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And; what you described was not just a 'Phx' problem------------especially factoring in that segregation against at least Blacks/'brown' Hispanics/American Indians (White Mexicans, etc. were counted as simply 'White') was ended ca. 1953 here whereas it was still a issue in places like Arlington, Va. till 1966.
Quote:
Originally Posted by roosevelt
Forgive me for expressing an opinion, I try to stay out of politics, but it seems every time channel 8 does a decade of memories, they just can't help but kind of dwell on discrimination of minorities and women in Phoenix. That is fine, I know all this, but would like to see more old photos and reminiscing, not a lecture.
Roosevelt, you are certainly entitled to your opinions, no need to ask forgiveness!. I mentioned the programs only because they DO talk about some of the things we talk about here.
I don't think they "dwell" on negative political issues, (do you leave out the negative ones and just have the positive political/historical ones?) but they are part of the history here. I think there is a good mix of the good-feeling-memories-pictures material and the history. Some younger people here have no idea what happened here in the 50's, 60's, 70's. (I don't think Arizona history has a high priority in our schools). I don't think of it as a lecture, (with that pejorative spin on it) but it is educational.
ArizonaBear-- The end of "segregation" here certainly didn't trigger the end of discrimination. I didn't see a "dwelling" on discrimination issues, but blotting out negative history is no way to teach it.
I will take another stab at what the Flume was. Between the car wash and McDonald's on Central and Indian School, in the 1960's, there was a giant yellow ripple slide that kids could slide down on a piece of carpet.
I will take another stab at what the Flume was. Between the car wash and McDonald's on Central and Indian School, in the 1960's, there was a giant yellow ripple slide that kids could slide down on a piece of carpet.
The "Flume" sounds interesting and mysterious; was it in fact the "super slide" at Central & Indian School? I don't recall that one, but as a teenager in the late 60's I slid down one at 44th & Oak, where Kiddieland had been.
Barely can recall the earlier location of Kiddieland, on Thomas east of 44th, before Thomas Mall was built (there was also a golf driving range there). Fun place for birthday parties; they'd supply ice cream in those little individual cups and flat wooden spoons to eat it with. The flat spoons always bugged me; I'd keep turning them over to try to find the concave side. Slow learner.
At 42nd St & Thomas, west of the Wagon Wheels bowling alley (long gone, as is the entire Wagon Wheels shopping center & Neb's Market), there was a small building that seemed to transform to a different business every few months (now the site is a multistory office bldg). It was a swimming pool supply store for a while, but what I remember most was its incarnation as a slot car track during the mid-60's slot car craze.
I thought of that place when I saw a 1980's Matt Groening "Life in Hell" cartoon in the New Times; titled "Storefront of Doom," it showed the succession of short-lived fad businesses from the 50's to the 80's, with signs like "Cafe Bongo" beatnik joint, Big Ed's Slot Car Palace, 8-Track Tape Emporium, House of Smileys, Tanning Salon, and Breakdancing Studio. Oh wait, tanning salons are still around! Why there'd ever be one in Arizona is beyond me, though.
The Westside had a "Super Slide" too, just up the street from Kart Land on Indian School east of 43rd Ave. & across from the drive-in theater on the south side. Big Sky (?) Also the Pop Shop further east where they bottled they're own flavors of soda pop and sold it wholesale to the public. This was just about the time we started seeing pop in quart bottles. The Super Slide was a blast! Kartland was cool too but the carts were soooo slow compared to the ones we built ourselves.
The "Flume" sounds interesting and mysterious; was it in fact the "super slide" at Central & Indian School? I don't recall that one, but as a teenager in the late 60's I slid down one at 44th & Oak, where Kiddieland had been.
Barely can recall the earlier location of Kiddieland, on Thomas east of 44th, before Thomas Mall was built (there was also a golf driving range there). Fun place for birthday parties; they'd supply ice cream in those little individual cups and flat wooden spoons to eat it with. The flat spoons always bugged me; I'd keep turning them over to try to find the concave side. Slow learner.
At 42nd St & Thomas, west of the Wagon Wheels bowling alley (long gone, as is the entire Wagon Wheels shopping center & Neb's Market), there was a small building that seemed to transform to a different business every few months (now the site is a multistory office bldg). It was a swimming pool supply store for a while, but what I remember most was its incarnation as a slot car track during the mid-60's slot car craze.
I thought of that place when I saw a 1980's Matt Groening "Life in Hell" cartoon in the New Times; titled "Storefront of Doom," it showed the succession of short-lived fad businesses from the 50's to the 80's, with signs like "Cafe Bongo" beatnik joint, Big Ed's Slot Car Palace, 8-Track Tape Emporium, House of Smileys, Tanning Salon, and Breakdancing Studio. Oh wait, tanning salons are still around! Why there'd ever be one in Arizona is beyond me, though.
There were two Kiddielands, one at Encanto Park and the Wagon Wheels Kiddieland at 4417 E. Thomas. They moved after Thomas Mall was built, after that the rides went to Legend City. The Wagon Wheel shopping area had appliances, bar, driving range, furniture, liquor, variety & gift, Gulf station, pharmacy and restaurant, all called Wagon Wheel, along a two or three block area on Thomas.
At 42nd St & Thomas, west of the Wagon Wheels bowling alley (long gone, as is the entire Wagon Wheels shopping center & Neb's Market), there was a small building that seemed to transform to a different business every few months (now the site is a multistory office bldg). It was a swimming pool supply store for a while, but what I remember most was its incarnation as a slot car track during the mid-60's slot car craze.
I thought of that place when I saw a 1980's Matt Groening "Life in Hell" cartoon in the New Times; titled "Storefront of Doom," it showed the succession of short-lived fad businesses from the 50's to the 80's, with signs like "Cafe Bongo" beatnik joint, Big Ed's Slot Car Palace, 8-Track Tape Emporium, House of Smileys, Tanning Salon, and Breakdancing Studio. Oh wait, tanning salons are still around! Why there'd ever be one in Arizona is beyond me, though.
I remember playing at that slotcar track! As late as 1999/2000, there was a slot car track around 16th Street and Bethany Home. I keep meaning to go in there for old times' sake and then it closed
What delight to discover this thread! I lived in Phoenix from 1967 to 1983, and ah, the memories!
-- South Mountain Park was once safe and pleasant. Lost my virginity in the back seat of my first car up there, in the more secluded parking lot by the broadcast towers.
-- Chris-Town Mall, 1967: not only do I remember the man with the monkey, but also rickshaw rides in the parking lot.
-- Thomas Mall once had a pet shop where you could actually buy both chimpanzees and spider monkeys over the counter -- legally, with no permit, license or registration needed. $130.00 in 1968 dollars, and of course Dad said I couldn't have one ...
-- The Phoenix Bird sculpture at Town & Country Shopping Center sat atop a fountain with a decorative natural-gas jet that would shoot out a burst of yellow flame underwater every few seconds.
-- Speaking of sculpture: I remember a private home on East Camelback (between 36th and 44th Streets, I think) with a huge metal sculpture of a man with upraised arms in the front yard. Does anyone here know if that belonged to a Phoenix celebrity, and who the artist was?
-- Santa arriving at the malls by means suitable to the desert: parachute, hot-air balloon, helicopter, convertible, but of course never a sleigh.
Then there's the broadcast memories both good and bad:
-- KXIV AM 1400, whose last 7-to-midnight DJ (before the station was sold and went all-talk) got to play whatever he wanted, with the result an eclectic and always-fascinating mix of songs and instrumentals of all genres and styles.
-- Cosmic KUPD Boogie Shirts!
-- The black day when K-104 FM (which tried to keep progressive radio alive after KDKB went cheesy) had its power cut right in the middle of its final broadcast, just to rub the staff's noses in the KZZP takeover.
-- Uncounted fond recollections of Wallace and Ladmo -- not only did I love the show itself, but it's also the first place I saw Roger Ramjet! (Remember Ladmo's solution to the problem of having to dig a cereal prize out of the bottom of the box? Ladmo Flakes ... an entire box of prizes!)
-- Pets on Parade on KTVK Channel 3.
-- Back when KNXV-TV Channel 15 was just getting started (long before it became an ABC affiliate), it ran "Good News Only" with Jack O'Reilly, sloganed "May the Bluebird of Happy-News fly over your home!"
-- I hated the music played on KOPA, but Crazy Dave Otto had time to be the funniest jock on the air when commercials were limited to two minutes per half hour of program time.
And speaking of commercials ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by lostinpgh
We're working
We're holding the prices down
We're keeping the service up!
We're Brown and Brown!
We're Mesa
We're Mesa born and raised
Come on up to Brown and Brown Chevrolet!
Come on up to the Mesa Chevy
Come on up today!
Come on up to Brown and Brown Chevrolet-hey-hey!
(please make it stop)
Does anyone else remember the hepatitis song?
Wash your hands after going to the bathroom
Wash your hands after changing baby too
'Cause we don't want to catch hepatitis
And we don't want hepatitis to catch you. Who? YOU!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arizona Mike
Remember this one?
Three-Sixty-Four East Main, in Mesa!
Come to Berge Ford!
And we know you'll
Buy from Berge Ford, come what may!
ARRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHH!Why did you incorrigible monsters dredge those out of my subconscious??? Well, I can play the Cheesy Phoenix Earworm Game too! Take this!
Quote:
"At Randall
Randall American-Jeep
We run a very simple business
Randall is as Randall does
Life can be
What you wish it was
We run a very simple business ..."
"There's more to a bargain than just low price
Like shopping at a store where people are nice
And at Basha's it's the little things
That make you want to say
Basha's is a nice place to save
Basha's is a nice place to save ..."
"Mehagian's Magnavox
The home entertainment center for you
Service and satisfaction
We follow through
We take caaaare of youuuuuuu ..."
"If you're looking for a better set of wheels
I will stand upon my head to beat all deals!
I will stand upon my head
Till my ears are turning red!
GO SEE CAL! GO SEE CAL! GO SEE CAL!"
"Every city has one great radio station. Phoenix has KQYT. Quiet. FM-95. Presenting the most ... beautiful music." [Sheesh -- my parents listened to that station Every. Blasted. MORNING! ]
My deep hatred of advertising largely began upon hearing those zero-sense jingles. Anyone remember the "Sprinkle Spreckels Sugar On Your Day" ad? ("Spreckels sprinkled daily / Will make you fancy-free ...")
But for my fondest radio memory, come back with me to the glorious pre-Reagan, pre-Moral Majority year 1976, when all the FCC did with "blue" material was route it away from hours when children might be listening. This left teenage depravity-hounds like me free to cluster around the then-progressive underground KDKB once a week from 10:00-10:20 p.m. to hear some of the sickest, most bent, most deeply warped, mentally ill comedy ever broadcast. It gave both George Carlin and John Waters a serious run for their money, and was largely responsible for making me the twisted degenerate I am today. (Of course, there weren't religious-righters snooping around the airwaves and no one had to think about "political correctness" because back then people were presumed to know that a radio or TV comedy show was not a blueprint for the conduct of life.)
I'm sure the offensiveness policies of this forum will preclude my posting the material itself, but mods: Are links to the surviving audio acceptable, or will that too violate the policies?
For now, I'd like to let everyone guess what show I'm speaking of, so will post just one line; hardcore fans will know the correct response:
Quote:
"This is a pile of turquoise."
Thanks so much for the trip down Memory Expressway!
The orange groves that were prevalent to the Scottsdale/Paradise Valley area, Jack Rabbit and Scottsdale Rd area specifically, around 1961.
Ryan Evans Drug Stores, AJ Bayless at Scottsdale Fashion Square (ironically next door to a Ryan Evans DS), Guggy's Restaurants (realized years later that since the mens/womens room's were downstairs at the Fashion Square location, an infamous cold war bomb shelter was close by), Sambo's Restaurants, Kiva theater, FedCo (anyone remember FedCo?).
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