How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (cinema, malls)

[Arizona Mike]

But here's a picture of the Pratt-Gilbert Hardware Store on the NW corner of 1st and Jefferson in 1910 (with lots of other interesting early Phoenix shots - scroll up and down):

Early Phoenix - Google Book Search

I think it's the same building as in the 1910 photo, from the design and windows - I think it's shot from a different street corner.

Does that help?

[uli2000]

I remember as a kid having to drive thru a dirt field from our house at 8th Avenue and Longmore thru a dirt field to get to Fiesta Mall. Also the old U of A farm Between Dobson and Alma School and Broadway and Main.

[ArizonaBear]

Originally Posted by uli2000

I remember as a kid having to drive thru a dirt field from our house at 8th Avenue and Longmore thru a dirt field to get to Fiesta Mall. Also the old U of A farm Between Dobson and Alma School and Broadway and Main.

The U of A farm existed till the 1990's.............I still remember it.

[Westside Willie]

AZ Mike

After digging through some of my photos I see that the building directly across the street (SW corner) of Central & Madison is actually the Pratt-Gilbert Building. - 200 S. Central Ave. / One W. Madison St.

My clue was that the address is carved in stone above the front door.

That still leaves the mystery of the other building.

Heres another shot with the Pratt building partially visible on the left.

[Arizona Mike]

Originally Posted by Westside Willie

AZ Mike

After digging through some of my photos I see that the building directly across the street (SW corner) of Central & Madison is actually the Pratt-Gilbert Building. - 200 S. Central Ave. / One W. Madison St.

My clue was that the address is carved in stone above the front door.

That still leaves the mystery of the other building.

Heres another shot with the Pratt building partially visible on the left.

Huh. Well the 1 W. Madison address (the one with the fake-rock facade) is that of your mystery building, so according to the Preservation website, that is the Pratt-Gilbert Building. Currently it's a county government building, where the DUI Court is and where the Maricopa County jury convenes. It looks like its an older building under the sheetrock - if you walk close to it, there's openings in the pavement that let light in to basement level office space below. There's no signage on it that tells you the name of the building.

My guess is that the cream building with the aqua trim was the site of the Pratt-Gilbert Hardware store in the past (as seen in the 1910 photo to which I linked), and your mystery building was also owned by the Pratt-Gilbert concern and is the "Pratt-Gilbert Building". Interesting. The Pratt-Gilbert store may also have been larger in the past, if it fronted onto Jackson street.

[MetalGrand]

Originally Posted by Westside Willie

I grew up right near 43rd Ave & Bethany (on Marlette )

They just tore down The Arabian Room (& the rest of that strip mall) and those 2 little farmers shacks that were just west of it -this had all been there since at least 1962. Remember Diamond D?

I could talk for days about that area.

West Plaza park / St Louis the King / Barcelona / The old Totimer farm/ The 7-11 / Stingers Lounge/ McCagnos Meats /The Esso gas station on Maryland/ Clip Joint Barber Shop - Mr Shillington was the barber - I went to high school with his son Mark at Alhambra .Heck when we moved there in March of 1960, 43rd Ave was a 2 lane dirt road with an open canal on the west running on forever with a massive stand of Euculyptis (?) trees going in both directions as far as you could see. Everything west was farmland until you got over to "downtown" Glendale and the old Beet Factory. Heres a pic of it and another of 47th Ave & Glendale circa 1968

Willie

Thats pretty cool, I used to live on Berridge.

[SanDiToes]

Does anyone remember the "Celler" bar that was in the Christown mall? Bell Road went for miles, had no sidewalks, and oh did it flood during a good monsoon storm!

[roosevelt]

Originally Posted by SanDiToes

Does anyone remember the "Celler" bar that was in the Christown mall? Bell Road went for miles, had no sidewalks, and oh did it flood during a good monsoon storm!

The Cellar was ringed by a big red Ferdinand the Bull in a planter, Farrell's Ice Cream, The Broadway, Switzer's and the small circle of fast food joints like Orange Julius and the pizza place that had those odd square shaped pizza slices.

[roosevelt]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

The Cellar was ringed by a big red Ferdinand the Bull in a planter, Farrell's Ice Cream, The Broadway, Switzer's and the small circle of fast food joints like Orange Julius and the pizza place that had those odd square shaped pizza slices.

Here is the old UA ticket office that was about 30 feet from the Cellar entrance, which was simply an opening in the shopping center floor with steps going down.
Attachment 38888

[HX_Guy]

Originally Posted by Arizona Mike

My guess is that the cream building with the aqua trim was the site of the Pratt-Gilbert Hardware store in the past (as seen in the 1910 photo to which I linked), and your mystery building was also owned by the Pratt-Gilbert concern and is the "Pratt-Gilbert Building". Interesting. The Pratt-Gilbert store may also have been larger in the past, if it fronted onto Jackson street.

The cream building with the aqua trim is the Luhrs Central Building, built in 1914.