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Old 01-05-2009, 09:57 AM
 
Location: San Antonio
2,953 posts, read 5,296,264 times
Reputation: 1731

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Hey,

You can even take a virtual ride of it on You Tube!


YouTube - Knoebels Phoenix - 2007

 
Old 01-05-2009, 09:59 AM
 
4,796 posts, read 15,369,172 times
Reputation: 2736
Quote:
Originally Posted by spicemeister View Post
Thanks, Wolf! I saw it when I was young. We'd drive up to San Antonio from Corpus before I-37 was connected. Arriving late in the afternoon on a cloudy, winter day the Alamo Bank, Tower Life (yea, KEEZ) and a few others made it look like NYC!!

Then, after morning meetings the next day, my Dad took us to ride the "biggest roller coaster in the world, kids!"

I was scared, excited and ready to die if need be!!! What a trip! I'll never forget it.
Spice...search this forum for "Playland Park". Lots of good discussions and memories from recent years.
 
Old 01-05-2009, 10:07 AM
 
54 posts, read 131,615 times
Reputation: 47
Whopper, thanks for the link! Dang, that monster WAS big! Thanks for the heads up, wCat! I'll go take a look!
 
Old 01-05-2009, 12:46 PM
 
1 posts, read 2,322 times
Reputation: 10
Default Chinese-run Grocery Stores

Quote:
Originally Posted by satx56 View Post
BudB, I know up thru 50's and 60's there were many Chinese stores on the south side! All (some)the old two story buildings alongside (west side) I-35(downtown) were inhabited by Chinese proprietors. I got a first hand look at how these people lived as a child. This one Chinese family lived (S. Flores St.) upstairs in a two story building. My father had a shop in two story building next door. My grandparents home was around the corner! These people had a very bleak existence. They were always growing crops in a good sized lot behind there building. I was always taking a short cut to grandmas house stepping on their produce(oops)! But, they led very secluded lives. They lived upstairs and ran a small shop downstairs. I think they brought China with them! I walked into there shop one day(late 50's), in a glassed in cabinet there was an old violin. Don't recall seeing much of anything else for sale in there!! Just odd!!
sat56,
can you tell me anything else about the grocery store and the family that owned it on S. Flores? I work in the area and would love to know more about it. It is a great old building! Also my (Chinese) great-grandparents ran a grocery store in SA way back when...It would be cool to know more about some of their fellow entrepreneurs.
 
Old 01-07-2009, 06:57 PM
 
50 posts, read 168,883 times
Reputation: 28
Quote:
Originally Posted by GWhopper View Post
Its been posted before, but with so many posts on this thread, I thought It'd be helpful to post it again:

Playland Park Rocket


Also, from this site:

The Rocket(1947-1980) Built in 1947. At its opening it was hailed as "the largest roller coaster in the world." The first hill measured 78 feet and there was some 3200 feet of track. Playland Park closed in 1980 leaving The Rocket standing silent.
In 1985 Knoebels from Elysburg, PA undertook the huge project of dismantling the ride and moving it to Pennsylvania. Knoebels staff began taking the ride apart in January 1985. The dismantling proceeded smoothly through February and March. Just three months later, on June 12th, the renamed Rocket’s (The Phoenix) orange train made the first successful trip around the reborn coaster. It opened to the public on June 15th to rave reviews and has been consistently ranked as a top ten coaster ever since.
To any rational person, the Rocket was a scary ride. Even close up, the whole thing looked to be made of used 2x4's. It looked rickety, it sounded rickety. It was great! I never thought we'd leave the track; I figured it would just tip over in a stiff breeze. Beautiful carousel at the entrance. Somewhere , I have an LP of music from the little Chapel at Playland. I didn't realize the coaster had been disassembled and moved. In typical San Antonio fashion, I thought it had been demolished. One more excuse to visit my relatives in Pennsylvania. Thanks
 
Old 01-07-2009, 09:04 PM
 
Location: I live south of San Antonio in a place called Atascosa.
854 posts, read 2,545,912 times
Reputation: 526
Quote:
Originally Posted by georgepwebster View Post
To any rational person, the Rocket was a scary ride. Even close up, the whole thing looked to be made of used 2x4's. It looked rickety, it sounded rickety. It was great! I never thought we'd leave the track; I figured it would just tip over in a stiff breeze. Beautiful carousel at the entrance. Somewhere , I have an LP of music from the little Chapel at Playland. I didn't realize the coaster had been disassembled and moved. In typical San Antonio fashion, I thought it had been demolished. One more excuse to visit my relatives in Pennsylvania. Thanks
yes you are right ! We were sure it would fall down any time. We rode it so many times I think we wanted it to happen! I took my little brother to ride on it--he was about ten and totally terrified--I just laughed at the whole thing. We knew it for what it was. I have never asked him about that--he has probably erased it from his mind! We were sure the Hemisfair tower would fall over too. I remember going up on the really tip top before people started jumping off!
 
Old 01-08-2009, 03:03 AM
 
Location: South Central Texas
114,838 posts, read 65,841,950 times
Reputation: 166935
Quote:
Originally Posted by nikelado View Post
sat56,
can you tell me anything else about the grocery store and the family that owned it on S. Flores? I work in the area and would love to know more about it. It is a great old building! Also my (Chinese) great-grandparents ran a grocery store in SA way back when...It would be cool to know more about some of their fellow entrepreneurs.
I'll tell you what I know . Just DM me anytime!! Be happy to help !
 
Old 01-08-2009, 08:06 AM
 
905 posts, read 2,960,087 times
Reputation: 613
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dwangle View Post
yes you are right ! We were sure it would fall down any time. We rode it so many times I think we wanted it to happen! I took my little brother to ride on it--he was about ten and totally terrified--I just laughed at the whole thing. We knew it for what it was. I have never asked him about that--he has probably erased it from his mind! We were sure the Hemisfair tower would fall over too. I remember going up on the really tip top before people started jumping off!
Remember the part of the track where it looked like you were going to shoot off out over the trees? I think it was after the first initial big drop. Used to get my heart racing every time! Too bad Playland isn't here for our kids to enjoy.
 
Old 01-08-2009, 03:46 PM
 
Location: Scottville Michigan
9 posts, read 17,588 times
Reputation: 17
Ok I've been reading this for days now and its so amazing and I want to post too...I hope this stuff hasn't been posted yet but with so many pages and the need to do other things I'm going for it...
I spent most of my youth on the south side but I have been able to enjoy all the other posts nevertheless...
Alamo Dragway...Used to help out a couple friends,Steve Surber (sp) had a Mustang called Gang green...James Golick? with a black Drag Bike...
Pan American Speedway...
Flipside Records...Oh the smell of those incence...And all the Parafenaila (sp)...
KMAC and KISS Spread the word...Joe Anthony (met him at Flipside) Lou Roney
Budgie,Legs Diamond and Moxy concerts...
Jiffy Mart...
AM 55 KTSA...
The Comador Club on Rosevelt near Military Drive...
Any other Southsiders out there?
 
Old 01-08-2009, 06:16 PM
 
Location: Scottville Michigan
9 posts, read 17,588 times
Reputation: 17
Oh and the movie Sugarland Express...Filmed part of the chase down Military Drive and then the shoot out at Loop 13 I think...My dad and I went there and checked out all the cars at the car lot there where they watched a movie from a motorhome on the lot...or something like that...
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