How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (Glendale: resorts, lodging)

[roosevelt]

This is one tall cactus; near Phoenix but I can't place the mountains. c.1950's

[SluggoF16]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

This is one tall cactus; near Phoenix but I can't place the mountains. c.1950's
Attachment 83422

Maybe the White Tanks? Perhaps where Sun City is now? Or maybe the Sacatons north of Casa Grande (Casa Blanca Road or AZ 587)?

There's probably an app for iPhone that would terrain-match the picture these days and spit out a high-accuracy GPS location.

[aviator7777]

Glendale Municipal Airport (Air Haven) originally sat at W. Olive Ave. and Grand Ave. Many of us the lived on the west side recall its location and used it prior to the new airport being constructed. The photos are shown at the link:

Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Northwest Phoenix area

[jacob connor]

Originally Posted by Arizona Mike

I knew Tom (and his son, Tom Connors Jr.), both great guys. The Traco guys were a different Kenpo franchise, Fred Stille, Cliff McKinney, and Steve LaBounty were all part of a different organization, the National Chinese Kenpo Karate Association (NCKKA), which was prominent in the southwest. They all were offshoots of Ed Parker's organization.

Tom also ran boxing classes and had a full-size ring in his gym, which moved from Glendale up to the NW corner of Indian School Road and 44th St., which later became a Subway Sandiwich shop. I trained there in boxing and later fought in some smokers at local bars. Tom Sr. was an early weight trainer back in the 1950s and had some enormous biceps. He also liked to smoke cigars and I remember the taste of cigar tobacco from his hands when he popped the mouth-guard into my mouth in the corner of the ring. He also had a pretty good weight-training set-up in his gym, he got me started in lifting weights back in the 1970s, which helped pack a lot of size on my then-skinny frame. He and his son were both great boxing coaches who taught me a lot. What they taught me got me on a division boxing team in the Army.

I fell out of contact with Tom when I went into the Army and heard he died later - I've heard different versions of what happened over the years, I'm not sure what the true details are.

Great photo of Tom, thanks.

Phoenix has got an interesting martial arts history - the first karate school in the mainland U.S. was in Phoenix (Robert Trias's old school around 9th Street and McDowell, which might be the one Roosevelt is thinking of)), and we have the only known 24-hour karate dojo on 16th Street (run by Barry Bernstein, who was also a local pro-wrestler). I;ve always wondered how that place works - can you just show up anytime and spar someone???

to answer your question , yes he has past on. i did not know much about him. the only story i know are the one i got from my grand mother and mother. my mother says some of the dojos are still open, but they are own by someone else. she couldnt give me a direct place but she says they are out there. its great to know my grandfather touch your lives.

[SluggoF16]

Originally Posted by aviator7777

Glendale Municipal Airport (Air Haven) originally sat at W. Olive Ave. and Grand Ave. Many of us the lived on the west side recall its location and used it prior to the new airport being constructed. The photos are shown at the link:

Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Northwest Phoenix area

It was an interesting and somewhat demanding place to land, with the short length and the adjacent roadways. As was mentioned on page 258, there was an accident there where a Cessna 172 hit a concrete truck back in 1977.

NTSB Database Report

[aviator7777]

I recall that C172 accident you mentioned SluggoF16. We still recall the "caution.. low flying aircraft " signs along NW Grand Ave. Fun to fly from uncontrolled airports like Glendale Muni back then. We didnt need permission from "big brother" below the TRSA and were free to come and go as we pleased.

[desertratz]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

Here is an odd laundromat I guess from the 60's located about 6800 South Central. I wonder if the building was originally a drive in restaurant.
Attachment 83079

Originally Posted by AZDesertBrat

Yes, it was a drive in restaurant. I remember it from when I was a kid and my aunt would take me there for a hamburger. My doctor's office was near there too and my grandmother would get me a Coke after a visit...if I was a "good girl".

Here is another drive in that was in Mesa. The pics were taken in different years as you can tell. It has been torn down and gone for many years now.

[AZDesertBrat]

Originally Posted by desertratz

Here is another drive in that was in Mesa. The pics were taken in different years as you can tell. It has been torn down and gone for many years now.

I remember that restaurant in Mesa too! I lived in Mesa in 1968-69 and it was there then. I used to take my kids there now and then. Seems to me we always had chicken in a basket, or some such thing. Used to go to Hobo Joes too. Also on Main Street.

[charliepehl]

How about Sun Pontiac in Mesa, AZ. Big Two Oldsmobile also Mesa. Biddolph I think they where an Oldsmobile Dealerin Phoenix. I had season tickets at ASU Basketball and sat next to a Biddolph.

[roosevelt]

Interesting picture of Washington Street looking east from 1st Avenue. Building on left was much later remodeled into Newberry's. You can see the high voltage arc lamp in the middle of the street. It was lowered periodically to adjust the carbons that gradually burned away.