Some Orlando Institutions Long gone (Bithlo, Taft: buying, cinema, subdivision)

[Fnix]

Does anyone remember when you could swim at the lake on Dean and Colonial called Downey Park? I'm only 28 and remember it.

[Tom Pitman]

Originally Posted by ron g. - Oakridge'72

According to one of the history books that I own, it states... "One of the major tourist courts along the Orange Blossom Trail, Wigwam Village was built in the late 1930's. It was removed in 1973 to make way for the 8-Days's Inn at the corner of Orange Blossom Trail and I-4." But being from here I always thought that it was further north than. I was told that it was where the East-West came through there. I worked for the engineering firm that designed the East-West for over 25 years (from 78-to 2003). And I know that's there was an 8-days Inn there too.

We moved to Orlando in 1956. Came for vacation that summer as my Dad interviewed for a job at the Sentinel. We stayed at the "luxurious" Park Lake Cottages, located in the vacant field next to where the Parliament House is now. My Dad was too cheap to stay at the WigWam or the Tour-O-Tel just north of the "cottages" (more like roach motel).
Anyway, the WigWam had about 8 small teepees surrounding the large "office" teepee. Concrete with windows in the sides.
I asked my brother-in-law who was an Orland cop what happened. He said they were torn down for the East-West, and that in their final years they were pretty much used for hookers.

[Tom Pitman]

Originally Posted by bdpop

BTW, I was waiting for Art Grindle to fall through the roof of one of those used cars he used to jump on. Back in the day, I believe his commericials were live, so anything could happen.

When he hosted "The Outer Limits" on Saturday afternoons back in the 70s he had the guy bring out something like a 60's era Dodge Dart convertible. Of course, he climbs up on the windshield frame, and you know it's coming. He loses his balance and steps through the roof. Takes the price of the car and "cuts it in half, because the car needs a new roof".
Art Grindle, and Ross Golden from the "City of Cars" farther down West Colonial. They used to run cheesy tv ads back in the early 60's where Ross would do something or say something, and the response was always, "Aw, c'mon, Ross!!"
Give those guys credit. They knew how to get name recognition for their businesses.

[Tom Pitman]

Originally Posted by bdpop

How many people here remember:

Mack Meiner's
Ronnie's
Colonial Plaza
Orlando Colloseum
Gimme Shelter
The Caboose
Page's
WLOF
BJ105
WORJ
WDIZ
Massey/Grindle Dodge
Stirling Pancake House

All of 'em.
Stirling's Pancake House in Winter Park was where the drunks (and drunk teenagers) went to sober up on endless coffee after the bars were closed.

The Coloseum. I live about 2 blocks from where it was on Orange. There was also the Aquaseum and the Bowlaseum.
Went to an off-campus fraternity party at the Aquarium around 1967. Everyone was underage and drinking.
The Bowlaseum building is still there. Couldn't have had more than about 5 lanes from the size of the building.

WLOF. It's only competition was WHOO 990, which sucked anyway and became a country music station. I've got a t-shirt with the logo on the front, and a reprint of one of the "Happy Hitparaders" weekly picks of the most popular songs that week. They'd print em and leave them at record stores, which probably was a boon for the record stores.

[Tom Pitman]

Originally Posted by Declared Ungovernable

Nergril Cove
Three Star hardcore matinees (RV's Warehouse)
Sleep Out Louies
Electric Avenue
Marco Polo Park
Rimar Drive in Theater (All the drive ins for that matter)
East India Ice Cream
Decades
The walk up McDonalds on Colonial(Arches on the side of the building)

The Rimar. Went there once on a double-date with a friend and his girlfriend. The girl I was with was 20, got trashed on a bottle of wine her mother handed her when we left the house. and started stumbling around the lot.

Another one was the Prairie Lake Drive-In in Altamonte. They'd have "Buck-Night" where a carload could get in for a dollar. Can't say how many movies I actually "saw" there as it was pretty much a place where underaged kids could drink discreetly and make-out with girls.

[Tom Pitman]

Originally Posted by bdpop

Joint in the Woods
Beacham Theater
Colony Theater
Bill Baer
Mills & Nebraska
Iveys
Fairway Markets
Fun Machine

The Beacham. I saw "Jailhouse Rock" there in 1956 or '57.

[Tom Pitman]

Originally Posted by jokah2000

ross goldens city of cars..."aw, c'mon ross!"

macmillans furniture city..."cut it loose, howard"

wrestling matches at the vfw

fort gatlin hotel

san juan hotel

morrisons cafeterias

tangerine bowl football games

the peacocks on Genius Drive

brick roads and dirt roads predominated in the city

martin anderson at the Sentinel

harlan blackburn and the dixie mafia

the old orlando airport by Colonial plaza

tupperware jubillee was the annual event

I-4 didn't exist

going to see the king and his court play softball...4 vs. 10

bob carr was mayor

fireball roberts was the king of NASCAR

McMillan's Furniture City. I think their deal was 3 rooms of furniture for $199.

[Tom Pitman]

Was waiting to see if anyone mentioned The Uncle Walt Show. Was on Channel 6 about 5 in the afternoon weekdays. The guy was an Orange County Sheriff, if I remember correctly. Used to have the old black and white Popeye cartoons on (my favorite). The kids on the show were a group for a birthday party that your Mom would mail in a request for, and they all got a Tarnow hot dog, since Tarnow Whole-Hog Sausage was the sponsor.

[Tom Pitman]

Off the Wall was "The Inferno" originally. A topless bar.

[Tom Pitman]

Just noticed that someone mentioned a jail farm out at 33rd street.
There was also one on West Colonial where the fairgrounds are now. Everyone called it "The Prison Farm". There was a junkyard right next to it in the late 50s called "The Car Farm" . . .