Nostalgia (San Diego, Santa Ana, Pasadena: floor, budget, castle)

[stillkit]

Originally Posted by theatregal

Wow... I remember the "Pike" amusement park in Long Beach... It was called Queens Park in the 70's, after the arrival of the Queen Mary. That is about the time they also had the "spruce Goose" on display. The amusement park in Santa Monica was POP (Pacific Ocean Park), which opened sometime in the late 50's. I remember going there when it opened,... I was only about 3 or 4 years old. I believe it was destroyed by a fire in the late 60's or very early 70's.
Does anyone remember a large fire at Signial Hill (I think it was there) in the late 50's? I was very young, but I was staying with my grandmother in Lakewood/Bellflower and I could hear nothing but sirens the whole day.
I do remember Dairy Valley very well.
LOL... I still refer to the freeways in LA by their names! I have a hard time when I'm given directions by their numerical names when I'm back in Calif.

Yep, that's what it was called. I couldn't remember the name.

As Bob Hope would say, "Thanks for the memories."

[majoun]

For those who wanted to see what POP looked like during its heyday:


YouTube - Pacific Ocean Park

The Ocean Park Pier in the early '50s before it became pOP:


YouTube - 1954 Santa Monica Ocean Park Pier

Gilmore Field, home of the Stars


YouTube - 1957 Gilmore Field

[jdavid93225]

Originally Posted by majoun

I've never heard the 170, the 118, or the 2 referred to by name, even back in the '80s.

I have heard them by name for as long as I could remember. The 170 is part of the Hollywood Freeway, though it becomes the 101 south of the Ventura Freeway.

The 118 used to be called the Simi Valley Freeway after its completion in the late 70s or early 80s. It has since been renamed the Ronald Reagan Freeway, though I still hear it called the Simi Valley Freeway quite regularly.

The 2 has, for as long as I can remember, been referred to as the Glendale Freeway, until it reaches the Foothill Freeway (210). Above the 210, the 2 is referred to as Angeles Crest Highway, though it's no longer a freeway.

Other notable freeway or highway names around Los Angeles include the Harbor Freeway (110), the Artesia Freeway (91), the Imperial Freeway (105), the Marina Freeway (90?), the Pomona Freeway (60), the Corona Expressway (71), the Orange/Costa Mesa Freeway (57), the Long Beach Freeway (710), the San Bernardino/Santa Monica Freeway (10), the San Gabriel River Freeway (605), the Antelope Valley Freeway (14), and the Golden State/Santa Ana Freeway(5). The funny thing about I-5 is that north of L.A., in the San Joaquin Valley, where it splits from U.S. 99, it becomes the Westside Freeway. U.S. 99 continues north as the Golden State Freeway, all the way to Sacramento, I believe.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by jdavid93225

Other notable freeway or highway names around Los Angeles include the Harbor Freeway (110), the Artesia Freeway (91), the Imperial Freeway (105), the Marina Freeway (90?), the Pomona Freeway (60), the Corona Expressway (71), the Orange/Costa Mesa Freeway (57), the Long Beach Freeway (710), the San Bernardino/Santa Monica Freeway (10), the San Gabriel River Freeway (605), the Antelope Valley Freeway (14), and the Golden State/Santa Ana Freeway(5). The funny thing about I-5 is that north of L.A., in the San Joaquin Valley, where it splits from U.S. 99, it becomes the Westside Freeway. U.S. 99 continues north as the Golden State Freeway, all the way to Sacramento, I believe.

There was almost a Whitnall Freeway through the San Fernando Valley to Malibu. There is a Whitnall Highway, all 1800 yards of it, in Burbank.

The Whitnall Freeway - The freeway that never was. on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/84263554@N00/3133953510/ - broken link)

California Highways (www.cahighways.org): Southern California Freeway Development

Curbed LA: Old Timey LA Map: The White Spot in the Valley

[BlackShoe]

The Pasadena Freeway (110) was the Arroyo Seco Parkway and was the first and only road of its kind in Southern California?

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by BlackShoe

The Pasadena Freeway (110) was the Arroyo Seco Parkway and was the first and only road of its kind in Southern California?

actually it was the Arroyo Seco Speedway before it was the Arroya Seco Parkway. Now I am really going back in time. Yes, it was the first of its kind. I remember all the entrances had stop signs, really brilliant, stop and then accelerate to 60 in 0 seconds or get killed, especially in the days when cars did not accelerate all that fast.

Nita

[stillkit]

Originally Posted by nmnita

actually it was the Arroyo Seco Speedway before it was the Arroya Seco Parkway. Now I am really going back in time. Yes, it was the first of its kind. I remember all the entrances had stop signs, really brilliant, stop and then accelerate to 60 in 0 seconds or get killed, especially in the days when cars did not accelerate all that fast.

Nita

So far as I know, it was the first controlled access freeway in America.

I haven't driven it in years, but most the off ramps used to be very tight turns and there were no acceleration lanes. Is it still like that?

ps: I haven't driven it in awhile because I drove a big truck all my adult life and trucks are not allowed on it...they won't fit through the tunnels, much like the Parkway's in New York!

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by stillkit

So far as I know, it was the first controlled access freeway in America.

I haven't driven it in years, but most the off ramps used to be very tight turns and there were no acceleration lanes. Is it still like that?

ps: I haven't driven it in awhile because I drove a big truck all my adult life and trucks are not allowed on it...they won't fit through the tunnels, much like the Parkway's in New York!

I think you are right, I also thought it was the first in the entire country and yes, trucks were not allowed.

Nita

[BlackShoe]

Originally Posted by nmnita

actually it was the Arroyo Seco Speedway before it was the Arroya Seco Parkway. Now I am really going back in time.

Speedway it was.As a boy,I lived right next to the Speedway for five years.My home was on Bridewell St.,in the San Pasqual Valley district of Highland Park.Bridewell paralleled the speedway on the west side for a few blocks.Have not been back to visit the area for a very long time.Not sure I want too,the changes would not be pleasant,I fear.There was a recent thread on Highland Park,and based on posts there,it may be best to stay away forever.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by Charles

There was almost a Whitnall Freeway through the San Fernando Valley to Malibu. There is a Whitnall Highway, all 1800 yards of it, in Burbank.

The Whitnall Freeway - The freeway that never was. on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/84263554@N00/3133953510/ - broken link)

California Highways (www.cahighways.org): Southern California Freeway Development

Curbed LA: Old Timey LA Map: The White Spot in the Valley

Two Westside freeways that were never built: the Laurel Canyon Freeway (the 170 in the Valley and the freeway-like stretch of La Cienega in Ladera Heights were the only parts that were built) and the Beverly Hills Freeway (which would have linked the 101 and 405).

The 90 is still called the Marina Freeway, although it was originally known as the Richard M. Nixon Freeway. The name was changed after Watergate.