How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (Scottsdale: dorms, private school)

[SuzanneDeAz]

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

Phoenix's original light rail system, which ran until the mid 1940s.







Central Ave in 1920s


Downtown in 1940s

Sorry I did not post the picture. I think the Western Ho Hotel is the tall building. I think it is now a home for the elderly.

[desertskies]

Using GE, I am unable to match the mountain in the background to any location in Wickenburg, even going as far as checking north of town, on Hwy 93 (to Vegas). In Superior, I can find a somewhat match on Hwy 60 (east part of town) but the arrows indicating to Phoenix/Los Angeles are pointed in the opposite direction. No success searching for former bus stations in Superior or Wickenburg from the 40's to at the least, get an address to use as a starting point.

Such is life...

[SuzanneDeAz]

Originally Posted by LadmoFan

LOL!! A dry heat well it was. I also think there was a bit less pavement and a few less swimming pools to contribute to the heat and humidity.

Thanks for reminding me of the adobe houses. Nothing better than a real adobe house to beat the heat.

As I wrote earlier, I lived in Phoenix without air conditioning, it can be done. I wouldn't recommend it unless you have no other choice.

LF

Five years ago we added to our home which was built in 1987 a swamp cooler. I remembered how well the cooler worked in June and late Sept. so I talked hubby into putting one in. We save $$ those months using it instead of the AC and it gets cooler than an AC. Often when we get up in the morning after running it all night it would be 60 degrees.

As a child I remember playing with the "swamp cooler hose" and was worn NOT to drink the water.

Originally Posted by Greatday

The ORIGINAL Goldwater's downtown

Then, the other Goldwater's at Park Central Mall - The Goldwater's were not open on Sunday - nor was Lou Grubb Chevrolet

I remember when only 1 drug store was ALLOWED to open on Sunday - and it was done in rotation

I bought my first car from Lou Grubb in 74, a 73 Chevvy stationwagon. Lou Grubb used to give a $25 check to donate to your church when you bought a car from him. He advertised on a Christian Radio station.

Originally Posted by Greatday

Before "Christown" - there was just "Chris" - an older gentlemen who owned the land where the mall was eventually built. Part of the "deal" was that it (the mall - the first enclosed A/C mall in AZ) was to be named after him - hence "Chris" town

And pre Park Central mall was the Central Dairy - Carnation Dairy was up the street a little - at Indian School - they had a great ice cream palor there too - YUMMY

I remember Carnation Dairy when I was still in a stroller as that was one of the places mom would take me to as she walked along Indian School.

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

I remember floods on the Salt in 1978 and 1980. In 1980, all the crossing except for Mill Ave were washed out or collapsed. It took me 3 hours to get to work and this went on for weeks. There were traffic lines for miles and miles and vendors walked up and down the lanes selling newspapers and coffee. Lots of people rented hotels or stayed with friends on the north side of the river. They started a makeshift passenger train called the Hattie B (named after Bruce Babbit the gov's wife) over the rail bridge near Mill. The train inspired the imagination of many and began the drive for a light rail system that finally got voter approval 25 years later.

I remeber this as well. At that time I was living near 43 Ave. and McDowell and taught school in the Laveen school district which was located on 51st Ave. and Baseline. I had to take a city bus dowtown and than transfer to another bus to 35 Ave. and Baseline. There the school district supplied a school bus to pick us up and take us to the school. It took 3 hours each way rather than the 20 minute drive it would take when the bridges were up.

Originally Posted by GT350

I remember when west Phoenix was a nice part of town...

I remember in the late 50's and early 60's when they built Maryvale. My grandparents bought a home there. I remember going to the model homes and thinking they were dream homes. Years later after I got my first teaching contract in 76 I bought a home near 43rd Ave. and McDowell. I did not realize that most of my neighbors purchased their homes there as they were relocated from the City of Phx. buying their land to build the Monroe Corador. Many of the residents were not able to keep the homes in shape and the neighbor hood went down hill within 15 years. Today, both this area and Maryvale are considered rather "tough" neighborhoods.

When I got married in 85 my husband had a home built by the same builder of the house I bought near 43rd Ave. and McDowell. His house was worth a lot more being the neighborhood in Tempe was kept up. Those homes were around Baseline rural, near Kawana's Park.

[SuzanneDeAz]

Originally Posted by Rick Ch.

does anyone remember Brookshires on 16th street and Mcdowell ?

Yes, I well remember that place where my mom used to go and have coffee with my sister. My husband and I recently needed medical services near the Good Sam medical buildings and had lunch there. It is now a Mexican resturant which also had a take out. Seven years ago that Mexican resturant had good food, this time it was not so good. I only went there for the memories.

Originally Posted by observer53

The car dealer must have been Jack Ross, with his famous wife Acquanetta, who starred not only in B movies but in his commercials.

Yes, I remember those commercials well and his famious wife Acquanetta. Who could forget that. I was surprised that Goldwater's daughter was married to Jack's Ross's brother. Small world.

Originally Posted by AZ Tracy

Another good memory came to me....my family would often take a "Sunday drive" to see the Japanese flower gardens off of Baseline.

------------------------------------------------------------------

I remember too those Sunday drives to those gardents thinking we went a long ways from home. Years later when I moved to Awatukee and still worked in Laveen I would daily pass those same gardents and found the distance not to be "all that". As a child you see things so much differently.

Originally Posted by dkraba

I remember Phoenix when I was around 10 years old--had to be mid Fifties---My cousins and my sister and I would walk downtown to a movie theater--cant remember the name--but we could get in for the top of a milk carton--and during intermission we watched The Everly Brothers and Wayne Newton sing on stage--They were in their teens at that time also--It was the Lew King Show. We would follow the canal downtown--I remember visiting the capital Building and actually talking to Barry Goldwater --we didnt worry about crime--there didnt seem to be any --it wasnt really a big town them-or didnt seem to be yo us.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Was the movie theater the "Fox" theater? I remember in the late 50's my brother and I would get in free on a Saturday afternoon for a empty 6 pack of coke or pepsi bottles (do not remember which brand). We would get a free ride on the city bus and back and enter the theater for free just by having the six bottles. There was a dime store near by, not Woolworths, were we would buy candy. Can any of you think of its name as I have been trying to remember the name for some time now.

[trillcatz]

Originally Posted by SuzanneDeAz

does anyone remember Brookshires on 16th street and Mcdowell ?
-----------------------------------------------------------

Yes, I well remember that place where my mom used to go and have coffee with my sister. My husband and I recently needed medical services near the Good Sam medical buildings and had lunch there. It is now a Mexican resturant which also had a take out. Seven years ago that Mexican resturant had good food, this time it was not so good. I only went there for the memories.

Brookshires 16th St and Mcdowell...wow! Blast from the past. I think I was about 15. Lunch with a lowlife maybe? I've been there before...I think a friend of mine named Marty waitressed there. This was probably 68-69 or so.

[trillcatz]

Originally Posted by SuzanneDeAz

Was the movie theater the "Fox" theater? I remember in the late 50's my brother and I would get in free on a Saturday afternoon for a empty 6 pack of coke or pepsi bottles (do not remember which brand). We would get a free ride on the city bus and back and enter the theater for free just by having the six bottles. There was a dime store near by, not Woolworths, were we would buy candy. Can any of you think of its name as I have been trying to remember the name for some time now.

Wasn't there a JJ Newberry's downtown along with Woolworths? Not positive on this. I went to the Fox and Paramount in the 60's and we would get pizza at Woolworths but for some reason Newberry's keeps popping up in my head.

[SuzanneDeAz]

You are right. It was a Newberrys and not a Walgreens. Do you remember their Parakeet display? That is what I remember the most. I also think this store had a basement and an escalor that went to the bottom floor. Near Newberry's was a store which sold chidren's clothes and mom would buy my petticoats there. There also was a cafeteria there that I remember being quite formal with cloth napkins. I remember my grandmother taking me there sometimes to eat. Mom usually took us to Woothworth to eat at their lunch counter. They used to sell Pizza by the piece. I remember Indian woman would sit outside of Woolworth and sell their beaded jewelry. Korricks was one of the first stores to go and it was converted into one of the first Jr. Colleges.

[observer53]

I hadn't thought about the parakeets in Newberry's in decades.

Yes, Korrick's became Maricopa Technical College, if I remember correctly.

[SuzanneDeAz]

A few years back they had a display in the state Capitol building on the Code talkers. I never lived in SunnySlope but if I recall it is near Glendale. Is this correct?

[SuzanneDeAz]

Cruising down Central Ave. on Saturday nights.
-----------------------------------------------------------

I was wondering if any one would mentioned cruising down Central Ave. on a Saturday night. That was a huge pasttime for teens in the 60's. I remember getting burgers at Bob's Big Boy.