Campus

History haunts UH-D parking lot

Ron Gillory says he may have found his great-great-great-grandfather buried under several tons of asphalt.

Charles Gottschalk committed suicide over 125 years ago “with a bullet through his heart,” wrote The Galveston Daily News in 1885; he was not allowed to be buried in a church cemetery. He was placed in his family’s cemetery, which was located in the “southwestward portion” of his family’s property, according to an 1889 lawsuit between members of the family.

The property and the graves were situated beneath what is now the Downtown Daley Lot, which provides parking for University of Houston Downtown students, Gillory said.

“(The parking lot) is so big. It totally encompasses the original property,” Gillory said. “I don’t think my ancestors are resting well having cars parked on top of their graves.”

Other members of Gillory’s family started the search for the graves, but Gillory has since become more involved.

“The reason we got into this was that there’s a trust fund. Part of the requirements on the trust was to make sure everyone’s grave has a marker. That’s why this came up,” Gillory said. “There’s three sites they’ve been looking for, this is one of them that they’ve found pretty good records on.”

The graves had long since fallen into disrepair from a dispute within the family. They may have been unmarked when the parking lot was constructed, but deed records and oral family history verify the location of the graveyard, said Gillory.

Even if the graves were marked, Gillory says, he would not be surprised if the previous land owners had destroyed the grave markers to increase the value of the land.

Gillory is worried that further construction may destroy the graves.

“I want (the University) to respect the cemetery,” he said.

[email protected]

37 Comments

  • The headline is wrong There is one UT, it is in Austin. Everything else is UTSA, UT Arlington, UTD, UTEP, etc. Similarly, there is one UH, it is at 4800 Calhoun. Everything else is UHD, UHCL, etc. Its bad enough when UHD students say "I go to UH." Its even worse when the UH paper gets it wrong.

    • Well said, Bauer Alum! Apparently, the author of this article does not know that UHD is a separate and distinct university (i.e. UHD is not a branch campus of UH). This story shouldn't have been written in the paper in the first place since it's not about UH!

      • The University of Houston-Downtown IS part of the University of Houston system. Just like Praire View A&M is part of Texas A&M in College Station!

    • Yeah, I hear UHD students say that go to UH all the time. Similary, I hear UHD alumni lying on their resumes saying they had graduated from UH. This confusion with UHD makes UH looks very bad. You're right, Bauer Alum, it's even worse when the UH paper gets it wrong!

    • Whoever wrote the headline of this article does not know that UHD is a separate and distinct university; UHD is not a branch campus of UH!

  • Though UH-Downtown is a part of the University of Houston System, just as the University of Houston is… So to say it is a University of Houston parking lot is not exactily false…

  • Speaking as a current UH-Downtown student, what happens on our campus should have been reported by our reporters at the Dateline Downtown instead of the Daily Cougar. I appreciate the publicity but I think there could have an opportunity for teamwork between the two universities. This article certainly does nothing for the Coog readers but could have been an interesting read for my fellow Gators.

    Good day and Gator Up!

  • I agree with Bauer Alum as well. Its Ok to have graduated from one of the other distinct UH campuses. However, the shouldn't lie about where they earned their degree. These students and alumni did not research each campus. They decided that it would be easier for them to attend Downtown or Clear Lake.

    Neither campus is nationally recognized, neither campus has a ranked business college, neither campus has the prestige as The University of Houston.

    I wear my class ring every day. When people notice my class ring they aske where I graduated college, I never say UH or U of H. I always tell them – The University of Houston!

  • I agree with Bauer Alum as well. Its Ok to have graduated from one of the other distinct UH campuses. However, the shouldn't lie about where they earned their degree. These students and alumni did not research each campus. They decided that it would be easier for them to attend Downtown or Clear Lake.

    Neither campus is nationally recognized, neither campus has a ranked business college, neither campus has the prestige as The University of Houston.

    I wear my class ring every day. When people notice my class ring they aske where I graduated college, I never say UH or U of H. I always tell them – The University of Houston!

      • Also few astronauts who gradated from UH-Clear Lake went to space…they even wore the UHCL school shirt in the ISS.

      • That is true, Another Guest. We are nationally recognized as a President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll member (along with UH-Clear Lake) for our outreach efforts in the community, the only designated "Military Friendly School" in the Houston area for our efforts to work with military veterans going back to school and we've been chosen as a "Grad TX" school to focus efforts on working with working adults to return to college and earn their degree.

    • The same Education is obtain at UHD vs UH…bitch ass punk…I have a degree in ET from UHD, and I probably making more money (92,000 per yr with a UHD degree) than you.

      Remember it’s not where you went to school, but it’s how much you know or who you know. In fact, I work with a Rice graduate; he and I have the same amount of experience, but I’m the one telling/helping him on what to do and it seem that I know a lot more than him…I know that because I’m the one coming up with all of the solution in meeting…

      HOW ABOUT THAT PUNK…..

    • I bet if a Rice, UT, or A&M looks at this guy with a "The University of Houston" class ring…they're going to look down at you. Remember, UH is still Tier 2 in Academics…the only Tier 1 is their research programs. Besides, UT and A&M are still the flagship school in Texas.

  • I am a proud UHD grad and it is awful that we are constantly recognized as UH. UHD college loses money because of the confusion and it all gets sent to UH. I am thrilled that "Guest" is a proud Cooger but with all of the prestige that you aquired by obtaining your degree from The University of Houston you would have thought that they would have taught you to be more diplomatic when writing about other universities, especially those in the same UH System. I am shocked at the responses of some of the UH alumni.

  • I am proud to be UHD Gator!!!! University of Houston-Downtown will always be my alma matter, no matter from where I finish my degree from!!

  • Note that the headline has been changed to UHD. The Daily Cougar should indicate that this update has been made and a previous version of the headline incorrectly stated UH.

  • Let's be honest, it does NOT matter if you go to UH or UHD. This sensationalism of schools is partially the reason why some people enroll in classes and never graduate, or why some graduate and owe THOUSANDS in loans. Did they REALLY get a better education?? Since that UHD student wasn't inconvenienced with being packed like a sardine in a can or having leadership focused on boosting a football program featuring ONE player, isn't it possible that he/she got a better education. There is a perception that students at the UHDs, UTSAs or etc., are receiving a lesser education but is that really true?? I have been in both a UHD and UH classroom and the UHD classroom honestly looked better, with less people breathing down your neck. Focus on the EDUCATION and stop worrying about the NAME! In rare situations does it matter which school is listed on your degree. That name came with a dollar sign.

Leave a Comment