How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (Scottsdale: racetrack, available)

[1937Gal]

Originally Posted by locolobo13

I remember those in the late 60s - early 70s. Sometimes Dad would take us for a drive just to see what it was. Usually a car lot.

A lot of times the beacons in the sky were announcing a grand opening of a new business. I remember them well. And for a while, the car dealerships used them frequently as stated.

[SluggoF16]

Originally Posted by 1937Gal

A lot of times the beacons in the sky were announcing a grand opening of a new business. I remember them well. And for a while, the car dealerships used them frequently as stated.

That's where I remember them, Read Mullen Ford, Courtesy and Ray Korte Chevrolet, Holiday Oldsmobile, and Charlie Rossie Ford among others. Some Christmas tree lots used them as well.

The instructor who taught me to fly as a civilian was a furloughed Hughes Air West pilot, and he told how in the mid 1970s he was dazzled by a searchlight as he came in from the LA area. He didn't care much for them after that, as he saw purple spots for the next few minutes.

[baby sinister]

All this time, I thought those lights were coming from the airport.

[Arizona Mike]

I remember following those lights to the grand opening of the KMart at 16th Street and Roosevelt in 1973. Whoo-hoo!

[roosevelt]

Originally Posted by SluggoF16

That's where I remember them, Read Mullen Ford, Courtesy and Ray Korte Chevrolet, Holiday Oldsmobile, and Charlie Rossie Ford among others. Some Christmas tree lots used them as well.

The instructor who taught me to fly as a civilian was a furloughed Hughes Air West pilot, and he told how in the mid 1970s he was dazzled by a searchlight as he came in from the LA area. He didn't care much for them after that, as he saw purple spots for the next few minutes.

The grand opening of the Edsel dealership used search lights. I was there with my uncle. Somewhere on Camelback Rd. on the south side as I remember. I remember telling my uncle the front looked like a fish with its mouth open. Others were making fun of it all around me.

[roosevelt]

I haven't been downtown for years, I wonder if this sculpture is still there.

[pbenjamin]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

I haven't been downtown for years, I wonder if this sculpture is still there.

Attachment 114245

I think that was in the open block between the Hyatt and the old Civic Plaza. It would have been torn out when the new Civic Center was built.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

I was thinking the same thing, gotta keep going until we hit one million views!

Here is an elusive item. I have heard of the lead figurine kids got at Green Gables when they had a birthday. Here is one provided by a friend.

Attachment 113327

I had, I think, two of those, funny, I remember them prettier and more detailed than that one. They really were a great party favor.

[heathan91]

Hello everyone, I am new to this forum. I was just wondering if anyone had any info for me on an old abandoned church property located just east of the 101 and north of Shea. There is no direct road access but it is located behind the newer Armenian Cultural Center. I heard this has been around since at least the 1940's but I can't find any more information on the property. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[azdr0710]

Originally Posted by heathan91

Hello everyone, I am new to this forum. I was just wondering if anyone had any info for me on an old abandoned church property located just east of the 101 and north of Shea. There is no direct road access but it is located behind the newer Armenian Cultural Center. I heard this has been around since at least the 1940's but I can't find any more information on the property. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

I just looked at historicaerials.com for an aerial shot of this area....do you mean 8849 E Cholla for the Armenian Cultural Center?....if so, that puts it immediately on the east side of 101....a 1957 aerial shot of this area shows nothing at all in the entire area except an unpaved Pima Rd (the 101 alignment)....a 1970 shot shows a single house has been built about two blocks south of the Cholla alignment on the east side of Pima...in 1978, development is starting in the area, but a building for what is now the ACC does not stand yet and there is nothing "behind" (south?) of it except the 60s-era house....a 1993 photo shows the original structure at the ACC....development continues thru the 90s and surrounds the ACC by 2002...the current big church building at the ACC was not yet built as of 2007, but certainly shows in a current Google Earth shot....the 60s-era house is still there in some form, but hard to tell if it's still habitable....

a small neighborhood park at Shangri La Rd and 89th St may provide access for you to the still-vacant land behind (south of) the ACC, but there may be signs and a fence or three (act stupid??!!)....or: the far south end of a newer parking lot at the ACC also looks wide open to the vacant land south of it ....

soooo, I don't think this old church you're mentioning existed in this very spot unless it was the 60s-era house/building due south of the ACC....???

yep, I love this sort of research!