Clifton Adams National Geographic photo of Missouri Pacific Railroad Depot on E Levee St

This photograph was taken by Clifton Adams who worked for the National Geographic Society, photograph is dated 1928.
This beautiful building was built by the Missouri Pacific Lines along with the Kelwood Company architects of San Antonio, who designed it, they also were the architect’s for the Hotel El Jardin. Construction of this structure was started in August 1926 and finished in late March 1927. It was built of hollow clay tile blocks, concrete and stucco. The interior of the building was just as beautiful as the exterior. Unfortunately, this beautiful building was torn down in 1965 at the request of the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce. 

It would be great to rebuild this railroad station next to the hotel El Jardin and redevelop that part of Levee street in downtown Brownsville.

~ Jose Cazares

1928 Signs of Better Days Downtown

by Jose Cazares

1928 was a busy year for Electric street signs. Two new electric signs, one on Levee street and one on Washington lighted up the city streets of Brownsville's skyline. 

The Hotel El Jardin sign costed about $1,500. It was about thirty feet high and fifteen feet wide and had letters almost three feet high. It was was placed on the Southeast corner of the hotel, beginning at about the fifth story and extended to the top. M. Reich of San Antonio, who designed the huge "Solid Light" glower, was in charge of its erection. The letters were made of "Reich-Light" glass, a specially patented glass which admits of greater illumination and reflection than any glass known at that time.

The Capitol theatre also placed its sign in 1928.  (Editor's note:   Capitol Theater sign of 1928 had nation's Capitol building as icon on top.  The new sign may have replaced original after 1933 hurricane or 1938 when Capitol was completely upgraded.)

 1938 Brownsville Herald ad page

Another of Mr Reich's signs was the Cameron Hotel sign on Washington street.

In 1928, The Missouri Pacific Lines constructed the "International Bridge" ornamental sign at the entrance to the bridge road leading to the International bridge. Train schedules and general information was posted on this sign, it is said and it was illuminated at night.  (cropped section of 1942 Arthur Rothstein photo colorized by Javier R. Garcia)

Missouri Pacific Railroad Depot and Chamber of Commerce Park off E Levee St. late 1930s

Missouri Pacific Railroad Depot (MoPac) passenger station at left and behind these two couples with Traveler's Hotel rising in distance.

Missouri Pacific RR Depot photo (Erik Sunde)

These two young men are in oark area between depot and Chamber of Commerce building.

postcard of MoPac depot park copied from Ebay

postcard of Chamber of Commerce building copied from Ebay

An ancient steamboat anchor be Chamber of Commerce Park is the spot where many visitors enjoyed the local history of our culture on the Rio Grande and there was also a 1877 Baldwin 2-4-2 locomotive parked there which now sits at the Historic Brownsville Museum on E Madison and 7th St.  No one seems to know what happened to the anchor so please give us a holler at (956) 555-KBRO if you know what happened to it.

At the right is the Moody Hotel and Texaco gas station garage corner seen elsewhere on this blog.  

1928 Brownsville, Texas

Photo found on Ebay.  Colorized by Javier R. Garcia.

1959 ~ Missouri Pacific Railroad (MoPac) ticket

Ticket envelope (front and back)

 Inside ticket envelope

ticket:  front and back

inside 2-way ticket stub (It's not really torn - just had to make it fit)

 c1927 Clifton R. Adams
Missouri Pacific Railroad Depot on E Levee St

 1927- Researched by Jose Cazares.   Colorized.

From color slide c1940s - shared by Eric Sunde

National Geographic Stock photos

/National Geographic Creative

 Barry Bishop

 Clifton R. Adams / /National Geographic Creative
Man selling pan dulce at Market Square

 Clifton R. Adams

 Clifton R. Adams
anchor at Chamber of Commerce Park off E Levee St

 Clifton R. Adams
Missouri Pacific Railroad Depot on E Levee St

 Luis Marden
I think this sign stood on E Elizabeth and International right before you reached Gatway Bridge then was relocated to Alice Wilson Hope Park but now it's gone

Missouri Pacific Lines booklet cover

Researched/shared by Jose Cazares.  Colorized by Bronsbil Estacion.