How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (Mesa: limo, snake)

[aviator7777]

Now that a lot of the open desert areas in the Valley have been consumed with miles of tract homes... where do all those hot air balloons stage from and recover? We used to see 3-15 of them up north near Bell Road and 51st Ave near Bellaire on an early Sunday morning. Once in awhile we would hear them re- lighting over the house and would run outside for a good look.

[aviator7777]

Anyone remember when the LP gas railcars blew up out in the desert at Wenden? The sound could be heard for miles. Quite a fireball also.

[trillcatz]

Originally Posted by observer53

No, Lenny Monti's has been gone for a long time... funny, that same dinner (minus the mushrooms... not that I don't like them, I just didn't get them) was my meal of choice at La Casa Vieja in the 70's. My friend and I were there often enough, and often had the same waitress -- she'd just walk up and ask if we were having "the usual" and off she'd go to the kitchen.

La Casa Vieja is still good food.

So did they tear Lenny Monti's down or did it become something else? I went over to Sunnyslope last year and that entire 19th Ave/Peoria/Desert Cove area is now pretty rough...and L. Monti's was just up 19th Ave from there.

[Westside Willie]

Originally Posted by aviator7777

Does Hugh Downs from ABC TV's program 20/20 still live in the Valley of the Sun? We used to hear him flying gliders out north of Phoenix near lake Plesant.

I just saw him this morning on TV - among other things, he's the pitchman for Hospice of the Valley (TV commercials)

[Westside Willie]

Originally Posted by trillcatz

So did they tear Lenny Monti's down or did it become something else? I went over to Sunnyslope last year and that entire 19th Ave/Peoria/Desert Cove area is now pretty rough...and L. Monti's was just up 19th Ave from there.

Yes sadly its gone-has been for years -the empty lot is still there hanging off the edge of the hill. You're right though, that whole area is a dump now. Nothing but liquor stores, discount furniture shops and half empty run down strip malls.

I used to work at the PO over there off Peoria around 21 Ave (?)
It was a building the Gov. leased from Pete King Construction which I believe was/is one of the older more prolific builders in the valley.

Here it is.

[Westside Willie]

Thanks for the great pix of the old Court House Roosevelt.

For those of you who may be interested in another truly historic building here in Phoenix - take a drive over to 115 W. Sherman and eyeball the Duppa Homestead - the oldest standing domestic structure in the Phoenix area.
Im talking 1870 here folks -when Roosevelt was still in high school zing!

Read about the man who named Phoenix (it was almost Pumpkinville-ouch!) and everything he's responsible for. You should know this!
Darell Duppa

Heres an old shot I scanned from a history book and one I took last year.
Also a map to help find it. If you enjoy learning about our local history you've got to see this.

ps Its a little rough over there so go in the daytime and keep your eyes open.

[TDPHX]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

Thanks for the photos, they are great; I probably knew a few of them but I went to Emerson just down Palm Lane. There was a Janet Foster that went to Whittier and graduated in 1950, then on to North High. A lot of guys remember her.

Some more photos of Emerson - several years before you went there but perhaps you knew some of the families or teachers mentioned

[roosevelt]

Originally Posted by TDPHX

Some more photos of Emerson - several years before you went there but perhaps you knew some of the families or teachers mentioned

I have a few comments on your pictures. I know exactly where the photo was taken, in the court yard between the 7th-8th grades two story building on the left and the kindergarten on the right. I might add that during the 40's long sleeve T-shirts with stripes were all the rage.

In reading the names from the parent teacher list one jumped out at me, Mary Oglesby; I swear she must have been at Emerson for 40 years. She was the music teacher forever. I hit her in the head once with a basket ball and she almost tore my ears off shaking me.

[TDPHX]

Does anyone remember the original Lowell Elementary School? It opened in 1925 at 1210 South First Ave - the new Lowell school opened in the fall of 1981 and is located at 1121 S. 3rd Ave

[bkcameron]

i was born and raised in Arizona and i can remember cotton fields i think on baseline in mesa.
And we had orange tree's.now there is none of that.The town definatly is different [mod cut.. off topic/trolling]