How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (Globe: Walmart, quality)

[azdr0710]

Originally Posted by deraffe

does anyone have any info on the history of McCormick Ranch railroad park?

here you go, deraffe:

McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Arizona Mike]

Originally Posted by deraffe

i read through the link about Van Buren and there was a link at the bottom for info about Papago Park And the POW camp there. since those white shacks always facinated me as a kid in the 70's after my dad told me it was a German POW camp, i had to read it.
in the article, it states that the white shacks on the south west (ish) corner of Scootsdale and Thomas were actually old POW barrics that were sold off after the camp shut down. i had always wondered about the dumpy buildings there, they seemed out of place.
it also states that the Elks Lodge across the street from the Army reserve was the officers barrics for the POWs.

when i read further it stated that the buildings from Scottsdale and Thomas were being moved to MCcormick Ranch rail road park.

well i an close by and had the day off so i stopped by to take a few pics of the train's headlight to compair it to the one we are restoring for the Pioneer Park Train and ask about the POW barrics.

well they had no idea about the POW barrics.....anyone know about the fate of them?

also i was wondering about the story behind McCormick Ranch railroad park. most of the orginal building have wood framed sliding windows so they have got to be pretty old. anyone know the history of it?

In the New Times recent Best of Phoenix issue, a review of a shop off Grand Avenue said they had some of the old POW barracks behind the store/restaurant/cafe (can"t remember which). I can check and let you know.

[roosevelt]

Would someone like to take a shot at identifying this? This is not the Porters' I remember even in the 1940's. It looks like the windows and awnings are drawn on the photo and I have no idea what that thing on the roof is or the round thing next to the sign. Maybe it is a water tank on the roof and the round thing is a horn, it has the number 8 inside the rim. S&H stamps were around from the 1930's, maybe this was the store before a late 40's remodel or they moved. I can see a tree to the left so can't be on Adams and 1st Street.

[desertratz]

Originally Posted by azdr0710

here you go, deraffe:

McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The locomotive on display at the railroad park in Scottsdale that came from the Magma Arizona Railroad really brought back memories for me. I worked for Magma Copper Co. in Superior in 1969 & 1970 as a mechanic/machinist in the mill and crusher area. Magma was still using the smelter in Superior at that time and the train yard and sheds were down at the smelter. They had a couple of old steam engines and a complete set of old rail cars in storage down there and they would rent these as movie props occasionally and it didn't hurt that they had their own spur line also that ran from Superior out to the San Tan area. A couple of older guys there told me that they filmed the railroad scene from How the West Was Won on that line with one of those trains.

The first Sunday of each month they would fire up these two oldies, hook up the cars and run them to the end of the spur and back to keep them oiled and functional. Two guesses what we were doing on those days when work was slow...............yup, ridin' the rails.

[roosevelt]

Here is a picture from Life magazine taken in the 50's of the McCormick railroad.

[Donalumni]

Originally Posted by desertratz

The locomotive on display at the railroad park in Scottsdale that came from the Magma Arizona Railroad really brought back memories for me. I worked for Magma Copper Co. in Superior in 1969 & 1970 as a mechanic/machinist in the mill and crusher area. Magma was still using the smelter in Superior at that time and the train yard and sheds were down at the smelter. They had a couple of old steam engines and a complete set of old rail cars in storage down there and they would rent these as movie props occasionally and it didn't hurt that they had their own spur line also that ran from Superior out to the San Tan area. A couple of older guys there told me that they filmed the railroad scene from How the West Was Won on that line with one of those trains.

The first Sunday of each month they would fire up these two oldies, hook up the cars and run them to the end of the spur and back to keep them oiled and functional. Two guesses what we were doing on those days when work was slow...............yup, ridin' the rails.

Great story desertratz! You lucky son of a gun!

[AzSon]

Originally Posted by Westside Willie

Well here’s a real good oldie that I’m sure will bring it all back.
Black Canyon Highway at the Grand Ave overpass. Oh look; there it is …
the old Goodyear Tires sign in all its 1964 glory.

Several things are very telling of the times in this image.

The speed limit is 45…on the freeway.
The freeway itself is 3 very skimpy lanes in each direction.
No guardrails or fence to speak of at the embankments.
No median on the freeway except a little patch of (grass ??)
Large areas of undeveloped land behind the sign.
No overhead traffic signals.
Far fewer passenger cars than commercial vehicles.
The semi near the center left is a Navajo Freight Lines unit, which my dad used to drive for. For all I know that could be him behind the wheel!

In the instant the photographer snapped this shot he managed to capture no fewer than 5 semis a city bus and a train. Needless to say this was THE artery through the metro area in the 60’s

Thanks for the pix Willie. Yeah that takes me back.
There was another great sign I remember , a Circle K , I think it was on University in Tempe west of ASU. Big, all neon with a big arrow. Unlike any other Circle K sign I ever saw.

[roosevelt]

Anyone remember Upton's ice cream restaurants? Here is one, I don't know which town though. I remember the one by the Palms Theater, the one across from Good Sam and the largest one where they made ice cream in the back on 7th Street near PUHS.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

Anyone remember Upton's ice cream restaurants? Here is one, I don't know which town though. I remember the one by the Palms Theater, the one across from Good Sam and the largest one where they made ice cream in the back on 7th Street near PUHS.

Attachment 69622

Was there one across from Good Sam? I know there was one across from St Joseph's, as my dad once ran a cafeteria in the same building.

[roosevelt]

Originally Posted by observer53

Was there one across from Good Sam? I know there was one across from St Joseph's, as my dad once ran a cafeteria in the same building.

There were 8 Upton's, the one across from Good Sam was 1100 E. McDowell, I think the Spinning Wheel antique store was next door. Your Upton's was at 501 W. Thomas. I was wrong about the 7th Street Upton's, they made candy in the back, not ice cream. Their plant for that was on 5th Avenue, maybe in the back of the restaurant.