How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (Scottsdale: cruise, obtain)

[SluggoF16]

Originally Posted by jukebox47

I remember the "in flight" collison of the United and TWA airliners. The TWA was, of course a Constellation and the United was a DC6 or DC7. I always get those mixed up. My sister and I were in Warren, Michigan with a "Rich Aunt" at the time for the summer. We flew on a DC6 or DC7 to get there so it kind of made us take notice even as little kids. We had never flown before. One or both airplanes had modified their course to provide passengers a view of the canyon, as I remember. Maybe someone can add or detract from that memory.

It was a United DC-7; it was very common in those days to schedule overflight of the Grand Canyon. This link is to an image of the TWA timetable from August 1945... the map even shows the canyon as part of the route. Both were flying from LAX to Chicago (United) and KC (TWA).

[Dave Bob]

Originally Posted by desertskies

I located a 1949 aerial shot of the track and it seemed a challenge was at hand. A cursory email to the Scottsdale Public Library brought back a response of no real information is available, however they did find a track name of Phoenix Speedway and/or Thomas Track at 62nd Street and Thomas Rd, an AUTO track. SPL found nothing at the State Archive, ASU or UofA libraries either.

Interesting and slightly mysterious. The long narrow buildings I saw in the old aerial photo made me think they were horse stables, but maybe not. The Phoenix Speedway address is certainly in the right spot.
Maybe the track was used for ponies and hotrods at different times.

Thanks for digging into it, desertskies!

[locolobo13]

Originally Posted by jukebox47

I just wondered if anyone remembered these dealers. They were both on East Van Buren. Royal was a small dealer, probably there for a short time only and Sarwark was big with many cars. I bought a 1953 Ford at Royal. I thought I was a real smart teenager and checked that thing closely. It ran so well. I got a big surprise though later!

They let me pay some amount down, about $50, I think, but I could not take it until it was paid for. I paid about $10 per week. It didn't matter too much, I was not 16 yet at the time. My dad drove it home when I finally got it paid off.

The pickle place, I think it was Arnold's, was also on East Van Buren. Those pickle odors were really potent some days.

There was a Royal Motors just east of 35th Ave on McDowell. My Dad bought a car there in the 70s. The sign is still there and the property has vehicles on it but it doesn't look open anymore.

[baby sinister]

Originally Posted by jukebox47

I just wondered if anyone remembered these dealers. They were both on East Van Buren. Royal was a small dealer, probably there for a short time only and Sarwark was big with many cars. I bought a 1953 Ford at Royal. I thought I was a real smart teenager and checked that thing closely. It ran so well. I got a big surprise though later!

They let me pay some amount down, about $50, I think, but I could not take it until it was paid for. I paid about $10 per week. It didn't matter too much, I was not 16 yet at the time. My dad drove it home when I finally got it paid off.

The pickle place, I think it was Arnold's, was also on East Van Buren. Those pickle odors were really potent some days.

I remember Royal Auto Parts on Van Buren and also Arnolds Pickles...loved the smell.

[desertskies]

Originally Posted by Dave Bob

Interesting and slightly mysterious. The long narrow buildings I saw in the old aerial photo made me think they were horse stables, but maybe not. The Phoenix Speedway address is certainly in the right spot.
Maybe the track was used for ponies and hotrods at different times.

Thanks for digging into it, desertskies!

I too thought that I was looking at stables and was surprised when the SPL told me it was a car race track. I'm hoping to have more information soon.

[jack swilling]

I will look it up, but the Avenue just 4 streets south of my house is Dunlap rather than Dunlop. Do you suppose these are one and the same as the Dunlop Family?...
--1937Gal
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes. I think I spelled their name incorrectly. When I was a boy, I confused their name with the last name of Ruth Dunlop, who hosted Cook's Corner on channel 5 in the early 50s.

I knew some of the old guides at the Canyon who used to gather at the big fireplace in Bright Angel Lodge. They would tell us stories of their going down into the Canyon to help with the retrieval of bodies. I believe they used specially trained pack horses, rather than mules or burros. As I remember, there were problems with using choppers alone to bring up the remains. They told how some remains had to be scraped from the metal of the plane to which they had fused. They put the remains in burlap bags, and, if they couldn't scrape the fused flesh from the metal, and if the metal was not too large, or heavy, they brought the metal-flesh unit up to the Rim.

For many years, one could stand at the South Rim at times and see the sun reflect off the metal down in the Canyon. Eventually, it was removed.

TWA buried its dead in a mass grave which was on the South Rim, and east of Bright Angel Lodge. There was a commemorative sign. The mass graveyard was there for many years, until the 70s, I believe. Maybe the grave was moved then, to allow for the development of the South Rim. The remains of the United passengers were buried separately, as I recall. I hope I have not made a mistake here; it may have been United that buried in the mass grave at the Canyon. It was so long ago, and I may be slipping into geezerdom.

As a result of the catastrophe, the Federal Aviation AGENCY was given muscle and more funding, and eventually was promoted to the next step up the bureaucratic ladder to Federal Aviation ADMINISTRATION. President Eisenhower used the accident to make passenger and cargo aviation into a far more tightly regulated and safe enterprise.

[roosevelt]

Originally Posted by scutt

Hi,

I have been wondering about this for a long time, and I think this is the best place to find an answer. I grew up around 12 street and Northern ave, we moved there in the early 1990's. If you take Nothern ave. west, just past Central, there is a large dirt lot on the south side of the road. As long as I can remember it has always been dirt. Its seems weird there are no houses built, as that is a very popular area around central. Does anybody remember what used to be there on that spot? Is there a reason the land is not used?


Any help would be great,

Scott

That is part of the Bayless property; they lived on Central and Northern next to the lot. They never sold it. The south end of the house was used to train cashiers. The family must still own the property.

[roosevelt]

Originally Posted by jukebox47

I just wondered if anyone remembered these dealers. They were both on East Van Buren. Royal was a small dealer, probably there for a short time only and Sarwark was big with many cars. I bought a 1953 Ford at Royal. I thought I was a real smart teenager and checked that thing closely. It ran so well. I got a big surprise though later!

They let me pay some amount down, about $50, I think, but I could not take it until it was paid for. I paid about $10 per week. It didn't matter too much, I was not 16 yet at the time. My dad drove it home when I finally got it paid off.

Sarwark was on 16th Street. It was the largest independent dealer in Phoenix. They had lots on both sides of Van Buren. Always over 250 used cars in stock; specialized in foreign and sports cars too.

A small lot I remember was Carl's Car Co. about 15th Street. They had a custom gray primed 50 Ford with a Cadillac engine I wanted so bad. Seems the previous guy who owned it was a drunk driver and lost the car.

Royal Auto Parts was on 12 Street. Royal used cars I don't remember. Eastside auto parts was where I got stuff like cat eyes for my car, about 20th and Washington.

[jack swilling]

Here we go. How's this for some weekend bird watching? You know where I was when I added this to my life list, don't you?

[jack swilling]

Can anyone remember when the Phoenix Police drove Dodge Darts, I think? Early 60s? Or was it another small car? Some said it was because of the rapid acceleration; others said the lower cost; others said the city father who made the deal was drunk, or pixelated, or in psychotic break.