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

[slowesthand]

Originally Posted by kgb1956

anyone remember Maryvue Park off Osborne in west Phoenix? It was a one-stop drugstore in the 70's. For all hippies this was THE place to get weed & acid without fear of police intervention. Even in Chandler we knew of this mystical park as it was legendary to everyone. As to how this was legally allowed, from my recollection, the Phoenix police were hesitant to intervene due to a fear of riot or other negative reaction from those at the park, whether selling or buying. The cops would come in through the parking lot in their cars but it was a formality as they'd never get out and harass anyone. At night dozens of cars with trunks open and tables set up like a Park N Swap with sellers yelling out their wares. In my mind as a teen, I saw no harm but as time has passed, I'm surprised with respect to the conservative nature of the police back then. And yes, today I feel different about how drugs effect people. But as a teen then, it sure was fun. Sorry if this offends people but times were different then...at least that's my excuse. Any memories of this?

I was there...couldn't beleive it!

[rtrizzo]

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

Greatday made a comment in another post about how he remembers when Sky Harbor Airport was a grass strip...out in the middle of nowhere. That had to have been quite a while back...but I love to hear of how Phoenix used to be.

If you've never been, I highly recommend checking out some of the downtown neighborhoods...right off 7th Ave, east to about Central, and just south of McDowell. The streets are lined with huge palm trees, the houses are small, everyone has lawns and it just has a great feel about it.

I've heard stories of when I-17 stopped at Bell Rd and everything up here in North Phoenix was just orange tree groves in every direciton...that must have been something!

I've been here since 1992 and didn't catch any of that, but things have changed a bit since I've been here.
The 101 was...well, there was no 101. The bridges for the overpasses were in place, but it was just dirt and Beardsley was the road that everyone used. There were some older houses north of Beardsley (101), but only between 35th Ave and say 7th St...nothing else was developed, it was just open desert. I remember the merchantile store at 91st Ave and Pinnacle Peak being in the middle of nowhere and it was sort of a half way point on the way to Lake Pleasant, a place you stopped to gas up and grab some snacks...now it's in the middle of everything.

I've been here since 1956. The Phoenix city limits were around Camelback or Bethany Home Rd. I-17 was called the Black Canyon Highway. It was a 2 lane highway and was way out of the city limits. It was just a country road. I remember when the population hit 50,000. We thought it was such a big city. The area which is now Cave Creek Rd and Cactus was actually a small town called Cactus,Arizona. The Cactus Post Office sat just North of Cactus on Cave Creek Rd.

[SluggoF16]

Here's a topo of Cactus from 1965 with an additional overlay from 1982. A small town that got swallowed up by Phoenix. Sort of like Curry's Corner between Scottsdale and Carefree.

[kgb1956]

I do remember Pima Rd turning to dirt prior to Shea Blvd and going over to Scottsdale Rd North to get to Carefree/Cave Creek. In Cave Creek I remember the Horny Toad restaurant and a place called Harold's near there. Harold's was a country bar/restaurant and a page right out of the 1940's. Wooden floors and they later added a backyard area with bandstand. When I'd go there with my friends in the 70's and coming in with long hair and such, the locals there would turn and stare at us like we were aliens from space. The food was good and cheap and I remember the BBQ 1/2 chicken and beans being quite a bit of food for around $3.75. We'd drive all the way from Chandler for this. Good times!

Also, I laid tile in an upscale house in Cave Creek in the late 70's and next door there was, what was supposed to be, the largest Saguaro cactus in the world. It was MASSIVE and had so many arms that it was hard to count. Anyone know of this?

[SluggoF16]

Found this one... Delivery from a pharmacy!

[trillcatz]

Originally Posted by rtrizzo

I've been here since 1956. The Phoenix city limits were around Camelback or Bethany Home Rd. I-17 was called the Black Canyon Highway. It was a 2 lane highway and was way out of the city limits. It was just a country road. I remember when the population hit 50,000. We thought it was such a big city. The area which is now Cave Creek Rd and Cactus was actually a small town called Cactus,Arizona. The Cactus Post Office sat just North of Cactus on Cave Creek Rd.

South of Dobbins Rd was not in the city limits back in '60...I don't know where the limit was...Baseline? Dobbins? For the most part anything beyond Cactus and Cave Creek was desert back in the early 70's. Wasn't 19th Ave and Bethany/Glendale/Northern still lined with palm trees in the early 70's. It's hard to believe that 1960 was more than half a century ago...and desert parties in the early 70's were forty years ago...I don't feel that old...

[trillcatz]

Originally Posted by SluggoF16

Here's a topo of Cactus from 1965 with an additional overlay from 1982. A small town that got swallowed up by Phoenix. Sort of like Curry's Corner between Scottsdale and Carefree.

All of those houses were out there in '65? Or is that the '82 part?

[azdr0710]

Originally Posted by trillcatz

All of those houses were out there in '65? Or is that the '82 part?

black things are structures/roads existing in '65....pink areas/roads are new between '65 and '82....

[desertskies]

Originally Posted by SluggoF16

Here's a topo of Cactus from 1965 with an additional overlay from 1982. A small town that got swallowed up by Phoenix. Sort of like Curry's Corner between Scottsdale and Carefree.

In the overlay, if one looks at the site of Larkspur school, this is the location of the former Cactus airport (“Cactus Development Inc. Airport” or "North Phoenix Airport") from early 40's -approx 1960.
The attached pic (1962) will show what was left of the airport runways as development started consuming the area.


Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Arizona: Northeastern Phoenix area

[roosevelt]

Originally Posted by kgb1956

Also, I laid tile in an upscale house in Cave Creek in the late 70's and next door there was, what was supposed to be, the largest Saguaro cactus in the world. It was MASSIVE and had so many arms that it was hard to count. Anyone know of this?

I this the cactus?