How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (purchase, noisy)

[roosevelt]

Lots of speculation was going on when the Black Canyon Freeway was announced. Lots of funny business by politicians and such. Land up in Deer Valley that was a few hundred dollars an acre zoomed to thousands overnight. A friend just happened to buy some acres, maybe about 40, and traded for a large ranch up near Sanders. Years later he said he should have kept the Deer Valley land. I might add that the Black Canyon totally messed up, they should have run the 1/2 mile cross streets over it while they had the chance.

The stop light on the 51 freeway was hilarious, imagine driving 60 miles an hour and there is a stop light but that was the only way they could get the approval of the surrounding neighborhood, make it a parkway.

[Chrisxxx]

Originally Posted by Westside Willie

Heres a few goodies to spark some new discussion.

1. Apparently you had to be really white to appear in a 1960's era postcard from Phoenix. I think I know why they're all waving...they're waving goodbye to all the black people whom were sent packing to South Phoenix.
Check out how the unspoiled desert comes right up to the edge of the pool.

2. Tex Earnhardt / Chandler. What else is there to say? Dig those crazy eyebrows! And BTW - why would a cowboy even want a car?

3. Can someone please explain to me the purpose of having an "Indian" chief on this test pattern thingamajig?

In the early 1960's I was in high school and had several black classmates. We lived on the "west" side of phoenix.

[tom85014]

This was from the Arizona Republican, Sunday Morning, December 10, 1911

[Chrisxxx]

Originally Posted by 1937Gal

I had several dresses made from flour sacks and they were my favorite dresses too. I remember the plates, etc. in the soap.... I would also love to stand and watch my mother wash clothes through the old old ringer type washing machine. She would always warn me to stay back for fear my clothing or hair might get caught in those ringers. Does anyone remember the old fashioned margerine that was white and you crushed a little yellow capsule of dye, mixed it in and voila'...yellow margerine.

I, too, remember my mom using a wringer washer. One time, age 3, I got my hand caught in the wringer. Fortunately, my mom was close by and shut the machine down and got my hand out of the wringer with little damage. It basically rubbed a layer or two of skin off but it left no permanent scarring. I remember my mom mentioning having to add dye to margarine at one time. I also remember watching her sprinkle clothing that was very stiff after washing and line drying due to starch. She used a bottle with an attachment with holes on the top that had been filled with water. When wet and softened, she folded the clothes up as small as she could get them and stuffed them into a plastic bag and put the bag in the refrigerator until ready to iron the clothes. How times have changed...lol

[1937Gal]

Originally Posted by Chrisxxx

In the early 1960's I was in high school and had several black classmates. We lived on the "west" side of phoenix.

I was a senior in high school when they closed Carver High School and integrated the students. Initially this school was named Phoenix Union Colored High School, then renamed Carver High School in 1943, then closed in 1954.

[locolobo13]

Originally Posted by Chrisxxx

I, too, remember my mom using a wringer washer. One time, age 3, I got my hand caught in the wringer. Fortunately, my mom was close by and shut the machine down and got my hand out of the wringer with little damage. It basically rubbed a layer or two of skin off but it left no permanent scarring. I remember my mom mentioning having to add dye to margarine at one time. I also remember watching her sprinkle clothing that was very stiff after washing and line drying due to starch. She used a bottle with an attachment with holes on the top that had been filled with water. When wet and softened, she folded the clothes up as small as she could get them and stuffed them into a plastic bag and put the bag in the refrigerator until ready to iron the clothes. How times have changed...lol

I did that too. I was about 4 at the time. Unfortunately for me I had to wait until my mom wasn't around because she wouldn't let me touch it. It was up to my elbow by the time she got there!

Like you no scarring, but I will never forget it. Nor the scolding mom gave me after.

[tom85014]

Originally Posted by 1937Gal

I was a senior in high school when they closed Carver High School and integrated the students. Initially this school was named Phoenix Union Colored High School, then renamed Carver High School in 1943, then closed in 1954.

attached is a class picture from 1955 for PUHS - sorry for the quality. It was a panoramic view and has not aged that well. I had to scan it in 3 sections. I had been told that this was the 2nd year for school integration at Phoenix Union - maybe you knew some of the students

[1937Gal]

Originally Posted by Chrisxxx

I, too, remember my mom using a wringer washer. One time, age 3, I got my hand caught in the wringer. Fortunately, my mom was close by and shut the machine down and got my hand out of the wringer with little damage. It basically rubbed a layer or two of skin off but it left no permanent scarring. I remember my mom mentioning having to add dye to margarine at one time. I also remember watching her sprinkle clothing that was very stiff after washing and line drying due to starch. She used a bottle with an attachment with holes on the top that had been filled with water. When wet and softened, she folded the clothes up as small as she could get them and stuffed them into a plastic bag and put the bag in the refrigerator until ready to iron the clothes. How times have changed...lol

Mother was the Starch Queen...and I came home from school many times with a rubber raw neck from the starched collars. As you say hanging out on the line made the clothes stiff. She sprinkled/dampened the clothes to iron as did I until at long last the irons permitted steam. Mother's bottle was a coke bottle, an aluminum cork with holes in it. I used a spray bottle. Sometimes I put dampened clothes in the fridge and just forgot to get them out and ironed. And then there were those horrid days when we had to defrost the fridge. I hated that job with a passion and I hate to admit the freezer section would get overrun with ice until I was forced into the job of defrosting.

[1937Gal]

Originally Posted by tom85014

attached is a class picture from 1955 for PUHS - sorry for the quality. It was a panoramic view and has not aged that well. I had to scan it in 3 sections. I had been told that this was the 2nd year for school integration at Phoenix Union - maybe you knew some of the students

I graduated from West High 1955 and I knew many PUHS students. In fact I was totally thrilled when a grade school friend took me to PUHS 50th reunion and I was able to visit with grade school classmates. It's funny how one little street can break apart a grade school graduating class into two different high schools but that is what happened. Some of the guys, however, went to Phoenix Tech.

[azdr0710]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

The stop light on the 51 freeway was hilarious, imagine driving 60 miles an hour and there is a stop light but that was the only way they could get the approval of the surrounding neighborhood, make it a parkway.

yes, that was at Thomas and the 51....building a "parkway" sounded nice at the time, but no way would Phx drivers obey the less-than-55 speed limit....major traffic backups ensued at the stop light and the mistake was recognized within weeks of the opening, resulting in many more millions to build the Thomas overpass.....traffic now zooms along at 70-75 on the Squaw Peak "Parkway" with nary a piece of parkway landscaping in sight....