Content provided by Downtown San Angelo, Inc. and the San Angelo Standard-Times
Come Visit San Angelo’s Original General Store!
• Gourmet Kitchen Emporium • Spode, Hadley & Polish Pottery • Honey Glazed Spiral Sliced Ham • Gourmet Coffee & Tea • Texas Jams & Mustards • Madame Alexander Dolls • Case Knives
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• Homemade Fudge & Sweet Shop Chocolates • Hobo Handbags • Will Leather Goods For Men • Waxing Poetic Jewelry • Brighton Jewelry
(325) 655-1166 35 E. Concho • 10:00-6:00 • Monday-Saturday
Restaurant & Cathouse Bar and Lounge FEATURED ON TEXAS BUCKET LIST AND ONE OF TEXAS MONTHLY'S BEST BURGERS.
26 East Concho Ave.
325-653-0570
A Steakhouse in Historic Downtown
Monday-Saturday Lunch 11am to 5pm, Dinner from 5pm to 10pm Cathouse Bar & Lounge Open from 11am until Midnight Live Music in the Bar and Lounge on Friday and Saturday Nights The legend of Miss Hattie’s goes beyond its history. Voted as one of the Best Burgers in Texas by Texas Monthly, and reputed as one of the best 21-day aged mesquite smoked rib eye steaks by our customers. Others have tried to copy Miss Hattie’s bacon-wrapped jalapeños and crab cakes, no one has succeeded.
Miss Hattie’s Restaurant offers private and semi private rooms for your Wedding Reception, Wedding Rehearsal Dinner, Company Party, Business Meetings or Family Events including reunions, bridal and baby showers.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Music to love at the San Angelo Symphony
6
The Downtown Sheep Tour
8
New Businesses in Downtown San Angelo
9
Old Fire House Bed & Brew
10-11
Downtown tunnels lead to San Angelo history
13-15
Eat & Drinks Page
16
Reasons to Love San Angelo: Murals
17-18
Get “artsy� at the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts
Taste San Angelo
19
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of Fine Clocks & Quality Ceiling Fans
Heritage Haus Clocks & Fans
Whether you are looking for a grandfather clock or a beautiful ceiling fan, you can expect outstanding customer service. Heritage Haus Fine Clocks & Gifts is locally owned. We have proudly served San Angelo and the West Texas area since 1978 and are known for our quality clocks and fans.
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37A WEST CONCHO 325-277-6999
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230 S. CHADBOURNE
(ON THE CORNER OF CHADBOURNE AND CONCHO AVE.) SA-1921974
325.655.4900
San Angelo's Premier Gift Store We’d like to extend a special invitation for you to come in and browse our selection of great, wonderful and fun gifts, for that special event. A wedding, graduation, baby shower, or hostess thank you, you’re sure to find something. Come see our fabulous gourmet and Men’s Department, We also have great decor to finish out your home with! You will always find something unique and different you’ve never seen before along with our incredible selection of well priced items, paired with our classic gift wrap the Registry has a gift for everyone, maybe even for you. Come and shop with us and view our amazing offers. Where our service is always outstanding and offer you a great price range for any gift you may need.
Cheers!
434 South Irving St. | San Angelo, Texas 76903 | Corner of Ave A & Irving in Downtown San Angelo Shopping Hours 10 am - 5:30 pm | Monday thru Saturday | 486-8882 HISTORIC DOWNTOWN SAN ANGELO MAGAZINE ■ SPRING & SUMMER 2018 | 5
San Angelo
ny o h p Sym Courtney Mahaffey SAN ANGELO SYMPHONY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The San Angelo Symphony is thrilled to announce its 69th season led by Maestro Hector Guzman and is honored to serve the Concho Valley with diverse performances and programs that reach audiences of all ages and backgrounds. The Symphony offers 6 subscription series concerts including performances by a 2009 Van Cliburn prize winner, internationally renowned guitarist Mauricio Diaz as well as the beloved Christmas Pops performance featuring a revived local choral. In a unique event, our season will spot light the Dallas based Imperial Brass with a grand scale brass ensemble playing pieces selected by Maestro Guzman. Featured at the Crested Butte Musical Festival, the Les Paul Trio including Aussie double bassist and vocalist, Nicki Parrot will perform an eclectic style of music at the February concert and we will finish on a high note as we welcome the popular band, Pink Martini, at the much anticipated First Financial Bank Family Pops Concert. The San Angelo Symphony’s artistic, education and civic programs would not be possible without the generous support of individuals and businesses in our area. Your contribution promotes the growth of the performing arts and music education within our community. Purchasing a season subscription or a concert ticket is an inexpensive endeavor that leaves a lasting footprint within our organization. Please call the Symphony office for more information, (325) 658-5877 or visit www.sanangelosymphony.org.
SA-1921975
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The mission of the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts--through its collections, exhibitions, and programs—is to serve the general public in San Angelo, the rural communities of the Concho Valley, and the state of Texas. To bring a broad range of artwork to our community, our exhibit program is encyclopedic, meaning it encompasses all media, cultures and time periods, with a major exhibit annually focusing on the ceramic arts. This year’s 22nd San Angelo National Ceramic Competition, opening April 20, will showcase 111 works by artists from all over North America. Our exhibit openings are always free and open to public, and we invite everyone to come out on Friday night, April 20, from 6 to 9 pm to enjoy live music, refreshments, meeting the artists, and of course—the art! The artwork in the Ceramic Competition is chosen by an independent juror every two years. This year’s juror, Peter Held, has chosen an amazing show with
a wide variety of objects and styles, ranging from 3-D printed ceramic to works inspired by prehistoric cave paintings. It truly shows us the versatility and beauty of ceramic. The same material our toilets and coffee cups are made of can be made into something truly transcendent in an artist’s hands. In July, we will showcase 25 spectacular quilts made by quilters from all over Texas, and artwork by the faculty of the Angelo State University Art Department. In September, we will attempt something we have never tried before: a costume exhibit. This show will focus on women’s undergarments as they have changed over the course of American history, along with women’s perceived roles in society. There’s something at the museum for everyone. Our exhibits are always changing so we can bring more to this wonderful community.
HISTORIC DOWNTOWN SAN ANGELO MAGAZINE ■ SPRING & SUMMER 2018 | 7
The Downtown Sheep Tour Visit downtownsanangelo.com for further information on DSA’s “Sheep Spectacular”
Leos Imports
Dresses Skirts Blouses Mexican Vanilla Blankets Panchos & MUCH MORE!
25 W Twohig Ave, San Angelo,TX 76903 • (325) 655-5367
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Welcoming New Business to Downtown San Angelo
in assisting you with custom labels for your perfect gift giving needs or corporate accounts. The winery also features weekly and monthly events such as outdoor concerts and Art Walks. The Winery is available for private events and fundraisers and proudly offers a 10% discount to all Military Personnel, Police, Fire and EMS and ASU Faculty/Alumni Rustic Field to Table 229 N. Chadbourne St. 325-716-7404 Rustic Field to Table food trailer is operated by husband-wife team Courtney and Jaton Hampton. The menu is short and simple - four sandwich choices, some sides and a dessert. The team offers fresh, quality ingredients which include smoked meats - pulled pork and brisket infused with Big Red - cooked slow and long. Patience and passion are essential to good barbecue.
Knosh 208 S. Oakes 325-617-5822 www.knoshrestaurant.com
LaBella Massage & Skincare 322 W. Twohig Avenue 325-703-6777
Knosh, the newest downtown eatery and lounge, is open for business Is located at 208 South Oakes, in the old Sealy Flats building. Owners, Jeanna and Derrick Hoffman, are also the proprietors of Shenanigans. The couple chose the downtown location as a restaurant that showcases their food. The front and back patio are available for eating, and the back patio is now paved. The Hoffman’s also offer catering and will host special events. Brix Winery 113 E. Concho Avenue 325-482-WINE (9463) www.txbiz.com/brixwinerysa Brix Winery, only boutique winery in San Angelo located at 113 E. Concho Avenue which offers hand-crafted, fermented and bottling over 20 wines on site. These include classic pure varietal wines and fruit wines of high character and balance. The winery’s tasting room and gift shop are cozy and comfortable and staff are eager to help you choose and enjoy your favorite wine by the taste, glass or bottle. The winery also specializes
At LaBella every client who walks through door is treated like royalty. Check out the services offered on the Services page on website and meet the team on our About Us page. Book now for any of services online any time - day or night! Your appointment will be confirmed through e-mail or text when it is received. If you need to get in touch during business hours, check the Contact page. Gym 28 18 N. Chadbourne St. 325-617-2479 gym28.org GYM 28 promises to be the best part of your day, EVERYDAY! The staff provides quality service and programs to every one of all fitness levels in a supportive atmosphere that fosters confidence, comfort, and positive lifestyle changes. It is our desire to create an environment in which you not only enjoy, but also look forward to daily – even to the point where you can say that working out here at Gym 28 is FUN! Now is the time to join! Gym 28 is offering reduced rates through March.
Visit San Angelo’s History Merchant Ask for our Monthly Texana Catalog! We accept all credit cards. Texas and Southwest History our specialty! Check our website - www.cactusbookshop.com
Serving West Texans since 1995!
Gray & Brigman, PLLC Lawyers We offer a great selection of wines crafted right on premises, available by the taste, glass or by the bottle! We do custom labels and hold private events!
206 W College Ave., San Angelo, TX
325-653-4594
113 E CONCHO AVE #190 • (325) 482-9463 SA-1922008
(WINE)
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Old Fire House Bed and Brew
T
he fire department of San Angelo has not always had a secure base of operations from which to keep the city safe. In fact, in the very early years of the town’s existence, fires were fought not by trained firefighters but by the Hook and Ladder Co. of San Angelo, an ill-equipped group of citizens with little organization. These good Samaritans were drawn to the scene of the blaze by gunfire, the town’s early and rather primitive equivalent of a fire alarm. Whoever spotted the fire would shoot into the air until he had drawn people to the scene, and from there a bucket brigade formed. Eventually the town decided they needed a better way of fighting fires, and in 1885 San Angelo Hose Co. No. 1 organized, with a hose house located on the property of the group’s president, E.A. Nimitz. The volunteers were not paid for their efforts until 1906, when the city agreed to pay $2.00 per fire to each man as well as replace any soiled clothing. In 1910, the city collected donations to rebuild City Hall on 14 S. Irving St., located near the current Wells Fargo Bank. The fire station operated out of the ground floor of the two-story brick building. San Angelo was growing and expanding during the late 1920s, as evidenced from the slew of new buildings constructed in the town. Several iconic structures, including the Cactus Hotel, Texas Theater, and San Angelo Junior College, were built during this time. The fire department benefitted from the boom as well with the construction of the Central
Fire Station in 1928. This new building was located on the intersection of Twohig and Magdalen. The fire department was still there during the infamous 1936 flood, and the relatively young building was under eight feet of water during the catastrophe. The firefighters, however, merely focused their efforts on finding and pulling people from the floodwaters. The San Angelo Fire Department remained based out of this building, with several substations located throughout the city, until after 1976, when a new central station was constructed. On December 15, 2017 Jody and Michele Babisah purchased the building and renamed it the Old Fire House Bed and Brew. The vision for the renovation is to recreate the original feel and look of the fire house when it was first opened. The façade will be restored to have fire house doors. The interior on the first floor will be “the brew” gathering area. “Brew” translates to coffee and beer/wine. The Babisah are committed to making their dream a family friendly venue. They also envision having fire house artifacts to create a quasi-museum. The second floor will be converted to a Bed & Breakfast 4 room area with all of the amenities giving guest “of being at home”. One of the items their searching for are the original fire polls so if you know what happened to them or if you possess items/artifacts relevant to the fire house please contact Michele Babsiah at hsaibab@hotmail.com.
HISTORIC DOWNTOWN SAN ANGELO MAGAZINE ■ SPRING & SUMMER 2018 | 11
D O W N T O W N
SAN ANGELO, INC.
SATURDAY OCTOBER 6
BAR-B-QUE COOK-OFF
SANCTIONED BY: INTERNATIONAL BARBEQUE COOKERS ASSOCIATION
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Downtown tunnels lead to San Angelo history By Yfat Yossifor SAN ANGELO STANDARD-TIMES SAN ANGELO — Barbara Strain was shocked when they pulled the Masonite back from the wall and found the entrance to the tunnels. “I was surprised and the girls from across the street came over and we were just digging in there with our hands,” she said. Strain and her husband, Alfred Strain, purchased the building at 29 E. Concho Ave. in 2014 to renovate it into the Jesse Rose Mercantile store. They let their grandchildren use the basement for a play area. During renovations, she was in the basement when she noticed a step in the corner. Her husband grabbed a hammer and pulled the Masonite off to exposed a hollowed area leading under the street. CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
The tunnel entrance in the basement of Jessie Rose Mercantile.
JESSIE ROSE Mercantile M l
Boutique
S to XL
PHOTO: YFAT YOSSIFOR
1x to 6x
34 E Concho Ave.
29 E Concho Ave.
35 Years & Still Going Strong, Bigger & Better Than Ever! • Historic Downtown • M-S 10-6 HISTORIC DOWNTOWN SAN ANGELO MAGAZINE ■ SPRING & SUMMER 2018 | 13
PHOTO: YFAT YOSSIFOR Barbara Strain point to boardwalk wood buried in the tunnel entrance at Jessie Rose Mercantil.
They soon noticed more variations in the wall and ultimately found four tunnel entrances. “The history of San Angelo needs to be told, everyone has heard of it and thought it was a myth,” she said. “I think it was kept secret because a lot of men made a lot of money during prohibition.” In the late 1800s, Historic Block One was home to several bars and bordellos and was rumored to be a tough district. “We had historians and archeologists in here and they took soil samples and pictures,” Strain said. There are two rooms that were blocked off where they found shoes, keys and other historical
PHOTO: YFAT YOSSIFOR A bottle and old shoe in a hidden room under Jessie Rose Mercantile where the tunnels lead out under the street in downtown San Angelo.
items. Stain thinks at one point there was an entrance to the basement for horses that was
sealed up along with the rooms. The building was a buggy factory and the John Fitzpatrick Salon
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in 1884 and a blacksmith shop. Today, one tunnel goes back about 10 feet and is believed to lead straight across the street to what used to be the bank. Two entrances in the center of the building are boarded up but old wood boardwalks under the street are visible. The last entrance is bricked shut, Stain said it was blocked by Texas Rangers in 1946 due to prostitution. Across the street is Miss Hattie’s Restaurant and Cathouse Lounge, which is owned by San Angelo Mayor Brenda Gunter. During renovations in the 1970s, her husband, Ken Gunter, had to do foundation work on the building. He found a hollowed-out area that had Civil War buttons, coins and bottles.
“We know the tunnel existed, but at the time he didn’t know how curious people would be about it and he didn’t open it up,” she said. The tunnel is under the restaurant’s dining room. Gunter doesn’t have any plans to open the tunnel because of the amount of money it would require to ensure the tunnels are safe and up to code. “We can tap on the floor and you could hear where it’s really hollow,” she said. Tunnels are rumored to lead to the Cactus Hotel and down the street to Legend Jewelers. Gunter said they were built for various reasons such as to escape Indians, fires and prohibition. “I think it’s important that we know about our history and the people who started this business district,” Gunter said. “It’s who we are, otherwise we are just one of millions of cities across the country and you want to be able to tell your story.”
PHOTO: YFAT YOSSIFOR Barbara Strain looks over an old photo of San Angelo in the basement of her building where she is creating a historic museum.
Strain is slowly working on creating a museum in her basement with a jail and saloon along with photos and artifacts. She also plans to excavate further into the tunnels.
“There has been speculation, but this is fact, these are the tunnels,” she said. “It’s just me and my husband, so it takes time.” Both business owners agree
the tunnels are a fascinating part of San Angelo history. “We want to stand out in terms of who we are and you can’t do that without having a history,” Gunter said.
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325-227-6961 3 25 5 227 69 (325) 655-6557 | 36 E Twohig Ave, Ste 102 | (3
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EAT&DRINKS 19 Thirty-Three 217 S. Chadbourne St. 325.655.2062 333 Restaurant & Saloon 333 Rio Concho Drive 325.653.4500 Angry Cactus 1 W. Concho Ave 325.703.6999 Black Sheep Bar & Grill 441 Rio Concho Drive 325.658.2828 Brix Winery 113 E. Concho Avenue 325.782.9463 Coffee 101 101 Main Street 3235.277.4382 Fat Boss Pub 114 S. Chadbourne 325.617.4532 Fuentes Café Downtown 101 S. Chadbourne 325.658.2430 House of FiFi Dubois 123 S. Chadbourne St. 325.658.3434 Knosh 208 S. Oakes 325.617.5822 Main Street Saloon 26 N. Main Street 325.227.8757 Mesquite Bean Café 36 E. Twohig 325.617.2078 Miss Hattie’s Restaurant & Cathouse Lounge 26 E. Concho Avenue 325.653.0570
Raw1899 38 N. Chadbourne 325.703.6899 River View Restaurant 800 W. Avenue D 325.655.5491
DOWNTOWN SAN ANGELO
Rustic Field to Table 229 N Chadbourne 325.340.3777 SoCo Taphouse 113 E. Concho Avenue 325.703.6218 Stango’s Coffee Shop 221 S. Chadbourne 325.659.8999 The Black Swan Wine Bar 118 S. Chadbourne 325.658.9776 The Casual Pint 19 E. Concho Avenue 325.929-3227
you art wine beer lounge
The Deadhorse 210 S. Chadbourne Street 325.763.8335 The Latest Scoop 37 W. Concho Avenue 325.277.6999
Sweep off the dust of everyday life. Relax in untamed elegance.
Twisted Root Burger Co. 333 S. Chadbourne St. 325.653.7668
The world can wait.
Warehouse 150 113 E. Concho Avenue 325.655.4380 Western Ronin 33 W. Beauregard 325.703.6710
38 North Chadbourne Downtown San Angelo 325-703-6899 www.raw1899.com
Whiskey River Saloon 125 E. Concho Avenue 325.284.3400 Zero One Ale House & Brewery 20 W. Beauregard Ave. 325.653.5123
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Reasons to Love San Angelo:
Murals By Jen Killin-Guadarrama STANDARD-TIMES
One way San Angelo honors the spirit of its history is with massive works of public art. In the downtown core, the walls of many venerable buildings are covered with murals detailing the community’s roots. A mural at 108 E. Concho St. celebrates the military history of San Angelo, including Fort Concho, San Angelo Army Air Field and Goodfellow Air Force Base. Mural artist: Stylle Read. At 118 S. Chadbourne St. is a mural honoring the contributions of Elmer Kelton, San Angelo’s best-known author, whose westerns and other works have an international body of fans. His novel, “The Good Old Boys,” was made into a 1995 TV movie starring Tommy Lee Jones. Mural artist: Stylle Read.
PHOTO: STANDARD-TIMES FILE PHOTO Passers-by stop to look at the military mural painted on the side of a building on the corner of Oakes Street and Concho Avenue in downtown San Angelo. The mural consists of three panels, each focusing on one of the three military installations in San Angelo: Fort Concho, the San Angelo Army Air Field and Goodfellow Air Force Base.
PHOTO: YFAT YOSSIFOR An old-time scene is painted on a building at Chadbourne and Concho streets in downtown San Angelo. HISTORIC DOWNTOWN SAN ANGELO MAGAZINE ■ SPRING & SUMMER 2018 | 17
PHOTO: YFAT YOSSIFOR A mural depicting agricultural history of the Concho Valley painted along South Randolph Street in downtown San Angelo.
An 18-foot by 32-foot mural replicating a blacksmith shop, surrounded by historic registered brands of early West Texas ranches, can be seen on the east wall of a historic building at the corner of Concho Avenue and Oakes Street. Mural artist: Crystal Goodman. Learn more about the murals at www.historicmuralsofsanangelo.org. There’s also a guided cellphone tour of the murals available online at http://www.historicmuralsofsanangelo.org/ guidebycell.html
PHOTO: YFAT YOSSIFOR A mural depicting a blacksmith shop is located on Oakes Street in downtown San Angelo. 18 | SPRING & SUMMER 2018 ■ HISTORIC DOWNTOWN SAN ANGELO MAGAZINE
2018 DOWNTOWN STROLL • January 18th • February 15th • March 15th • April 19th • May 17th • June 21st • July 19th • August 16th • September 20th • October 18th • November 15th • December 20th
ART • SHOP • DINE • EXPLORE
DOWN
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ZERO ONE ALE HOUSE
20 W Beauregard Ave. Restaurant & Brewery specializes in made-from scratch American and International eclectic fare. We have a full bar with great drinks, wines, craft and domestic beers, and offer fresh handcrafted house brews for the ultimate experience.
HOURS OF OPERATION: Mon. 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Tues. – Wed. 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Thur. 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. Fri. – Sat. 11 a.m. - 12 a.m. Sun. 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
ZERO ONE ALE HOUSE
Check out our brewery tours!
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HISTORIC DOWNTOWN SAN ANGELO MAGAZINE â– SPRING & SUMMER 2018 | 19
MADSTYLE MID-CENTURY MODERN, ANTIQUES & MORE 113 E Concho Ave | San Angelo, TX 76903
325-657-9280
Now over 5700 sq ft!