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Judy Maxwell (1971)
Caren, I remember the perserves at Log Cabin...They were great, It was hard not to fill up on just them before the rest of the food came out. Everything I remember about the Log Cabin was great. Ate there growing up and as an Adult. Hated to see it go. Here is some History of it ~ kinda long but I thought intersting to read.
The Log Cabin is a bit of Humble history and is remembered fondly by many long-time residents. It was a place where anybody from every walk of life felt welcomed and at home. Located 12 miles north of Houston on the Eastex Freeway, the Log Cabin was a very popular family restaurant frequented by locals as well as celebrities. A victim of the expansion of Highway 59, (the highway was expanded right through the dining room) the restaurant closed in December of 1990.
A.Z. Ward and his wife Relda began running the Log Cabin in 1946. Prior to 1946, the restaurant was run by A.Z.'s mother Beulah. The excellent reputation of the Log Cabin was not limited to just the Humble area. For more than five decades people frequently made the trip from the greater Houston area along the Highway 59 (which was just a two-lane road back then) just to enjoy the fried chicken, dumplings and, of course, A.Z.'s famous pear preserves and homemade biscuits.
Former patrons may recall red and green checked tablecloths with white tablecloths crossways on top. The dining room sat 300 people and the waitresses wore coordinating uniforms with starched aprons. The restaurant was open seven days a week and was only closed on Christmas Day. This saying was printed on the menu: A devoted wife who does the dishes should be granted these three wishes, a grateful mate, a well-kissed cheek, and a restaurant dinner every week.
"They served family style. They brought out platters and bowls of food. It was like sitting at the family dinner table," Mary Ellen Moore, a daughter of the Wards, remembered.
Humble Mayor Wilson Archer had this to say: "The Wards were great folks. Everybody in Humble loved to go there to eat. The Log Cabin had been a fixture in the Humble area for many years; I hated to see it go."
"Christmas Day was family time," said Linda Bement, another Ward daughter. "I remember one Christmas when the family was enjoying Christmas dinner at the restaurant. We must have had about 100 family members and friends there. We looked around and realized some of our customers did not notice the closed sign outside and had joined us!
"Mother was always at the front. She ran a friendly but efficient dining room. Her philosophy was, 'The customer is always right. If you were nice to people then they will be nice to you.' You could never be too good to wait on anybody," Bement stated.
Gertie Nealy, a resident of Humble since 1934, has fond memories of the Log Cabin. "The Wards were fine people; they contributed a lot to Humble. Going to the Log Cabin was special. When we took my girls there it was a treat. It was not like a regular cafe, you did not just get a plate. When you went to the Log Cabin you were served a complete meal. We really loved it."
According to Bement, then-Texas Governor Daniels and his limousine were frequently sighted at the Log Cabin. John Wayne ate there many times during the 60s while filming the movie "Hell Fighters." Mickey Gilley brought John Travolta to the Log Cabin while filming "Urban Cowboy." Travolta became so familiar with Relda he called her "Grandma."
"For years they fed a homeless man named Sam. Sam was served in the dining room just like everybody else. We were taught Sam was a fellow human being who should be treated with dignity, just like any other customer. If someone needed food they were never turned away," said Bement.
The Ward family was well-known in the community. A.Z. and Relda were married for 60 years and raised four children: Mary Ellen, Linda, Michalene, and James. The chimes at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Humble were donated by the Wards in memory of their daughter Judith. The four Ward children still live in the area and son James now operates a business on a portion of the property that was formerly the home of A.Z., Relda and the restaurant.
"My father was a very low-key person that did not look for recognition. He sponsored Little League teams and gave them a dinner at the end of the year. For years and years Dad purchased grand prize fryers from the Humble FFA and then gave the kids a dinner," Moore recalled.
Besides running the dining room at the restaurant, Relda also volunteered at school and was active in the PTA.
"He and my mother took part in whatever we were doing." Moore said.
Roy Schultz, a long-term Humble resident and family friend, remembers the Log Cabin accommodating a large number of civic events.
"Mr. Ward was so even-tempered. They lived a simple lifestyle. If you wanted quality for your dollar they were one of a kind. Their food was irresistible. We enjoyed unbeatable quality and service. Mr. A.Z. Ward was an honest man. He earned his place in life," Schultz said.
A unique era ended when the expansion of Highway 59 forced the Log Cabin to close its doors in 1990. The Ward children and generations of employees have worked at the Log Cabin, including six of the Calderon brothers who later joined the police department.
A.Z. and Relda moved to Forest Cove shortly after the closing. They both lived into their 80's and passed on this year within three months of each other. The Log Cabin, A.Z. and Relda remind people of a bygone time of family-run restaurants' personal family service and will be fondly remembered for years to come by the Humble and Houston community.
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