Moving history

OK, here's the scoop. BCH has moved to chron.com.

Why? Well, head on over to the new BCH and find out!

Houston during the Civil War

I've put a link to a file on my personal Web site that briefly summarizes how Houston fared during the Civil War.

The one-page document, which comes from a city directory published just after the war, doesn't go into much detail. In essence, it says the city was doing pretty well until the war started. Once fighting began, Houston didn't suffer as much as other Southern cities, but much of the city's growth was stunted. As the war came to a close, residents seemed eager to resume development.

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A few days back, BCH logged its 10,000th visit. Since I've returned to Houston, site visits have increased month after month. Not bad for a little blog detailing Houston's past! Thanks to everyone who keeps checking in. Your comments/suggestions are always welcome.

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In other news, expect some changes around here early next month. Watch this space.

On Thursday

Houston Arts and Media is holding its spring fundraiser Thursday from 6 - 9 p.m. at the Saint Arnold Brewery, 2522 Fairway Park Dr. At their Web site is a list of the dozens of items that will be up for auction that evening. Admission is $20.

Never heard of Houston Arts and Media? They're involved a number of projects related to Houston history. One is the Houston Neighborhood Series, which is a series of books that chronicles the history of specific areas of the city.

The other is an ongoing effort to get the oral histories of longtime Houstonians. The recordings collected are handed over to the Houston Public Library and the local universities for preservation.

Looking right

I added a couple of new items to the blog's right column. Under "File Cabinet," you'll see a link to a 1913 map of Houston.

Under the "Links Section" is a direct link to the Bob Bailey photo archive. In case you ever wanted to know what the inside of the old Yale Theater looked like, well, now you know!

Still here

I'm still here, and I'm back in Houston!

Thanks to those who inquired about my whereabouts. I'm in the process of unpacking and getting high-speed Internet set up again. As you can imagine, between that and getting settled at my new job, spending time at the library isn't on the to-do list at the moment.

But that should change in the next couple of weeks. You can expect some new BCH postings before the middle of March. Bookmark this site and check back regularly, will ya?

Thanks again!

What's going on here?

Well, I knew I couldn't maintain a blog about Houston history from South Carolina forever.

What should I do, then?

Why, move to Houston, of course!

After six years of living away from my place of birth, I've taken a job that will bring me back to my hometown.

What does this mean for BCH?

In the short term, expect fewer postings. Yeah, I'll have to pack my belongings and settle in with family until I'm able to find a place of my own. No high-speed internet connection until then, either.

But when I finally get settled, I'll be back to posting regularly. The move couldn't have come at a better time because I was fast running out of things to write. My stack of information here in S.C. is only so large, and it became clear that I would soon run out.

That won't be a problem any longer. In the next month or so, I hope to continue providing details to little-known events in Houston's history.

For example, who was behind the plot to bomb the Galveston causeway? And whatever happened to the alleged German spy arrested in Houston?

That's always been the goal of BCH: to dust off little items of Houston's past that most people either never knew or forgot.

Stay tuned.

92 posts, 5,000 visitors

BCH has had 5,000 visitors since June. During that time, the site has had 12,100 page views. Not bad!

Because of the Christmas holiday, BCH will take a few days off and return next week. Actually, I'll be in Houston for a few days, at least. Other than a 45-minute layover at IAH this week, I haven't been home all year!

So, take care, and happy holidays, all!

Thinking of you

Thanks to Technorati, I've added a search feature near the bottom of the rail at right. A lot of people were perusing past entries, and I wanted to make it easier for visitors in case they wanted to find posts about a particular topic.

New card stock has been added to the custom cards I'm offering for sale. I'll update my personal Web page with the information in a day or two. As a result, expect a reduction in the price of cards printed on regular card stock.

As always, thanks for visiting.

(From top to bottom: Montrose Boulevard, looking south; Courtlandt Boulevard; San Jacinto Street, looking north from Walker Avenue; Prairie Avenue, looking west from Caroline Street; Main Street, looking south from McGowan Avenue; Travis Street, looking north from Rusk Avenue. Source: Houston Chronicle 1924 Guide to Houston.)

What is the meaning of this?

OK. I never really found the concept of a blog all that appealing. In fact, I still don't. Nothing is more upsetting than to see someone invest so much time in their blog only to see no one has commented on it.

Frankly, no one wants to hear what I think about President Bush, the 2006 midterm elections, or the global war on terror.

But then I figured I could turn this medium into something that would not only be educational but also fun.

You see, I'm a native Houstonian with an interest in local history. I've always been fascinated at whatever purpose some old, decrepit building served years ago. It's amazing to look at one area of the city and realize that a century ago, it may have been a bustling residential area, an industrial center, or even an old Army fort. I always thought that there were still some forgotten pieces of Houston's history just waiting to be uncovered.

I've already started digging. This blog will show what I've found.

I don't plan to update this blog every day. Maybe once a week, maybe a couple of times a month, depending on demand. Either way, I hope you come away from it learning something new about the Bayou City.