See Houston captured in rich color images

Southwest Freeway construction, looking outbound toward Post Oak at Westpark, circa 1959-1960. Southwest Freeway construction, looking outbound toward Post Oak at Westpark, circa 1959-1960. Photo: Houston Chronicle File Photo: Houston Chronicle File Image 1 of / 86 Caption Close See Houston captured in rich color images 1 / 86 Back to Gallery

Maybe you’ve seen these photos before, but since BCH is always picking up new readers maybe you didn’t see these photos when I first posted them in 2013.

We’ve seen tons of black-and-white photos of the city through the years, but it’s the color negatives, transparencies and Kodachrome slides that get my interest. I usually keep an eye out for them at estate sales and antique stores.

Six years after I dug out these photos, a few questions remain unanswered. In image 11, there are what appear to be rice silos off in the distance. Makes me wonder if that’s the same one off Westview just inside the Beltway.

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: What are your fuzzy memories of Houston?

Also, in image 42, there’s a somewhat tall building off in the distance. It also shows up in image 34 in the upper left corner. It could be the East End so maybe that was the Maxwell House plant.

Toward the end of the photo gallery are some images of the Houston skyline at dusk from the 1960s. Other photos here were contributed by BCH friend and former Chronicle copy editor Ferrell Moore.

By the way, these pictures are best viewed by expanding the gallery size. It’s the last button in the lower right corner.

J.R. Gonzales, a third-generation Houstonian, covers local history with an eye toward the people and events that have mostly been forgotten to time. Follow him through Bayou City History on Facebook and Twitter. He can be reached at 713-362-6163 or john.gonzales@chron.com.