The Astrodome, 12:10 PM, Saturday, June 1, 2013.
I meant that column headline literally, The above picture shows how the grand old Astrodome looked today, shortly after noon, this Saturday, the 1st of June, 2013, I was just checking into the TriStar Sports Memorabilia Collector’s Show at Reliant Center on Kirby in Houston and I couldn’t resist facing south and taking her picture.
“Smile, Old Girl!” I thought. “You don’t look half as bad today as some have claimed. Perhaps, the reports of your death have been highly exaggerated. Yeah, I know – and I see – there’s a little black cloud hanging over your head in the short-term, but you mostly always have been good at handling those and, besides, there appear to be plenty of glorious cotton candy clouds and big blue summer skies on the horizons to your south, but rolling north.”
The Astrodome, 12:14 PM, Saturday, June 1, 2013.
The chuck wagon statuary on the north side of the Astrodome may be now inviting Houstonians to “come and get it” with a new intent in mind: “Citizens of Greater Houston, if you will only come forth in numbers and help me get a new direction of service going, I’m still strong enough to handle my place in history with dignity in ways that will make each of you happy and proud that you didn’t knock out both me and the flowers that still adorn our life space just so the fat cats could replace us with a parking lot.”
“Come get it on and do it right, Harris County. The time for positive action on the Astrodome is here and now. History must be saved, – and not ‘dozed.”
Tags: The Astrodome Today
The Pecan Park Eagle 
June 2, 2013 at 2:45 am |
I think we need a “Save the Dome” Campaign and fast. Somehow get Houston behind it in a big way.
I was there, on the 1st row, opening night and this saddens me to see the old girl just standing there empty …..waiting for the people to come back……….
June 2, 2013 at 5:29 am |
Yes, Linda. We do need a reinvigorated, active, loud Save the Dome campaign. Will you start it? I am signee number one.
June 2, 2013 at 2:25 pm |
I worked at every game in the Astrodome except three 1965 -1994. It is still the 8th wonder of the world,,,right ahead of the ST. Louis Arch.
Bob Green
June 2, 2013 at 6:40 pm |
Ever find your Jack Waters pic? I’ve dug one small headshot up – email me if interested
June 3, 2013 at 10:32 pm |
The recent NY Times article on the folly of demolishing the Dome has set some people’s teech on edge.
June 4, 2013 at 5:54 am |
NY Times Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/27/sports/houstons-astrodome-may-be-dirty-and-dated-but-it-is-irreplaceable.html?pagewanted=all
An Article on Saving the Astro Dome here:
http://houstorian.org/why-save-the-astrodome/
Thank Anthony!
Linda
June 4, 2013 at 12:39 pm
Linda,
Thanks for the link! The NY Times article by Jere Longman was my inspiration for the column I wrote here on 5/28/13 called “Houston: First Class? Or No Class?”
http://bill37mccurdy.wordpress.com/2013/05/28/houston-1st-class-or-no-class/
If you start any kind of “boots on the ground” citizen effort to “Save Our Dome”, please know that you can count on The Pecan Park Eagle covering your back all the way.
June 4, 2013 at 6:15 am |
From the NY Times:
“In daylight, however, beneath the dust and neglect, the Astrodome’s silvery exterior continues to summon a city’s innovative past and futuristic promise. By contrast, Reliant Stadium next door is a dull football arena, designed with all the imagination of a hangar to park a blimp.”
This is the ultimate in pointed summaries.
>>James Glassman, a Houston preservationist, calls the Astrodome the city’s Eiffel Tower and the “physical manifestation of Houston’s soul.” New York could afford to tear down old Yankee Stadium, Glassman said, because the city had hundreds of other signature landmarks. Not Houston. Along with oil, NASA and the pioneering heart surgeons Michael E. DeBakey and Denton A. Cooley, the technological marvel of the Astrodome put a young, yearning city on the global map.<<
Yes. Demolishing it would be like demolishing the Eiffel tower. It should be a combined museum and park .