Remembrances of Fran & Bill Nicholson

Our lot was purchased in 1969 and, like a lot of people, construction had to wait about a year until La Costa was opened. We picked our lot from across the lake on Thunderbird Lane. After five years, we sold our home to Hall of Famer, Rick Barry,and the Houston Rockets.

Joe Robinson, brother of Hampton Robinson, who sold the land to Jim McNaughton, lived on Thunderbird and told us that he used to leave the gate closed if he didn't want company but wide open when he wanted to receive guests. This gate was located where we now have the main entrance to Quail Valley at El Dorado. In 1969, to get to clubhouse (which was under construction) one had to enter from Cartwright on La Quinta until the bridge on El Dorado was constructed. Unfortunately for many of us, Cartwright had plenty of chug holes, almost like our speed bumps now. And on rainy days it was worse because you couldn't see the chug holes. Cartwright started at FM 1092 and ended at Cypress Point. The rest of Cartwright was simply a muddy lane.

Construction was fast & swift in the El Dorado section. The main builders were Jim MacNaughton, Tom Overstreet, Frank Marsters, Sr" Roy Kelley and a few others. A portion of Frost Ranch was a beautiful view for those who lived near FM 1092 and Cartwright. Cattle were grazing where the Palais Royal center sits today. Ben Hogan and a group of investors were interested in buying this land but the deal did not go through. They had picked the name "Apple Valley". That's when developer Jim MacNaughton purchased the land. Gayle Deatherage, long time resident and Mayor of Missouri City, was instrumental in MacNaughton's acquisition of the land. Part of what is now a golf course at Cartwright used to be a large dairy farm. We had only 9 holes of golf at first to play, but a little later another 9 holes were added. The first 9 were in the El Dorado section and the second nine were in the LaQuinta section. Our first tennis association was formed October 15, 1971, with play on the four LaQuinta courts. Many fun tournaments were played and as the association grew in number, six more courts went under construction in March 1975, along with the Recreation Center, which was built around the standing basketball courts. In January 1976, John Newcombe joined with Quail Valley Club to build a beautiful tennis facility that would include six covered courts and, to begin with, eight outdoor courts. Many fun celebrity and professional tournaments were played at Newk's but in August 1990, the main tennis club house was destroyed by fire and new facilities had to be constructed. For awhile, the tennis pros and staff had to work out of a trailer. There was also a world record set at this location. Two young men, Karl Elkins & Mike McCormick, determined to beat the Guinness Book of World Records (which they did), played tennis for 5 days & nights without sleep & only 10 minute rests. Unfortunately the pre-records were not turned into Guinness for qualification. However, news media in Houston made a big deal out of it.

The main swimming pool opened in May 1971. It was a very popular place for area youths as well as many adults - sometimes coming straight from tennis or golf. The Houston Open Golf Tournaments were held in Quail Valley in April 1973 and '74. It was a fun and exciting time for all with so many famous people around. The youth had a great time collecting autographs and I think perhaps there were a lot of adults doing the same. Ben Crenshaw was a favorite with the young ladies. The Open was never held in Quail Valley again, as it was reported our homes were built too close to the fairways.

In The Beginning . . .we were considered rural by the post office (and I believe we still are!). . . With the telephone service, if you had a number starting with 437, it was a long distance call to anyone in Sugarland! The 499 numbers were not long distance. Consequently, a lot of residents with a 499 number made a lot of calls for their friends who had 437 numbers, arranging tennis matches or golf play. . . . The grocery stores were not very close. You usually had to drive into Fondren & 59 to shop at Weingarten's (where Loehman's is now) or to Sharpstown Center to shop at Food Giant, taking an ice chest along for the perishables. There was a small grocery store in Stafford. (Cangelosi's) . . . There were 3 schools for our children: E.A.Jones Elementary, Dulles Junior High & Dulles Senior High. The ride to school via school buses was bumpy and long - some over dirt roads. . . . QV Horse Stables was on FM 1092, where Western & English riding was taught. . . .The Southwest Freeway stopped at Bissonnet and it was 2-lanes the remainder of the drive home, but traffic was quite light. In 1970 Ft.Bend experienced a 12" rain flooding the area. QV was hard hit, flooding some homes. This problem was corrected almost immediately. Three times in one week in 1972 snow covered the Quail Valley area. Youngsters and parents alike used boxes, cookie sheets and the lucky had sleds to slide down "MacNaughton Hill" next to hole # 16, La Quinta.