1953 on Flickr
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