Former Bishop resident's memoirs of 1960's Bishop
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3/26/2009
Achtung:
I was raised by an elder couple at six months of age. The then address, which
doesn't exist anymore, was 600 West Third Street, in front of St. James
Catholic Church. This area was known as the "Westside Downtown" because of all the businesses/schools that existed within about a quarter mile of my "home". Across my home was the church (n.w. corner); on the n.e. corner were the Gonzalez Grocery & Market, his America theatre, and his dry goods store, almost like a shopping cehter. Just east of this business was Estorjio's mini-store, where I remember buying snow cones and other goodies the big store didn't sell. At the s.e. corner, as I remember, was a shop run by a
navy fellow who used it to repair his autos, motorcycles, and his friends as
well. I used to help him hand him some tools, etc.. North of the church was
the school for the colored students. West of my home was Ramirez Grocery, the
competitor of Samuel Gonzalez. Within the same block west of Ramirez' store
was located Olga's Beauty Shop and her father's gas service station and truck
and auto repair shop (a giant of a three-bay garage) named Guile's Repair Shop. Two blocks south of my home was the West Side Elementary School for Hispanics. About a half mile east were Barkley Hatchery, Barkley Chicken "Killer Place", I used to call it. Just west of these were the cotton gin and the grain elevators. About a half mile west of my nome were located the beer joints and such. In between Guile's and the beer joints was located
Canuto's Billiards and a Mexican pan dulce bakery. East downtown I had no use
for. I was a happy camper when I was young. Nothing bothered me and I bothered no one. What a life!!!!!
Thank you, brigates, Julian A. Gonzalez
Bp | Austin, TX