Nostalgia (Los Angeles, San Diego, Long Beach: rent, lease, business)

[jdavid93225]

Originally Posted by cynwldkat

Could you be talking about the wildlife waystation in Little Tujunga Cyn.? If so, it's still there. They have been having some problems with the state about several little things but enough to cause some problems for them. It is a wonderful place to visit and volunteer. They have done a great job with their rescue of exotic animals. I donated my time there for a bit of time and it was a great experience and in a beautiful area.

I remember Wildlife Waystation. I've even been to one of their fundraiser barbecues several years ago. I agree that it is a wonderful place to visit, though I have never volunteered there.

I don't know who you were directing your question to, but if it is me, there is another place (not W.W.) that was east of Canyon Country in Soledad Canyon, but that was back in the 70s and I believe into the 80s. I believe it was gone by 1990, but I'm not sure (I just checked and it's still there). I finally found information on it on the web. It is called "Shambala Preserve," and it is home to about 70 large exotic cats.

[jdavid93225]

I just thought of another one. Does anyone else remember the "big" lake at Hansen Dam? It is very small now, and there is a water park adjacent to it, but in the past it was a much larger lake, and you could even water ski on it.

In the park nearby, there was also a miniature train ride, like the one in Griffith Park. That's been gone for many years, but as I passed by there today, I thought about it.

In a few earlier posts, we discussed the Palomino club in North Hollywood. There was another country bar next to Hansen Dam, called The Corral. Sadly, it, too, is long gone.

Further down Osborne St., there is another park, Roger Jessup Park, near Whitman Airport that used to have an archery range. I only know this because the original sign is still there with the letters carved in wood. The archery and picnic parts have been covered over with paint, but they are still readable. Does anyone remember this?

[grisandole]

I remember Hansen Dam in the late 70's/early 80's, my grandfather would take me often; we lived in Sylmar. Ah, such memories.

I also remember petting horses at William S. Hart park...are they still there? Was that also where the Fantasy Island set was, or am I thinking of somewhere else?

Oh, what about Placerita Canyon...they had some wildlife, and they had some of the Little House on the Prairie set up there for a while.

[jdavid93225]

Originally Posted by grisandole

I remember Hansen Dam in the late 70's/early 80's, my grandfather would take me often; we lived in Sylmar. Ah, such memories.

I also remember petting horses at William S. Hart park...are they still there? Was that also where the Fantasy Island set was, or am I thinking of somewhere else?

Oh, what about Placerita Canyon...they had some wildlife, and they had some of the Little House on the Prairie set up there for a while.

When I've passed Hart park (in Newhall), I haven't seen any horses there. I've been passing by there for years, and can't remember ever seeing any horses there in that time. Of course, about all I see of the park is the area along San Fernando Road, so they could be away from the road and out of sight.

The Fantasy Island set I remember was in the Pasadena or Arcadia area. I can't remember for sure, but I think it was at the Huntington Library. It could also have been Descanso Gardens or the L.A. Arboretum.

My family used to go to Placerita Canyon for picnics pretty regularly. One of the best times I remember was when we went there for breakfast, cooked outside over a camp stove. I think the movie set you mentioned was across the highway from the nature center, and a short distance to the west. I believe that is the location where the Santa Clarita Cowboy Poetry Festival is now held.

[Charles]

Dick Lane Roller Derby & Wrestling: John Tolos, Freddie Blasie, Golden Greek, Kenji Shibuya, Ronnie Raines, Big Johnnie Johnson (tbirds), Ralphy Alaveras(??)
Dick Sinclair Polka Parade
Hobo Kelly
Mr. Wishbone
Red Adare putting out the gas fire above Granada Hills 1973
Zachary All "with sizes from extra small to double portly" "Five Fower Six Seven Wilshire Boulevaaad. Thank You"
Forgot the name Bar & Club top of Topanga (the Ranch House???) burned down in the late 80s???
Winnetka 4 Drive Inn
Pink Pussycat Canoga Park on Sherman Way????
Malibu Grand Prix (Nordoff & Corbin) Super slide there too???
K Tel records presents!
San Fernando Valley State College (now CSUN)
The Green Sheet (now the Daily News)
The Chronicle (WSFV mini newspaper)
Zody's on Roscoe and Topanga (now Ralphs)
Giacapuzzi Dairy Fallbrook & Saticoy
Farrells on Canoga & Ventura (Burger King there now)
Big A groceries NW of Roscoe & Canoga
Lions Lair head shop (Topanga and Sherman Way??)
Od Tunes (on Topanga s of Ventura??)
White Front Canoga & Roscoe (now Home Depot)
Theeeeeee Movies of Tarzana
Val Surf in Calabasas
Moneterey Pop Festival Devonshire Downs: Tull, Hendrix, (Joplin???) 20th-22th June 1969
Air Raid sirens last Friday of the month 10 AM
The "Mount Rushmore" of Sports Broadcasting: Chick Hearn, Vin Scully, Bob Miller, Dick Enberg
Jack "Mr. Ram" Youngblood
Wilt & Jerry
Marcel & Butch & Rogie
Wes Parker
Garvey, Lopes, Russell, Cey
Roman Gabriel
Chief Ed Davis (and Pink Floyd concerts at the Sports Arena; 400+ people busted for smoking pot???)

I think it was called Animal Actors up in Newhall

[jdavid93225]

Wow! Lots of oldies to think about on that post, Charles! Quite a few of those I don't remember, but there's a bunch I do, too. I used to deliver the "Green Sheet" back when it was two or three times a week. Then it became the "Valley News and Green Sheet," and came out four times a week. Eventually it became just the "Valley News," then sometime later, the "Daily News." I also used to deliver the "Los Angeles Herald Examiner." I liked this paper route the best of all those that I had, because I didn't have to make deliveries until the afternoon.

I had forgotten the Malibu Grand Prix, Zody's, Zachary All, and the air raid sirens. I do remember when they tested them in the valley, now that you mention it. I just noticed one that was not removed the other day. I think it was on Winnetka just south of Rinaldi, but I could be wrong about that.

Thanks for naming some of the old Dodger greats (Garvey, Lopes, Russell, Cey). I have never really been a baseball fan, but those are some of the guys I remember from the games I went to as a kid.

Some of the other things you mentioned caused me to remember my days in elementary school. About twice a year, a truck would come to my school, and after school, we could check out a set of roller skates from the truck, and skate to the music provided. It was a sort of portable roller rink at the school. I always think of the song, "Rock Around The Clock" when I think about those times.

We also used to have annual visits from Circus Vargas at school. They would come and put on a show for the kids in school to promote their performances elsewhere in the surrounding community. This was usually a fun time for all of us, especially since we got to go to the circus, instead of going to class.

[Westward]

The place on top of Topanga was the Corrall.

Here is a nice link I found of Burbank:
Click here: Burbankia photo page

http://www.wesclark.com/burbank/index.html
also
http://www.wesclark.com/burbank/photos.html

[fastfilm]

photo Copyright Fastfilm (me) do not copy or link

This purports to be a photo of 1966 Sunset Strip in front of the Whisky A Gogo, but in fact is a shot I took at night of Oliver Stone's 1990 production of "The Doors." The stuntmasters were driving the vintage cars into position. Look at those cars and that gas price!

[jdavid93225]

Originally Posted by Westward

The place on top of Topanga was the Corrall.

Here is a nice link I found of Burbank:
Click here: Burbankia photo page

http://www.wesclark.com/burbank/index.html
also
http://www.wesclark.com/burbank/photos.html

Those Burbank links are pretty cool. I remember shopping at the "Golden Mall" when I was very young (around '73 to '78), but did not realize that it was fairly new then. They later reopened San Fernando Road to vehicular traffic, but closed it down in the area that is now the "Burbank Media Center." What I remember most from the Golden Mall was going to Pep Boys, and being allowed to borrow a screwdriver to fix my bike, and going to J.C. Penney's for Boy Scout Uniforms. There was also a store there called "The Last Grenadier," that carried a variety of games. Lots more neat memories.

[ronaldgibson]

I was told by my dad that the lot where Target is now use to be a city dump. That might be the reason why the ground sinks, like it said in one of the previous messages.