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Don Boyd | all galleries >> Memories of Old Hialeah, Old Miami and Old South Florida Photo Galleries - largest non-Facebook collection on the internet >> OPA-LOCKA and adjacent areas Historical Photos Gallery - All Years - click on image to view > 1950's - Opa-locka Arabian Nights Parade with a Value Market, Ernie Skog's Camera Store and Grables Bakery in the background
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1950's Courtesy of Stan Meade

1950's - Opa-locka Arabian Nights Parade with a Value Market, Ernie Skog's Camera Store and Grables Bakery in the background

300 block of Opa-locka Boulevard, Opa-locka, ,Florida


Thank you to Stan Meade for contributing this great old image and to Jeff Levine for identifying the location. Jeff also states that Ernie W. Skog was the photographer.


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Stan 31-Oct-2020 01:13
I lived near Opa Locka back in the late 60s and early 70s. The place was a wonderland of greatness, but now it's unfortunately not the same. Hey Leighton: yes Opa Locka was great back then, but the fact is it's a ghetto now, just goes to show how different people are these days...deal with it.
Leighton 17-May-2020 03:20
MORE unfortunate racist comments endorsed by this site. How sad. I now know more about its creator.
Guest 23-Feb-2017 18:22
In the 50's I went to Opa Locka many times. As a child, I went to a Doctor when I was sick. Can't recall his name. It was a small office. Also went to see the 4th of July fireworks.
Don Boyd12-Oct-2015 07:55
Sandee, it's not bad in the daytime driving around in a car, especially west of NW 27th Avenue. Just keep your doors locked when driving and keep your windows up and you should be alright.

Don
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Sandee 11-Oct-2015 23:31
In the coming weekend I'll be going to Miami and wanted to see Opa Locka 60 years after I lived there. However, when I went on line to do research I became terribly discouraged. When I lived there in the '50's it was a a beautiful little town to live in. I rode my bicycle and walked all over the town by myself without fear. The town looks horrible now. I may still go there if its safe enough to do so, from what I read it may not be safe. I'm so disappointed.
Geoff 30-Nov-2014 05:09
Ali-Baba Ave was completely seperate from 135h St. It ran parallel to the railroad tracks on the north side of the tracks until it dead ended into Douglas Rd, down where the trucking company was by the airport. 135th St ran east & west on the south side of town. Break out a map, kinseeker.
Guest 15-Nov-2013 18:35
Great time-capsule snapshot! Love the "MidMod" architecture, and the non-obese Americans.

Even though "right next door" in Ft. Laud., I never knew about Opa Locka's Glenn H. Curtiss origins, or his huge investment in the 'Thousand and One Nights' Arabesque architecture. Wild gems there to discover.
Janet A. 24-Mar-2013 03:47
The float coming up behind the vespa's is the one I was on. I grew up in Opa locka, from 1946-1959. I remember those days well. It was a quiet, beautiful town. Sad to say that is all gone now.
Guest 24-Mar-2013 03:42
Yes, back in the 50's there was nothing but white people in Opa locka. It became black 20-30 yrs later. The blacks lived in Bunche Park or Magnolia Park, which was east of Opa locka.
Old Locka 11-Jan-2013 02:59
Is that white people I see in Opa Locka?
Fred Schilling 03-Nov-2011 19:06
I used to get the best "Jelly Dounuts" on my way to Opa-Locka Elm fro Grabels Bakery in about 1956. Thanks for the photo
kinseeker26-Apr-2010 02:05
All of Opa-Locka was named for the Arabian Nights. The main drag (135th St.) was Ali Baba Ave. The riders on the Vespas are members of the Maji Temple Shrine Club.