Tucson in the 50's (Oracle, Congress: hotel, home, theater)

[Salpointe59]

I moved to Tucson in 1955 and was in the 8th grade. I saw Tucson grow through the 50's then in the Army, then The UA graduating in 66 then the Army again and have since lived in much of AZ settling in S Vista.
Those of us left in my H S class meet weekly and discuss our lives.
The topic comes up often about how life was in Tucson in the 50's.
So I thought I'd list a few things.

The Fox and Paramount had matinees every Saturday.
Johnnies on Speedway was the 'Drive In' to go to.
KTKT was 'the' radio station. Frank Kalil was 'the' DJ.
I could walk at night from the Fox to my home on Drachman and feel safe.
Drive in Theaters included the Prince Road and the Midway.
O'Rielly's was on 4th or in that area.
Speedway ended at Craycoft. We used to wonder why steetsigne had been placed on dirt roads farther out.
We used to go on hikes with our .22 rifles to Pantano wash, Pontotac Road, and past River Road.
The end of Campbell was the local makeout spot.
There were 2-then 3 TV stations with KGUN being the last of the big 3.
When we got cars, cruising Speedway was the thing.
Restaurants were the Club 21, Casa Molina, and one on Speedway and Stone that I can't remember. (Of course there were others but these are the ones my family went to.)

[Marcy1210]

Fun information! I can picture some of those areas, and it's hard to imagine them back then as they are so different now. Thanks for that great "walk down memory lane".

[MStreetGuy]

Did the Hotel Congress figure into your lives at all?

[Salpointe59]

In the bar lots of times.

[Tornado of Souls]

Thank you for this.

[Salpointe59]

My H S friends meet on Wednesdays and we came up with a few more.
The Fairgrounds were on South 6th where the Rodeo grounds were also.
The restaurant I was thinking of was the Monte Vista and served food 24 hours a day. It was on Speedway and Oracle.
Afternoon Channel 13 had Marshall someone or another and he had kids as guests every weekday.
From WW2 to 1970 or so married students lived in Quanset Village which was where the UA Hospital is now.
Nick DeGrazia was a classmate of ours and we used to hike out to his Dad's ranch on Pontatoc Rd.
If you think of questions, ask me.

[Salpointe59]

Hi, we had another lunch together and we talked about restaurents that were in Tucson in 1959.
The Lucky Wishbone on Campbell and Copper or Silver.
The Club 21. A group of WW2 pilots who had settled in Tucson used to have a weekly gathering there.
Casa Molina on Speedway, if you go to the round room you will see a advertisement for a bullfighter Diego O'Bolger. He is one of our meeting fellows and did fight for 25 years as a Matador. To us he is Jim Bolger former Salpointe Q B who beat THS for the first time. :-)