How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (Tucson: certificate, maids)

[locolobo13]

Originally Posted by jack swilling

And another thing--

Does anyone remember the famous, if not infamous, Fort Grant juvenile detention facility for kids near Fort Grant AZ? I think this is admissible in the Phoenix forum on the grounds that we kids stood in a certain awe of any kid of whom it was said, "He was at Fort Grant for a while." It was like: "See that guy over at the boathouse by the lake, the guy who was dancing with the redhead? They say he looks like he could be John Dillinger."

I had a schoolmate, 'Leaky' LePage, in grade school who had done time in FG. He was the only kid the nuns alowed to wear motorcycle boots. He moved slowly, like George Raft. You did not mess with Leakey, although he was quiet as a mouse.

Also [Roosevelt come through], I wonder whether anyone remembers the small, private mental hospital--in Sunnyslope, in the 1950s, I think--run by the world-famous psychiatrist and hypnotherapy expert, Dr. Milton H. Erickson, who died in Phoenix in 1980? I would love to know where it was, what it looked like, and what stories about it were in publications.

I remember stories of Fort Grant as well. Several kids from my neighborhood went there for various reasons. Part of the mythos for me was I had no idea where Ft. Grant was.

[1937Gal]

Originally Posted by baby sinister

There was also a Pizza D-Amore in the Colonade in the late 70's. If I remember correctly...the slices were square.

I think there was a little Pizza d'Amore at Valley West Mall, 59th and Northern for a while, my son worked there. You are speaking of Valle del Sol on 16th St and Mcdowell. I grew up eating there as well as La Casita (on South Central) and Papagallos on North Central north of Roosevelt. La Casita still runs a great restaurant.

[1937Gal]

Originally Posted by jack swilling

Yes. It seemed to a youngster to be a mile long. When I try to visualize it, it seems that the long counter ran perpendicular to Washington.

I remember the eating area in Woolworth's which definitely ran perpendicular to Washington. Immediately north of this within the Woolworth's store was the pet department with tropical fish and goldfish and, I think, birds and canaries. I spent much time there, and there was a rack which contained a series of bird books for children with an article on the species and a line-drawing of the bird which could be colored with crayons.

Occasionally, this was outdone by the chicks, ducklings, and rabbits at the Sears Farm Store.

In connection with my ongoing efforts to locate the mysterious Woolworth's children's bird books, which were my first bird books, and which I try to locate even to this moment, I give my special thanks to the 1937 Gal/Lady for her good efforts to help me locate them.

Some day before the Big Sleep, I shall find them. The ones I kept for over thirty-five years were stolen from storage.

Thanks for the shout out.... I believe I mentioned to you that I asked my Uncle about those books...he was the assistant manager of Woolworths at that time. He didn't recall the books, but he still had nightly dreams of trying to keep that store in good shape. Later he became manager at many other Woolworths stores, left in 1965. He just passed away December 6. I miss him, but I bet he was met by all of those Woolworth employees, most of whom he kept in touch with until each passed on.

[1937Gal]

Originally Posted by David Wendell

Wonderful memories! Woolworth's was always my favorite. It wasn't often I (we) could buy anything; money was too scarce. Several times we had a dougnut or sweetroll at the lunch counter. I remember the coffee cream came in tiny little bottles for my mom and dad.

It seems like Thursday night was the busy time in downtown Phoenix. I think a lot of companies paid on Thursday afternoon. Once those orange slice candies were on sale at Woolworth's, really on sale. My dad bought a huge bag of them. I ate them and ate them. I got so sick I still cannot stand the smell of orange slice candy more than 55 years later.

Some of the original Woolworth's lunch counters ended up in a Glendale antique shop. I remember thinking "if only they could tell some of the stories they have heard".

If only my Uncle would have written a book about his years with Woolworths. The stories would have touched thousands and thousands. I have a box of wide ribbons that came from Woolworths in the 50s. I treasure them. I remember the orange slices, and the jelly beans...but mostly I remember sitting at that lunch counter watching the girl whip up the most delicious choc milk shake on the whole planet and oh the joy when she sat that tall glass down and began to pour that shake from the silver cold cold container.

[Dave Bob]

Originally Posted by observer53

Even those of us who never personally knew anyone who was sent to Ft Grant knew OF it, and knew it was no place to be. I can't say for sure, but I don't think Adobe Mountain has ever acquired that mythic quality in younger generations, perhaps because it's in Phoenix, rather than some more remote part of the state that most kids here knew nothing about except that it was where bad kids got sent.

Hadn't thought of Fort Grant in a long time.

But you're definitely right, back in the 60's "Fort Grant" meant the ultimate in juvenile delinquency.
Just like "24th & Van Buren" meant insanity.

[slowesthand]

Fort Grants official name back then was "Ft. Grant Industrial School for Wayward Boys and Girls"
Or something real close to that. It's adult prison now, or used to be, by Safford, Wilcox area.

[SluggoF16]

Originally Posted by slowesthand

Fort Grants official name back then was "Ft. Grant Industrial School for Wayward Boys and Girls"
Or something real close to that. It's adult prison now, or used to be, by Safford, Wilcox area.

Until 2000 I used to fly over it at the base of Mount Graham. Got a noise complaint once, from an inmate would said he really longed for freedom after seeing a pair of F-16s overhead. The complaint was filed under "Nuisance Complaints" by the airspace division at the 162nd FW.

From the AZ Department of Corrections site (http://www.azcorrections.gov/adc/prisons/Prisca_History_Prison_Ftgthis.aspx - broken link): In 1912, as part of conferring statehood on the Arizona Territory, the federal government turned over Fort Grant to the New State to be used as the State Industrial School for Wayward Boys and Girls.

An elementary school classmate of mine claimed to have gone to Fort Grant in the mid 60s, but I doubt he really did, unless they were taking 5-6 year-olds. It became part of ADC in 1968 and transitioned to adults-only in 1973.

[Dave Bob]

Originally Posted by SluggoF16

Until 2000 I used to fly over it at the base of Mount Graham. Got a noise complaint once, from an inmate would said he really longed for freedom after seeing a pair of F-16s overhead. The complaint was filed under "Nuisance Complaints" by the airspace division at the 162nd FW.
.

Heh. Did "Nuisance Complaint" mean the Air Force thought the complainer was being a nuisance?

Speaking of aircraft, does anyone recall that South Mountain High School used to have a WWII bomber (maybe a B-25 or B-26) parked out in front?

[jukebox47]

Originally Posted by Dave Bob

Heh. Did "Nuisance Complaint" mean the Air Force thought the complainer was being a nuisance?

Speaking of aircraft, does anyone recall that South Mountain High School used to have a WWII bomber (maybe a B-25 or B-26) parked out in front?

I had not thought of that in many years. My sister went to South. Perhaps someone can remember the actual aircraft model! I remember they had "smokers corner" as probably most high schools did. The Rebel, or something like that was the place to eat lunch (I think).

[desertratz]

Originally Posted by jukebox47

I had a good friend who spent time at Ft. Grant, he never returned. Suicide? There were many stories about Ft. Grant and the man in charge. The neighborhood I lived in had a few other guys who had spent time there. It sounded like a good place to avoid, for sure! As you say, "no one messed with a Ft. Grant guy".

A link below to a little quick history about Fort Grant. It was there in 1877 that Billy the Kid killed his first man.

Fort Grant, Arizona - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia