How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (Tucson: African-American, graduate)

[AZNative1952]

Originally Posted by Paul M.

If you're a LONG time resident of Phoenix, you'll love this video!

It's about a 23 minute documentary of Phoenix from back in 1966.

Lot's of cool old footage of mid-sixties Phoenix!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKI76RIPR6o

Paul M., I was reading these posts and when I got to yours I watched this youtube video and 6:40 into it this rock hunting family I used to know very well. I used to hangout with Jerry Lindvig in high school(Phoenix Christian--we both graduated in 1970) and spent weekends at his parents home at Jungle Park Zoo off of Rose Lane and 7th street, I believe!! Thanks for the memories!!

[simonekillian]

This thread has been so much fun to read. Although I am not living in Phoenix (or the US for that matter), what a walk down memory lane.

[davder]

thank all of you for sharing your memories and pictures, they are fantastic and look forward
to seeing and reading more.

ron

[AZNative1952]

...There was one year(1977, 78, 1980??) that the Salt River wiped out all the approaches to the bridges along the Salt except for Mill Avenue and Central Avenue, I was working downtown at the U-Haul headquarters on Central south of Thomas and cars were lined up on Central heading south. All lanes were packed and people were leaving their cars to pick up Jordan's chips/sauce or other vendors were selling their goods to people on skateboards or roller skates.....this is like in the late afternoon around 4:30 pm and they were getting to their homes in Tempe, Chandler and Mesa---or beyond around 12 midnight or later......I talked to some of my friends that knew people who decided to room with others or check into a hotel until everything would get back to normal.....I was glad that I lived and worked in Phoenix at that time.........

[SluggoF16]

Originally Posted by AZNative1952

...There was one year(1977, 78, 1980??) that the Salt River wiped out all the approaches to the bridges along the Salt except for Mill Avenue and Central Avenue, I was working downtown at the U-Haul headquarters on Central south of Thomas and cars were lined up on Central heading south. All lanes were packed and people were leaving their cars to pick up Jordan's chips/sauce or other vendors were selling their goods to people on skateboards or roller skates.....this is like in the late afternoon around 4:30 pm and they were getting to their homes in Tempe, Chandler and Mesa---or beyond around 12 midnight or later......I talked to some of my friends that knew people who decided to room with others or check into a hotel until everything would get back to normal.....I was glad that I lived and worked in Phoenix at that time.........

1980. I lived in south Scottsdale and was at ASU. So I drove to the Zoo and parked there, then biked across Mill Avenue. No standing in traffic. A friend lived in Hayden Hall across from what was the Howard Johnson's at the Apache/Mill curve, and we had an evening FORTRAN class. We'd hang out there and throw the occasional paper airplane out the window toward the traffic which snaked around the curve all the way east to College or even Normal. (We were aero majors, so the paper airplanes were "research".)

[5thgenzoner]

Originally Posted by AZNative1952

Paul M., I was reading these posts and when I got to yours I watched this youtube video and 6:40 into it this rock hunting family I used to know very well. I used to hangout with Jerry Lindvig in high school(Phoenix Christian--we both graduated in 1970) and spent weekends at his parents home at Jungle Park Zoo off of Rose Lane and 7th street, I believe!! Thanks for the memories!!

Oh my goodness,just happened to drop in here today and saw this post, I have been trying to figure out that Zoo for a long time, I even drove around that area until I found where I think it must have been. I went to birthday parties there in the early 70's thought it was called Tropic Gardens or something like that. I am reassured knowing it was not a false memory. We had alot of fun there. I remember they gave us frozen Ding Dongs as a treat after we saw all the animals,mostly birds and marsupials Do you know what year it went out of business by chance? Thanks!

[Corerius]

1977? 1969 Z/28. That MacDonald's on Central near Indian School. I seem to remember that those stupid monster trucks were getting to be popular. Outdoors seating. Lots of uproar on Friday night.

[AZNative1952]

Originally Posted by Arizona Mike

I remember when Tommy was showing at the (old) Cine Capri - they brought in these massive auxiliary speakers (about 15' high) that were at the back and the front sides of the theater that made the seats really shake during the songs. Between stuff like that and concerts and clubs (and being around 4.2 mortars and explosives later, in the Army), it's not surprising that have a continual ringing in my ears. If I am in a loud bar and there's a lot of background noise, I can't hear anything anyone is saying unless they're shouting right in my ear...

Ah, Arizona Mike, I went to a YES concert in the early '70's at the old Tempe Diablo Stadium and it was so BLAZING HOT that we would make our way down to the front of the stage and get real close to the speakers to "cool off" from the sound waves coming from them.......those speakers had to be around 10-15' tall!!
My friends and I repeated that at the next concert there when Leon Russell and Joe Cocker was performing during one of their "Englishman's" tour concerts...........that and boot camp issues and working around helicopter production in Mesa, in the 80's.............

[AZNative1952]

Originally Posted by 5thgenzoner

Oh my goodness,just happened to drop in here today and saw this post, I have been trying to figure out that Zoo for a long time, I even drove around that area until I found where I think it must have been. I went to birthday parties there in the early 70's thought it was called Tropic Gardens or something like that. I am reassured knowing it was not a false memory. We had alot of fun there. I remember they gave us frozen Ding Dongs as a treat after we saw all the animals,mostly birds and marsupials Do you know what year it went out of business by chance? Thanks!

You know, you're right.....I do remember now! It was the Tropical Gardens Zoo! As to the date it closed I don't know. The kid that I graduated from high school with, whose parents owned it,we lost track of each other by the mid-70's and don't know when they said Adios!

[AZNative1952]

Originally Posted by Corerius

1977? 1969 Z/28. That MacDonald's on Central near Indian School. I seem to remember that those stupid monster trucks were getting to be popular. Outdoors seating. Lots of uproar on Friday night.

Ahhh, the good ol' days, er, nights on Central.....my friends and i would hang out either at the Mickie Dee's, Carnation (great ice cream!) but mostly at the Der Weinerschnitzel at Central and Indian School where the bikers would meet each other and show off their "colors" and we would drool over their bikes. From there we would cruise down to Mcdowell to the Public Library's parking lot in back and hook up with other people, share some dope and then cruise back up to Northern and then back down to Indian School Rd. What a gas!!
My friend had a cool '68 blue Camaro, souped up and i drove a '64 VW Microbus Camper with a Porsche engine in back. Not as fast as my friends but I could outrun the fuzz out in the desert during our boondocker keg parties.............fun, FUN!!!!!!!!
There was this HOT chick who cruised down Central some nites in a '68 Corvette that nobody could beat racing her....must've been her Daddy's or sugar daddy's.....the bumpersticker on the car said something like this..." If you can beat me, you can e*t me".............when she would pull into the library's parking lot and climb out of that Corvette, short mini and legs up to......