I have often wondered how many people remember summers at Linder Lake in Houston, Texas, and if any of you would actively look to find anything on the internet about it. If you don't remember me, my parents owned Linder Lake until its demise in the late 1960's. It was a part of my childhood which has never left me and, since my birthday was yesterday and we are all getting older, I was reminiscing about the good times we had there.
To get the ball rolling, I remember working the concession stand and counting the minutes until I could jump in that cold, clear water. I also remember playing keep-away for hours when the pool was not crowded. I remember youthful crushes, falling for all the lifeguards at one time or another, listening to the songs that are now oldies on a transistor radio poolside, and shared kisses stolen underwater.
I hope anyone who reads this blog will at least post their memories here or even e-mail me at my contact address.
Malinda
33 comments:
Thanks Malinda! Linder Lake, Moody Park and Duquesne(msp) Ball Park are some of my favorite memories from my pre- and teen years! Thanks forf the blast from the past. I've emailed you!
Priscilla
I got your email Prissy. I remember going dancing at Moody Park and the parties in garages kids would have in the Lindale subdivision near the pool. I spent many afternoons and evenings watching ball games at the park over by the railroad tracks and riding bicycles for hours and hours playing "hide and seek" on bicycles when younger.
Well, heck, I feel like the latecomer here.
I used to swim at Dodson Lake pool most of the time, but when friends were in town, we went to Linder Lake. I have fond memories of it.
Interesting tidbit: I came close to drowning there twice, following my two older brothers into the deep end without knowing how to swim. Both times I panicked and went under, and both times my brothers completely failed to notice.
Also both times, strangers pulled me out of the water and set me on shore. I didn't get their names, and I doubt if I even thanked them.
I had some good times at the lake. I still remember spending so much time in the water that my toes hurt from walking on the bottom. Going off of the hight dive was a right of passage for all of my friends. I grew up on Danna Lane which was a dead end street off of Fulton close to Reid Methodist. The
neighborhood has really changed since then but I had some really good times there. Thanks to your family for operating the pool.
Though very young, being born in '62, I have very vivid memories of Linder Lake. I've since moved back to the neighborhood living in the house I grew up in that my grandmother left me on Melbourne by Frisco. Played Little League at Duquesne Field. Attended Bethany Lutheran through 8th grade. And still listen for the noon sirens to sound from the fire station.
Jerry D.
For years I've been asking people If they have heard of or know of Linder Lake, today as I was interviewing a customer that grew up on Parker and went to Burbank and Sam Houston Senior High, I asked if she knew of a big swimming pool off of Helmers, to my surprise she did. We shared recollections and I thought I would Google it and here I am. My brothers and sisters grew up on Frisco and spent many days walking back fron the pool with our eyes blood red and skin wrinkled from spending hours upon hours at the pool. I hope you can answer a question I've been wondering about, why did it close and do you have any pictures you could post for all of us that have memorories of that northside oasis.
I grew up in the Heights and enjoyed many summer days at Linder Lake. While I didn't live close, I had to ride the bus and transfer twice to get there. My parents were very permissive and let me go alone, but back in those days, nothing bad seemed to ever happen.It was the late '30's and early '40's when I went swimming there.
I grew up on Angeline St. behind the old Farmer's Market on Airline. Linder Lake was a very special treat for me. Cost $.50 to get in. You were given a basket to put your clothes in, and it had a big safety pin with the number of the basket that you pinned to your bathing suit.I was such a skinny, freckled faced kid and I didn't belong to the "in" crowd that sunbathed on the grass over in the corner. Boys would drive by and whistle at all the pretty girls. I loved to get food from the concession stand and eat it at one of the tables under the trees. It was such a special place. Nothing has ever come along that could compare to it. Wish my kids, grandkids, and now, great-grandkids could have been able to experience it.
Very interested in Picture of Linder Lake. I was born in 1960 and lived in Lindale across the street from Bethany. If anybody would be kind enough for pics thanks in advance. pkbinplano@verizon.net
Paul Baranowski
Malinda A friend of mine married a girl named Betty Baker, she had a sister name Brenda, I spent a lot of my young days at Linder Lake I thought these two girls parent's owned it, LeeRoy Baker family have I been wrong all these years? I'm 68 years old now & was going there when I was 7 or 8 years old.I was on the dive team in hi school, learned every thing about diving from the life guards there,specifically Charles Lanclaus & James Taylor.
Hi Malinda,
Found this blog looking for something about Linder Lake. Back in the 50's my friend Roland and I would ride my bicycle to Linder lake almost every weekend. I've been trying to find where it was on a map, but just can't remember exactly where it was.
Anyway, a lot of great memories.
Bill Franklin
Malinda,
Could you tell me what year Linder Lake was built and opened? And I can't believe my friend "Prissy" made a comment on here back in 2008! We just talked on the phone today! hahaha
Thanks for your help!
Eltye Hamilton
Linder Laker from 1958 - 1965 or so...
The hotdogs at Linder Lake were unforgetable. Onions, chili, mustard and wrapped in a tissue paper that was unique. Growing up on the North Side with no a/c was pretty awful. Then, we'd have a trip to Linder Lake and feel so refreshed! Thank you folks for having such a great place for us.
My house was on corner of Caplin & Helmers and could see LL from my front yard. Had many wonderful memories of that pool.
I grew up in the 1960s and '70s on Kirkwood Street and remember walking to Linder Lake with my two older brothers on hot summer days and sometimes driving there in the evenings with our parents. Both my brothers learned to swim there, but it closed before I progressed beyond floating and dog paddling. I had forgotten about the food until I read these comments, but it was good. I understood that it closed in response to integration--sad if true but a reflection of the times. I, too, attended Bethany from 1971 to 1974.
Neat to find this blog. We lived on Ave of Oaks, a few houses from Fulton. Went to Thomas Jefferson Elementary - the "new" one a block off of Fulton, close to Joyce and Gale. Took square dancing @ Moody park. Loved Linder Lake in the summer, but always had to wait 30 minutes after eating the great concession food before going back in. It took reaal courage to leap from the high dive. Played little league (very poorly) @ Duquesne Park.
Used to swim there a lot. My dad had a small store across the street and we had to stock groceries. Tons of stories about the area. Played in the fire station too.
Joe
Joe, was the store Elgins?
Nope, Bargain Food Mart on the Helmers side.
Very interesting memories about this neighborhood. I heard stories from my siblings about Linder lake, but was too young to experience it. I grew up in 70s but remember many other things about this neighborhood. We lived on helmets and dogwood St. I do remember the fire station across from Bethany Lutheran. O remember Bargains, Elgin and my favorite store Pennington on helmets. I played my little league career at Duquesne.... man those were good times!
I remember the small store by the fire station. In the winter they would serve free Hot Dr Pepper.
I grew up in the panhandle, but now live in Houston and hadn't heard of Linder Lake until my mom sent me a photo and an old newspaper article about it. I'm 45 and my grandfather was a lifeguard there in 1937. I have a photo of him and other lifeguards at Linder Lake. I also have the article about the pool and a photo of it. Happy to forward the information if someone is collecting info on the place.
I remember Linder Lake. It was a big part of my childhood. I can remember those baskets you kept your clothes in and the key pin and how you had to wet yourself before getting in the pool. It was awesome!!
I remember Linder Lake. It was a big part of my childhood. I can remember those baskets you kept your clothes in and the key pin and how you had to wet yourself before getting in the pool. It was awesome!!
Does anyone have pics
I was born and raised just NW of Pennington grocery store on Helmers. Linder Lake was where I learned to swim.My childhood home is gone now and in its place an elementary school sits. It takes up the whole block I spent so many memorable years. I would not have traded my upbringing there for nothing. Roosevelt elemtrary still exist but the playgrounds are gone. Last names of neighbors were Young, King, Plachey (msp),and Neighbors.They say you can never go back and sadly I think it's true, but nothing can remove the memories except old age. My name is Jay Reynolds. I had a half brother, Freddy Lopez and sister Mary Ann.
I was born and raised just NW of Pennington grocery store on Helmers. Linder Lake was where I learned to swim.My childhood home is gone now and in its place an elementary school sits. It takes up the whole block I spent so many memorable years. I would not have traded my upbringing there for nothing. Roosevelt elemtrary still exist but the playgrounds are gone. Last names of neighbors were Young, King, Plachey (msp),and Neighbors.They say you can never go back and sadly I think it's true, but nothing can remove the memories except old age. My name is Jay Reynolds. I had a half brother, Freddy Lopez and sister Mary Ann.
I was born and raised just NW of Pennington grocery store on Helmers. Linder Lake was where I learned to swim.My childhood home is gone now and in its place an elementary school sits. It takes up the whole block I spent so many memorable years. I would not have traded my upbringing there for nothing. Roosevelt elemtrary still exist but the playgrounds are gone. Last names of neighbors were Young, King, Plachey (msp),and Neighbors.They say you can never go back and sadly I think it's true, but nothing can remove the memories except old age. My name is Jay Reynolds. I had a half brother, Freddy Lopez and sister Mary Ann.
I would love to have a copy of that photo, if I may.
Thank you,
Sharon
I remember many happy days spent there to get away from the heat. I too rubbed the soles of my feet raw from spending all day in the water. It seems like a another world. I didn't even know who was President.
I too learned how to swim at Linder Lake. My Grandparents lived on Graceland Street in Lindale. The water, music, hot dogs and ALAMO tamales were a perfect treat on a hot summer day. I think Linder Lake was gone by the time I graduated Sam Houston High in 1975. I can still remember it like it was yesterday. I also remember swimming at an outdoor pool near my old elementary school (Durkee) and Hot Wells in Cypress. Yep the good old days!
Mike Kennedy
Wow, wish the comments had real names along with them. I remember LL well. Leroy Baker was my dad, Virginia my stepmom. Brenda and Betty Baker were my sisters and Bubba and Malinda my step sibs. We did have a great time at LL, wish I could do a time-warp and go back.
Hope someone will make a recent comment with a name I recognize.
Edith Baker
Yes I have great memories of Linder lake. Born in Houston lived on King street as a child east side of Hardy street. At this time only got to go swimming at the the pool a few times. In 1963 (12 years old) family moved to Caplin street near Loyd street only 1 1/2 blocks from pool. So I could walk, ride my bike or Mustang scooter to Linder lake. Many a summer day even if I did not go swimming I could hang out at the picnic tables talk to everyone and get a tasty hotdog. One summer I had a Chronicle paper route and early Sunday morning I would see Leroy at the pool with his pole net inspecting the pool and hear the pumps running. Here's a comment no one has mentioned, muscle car days. Often times on weekends young men/boys would circle around the block showing off their mag wheels and polished cars, all types of hot rods, 5-6 laps. Most were polite some would give a wolf whistle to the girls laying in the grass getting a tan at the deep end of pool. Nearly all the women ignored them. This behavior would not be tolerated nowadays. Then some of the dudes would stop on corner of Lasarus street burn rubber and drive off into the sunset. I do remember Malinda and Bubba talked to them for years. Using my wife's account today known as Bubba as a kid, Sammy in the 60's, now just Sam
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