Oldest Comments Gallery - August 2006 through July 31, 2008 - closed to new comments - click on image to view Photo Gallery by Don Boyd at pbase.com

Oldest Comments Gallery - August 2006 through July 31, 2008 - closed to new comments - click on image to view

This gallery contains all the comments that were made from August 2006 through July 31, 2008. Comments that have been made in other galleries and under individual photos, which are often more pertinent to the subject, have not been moved and will remain where they are.

Please do NOT add new comments to this gallery because they will be deleted. Please add your new comments to the NEW Comments gallery. Thank you.

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Don Boyd		31-Dec-2013 06:37
Thank you for your comment but the comments are spread over many many pages that are part of this site instead of in one place so that kind of ruins the blog aspect of it. Don .

ghwiagpynb@gmail.com		31-Dec-2013 00:13
You must take part in a contest for probably the greatest blogs on the web. I’ll suggest this website!

Don Boyd		01-Aug-2008 04:28
Okay folks, it is now August 1 and a few hours in GMT or whatever PBase uses for the time on the right side of all postings. All comments from now on should be in the "Comments" gallery and not in this "Older Comments" gallery which will be retained because of all the valuable historical information that has been submitted. Again - no more comments for this gallery. Thank you. Don

Jo-Anne K		31-Jul-2008 22:35
Hey LARGO......Please don't ever turn the caps lock off, if you do I won't be able to hear you.

Don Boyd		31-Jul-2008 19:52
I added two 1968 photos of Hud's Restaurant on W. Dixie Highway (restaurant gallery). Also a 1974 photo of The Treasury Store on S. Dixie Highway and a 1975 image of a Grand Union and Zayre shopping center on S. Dixie Highway (both in the stores and shopping centers gallery). And a 1960 photo of a MacMillan gas station on S. Dixie Highway (gas station gallery). Don

Guest		31-Jul-2008 18:08
Great postings--thanx to all. LARGO, not sure why you are shouting, but is there any chance that you could turn off caps lock?

Sofia		30-Jul-2008 12:31
It would be great if someone contributed images of the hotel on Curtis Parkway in Miami Springs which now functions as the Fair Haven Nursing Home. I've heard it was a gorgeous hotel when Miami Springs was developed. I used to visit a friend at the nursing home several years ago and was impressed by how beautiful the lobby still is, with its Mexican tile floors and Pueblo architecture.

Don Boyd		29-Jul-2008 07:00
Wayne Weible contributed eight great 1950's class images from Springview Elementary, Glenn H. Curtiss Elementary and Miami Springs Elementary. All images are in the Miami Springs gallery. Don

Don Boyd		28-Jul-2008 19:41
John Tomasetti contributed three 1962 images of a Cuban Antonov crop duster that was flown to MIA by a defector. They are in the aviation gallery. Don

Jeff		28-Jul-2008 18:09
As far as I know, Dave... the Boulevard Drive-In Theater at 146th and Biscayne is the only drive-in Theater North Miami ever had. It's now the site of Costco. The "drive-in" at the intersection of 16th Avenue, Biscayne Blvd. and 116th Street was a restaurant - The Biscayne Boulevard Drive-In... similar in name... but (obviously) a different type of drive-in...

daveinthetriad		28-Jul-2008 15:05
Does anyone remember a drive-in theater around NE 16th Avenue and Biscayne Boulevard that was open in the early 50s? My brother says he has a book that shows a picture of a theater at this area in 1953. We both grew up around this part of Miami and can't remember there being a drive-in around here. The closest we could come up with would be the Boulevard drive-in at around 146th and Biscayne.

Roberta Perry Hughes		26-Jul-2008 05:37
Joanne...Those little "dove-like" birds that y'all called "Bob Whites," because of the song they sing, are quail. Up here, they are known as "Bob White quail," or just plain ol' quail. There's another, similar bird, a partridge...(yes, as in "The Twelve Days of Christmas"..."and a partridge in a pear tree.")...& also, there are Chuckers, which are also similar. Both of these birds are larger than a quail. Never could understand why men go "bird hunting," for quail & dove, when they are so tiny, you'd have to eat a platter full of 'em to fill you up! Go figure. Biggest part about 'em would be their breast, & then, that's barely a bite! Me? I'd rather have fried chicken, myself, or chicken & dumplings, or a hen with dressing. Ray...We have a large burrowing insect up here, that moults & leaves it's shell behind, which we'd paint & put glitter on, & stick in our mother's potted plants. We call 'em "June Bugs," & they are VERY loud. I think Dictionaries call them a "dor." June Bugs look a lot different than a cicada. Was your yard full of little round holes? If so, you had June Bugs. The Summer sounds I love to here, is after a rain, when the little green tree frogs are so happy, they sing to one another...especially out around the pond! It isn't a mere "croak;" it's a multi-tonal song, & sounds sort of like...erk-ork-EEK-ork!! erk-ork-EEK-ork!!, over & over again. Crickets are also nice, of an evening, & to make it even more pleasant, is the sight of fireflies...which are scarce, anymore, like 'skeeter hawks have come to be(large dragonflies).

Joanne		26-Jul-2008 02:58
Parks...Thank you, yes, it was Ixora that I was remembering. Ray... Thats an amazing audio you linked to. I remember that noise too. Always assumed it was the cicadas (sp?) I'm glad you mentioned it, It would help me get to sleep at night sometimes, before the A/C was added to the house. I also recall the little dove-like birds we called :Bob White's because of the song they sang.

charlis		26-Jul-2008 00:53
Largo and Kew... Duane was my art teacher at Miami Dade in the late 60's. He was a great guy! I had been to his studio many times. He had been at a few parties at my parent's house. He even made casts of my hands for some work he was doing! Imagine my surprise to see his "hobo" sculpture at the Orland airport in the 80's. My daughter was scared of it... it was so real! Duane had a good affect on me... to this day I do a lot of graphic design because of him... some for fun, some for work.

kewaynco		25-Jul-2008 22:51
Largo, I read that Duane Hanson used his wife Wesla as the inspiration for a Playboy Bunny sculpture. I've been unable to find it online. Wesla was gorgeous, so I could see that happening.

Bill Smith MHS 64		25-Jul-2008 22:26
Some of my fondest memories were of fishing in the bay, before it was ruined by the dredging.

Jo-Anne K		25-Jul-2008 16:13
Hi Roberta. Your post about the St. Augustine grass plugs reminded me of a cute story. Growing up in So Fl it was not unusual to see large pallets of sod being delivered to new home sites so when I brought my then boyfriend down to Orlando (Dizzy World) this was the first time he had ever been away from the mountains of western NC he was amazed that you could buy a lawn, but then again he called him Mom to let her know that "they even have phones in the bathroom" at the motel.

LARGO		25-Jul-2008 13:33
KEWAYNCO...WOW!...NEVER WOULD I HAVE THOUGHT TO SEE DUANE HANSONS NAME ON THIS SIGHT......NEVER KNEW WESLA...DUANE WAS MY ART PROFESSOR IN ATLANTA...CIRCA 64...AND WAS THE SINGLE MOST INSPIRATION TO MY CREATIVE PURSUITS ...I HAVE ONLY ONE YEARBOOK FROM THAT FIRST YEAR @ OGLETHORP UNIVERSITY..OF HIM ONLY...BURIED SOMEWHERE IN STORAGE. DUANES FIRST WIFE (AN OPERA SINGER) HAD LEFT HIM...THEY HAD A TRIBE OF KIDS...SO BEING A PROFESSOR WAS NOT CUTTING IT FINANCIALLY... HE WENT TO NY...AND REALLY GOT SERIOUS... EXHIBITING HIS CONTROVERSIAL LIFE SIZED SCULPTURES OF KIDS BURNING THEIR DRAFT CARDS AND THE COPS WITH THEIR THREATNING NIGHT STICKS HELD HIGH..AT THE PEAK OF THE VIETNAM WAR... EXHIBITS AT THE WHITNEY....I MET HIM AGAIN LATER, HE HAD A SHOW IN MIAMI...AROUND '73...HE WAS ONE OF THE GREATS...I INVITE THE CURIOUS TO GOOGLE HIS NAME...HE WAS AMAZING.......LARGO

kewaynco		25-Jul-2008 02:55
I attended Hialeah Junior High from 1965 to 1968. Had an english teacher in ninth grade by the name of Wesla Host. She got married and I guess did not come back to teach after 1968. She married a famous sculptor named Duane Hanson. She sent me a picture of her baby Maja the next year. I lost all of my yearbooks over the years and was looking for a 1967/68 yearbook, possibly to purchase, or, if not, to look at the pictures of the teachers, in particular Wesla Host. I'm trying to figure out what other teachers I had and would also like to find the name of a guy I used to hang with. He had a corvair and had a plate on the front of his car that said Svololchi, a Russian word along the lines of the Jewish word Drek.

Ray		25-Jul-2008 00:47
I'll ask you to close your eyes for a second (okay, not yet silly, you have to finish reading this). Think back to being a kid in Dade County in the summer. What did you hear on a hot day? I have memory of a single insect.. was a it a cricket? Cicada? A long song to attract a mate. Started slow, ran for a while as a constant sound, then slowed down. I think they hung out in the pine trees, which are almost gone now. Which may be why I don't hear this sound any more. I've just been searching the net to find a sound file but I can't find a good match to my memory. Sort of like the build up and fade out of this one: http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/fauna/Michigan_Cicadas/Michigan/WAVsounds/canicul.WAV but not as high pitched. I just remember hearing how loud they were. And how it really cut through the silence. To me, this was the sound effect for a hot summer day. A sound that meant it was damn hot. Sounding familiar to anyone else? By any chance does anyone know the specific bug it was so we can find a sound sample? Ray

Arizona Al		24-Jul-2008 16:48
Waxing on the Flora topic: My family's yard in Cutler Ridge (1956-1964) was a virtual sub tropical and tropical miasma. I recall banyan trees, an avacado tree, several palm trees, a crocus hedge along the front wall, a bouganvilla hedge along one side of the property and a bamboo hedge along the other side. There was an orange and a grapefruit tree in the back and a plethora of "ornamental" plants. We also had a small garden space for melons, cucumbers, and tomatos. Now the "down side" this paradise was that when I got old enough (about age 12) I had to do a lot of yard work and lawn mowing almost every weekend. GAH!! Alan Ogus,Ph.D. Alive, well and looking at his current yard containing rocks, boulders and cacti in Phoenix, Arizona

Roberta Perry Hughes		24-Jul-2008 08:10
LARGO, & Gang...When we moved into our brand new home, at 9985 S.W. 55th St., our yard was comprised of nothing but white sand. My father set out small sprigs of St. Augustine grass, I think it was, in rows, in the front, back, & side yards. He later added a load of black muck, & he watered it, every day that it didn't rain. (He put in our own well & pump). Those little grass sprigs became patches, & before too long, they merged with one another, & we had a full lawn, of dense dark green grass...the prettiest lawn on the block! Every tree, shrub, or hedge, that was planted in our yard, either came from a local nursery, or were cuttings, or grafts, given to us by relatives, friends, & neighbors. Our yard was not overly done, in foliage, but there was a neighbor, 2 houses down, whose yard resembled a jungle. You couldn't even see their house! The folks across the street from us had ZERO shrubbery, hedges, or trees...just grass. That meant NO shade, whatsoever! In Summer, their grass was yellow. So there were 2 examples of the extreme, on our street. We were astounded, by the "jungle yard," but we thought the "grass only" yard was the more bizarre...& ugly, in its starkness. Many folk planted the now-known-to-be-harmful flora, in their yards. But it was done in innocence, not out of willful malice. The Hawaiian Islands are a HUGE example, of harmful botanicals, having overtaken or killed out the native species. They even extincted birds, using their feathers to adorn their royalty. So, Miami, & the State of Florida, is not the only area to suffer from these costly errors, originally intended to "beautify." Roberta...up late again, as is my habit, while "mouthing off," on this amazing Site, & fixing to go through 28 e-mails. (help me).

Jackie		24-Jul-2008 04:26
Florida holly, australian pine, melaleuca.... All introduced to South Florida nearly a century ago to "improve" nature. I remember when we didn't know how bad they were...just interesting specimens. As a kid, I loved the color of the Brazilian pepper (Florida holly), the stateliness of the Australian pines and the wonderfully eerie sound they made when the wind blew, and the novelty of the melaleuca's papery bark. Little did we know, back then, how invasive and destructive they could be-- drying up wetlands and destroying habitat.

Parks		24-Jul-2008 02:32
Hi Joanne, Are you thinking of the Ixora plant? I used to suck the honey water out of the blooms just as you describe. If you Google Ixora you'll find pictures. On the subject of stick trees, I have a beautiful carombola (Star Fruit) that was given to me by Chris Rollins of the Fruit and Spice Park about twenty five years ago. It was actually a stick with a few leaves when I got it. It's huge now and gives us far more fruit than we can eat. We named it Stick and have called it that ever since.

Joanne		24-Jul-2008 00:38
Don'tknow the name of this plant but it acted as a small hedge in much of my neighborhood. It had clusters of red flowers when it bloomed. They were sort of trumpet shaped and very small. If you pulled the bloom off and sucked on the end you tasted a small amount of honey. I also had a friend with a star apple tree, what a sweet taste that was.

Teri		24-Jul-2008 00:23
There she goes again with her comments about the speed of the site, I can just picture Don rolling his eyes in annoyance.

charlis		23-Jul-2008 23:43
Don... FYI,,, site is loading very fast today.

charlis		23-Jul-2008 23:42
largo... Brazilian Pepper... yes... it is a problem here in FL... Many years ago a neighbor planted some "seeds". It overtook his yard and mine! I was able to control the infestation but he was not as lucky. A few years ago I was asked to help in a "clearing" project at one of our parks. We were asked to walk through areas and pull up the plants!

LARGO		23-Jul-2008 22:23
ROBERTA ...YOU KNOW THE FLORIDA HOLLY IE or aka...shinus terebinthifolius...or BRAZILIAN PEPPER...CHRISTMASBERRY...YADA YADA..(.HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS EXTREMELY INVASIVE PLANT.)..WAS INTRODUCED TO FLORIDA WHEN YOU WERE A LITTLE MOUTHY CHILE...WOW!!!...THIS NON NATIVE PLANT HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF MANY COMMUNITIES OF PRECIOUS MANGROVE ALONG THE FLORIDA COAST...AS SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW THE MANGROVE IS AN IMPORTANT PLANT THAT IS SHELTER TO MANY AQUATIC AND TERRA LIFE FORMS...AND HELPS TO KEEP THE SHORELINE INTACT FROM EROSION...MANGROVES ARE OUR FRIENDS HERE IN FLORIDA...AND MANY OTHER COASTLINES...THEY HAVE BEEN ABUSED BY INDISCRIMINATE, THOUGHTLESS LAND BARONS...AND OF COURSE THERE IS PROOF POSITIVE IN THE ONCE BEAUTIFUL..LIFE GIVING EVERGLADES. SPECIES THAT WERE ONCE COMMON TO THIS PRECIOUS LAND...ARE NOW EXTINCT...THREATENED...OR BECOMING HORRIBLY MUTANT, THANKS TO GREEDY HAP HAZZARD DEVELOPMENT PROCEDURES OF PAST DECADES...(SUPPLY & DEMAND)...SADLY, THE SMALLEST MICROORGANISMS THAT COULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SAVING THIS PLANET ...OR AN INDIVIDUAL HUMAN LIFE.... ARE BEING HORRIBLY ERADICATED ...IN THE NAME OF THE MIGHTY DOLLAR...WE DO NOT NEED TERRORIST TO DESTROY US ...WE ARE DOING QUITE WELL ON OUR OWN .......

Roberta Perry Hughes		23-Jul-2008 05:25
Charlis...I remember those "baby" coconuts! We thought they were soooo cute!! My best friend, who lived next door, was allergic to mangoes...didn't know it 'til the day my mother had peeled several chilled fruits & had them ready-to-eat, when Cheryl came over. She had never eaten them, & she thought they were just delicious...which they are...but!! Before she left to go home, she had broken out all over, & had to get to the doctor's office, toot sweet, for treatment!! I had no clue that I was allergic to Florida holly, 'til the day I misbehaved (my main childhood "crime" was being a sassy back-talker) & my father gave me a switching with a Florida holly limb. Broke out all over, so, no more switches were used on me. There were other forms of corporal punishment, however, as most of us recall, from back in the day when "spare the rod and spoil the child" was practically a revered cross stitched sampler, hanging on the wall in our homes...& in some schools, too...whether it was actually THERE, or just one of those Proverbs that were ingrained in the brains of adults...right in there with "cleanliness is next to Godliness." But, back to flora...it always puzzled me (as a child) why Miami's holly didn't look a THING like the holly associated with Christmas decorations, you know? Speaking of Florida cherries...every Hallowe'en, I am made to long for those juicy fruits whenever I see those tubfuls of candy orange pumpkins. They are shaped just like our Florida cherries! It's those shaped "sections" that does it! Y'all ever eat Rose Apples? Crandon Park used to feed them to the monkeys. They loved them! They sort of looked like loquats...oblong, light yellow in color, & fuzzy...but they smelled like a rose. I LOVED ripe avocados, cubed, with finely chopped onions on them, then, generously squeezed Key Lime juice over the top, & served with seafood. YUMMY!! We had a Key Lime tree, & most every tropical fruit tree in our yard. How lucky we were!! I didn't care for papayas, however. The seeds looked like fish eyes...ew!!

charlis		22-Jul-2008 23:31
I love the talk about S Fl Flora and Fauna... as a child in OH the only allergy I had was "spring fever"... the morning dew on the grass got me sneezing. My mother developed Hay Fever so bad that the doc wanted to put her in the hospital. The following year we moved to Miami Beach. Except for the occasional cold, my mother never sneezed. I, on the other hand, never stopped! Orange blossoms made me nauseaus. I would sneak into the back yard and knock the darned things off the 2 trees we had! Then I moved to Tampa... every time a cold front was coming I would start sneezing the minute it hit the state line... friends called me "Barometer Nose" as they could hear me sneezing from across the street. In my 50's I finally outgrew the allergies, except for the "Barometer Nose"... but... my worst experience with FL's Flora and Fuana was the Palm trees... dropping the "baby" coconuts on you when you walked down a street! When I bought my first house, as an adult, the palm tree on the property was immediatly taken away!

LARGO		22-Jul-2008 11:35
PLUMERIA (FRANGI PANI)....THE STUFF OF HAWAIIAN LEIS....THE FRAGRANCE IS AMAZING....BUT YEAH...AS A STICK...NOT SO GORGEOUS...........LARGO

Jackie		20-Jul-2008 16:58
Largo... I have an 'ugly old stick" story. When we first moved to Miller Dr. in '55, the development was new, and the yards were bare except for a few pine trees the developer left standing. My dad came home one day from one of his strolls around the area with a bare stick about a foot long and the thickness of a broomstick. We were fascinated; my mother was pretty sure she didn't want it in her yar. I think he had received it from an established yard not far from our development, so he knew what it was, but he didn't let on , and planted it against Mother's objections. As it grew, it developed large, dark green leaves, and finally ,clusters of beautiful pink flowers. We had never seen a frangipani before, but it was the most glorious blooming tree we had ever seen, (except for a royal poinicana, which we did not have) and it continued to grow and produce wonderful shade and color for as long as we lived there. Some other plants that I used to bring home to my mother and display in water glasses were lantana and coral vine which grew wild in a nearby vacant lot. I loved the coral vine so much, with its delicate pink, tiny bell-shaped fowers and bright green, heart shaped, crinkly leaves. I tried many times to get starts from them, but never did. Others would say how easy they were, but mine never grew. Finally, MANY years later, I found one for sale at a botanical garden in West Palm Beach. We planted it near a gazebo and watched it cover the whole structure. Every spring we cut it back to the ground, and by summer, it had completely grown back. Funny thing... we had so many volunteer starts from that plant. We gave them to everyone, and when we moved to GA, we brought two with us. The first one died, but the second is beginning to bloom for the second season on the back deck right now. Don.. What great news about Hialeah race track. I think Roberta has a great idea about how to deal with people who defraud the public

Parks		20-Jul-2008 05:21
There was a story in the Miami Herald today saying that Snooty the manatee turned sixty. Snooty was born on the Prinz Valdemar in downtown Miami in 1948. Snooty is the oldest Manatee in captivity. I would bet he is the oldest anywhere as they probably don't live that long in the wild. To see a picture of Snooty's birth place, go to Don's photo gallery of Miami Tourist attractions.

Roberta Perry Hughes		20-Jul-2008 02:44
Don...I clicked on, & eagerly, read the article, and...!! OH, boy!! Dare we to hope & dream, for this propostion/sale to come-to pass, & become a reality?? Maybe it would be the shot-in-the-arm that South Florida needs, to promote tourism again...& bring in the people with the deep pockets...to grant a jolt to the economy, once again, & provide some jobs, too...!? This seems to be the most promising of hopes, to save Hialeah Race Track, that I have read, to date. It renews encouragement, & restores hope, too. I'll keep my fingers crossed. Now, if Florida could only make the fraudulent mortgage brokers make financial restitution, to the countless people they've scammed & hurt, for the sake of greed, well, wouldn't THAT be a miracle?? How could this be brought about? Here's a thought, & I thought of this during that ENRON scam: the "powers that be" should seize all assets, of those who scammed money out of investors, or home buyers, including all properties, which would include their homes & the contents of those homes, yachts, boats, cars, jewelry...even their designer wardrobes, & their wives' designer wardrobes...call in Sothebys, & auction said confiscated items, & use the money to make financial restitution to those they scammed. JUST giving these people a prison sentence isn't enough, & does not benefit those who lost everything because of these crooks. This is EXACTLY what they did, in Augusta, when 2 doctors, who worked in MCG's Research Department, used those funds to buy big homes, fancy cars, objet d' art, jewelry & fine wardrobes, rare paintings, rare wine, European vacations,etc. They called in Sothebys, & auctioned off everything they owned, & made restitution to MCG's Research Labs. Looks like this could be done in EVERY instance of fraud, Nationwide. Everyone rejoiced, over what became of those 2 doctors' ill-gotten gains...plus, the 2 are in prison, besides which.

LARGO		20-Jul-2008 02:31
WELL... I THINK I AM INTRIGUED BY THIS HALSEY MINOR FELLA...WANTING TO ACTUALLY BRING BACK HIALEAH RACETRACK TO ITS "FORMER" GRANDEUR ....THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE BEAUTIFUL FLAMINGOS AND THAT 20'S FEEL THAT WE SEE ON OLD FILM OR RECREATED IN MOVIES...LETS HOPE IT HAPPENS ....THAT WOULD BE WORTH A TRIP DOWN SOUTH.....LARGO

Don Boyd		20-Jul-2008 02:01
There may be a saviour in the wings for historic Hialeah Park. Go to the "Save Hialeah Park" gallery to read the story or tohttp://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/sports/epaper/2008/07/19/0718hialeah.html Don

LARGO		20-Jul-2008 01:39
ROBERTA.....LOVED IT !!!.....YOU WERE ON THE MONEY...........

Roberta Perry Hughes		20-Jul-2008 01:32
LARGO...Actually, if indeed, they WERE "GREED PODS," they'd have opened up to reveal a Floridian "Pod People," aka: fraudulent mortgage brokers. NOT funny, I admit, but, just couldn't resist!! Mama's Angel Trumpets were a deep golden yellow. WOW. I LOVE pink, so, can only imagine how gorgeous PINK Angel Trumpets are!!

LARGO		20-Jul-2008 01:11
OOPS!...NOT "GREED PODS"...GREEN PODS !!........TIME TO QUIT..MY FINGERS ARE TRIPPING.......LARGO

LARGO		20-Jul-2008 01:06
NOW YOU GALS ARE TALKING.....(HERE SHE GOES!!)...WHEN I WAS A KID IN SOUTH MIAMI...MY YOUNGER SISTER AND OUR GANG OF KIDS USED TO FIND VERY LARGE FIELDS OF "WHISPERING PINES"....WHICH WERE REALLY AUSTRALIAN PINES...THEY WERE LEFT IN SOME OF THE LARGE ACREAGE THAT "WAS" FARMLAND.(GROWN AS WINDBREAKS)..DESTINED TO BE THE NEW "BURBS" OF SOUTH MIAMI.... THEY MADE THE MOST HAUNTING SOUND WHEN THE WINDS BLEW THROUGH THEM...THE BRONTE SISTERS WOULD HAVE LOVED THEM. WE KIDS WOULD CLIMB THEM AS HIGH AS WE DARED EACH OTHER TO GO...YOU KNEW WHEN YOU WERE REALLY HIGH ( the best kind by the way ) WHEN THE TREE TOPS WOULD SWAY YOU BACK AND FORTH IN THE WIND...IT WAS SUCH SIMPLE FUN... AND EXHILARATING ALL AT THE SAME TIME !!.............THE ORCHID TREES WERE "HONG KONG ORCHIDS"...AND HAD A LOVELY PURPLE FLOWER...THEY GROW THIS FAR NORTH...AND HAVE A RATHER RAPID GROWTH HABIT....I THINK JACKIE WAS ON THE MARK...I TOO THINK THOSE WERE ARALIA'S.....MANY GREW THEM AS FENCE HEDGES....AND THE GARDENIAS...THE FRAGRANCE WAS INTOXICATING......THANKS FOR THE MEMORY JOLTS JACKIE & ROBERTA........LARGO ...HEADING OUT TO CHAT WITH MY COURTYARD PLANTS...BY THE WAY..A PS INSERT HERE....A FRIEND GAVE ME AN UGLY OLE STICK CUTTING ABOUT THE SIZE OF A BROOM HANDLE STUCK IN A POT...HE SAID TO WATER IT ONCE A WEEK...LOOK FOR LEAVES TO SPROUT...PAY LITTLE ATTENTION TO "IT"...AND JUST WATCH. WELL THE LEAVES GREW HUGE..AND LOOKED LIKE "POKE LEAVES" (thats another story)...AND THIS LITTLE STICK STARTED PUTTING OUT BRANCHES AND MORE LEAVES ...AND FINALLY AT ABOUT 5 FEET..I NOTICED SMALL PALE GREED PODS DEVELOPING...AND THEY WERE AT LEAST 6 TO 8 INCHES BEFORE THE MAGIC BEGAN...I CAME HOME ONE EVENING AND SMELLED THE MOST AMAZING PERFUMED SCENT....AND THESE HUGE PINK PENDULOUS BELL SHAPED FLOWERS LITERALLY COVERED THE PLANT...GROWN FROM A LITTLE STICK!!...I CALLED MY FRIEND TO REPORT THE MIRACLE...AND HE SAID THAT IT WAS A "PINK ANGELS TRUMPET"...QUITE A TREAT !!!....LOVE GARDENING...CAN YOU TELL ???.........LARGO.......BLISSFULLY... HOWLING & PRUNING AWAY IN OLD TOWN ST. AUGUSTINE...................

Roberta Perry Hughes		20-Jul-2008 00:37
jackie-Gables-57...I had forgotten about the shrimp plant! We had one in our yard! Very aptly named, too, as they looked like a shrimp, on the ends!! Thanks for the memory!! LOVED the big Seagrape leaves!! And even the (deadly) Castor Bean tree. Seems that most everyone had Coleus, or Crotons, as yard borders. I lucked-up on 17 pieces of Poinciana of Florida chinaware, in the Hibiscus pattern, which features a gorgeous golden yellow bloom on a green stem with leaves, & one perfect closed bud, to the side, that were in the center of the plates, cups, & fruit/sauce bowls, & a beaded area on the inner borders. Oh!! To own a complete set!! (sigh) Of the pieces, I have 2 place settings, lucky me! I have several tagged Florida hankies, that feature a hibiscus, or a spray of same, in their centers, & many souvenir of Florida tagged scarves, made in Japan, with the state in the center, & hibiscus & flamingos in their borders. Love them all!! Have some wonderful vintage postcards that feature the flowers of Florida, & some that feature the trees of which we speak.

jackie -Gables 57		19-Jul-2008 18:56
Roberta... Funny, I was wondering the same thing about the sausage tree. The sturdy hedge you mentioned might have been a variety of aralia. The one we had in West Miami had a very woody, slender,light brown trunk, but there were so many "limbs" that you couldn't just walk throu it like so many other hedges. The leaves were much as you described. I remember that when they were trimmed, the leaves wilted quite rapidly, but I don't recall any particular odor. When we had to take leaves to school for science projects (it seemed that we did it nearly every year in elementary) I always took them from an aralia, a copperleaf (large red-orange leaf), a sleeping hibiscus, a Florida cherry, and a croton. If I needed more than five, I would pick leaves from the shrimp plant, periwinkle, and orchid , ficus, and oak trees.

charlis		19-Jul-2008 17:00
Don. Sorry. I understand what you say. I just thought you'd like to know so you could report it. It's not just this computer but the other two that I use. Maybe it's something in the air here in Tampa since I asked a friend to go to the site... he had the same problem ;-) I promise to get those old Viscaya pics to you. something keeps coming up every time I set aside time!

Roberta Perry Hughes		19-Jul-2008 05:14
I've been remembering the trees & foliage of Miami, & I know that a lot of it has been cut down, or cut back, so, I am wondering if the following are still growing in the area: Ficus trees; Sausage trees; Pomegranite trees; Kumquats; Loquats; Rose Apples; Sapadillos; Sand Pears; Vitex hedges (they were the ones that were a powdery green leaf on one side, & silvery on the other, & as soon as you trimmed it, they wilted; the front & one side of our yard was "fenced" in this hedge, & I had to gather up the clippings every time my father trimmed it...ugh! And on a Saturday, too!) Our neighbor's had a tall hedge that "fenced" their back yard from ours, & it was the one with the big leaves that were green on one side with yellow trim, & yellow on the underside, & when the leaves died, they turned yellow all over. Can't remember the name of the hedge, but they had a distinct pungent smell, especially when trimmed, or when the leaves that had dropped off were decaying in the heat & humidity. This particular hedge was ideal as a "privacy hedge," as it grew quite tall, & dense, & the body of the plants was quite sturdy, making it difficult to just crash on through it, as with some flimsier hedges. It even kept dogs & cats from getting through. The leaves had several points to them, but all were uniform in design. My favorite tree was the Seagrape, with its big fan-like leaves. I loved the bouganvillia vines, the Angel's Trumpet vine (big yellow flowers), & the orchid trees, & my VERY favorite flower is the hibiscus, any color. Roberta, missing the flora of Old Miami, on another late night, hearing LARGO's HOW-WWL-LL, & Charlis's computer frustrations, of the eve of a muggy weekend, in the Empire State of the South, aka The Peach State.

LARGO		18-Jul-2008 21:31
WHEN THE MOON IS FULL........AND THE WOLFBANE BLOOMS......OWWWWWWW!!!......LARGOOOO! ...HOWLING FOR THE WEEKEND...MIAMI IS A BEAUTIFUL MEMORY...LETS KEEP THAT GOING.....

Don Boyd		18-Jul-2008 05:08
Charlis, as I have explained before and hopefully for the last time, I don't have any control over how this site operates for all the people who visit it. Please stop beating a dead horse and please stop asking me what I have done to it because all I do is add photos and make comments on it. It is a photo hosting site with millions of photos on it by thousands of photographers. It was not designed to be a message board with only a meager amount of photos being displayed. Fortunately the site, designed to host photos, is also capable of handling the numerous comments under the photos and in this remarks galley. I am only responsible for the content of my rented space and I have no control whatsoever over how the site reacts when you visit it. No one else is complaining about what you have described so that leads me to believe it is on your end and not with the site itself. Don

LARGO		18-Jul-2008 01:41
CHARLIS....WELCOME... TO THE TWILIGHT ZONE...........................LARGO

charlis		17-Jul-2008 23:20
Don... what is going on? I go to this page and my auto log in is not working. No problems last week.

charlis		17-Jul-2008 23:12
gang... farm store's egg nog was the best... add the sprinkled nutmeg... ummmmm

mike		17-Jul-2008 12:58
Bill Haast lived in our neighborhood. We would see him "jogging" around the block in the early 1960's before jogging became popular. We thought it was a very strange sight seeing him running around the neighborhood all the time, so he had a reputation of being a little "out there". Little did we know.

Don Boyd		17-Jul-2008 05:42
I found a recent (July 11th) article about Bill Haast of the Miami Serpentarium. He is now 97 years old and was recently honored by the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Venom Response Unit. I copied the article and it is under his photo at <http://www.pbase.com/image/64581068 . The article is also located at <http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080711/NEWS/807110356/1661# His current photo: <http://images.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=SH&Date=20080711&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=807110356&Ref=AR&Profile=1661

Ray		17-Jul-2008 02:46
I just found a great movie about Jimbos. http://runningrootsproductions.blogspot.com/2008/06/jimbos-documentary.html A little slow getting started, but give it a chance. Nice history in there too.

Don Boyd		17-Jul-2008 02:28
Gino Fulci sent me some shots from an old movie that he needs someone to identify. They are in a new gallery on the main page called "Memory Test - where were these photos taken?" All comments will be appreciated. Ray, I took a bunch of photos of Jimbo's last year while driving around one late Sunday afternoon. The appearance of the place and the characters around there caused my daughter to decide to stay in my SUV with the doors locked. It was a trip back in time alright. I'll post the photos one of these months. Don

Ray		17-Jul-2008 01:35
Under the heading of things to check out in Miami before they're gone... Jimbos. It's going to be hard to describe if you haven't been there. It's a dock. A hang out. "Interesting" people. Cats, roosters, raccoons. You can buy a beer or a tee shirt there. Where is it? About 500' upwind (east) of the central sewage station on Virgina Key. Here's their website: http://www.jimbosplace.com/ If you go, take a very open mind. You might want to leave the little kids at home. Before you go, watch the movie on the web site. You will need that to see how to get there. The story, as it was told to me, was that he owned land that is now the Herald building. The City basically told him to take the land on Virgina key and he could have it until he dies. I guess they didn't count on him living so long. Do check it out. I was there for the first time a few weeks ago. Been there, done that, got the tee shirt. It's like a trip back in time.

charlis		16-Jul-2008 23:55
what is going on here!?!? Got a message about logging in or registering... about Farm Stores... figured my computer had reset itself and I had to log in... posted to Jeff and got same message. I was logged in... or so I thought.

Jo-Anne K		16-Jul-2008 23:45
Hey Don.......does that mean I can now tell everyone I was born in Dania Beach instead of just plain ole Dania? Wow, I feel so much more worthy now!!!!!

Guest		16-Jul-2008 23:33
jeff... hope your are okay, brat. ;-) We do have a history in common.. I miss Kope. Email me and let me know what is going on. Evie had, what appears to be, a mini stroke this past weekend. She is under a lot of stress, thanks to our wonderful government and its giving help to the hispanics before helping US citizens. See previous post about an article that was in our paper about Americans and Hispanics in South Florida, Tampa Tribune, Metro 7-5.

charlis		16-Jul-2008 23:21
Yuummmm... Farm Stores... egg nog was great, but the chocolate marshmallow ice cream was the best! When they added the chocolate chunks... I became addicted! The heck with Ben & Jerry's... Up here, near Tampa, we had both the drive in and drive thru versions. Still a few open, but not many.

Jeff		15-Jul-2008 21:33
Largo, I'll pop in once more to say thank you... Yes, I'm fine and keeping myself quite busy... I appreciate the kind words! Until next time...

LARGO		15-Jul-2008 17:30
HI JEFF...HAVE MISSED YOUR FUN/INFORMATIVE COMMENTS OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS. I PRAY THAT YOUR HEALTH IS GOOD AND THAT YOU ARE STRONG AND THAT YOUR ABSENCE HERE IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE MORE IMPORTANT/PROSPEROUS EVENTS GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE....THAT ARE RENDERING YOUR TALENTS IN A TRULY PROFITABLE MANNER..............LARGO

Sofia		15-Jul-2008 06:10
Parks -- next to home-made egg nog, Farm Store egg nog is the best. As a child, I remember my parents driving to our neighborhood Farm Store to pick up milk and ice-cream. They preferred their brand to anything available at the supermarket.

Parks		15-Jul-2008 03:03
Miami Girl, there are still a whole lot of Farm Stores around Miami. I buy egg nog at the one on Red Road every year. My family always called them Cow Stores. The cubans call them La Vaquita, Little Cow.

Jackie- Gables 57		14-Jul-2008 23:34
Charlis... Thanks for the info. I certainly hope that something can be done to restore the Everglades that we remember. I"m encouraged by the fact that some are at least trying to do that, but I'm enough of a realist to know that it will be slow going if it even gets off the ground. After 42 years in Palm Beach County, we moved to North Georgia last year.

Miami Girl		14-Jul-2008 23:33
Dave: Yes I remember those Farm Stores and wish they'd come back again -- I'd save a ton of money when I just need milk and bread ( and maybe some ice cream) instead of having to stop in the big store, walk all the way to the back and pick up a hundred other items on the way! Wish I had the capitol to start one myself - actually no I don't.....I'm gettin' close to retirement so will leave it to the next generation.

Jeff		14-Jul-2008 22:23
I'm here for some short comments and then I'm gone again for a good while... Farm Stores was formed in 1960 as the outgrowth of the old Land O' Sun Dairies... I emailed Gino and identified the bulk of the images he was wondering about... many were from 1976's Crime Busters, and Don has some of the North Miami Grand Union exterior shots posted... Bye!

charlis		14-Jul-2008 21:00
Jackie Gables... The main thing for FL, in the good old days, was agri and tourism. I did a little research and found that cane goes back to the late 1800's after several devistating hurricanes went through and pretty much leveled the the area near and around Lake O. I remember, after having moved down there in '62, taking a trip to the Flamingo area and having the damage from Donna pointed out. Years later, as an adult, I took another trip down there. The area still had not recovered... and the builders were moving in. I hate to see what it looks like now, after 35+ years. The TB Online article was interesting. (Are you living up here?) My trip though the Lake O area, on that 2004 trip for a HazMat conference, was, in a way, a delight to see... wide open spaces! Cane, cows, etc., and very few houses. The sad thing is that, being that I work in Solid Waste, Lake O "houses" one of the states largest landfills. As we say in the business... Lake O takes anything! Sad, but true. And, the EPC is going after farmers for polluting the ground water and streams with animal waste run-off. That is why so many farms around here are shutting down... with the land being sold the builders!

Dave		14-Jul-2008 19:45
Great site! Does anyone remember the Farm Stores where you could drive through in your car and get milk, eggs, cottage cheese, etc.? There was one on Bird Road and just west of 107th Avenue.

Jo-Anne K		14-Jul-2008 18:18
Don....Thanks for the info on Jaxson's (I'll not be travelling to MI to eat ice-cream).

LARGO		14-Jul-2008 15:27
RE: TERENCE HILL & BUD SPENCER....THE MIAMI SHOW WAS "MIAMI SUPERCOPS"...FILMED IN THE 80s...LUKE HALPIN aka "FLIPPER"..HAD A MINOR CRIMINAL ROLE IN ONE......GINO...YOU CAN GOOGLE JUST ABOUT ANYTHING....AMAZON.COM HAS A LIST OF MOST EVERYTHING THE TWO FILMED TOGETHER..USED VIDEOS FOR SALE ETC. HOPE THIS HELPS................LARGO

Arizona Al		14-Jul-2008 13:45
Miami River Rat: Thank you for the corrective feedback. I am not a serious country music afficianado and the John Anderson song "Seminole Wind" crossed over to the pop charts when it was released in the 1980s. That is how I became aware of its existance. In any event, the song certainly lamented the demise of the Everglades over 25 years ago. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Miami River Rat		14-Jul-2008 12:28
The title of the most excellent John Anderson song Arizona Al referenced below is actually “Seminole Wind”. Any of you that haven’t heard it should give it a try. It hurts my heart that the Gumment has purchased the old Monroe Station building and boarded it up. Monroe Station was once the finest honky-tonk in the everglades, hangout of smugglers, gator poachers, snake hunters, orchid thieves and similar cutthroats. Now it is closed! I had hoped to get just one more beer there, but that was not to be. The first time I got really, totally drunk was out at Monroe Station. I was age 14 at the time, started throwing up green stuff and a friend casually noted: “You’re gonna’ die”. I, however, made it through to return to Monroe Station many more times in the years that followed. Hang in there…

LARGO		14-Jul-2008 01:42
GINO.....??? DO YOU MEAN TERENCE HILL FROM "THE TRINITY SERIES"...IE..."THEY CALL ME TRINITY"...AND HIS HULK HALF BROTHER..."BAMBINO" ???....THESE WERE SPOOFS ON THE 60'S SPAGHETTI WESTERNS THAT MADE STARS OF CLINT EASTWOOD & CHARLES BRONSON ...DID NOT REALISE THEY WERE FILMED IN S. FLORIDA....... ...I HAVE THE DVD'S........PS...MY FATHERS LEGACY (CLIFFORD POLAND ESTATE) OF FILM EQUIPMENT ETC. IN MIAMI, WAS AUCTIONED THIS PAST SATURDAY AT... AUCTIONAUCTION.COM................................LARGO

Jackie - Gables 57		13-Jul-2008 23:38
Charlis... That was a very interesting article on the situation in Clewiston.. Some thoughts....Big Sugar has had a grip on several towns near Lake O, but they are not the ones who drained the everglades to create farm land. We can thank the "founding fathers" of S Florida for that. Of course, if they hadn't, Miami and the rest of our end of the state would have been just small coastal towns, and many of the places where some of us lived would not have been buildable. Hopefully, The people of Clewiston can find work in the restoration projects in the area. I saw another article (written last Nov.) in Tampa Bay Online about the attempts to restore the Everglades. The State of Florida has done some (with some help from the sugar companies and other farmers) work in Palm Beach and Hendry counties to reclaim agricultural water and redirect it toward the Everglades. Other projects scheduled (but not yet funded by the Fed) are in the St Lucie and southwest Collier areas. Who knows if those projects will get off the ground.

charlis		13-Jul-2008 19:28
AZ Al... when I lived in West Hollywood, in 1962, the Everglades were only a mile or so away... Hollywood Blvd ended there, at a canal. I lived at 68th Av. Hollywood Blvd now goes past 180th Av! As to the sugar cane story... ironically an article was in today's paper about the impact the situation will have on a small town there, Clewiston. US Sugar being there was a big "boon" to the town and now people are wondering what will happen to them when the company pulls out. Although US Sugar came in in the 50's, it seems that the area had been suffering from hurricane damage since the late 1800's. The areas flattened by the hurricanes became aricultural. US Sugar was not the first company to use the area for growing cane. The sad thing is that the area will now be built up with housing... We all know how that works. The "powers that be" declare an area "natural" and then some builder will approach the authorities and offer a great price, saying that a certain portion will be kept "pristine". Then another builder will do the same. Then yet another builder will promise the same. I know this to be a fact... I have seen it here in the Tampa area, have friends in very rural areas of the county who, when buying their properties or whose families owned properties for generation, to suddenly find Offer this state enough money and the environment goes "out the window"! The way thing are going, this state will separate from the continent... becasue of the weight of all the building going on... it will sink!

Gino		13-Jul-2008 16:37
Help! I'm trying to find locations from 3 movies that were filmed in the Miami area in the late 70's early 80's. Those were movies with Bud Spencer and Terence Hill. I can send pictures to anyone who think can help. If you think you can, contact me at fulciwin@hotmail.com I've been searching for years! So any help will be greatly appreciated! Thanks

Arizona Al		13-Jul-2008 10:25
The memories I have of the Everglades are those of a pristine wonder of nature. However, these memories are from the mid 1950s to mid 1960s and are prior to the commercial development and manipulation for flood control that you (sic) describe. In the 1980s a country music artist named John Anderson had a song on the charts called "Everglades" in which he lamented the disapperance of the glades as a result of draining and development. Sometimes things are so old they appear to be new. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

charlis		12-Jul-2008 19:49
From what I can remember the sugar cane industry being allowed in FL, 50 years ago, was to help restore the Everglades that had been devastated by hurricanes, particulary Donna. Using the "natural ingredients" of the soil would make for great sugar cane growing, and help restore some of the natural wild life, and bring money to Fl. After the devastating hurricane season of '04, on my trip to Miami Beach for the conference, I purposely took 27 to see the "wide open spaces". (There are so few of them left in FL!) There is more to the story that we are not being told... like the amendment for homestead taxes. People did not look "at the fine print" and now look at what we are facing... cut backs in all local government assistance programs!

Miami River Rat		12-Jul-2008 03:27
The Time article is sad, but true. Last trip down I went out and traveled the Loop Road that starts past 40-mile bend on the Trail and goes to Monroe Station. It’s terrible to see places that used to be large ponds now grown up in weeds due to lack of water. Meanwhile, the Powers That Be, because of some convoluted deal with the sugar industry, have dumped so much excess fresh water out the Saint Lucie canal that they have killed all the brackish water species that lived in the Saint Lucie estuary. Those millions of gallons of fresh water could have been sent to The Everglades just by opening a different floodgate. In the end, greed will be recognized as the culprit that ruined South Florida.

charlis		11-Jul-2008 22:37
Don, great article! How sad, but true. I happen to be one of those that bought a condo/condo conversion. The developer pulled out shortly after I moved in. 90% of the units are being rented out to low lifes, judging by the the daily crime reports. After 8 months I am still waiting for final repairs to be done!

charlis		11-Jul-2008 22:17
I have to go look at the article, but a small part of it was in the local paper... that if you are an american.... forget it. Evie is an example of how bad it is. It took her 4 years to get assistance, was even told to add "ez" to the end of her name so that se could get assistance. The place she lives in is a "rat hole" and she pays as much in rent for a small one room unit as I did for a 2 bdr with pool in Tampa. She called Code Enforcement about the conditions of the building... A coworker of mine was one of the "Peter Pan" arrivals in the early 60's. He can not stand Miami for the way it has become! The early arrivals adopted this country in hopes that it would adopt them. Many of my old friends, the early arrivals, have left the area. In the early years there were signs in shops... "Hablo Espanole"... now the signs in stores are "English Spoken". It's pretty bad that you have to speak a foreign language in your own country.

Jackie -Gables 57		11-Jul-2008 17:21
Roberta... The Varsity also has an orange smoothie to die for. When you go back to Atlanta, you'll have to try one. Also, there are several Brewster's in the Atlanta area. One opened in West Palm Beach shortly before we left S. FL. Don... thanks for the link to the Time article. Things have been going downhill in S. Florida for a long time. And now ,we're seeing a lot of the same unchecked growth in north Georgia.

mike		11-Jul-2008 13:28
It sure isn't the same miami we grew up in, but there are some places that will surprise you. I visited a couple years ago and matheson hammock was the same as it was 45 years ago. It was like going back in time. And old cutler road is nicer than before because of how much the trees have grown.

Roberta Perry Hughes		11-Jul-2008 06:37
Don...You might have figured I would be the very first to read that article in TIME magazine, due to the fact that I am an insomniac. Wow. I'm just about speechless over it...& more than a little heartbroken, & in overwhelming shock. At first, my mouth dropped open. Then, I frowned up, & shook my head, in utter disbelief, at what I was reading. Eventually, the sadness hit me, as my memory flashed back, to a happier time & place, of post-WWII Miami, with her housing subdivisions, to accomodate all of the Vets, & their growing families, as neighborhoods cropped up, & slowly, schools were built, & places of worship, & stores, eateries, service stations...all that we remember with such fondness, & see, posted in the images in the Main Galleries, on this Site, & grief just was almost overwhelming, & I wept. As I continued to read, however, a new emotion took root: that of the cold sweat of fear, that made me frightened, for the residents of Florida, to contemplate the coming absence of a fresh supply of drinking water, for the people. To even think about it is unimaginable, like something straight from a horror movie. Has anyone considered getting a desalinization plant built, ASAP, & get it up & running? Or even more than one? I am going to buy that issue of TIME, next time hubby goes to the store. Thanks, for posting the link to the article. However, in a way, I'm wishing I'd never clicked on, & read it. I had no clue, that it had gotten to be that bad, down there. I did see a PBS special, however, some time ago, about that crooked Cuban, Juan what's-his-face...can't remember his last name, right now. I hope that he is in prison, & NEVER gets out. It must be very very difficult, to continue to live down there.

Don Boyd		11-Jul-2008 04:59
Boy o boy, there's a new article in Time magazine that really hits the nail on the head about Miami, the Everglades and the rest of Florida. Check it out online at: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1821648,00.html Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		11-Jul-2008 04:46
Charlis...Yes! Yes! Yes! E-mail me that recipe! AND any others you have, as well! And very much appreciated, thanks...!! Don...Lordy, Lordy, Lordy, that ice cream sounds just absolutely scrumptious! What a combination of flavors & textures! WOW. My personal favorite, however, is Espresso, which I have only found at a Brewsters, in an Atlanta (suburb?) when I was visiting a friend in Norcross. She also took me to the famous Varsity, where they have some terrific hotdogs. Speaking of hotdogs...if y'all are ever in Albany, Georgia, you've got to go & get a sackful of the famous hotdogs with chili & onions, from Jimmie's Hotdogs, located on Oglethorpe, across from the old Trailways Bus Station. Going to make a run down there, before too long, to get some, & take 'em out to CheHaw Park, to munch.

Don Boyd		11-Jul-2008 03:46
I added several 1962 aerial photos of downtown Miami and Miami Beach from the Goodyear Blimp (one in downtown gallery, the rest in the 60's gallery). Jo-Anne K: Jaxson's in Dania Beach (formerly known as Dania but city leaders decided to upscale the name) came in #2 for the best ice cream shop in America, as judged by ABC's Good Morning America, beaten for #1 by the ice cream shop in Michigan. I found that out by taking my wife and daughter there one evening a week or two ago for some delicious homemade ice cream. I had the one in the contest - chocolate chip, blueberries and cherries - it was superb. We had to stand in the take-out line because the line to dine in was way too long with a thunderstorm coming and that was in the middle of the week around 9pm. They do an incredible amount of business and I have never seen it without a line to get in. Don

Jo-Anne K		10-Jul-2008 22:29
Hey LARGO.... Thanks for the link to Trade Winds Fruit...........amazing. Don....I never did find out how Jaxson's did in the contest???

charlis		10-Jul-2008 22:05
gang... Shorty's is definately the place I was thinking of... long and narrow, one story, indoor and out door dining. Looked dilapidated... on purpose. On a side note... I knew the owner of Beef O'Brady's... best hot wings in the, once small town, I use to live in. The first Beef's was a small restaurant in a small strip center in Brandon, FL. (Actually was offered a franchise opportunity when they decided to go "big". Ex hubby turned down the opportunity... and it was my money!) I have the original recipe for the hot wings sauce. The wings are no where near as good as they used to be back in the late 70's and 80's! (Roberta... I'll give you the recipe if you want it... via email. ;-)... ) Sorry gang... I promised not to "broadcast" the recipe a long, long time ago.

Arizona Al		10-Jul-2008 14:50
Jeff: Help us out here. Am I confusing Shrivers's Barbeque near Homestead with Shorty's or was there actually a Shorty's at one time in the late1950s and early 1960s located between Naranja and Homestead on U.S. 1? My 62 year old neural synapses just dont fire-up like they used to when I was younger. Years of debauchary and self indulgent abuse during my youth has taken its toll on my retention and recall capabilities. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and searching for his lost shaker of salt in Phoenix, Arizona

Miami Girl		10-Jul-2008 14:16
Al: I don't remember two Shorty's - only the one just south of Kendall. They have a website where you can order the sauce, shirts and hats. We ordered a couple bottles of sauce but it's not as good. Probably has something to do with the way the meat is prepared. Someday we're going to get back there!

Parks		10-Jul-2008 04:15
Arizona Al - Are you thinking of Shriver's Barbeque? It is way down US1 near Homestead. The story I heard was that it was owned by Shorty's brother. The sauce is very similar to Shorty's sauce but not exactly the same. Where's Jeff when we need him to give us the facts? Parks, Still enjoying Shorty's Ribs and Corn when ever I can.

Arizona Al		10-Jul-2008 02:04
Charlis/Mike: In the late 50s-early 60s there were two Shorty's. One was just south of Kendall Drive on U.S.1 and the other was further south between Naranja and Homestead. I am not sure what became of the one located further south but the one just south of Kendall Drive is archived on this site in the Restaurant Section. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and fondly recalling the succulent corn-on-the-cob from Shorty's.

charlis		09-Jul-2008 22:55
mike... Shorty's... that's it! Thanks! Back in the 60's there was nothing south of Kendall... it was "wide open"...

mike		09-Jul-2008 22:44
Charlis- the bbq place might be Shorty's if it was just south of Kendall Drive on US1.

charlis		09-Jul-2008 22:39
You South Miamians... here's a question... do not recall asking this before. As you know, I moved to Miami Beach in '62. One of our "get to know Florida" trips took us to Key West, another to the southern Everglades (a place called Flamingo). We stopped for lunch one time at a BBQ place south of Miami "civilization", but still part of Miami. It was on the right side of the road... red building... patio dining. The food was great! My dad made sure that we went there for lunch (90 minute drive rom the beach so dinner was not an option!) several times a year. When I got married and lived off Kendall in 1972-74 (before our move to Tampa in '74) I took my hubby there. He fell in love with the place... better "baby back ribs" than his dad's... and dad's were great! All dinners came with the best corn on the cob, choie of fries or great potato salad. In the '80's, in the Tampa area, a bbq place opened up and the name sounded familiar... as in the "south miami" place. Anyone remeber this great place?

charlis		09-Jul-2008 22:21
Roberta and Largo... 1st, Roberta... thanks for your thoughts of Evie. She is not doing well. She spends her time on her typewriter working on a movie script about William Holden, her childhood idol. The "hole in the wall" place she lives in has been having more holes in the wall and ceiling. The landlord is doing nothing. Interesting article in this weekend's local paper about how the hispanics have taken over/rule Miami. Americans (including the early Cuban arrivals) leaving at a record pace. Evie reported the problems at her place and nothing was done... a Hispanic neighbor, with the same problems, reported the problems and the authorities were out there the next day... the neighbor's place was fixed. Evie's was not! Largo... St. Augustine... I love the place but have not been there in years. My "aunt and uncle" lived there in the 80's and 90's. Aunt Margurite Levine was big on the archeological digs going on there. One trip there got me "underground". What a trip! She is also known for her work with the Helen Keller foundation and is even mentioned in a book written by Joseph Lash (Eleanor and Franklin) for her assistance in helping in the writing of the book. The book, "Helen and Teacher" was made into a movie. Uncle Larry is also a published author, The Great Alphonse". They were friends of my parents back in France in the late 40's. Larry created the term "emordilap"... some to do with palidromes. Both of you... take care...

miami girl		09-Jul-2008 22:14
Geez, I was gone for the long weekend and it took forever to get caught up! Joanne: I don't recognize the names you mentioned, Leslie, Colleen or Karen - I guess we ran in different circles. There was over 700 in the '65 class so it doesn't surprise me. Roberta: Enjoy that DVD - I do plan to get it one of these days when I have time to watch it. I do so love reading everyone's memories so keep 'em coming!

Jackie-Gables 57		09-Jul-2008 21:56
Joanne.. We're just glad you made it through your travel ordeal safely, and got to spend time with your grandaughter.

Jo-Anne K		08-Jul-2008 17:58
Hi All! It has taken me most of an hour to catch up on posts since the last time I visited here. Since the last time I posted I made a trip home to NC to see the grandbaby (had her all to myself for 3 days). I was on the flight from hell leaving Durango, CO. The door to the cargo hold (latch) came undone and we were forced to land about ten minutes after take-off, de-planed, took an hour to fix, got back on the plane, taxied to the runway and as we were waiting to take off all of a sudden there is hydraulic oil flying down our side of the plane. I won't bore you all with the rest, needless to say I ended up taking a red-eye to Newark and finally got into Asheville late the next morning. The return was just as bad. Just reading through the posts it looks as if everyone is still hanging in and that there have been some new names added to the group which is pretty cool. I'm going to try to be better about checking the site more often because it is hard to respond to posts that are a month old. Oh, and if anyone ever plans on moving to Durango, CO.....think twice, it is hotter than S FL ever was. I feel like this job is a prison sentence, only 19 more months until I can go home.

Jackie - Gables 57		08-Jul-2008 04:37
Miami River Rat... The name Elaine Loebig was not familiar to me, so I pulled out my yearbook and found her in the class of 58. Her face was familiar, but I didn't know her. Cute girl.

Miami River Rat		08-Jul-2008 04:11
Roberta Perry Hughes: Thanks for correcting my memory. I would have graduated from Southwest with all of your relatives in 1960 if I'd finished. I thought Joe Perry was a year ahead, which according to you he originally was, but I'd thought your sister Audrey was a year or so younger. I'll dig up the old yearbook one day and get refreshed. Jackie-Gables 57. Do you remember a girl named Elaine Loebig? She was a good friend of mine, a few years older than me. Very cool girl. She probably graduated Gables in '56 or '57. Anybody remember the dances the Police Benevolent Association used to have for teens on Friday nights? They were at "Policeman's Park", where they also had rides for little kids. Those dances were just a few blocks from my home, on NW River drive and about 25th avenue. We could walk there from the drugstore on the corner of 17th street and 27th avenue, where we all hung out. See ya!

LARGO		08-Jul-2008 02:29
ROBERTA...I REMEMBER THE CHERRIES!.......MY DAD PLANTED A HEDGE OF THIS DELICIOUS FRUIT AT THE BACK 40 OF OUR YARD IN S. MIAMI. THEY ARE "SURINAM CHERRIES" eugenia uniflora...ALSO CALLED: PITANGA, BRAZILIAN OR CAYENNE CHERRY BROUGHT OVER BY PORTUGUESE EXPLORERS.......MOM MADE A SURINAM/MANGO CHUTNEY..THAT DAD MIXED WITH HIS BBQ SAUCE AND SLATHERED ON RIBS/CHICKENS/PORKLOIN..IN HIS BBQ SMOKER...OMG...SOOO GOOD!...(when the cherries are off the plant fresh..one had to watch for the little cherry worms that loved them as well)...FOR YOU BOTANIST TYPES OUT THERE: www.tradewindsfruit.com ...GERONIMO LATER........................LARGO

Jackie - Gables 57		07-Jul-2008 14:53
Roberta... Thanks for reminding me of Florida cherries. I used to love them as a kid. One time, however, I ate way too many and got a terrible tummyache. I don't think I've had those cherries since! We also used to pull sleeping hibiscus from their stems to suck the nectar, and remove the inner blades of grass to nibble on the tender yellow ends. St Theresa's was the Catholic school in the Gables. I don't remember a separate bus , but I do remember seeing them leave the Gables bus terminal on their way to school. What I do remember is that most of the girls had pierced ears. A few of the Gables girls did, but it was not very common at that time. My, how things have changed!

mike		07-Jul-2008 14:50
Arizona Al- I was in H company at m.m.a. I think I spent more time marching demerits off than going on leave. I remember going awol across the street at some restaurant or hotel. I remember black john as well, like you said he lived behind the 7-11 and the liquor store. Later he moved to the 7-11 on Coral Reef (152nd st.) and US1.

Arizona Al		07-Jul-2008 14:46
Mike: I left Miami in 1969 for North Carolina where I lived until my move to Arizona in 1995. From 1974-1977 I lived in McDowell County (Old Fort/Pleasant Gardens and then Nebo on Lake James) I was employed as a psychologist at The J.Iverson Riddle Developmental Center in Morganton. I am familiar with the Asheville and surrounding areas. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and dreaming of the cool Smokey and Black Mountains of Western North Carolina,

Roberta Perry Hughes		07-Jul-2008 09:30
Miami River Rat...Greetings! WOW!! A Southwestie!! Great to hear from you!! My first cousins, Joe Perry, & Mary Jane Perry (Johnson), & my sister, Audrey Perry (Lane), all graduated from Southwest High School together, class of 1960. Joe was supposed to graduate with the class of '59, with friend & neighbor, Joe Rambo. My brother is "Willie," as he was known at home, & "Bill" to his schoolmates, but I never knew a Robert Perry, & am unfamiliar with Kinloch. There was, however, a boy in my brother's sixth grade class, at Tropical Elementary, surname Perry, no relation to us, but his given name was Eddie. My sister was also born in 1942, at Jackson Memorial (August 29th) & she attended Citrus Grove Elementary, as did Willie, prior to our move to S.W. 55th Street. We rented a house in that area, near the big (wonderful1) Fisk Tires billboard, with the little boy toddler, wearing baby blue footed onesie sleeper, holding a candlestick & lit candle in his right hand, & yawning, & he had a white sidewall Fisk tire over his left shoulder, & the words, "Time to re-tire," were in large print, & the whole thing was lit up. I loved that billboard! When we had gone somewhere, & were on the trip back, & I saw that billboard, I knew we were just a few blocks from home...& bedtime. Do you remember that billboard? You can type in Citrus Grove Elementary, & see a photo of it. And of Southwest High, too, & any other school down there. I remember a school bus coming to our neighborhood a few blocks from our house, & there would be a bunch of kids waiting to board it. The girls wore simple white blouses with Peter Pan collars, & over it, they wore a green jumper. Not Girl Scout green, however. It was more on the order of Kelly green. It was the uniform of their school, St. Brendan's. Is this school still open? Later on, one or two of those girls began to attend our school, & we got to know them. But when they were going to St. Brendan's, it was like they were segregated from the rest of the kids in the neighborhood. We found it sort of strange...& sad...because they were "set apart." They were very quiet, & shied away from any attempts to engage them in conversation, & never responded to "Hi! What's your name?" By the time I was in Junior High (Riviera), the St. Brendan's bus wasn't seen again. We always wondered about that. Dr. Ogus...! How's it goin' in the desert Grand Canyon State? We've cooled down a bit here, in the CSRA, due to a cold front, accompanied by much needed rain. Hubby said there was a "nip in the air," when he came in from feeding our horses. Charlis...How is Evie these days? I do hope things will look up for her, soon. Tell her I think about her a lot, & wish her well. LARGO...HOW'S IT GOIN' IN ST. AUGUSTINE?? HAVE YOU EVER VISITED THE PLACE WHERE GERONIMO & FAMILY WERE INCARCERATED? HE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO RETURN TO ARIZONA. WHILE HE WAS INCARCERATED, (IN AN OLD SPANISH FORT, I THINK?), HE CULTIVATED A VEGETABLE GARDEN. I KNOW IT'S A TOURIST ATTRACTION, THAT PLACE IS, & JUST WONDERED IF YOU'D EVER BEEN THERE. MiamiGirl...I couldn't stand it any longer, so I bought the DVD set of "Pride and Prejudice," starring Colin Firth & Jennifer Ehle. Got a copy for Audrey, too, for her birthday. We call ourselves "The Firth Ladies," & we are among thousands, who have been "Colin-ized." Roberta...Up all night...again...typing in ramblings from a chronic sleep-deprived insomniac, extending greetings to all, while sharing a few memories of Old Miami. Y'all enjoy some red ripe Florida cherries for me, o.k.? Gosh, how I would love a bowl full of them! Haven't seen them in soooooooooo long!!! Or "home."

Miami River Rat		07-Jul-2008 03:26
07/06/08 Hi all! I posted a few days ago, just now getting back. Wow! It takes a long time to read all the back posts here, but it was fun. About myself: Born Jackson Memorial Hospital, October 1942. Granddad was also born in Miami, in 1898. Family owned a tourist attraction on the Miami River, with Indian village, tropical gardens and alligator farm. Sometimes known as Coppinger’s Tropical garden, or Pirate’s Cove. That closed in the early ‘60’s. I grew up across NW 17th street from the North Fork of the river, just west of 27th avenue. While living there I attended Citrus Grove Elementary, Kensington Park Elementary, Saint Michael’s, and Kinloch Park Jr, High. I always had some sort of small rowboat or dinghy, and in early years spent a lot of time trying to keep from falling into the polluted river, or having my grandma yell about catching Scarlet Fever when I did fall in. My mother moved out to SW 26th street west of Red Road in 1957 and I went to Southwest High for the 57-58 and 58-59 school years. Dropped out and joined the Air Force in December of ’59. Got a GED while in the service, came back and attended Miami Dade JC North Campus 1964 and ’65. After I finished there I went to Auburn University, settled in Alabama after graduating from Auburn and I’ve been an Alabama resident ever since. Posters here that I know / know of: Joe Perry was a year ahead of me at SW high, and Audrey Perry was a year or two behind me. I knew who both were, but didn’t know them well. The Perry I knew best was a boy from Georgia named Robert Perry. He was a good friend of mine at Kinloch in the ninth grade, 56-57 school year. Roberta, was he one of yours? Debi Carbine posted here about a year ago. I’m pretty sure I dated her older sister Nancy. Nancy and I “went steady” through the fall of 1958. Debi, if you read this and your dad was Mark and your mom’s name was Mary, then I remember you as a cute, skinny 10 or 11 year-old with freckles. I went back to Miami last month to visit a cousin and two nephews. That place never ceases to amaze me. Oh, well. Later!

Arizona Al		07-Jul-2008 02:35
Mike: I also attended MMA "against my wishes" 1960-1962. I was in West McKibben Barracks A Company both years and attainde rank of sergeant. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Arizona Al		07-Jul-2008 02:31
Gilbert: Black John lived somewhere behing the Weinkels Liquor Store and Royal Castle Hamburger Place on South Dixie Highway near Cutler Ridge..Alan Ogus,Ph.D., Alive and well in 114 degree Phoenix, Arizona

charlis		06-Jul-2008 21:40
mike, thanks. Robert would have been a jr and sr at the time you were there.

mike		06-Jul-2008 20:23
Joanne- I had "talked" with mojohn a little while ago and we are from the same neighborhood and know some of the same people. I don't recall the name of your friend at palmetto jr.

Joanne		06-Jul-2008 18:06
Mike...you and Mo John might have some names in common. I do remember the name Rick Rasmussen but he was not the brother of Karen, she was an only child. Did you know Skip LeCain at Palmetto Jr.? I think he was there the same time as you.

mike		05-Jul-2008 20:42
Charlis- I was at MMA during the 1966-67 school year, 9th grade. Your friends name doesn't ring a bell with me. My memories at mma weren't that great as I went there against my wishes. As you were saying it was a type of punishment.

charlis		05-Jul-2008 19:02
mike... what year a MMA? Had a good friend who went there in the late 60's... Robert Lovelace. He eventually moved to TX, but our years together in jr high and high school were great. He was like the brother I never had. MMA was where a lot of parents sent kids when the kid became a teen, or, in other words, a semi adult that the parent's had differences with. It was a good school, and the grounds were beautiful.

Gilbert		05-Jul-2008 03:36
mike: hi and welcome! by the way does anyone remember who black john was? he was a homeless black man behind a store i cant remember...

mike		05-Jul-2008 03:25
Joanne- I had written a couple posts as "guest". I was born in Miami in Mercy hospital 1952 went to palmetto jr. , part of palmetto sr. , also miami military. Had I graduated it would have been 1970.

Roberta Perry Hughes		05-Jul-2008 02:27
Happy Fourth to all of my cyber friends!! In the words of the rock group, KISS, today was hot, hot, hotter than "well"...! Stayed indoors, as I usually do. The HHI made it feel like triple digits, the meteorologist on TV said. Rained in Macon, where my sister went, but...nary a drop here, in the CSRA. Shucks. Would have cooled things down a bit, maybe. Hopefully, we'll get some rainfall soon. Close to drought conditions, here. Hope the weather is kind...& cool...wherever y'all are. Enjoying the new Posters, & hope we see more & more, as word of this Site spreads. Be well. Stay cool.

Joanne		05-Jul-2008 01:43
Mike...Ddi you go to Howard Drive as well? Tell us more about yourself. I looked back a few months of this site and hadn't seen your name. We welcome all the new folks who pop in, even if its only for a couple of posts. What schools did you go to? Graduation date? Etc...?

mike		04-Jul-2008 18:59
Thanks for replying. The rasmussen I was referring to went to Howard Drive Elementary back in the early 60's.

charlis		04-Jul-2008 18:57
Happy Holiday to all. I spent my morning at the local parade driving the truck behind our Recycling robot, CanDo. The looks on the faces of the kids was so wonderful! Many yelled "Hi, Cando!" Many got to pose for pics with him. The weather cooperated for the long (over 1 mile) route. T-storms had been predicted 2 days ago.

Joanne		04-Jul-2008 18:54
Mike...I thinl Karen had a brother but couldn't swear to it. I'll ask my sister when she gets back from vacation either today or tomorrow. I'm on the other side of the state from you in Greenville. (Pitt County) It's a nice place, quiet, good breezes, much smaller than Tallahassee. Only been here a week and I'm starting to like to it.

charlis		04-Jul-2008 18:50
mike... we had a biology teacher at Beach Hi named Mrs. Ray Rasmussen. Lived in S Miami with 2 daughters. Can not remember the daughters' names but mom had them come to school before the fall session started and used black magic marker on all the "sexual" references in the text books. This was in the early to mid 60's when Dade County schools used the BSCS biology texts and 2 days a week you went to the auditorium for "on air" classes.... depending on your rating you were placed in classes by blue, green and yellow. Mrs. R taught the lower "grade". Strange thing,... one of the daughters got preggers... before she got married! Gee! I wonder why!

Mike		04-Jul-2008 16:10
Joanne- did Karen Rasmussen have a brother? I think his name was Rick. What area in N.C. did you move to? I have been living just outside Asheville for about 15yrs.

LARGO		04-Jul-2008 14:53
DITTO..!!...EXCEPT FROM ST. AUGUSTINE, FL............LARGO

JackieGables 57		04-Jul-2008 14:41
Happy 4th of July Everyone! Have a safe and joyous holiday celebrating the birth of our great nation. Peace and Love from the hills of north Georgia, Jackie

Joanne		03-Jul-2008 18:15
Mo John...Fred Thiel graduated Palmetto in 66, Rocky in 67. I remember you mentioning the Doddridge name but didn't know any of them. Miami Girl...you may have known my sister Leslie Copp (went by Lee). She was friends with Colleen Osbourne and Karen Rasmussen. She was also Tao-Ti. She went to Palmetto for 2 years, 64-65 and 65-66 then headed to UGA. Any of those names famliar?

MO John		03-Jul-2008 12:47
Miami Girl, Rocky was in the Palmetto class of 67. You can Google "his name and Palmetto" and that will take you to the PSHS 40th anniversary, which he helped chair. They had their anniversary last Oct. He was probably there in 65, but more obscure as a sophmore. Best I can tell, he would have been at UF 68-71.....unless he was redshirted and stayed an extra year. Jackie-Gables 57 found the FSU game. I did not know he had switched to DB until I read that. Thanks!

Jackie -Gables 57		03-Jul-2008 12:02
I found Rocky Doddridge listed as a Gator defensive player in the FSU-UF game in 1970. (He intercepted a pass and ran it in for a touchdown.).

Miami Girl		03-Jul-2008 11:41
Joanne and MO John: Fred and Rocky must have been after '65. At least I hope it's not just my 61 year old brain forgetting yet another thing.

MO John		03-Jul-2008 03:18
Joanne, I think my 5th grade teacher was Mr. Patel....not Pytel. Rocky Doddridge, a Palmetto hero in his own right, played QB for the Panthers in the mid-60s and may have been center R. Thiel's QB. Ask your sisters; they might know. Rocky went to the Univ of Florida and played football for the Gators. I was very close friends w/ his younger siblings.

Joanne		02-Jul-2008 19:12
Mo John...I found my sister's yearbooks from 65 and 66 and had quite a few good laughs. His name was Fred Thiel and he was quite the football hero playing center on the team. Once I get my printer/scanner up and running I have all kinds of photos I'll be sending to Don Boyd. I know you and other "southside" Miamians will remember these places. I had Posey-Webster in 6th. At least we had one teacher in common. Don...I promise these will all be pics you can use not personal shots.

MO John		02-Jul-2008 03:15
Hi All, Joanne, Glad you made it safely. Negative knowledge on the football player turned biology teacher. I don't recall any of the teachers you mentioned. I had Mr. Turner in 4th, Mr. Pytel in 5th, and Mrs. Posey and Nicholson in 6th. I attribute my love of wildlife to Mr. Turner. I think we spent more time bird-watching than we did in the classroom. I realize that I suffer from "biophilia" thanks in part to Mr. Turner. Roberta, According to his "obituary" Dr. Bill Moss, taught at Hialeah Elementary in 1954, until Howard Drive opened in 1958. He was heavily affiliated w/ the University of Miami. His signature song was "This Land is Your Land....." He was a wonderful teacher.

Joanne		02-Jul-2008 01:28
Any of you Palmetto-ites of the 60's...do you remember a football player last name Theil? (maybe Richad or Robert) After he finished college he came back to Palmetto and became a Biology teacher. I had him my Sophomore year, 1973. I had several influential teachers in Miami, Mr. Bullman-Palmetto (Chorus director) Mrs. Janice Jones-Howard Drive Elem. (4th grade) A few years later I babysat her children. Mrs. Hilborn-Howard Drive (2nd grade) Mrs. Cheena-Howard Drive (3rd grade)

charlis		01-Jul-2008 23:50
I'd have to say that the 3 teachers that influenced me the most were my jr high art teacher, Barbara Lowery (got me to pursue photography), Bob Hope (Jeff can tell you about him... he was my daughter's god father) and Richard Kiibler, my art teacher. The last two were at Beach HI.... (Sure wish we could get more "Beachites" to post here.... )

charlis		01-Jul-2008 23:43
kundtz/kuntz.... couldn't find this teacher in my highschool yearbooks... might have been jr high (yearbook is still packed away from my last fall move)... my memory wants to say the first name was Connie.

Roberta Perry Hughes		01-Jul-2008 18:15
Hello, all...Was this music teacher, who recently passed away, Dr. Moss, ever a music teacher at Blue Lakes Elementary, ca. 1957 or 1958??

Arizona Al		01-Jul-2008 02:59
Charlis and Miami Girl: Mrs Kundtz was also my Spanish 3 Teacher in 11th grade, She had twin daughters in the Palmetto Class of 1964; Mary Lou and Terry Sue. Mrs Bush was my teacher in the 6th grade in 1958 (Miami Girl and I were in her class). She was the sole inspiration and mentor who guided me for a later life pursuit of the sciences. I am confident she touched many young lives during her tenure and I wish there was some way to let her know what an inspiration she was to me. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and fomndly recalling an icon of his youth in Phoenix, Arizona

Parks		01-Jul-2008 01:04
Joanne and Mo John, It's a small world. I worked with Bill Moss wife, Bea, during my brief career as a photo journalist. It was in 1969. We both worked for a twice weekly newspaper called the South Dade Guide. The editor sent both of us up to Cape Kennedy to cover the Apollo 11 launch. Bea Moss was and I would guess still is a fun lady with a great sense of humor. She worked for the Miami Herald until a few months ago. Her daughter actually took over her column when she retired. I'm really sorry for her loss.

Miami Girl		01-Jul-2008 00:54
Charlis and Alan, I think Mrs. Kuntz had twin daughters in my class but not aware of any relative on the Beach. Mr Donald Woods was my math teacher in both sessions of 7th grade -- he was a sweetheart and really tried to get me interested in math (as did Mrs Bush in 6th grade who actually came to my house to tutor me). Now guess what I do............ACCOUNTING of course! Go figure that one.

Joanne		01-Jul-2008 00:45
MO John...Thanks for the obituary link, he was my first music teacher. I made it, I'm officially a resident of North Carolina now. Drive up was long and relatively uneventful, I'm glad to say. Miami Girl...you and I are two peas in a pod. I also had the most difficult time in all math classes and ended up as the assistant to a company conroller doing cost accounting. Go Figure!!

Miami Girl		01-Jul-2008 00:23
Charlis and Alan, I think Mrs. Kuntz had twin daughters in my class but not aware of any relative on the Beach. Mr Donald Woods was my math teacher in both sessions of 7th grade -- he was a sweetheart and really tried to get me interested in math (as did Mrs Bush in 6th grade who actually came to my house to tutor me). Now guess what I do............ACCOUNTING of course! Go figure that one.

charlis		30-Jun-2008 23:00
Annoying and biting bugs... in Ohio I remember the horse and deer flies. What bugged me, sorry, could not resist that, were the sand fleas, no-see-um's, and fire ants in FL. In Central FL we get the "love bugs", totally useless except for food and most bug eaters do not touch them. They show up in the fall and spring, fly around and cause car paint to erode. They made their appearance in FL in the late '60's, and I dont think they ever made it down to Miami, judging by the reaction my FIL when he came up to visit in the mid '80's... they were very thick that year and had a habit of coming into the house on your clothes. My, at the time, young daughter, scared the heck our of her pop pop when she went in to wake him up from a nap after his drive up to Tampa.... "Pop Pop, there's a Love Bug on your nose."... He jumped out of the bed!

charlis		30-Jun-2008 22:50
Alan, I remember a Mrs. Kuntz (sic) on Miami Beach in the 60's. She was also a language teacher. Same woman? or a sister?

Jackie		30-Jun-2008 13:24
Oops! should have been "cRitters"

Jackie -Gables 57		30-Jun-2008 13:23
Let's add chiggers to the list of nasty, annoying, bothersome, chewing, itch-producing citters that plagued us when we were wee ones. My dad's treatment for any skin ailment was a vigorous scrubbing with green soap. How did we ever survive childhood in such a pest-infested paradise?

Arizona (Ne Miami) Al		30-Jun-2008 02:52
The Noseeum controversy Noseeums are a class of small biting mites from the family Ceratopogonidae. They live in temperate climates near areas of water. The vulgar vernacular calls them "no-see-um" because they are almost invisible to the naked eye. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive, well and never having to worry about noseeums in the Sonoran Desert of Phoenix, Arizona

Alan Ogus, Ph.D.		30-Jun-2008 02:42
Largo/Miami Girl.: In the 7th Grade (1958-1959) my homeroom teacher was Mrs. Rupponer (Section 7-11). We had science in the audiutorium on televisions. Mr. Kevorkian was our"T.V. Science Teacher". I had Mr. Donald Wood for math and Mrs. Clifton for English. I remember Coach Pansa as my P.E. instructor. I think my Spanish teacher was Mrs. Kundtz. Now remember this was in the 7th grade. Due to an unfortunate set of events I managed to get in enough trouble to have to attend Miami Military Academy until my Junior Year when I was allowed to return to Palmetto (1962). In my Senior year (1963-1964) my homeroom Teacher and English Teacher was Mrs. Thalia Macia. Mr. Don Clark was my Civics teacher. Mr. Kohl and subsequently Mr, Sanderson my physics teachers.My trig and analytic geometry teacher was Mr. John Irvin and my Woodshop teacher was Mr. John Ryan. Mr. Alfonso Alonso was my Spanish 4 Teacher. Mr. Paskewicz was the Boys Dean and I made his continual acquaintance until I graduared with a 3.6 GPA (go figgure) in June 1964. I joined te Army in November 1964 and served 3 years the last one in Chu Lai, Vietnam as a Combat Support Specialist. The rest so they say is "history" Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and hoping his 50 nyear old acquisition, storage anf retreival mechanisms are still intact in Phoenix, Arizona

Roberta Perry Hughes		29-Jun-2008 22:15
Speaking of the chewing/biting insects...do y'all have yellow flies down there, aka "deer flies?" They have a longer, slimmer thorax than a housefly, & are the color of the letters under this Comments window, including their wings. When these witches bite, they leave a small hole in your skin, which will weep clear yellow exudate, that eventually crytalizes, & "itch" doesn't even BEGIN to describe it, when it gets to that point. Their initial bite HURTS, sort of like the bite from a horsefly...ever been bitten by a horsefly? (Ow.) Don't know about down there, but up here, you know when it's going to rain, as the houseflies will bite. Also, if a herd of goats are outside, & they have a barn, they will all head for the barn, just before it rains. They hate to get wet. Happens every time, with the flies, & the goats, no matter the time of day, for either critter. Gnats are a real nuisance up here, as are fire ants. Every year, we are truly grateful, that gnats don't bite, & fire ants can't fly. We'd be in deep doodoo, if they did. Pandora caused us all a lot of grief, when she opened that beautifully decorated box, didn't she?

LARGO		29-Jun-2008 22:01
CHARLIS...THAT'S WHAT I'M SHOUTING ABOUT...YEEESSS !!!...SOMEBODY GETS IT.....AND MY EYES ARE FIGHTING CATARACTS.......SURGERY AT SOME POINT....THANKS !... LARGO

charlis		29-Jun-2008 21:39
LARGO.... YOU ARE NOT YELLING. YOU ARE BEING ERGONOMICALLY CORRECT. AT OUR AGES WE NEED TO DO AS FEW KEY STROKES AS POSSIBLE. ;-) MY BOSS HATES THE FACT THAT MY WEEKLY REPORTS ARE DONE IN CAPS... SO HE CAN'T COPY AND PASTE THEM TO HIS WEEKLY REPORT. HE SPENDS A TENTH OF THE TIME ON THE COMPUTER THAT I DO!

LARGO		29-Jun-2008 19:05
MIAMI GIRL......I WAS A '63 GRADUATE OF PALMETTO HIGH ............. MO JOHN...I BELIEVE THIS TERM "NO SEE UM" WAS A "VERY ROUGH" TRANSLATION (second hand info. not on anyones authority..not a racial slur..I am 1/4 Cherokee myself) THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF THE EASTERN COASTAL AREAS USED TO DESCRIBE THE MINISCULE GNAT LIKE CREATURE...(THAT I AM POSITIVE WOULD BE NOTHING BUT LARGE MOUTH & TEETH UNDER A MICROSCOPE) ...THAT LITERALLY BIT LIKE HELL..itched for days !...AND COULD GO RIGHT THRU SCREEN DOORS & WINDOWS............. BEFORE "DEET"......I NOW USE...LISTERENE MIXED WITH SUNSCREEN (oil) in a small sprayer..GOOD FOR MOSQUITOS TOO..SAFER ON LITTLE ONES & ADULTS..THAN "DEET"...SHAKE WELL BEFORE APPLYING..WATCH THE EYES.... WORKS BETTER (for me)...AND ONE SMELLS MINTY FRESH !..........LARGO

Miami Girl		29-Jun-2008 17:27
Largo: I was the class of '65 from Palmetto - how 'bout you? You've probably posted it earlier, but I've lost track with all the fun info here.

MO John		29-Jun-2008 15:39
Hi All, LARGO, I called "no-see-ums" "sand fleas". I once spent a miserable night camping on Elliot Key w/o any bug repellant. I was eaten alive by sand fleas. At least w/ skeeters you could see um and defend yourself. Joanne: Sad news at the link below ref our beloved music teacher at Howard Drive Elementary Dr. Bill Moss I put spaces in this link, only so I could post it here. Be sure to put everything together when you paste it to your browser. http:// www.legacy. com/ Herald/Death Notices.asp? Page=LifeStory&PersonId= 112280485

LARGO		29-Jun-2008 15:00
MIAMI GIRL..WHAT YEAR DID YOU GRADUATE FROM PALMETTO ?...JUST WONDERED IF OUR PATHS CROSSED OR YOU WERE MUCH YOUNGER LIKE ARIZONA..LOL..........LARGO

Miami Girl		29-Jun-2008 14:47
AZ AL: My absolute worse grades ONCE were in PE - I got an F3F. Did I mention I had a bad attitude?

Miami Girl		29-Jun-2008 14:43
AZ AL and Largo: Well Mrs. Rupponer is in that blank space, I'll have to check the yearbooks for her face to see if she was still there in '62/'63 when I returned to Palmetto after spending 8th and 9th at CRJH. I don't recall yearbooks in our early Palmetto days -- did they have them? I do remember Mrs Lindquist and of course that hunky coach Bonnie Yarborough -- he went to college with my brother at FSU and I think was a big football star (yes, to everybody who didn't know him --- Bonnie was a guy).

LARGO		29-Jun-2008 14:02
MIAMI GIRL/ARIZONA AL....I DO NOT RECALL MRS. RUPPONER AS THE ART TEACHER...I DO HOWEVER RECALL MR. SANGIOVANNI...MRS MARLENA LINDQUIST...AND THE DRAFTING/CERAMICS/SHOP TEACHER.....WOULD BE THE BELOVED(Scottish heritage) MR. BONNIE YARBOROUGH. (I believe he coached as well ??) HE AND HIS WIFE LIVED NEAR "WEST 40"..& HAD THEIR OWN HORSES..."WEST 40" WAS A FAVORITE RIDING/BOARDING HORSE RANCH WEST OF US1.....WHERE FOR A FEW BUCKS MY FRIENDS & I (or anyone) COULD RIDE HORSES ALL DAY...WITH THE AROMA OF GUAVAS AND ORANGES HANGING IN THE AIR...THERE WAS ALWAYS SOMETHING INTERESTING TO DO BACK THEN THAT WAS NOT EXPENSIVE....NOT JUST "DADELAND" THAT CAME ALONG LATER.....THE BEACHES... CANOEING THE CANALS OR HIKING IN THE GLADES.....OF COURSE IN S.FLORIDA WINTER OR (THE SKEETERS & "NO SEE UMS" WOULD CARRY YOU AWAY).....LARGO

LARGO		29-Jun-2008 04:04
GUEST....NOOOOOOOOO !!! I WILL NOT STOP SHOUTING...THE REGULARS HERE KNOW THAT THIS IS MY WAY...BEEN SHOUTING ON THIS SITE WELL OVER A YEAR NOW..AND YES I DO KNOW THE "OLD" COMPUTER PROTOCOL STATING THAT LARGE CASE LETTERS DENOTES SHOUTING..........SUGGESTIONS TO ASSIST YOU IN ALLEVIATING YOUR OBVIOUS IRRITATION... YOU CAN...SKIP OVER MY SHOUTS....OR IF YOU ARE REALLY INTERESTED...WEAR EARPLUGS !!.......SHOUTING FROM THE ROOFTOPS IN BEAUTIFUL ST. AUGUSTINE..............AS ALWAYS..................LARGO

Arizona Al		29-Jun-2008 02:19
Miami Girl: Guilty as charged. My homeroom class was 7-11. Mrs. Rupponer was the homeroom teacher. If you recall she was the art teacher at Palmetto 1958-1959. I am looking at my 7th grade report card and not surprisingly my grades are all A2F and A3F where the A is academics, the number is "motivation: and the Ds and Fs are conduct. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and still scoring Ds and Fs in conduct in Phoenix, Arizona

Guest		29-Jun-2008 00:23
Great memories, thanks all! P.S. Largo, is there any chance that you could stop shouting? Thanks!

Miami Girl		28-Jun-2008 22:59
Thanks Alan but Ronnie wouldn't remember me - I only recognize his name and no other specifics or even if we had a class together although we probably did since his name is so familiar. Didn't you say somewhere here that your 7th grade homeroom at Palmetto was 7-11? Mine too (during my first rotation of 7th grade - how I really hated school in those Jr. High days) but another memory lapse prevents me from remembering the teacher. I guess that's the ol' "selective memory" thing going on. NO, IT'S NOT AGE RELATED, we boomers are NOT going to get old!!!

Arizona Al		28-Jun-2008 21:14
Miami Girl: You are correct. The Hanlin Drive Fish Market was owned by Ronnie Valentine's parents, During the Summer of 1962 myself, Ronnie, his brother Hal, my brother Mike and a fellow named Jerry Arnold worked there. Ronnie(my best friend) joined the Army in 1963 during his Senior year at Palmetto. I keep up with him on a regular basis. He lives in Virginia. I can send you his email address if you would like. Alan Ogus,Ph.D. Alive, well and fondly remembering times past while enjoying the 112 degree day in Phoenix, Arizona

Parks		28-Jun-2008 19:53
Hi Joanne, That was the same Andy Massamino. I know he moved to Palemtto after I graduated from Gables. I last heard from him in the mid-eighties. He was building an air boat and called me to ask about engines. He didn't remember me but I sure remember him. Good teacher. Florida is a beautiful place to be today. I've been fishing in Charlotte Harbor this weekend. Had lunch on Cabbage Key near Sanibel. Home to Miami tomorrow.

Miami Girl		28-Jun-2008 19:27
AZ Al: The fish market rings no bells but it must have been Ronnie Valentine's parents who owned it? The Hanlin Dr. did sound familiar until I tried to find it on my second favorite site, Google maps and realized it must be Hainlin Mills Dr. that you're talking about. Sorry I don't remember the fish market. I can't believe all those subdivisions built between Old Cutler Rd. and the bay - remember they were nothing but tomato fields? I for one would never buy a place out there, I wonder how much was standing after Andrew. Anybody know?

Roberta Perry Hughes		28-Jun-2008 08:03
Me, again, the resident sleep-deprived Insomniac, & chronic resident of Puny City. Y'all have just GOT to request Arizona Al to e-mail you photos of his vintage typewriter, & other treasures he has collected for his lovely home! Believe me, you won't be disappointed! What a treat, & I saved the images in a file, to return to, ad lib. Such a wonderful way to learn more, about our Dr. Ogus, former Ridge Rat! Just tell him, on here, or in an e-mail, that you'd like to see the vintage Woodstock typewriter, & he'll send it your way!

Roberta Perry Hughes		28-Jun-2008 05:40
Hi, Gang...still feelin' puny. Got to get better, soon, as I'm weary of chicken noodle soup, or instant potatoes. Largo...Charlis...MiamiGirl...Jackie-Gables 57...Y'all's Christmas memories were nostalgic & heartwarming for me to read, & your favorite dolls brought a smile to my face, too. Thanks, for humoring me! Jackie, one of your dolls sounds like it might have been an American Character "Sweet Sue," who was hard plastic, had a closed mouth, & was either a strung limbed doll or a walker, or an Effanbee "Honey" walker. The one with teeth could have been by Ideal, Horsman, Artisan, or any number of companies, all now a memory of the past. My fondest Christmas, in Miami, was the one when I was in elementary school, & I got both a "Ginny" bride, & the bridesmaid, a mere 8" tall, & a hard plastic blue Wedgwood design tea set by Ideal, & a wonderful panda bear with a vinyl muzzle & a growler inside. Christmas dinner was the traditional turkey feast, which the aroma awakened us in the pre-dawn hours, but even so, we didn't get up 'til sunrise, to race to the living room to find the fully-decorated tree & presents, that appeared overnight, like magic. People set up their trees the day after Thanksgiving, now, some even earlier than that. It was magical, for it to be set up in the dead of night, on Christmas Eve. Favorite pie was the mincemeat pies my father made, but mama's pumpkin pie ran a close second...& who didn't love a good pecan-laden fruit cake, that had been soaked in rum or brandy, for weeks?? One tiny slice, & you felt the Christmas cheer!! Many of the dolls in my collection were new-in-stores 1947-1959, & their original clothes are miniature versions of the clothes I wore to school, church, to birthday parties, to the beach, to bed, & at play...AND to Brownie meetings (Troop 580, on S.W. 102nd Avenue, at Mrs. Jones' house). All vintage dolls were dressed for their era, & are fashion historians. Little Time Machines, that take you back, to memories of your elementary schoolmates, & neighborhood friends. I love them all! Largo...My hat's off to your eldest sister, for her chosen profession & life's work. I wish that cancer, especially of the female anatomy, would just stop happening, with such frequency. The many OTHER cancers, too, of course, many of which were once considered to be very rare-to-find, most especially among men. Maybe one day, huh? Ah! Another Christmas memory was when my father put a small amount of egg nog, laced with peach brandy, in a saucer for our cat, then, to see the cat get glassy-eyed, & her feet crisscross, as she tried to walk, & she leaned against the walls in the hall, to help her make it to a quiet place, where she slept off her buzz. My mother was not amused.

Arizona Al		28-Jun-2008 04:05
During the Summer of 1962 I worked at the Hanlin Drive Fish Maket in Goulds, Fla. It was owned by a couple named Ron and Jewell Valentine. It had an adjacent smokehouse and between cleaning and selling fish my responsibility was to smoke the mullet fish. Does anyone recall the business? I am certain it closed in 1968 due to the unfortunate racial unrest during the period which resulted in the business being fire bombed. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and surprisingly well at 62 years old in Phoenix, Arizona

Jackie -Gables 57		28-Jun-2008 04:02
I believe Vera Fascell was Dante's sister

Joanne		28-Jun-2008 03:34
I remember the name Andy Massamino, he ended up at Palmetto during the mid 70's. Was Vera Fascell any relation to Dante Fascell? One of Dante's kids was at Palmetto the same time as I..

Jackie- Gables 57		28-Jun-2008 02:23
Petros: Glad to help. I went to the Miami-Dade County site and did a property search on the address you gave for the groves. I'm pleased that you found the info useful.

Petros		28-Jun-2008 01:48
Hello Jackie-Gables 57, Your info was VERY helpful. This makes perfect sense because the post card that I saw "Floyds Fruit Grove" has the address (521 sw 42 ave.) Also, my house is directly behind the dealership & was built in 1939! The living room & kitchen is on solid ground but the 2 bedrooms & the bathroom are elevated with a crawl space under it of about 2 feet. How did you find this info? I would love to look into this further. P.S. The house located at 3901 sw 7 st (1 block east & 1 block south of my house) was built in 1910 & it is a 2 story house. It is the oldest house in this squared section with Flagler st to the north, sw 8 st to the south, Le Jeune to the west & sw 37 ave to the eats. Thanks again. Great info. Petros

LARGO		28-Jun-2008 01:42
ROBERTA.....MY NOSTALGIC, CYBER, SURVIVOR FRIEND...THIS IS FOR YOU. MY MOST MEMORABLE CHRISTMAS (AS A CHILD) WAS A MIAMI CHRISTMAS EVE ..AT OUR LITTLE HOME ON NW 6th ST...(near Flagler Dog track..&7th st near..LeJeune)....AND MY BIG SISTER... FALLING INTO THE CHRISTMAS TREE... WHILE CAROLERS WERE OUTSIDE OUR FRONT WINDOWS JUST SINGING UP A STORM...THINK I WAS ABOUT 9 OR SO...MY LITTLE SISTER & AND I... (IN OUR MATCHING RED & GREEN, DROP SEAT, FOOTIE PJ's ) (sniff...a regular Rockwell scene)...WERE CRYING AND SCREAMING FOR MOM & DAD... WHO WERE ON THE FRONT PORCH NODDING AND SMILING SWEETLY AT THE CHOIR....WHILE NUMBER ONE CHILD WAS UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE....UN HURT ...TRYING TO REASSURE WE WEE ONES...AND LAUGHING UPROARIOUSLY AT THE WHOLE CRAZY SCENE...BING CROSBY SINGING ON THE "VICTROLA"...WE STILL LAUGH ABOUT IT TODAY...MY SISTER TURNED 70 LAST MARCH...WENT ON TO BECOME A PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGIST...AND BREAST CANCER RESEARCHER...AND IRONICALLY SURVIVED A VERY AGGRESSIVE FORM OF BREAST AND OVARIAN CANCER HERSELF...SHE IS BENT...BUT NOT BROKEN...AS MANY OF US ARE. THAT CHRISTMAS MORNING THERE WERE 2 COCKER PUPPIES IN OUR CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS...IT WAS THE BEST ALL 'ROUND...CHRISTMAS DINNER & ALL THE TRIMMINGS...AND FAMILY. MY FAVORITE DOLLS WERE RAGGEDY ANN AND HER BROTHER ANDY...AND ALL THE BOOKS....AND A VELVETEEN RABBIT MY MOTHER MADE...I WISH I STILL HAD THEM...MY GIRLS STILL HAVE THE RAGGEDY ONES I GAVE THEM..I LOVED THE SOFT DOLLS ..THEY DIDN'T POKE YOU WHILE SLEEPING......THANKS FOR PROMPTING SOME WONDERFUL FAMILY MEMORIES.....I NOW HAVE AN UNQUENCHABLE DESIRE FOR A TURKEY LEG...WITH GIBLET GRAVY, CORNBREAD DRESSING...AND PIE..ANY PUMPKIN WILL DO.....WHAT ABOUT YOU ROBERTA???..................LARGO

Jackie- Gables 57		27-Jun-2008 12:37
Oops! That should have been Vera Fascell.

Jackie- Gables 57		27-Jun-2008 12:36
Parks, those teachers weren't at Gables in 57. Some of the teachers that might have styed until your time are Janet Carvelli, English and Ver Fascell, social studies. Petros, I don't remember the fruit market on LeJeune Rd, but I found a tract in that area called Floyd's Groves Estates that ran from Le Jeune east to 36th Ave. between Sw.5th Terrace and SW 5th St. Home there were built in the late 40's and 50"s. The homes directly behind the car dealership were in Le Jeune Place, and the homes there date from the late 30's and 40's. Hope that info is helpful.

Parks		27-Jun-2008 04:52
Jackie- Gables 57, I'll have to check with Mike to be sure I've got the right year. The only teachers I really remember are Andy Masamino who taught biology with a South Florida slant and Dean Thomas the metal shop teacher.

Jackie- Gables 57		27-Jun-2008 03:27
Sorry, Parks, the name doesn't ring a bell. He's not in the 57 yearbook. Who were some of your teachers in 68?

Parks, Gables 68		27-Jun-2008 02:35
Jackie-Gables 57 Do you remember a guy named Mike Stoic? He's a friend of mine who graduated from Gables High in 1957.

Parks		27-Jun-2008 02:23
Hi Bud, Sorry I don't have any information on Flynn's Dixie Ribs except that I enjoyed the ribs. If my memory is still working, your Grand Dad would usually be near the front door so he could greet people as they came in. Do you have the sauce formula?

BUD		27-Jun-2008 01:40
I am the grandson of Bill Flynn... he worked for the Florida East Coast Railway, past owner of Flynn's Dixie Ribs, and a member of the Florida House of Representatives. I didn't know my grandfather because I was adopted as a small child. Does anyone have any old photos of him, Flynn's Dixie Ribs or any other information. Thank you in advance, BUD

Bud		27-Jun-2008 01:39
MM ... Flynn's Dixie Ribs was at 152nd st and US1.

charlis		26-Jun-2008 22:31
Roberta... best xmas memories... so many. In OH going to a relatives' on t-day and watching the Macy's Parade, then the next day to find all the stores with xmas decorations up. as if the elves were working off the turkey. Christmas Eve alternating at different relatives homes with Christmas Day dinners also alternating. One year we had the Christmas Eve at our house. Santa always showed up. My daddy always disappeared... beer run. I was probably 8 years old when I told my older cousin that I knew that my daddy was Santa. That year the party was at our house... Santa arrived. I ran up to Santa and gave him a big hug... then Daddy came in the door with the beer. I found out years later that my oldest cousin had gotten a college friend to do the Santa that year. Tthere was the 1983 "In search of snow" gift my hubby and I gave our 10 year old daughter. She had been given a box of cotten balls as a xmas gift. The next morning, with below freezing temps in Tampa, and having to use the hair dryer to warm up the engine on our motor home, we headed north. Made it to Mammoth Cave in KY. Woke up that morning to find snow falling. Played in the snow for a few hours until they announced an ice storm coming. Got stranded on the side of the road in TN over night. Took us 2 days to get home to Tampa!

charlis		26-Jun-2008 22:09
Roberta.... sorry for the typos.... I meant "did not appear until..." my fingers and this laptop to not get along! Took me over an hour to type up a letter earlier today... it had less than 100 words. Stupid cursor kept moving on its own.

Jackie-Gables 57		26-Jun-2008 21:43
Roberta: I still have my favorite dolls from childhood, and boy, do they ever look like they were my favorites. I played with them ALL the time. Sue and Susannah were each 18 inches tall, with light hair (now matted)and long, flowing dresses. I don't remember what the brand names were, but both have eyes that shut, and one has teeth. The others were Nancy Ann Storybook dolls that were meant to be "shelf dolls", but not to me. From Alice down to Susie, they were the most loved dolls of all time (and probably the most bedraggled, too). The Christmas that stands out was our first in FL when I was six. We had moved from IN during the summer, and weren't quite sure about a Christmas in shorts and no snow. Well, we were so thrilled with the swing set that Santa brought that we soon forgot all about the lack of snow. But the BEST present I remember getting was my blue Columbia bike when I was 10. As many on this site have already said, a bike meant freedom.

charlis		26-Jun-2008 21:37
Roberta! xmas! It's bad enough that the papers are aready talking about a slow xmas purchasing season based on our economy... and that stores start selling xmas stuff during the summer when, in the old days they dis not appear unti after Santa Claus made his appearance at the Macy's T-Day parade... My favorite doll, pre Barbie, was the Miss America doll. I got one at Macy's during a summer trip to NYC in the late 50's. She was about 15 inches tall, dressed in a white dress with a red velvet, fur collared cape. I had an original Barbie doll, lots of clothes, the special "suit case", and a Ken doll, whose hair had fallen off by the time he was 5 years old. I had kept it for when, if I had a daughter when I grew up. Darned if my daughter, when we had a community "garage sale", when she was about 10 years of age, put the whole collection out... Barbie woud have been around 20 years old at the time.

Miami Girl		26-Jun-2008 12:07
Roberta, did you HAVE TO remind us about Christmas? Summer is just arriving here in upstate NY and Christmas brings that "s" word I don't want to think about!! My doll was a "Little Miss Revlon" in the mid '50's - the precursor to Barbie and one of those relics I wish I still had! On second thought, when we bought our 1907 house up here in '98 I went a little crazy with antiques and now I'm considering calling a dealer who will come and take them away for a paltry few cents on the dollar just because we don't want to move them to our retirement house and e-bay is too much like work. Favorite present - the transister radio my Dad got me and which I still have although it requires a battery size we can't find anymore so don't know if it works, but I'm keepin' it!

Roberta Perry Hughes		26-Jun-2008 05:50
Arizona Al...I would love to see an image of your vintage 1920's Woodstock typewriter! How lucky for you, to own such a relic! WOW. Largo...Haven't been feeling well, lately, & that always makes me supersensitive, & even a bit weepy, so, I am an overreactor (?) You just have to overlook me, is all, whenever I go on the defensive. It's the way I am. I've recently learned of tragic news, regarding former schoolmates, & I am very keenly aware of how short life is, believe me. Shorter for some than for others. Broken Arrow accepted, however, none was really needed. I moved on, to vintage "3-ring ale," & vintage typewriters. Girls...Tell me the marketed name of your favorite doll, in the early '50's. Was it "Tiny Tears," by American Character? "Saucy Walker," by Ideal? "Ginny," by Vogue Doll Company? Or some other popular doll on the market? Tell me about your favorite Christmas Day, in Miami. The weather, the dinner, family from out-of-state, etc., & your very favorite Christmas present...or Hanakkah gift. Speaking of Christmas...YIKES!!...it's now less than 6 months away!!

Petros		26-Jun-2008 05:31
Jackie- Gables57. I live behind the Chevrolet dealership on Tamiami Trail 2 blocks east of Le Jeune Rd. Was that Delership there when you lived here. It is called Maroone Chevrolet now & I beleive it was Anthony Abraham Chevrolet before that since the 50's. That land may have also been owned by Floyds Fruit Grove.

Jackie- Gables 57		26-Jun-2008 03:36
Petros: When we lived on the Trail in the late 40's-early 50's, our next door neighbor dug out under about half of his house (which was very small), lined most of it with concrete blocks, and called it a basement. He left the back wall unfinished (I suppose) so that he could access the crawl space under the house. No door- only stairs down to the lower level and a door-sized opening. Every time it rained, it flooded, sometimes enough that we could swim in it. (I never thought of it back then, but why did we not have snakes and other critters down there?) I have never heard of any other basements in Miami before.

Petros		26-Jun-2008 03:36
Arizona Al, You are correct, I lived about 3 miles east of that tower. Sw 152 ave heading south curved towards the west once it passed sw 307 st. and ended on Campbell Dr. (sw 312 st.) The Turnpike (Homestead Extension) which was completed, I beleive in 1975, ran parallel to the curve of 152 ave. My grandfather bought a meat market (Kiko's Meat Market in 1975 or 1976) located on sw 152 ave & 4 blocks north of Avocado Dr. (sw 296 st). from my memory (I was born in '73) it was a small quiet town.

Arizona Al		26-Jun-2008 03:24
Petros: I certainly rememberf Leisure City from the 1950s and early 1960s. It was between Cutler Ridge and Homestead and was inhabitited mainly of retired people and Air ForcePersonnel from Homested Air Force Base. It was somewhat in the Naranja area as I do recall. There was a big water tower in the area that had "Leisure City" painted on it. Alan Ogus, Ph.D.

Petros		26-Jun-2008 03:18
Thanks for the feedback regarding Ballentine Beer. I hope to be as lucky with info regarding Floyds Fruit Grove. By the way, anyone here remember Leisure City? My Grandparents bought their house new in 1975 on 154 ave & sw 308 st. Back then I could ride my big wheel DOWN 308 ST & barely see a car. Now that is unheard of today! Sometimes when I drive by an old house I will note the address just so that I may pull it up on the property website to see when it was built. Especially the flat roof houses in Hialeah with stairs on the outside wall leading to the roof which were made that way because the roof had an actual sundeck on it. Unique for Miami. Also, even more unique, the houses on the west side of N.W. 7 ave between nw 183 st & nw 199 st. They have basements! Never seen that anywhere else in Miami. This a beautiful website. As time permits I will view & read every section of it. Makes me feel that I am not alone in this historical interest. Thanks to ALL OF YOU!

Arizona Al		26-Jun-2008 02:57
And speaking of typewriters...I have a 1920s model Woodstock Manual Typewriter that works as good as if it were brand new! However, I have relegated it to a display item along with all of the other antiques I collect. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and noticing the odor of antiquity related decay in Phoenix, Arizona. P.S. If anyone wants to see a picture of this bad boy typewriter please let me know.

LARGO		26-Jun-2008 00:12
ROBERTA...TRUCE !!!....I THINK FOR WW3 WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE LARGER SHOULDER CHIPS TO KNOCK OFF... AND THINNER SKIN... FOR DEEPER NEEDLING...I WAS JUST SHUCKIN' WITH YOU ANYWAY...YOU ARE STILL A CUTIE PIE...LIGHTEN UP!...TIME IS TOO SHORT TO LET MY LITTLE QUIPS AFFECT YOU ...I BELIEVE THIS WAS FRIENDLY BANTER...THAT IS MY WAY...SO TAKE NO OFFENSE...AS NONE WAS INTENDED..... PEACE OUT........LARGO

Roberta Perry Hughes		26-Jun-2008 00:04
Charlis...What happened to all of the upright Standard Royal typewriters that were in our Typing Class in high school? Would love to have one of those, but even more than that model, would love to have an old upright black Underwood typewriter, like my mother had, with the yellow paper discs with black letters & numerals that were covered by see-through celluloid. They were the ones you'd see in old movies, in the news rooms, or offices/publishing houses. I think that Suzy MacNamara (Ann Sothern) used one in early 1950's TV series, "Private Secretary."

charlis		25-Jun-2008 23:30
Roberta... old type writer... Evie still uses a manual one to write her scripts. The ribbons cost a fortune! Wish I'd kept my old, and I mean OLD Royal (black keys with white letters inset into the keys)... but when I HAD TO MOVE out of my house, I left it behind. As I mentioned before, the story I am writing mentions the use of old typewriters, calculators, etc., .... a "non-computer" future. I'll send you the story... after I recover from my visit with the grandsons tomorrow!

charlis		25-Jun-2008 23:22
Ballantine Beer! Yuck! When we moved to FL in 62 we could not find Burger Beer. My parents settled for Ballantine... well, my mother did, my father drank another beer. Ballentine was cheap. I couldn't stand the stuff. Okay, a bit of history... Ballentine is one of the oldest beers sold in the US, having established itself here in the early 1800's. It was bought out by Falstaff (another horrible, cheap tasting beer) in the 1960's, and again by Pabst (Yuck, again.) in 2005. The rings had been the symbol forever...Purity, Body, Flavor. As to the Olympic Ring problem... isn't the symbol 5 rings... for the 5 continents?

Roberta Perry Hughes		25-Jun-2008 21:01
I remember Ballantine having been called "Three Ring Ale," in ads on TV. Might have even been printed on the cans, or bottle labels, in small letter, under the logo?If the Olympics took issue with Ballantine's 3 rings, I wouldn't think it would have held up, as the Olympics' rings total more than 3 rings, in two interlocking rows. Can hardly call that "identical" to Ballantine's which formed a sort of triangle, of the 3 interlocking circles. Kudos for another of our "resident historians" also goes to Parks, for his input on here, of places in Old Miami's history, & for his wonderful updates, regarding the current "go, see, & do" places in today's Miami, & most especially, for his knowledge on the USCG & USN, wartime, & present day. Thanks so very much, Parks!!

Jeff		25-Jun-2008 20:28
Gee, Al... you've gotr me on both of those points. I'm afraid I'm of no help... Jeff...sitting here listening to Time-Life's "The Rock and Roll Era - 1963" while replying...

Arizona Al		25-Jun-2008 16:30
Jeff and Petros: I remotely recall some type of bruhaha regarding the 3 Rings on the Ballentine Ale Cans and the 1964 Olympics because the Olympic 3 Rings and the Ballentine Ale 3 Rings were almost identical. Does anyone else recall the controversy? Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and dusting the memory cobwebs in Phoenix, Arizona

Arizona Al		25-Jun-2008 16:22
Does anyone remember the Merry-Go-Round Restaurant? I believe it was in South Miami or Coral Gables. During the 1950s my family went there on my birthday each year. It was a round building and the floor and the tables turned slowly in a circle while you sat and ate. I am certain it no longer exists. Jeff, resident historian..do you have any information? Alan Ogus, Ph.D.

Roberta Perry Hughes		25-Jun-2008 05:54
Charlis...Dr. Ogus...I most humbly thank you, for your support, Charlis, re: my point of view, & AZ.AL, for the sentiments expressed over missing my Posts should my computer crash, & in hoping that it never does. Thank you both. I appreciate it. I have a Smith Corona electric typewriter, but I would be ecstatic for a manually operated one. They are still available, by the way, as well as the dual red/black ribbons. Who knows? We may live to see the day when we are forced to revert to using them, once again, & adding machines, or cash registers, & our groceries & dry goods, etc., to be without bar codes. I think of all those homes that have been lost, to the recent flooding, & to the fires, too, & I figure that, each home had at least one computer...maybe more...& I'm sure more than one home had a computer-based business, be it selling on eBay, or doing billing for a doctor's office, or insurance company, maybe. A loss for them, to be sure. I also reflect on how some people lose their files, due to a computer virus, & I remember the widespread "Y2K panic," that most feared would make their computers see the date as 1900, instead of 2000, & how such a glitch would really ruin banks, & well, every business, so dependent on a computer to even be in existence. That's more than a little scarey. When I stated that my world would not end, were my computer to crash, I meant that, I can take it...or leave it...& feel the same as I did before one came into my life. I DO absolutely ADORE this Site, & Posting on here, & reading Postings, from the "regulars," as well as from the "newbies," & of course, those amazing Galleries, filled with priceless images, that are so very meaningful to everyone who ever called Miami "home," in whatever era in time. We are multigenerational, on here. Jeff's knowledge, of the history of Old Miami, & of the long gone businesses, & who owned them, the year they opened, & how they changed hands, over-the-years, & how they met their end, & when, is a most wonderful contribution, & in knowing exactly where a building was located, too, & we'd all be lost, without his expertise in this field, & the very former existence of a demolished & built-over building, lost forever, like it was never ever even there. All of the wonderful contributions that have been added to the Galleries, for all to see & enjoy, are so very appreciated, by everyone who learns of this Site, & we pass it on to others, every chance we get, to share & share alike. Should anyone take issue, with my input, please, just think of me as a sort of "female Andy Rooney-type": just an old curmudgeon, liking life prior to the onset of so much gadgetry & high tech stuff, that becomes outdated as soon as you leave the store with it, & with appliances that are not built to last, anymore. You can't even find a "simple" cell phone, anymore. They all seem to be geared to the younger set, with the texting capacity, camera phone/video, access to e-mails, & so many scrolling buttons & screens, & itty-bitty print, that they are NOT senior citizen friendly...& of that I DO take issue, & I resent it, for those whose vision has dimmed, & whose manual dexterity is compromised by the painof arthritis. I do not like anyone thinking that someone's age is fair game, to be a source for mockery, ridicule, or part of some late night comedian's monolog. I was reared to respect the "elderly," & to view senior citizens as a source of wisdom, & sage advice. But never, someone to laugh at, & openly jeer, & push aside. WHEN did it become acceptable, to be disrespectful? Old Miami, I love you, with all of my heart, & I miss you, but at least, here, on this Site, I can return, ad lib...as long as I have an up-and-running computer!! Roberta, bidding you all a Good Night, cool & benign weather, wherever you are, & good times. Until we meet again, be well.

Jeff		25-Jun-2008 04:09
Petros... I can't help you with the home's history, but Ballentine was - and possibly still is - a beer brand that was most popular in the Northeast part of the country, although it was sold nationwide. It's logo is three interlocking rings, and their old ads used to say "The three ring sign means Ballantine"... Keep that can for a keepsake... especially if it's one that was opened by a can opener and not a pull ring... Alan - Liberty granted - just be back on base by 1100 hours! LOL!

Arizona Al		25-Jun-2008 04:06
Roberta: I for one would be very distresses if your computer crashed and you no longer had access to or the ability to post on this site. I certainly respect your pontifications of "not feeling (sic) lost without it"but I for one would certainly feel and experience a distinct loss if your personna and specific points of view were no longer available for those of us who have developed a certain "affection" for same!! I take undeserved liberty for identifying "us" as Jeff, Charlis, Largo, Mo John, Largo and myself and trust they will afford me deserved liberty status. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and sincerely hoping that Roberta's computer never crashes.

Petros		25-Jun-2008 02:34
Hello fellow history buffs & memory lane travelers. Does anyone out there remember Floyd's Fruit Grove? It was located at 521 sw 42 ave in Miami. I am a history buff (American history & especially South Florida history) and I beleive my house is located on land that was once owned by Mr. C.V. Floyd. My house was built in 1939. I am looking for any information (pictures, maps, literature, stories, peoples recollections) regarding this fruit farm. I would truly appreciate any information regarding this Fruit grove. I bought a postcard on E-bay which reads "Fancy Florida Oranges" from Floyds Fruit Farm so I know it existed. Also, while redoing the kitchen I found a can of beer named "Valentine" or "Balentine" beer and it was distributed or canned in Hialeah. Any one remember this? I was born in New Jersey in 1973 & have lived in Miami since 1978 Thanks again, Petros

charlis		24-Jun-2008 23:26
Roberta... I am on your side about people using shortcuts instead of spelling out words. I have written a few chapters of a book about the future, based on the present... It involves weather situations in FL where computers are useless, and where peope have to work out problems and can not because everyone had become used to using calculators and computers to solve problems. I actually asked someone how to computer wind chill and heat index factors as I was trying to make an Excel program and had an "old fart" moment with the math. I needed the break down of a formula. A young coworker immediately went to the calculator on her computer. The son of a co-worker went to his teacher... an advance math teacher... she couldn't give him the break down of the formula! Another friend said she had gotten into a fight with her daughter's teacher because the teacher insisted that all students use calculators, in order to speed up the time for tests. The friend insistent that her daughter do the work manually. Another friend was upset with her child's English teacher who insisted that al written submissions be done on computers. They did not have one at the time a lesson was needed... the computer had crashed. The teacher refused the paper... not enough time to check for grammatical and spelling errors that the computer would have pointed out to the child... the child couldn't spell but the computer could!

Jeff		24-Jun-2008 23:13
You're a FUNNY fella, Don... I KNEW what BFF stands for, along with OMG, LOL, BRB, ROLF and a number of other texting "shorthand terms"... I simply opted out of diving into this "situation", IMHO.

Roberta Perry Hughes		24-Jun-2008 22:50
LARGO...I can't seem to (Carlin expletive) win, can I? You were, indeed, addressing an adult, not a kid, one who is, (obviously), set in her ways. So, shoot me, that I'm not up-to-date on "gadgets" & such, & am "techno-challenged," as some would put it, or the fact that I have no desire to be anything other than how I am. Were this computer not a gift, I'd have never opted to own one, & should it crash, to me, it wouldn't be the end of the world. I wouldn't feel "lost" without it. If "they" try to force folks, after say, a year, of having the "digital converter box," into having to subscribe to some Dish Network, or Direct TV, in order to have service, I'll opt for NO TV, as I refuse to PAY for TV viewing. I'll just resume reading, as I do during the Summer reruns, anyway. In fact, I'm over half way through my 6th novel, in a week's time, & have more lined up. I am aware of shorthand. Remember the little ads in match books, or magazines, that said "Gt a gd jb wi mo pa"? My sister took Gregg's shorthand in school, & I'm aware of courtroom stenographers. These are tools for good paying jobs, to be sure. If you'll check the ending of my Post, I DID thank you, for what the BFF stood for, & that I had figured, coming from you, it was, as you put it, "a good thing." Personally, for communication, I prefer writing & receiving letters, or getting a phone call, or calling friends & family, to hear their voice. It just seems more personal. But...! That's just my opinion, & my personal preference. I didn't mean to start WWIII over what I said. But I will not apologize for having said it. I said nothing wrong.

Arizona Al		24-Jun-2008 17:53
I am afraid that texting, body piercing, wearing pants well below the waist and so many of the activities of youth today had their iconic predecessors in our (1950s-1960) generation such as D.A. hairstyles, long sideburns, portable transistor radios, princess push button phones and color television. Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny so said Sir Francis Galton. The icons of today will be the predecessors of the icons of tomorrow..and so it goes..Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and musing poetically in Phoenix Arizona

LARGO		24-Jun-2008 15:43
I JUST KNEW THERE WAS NOT AN EASY WAY OUT OF THAT ONE...EVEN THOUGH MY INTENTIONS WERE OF THE MOST WELL INTENDED.....LECTURES ASIDE...I ASSUMED I WAS ADDRESSING AN "ADULT"...NOT A KID. WELL YOU KNOW... YEARS AGO ACTUAL SHORT HAND ENGLISH WAS HOW YOU TOOK DICTATION....YOU COULD LEARN IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES...THERE IS EVEN SHORT HAND BRAILLE FOR THE BLIND....THERE ARE SCHOOLS THAT TEACH THIS "WONDERFUL" TIME SAVING WAY OF NOTE TAKING...FROM EITHER THE... IN PERSON SPOKEN WORD...OR RECORDED WORD...WHERE WOULD THE MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTIONIST OF DAYS PAST BE ...IF SHORTER WAYS OF MESSAGING WERE NOT TAUGHT...NOT HOME IN A TIMELY MANNER CARING FOR HER OR HIS FAMILY. COURT STENOGRAPHERS MAKE A DECENT LIVING ALSO WITH THEIR SHORT TYPING........MY FEELING IS THAT, OF COURSE IT IS GREAT TO WANDER AROUND IN A EUPHORIC STATE LOVING ALL THE THINGS OF THE PAST...BUT FOR ME "PERSONALLY"...I ALSO EMBRACE SOME OF THE NEW AND EXCITING TECHNOLOGY OF THE PRESENT...LIKE TEXTING MY FRIENDS...MY DAUGHTERS..SISTERS...IT SAVES ME TIME FOR MUCH MORE IMPORTANT "POSITIVE" ACTIVITIES...LIKE HANGING OUT WITH THEM ALL...IN A TIMELY MANNER.............HDNG 2 TH BCH W/ DGTR # 1..........................LARGO ;-)

Don Boyd		24-Jun-2008 06:36
Darn, I didn't know what BFF was either. I had a totally different mental interpretation of it with the last F standing for a word that rhymes with trucker. I'm glad you clarified it, Largo. : ) One can only imagine what Jeff thought it was, haha. Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		24-Jun-2008 05:13
Largo...No, I didn't know what BFF stood for. I'm not into text messaging. To me, it sends young people the message that they do not have to learn how to spell, just as calculators, allowed in today's math classes, tells them they don't have to learn multiplication tables, or long division, square roots, percentages, decimals, etc. However, coming from you, I knew it had to be "a good thing." And, thanks so much! I'm honored.

LARGO		24-Jun-2008 00:51
ROBERTA..PLEASE TELL ME YOU KNOW WHAT "BFF" IS ?...SOME PEOPLE DON'T...IT'S "BEST FRIENDS FOREVER" IN TEXTING SHORTHAND....JUST BACK TRACKING TO BE SURE YOU KNEW IT WAS.... "A GOOD THING" ( to quote Ms Martha Stewart )....NOT WANTING TO OFFEND......LARGO

Jackie- Gables 57		23-Jun-2008 02:59
Hi everyone. Kenny Blanton set me looking for something with his grandfather's signature. I looked through some old documents to no avail. Then I remembered My grandfather's wallet. BUT, what I had thought was his driver's license turned out to be an ID card issued to him in 1942 by Intercontinent Aircraft Corp. A search on the internet didn't pan out. My grandfather lived in Miami in the 40's, but had worked mostly as a carpenter. Does anyone have any information on this company? Thanks in advance. Jackie

Arizona Al		23-Jun-2008 00:44
Miami Girl and Don: Rather than taking up valuable website space I offer that anyone who would like to see my 1964 Palmetto High Senior Class Picture and a couple of current ones, please email me at alan.ogus@ahccms.org and I will send them right to you. Thanks for thinking of me Miami Girl! Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Miami Girl		22-Jun-2008 15:10
Alan and Don: Just scanned and e-mailed the page from the '64 Palmetto yearbook with that senior picture of Alan to both of you. Sorry if I said it was '63 because it ain't there! Thought Don would like to post it in a picture gallery. Al you sure cleaned up well for the picture, never would have guessed who the real Alan was under that pristine white grad gown hiding his switchblade, boots and leather jacket!

Arizona Al		22-Jun-2008 00:59
Largo: Miami Girl has advised me that my Jr. Class (1963) picture is in the 1963 Palmetto Year Book. I do not have the 1963 edition but if you do give me a "hit" There was a song out a few years ago by a new country group named Saywer Brown entitled "Most Girls Don't Like Boys Like Me but Then Some Girls Do"When I heard it itso reminded me of myself and my "J.D." cohorts at Palmetto High.... Rebels on the outside and not wanting to get on the inside..Funny thing though, we that are still alive are quite successful in life's endeavors. Glad you and your girlfriend found us intriguing. ......"But Then Some Girls Do" Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and looking for his switchblade and motorcycle boots in Phoenix, Arizona

MO John		21-Jun-2008 22:50
Guest, I grew up in what is now called Pinecrest. I lived three blocks south of the Serpentarium, on the other side of Suniland Park, a few blocks off of U.S. 1 (Dixie Hwy). We moved to Miami in 61. I left in 72, for the Army, but I consider Miami as home.....Bama is a close second.

Guest		21-Jun-2008 18:58
MO John--what a small world! Where and when did you live in the Miami area? We've probably seen each other at WalMart--it's my second home. Thanks for the double posting explanation. Saint James MO

LARGO		21-Jun-2008 18:38
HEY...AL...NO NEED TO BOTHER MR. VALENTINE...PALMETTO" 1963 REUNION IN SORT OF SCHEDULED FOR THIS NOV...WAS FOR MAY.....(BUT EVERY ONE WAS TOO BUSY AND IT WAS SHORT NOTICE) >....IN ISLAMORADA (SP)...WHY NOT THE FRENCH RIVERIA ?...IF HE IS IN THE LOOP (or cares)...THEY WILL HAVE A DIRECTORY OUT WITH ALL THE PERTINENT INFO....NOVEMBER IN THE KEYS IS PERFECT...TAIL END OF HURRICANE SEASON AND ALL......YIKES !!!...NOT SURE I'LL ATTEND AS YET...EMILIO MAZA SOUNDS FAMILIAR.....BOBBIE UPCHURCH ...NOPE!....BUT I DO RECALL HOW WE GIRLS (my close friends) THOUGHT THE WHOLE "JAMES DEAN...MARLON BRANDO" TOUGH GUY IMAGE WAS INTRIGUING...AND MOST OF YOU GUYS WERE VERY INTELLIGENT...ENOUGH TO "NOT" FOLLOW THE CROWD...AND DO THE WHOLE COOKIE CUTTER THING.......AS I LOOK BACK, I REMEMBER SOME OF THE BRAVER GALS THAT DATED THE ..."JD's" ...(or HOODS) AS YOU REFER TO YOURSELF....THEY WOULD HAVE MOTORCYCLE MUFFLER BURNS ON THEIR LOWER LEGS....OOPS!....AHHHH.....THE WILD ONES......... ROBERTA !!!...HOW KIND...YOU ARE MY NEW CYBER BFF!!!!!.................IN STORMY ST. AUGUSTINE.......... LARGO

Ron		21-Jun-2008 18:15
Hello all!! I have loved seeing and reading about all these old memories of my childhood in Miami. Born 1954 at 8th Street clinic. Schools-Fairlawn 60-66, Kinloch 66-69, Miami Coral Park 69-71, then moved away. Have only been back 2-3 times. It is true we all went every where on bike,walking or city bus and never a thought of danger. Times have changed. Peace to all.

Joanne		21-Jun-2008 17:05
Hola everyone!! Just came in from my garage sale, did not go as well as I hoped. Theres still tomorrow! Next week I'll be moving to N.Carolina so I'll be incomunicado for a few days. I'm hoping to find work there, Florida is taking a hit economically. So, I'm still reading your posts here but have been too busy to add my 2 cents worth. Hopefully will be back in fine form the first of July. Take care !!

Parks		21-Jun-2008 04:22
Dade County still hasa mosquito control division. They use both trucks and airplanes to spray. The current aircraft is a King Air. If you call them and complain about mosquitos, in a day or two a spray truck will drive through your neighborhood about dusk. If they get a lot of complaints over a large area, they send the plane. There is also a big effort to kill them in the larval stage so we actually have few mosquito problems any more.

MO John		21-Jun-2008 04:16
Guest, I am in Rolla.....right down the street from you. Maybe we can meet at Walmart some day. Let me know. The reason you got that double post is that you probably "refreshed" your browser after you made posted your comments. It's best to exit out, then come back. Just about everyone who is new at posting here does the same, so don't sweat it. Occasionally Don, the boss-man of this site, will come in and clean up the double posts. Hi all! Joanne.......what's up? Hey LARGO and Jo-Anne K.

Guest		21-Jun-2008 01:53
Sorry for the double post--don't know how that happened!

Guest		21-Jun-2008 01:41
Love this site. Grew up in North Miami --attended Ben Franklin Elem, Westview Jr. High and North Miami High. Graduated in 1964. Just attended a '10 Years of Pioneers" reunion for the classes of the 60's. Also had a reunion for those of us who attended Ben Franklin. So many memories. Hard to believe my sister and I would ride the bus to downtown Miami alone to spend the day. She was 10 and I was 12. Always will remember Burdine's at Christmas with the Santa and the carnival rides on the roof. Anyone remember the Frank's 5 & 10 on NW 119th street?We had it all and didn't know it. Maybe that's how it always is. Saint James, MO

Jackie- Gables 57		21-Jun-2008 01:24
Roberta: Looking back , it's surprising that we were even allowed in. I don't remember if we had to have our parents' permission. I don't know what would have happened if a parent had objected. Everything was so different in the schools back then. All the talk about Palmetto High reminded me of something I had forgotten. (and not something that students would be likely to remember) My aunt, Margaret McGinnis, was the cafeteria manager at Palmetto when the school opened. From there she went on to be the food service coordinator for Dade County Schools. I don't know what years she was at Palmetto, but this all happened before 1963.

Roberta Perry Hughes		20-Jun-2008 23:04
MiamiGirl...The mosquito sprayer truck slowly went through each row of the Tropicaire Drive-In Theater. You got sprayed, wherever you were, but most especially on the way to the Concessions Building. It was not pleasant, & if you had a soft drink on ice, there were no plastic tops for them, so, that mist would get in your drinks, I'm sure. Jackie-Gables 57...So...! The stories I heard, re: the Kendall Home were true, & it was not unlike a "reform school"?? I trembled at the mere mention of their name...I cannot begin to imagine what it was like for your service club to have actually BEEN inside, to see it first hand! Wow. Largo...Just today, I got finally got around to seeing the photo of you with Troy Donahue. You could have been a beauty pageant winner...did you ever enter?? A LOT prettier (in my opinion) than the girl in the Galleries who was Miss Florida!

Arizona Al		20-Jun-2008 23:00
Largo: Dementia in the presenium must explain my forgetting our previous conversation. Speaking of Don (MacDonald) Valentine..I keep in contact with his brother Ronnie (Roy Ronald) Valentine on a regular basis and would have no problem obtaining Donnie's email address if you so desire. If you and I were both at Palmetto in 1963 I surmise we exchanged glances and possible salutations. I was a "hood" and was constantly going to Mr Paskewicz's (Boys Dean)Office for violating the "preppy dress code" and wearing levis, cycle boots and a garrison belt. I drove an Indian Cycle to Palmetto in my Senior Year and a Triumph Cycle in my Junior Year. For some unfathomable reason I graduated with Honors..Go Figgure!Do you remember Emilio Maza from the Class of 1963 or Barbara (Bobbie) Upchurch from the Class of 1962? Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive, well and searching for the Alicerpt in Phoenix, Arizona

LARGO		20-Jun-2008 19:13
OH MY DOG !........LOTSA INTERESTING BANTER....."AL."...PAY ATTENTION...THIS IS A REFRESHER...WE HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION BEFORE...I GRADUATED PHS IN "63 " a year ahead of you..."WE'RE THE BEST YET TO BE..SR. CLASS OF '63." YADA YADA..TRA LA LA..( I ACTUALLY GET TO SING IT AGAIN...I'M A SR. ... & JUST TURNED 63) LOL! .....REMEMBER...I QUERIED YOU REGARDING "DON VALENTINE"?..THERE IS A PHOTO OF ME IN THE 60's GALLERY @ 16.......ANYWAY WENT THERE FROM 8th gr. to 12th.........SOUTHWEST IN 7th..(they were building PHS)...THEN THEY BUILT PALMETTO JR. HIGH NEAR BY....THOSE WERE THE DAYS OF HUGE FIELDS FULL OF BRAHMAN CATTLE AND OTHER HEAT TOLORENT BOVINE...HORSES...IT WAS SAFE TO WALK OR RIDE A BIKE TO SCHOOL...DID YOU KNOW STEVIE GLASGOW, MIKE SONTAG, JIM RUSH, TONY O'DONNEL..THEY KNEW DON VALENTINE (funny how I remember the guys)ALLISON WEBBER WAS IN YOUR GRADE...TALL, GORGEOUS...MY BEST FRIEND FOREVER !!! PASSED AWAY IN '69 OF LEUKEMIA...I STILL MISS HER. ......."MIAMI GAL"...I BET YOU ARE RECALLING THE WONDERFUL "MR. WILLIAM BODDINGTON"...ENGLISH LIT....HE WAS A RIOT!...YOUNG AND FULL OF IT WHEN HE ARRIVED...A GRADUATE OF WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE.....HE WOULD SIT ON HIS DESK AND SING & PLAY HIS UKULELE...HE WAS SO ENCOURAGING AND SPONTANEOUS....."ANIMATED" IS THE PERFECT DESCRIPTION.....HE LOOKED THE PART OF AN ENG. LIT. PROF. & REALLY PREPARED ME FOR COLLEGE...HE SAID IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT "WHEN YOU ATTEND A COLLEGE..UNIVERSITY OR WHATEVER......THE PROFESSORS, FOR THE MOST PART, DO NOT CARE WHETHER YOU ATTEND CLASS OR NOT...THEY GET PAID ANYWAY...YOU ARE THERE FOR 'YOURSELF'...SO IF YOU DO NOT WANT THE EDUCATION...DO NOT WASTE YOUR PARENTS MONEY..OR YOURS ! "...I WENT TO CLASS..HAD A LITTLE SIDE JOB.....AND PARTIED TOO !!... WOO HOO !!!.......LARGO

Arizona Al		20-Jun-2008 15:09
Largo: What years were you at Palmetto? I attended 1962-1964 and graduated with the Class of 1964. Alan Ogus, Ph.D.

Arizona Al		20-Jun-2008 15:06
The mosquito spray trucks ran regularly through Cutler Ridge as far back as I can remember which would have been 1955 which was the year we moved in. It was quite an adventure for neighboord kids to follow the truck on bikes and even to grab the back end area and catch a ride as it emitted its noxious chemical mist. Much less frequently the area was sprayed from above by crop duster type of airplanes. When this happened we neighborhood kids would run ouitside and wave and cheer at the low flying spray planes and receive a misting of noxious chemicals. I cogitate on how many brain cells were damaged/destroyed or chromosomal anomalys were passed on to subsequent generations as a result. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and surprisingly well in Phoenix, Arizona

Jackie- Gables 57		20-Jun-2008 14:34
Roberta: I know what you mean about being in fear of the Kendall Home. When I was at Gables - my jr or sr year- some of members of the Anchor service club visited the girl's section of the Home as a service project. I remember the sound of the iron gate closing behind us as we entered the area where the girls were. It was terrifying to us. We spent a couple of hours with them, serving refreshments and talking with them. I remember how tough they seemed. How they must have seen us as "little miss innocent do-gooders". I was really relieved when it was time to leave. Just thinking about that experience still makes me shaky- after more than 50 years! Enough of that! On a lighter note, I have very fond memories of the Colliseum. My aunt took me there many times to the roller derby and ice shows there. When I was in the 6th grade at CG Elem we had an ice skating club. On Friday afternoons, we would walk from school to the Colliseum for a session of ice skating. If we were going skating, the girls were allowed to wear blue jeans to school that day instead of our ususal dresses or skirts. When I was in jr & sr high they had youth nights during the summer, and we skated all evening. Kids came from all over, not just the Gables. It was a blast.

Kenny Blanton		20-Jun-2008 13:59
Roberta: Those planes might have not started by the time you left because if they went over your house or anywhere near it you would have known !! I think they were DC-3s. I'm not sure. All I know is that they were prop planes & they were L O U D !! About Kendall: Where you are talking about was on sw 107th ave between Sunset Dr & Kendall Dr. on the west side of the street. There was the hospital & the boys home & a school for retarded kids called I think the Haven School or something like that. One of my best friend's sister worked there. Her last name was Goff. Al, you might have known her. They lived close to Southwest, on 87th ave at 64th st. Anyway, the youth fair was on Kendall about 99th ave by the railroad tracks. In fact, the tracks sat just west of K-land. Then the fair got too big & they moved it to FIU on the Trail.

Miami Girl		20-Jun-2008 13:13
Largo: Was Mr. Blanton at Palmetto a tall skinny guy with big glasses? Or am I mixing him up with someone else? Don't have my yearbook available to check.

Miami Girl		20-Jun-2008 13:11
Roberta: I don't remember being sprayed with DDT at the drive-in but we did have those coils you'd light and put on the dashboard to keep the "skeeters" away. Along with running behind those trucks how did we ever live this long? I was also a tantrum thrower when I had to get shots... until the Dr. threatened to give it in my butt, that stopped it! The needles then were sterilized and reused which eventually made them DULL - kids these days have no idea!

Roberta Perry Hughes		20-Jun-2008 06:43
Kenny..I don't remember the planes that sprayed insecticide, but everyone who ever went to the Drive-in movies got sprayed with DDT, on their way to the Concessions building. It was part of going to the movies. I can remember the way that spray smelled, & the sound it made coming out the back of the sprayer. Ptoooi! Ack! Ack! The 'skeeters still were out there, & bit you, though maybe, not as bad, were it not for the spray? Did y'all find it effective? Re: Kendall. I remember the light green painted Hospital & clinics, before we started going to Dr. Burley, up on Bird Road. Went to Kendall around 1953? I was an occasional (BAD) tantrum-thrower, as a child, what some would term as a real hellion, & my mother would threaten to send me to the Kendall Home. It would stop my acting-out in its tracks, & would stone cold sober-me-up, from misbehaving & being sassy. Those words struck fear in my heart, due to the rumors about the place that I'd heard, whether true or a myth, & my mother used it to her advantage, to keep me in line. I had NO idea, that there was anything to be ENJOYED, at Kendall, like the Youth Fair you mentioned! I always associated Kendall with their green Hospital (my first ever penicillin shot, that they finally gave me, after prying my fingers off of the stool I was sitting on, & after I ripped the front of the nurse's uniform, to her waist) & the notorious Kendall Home, where I'd been told they sent "bad" children to live. It scared me more that any thoughts of a Boogey Man under the bed, believe me! To the point of trembling all over, with mouth agape, & emitting a silent scream. Everyone has childhood fears. For me, it was the threat of being sent to the Kendall Home.

Kenny Blanton		20-Jun-2008 03:14
I remember those planes !! They would come over the house (sw 59th st & 92 ave) real early in the morning & about scare us kids of of our beds. We used to run behind the "skeeter" trucks that belched that "skeeter" spray, DDT ! I'm 52 & STILL KICKIN' ! Does anybody remember Khuory leagur baseball across Bird Rd. from the race track & next to the Copa Lounge ? How 'bout the "Youth Fair" when it was at Kendall Dr. & about 99th ave at K-Land ? I used tro play football there. The director was named Wayne (no relation) Blanton..... or the Museum Of Science "Around The World Fair" ? It started out on the grounds of the Museum & ended up at Tropical Park where the racetrack used to be. My Mom was the Treasurer when it was at the Museum & we got to go in the counting room & watch 'em bring all the money in there ! We, my younger brother & I, even got to work the counting machines that counted the chenge. It must have been about '66 or '67 beacuse I remember trading the "sliver" quarters & dimes we found for the "new" quarters & dimes.

Pike Rowley		20-Jun-2008 02:24
I just found this site. I was born in Doctors Hospital in 54, went to Merrick Demonstration School (have no clue what we were demonstrating), then Ponce Jr. High then Gables (72). Played tennis all day at Salvadore, football at the YC, swam at Venetian, bowled at the Coliseum and horseback rode at CG Riding Academy. Anyone remember Docs? Actually called Moore's Sundries near Granada and the Trail? My Dad used to fly the spray planes that used to spray for mosquitos and fruit flies at very low altitude. In 1957 some guy shot at him and actually struck him through the cockpit. Who remembers the "kitchen sink" at Jahns? Hot Shoppes?

Kenny Blanton		19-Jun-2008 23:26
I am the "guest" & I post & then 5 hours later, I refreshed & it posted AGAIN !! I read where you have to geclose the browser & then get back on & i THOUGHT I did ! Al: I was born in Doctors Hospital in '56 so I woulda graduated in '74. Roberta: I went to Blue Lakes from '62 through '67. Mrs. Bonner was my 1st grade teacher, & some the other teachers I remember were Miss Ulmer, Miss Burkhardt, & Mrs. Curry, the principal. I never got to have a class in the "portables" but always wanted to. Oh, & the Phys-Ed teacher was Mrs. McClain. Largo: it was REAl fun growing up a Blanton ! I'm GLAD my dad was a Judge (he was Judge John R. Blanton) & NOT a teacher !!! I think that woulda been WORSE ! I got to go to oevr 300 weddings when I was a kid because my dad had the people come to the house on the weekends & pick up their marriage licenses & get married ritght there ! My little brother & I didn't even have to get "dressed up" to go.

Guest		19-Jun-2008 23:09
Arizona Al: Eventually, 2 other Judges, Judge Dowling & Judge Clark, joined Granddaddy on the bench as County Judges. My father, John R. Blanton, started judging in 1955, on the Civil court of record. Then, in 1969, when his dad passed away, Gov. Kirk appointed my Dad to take his dad's place. BTW, my Grandfather was a Judge for 50 years & only had 2 opponents'; in all that time. One, in 1932, I believe a Black lady, & Meyer Brilliant in 1968. He won that race by a landslide. I remember passing out flyers for him at Blue Lakes !

LARGO		19-Jun-2008 23:05
KENNY...WOW!...THINGS MUST HAVE BEEN INTERESTING FOR YOU GROWING UP "BLANTON"....WHEN I TURNED 16 AND GOT MY FDL.....AND OF COURSE "W.F. BLANTON" WAS ON IT...AND WHY DO I REMEMBER..YOU MAY CHANCE TO PONDER......WELL I HAD A DEAR MATH TEACHER AT PALMETTO HIGH NAMED..."MR.BLANTON"...DO NOT REMEMBER HIS FIRST NAME...BUT WHEN I PROUDLY SHOWED HIM MY LICENSE...WITH YOUR GRANDFATHERS NAME ON IT...AND ASKED IF THEY WERE RELATED...HE SAID NO...BUT HE WAS PROUD THAT I PASSED THE TEST BECAUSE I STRUGGLED WITH MATH...HE WAS A MOST PATIENT TEACHER. WELCOME TO THIS FUN SITE...WE HAVE GREAT INFORMATIVE AND FUN CHATS...NEVER KNOW WHAT KIND OF RIP & TEAR WE'LL GET OFF ON...IT CAN GO FOR DAYS........................... PEACE OUT ! LARGO ;~)

Roberta Perry Hughes		19-Jun-2008 21:34
Kenneth...I'm sure that my parent's marriage license bear your grandfather's signature, & quite possibly, my sister's (1961??), as well as aunts & uncles, all of whom married in the 1940's, via Dade County Court House. I, too, attended Blue Lakes Elementary, when it was a new school. In fact, we were in the wonderful portables, first, while the building was being completed. Glades Junior High was built after our family move back to Georgia, & my former neighborhood's kids had to go there, as it was closer than Riviera Junior High. I had to go to Blue Lakes, for 6th grade, because it was closer than Tropical Elementary, & I had to go to Tropical, for the 3rd grade, because it was closer than Olympia Heights Elementary. This was a testament on how rapid our area was growing, with new houses, & families, to have to build new schools to accomodate them, without overcrowding the first ones that were built. This, of course, was in the S.W. section, located from Bird Road to Miller Road. I'm sure it was occuring all over Miami, simultaneously, & probably, has been ongoing, with the population explosion, via Cuba, & other areas.

Arizona Al		19-Jun-2008 18:31
Kenny Blanton: What years would you have attended Southwest? I had several close friends that graduated in 1964 and 1965. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Guest		19-Jun-2008 17:58
Arizona Al: Eventually, 2 other Judges, Judge Dowling & Judge Clark, joined Granddaddy on the bench as County Judges. My father, John R. Blanton, started judging in 1955, on the Civil court of record. Then, in 1969, when his dad passed away, Gov. Kirk appointed my Dad to take his dad's place. BTW, my Grandfather was a Judge for 50 years & only had 2 opponents'; in all that time. One, in 1932, I believe a Black lady, & Meyer Brilliant in 1968. He won that race by a landslide. I remember passing out flyers for him at Blue Lakes !

Arizona Al		19-Jun-2008 16:35
Kenny Blanton: I must have had your Grandfather's name on my Drivers License from 1962-1965 but please forgive me for not recalling this fact after all these years gone past. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and obviously suffering from a "Senior Moment" in Phoenix, Arizona

Guest 755		19-Jun-2008 16:20
Thanks everyone for the response to my mini soda query. I too remember the candy counter at Sears throughout Miami and how surprised I was when they were removed. I think around the early eighties. Of course there seem to be no true department stores anymore. You were once able to shop for clothing, linens, furniture, housewares, tools, toys, records, large and small appliances, record players, tvs, fabric and notions all in one amazing store. If you didn't find what you were looking for a courteous, helpful sales person might go check the stockroom to see if your item might be found there. No more stockrooms, just overcrowded floors and very few sales people of any kind.

Kenny Blanton		19-Jun-2008 15:23
From what I've heard on the Neil Rogers Show, ( I know, I know, I'm a HEATHEN !!) the Royal Castle is either open or close to it because he has been bringing Neil food for years. I grew up near S.W. 92nd ave. & Miller Rd. Went to Blue Lakes Elem., Glades Jr. High & would have gone to Southwest but didn't go to school because I was out doing stuff I have read people doing on here !! I DID get a GED the week before I was supposed to graduate. I left in '78 & settled in Lakeland in '83. I tell people all the time about how the Miami I grew up in was PARADISE & they look at me like I'm crazy. NOW I have this place to show them ! So, no one had my Granddaddy's name on the licenses ?

Jeff		19-Jun-2008 14:15
Don - You're correct about the 125rh Street Royal Castle being closed due to a fire. They are [from what I understand] due to receive some Community Redevelopment funds from North Maimi for renovation and reopening... I saw the article in the Herald about the 79th Street store... (That's the one built in the early 1960's where the Frank 'n' Bun once stood from the late 40's until 1960.) Both owners wer long-time employees of Royal Castle Systems, but Wayne Patrick (owner of the 125th Street store) ended up with the rights to the name...

Jackie -Gables 57		19-Jun-2008 12:52
Roberta and Interested Reader: I graduated from Gables in 1957. We were the last class to spend 4 years there, so Ponce became a 7-9 school at that time. I don't know if other high schools went to 10-12 at the same time, but if they did, that would explain why Roberta and I took Home Ec in different grades. They don"t even have "Home Ec" in schools any more. It's now "Consumer "something or other, and they do more than just cook and sew, like I remember doing.

Interested Reader		19-Jun-2008 11:50
Roberta: I reading the recent threads I believe that the "57" in Jackie Gables 57 refers to the year she graduated high school sic. 1957 and not the year she was born which would make her approxinately 10 years older than you. This would explain the disconnect regarding the mentioned teachers and faculty members. An Interested Reader

Roberta Perry Hughes		19-Jun-2008 06:02
Jackie...You must be a lot younger than me! The teachers I named were among the original faculty of Riviera Junior High. The school opened its doors around 1958. Re: Home Ec.: in Georgia, I had it for 4 years, grades 9-12; Riviera was grades 7-9, so, 9th grade was the onset for Home Ec. in Miami, too. I am so glad that I had those 4 years, to learn to cook, sew, decorate, & "economize," in the home setting. I lucked-up on a vintage 1957 Home Ec. textbook, a couple of years ago, & it is quite the relic! It is a time capsule, in itself, & a trip down Memory Lane, to be sure! If the "57" is the year you were born, then I'm 10 years older. Enough years for a staff turnover, among the faculty in a school, obviously! However, the name Mr. Shipp seems familiar. I'll have to ask my brother about him.

Jackie Gables 57		19-Jun-2008 05:41
Roberta, thanks for the info, but those names do not ring a bell. Another name came to me- Mr. Murphy- but I don't know what subject he taught. Interesting that you didn't have Home Ec- we did at Ponce in the mid 50s. I guess each school did its own thing back then

Don Boyd		19-Jun-2008 05:34
Welcome Kenny! I think all Sears stores back in the 50's and 60's and part of the 70's had candy counters. Other Sears in Dade that I can remember, in addition to the Gables store you mentioned, were Biscayne, Northside and Cutler Ridge, and Westland opened in the early 70's. I thought the Royal Castle on NW 7th Avenue and 125th Street had a fire a couple of years ago and hasn't been open since then? That leaves the one at 79th Street and 27th Avenue that is still operational. The Herald did a nice article about it a couple of months ago. Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		19-Jun-2008 05:19
Jackie Gables 57...I attended Riviera Junior High 1959-1961. Home Ec. wasn't offered until the 9th grade. English teacher I remember was Mr. Porter; Music was Miss Janie Rowlands; Art was Mr. Ralph Woodmansee; Graphics was Mr. Allen; My P.E. teacher was Miss Fairchild; My brother's Band teacher was Mr. Turner; Dean of Boys was Mr. Davis; Math was Mr. Tekkerman, & Mr. Stamos; Science was Mr. Papalardo, classroom, & Mr. Evans, on TV; I remember a Mr. Waizenhoffer (sic). We moved back to Georgia, in 1961, where I graduated in 1966. Did you know any of these teachers?? Charlis...Thanks for the recipe! I will have to try it!! The fruit-flavored sodas I remember were by Suncrest. They had more flavors than Nehi offered. Also, remember Orange Crush, which was heavenly, ice cold!! And I remember when Pepsi Cola changed its bottle design, to the spirals. I like the old bottles the best. They were more colorful. Y'all remember Upper 10, Squirt, & Bubbleup??

Jackie Gables 57		19-Jun-2008 04:54
I remember Grapette and Orangette drinks in the 6 oz bottles. The orange flavor was my favorite. Haven't seen them in years. Roberta, did you attend Riviera Junior High? If so, do you remember Mr. Shipp, an English teacher, or Miss Jarvis who taught Home Ec?

Jeff		19-Jun-2008 04:11
That's an easy one, Kenny... Those terrazzo floors with the inlaid letters said "Royal Castle - Fit for A King"!

Kenny Blanton		19-Jun-2008 02:07
1st of all, my name is Kenny Blanton. If any of you had a hunting, fishing, marriage or driver's license between 1930 & 1965, when they changed the system, it had my Grandfathers name on it. W.F.Blanton. He was the County Judge for 50 years. There was a Sears on the corner of Douglas Rd. & Coral Way with a candy counter in it. But the real reason I am on here is there is 1 Royal Castle left in Dade County & it's at N.W.125th st> & N.W.7th Ave. It still has the original floor right outside the front door. It says Royal Castle. And under it says ???? ??? ??? ???? THAT'S what I'm trying to find out !!! Does ANYBODY remember ?? Oh, Roberta, I know you lived on 55th st. & if it was in between 97th & 102nd. ave. you can type in your old address on google maps. Click on street view & you can see it like you are standing there ! That's ANYWHERE in Miami !!

Parks		19-Jun-2008 01:37
Hi Roberta, Thanks for your kind words concerning my posts. I hadn't thought about putting peanuts in cola for years. I think the really southern way to do it is with Tom's Peanuts and RC Cola. I drove through Coconut Grove the other day and the poinciana trees are stunning this year.

Guest 755		18-Jun-2008 23:49
Diamonds for many of my childhood years was linked to Christmas for me. My grandmother made a yearly trip to Diamonds for her Christmas corsage making supplies. We loved to go with her and check out all the beautiful things there. She would buy silver and green leaves to form the backs of the corsages. Shiny red, green, blue, and silver balls on wires that could be inserted into the corsages. There would be bells with glitter and shimmery things she used as centers. Somestimes she would find little reindeer or Santa's or snowmen for the little girl corsages. Then there was lots and lots of ribbon that she made into gorgeous bows. I loved to sit and watch her as she turned seven or eight pieces of these materials into something beautiful that would give such joy to the wearer. I still have one she made for me when I was six or seven, too small for me to wear now, but I keep it any way. Does anyone remember buying small bottles of soda called Pee-Wee soda or something like that? I think they came in fruit flavors such as grape, orange or strawberry. Were they a Miami thing or did anyone see them any where else? I think they may have cost a dime. Boiled peanuts sounds great about now. I prefer to use the big fat ones, but havn't seen any in the store.

charlis		18-Jun-2008 22:18
Peanuts... yummmmmmm! When I went to NYC every summer, my great uncle would buy 10 pounds... for me to feed the elephants at the zoo. The elephants were lucky to get 5 lbs spread out over a 2 week trip! Tried putting them in Pepsi (can't drink Coke products... won't drink something that will remove battery acid off car batteries) Didn't like the mix. Roberta.... get out your pen... great recipe for boiled peanuts... (smells as good as the Bott Boi!)... for each pound of raw peanuts... put into pot, add 1/2 pound of ham hocks, 2 tablespoons of salt (I use Sea Salt), 1 tablespoon of pepper (preferably fresh ground)... cover with water plus 2 inches. Do not cover pot. Boil until water just covers peanuts. Using a straining spoon, remove peanuts and let cool. (Dump the rest into a strainer, rinse, and enjoy the ham while the peanuts cool!) Peanuts are best tasting when warm.

charlis		18-Jun-2008 21:55
Roberta and Jackie... ironic that you mentioned the buses. I was in the area in the 60's and thought that riding the buses was great! I could get anywhere... when my parents let me. More ironic... I was talking to a young man at work yesterday who was doing a college thesis on government operations. His father is a strong advocate for the "light rail" system... 4 miles of road costs over $7M! 90 miles of light rail will cost less. I told him how great Miami and Miami Beach was for transportation for people who do not drive, or, now, want to use buses to save on gas. Well... more ironic... Evie called me last night. Seems that, due to all the budget cuts, Miami has cut bus routes! Sure, Miami built the extended Amtrack for people to get to and from South Miami... but, for instance, the "L" route we used to get from the Beach to Miami... ran several times an hour. As part of the budget cuts they changed the schedule so the bus only arrives at the train station on the train's schedule. If the train is late, especially the last run of the day... forget finding a bus! You get stranded at the station! Which the cabbies have found out and there are plenty waiting... they take whatever you offer them! No more "over lapping" bus routes to help you get somewhere to catch the bus to get you to the bus that will get you where you want if you missed it at its other stop... ie: if you missed the "L" bus, you could catch the "C" bus that would take you to another stop where the "L" bus went on its route to Miami.

Arizona Al		18-Jun-2008 15:35
Roberta and Miami Girl: I discovered peanuts with PepsiCola when I left Miami in 1969 and moved to North Carolina to attend college. I also was enlightened to a Nehi Grape or Nehi Orange Soda with a Big Moon Pie. Must be a "Southern" thing. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona and regretting the tons of Nehi Sodas and Moon Pies he consumed while in college.

Miami Girl		18-Jun-2008 11:48
Roberta, there was a Sears (I'm thinking it was in Coral Gables back in 1954) my older sister worked at the candy counter there for a few months when I was 8 yrs old -- what a great place for a sister to work!! The idea of peanuts in a bottle of Coke is something I could never develop a taste for although my husband from Tennessee loved the combination. It's on par with banana and peanut butter sandwichs - no longer just a southern thing. Boiled peanuts are yummy but hubby thinks it's like eating slugs!

Roberta Perry Hughes		18-Jun-2008 06:12
Parks...Jeff...Now, y'all done made me want some HOT roasted & salted peanuts, & where would I find them, at nearly 2 a.m., except in my vivid imagination??? I DO remember that Sears had a candy counter, & had salted cashews...but that was in Albany (Georgia). Don't remember a Sears in Miami...(?) Shucks, folks! I'm wanting a clear cello bag full of Tom's salted peanuts, & an ice cold Coca-Cola, in the king size bottle, to pour them in! Did y'all ever do this, with peanuts & a bottle of Coke? Or, is it just a Southern thing? Oh, & did that Peanut Vendor also offer BOILED peanuts? Have y'all ever eaten 'em boiled??? YUM!! I cannot eat nuts, anymore, so just thinking about them is painful. I'll have to settle for Jif, I guess...boo hoo. Parks...I wish I could come down there & take that tour of the Miami River you had described. You always find the neatest places, down there, & things to do, for anyone who comes down for a visit, to today's Miami. I love reading your Posts!!

Parks		18-Jun-2008 04:34
Hi Jeff, Yes the peanut factory was owned by the family that started Gardener's Market in South Miami. I didn't know Gardener's Market was originally called Gardener's Buy-Rite. That is something that hasn't changed much, my wife still shops there often. It's the locally owned small businesses that give an area character. I hate to see them pushed out by national chains.

Jeff		18-Jun-2008 04:16
Parks!!!! NE 5th Street... That MUST be the same place... because Gardner's By-Rite (in South Miami) was the evolution of the 1920's era Tip-Top Markets... Next to the peanut vendor WAS a vacant lot, then the old warehouse where the wonderful-but-faded hand-painted sign from years gone by saying "Tip Top"...

LARGO		18-Jun-2008 01:56
WELL..........I GUESS DIAMONDS ARE NOT FOREVER !.........SIGH..............THANKS FOR ALL THE INFO GANG.............. LARGO

Parks		18-Jun-2008 01:45
In the early 70's I drove a delivery truck and often made deliveries to the Port of Miami. After leaving the port I'd head west on NE 5th street to R.C. Gardener's Peanut Factory. I'd always buy a bag of peanuts hot out of the big cast iron roasters. Next door in a vacant lot was an artesian well. It was a pipe stuck in the ground from which water flowed continuously. The water was very sulfur tasting. People would come there and fill bottles with water to take home. They thought the high mineral content was good for them.

Leighton		17-Jun-2008 23:10
Diamond's was a Fantasyland for kids - we lived in the adjacent Fairlawn area, and it was only a five-minute drive to the Red Road location. I've never seen another place like it.

Guest		17-Jun-2008 19:15
Just discovered this: Anyone who wants to see some great pictures of Miami go to www.wunderground.com, click on the "wonder photos" button then in the search field type in miamilady and in the drop down go to Handle. She has over 100 pictures - you can also make them your screen background.

Arizona Al		17-Jun-2008 14:36
Hello All: In the early 1960s we would literally "flag down" the Greyhound Bus at the Cutler Ridge Shopping Center and Highway 1 and take the 20 mile trip to Downtown Miami where we 14 and 15 year olds were mesmerized by the novelty shops, an open air game arcade near the bus station, all day movie theatres and of course the second story snack bar at Walgreens Drugstore on Flagler Street. I am not sure if it was our young age or the zeitgeist but Downtown Miami circa 1960-1962 sure seemed like the magic kingdom when compared to the Cutler Ridge Shopping Center. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive, well and waxing poetically in Phoenix, Arizona

Jackie Gables 57		17-Jun-2008 12:11
Thanks for the memory boost, Jeff. I had forgotten that Byron's was not the original name of the drug store.

Jeff		17-Jun-2008 05:47
Byron's was originally known as the Red Cross Drug Store... They probably merged with Jackson's in the late 50's or early 60's...

Jackie Gables 57		17-Jun-2008 04:53
In the 40's or early 50's Jackson's and Byrons were two different stores. Byron's was a drugstore and was one of the first air conditioned stores, if I remember correctly. Jackson's was a department store that sold mostly clothing, I think.

Jeff		17-Jun-2008 04:32
Back in the 1960's, there was a vendor that sold hot roasted peanuts on North Miami Avenue just East of the old Tip-Top Grocers warehouse. Does anyone remember that stand besides me? I used to love the downtown (or nearby) office supply and art supply stores... Mr. Foster's Store on NE 3rd Avenue by Drug City on Flagler Street, Long's Office Supplies on North Miami Avenue and about 12th Street, The Palette Art Supply on NE 2nd Ave. by Lindsey Hopkins... Associated Artist's Supply on Biscayne Blvd. and about 18th Street... I also miss the lunch counter on the second floor of the downtown Walgreen store... McCrory's, Grant's, Woolworth's 5&10's... the many theaters... Town, Miami, Olympia, Paramount, Rio... The department stores...Burdine's, Richards, Jackson's-Byron's... Grable's Bakery... the M&M Cafeteria... all of the little specialty shops... Downtown really had life and vibrancy back then...

Jackie Gables 57		17-Jun-2008 04:15
It was a real treat to go to Diamonds. We could walk up and down the many, many aisles, stacked so high with all kinds of crafty things. I can't remember ever leaving that store without finding the item(s) we had come for. Michael's is great nowadays, but I thought Diamonds was the best ever. Roberta, my mom and I would ride the #5 bus to downtown Miami on a Saturday morning, have lunch at the counter at the 5and 10, do our shopping , then stop at a nut shop in an arcade (I forget what building that was in) for a small bag of hot roasted cashews to eat on the way home. Now, THAT was a treat.

Roberta Perry Hughes		16-Jun-2008 23:33
Don't know about y'all, but I LOVED that Coral Gables Bus Terminal, & the buses that would take you anywhere, all day long! You only had to have a copy of their schedule, to be sure to NOT miss the last bus back that took you home, & city transportation, for the car-less, or the too-young-to-drive, was virtually unlimited!! I keenly remember the sound, of an idling Diesel engine, & the smell of Diesel exhaust in the air! The sound of that melodic "ding!", that indicated a passenger had pulled the swagcord on the side, overhead, that activated that bell, & alerted the driver to pull over @ the next stop, so that passenger could exit the bus. And, of course, that panoramic view, of all points in-between you & your destination. Going "downtown" on the bus with your mother, to shop for school clothes, or go to a movie, was such a wonderful adventure & treat! Years later, after I moved back to Miami, briefly, (following high school, in Georgia), those buses took me to & from work, & on trips to S.W. Miami, to visit former neighbors on S.W. 55th Street, on a Saturday, & to visit my cousins, who lived in the same area. I cannot even begin to imagine Miami without those wonderful buses!! They were like everyone's Magic Carpet!! Thanks, Jackie, for the memory jog!!

Parks		16-Jun-2008 23:26
Do you guys remember Diamond's slogan? It was "A Woman's Paradise". Diamonds was on 27 avenue and about NW 12 Street. The building was taken when they built the 836 expressway. They moved to a much larger building on the corner of Red Road (57 ave) and NW 7 th Street. A few years ago they sold the property to Eckard Drugs (now CVS) or maybe it was Walgreens. Diamonds moved into a near by shopping center in the space formerly occupied by Eckards. Diamonds closed about a year after moving to this last location.

Jackie Gables 57		16-Jun-2008 19:13
LOVE this site! It brings back so many memories. I remember Diamonds on (I think) NW 27th Ave. We always found what we needed for whatever project it was. We moved to Miami in 1945, and first lived on the corner of the Trail and Sylvania Blvd. I remember how far out in the boonies we thought we were. At the corner of Red Rd and the trail there were the Wildcat Grocery, the Wildcat Drugstore, and across the street there may have been a filling station (Don't know for sure), the Teepee, and George Brothers Hardware where my aunt worked. Just south of the Trail on Red Rd. was the Black Cat . Just east of Red Rd. was where I caught the bus that took us straight to Coral Gables Elem. When I went to Ponce for Jr. High, we went to the CG bus terminal and transferred to another bus. Same for Gables High. In 1955 we moved to 7000 Miller Dr. (SW 56th St.). Again, we thought we had moved to the end of the earth. From there, I took the yellow county school bus to Gables, where I graduated in 57. By the time I left Miami for good in 1965, my two childhood homes were far from the outskirts of town! Miami had really grown up and out. Like most of you, I thought it was a great place to grow up, and miss the way it used to be.

Miami Girl		16-Jun-2008 14:17
Largo: I remember back in the 80's when visiting my Mom there was a Diamonds near the Cutler Ridge Mall. Kind of like the Big Lots for crafters. Since I'm not crafty I only went in once.

MO John		16-Jun-2008 06:15
Hey LARGO. Your caps lock is your signature. I like individuality. I had nice calls from my kids today and received a nice card from all. Other than that I watched Tiger and Rocco duke it out on U.S. Open golf and I DVR'd the NASCAR race........which Dale Junior won! Both my guys did good today (Tiger and Jr.), so it was a great day for me. I expect things are starting to settle down for you a bit. I hope so. Thanks for the note. J

LARGO		16-Jun-2008 00:52
MO JOHN !!!....I ROLLED BACK TO JUNE 11 AND THERE YOU WERE...WITH YOUR INCONSPICUOUS..GREETING....GOOD TO KNOW YOUR AROUND AND WELL I TRUST??...MY GRANDS TELL ME THAT WRITING IN ALL CAPITOLS MEANS THAT I AM SHOUTING...I AM REALLY NOT...I AM JUST TOO LAZY TO DO ALL THE HIT & SHIFT KEYS...AND GET ON A SPREE TO TEAR THRU A THOUGHT AND GET IT SAID...BEFORE I FORGET WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY !!.......BY THE WAY...HAPPY FATHERS DAY TO ALL OF YOU FATHERS, DADDY'S & PAPAWS OUT THERE....I PRAY YOU HAD A BLESSED DAY.................LARGO

LARGO		16-Jun-2008 00:39
HI ALL !...ROBERTA YOUR LAST POST REMINDED ME OF A HUGE STORE CALLED "DIAMONDS"...WHERE YOU COULD FIND ALL SORTS OF CRAFT ITEMS...AND MORE!!! AS THE ADS READ. I BELIEVE IN WAS IN NORTH MIAMI..BUT I CANNOT REMEMBER WHERE...I WONDER IF IT IS STILL AROUND ?...ANY OF YOU LOCALS KNOW....IT WAS SORT OF THE "MICHAELS" OF THE DAY...BUT LESS ORGANIZED AND PUT TOGETHER IT SEEMED..NO OFFENSE TO ANY ONE AFFILIATED WITH THE STORE.....QUITE FRANKLY... I LOVED IT !!...LARGO

Miami River Rat		15-Jun-2008 04:32
Hi everybody! Great site, great photos and great forum. I'll add more about myself later. For now, I'll say I really enjoyed Snowden's in the period 1960 through '62. They used to have a band there on Friday and Saturday nights, with dancing. I was 17 in 1960 and that was one of the few places I could take a girl and both of us get served beer or drinks. You didn't even need a fake ID at Snowden's. I think if you were tall enough to reach the bar with your 40 cents, a beer was coming your way. I had a lot of good times at Snowden's. Someone posted about getting stopped while trying to climb that fence around the Deering Estate. I tried to climb it once, and got most of the way up. The builders had embedded broken glass bottles in concrete on top of the wall. When you got up there, it was go back or get cut to ribbons! Oh, well.... Later.

Parks		14-Jun-2008 23:48
Arizona Al, The board and batten building you remember as Snowden's must be the same building I remember from a few years ago as The Old Cutler Inn. Your description fits it to a tee. It was bought a few years ago by a fellow who was going to renovate it but discovered too much damage so the building was torn down. For all you Miami history buffs, I recommend that you try to take one of the Miami history tours led by Dr. Paul George. I just came home from one of his tours of the Miami River. It was great. I thought I new a lot about the river before the tour. Boy was I wrong! For about forty bucks you get a three hour boat ride and a continuous narrative of the history of the river. Prostitution, drug smuggling, rum running, shipping steel to the Japanese before the war, building PT boats to kill the Japanese durring the war, it all happened on our river.

Roberta Perry Hughes		14-Jun-2008 21:50
The hole-in-the-wall type toy stores, located in so-called strip shopping centers, up on Bird Road, were childhood favorites. And any Five and Dime, of course! Large bins filled with colorfully painted spongy rubber balls; shelves filled with paddleballs, bottles of bubbles with attached bubble wand; tall cardboard containers of kits to construct; balsa wood gliders to be assembled; carry-over Made in Hong Kong blister celluloid dolls with strung on limbs, & colorful lithographed tin toys & buildings; Whitman card games & BIG jigsaw puzzles; hula hoops; sealed in package jackstones sets, & marbles; jumpropes; doll clothes & accessories to fit every popular doll on the market...WOW!! Get a dollar in your birthday card, hop on your Schwinn, & head for the Five and Dime, or the local drugstore! You could buy so much, with that dollar, what with comic books a mere dime, & so many other items, too, or even less!! Remember when bubblegum was 2 for a penny, & a HUGE Baby Ruth candy bar was only a nickel?? Don't we wish we could time travel, & take the grands back there, for just one day's shopping spree??? My sister, & her (teenaged) peer group enjoyed "cheap" cosmetics prices...Cutex nail polish & lipstick, or Tangee, or Revlon. The pricier Coty brand was usually geared toward adults, & were sold in department stores. But the 'teens hit the drugstores, & the Five and Dime, for their "war paint," as my father used to call it. The early '50's seemed to be a carry-over, of the '40's styles, in fashions, & color choices in lipstick: red, orange, red, "Windsor", red, red, red, red, red...! But, I remember, back when I was in Junior High, in 1960, Cutex nail polish & lipstick did a color explosion, & suddenly, there was Hot Pink, Frosted Pink Lightning, Bikini Beach Peach, Tangerine, Frosted Grape, Lilac, Orchid, even stark white, pearl, & metallic blue!! And every shade & tint of pink you could think of!!

Joanne		14-Jun-2008 20:17
Arizona Al...you are correct about Snowden's, it was very much a "fish camp" style of building. Sometimes I wondered how it even stayed erect! Considering it's proximity to the bay, I figured Hurricane Andrew had taken it out. There was also a plant grower (nursery) on the south side of the bridge. My brother worked there for a time.

Joanne		14-Jun-2008 20:07
Buster Browns and Red Goose shoes!! Keds for the weekends. For my 12th birthday I got a pair of red patent leather Mary Jane style shoes with a small heel. Bought them on Miracle Mile which made them even more special to me. I loved to visit Miracle Mile and window shop. My Dad's office was on the east end of the street and I'd sometimes pop in on him. There was a head shop I'd go into because of the smell of incense and the Indian fabrics. Another fad I recall from my preteen time was colored wax and a personal stamp to decorate an envelope. Got all our stamping supplies as well as the neon posters at Spencer Gifts.

Arizona Al		14-Jun-2008 14:23
I remember Snowdens a a sort of ramshackle board and batten bar and restaurant. My family would go there of Friday Nights for a fish fry. This was probably 1957 or 1958. I vividly recall that the fish fry was outdoors and we sat at long wooden tables. The flys and gnats were a nuisance. Does my memory serve me correctly or is it obfuscated by age and decay? Alan LOgus, Ph.D. Alive , well and looking for the tartar sauce in Phoenix, Arizona.

Roberta Perry Hughes		14-Jun-2008 06:00
Oooops!! My family legend/story, re: the smoke/fire damaged bureau, more than likely did not originate with the Royal Palm Hotel. I looked up the hotel's history, & it stated that the 1926 hurricane ruined it, & that afterwards, it was so termite-infested that it had to be torn down. So...!! The piece of heavy oak furniture had to have survived some other hotel fire, obviously! I do know that, back-in-the-day, so-called "fire sales" were common. Don't know if they do that, anymore...do they?? I keenly remember one such "fire sale," when I was a child, that Richard's Bargain Basement held. We got some twin size light weight sheet blankets from that sale, that only needed to be laundered. Even then, they still retained a little smokey scent. Do y'all remember Red Goose Shoes, & the little token "prize egg" they gave you, when you bought a new pair of shoes? Another popular brand with children was Buster Brown. They, too, had a token "prize." Golly, come to think of it, "prizes" were common, back then. I don't think they give anything away, today, with a purchase! A vivid "food memory," for me, is my very first Burger King Whopper, up on Bird Road, near the area of Bird Bowl & Sunland Skating Rink. Paid extra for cheese. I remember its freshness, & warmth, & delicious aroma. And the size just blew us away!! It was big enough to cut in half, & share with a sibling or a friend!! Also in that same area was a "new" pizza place. They were called Pizza Parlors, then, & the product was "pizza pie." They consisted only of a thin crust, tomato sauce & cheese. In the beginning, it was an acquired taste, for some of us, as we weren't used to the scent of mozarella cheese, & we found that we had to get past that, to bravely take that tentative first bite. After that eye-opening taste, pizza pie was addictive, & for a while, burgers took a back seat.

Parks		14-Jun-2008 03:42
Hi Joanne and Miami Girl, The empty lot you see on Google Earth,next to the Farm Store, is where The Old Cutler Inn was located until recently. I think Old Cutler Inn was the same as Snowden's. Either Snowden's sold out and the name changed or Mr. Snowden called it The Old Cutler Inn and all of his customers just called it Snowdens. My personal memory of it doesn't go back as far as yours. I do miss it's good food. The building across the street, on the west end of the block was a small expensive grocery store that went out of business after about a year. It sat empty for a long time. Now there is a Starbucks in part of it. The building on the south east corner, nearest the Deering Estate, is actually the park headquarters. It is a very beautiful building made of wood. It has a large meeting room with stained glass windows depicting wild life found in the Deering Estate Park. There is a beautiful and colorful tree snail found only in that area. One of the windows has an image of this snail. One day after seeing the window, I walked out and there was one of the snails stuck to the wall. If you guys ever get back to Miami, the Deering Estate is worth a visit. I think the ship that went aground in Andrew did it just south of the bridge that you all jumped off. I jumped off the Rickenbacker Causeway.

Joanne		13-Jun-2008 23:39
All the UFO talk reminded me of a trick we tried many times one summer in the mid 60's. I had instructions for a small hot air balloon that was made of 2 balsa wood sticks or long popsicle sticks, form them in an "X" and secure the spot where they meet so they don't move. To each of the 4 stick corners tie the end of an open plastic bag such as a dry cleaning bag. Attach 4 birthday candles to each arm of the sticks, light them and your hot air balloon should take off. We thought if we could get them airborn, people might think they were UFO's. Of course, they never got off the ground, much to our chagrin. LOL

charlis		13-Jun-2008 23:11
Don.... update on site loading... had problems on 3 different computers, 2 different connections... the past few days everything has been running great! Go figure...

charlis		13-Jun-2008 23:08
Gang... your memories of South Miami are great. The snobs on Miami Beach kept the fun down, except one story that I know of... you guys were "hicks/renecks"... During the UFO era of the mid-late 60's there was an article in the Herald and the Beach paper about the siting of a UFO in a canal on MB. There was a strange glow under a bridge, and a lot of dead fish floating. A bunch of people were standing on the bridge when a "being" was seen walking toward them. They ran. Okay, the true story... I found this out about 10 years ago when meeting up with an old classmate... 3 classmates, including the guy who told me the story, had been out scuba diving and came across a group of people standing on the bridge looking at the strange glow in the water and the dead fish. They pulled over and 2 of them got out of the car and walked toward the group on the bridge. The 3rd guy put on his scuba gear. The 2 guys talked to the people on the bridge and mentioned the reports of UFO's. On cue, the other kid came out of the dark and started walking toward the group... the other two gus screamed, pointing at the other guy... "What is that?" Everyone ran away, including the two guys! Someone called the papers to report the story of aliens in Miami Beach.

James		13-Jun-2008 23:05
James A Hadden Born Aug. 23rd 1965 in South Miami. Raised in Kendal. Lived in 'Pine Acres'. Ate at Shorty's Bar-B-Que on Dixie.Went to 'Pirates World', 'The Miami Serpentarium', Parot Jungle (old Location) The Miami Serpentarium, Viscaya, Micheles Cartway (Go-carts). Our neighborhood consisted of some pretty noteable people; 'Casey and the Sunshine Band' rented the house across the street were I lived off 115 st. and 104 ave. (era @ 1971-1973) Which is off Killian. Some of the '72 Dolphins lived in our neighborhood. The owner of Green Thumb Nursery lived next door and the owner of 'Gamble Plumbing and irigation 'lived on the other side of me. The Owner of Allied Glass co. lived behind me.I was on The Skipper Chuck show @ 5 times. We watched " Weaver the weatherman" on Channel 4 WTVJ. We shopped at 'The Gold Triangle' and 'Lindsey Lumber' near Dadeland. We ate at 'Grants? Cafeteria (correct if I'm wrong with the name) We also shopped at 'Jefferson Ward', 'Quik Check' (now Winn Dixie) . Remember the "Snow" we had in January 19, 1977? I still have the front page from the Miami Herald! For those of you that are a little older, I remember being 4 y/o and seeing a " U.F.O." of some sort that made big news in South Miami. I hold neighborhood (Carol City at the time) Was looking up at the sky in Fright. people were crying and freekin' out. I remember some sort of colorful, maybe orange-green cloud of swirling gas in the night sky.Does anyone have an article on this?

Roberta Perry Hughes		13-Jun-2008 21:25
EUREKA!! Georgia-grown tomatoes are in stores now, & are safe!! HOORAY!!! There's a right-smart breeze kickin' up, outside, but a bit warm. Can't complain too loudly, though. Just need a gentle rain, is all, to cool things down a mite. Don...my mother's aunt ran a boarding house, "eons" ago, & lots of her furnishings were from smoke/heat damaged items that survived the fire that struck the Royal Palm Hotel. Mama "inherited" one of the golden oak bureaus, with framed mirror & brass fitments, including key-locking drawers, that the aunt had given to my grandmother. It was a curious site, that bureau, as the heat had melted & bubbled-up the varnish on it, to where it appeared to be covered in round black watermelon seeds. It emitted a pungent sort of scorched scent. I ended up with it, many years later, & prior to a move, I sold it to a friend, who loved vintage oak pieces. I had been dreading the thought of moving it, as it was beyond heavy, & everyone knows how hard it is to find help with moving, when you're single, & everyone else is, too, & have active weekend plans. I could be mistaken, of course, about the Royal Palm Hotel's fire, but this is what I was told, regarding that oak bureau, & its origin, when told about how those widespread black spots came to cover it, overall. The mention of that grand dame of hotels triggered the memory of this nearly forgotten piece of furniture.

Don Boyd		13-Jun-2008 19:56
New uploads: Alvin Lederer contributed a 1900's image of a short railway in the Everglades near Miami (1883-1919 gallery). I added three images of the Royal Palm Hotel (1883-1919 and the 1920's galleries). Also from the Myrna and Seth Bramson Collection, I added a 1940's image of NE 2nd Avenue, including the Rosetta Theatre, in Little River (40's gallery), a 1954 image of Flagler Street downtown (50's gallery), two 50's images of the Carib Theatre (50's and movie theatres galleries), and a 1960's image of the new Loew's 170th Street Theatre sign (movie theatres gallery). Don

Miami Girl		13-Jun-2008 17:58
Joanne: I know that my memory can sometimes be inaccurate so you may be totally correct. When looking at that Google street view, there's a place that looks recently demolished next to that Farm Store (there's a big truck sitting there in the picture) and I wonder if that was the old Snowdens (it also appears maybe there was a road there) maybe they reconfigured Old Cutler over to the West a little bit. I could swear Snowdens was on the NE corner. I don't remember Old Cutler Inn at all. Parks: It's possible Snowdens sold out and the name was changed. Anybody else know??? I do know first hand a person could get a massive infection from those nasty coral rock cuts!

Joanne		13-Jun-2008 17:12
Parks, Miami Girl...I used to ride my bike to the Deering Estate grounds and have a picnic lunch. I know exactly the driveway you're talking about at the south end of the property where you were fishing. I too went on Google maps and saw the Farm Stores on the corner of 168th but I think Snowden's was next door to the east. Looks like the Old Cutler Inn is across the street from Snowden's. Whenever we went swimming there my feet would get torn up by the coral rock. Also, wasn't that the spot where the big tanker ship was grounded after Hurricane Andrew? I saw photos of that on the NOAA website.

Miami Girl		13-Jun-2008 12:28
Roberta: A quick digression from Miami.(sorry folks), have you ever visited FDR's former home in Hyde Park, NY on the Hudson River? Since I'm 61 he was before my time and my OLDER sister dragged me to visit the place about 4 years ago. I have to admit I did enjoy it tremendously because it seems to be exactly as it was when they lived there, I do like this "time travel" thing - one of his wheelchairs (I'm assuming he had more than one, but maybe not) is still sitting there. Eleanor's bedroom looks almost like a jail cell it's so austere and humble and his isn't much better, very surprising.

Roberta Perry Hughes		13-Jun-2008 05:08
Hello, again, folks...It seems that I have (more) DJD (degenerative joint disease) in the ol' backbone, the worst of it, that's been giving me conniptions, is the sacral vertebrae. Oh, well...could have been a helluva lot worse. This business of growing older is not so much fun. I'll muddle through it, the best I can, & just take even longer, with tasks that need to be done. At least, I'm vertical!! LOL Wow. You folks sure did have the adventures, back in the day, in Our Town!! As I've stated before, I was 13 years old, when our family left S.W. Miami, so, I didn't even get to wet my feet, as a 'teen, nor experience going to my sister's alma mater, Southwest High School...let alone date, have that first beer, sneak a smoke, nor "grow up." I was still a child...not like TODAY's 13 year olds!!...& I was in no big hurry to "mature." At going-on-61, I am now in my "second childhood," back to collecting dolls (vintage & antique), which help me to travel back in time, at the very sight of them, as does this amazingly nostalgic Site that Don has provided for us. Not everyone has these resources, to call up such images of long-gone places, from the towns or cities that they recall from their own youth. I know of no other Site, where, say, someone could see their former hometown, as it was, decades & decades ago, in some other state...do y'all?? How lucky are we???? This Site is a priceless treasure!!!! God, y'all. I am soooooo much in tomato withdrawal!! Is there a time-release patch I can wear, 'til I can find me some homegrown ones that I KNOW will be safe to eat?? This is cruel & inhumane!!!! Might as well deprive us of our fresh butterbeans!!!! Roberta, up again, past the ol' Witching Hour, ready to resume reading about Alice Roosevelt Longworth, daughter of my very favorite former President, the colorfully adventurous T.R., namesake of the American Teddy Bear...(oh, yeah, I have vintage teddy bears, too!)

Parks		13-Jun-2008 01:59
Miami Girl, The Deering Estate is now a wonderful county park. You can wander through the house and see the wonderful art collection and the secret wine cellar. The wine cellar door is disguised as book shelves that have a hidden latch. This was built during Prohibition. Didn't want them Revenuers finding it. The little road just to the south now leads to a fishing pier and canoe/kayak launch site. I've been fishing in the shallow water behind the Deering Estate and around Chicken Key recently. Caught a nice mangrove snapper. Was Snowden's the same as the Old Cutler Inn? It was located about half a block west of the Deering Estate?

Miami Girl		12-Jun-2008 23:29
Joanne: I do remember Snowden's Bar but that's not where the sports bar where the reunion was - it was at a small little shopping center up closer to Cutler Ridge on the opposite side of Old Cutler from Snowdens (this was in '89 so it may not even be there anymore). I've been on Google maps and looking at that whole area that they now have on their "street views" -- looks like a Farm Store (remember them?) is now on the corner of Richmond Dr. and Old Cutler where Snowden's was. Then you can continue on down Richmond towards the Bay and see one of the entrances to the Old Deering Estate -- we'd take that little road off to the right and drive around the side of the estates fence down to the water and park......Once four of us decided we'd climb over the fence to check it all out until someone yelled "STOP OR I'LL SHOOT" - needless to say we changed our minds. Ahhh, those were the days!!

Jo-Anne K		12-Jun-2008 23:15
Three of the guys I used to surf with were notorious for jumping off the the bridge at Haulover, used to scare the heck out of me. Hehehe......I just had to barge in here to say hell-o to all!!!

Joanne		12-Jun-2008 21:31
Miami Girl ...If you're talking about Snowdens (AKA Centurians) just about everyone on that side of town went there. I remember spending "skip day" there in '74. Didn't actually jump from the bridge but did swim there. Then went over to Snowdens Bar for snacks, etc. Fun place!!

Arizona Al		12-Jun-2008 15:03
Miami Girl: Jumped/dove the bridge into the canal on Old Cutler Road many times in my youth. Sometimes there were african-american people fishing with cane poles along the canal banks and we would harass them and taunt them. An act that I am thouroughly ashamed of now but this took place in the late 1950's and early 1960's and was considered appropriate at the time. Times have changed and for the better. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive ,well and frequently regretting the sins of his past in Phoenix, Arizona

Miami Girl		12-Jun-2008 12:12
AZ Al: Boy was I out of the loop. The first time I heard the term "Ridge Rats" was when we went to the '89 Ridge Rat Reunion (held appropriately at a sports bar on Old Cutler -- is there anyone else in this Gallery that was there). I thought the term was given to us by those Gant Shirt and Weejan Loafer boys, thanks for setting me straight. Also the news of the rumble is new to me, but certainly not a surprise! I was one of "those girls" who dated a few guys at "the base" (Homestead AFB), it started with my girlfriends brother with whom I had a pen pal relationship during his Basic Training and AIT then when he dumped me, I moved on to his friend - the guy I've been married to for 42 years. BTW, I loved The Hot Shoppes, now it makes sense why I like all the Marriott Hotels so much! How many of ya'll jumped off the Old Cutler bridge into the canal? Then if you were a guy and had that upper body strength you could use the rope to pull yourself up the steep bank -- us girls had to swim down aways to get out. Roberta: Nuts, something came up Sunday and I missed Part 2!!! Maybe someday I'll buy the whole thing on DVD's. I know they say we shouldn't live in the past, but this is so much damn fun! Thanks Don.

Don Boyd		12-Jun-2008 07:05
New uploads: I added a 1950's (?) image of Maurice's Steak House (restaurants gallery). Parks Masterson of Hopkins-Carter Marine Supply contributed a mid-1920's image of 12th Street (now Flagler Street) and Biscayne Bay depicting Dunn's Pier, Elser's Pier and a billboard for Hopkins-Carter Marine Supply (20's gallery and the attractions gallery). Don

Arizona Al		12-Jun-2008 03:22
Jeff: Thanks for the G-2 on Paleys. Does anyone recall the infamous rumble between the Ridge Rats and the Bird Road Stompers (BRS) in 1964 at the Rock Quarry in Belaire Heights? It was a classic with fists, boards and a few tire irons. History shows that both "social clubs" were mutally defeated resulting in a fragile peace between the rival clubs. BRS was represented by Southwest High delinquentsand the Ridge Rats was comprised of Cutler Ridge delinquents attending Palmetto High.

charlis		11-Jun-2008 22:13
Florida tomatoes?!?!? Are there still any? Central FL used to be known as the Strawberry and Tomato Capital. Strawberries are still being grown, althought the fields are disappearing. The Strawberry King, Roy Park, died last week. But the tomatoes, the famous Ruskin tomatoes, are almost completely gone. The fields bieng covered with houses. Most of them, according to a friend in the agri finance business, most Ruskin tomatoes are now being grown elsewhere... soo.... if you think that buying Ruskin tomatoes, because you think they were grown here. ... stick with cherry tomatoes for a while.

Jeff		11-Jun-2008 19:26
CORRECTION: It was Bernie Paley who ran the KFC franchises... Seymour had broken away from the partnership with his brother and opened Corky's in North Miami Beach (originally opened as the Deep South Bar-B-Q)... Too many Paley's...too little proofreading! LOL!

Jeff		11-Jun-2008 19:24
Al... Paley's Big Wheel and their second location on West Flagler (formerly the Car Hop Drive-In) became part of a small chain of Kentucky Friend Chicken franchises operated by Seymour Paley until he eventually sold them all back to KFC Corp. It seems (according to legend) that the Kentucky Colonel was less than thrilled with the name "Paley's" being larger than "Kentucky Fried Chicken" part on the signs... and that everybody around these parts were referring to the locales as "Paley's Fried Chicken"... The original location of KFC's regional office was right here in good old North Miami... way back in the day... Jeff... undeterred by his "faint-and-fall incident" of last Saturday and still kicking up dust while listening to a John Lee Hooker CD in North Miami...

Arizona Al		11-Jun-2008 17:00
All You Ever Wanted to Know About the Ridge Rats But Were Afraid to Ask: Growing up in Cutler Ridge in the 1950s and 1960s one became accoustom to being refered to as a Ridge Rat. The term was either complimentary or derogatory depending upon who was using it. In 1962 while attending Palmetto High School a group of youths living in Cutler Ridge formed a "social culb" (euphenism for gang) as a result of being systematically exculded from the Gant Shirt and Weejun Loafer clubs at Palmetto such as the Trojans and the Saxons. The name chosen for the social club was of course The Ridge Rats. The original members from 1962 included Nathan Levy, Terry Stewart, Butch Childers, Paul Atwood (deceased), David Congdon (deceased), Ron Valentine, John Buckley, John Parano, Joe Loeffredo and not surprisingly Alan Ogus. The formal club lasted until 1965 when the last of the founding members graduated. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Ridge Rat Emeritus. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Arizona Al		11-Jun-2008 16:40
Well from what I can determine the Hot Shoppes in South Miami met an ignoble fate and is no longer in existance. Another icon from my delinquent youth is now but a mere memory. I am afraid to inquire about Paleys Big Wheel and Jimmys Hurricane which during the early 1960s were also subject to an occasional invasion by the unruly Ridge Rats with mischief and mayhem foremost on their disturbed minds. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and still considered disturbed by many in Phoenix, Arizona

MO John		11-Jun-2008 13:10
LARGO, Present for duty ma'am:)

LARGO		11-Jun-2008 11:49
YOU KNOW I HAD THIS STRONG URGE...(funny how the "urge" factor takes on new meaning)...TO PUT OUT MY PATIO TOMATOES EARLY THIS YEAR...EVEN AS FRAIL AS HE WAS...DAD ALWAYS PUT THOSE TOMATOES OUT ON HIS DECK...THE EASY LITTLE CHERRIE ONES ...MOM ALWAYS SAVED THE SEEDS YEAR AFTER YEAR....THATS HOW HE KEPT HER GOING IN HIS HEART...AND TUMMY...AND MY SISTERS AND I ALL HAVE LITTLE PACKETS OF SEEDS...WHICH I STARTED AFTER CHRISTMAS WHEN I RETURNED HOME...SO THERE WILL BE "MOM & DAD" TOMATOES FOR AS LONG AS I AM ON THIS EARTH...AND MY GIRLS HAVE THEM AS WELL...THEY ALWAYS HAD THE BIG BEEFSTEAKS WHEN WE LIVED IN WHAT IS NOW "PINECREST".(S. MIAMI AREA) ...MOM WHIPPED UP A CUBED TOMATOE & AVACADO WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR & OLIVE OIL. (gentle on the balsamic..can overpower the natural flavors)...OH YUM...sometimes I ADD SLIVERED ALMONDS TO HER PERFECT SNACK....TRY IT.........FLORIDA GOT THE ALL CLEAR ON THE BELOVED FRUIT....OUR PARENTS ESTATE AUCTION WAS LAST SATURDAY..DIFFICULT AND SOOOO HOT...98 HUMID...NO TRADEWINDS ...... THEIR LOVELY CAPE COD IS NOW EMPTY AND ON THE MARKET...ANYONE MOVING TO JOHNSON CITY, TENNESSEE..???..QUITE THE DEAL.....GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD ...CUL DE SAC..GREATER NEIGHBORS....THEY WERE BELOVED IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.............LARGO

Roberta Perry Hughes		11-Jun-2008 03:36
Largo...One of my favorite sellers on eBay just sent me an e-mail that the latest recall/food scare is...(drum roll, please!)...ground beef...(AGAIN!)...somewhere in N.J. I look for it to make the news, soon. DAMn!! First tomatoes, & NOW, burgers again? Like she said, if chicken & corn are next, there goes our Summer cookouts!! I already miss my tomatoes, & I use a lot of ground beef, in recipes, for a fast supper, where preparation is easy, & with minimal standing at the stovetop to get it cooked. Getting to where you are at a loss, in the stores, as to what is "safe" to eat, anymore. It's bad, to have to toss food out that you paid for, & worked into your budget for a week's menu planning. This is beyond problematic. BTW...been meaning to ask how you & your sister are, since having lost your dear father. I know that you will both celebrate his life, on Father's Day, in tribute. MiamiGirl...did your watch "Pride and Prejudice," Part 2, on PBS, this past Sunday? I thought about you, especially on sight of Pemberly Estate, the home of the hero, Mark Darcy. Reminds me of the image you sent me, of your ancestral home across-the-pond! Be sure to watch Part 3, the conclusion of this particular Jane Austen novel/movie...& don't miss any of the others in this series, & also, "Cranford," starring Dame Judi Dench. Sooooooo wonderful to see, & I ADORE those tea sets!! Roberta, always hoping for better days & happier endings, escaping via novels, & movies based on novels, of a more genteel time & place.

LARGO		11-Jun-2008 03:13
NOW THIS IS THE KIND OF SILLY CYBER- SHENANIGANS WE'VE ALL BEEN MISSING.................SO TOMATOES ARE NOW THE NEW MAD COW ???...HUMMMMM...DID JA EVER NOTICE...SEEMS LIKE THERE IS ALWAYS A FOOD CRISIS WHEN THE GAS PRICES GO UP...AND UP... AND UP......GOOD LUCK TOMORROW ROBERTA...................HEY!..."MO JOHN"...YOU OUT THERE...AND DOING OK ??

Roberta Perry Hughes		11-Jun-2008 02:51
Jeff...Oh. Well. Tell me how you REALLY feel. Boy! Am I GULLIBLE, or what????? Should have known better, & well, I guess I've been "punked," via our Web Site host, huh? Thanks, Jeff, for having set the record straight. Re: tomatoes. The ones I threw out had split skins, & hubby & I have chosen not to gamble with our health. Mine is too precarious, to risk a "preventable" illness. Better to be safe, than sorry. Locally grown tomatoes will be at the Farmer's Markets, soon, where folks in the area go to sell their produce to the public. These growers are well-known, in the community, & their produce is not subjected to some contaminated packing house, & trucked across the country. Roberta, looking forward to Thursday, because my clinic appointment will be behind me, then. Cool your heels, y'all!!

Jeff		10-Jun-2008 23:53
Thanks, Roberta, but I can't HONESTLY take credit for what Don reported as being attributed to me... It was actually HE who verbalized that as such; using me as a "cupid-by-proxy"... or, as some better examples - Cyrano de Bergerac, Miles Standish and/or anyone else who needs to express their words through the name of another... Of course I consider the usual gang of posters my cyber-friends in here and wish everyone nothing but good health and happiness... but "speak for yourself Don Boyd when professioning your love for the fair maiden Roberta"... A word of warning - Don's is a cyber-imp... He LOVES to raise a bit of well-meant ruckus... still, all in good fun... just to try and get a blush out of someone... I'm too jaded by Miami living to blush at anything... LOL! BTW - Florida tomatos were [today] declared safe... and if you have any "suspect ones", the experts advise to rinse them under hot (145 degree) water for 15 seconds, and to not use the same knife used to slice them in preparation of other foods...

Roberta Perry Hughes		10-Jun-2008 23:14
To quote Sally Field, via Jeff..."You love me!! Your REALLY REALLY love me!!" Thanks, Largo, for declaring that you miss me on here; have been overwhelmed by both hubby & myself being physically "down," & therefore, we're the blind-leading-the-blind, around here. Listen tomorrow, as you may well here a scream to rival that of a Banshee, when I have to lie flat on an x-ray table. (help me). I am sooooo dreading it. Have taken enough steroids (12 days worth) that, if I were able to bat a ball, I could beat Mark Maguire's distance for home runs, or be in the next sequel to a "Rocky" flick. HA!! Don...You're correct: I AM baddd, to-the-bone! They probably had me in mind when those 2 songs were written, truth be known! LOL Thanks, for releasing me, as Largo put it, from "my time out". Jeff...I am most appreciative that you e-mailed Don to tell him that you love me, anyway. Thanks! It means a lot, to have cyber-friends, such as we all seem to have become, on here, though we've never met in person. Soon as I get my back straightened out, I have some WONDERFUL photos to send, along with early 1950's newspaper articles, that my first cousin, Mary Perry Johnson, (sister of Joe Perry), sent me last week. Believe me when I tell y'all, they are a real treat!! I can hardly wait to share them with everyone!! Toss out all those store-bought tomatoes, y'all!! Don't play roulette with your health!! Salmonella is one ugly microorganism, & much as I LOVE tomatoes, NOTHING is worth the risk, of such an awful illness!! Roberta, keepin' on keepin'on, in the Central Savannah River Area, in the Peach State

Don Boyd		10-Jun-2008 19:44
New uploads: John Tomasetti contributed two images of fire crews at MIA, one from 1963 and one from 1986. Both are in the Aviation gallery and the Individuals/Small Groups gallery. Don

Guest 755		10-Jun-2008 15:09
Thanks Don, you're the grooviest.

LARGO		10-Jun-2008 11:06
UH OH...SPEAKING OF CHRISTMAS...THE "GUEST GRINCH" HAS DONE ANOTHER DRIVE BY.. BUT HEY...KEEP DRIVING!..............DON ..YOU ARE SO FUNNY....HEY... JEFF HURRY AND RECOVER SO WE CAN HERE WHAT FUNNY STORIES DON AND PARKS HAVE TO SAY... AND PLEASE LET ROBERTA OUT OF TIME OUT...I MISS HER ;~) ....I ALSO REMEMBER HOT SHOPPES...IT WAS THE EQUIVALENT OF 60'S SPEED DATING...OR CRUISING....IT "WAS" HAPPY DAYS...........LARGO

Guest		10-Jun-2008 06:10
This is turning into Christmas newsletter hell. Let me guess, you people actually send those things.

Jeff		10-Jun-2008 05:46
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain...!!! Mr. Boyd has used my temporarily debilitating circumstances to assume that just because I stopped a moving floor with my head, I cannot [or would not] be able to keep up with his ascerbic [or was it septic] wit... LOL! Actually, I really don't mind being the butt of Don's jokes and comments for a while... it's a reverse form of flattery... the fact that he's taken the time to rake me over the coals is merely a "Sally Field moment" for me... "He likes me... he really LIKES me..." Just remember, friends and neighbors... consider the source! Hehehehehehehe!!!

Don Boyd		10-Jun-2008 04:07
Roberta, you're baddd, baddd baddd, but Jeff told me in e-mails that he loves you anyhow so all is forgiven. Just practice some restraint when posting here. Janet: no problem with plugging your product if it works for people. If Evie tells Jeff or Charlis that her arm fell off then I'll delete your comment. : ) I had a great visit at Parks Masterson's store (Hopkins Carter Marine) this afternoon and saw some old treasures that he has of Old Miami. We told some great Jeff Jokes for a while which I can not share because of Jeff's fainting recuperation and rehabilitation period. Don

Jeff		10-Jun-2008 03:22
Hi, Parks... Thanks for your kind words. Thanks also for the corrections on Hot Shoppes and A&W. Over the years, I've received conflicting information... and some of it is still kind of muddy... No doubt that Marriott is not the owner of the A&W root beer brand, but they DID own the drive-in franchises and the rights to the name in those restaurants, and they exerted their corporate muscle as such. Remember the A&W on NW 27th Avenue by Miami-Dade? The owners were told some time in the 70's to tear down the original building and upgrade or they would lose their franchise. They refused, and lost the right to use the A&W name, the ability to purchase syrup for the soda taps and subsequently had to rename themselves "The Root Beer Place". They WERE allowed to sell A&W root beer... but only if they purchased bottles and poured it out from them - with NO advertising of the brand... Years ago I wrote to Marriott about the Hot Shoppes Drive-In on S. Dixie Highway, but was summarily ignored...

Parks		10-Jun-2008 03:00
Hi Jeff, Sorry to hear of your medical problems. On the subject of Hot Shoppes, it wasn't bought by Marriot, it was Marriott. Hot Shoppes was started as an A&W Root Beer stand in 1927 by Willard Marriott. He called the root beer stand Hot Shoppe. Hot Shoppes was incorporated in 1929. In 1967 they changed the name to honor the founder. I don't think they ever actually owned the A&W brand.

Guest 755		10-Jun-2008 01:39
Charlis, Roberta, Have been debating with myself for months trying to decide if I should post this comment in this forum, but after hearing about Evie (friend of Charlis & Jeff) and the suffering she and others have endured from fibro and other similar ills I just have to hope that Don will forgive my use of this space in this way. I don't know of another way to get the following website info to ya'll. Visit www.golden-creme.com and then give me a call at the 800 number listed, we'll talk. Don, if you feel this posting is inappropriate, please feel free to delete, I will totally understand.

Linda Shipley Rompot		09-Jun-2008 22:33
Don, The Class of 1958 Hialeah High School is planning our 50th Year Reunion and would like permission to use some of the photos of old Miami Springs, Miami and Hialeah in our slide show and reunion news. Please respond to my email at retdon@gmail.com. Our reunion plans are for the weekend of 10/31 or 10/24/2008 in Orlando, Fl. Class mates can contact us at our class email address: hhs58reunion@gmail.com Linda Shipley Rompot

Arizona Al		09-Jun-2008 16:01
Jeff: Absolutely no offense taken. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery! I do not recall a Kathleen Brunner but that does not rule that I do not know her. It is possible that our paths crossed but without further details I am clueless. I did go to Palmetto High (1962-1964) with a fellow named Don Brunner...Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

LARGO		09-Jun-2008 04:32
YOU NEVER KNOW JEFF...STRANGER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED..AND KINDER WORDS SEEM TO APPEAR AROUND THE MAGIC WITCHING HOUR............LARGO...SMILING WITH GOOD THOUGHTS AND FOND MEMORIES OF THE SULTRY TRADEWINDS OFF THE FLORIDA COAST

Jeff		09-Jun-2008 04:01
Thank you, Largo... you are more than kind and complimentary! I HAD a thought floating in my head... but I knocked it out with that fall... LOL! By the way, if I ever get a time machine I'm going to meet the 16-year-old you back there on Surfside 6... what was the hip term at the time for an attractive girl? You were a solid sender... a real gone chick... the livin' end! LOL!

LARGO		09-Jun-2008 03:44
JEFF...GLAD TO HEAR YOU ARE OK...YOUR PRESENCE AND VALUABLE INFO IS ALWAYS MISSED WHEN YOU ARE AWAY...TAKE CARE OF THAT NOGGIN...NOT BEING AN MD (what do they know??? GASP !)..I WILL NOT ASSUME A DIAGNOSIS...ALTHOUGH I HAVE A THOUGHT FLOATING IN MY HEAD.......BE WELL.............LARGO

Jeff		09-Jun-2008 03:41
Al... I was just on the phone with my police officer friend whom I had gone to see at her off-duty job at Publix when I had my "incident"... I had mentioned you and your comments - and she thinks there's a chance that she may know you... she said your name sounded so familiar. Way back in the day she was known as Kathleen Brunner. She went through the foster system, and for a while was held by the system when no one offered to be a foster parent to her... Does that name sound familiar? She's been a North Miami police officer for over 20 years, currently as a detective in the Domestic Crimes Division. Previous to this, she was one of the first female state troopers in Florida, and even farther back she and her [late] first husband enlisted and served in the Marine Corps. in Vietman - Kathy was in the medical unit. Kathy has also been a foster parent to over 100 kids - and she and her [second] husband adopted ten of them. She's also birthed thirteen children of her own, but lost some to disease. She's also one of the most honored officers here in North Miami, and her charitable activities are more than I can recount here. To me she is the big sister I never had. Don - forgive me from straying from the focal point of this blog - but the wrap-up here is that there's a remote chance Kathy and Al might be former acquaintances...

Jeff		09-Jun-2008 02:48
Thanks Al... And although my conversational verbage is miniscule in diametric opposition to your advanced matriculative achievements, it behooves me to pay hommage to the educational and social skills you have promulgated... LOL! Al, please forgive me... but I HAD to respond in a way that at least "sounded" as if I possessed something more than my barely-achieved high school diploma! I'm by now means showing disrespect to the original "Ridge Rat", musical "compatriot in arms" and overall good guy... I simply had a box of four-dollar words I wanted to use up! LOL!

Arizona Al		09-Jun-2008 02:33
Jeff: You are correct that there are countless reasons for losing conciousness and in absence of difinative medical test outcomes a parsimonious explanation could simply be an artifact of getting older. If the tests rule out hypertension, cerebral vascular involvement, cardiac arrythmia, cochlear involvement, and the myriad of other causes perhaps (and I hope) it is just a natural artifact of the aging process. Wishing my musical kindered spirit only the best. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive, well and in surprisingly good health in Phoenix, Arizona

Jeff		09-Jun-2008 01:31
Thanks for wishing me well, Roberta. No, the doctor did not make any mention of postural hypotension... As I'd noted, there's countless reasons for fainting - and the hospital checked out the reasons that were most likely to be problematic by taking a chest x-ray, EKG and Catscan. Having been blessed as having those tests show nothing serious, he asked me to apprise my own physician, in case he may with to run a stress test to see if there's an occasional arrythmia. Whatever it was, I hope it doesn't happen again... 'cause I sure don't want to stop another moving floor with my head! LOL! [my own joke about the incident]

Roberta Perry Hughes		08-Jun-2008 23:56
Don...Ruh! Roh! and 'Scusi! In all (red-faced) seriousness, I sincerely apologize, for my offensive comments, re: ethnicity. This election has really gotten under my skin, & I acted-out. You are totally correct, that this wonderful memories Site is not the place for airing such as I posted...Are we still friends????? Jeff...Has you doctor mentioned anything about possible postural hypotension, where the B/P drops, with postural changes?? I have it, & if I rise too quickly, from a seated posion, or a reclining position, my B/P drops, I get extremely dizzy, & plop back down, unceremoniously, onto the chair or bed. Luckily, have yet to hit the floor. Of course, the heat & humidity of Miami (& Georgia) is enough to make any of us "fall out." I do hope that you don't have another spell, with this syndrome. I wish you well...and I thank you, too, for not having taken issue with my "politically incorrect" ramblings on here, when I posted them. Chalk it up to cabin fever, chronic pain, mood swings that come with the territory of being basically housebound, or whatever. Admittedly, I should not have gotten carried away, & I hope everyone who read my postings, prior to Don having (rightfully) deleted them, & who were offended by them, will please accept my apology. I will read, & reread, before I click on "Add Comment," so I won't be guilty of this in the future. Roberta, wishing everyone cool, comfortable environments, & well-being, & kind, gentle weather, wherever y'all are. Take care of your precious selves. Talk at ya later!

Jeff		08-Jun-2008 23:04
Don... thank you for the well-wishes! I agree with you about NOT leaving ethnocentric comments here that might be construed by others as offensive. I spotted something else in another post and said nothing - in order to avoid a free-for-all about the First Amendment... Parks - you are partially right... Marriott BOUGHT Hot Shoppes years ago, as well as A&W Root Beer...

Parks		08-Jun-2008 22:29
Arizona Al brought up the subject of Hot Shoppes. I seemed to remember that Hot Shoppes provided food to the airlines in the fifties and sixties. A Google search found the following: 1945: The 1st Hot Shoppes cafeteria is established at McLean Gardens, Washington DC; Hot Shoppes lands its first government feeding contract; In-Flite lands its first airport terminal food-service contract at Miami International Airport. Hot Shoppes is now Marriott Corp.!

Miami Girl		08-Jun-2008 20:04
Roberta: Thanks for the reminder of the show tonight, I'll be sure to tune in. Don: No problems here with the 1 second this site takes to load. You've done a great job with separate subject folders. I love organization - as long as someone else is doing it! AZ Al: I have fond memories of the Hot Shoppes, where everyone went on Friday and Saturday night to see and be seen. I think it was Miami's version of driving up and down small town Main Street. I'd love to see a picture of it since it's probably gone now.

Don Boyd		08-Jun-2008 19:43
Jeff, sorry to hear about your stay at the hospital. Charlis, if you think the problem is the server for the site then how do you explain that it doesn't seem to be a problem for anyone else? Surely they don't assign their slowest server to your connection whenever they see you coming to look at the page? : ) I stand by my previous statements because if it was indeed a server problem then everyone would be complaining instead of just you. Roberta: you had a comment omitted because it was offensive to others. As stated at the top of this page, offensive comments will be deleted and I don't care if you have five paragraphs of non-offensive Old Miami historical stuff in the same message it will all get deleted because I can't delete part of a message. Can you, and anyone else involved, please take your ethnicity issues, such as hyphenated whatevers, to some site where people argue about that stuff all day long? It doesn't belong here. Thank you. Don

Jeff		08-Jun-2008 19:27
CHarlis - I don't have any class reunion info - sorry... I've avoided that stuff liken the plague...

charlis		08-Jun-2008 19:08
arizona... as they say here in FL... "it ain't the heat... it's the humidity!" 106 in AZ is like 150 in FL! I remember being in Vegas one summer and playing golf with a guy from New England. Temp was 116, very low humidity. The guy quit after 9 holes... my hubby and I kept playing.

charlis		08-Jun-2008 19:03
Don... I am a computer geek... I did all the correct things to make for fast loading of sites. Today things are working fine. Had nothing to do with my server, temps, or cache. Had to do with your URL. A few years ago, while investigating a stock fraud, the site would take forever to load. It was the problem of the server the site was using.

charlis		08-Jun-2008 18:56
Roberta... I hate the politically correct hyphenated heritage. When it first came out I wrote an sort essay on it that published in the local paper. If you were born here, then you are a Native, an American... the hell with the hyphen! Worked our Household Chemical Collection... it made it up to, officially at the airport, a few miles south of our collection site, to 97 degrees. 3 days straight of tying record highs.... from years ago! We should be weeks into our regular afternoon, "time cocktail hour", showers! As to Evie and Fibro... she is due to call me in about 45 minutes and I will pass on what you said. Me? I just live with it. I am not a meds taking person. The fact that I only had one child is because of my hubby... I couldn't remember to take the "pill" all the time. I tried to use a routine... OJ evey mornng with the "pill". My ony regular "med" is my afternoon vodka!

jeff		08-Jun-2008 18:48
It's funny as to how our priorities at any given moment can make big issues out of very small things... such as a web page loading... Not to worry folks... at least you CAN load this page - even if slowly... Just to keep things in perspective (but NOT seeking any sympathy or such from what I'm simply telling as an anecdote)... I had another fainting spell while waiting for a friend at my local Publix Market – similar to the one I had back in November of 2007. This time around, I received a laceration to the back of my head due to the fall. I was subsequently transported by EMT to North Shore Hospital and was taken directly to the Emergency Room. This was approximately 1:15 PM. The ER doctor used five stitches to close the wound, and ordered an EKG, chest x-ray and Catscan; also suggesting that I should be kept overnight for observation. Although I wasn’t admitted to a room until about 9:50 PM, I did spend the night at North Shore – with a small monitor [similar to the one you had me wear] attached around 10:40 PM. I received no pain medication, and fortunately had nothing more than mild neuralgia from the injury itself. At 9:00 AM in the morning, the attending physician came in to tell me that I could go home shortly. The EKG, chest x-ray and Catscan showed nothing to raise their concerns. He also noted that sometimes it’s almost impossible to determine why a person faints, but they like to rule out the obvious, life-threatening [possible] causes. Before releasing me, the doctor ordered a follow-up blood sample and EKG – both showing nothing to raise any concerns. I returned home virtually 24 hours after the incident! Let's not sweat the small stuff! Jeff - thankful for the little blessings in life - alive and somewhat well - and home... resting in good old North Miami...

Arizona Al		08-Jun-2008 14:13
Hello Ya All in the Cool South: It was between 102 degrees F and 106 degrees F in the Valley of the Sun yesterday and a bit warmer is predicted for today. I stress the word warmer as it does not get hot until July when the temperature averages 110 degrees F each day...oh how I miss the 90 degree days in Miami. I know it is a dry heat but simply turn your oven on and set it to 110 degrees and climb inside..that is also a dry heat and it really is hot! I have been searching the Web for references/information on the Hot Shoppes Drive-In that was located in South Miami during my reign of terror in the mid 1960s. I have not been able to find anything. Do any of you all remember the "Shoppes" and/or have any information as to its demise? Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and looking for an overcoat in Phoenix, Arizona

Roberta Perry Hughes		08-Jun-2008 00:59
Largo...I have icons in my toolbar to click on, ad lib. They are: a red pennant flag titled "Hamp," which is the 1930's Gallery where my Lighthouse Keeper grandfather is; an "admit" ticket stub, which I titled "Comments;" & a house, which I titled "Ol Miami." I can click on any of the 3, & boom! Usually I'm there, in about a minute, unless there's a temporary hold-up, that makes it slow to access, or, it "locks" where I can't scroll down beyond what is showing. Whenever that happens, & usually just shut 'er down, & when I go back on-line again, everything seems to be working without a problem...other than my usually slow dial-up. MiamiGirl...Sunday @ 9 PM is the 2nd of 3 parts of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," starring that dishy Colin Firth. Be sure to watch, to see his AMAZING home, as well as the other stately 15th 16th century Manor houses, English countryside, & to-die-for tea services. You won't be disappointed! Roberta, doing all I can to stay cool. The Georgia heat is murderous, due to the humidity making the temps in the 90's feel like triple digits. Take care, y'all.

LARGO		07-Jun-2008 22:12
I AM NOT A GEEK RE COMPUTERS (other things perhaps...maybe freak ??) HOWEVER I HAVE A LITTLE MAC BOOK ...AND TRY TO KEEP EVERYTHING SIMPLE ...SO I "BOOKMARK" ALL THINGS I HAVE A CONTINUING INTEREST IN. BOOKMARKS ARE AT THE VERY TOP OF MY SCREEN...SO I JUST CLICK THAT AND SCROLL DOWN TO DONS MAIN PAGE "MEMORIES OF OLD HIALEAH,MIAMI..ETC " CLICK...AND SCROLL DOWN THRU DON'S NEWLY ORGANIZED PHOTO GALLERIES (Lovely by the way Don) TO THE VERY BOTTOM & CLICK ON "COMMENTS"....AND BAM !! I'M THERE...TAKES A FEW SECONDS......THERE IS PROBABLY AN EVEN EASIER WAY BUT THIS WORKS FOR ME..................LARGO

Don Boyd		07-Jun-2008 06:25
Thank you Roberta. There are a lot of variables here that will affect the speed of the site loading and very few people out there are using exactly the same variables (dial-up vs. DSL vs. cable, the speed in the neighborhood served by DSL and cable, the PC differences - processor speed, RAM installed, how much other stuff you have open, etc.; browser differences - IE vs. Firefox vs. Opera, etc. and each of those have different settings). Add the loads on the PBase servers at the time of day you're using it and you could have a million or two variables affecting the speed of the site loading. And all of it is out of my control except that I recently organized the main page in a manner to speed it up for everyone. Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		07-Jun-2008 04:45
Don...Only occasionally do I find the Site slow to come up, but then, I'm on dial-up, & I have yet to get help to undo some "quick fixes," or "fix it for mes" that I clicked on to when I did the computer checkup, & it has caused me some problems with accessing e-mail, & sending a few of them to my Spam folder. Everything I do, on here...or, rather, most of what I do...I have learned by trial & error. For the most part, everything works fine, on this Site, more often than not.

Don Boyd		07-Jun-2008 04:33
Is anyone other than Charlis having a problem with this page loading as slowly as it does for her? No one else has complained about the problem to my knowledge and it loads reasonably fast for me on my primary desktop, my laptop, and other computers at other locations. Please speak up if you're having slowness problems with this page. Charlis: I replied yesterday to your message sent to PBase and asked you to ask others in this gallery if they're having the same problems but I haven't seen you do that. I also explained AGAIN that PBase is a photo hosting site where photo display is the primary purpose and the comments section was never designed to be a forum hosting site with limited or no photos. I surmise that is the reason due to all the text messages it has to retrieve but I'm certainly not a computer guru to give you an authoritative answer. I assure you that I have no control over how the site responds and sometimes it is slow for me but I think that's because of my crappy DSL service. In any event, repeatedly posting your complaints about the slowness is absolutely pointless if I have no control over it. You mention that you are dumping your cache, temps and cookies every day - perhaps that is the problem? If this page was in your cache it would speed things up, from what I understand about computers, but you're dumping your cache which is probably the exact opposite of what you should be doing. Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		07-Jun-2008 03:55
Charlis...Anyone who was born here is, technically, a native American. Those whom WE call "Native Americans," or the even MORE erroneous "American Indians," all referred to themselves as "The People." The incompetent Italian sailor, Christopher Columbus, never set foot on North American soil. He landed in the Carribean, & thought (duh!) that he had discovered the passage to India, & therefore, referred to the native Caribes as "Indians." Technically, "American Indians," today, would be those who have made America their home, either by birth, or by paperwork citizenship, who hail from the country, India. I merely came up with my multi-cultural moniker to point our how utterly ridiculous it is to not just refer to ourselves as "Americans," provided we QUALIFY for that distinction, i.e., via American citizenship, via paperwork, or birth. To put anything in front of "American" is to further separate us. "United we stand...DIVIDED we fall." Benjamin Franklin. Flexeril is also a very good muscle relaxant, & can be taken with Naprosyn. But, according to TV ads, Lyrica is currently being touted to lessen the severity of Fibromyalgia. But the bottom line, is the person with M.D. behind their name, holding a pen & Rx pad. I sincerely hope Evie will finally be prescribed that "magic bullet," to grant her some ease, & a more physically able-bodied life, as pain-free as possible. Roberta...it was 99 degrees, today, with a HHI of 112. What will it be like, in July & August?? I fear, another drought, with dangerously low water tables, grid locks, blackouts, & life-threatening heat. Y'all be mindful, of the dangers of hyperthermia & dehydration. Replace fluids, & be keenly aware if you are not perspiring. Death is swift, under these dangerous conditions. Be well...& stay COOL, wherever you may be.

charlis		06-Jun-2008 23:50
Don...still taking nearly 2 minutes for this site to load, post comments, etc. My cache, temps, and cookies are empty. No problems with other sites I visit. Any idea what is the problem?

charlis		06-Jun-2008 23:46
jeff and roberta... I am posting to both of you as this site is taking nearly 2 minutes to load and to go from reading a post to posting a reply. As I also have fibro, I know what Evie is going through. I suggested that she ask her doc for Soma, which is recommended as a muscle relaxant. Evie is pretty much addicted to Vicodan that was prescribed for "over all "pain many years ago... it does not help Fibro. She has many problems awaiting her because you can not take Vicodan and Soma at the same time. Jeff... I was the Martin to her Lewis. We often did the routines for special skits at MDJC. Roberta... getting the diabetis (sic) under control is important. My ex had "adult onset"... runs in his family. Luckily it does not even show up in mine. As to the heritage thing... I can't claim anything from N America in mine... father's family came over form Ireland and Germany back in the days of the Mayflower. My sister is first born American on my mother's French side of the family. My grandfather, on my mother's Hungarian side of the family, is first generation American born.

Roberta Perry Hughes		06-Jun-2008 09:18
Charlis...So glad that your friend received a good report from her second opinion! That's truly great!! I"m back on steroids, this time around, for 12 days. I hate taking them, as they raise my blood sugar levels to the mid-300's, & I have to add more Regular insulin, to get it to come down. Geesh, Louise...diabetes is a real witch!! I wouldn't wish it off on my worst enemy. It's a very sneaky & underhanded disease, & costly, believe me. Do everything you can, to not cross over & into this disease. It messes up every system in the human body. I'm glad Evie had the opportunity to shine, with her impersonations of J.L., but I remember what you said, about how he treated her. Personally, I always thought that he was irritatingly moronic, & more than a little manic, & I didn't like the way both he & Dean Martin...(& Jackie Gleason, et. alia)....dumped their wives, who were with them from the start, when they were unknowns, & had children by them, & who kept the home fires burning. I have no respect for men who are 'ho's, & that includes politicians, as well as celebrities, & unknowns, too. However, as for as comic genius goes, (in my opinion, of course) Jim Carrey has Jerry Lewis beat by a country mile, & he is multi-talented, also, as he can sing & dance, & can perform a serious role. I loved him in "The Majestic." Do give Evie my best wishes, & I hope that she can be put on medicine that diminishes the symptoms of Fibromyalgia. (Lyrica). Here's y'all a tongue-in-cheek food-for-thought "moniker" I thought up...since there's no country called "Caucasia," I am, Most Sincerely, Roberta, Anglo-Saxon-Celtic-Gaelic-Native American (whew!!), up in the wee hours, once again, after a super humid 96 degree day, here in the Empire State of the South.

Jeff		06-Jun-2008 01:04
Oh, LAAAAAADY!!!! Freunlaven! Mrs. Shmellllding!!!! Charlis - tell Jerry - er - Evie that I'm glad for her. A friend of mine (who happens to be a nurse practitioner) also suffers from fibromyalgia. It's painful - sometimes debilitating - but it CAN be controlled. If Evie is not adverse to taking some medicine, there's one that supposedly supresses the symptoms... Sitting here - as if by some master plan - listening to some Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis old-time radio shows...

charlis		05-Jun-2008 23:40
gang... update on Miami Beach's Evie... she just called. Went to a neurosurgeon who said that she does not need the surgeries the other docs said. It would not help what was wrong with her... might make it worse. His diagnosis agrees with her regular doc's. She does have all the syptoms of Fibromyalgia, a few for MD... She does have some hip problems that he wants to look at, but these might also be from the injures she got back in the early 70's... which also caused the fibromylagia. I know, as I also have it. She said the doctor visit was a riot. She discussed with him her symptoms, mention the MD. The doc said he loved Jerry Lewis and what he has done. At that point she did a few Lewis jokes, impersonating him. The next thing she knew, doc was telling the whole office staff to come into the room... she did 20 minutes of Lewis! I'll keep you up on the news. She sees the other docs on the 11th and can't wait t o see the looks on their faces. I told her that she didn't need to go back... she wants to just so that she can get her revenge... telling a doc that he is wrong about money making, but useless, surgery.

Don Boyd		05-Jun-2008 21:52
New upload: an image from May after the Orange Bowl was demolished and hauled away is now in the 70's and later gallery. Don

Don Boyd		05-Jun-2008 21:17
New upload: Fred Darwick contributed a 1946 photo of his 6th grade class at Shenandoah Elementary School (schools gallery). Don

Don Boyd		05-Jun-2008 18:44
New upload: Alvin Lederer contributed an early 60's tourist brochure for the Voyager Motel on Biscayne Boulevard at 123rd Street (hotels gallery). Don

Don Boyd		04-Jun-2008 05:36
New uploads 6/3: Alvin Lederer contributed a 1960's image of a City of Miami tourist brochure on the Japanese Garden (attractions gallery), a 1947 image of the new Rickenbacker Causeway (40's gallery), a 1940's image of Tropical Hobbyland Indian Village on NW 27th Avenue (attractions gallery), a 1940's image of The Whip Inn Barbecue restaurant on Dixie Highway (restaurants gallery), a 1950's interior image of the Bottle Cap Inn (restaurants gallery), and a 1950's image of the Casa Loma Motel on Biscayne Boulevard (hotels gallery). Robert Bowman contributed a 1960's image of a tourist brochure for the Miami Wax Museum in North Miami (attractions gallery). Don

Don Boyd		04-Jun-2008 04:30
In an effort to have the main memories page load even faster, most new photo additions will only be listed here from now on instead of having them on the main page too. These are the additions that were listed on the main page until I just took them off. 5/18 Cecil Curry sent me a 1952 30th Anniversary Thanksgiving football program (Edison vs. Miami High) and I scanned 37 old local advertisements out of it (Ads > Local Ads gallery). There are also 12 photos from the program cover, Edison's and Miami High's team, cheerleaders, band, cadettes, etc., (schools gallery). He also contributed a 1935 image of his family's home on NE 66 Street (30's gallery) and a 1952, 53 or 54 image of Edison's football team (schools gallery). 5/18: my buddy George W. Young contributed a 1960's aerial photo, which I copied into three different zoom levels, of his beloved Pizza Palace at 3099 SW 8 Street (restaurants gallery). All restaurants, burger joints, bars, lounges, liquor stores, drive-ins, etc. were moved into a new separate restaurants gallery. All car images, car rental agencies, car repair places, car clubs, drag races, etc. were moved into a new separate cars gallery. Most images of individuals and small groups were moved into a new separate individuals and small groups gallery. 5/24: Alvin Lederer contributed the first 1984 scheduled service Concorde flight to MIA postal cachet (Aviation directory), a 1928 postal cachet for the first flight from Havana to Miami (aviation gallery), a 1938 Amelia Earhart postal cachet (aviation > other airports > Miami Municipal gallery), a 1939 Miami Beach dog track post card (30's gallery), a 1940's post card of fishing boats headed for sea in Government Cut (40's gallery), a 1945 State of Florida 100th Anniversary cachet (40's gallery), a 1947 Crandon Park and Rickenbacker Causeway Dedication postal cachet (40's gallery), and a 1949 17th Annual All American Air Maneuvers postal cachet (Aviation > other airports > Miami Municipal/Master's Field). Linda Bernat contributed a 1963 3rd grade class photo from Sylvania Heights Elementary (schools gallery). John Holland contributed a 1942 residents' directory for the Town of Miami Springs and an early map of the Town of Miami Springs (the new Miami Springs gallery). 5/25: Alvin Lederer contributed an unknown year photo of Bill Haast with a cobra (attractions gallery), an unknown year Zippy Chocolate Beverage bottle (Do You Remember? gallery), a 1920's or 30's image of Chalk's Airlines on Biscayne Boulevard (aviation gallery), a 1930's? image of the North Miami Trailer Park on Biscayne Boulevard (30's gallery), a 1930's image of the Coliseum in Coral Gables (30's gallery), and a 1930's? image of Villa Augusta on NE 14th Street (30's gallery). 5/26: Jeff Levine contributed a 1953 image of Billy's Drive-in (restaurants gallery), a 1958 WINZ "top 40's" list (music gallery), and a 1959 image of Steve Alaimo and the Redcoats (music gallery). 5/31: several images of the Miami Springs Historical Museum were added (Miami Springs gallery and aviation gallery and other airports gallery). 6/1: Kelley W. Barrigar contributed a 1961 image of actor Troy Donahue with her mom Sheila Poland (Largo) onboard "Surfside 6" on Miami Beach (individuals and small groups gallery). 6/2: Ted Crownover contributed a 1968 image of some fine Miami High ladies at Paradise 25 (schools gallery). All hotel/motel photos were moved into a new Hotels and Motels gallery, all school-related photos were moved into a new Schools gallery, all grocery store photos were moved into a new Grocery Store gallery, all drive-in theatre photos were moved into a new Drive-In theatre gallery, all department store, shopping center and mall photos were moved into a new Shopping Centers gallery, all tourist attractions were moved into a new Attractions gallery, all downtown, Bayfront Park and Port of Miami photos were moved into a new Downtown gallery, and all 1960's photos were moved into a new 1960's gallery. Don

robertbowman		04-Jun-2008 03:22
Hi Jeff and Charlis I went to "Beach High" and managed to graduate in 74. Grew up on Commerce street. We were the poor working class. Almost lived on the pier and surrounding beach. How about Schraegers drug store(1st and ocean)......I can almost taste the IceCream soda.

Jeff		04-Jun-2008 02:19
Not a problem, Charlis... I just wanted to clarify your thoughts on the subject, because they sounded so unlike our previous exchanges. I used to have a running joke... "Did you go to Beach High?"... "No, I went to Beach straight!"

charlis		03-Jun-2008 23:41
Jeff... I was talking about the rich ones who flaunted it. I was actually told by a few of the girls the reason I did not fit it... those are the words I used in my earlier post. The only thing I had over them was that my parents' house was paid for... paid in cash, while their parents were working hard to keep up the payments. Remember that Evie was also treated cruelly by the "crowd". You were a "geek" back then... just like my ex... we had our friendship with Kope to help us make it through. And, roberta... jeff and I were "free thinkers" back then... that still gets me into trouble at work with some people... but a lot of people like it. Tomorrow is to be a tough day at work... the budget cuts are going to be announced, thanks to the people who voted for Amendment 1 without really looking into it. I am safe, but a lot of people with the county are holding their breathes.

Jo-Anne K		03-Jun-2008 14:23
Since I don't get to this site everyday I have to read the posts I missed to catch up. So.....let's mention Marcella's again. The Marcellas's on 183rd St. (Miami Gardens Dr.) was the hang-out for the students from Miami-Norland High and it is funny that when I was looking at some posts on classmates.com there were all kinds of posts about how excellent the garlic rolls were and there was even a recipe for them. Marcella taught me how to eat spagetti (it wasn't pasta back then) when I was four years old and I'll never forget her and thanks to this site I can just live in the past. Don, I do remember the Marcella's in Hollywood as I was living just north of Sheridan Street and 36th Ave. at the time and I think it was the early 70's. Good Morning Everyone!!!!!

Roberta Perry Hughes		03-Jun-2008 08:21
So...Was Tropical Elementary the only school that put on a Minstrel Show?? The one to which I am referring was held in the school's cafetorium, in 1956. Two of the male faculty members who performed in "black face" were Mr. Fistel, who taught one of the 5th grade classes, & Mr. Ed Borkowski, who was the boys' P.E. teacher. Our principal, Mr. Robert F. Hudson, served as the Emcee, but not in "black face" makeup. They played to a packed house, I believe, for two performances. Our entire family attended. Students of Mr. Fistel's class, including my brother, sold tickets, to this fund raiser show. I think they used the money to buy visual aids equipment, & P.E. equipment. As I stated, in an earlier post, I had all but forgotten this event, until a PBS special, about the antebellum South, brought it all back to me. Even my sister had forgotten it, until I called & asked her about our family having attended the first night's performance. At the time, it was considered merely to be "all in good fun," & I recall a LOT of laughter, that night, & a standing ovation, for the performers. Oh, my...! How times have changed. Roberta, up late...(again)...trying to cope with back pain, while reflecting on a long gone era in time, which was long before the onset of being "politically incorrect," which has made life in these United States more than a little bit tense, & testy, to boot.

Jeff		03-Jun-2008 05:05
Al, Roberta... so glad you understood from whence I came... sometimes "your own people" can treat you the worst... not just those you are an "outsider" to... Don, the front page of the galleries loads in a flash! Great job! By the way... regarding our "Lucians battle of wits"... I hate to fight with you... you've come unarmed! LOL!!! (For those of you who are clueless to what that last remark meant--- Don and I have been having a little good-natured fun online with some sarcastic retorts regarding one particular picture...)

Ariuzona Al		03-Jun-2008 03:50
Roberta, Jeff, Charlis et. alli.: I can personally relate to the angst of "not fitting in" during my tenure at Palmetto High School.During 1962-1964. I was considered an undesireable hood because I was a free thinker type who questioned authority, rode an Indian Motorcycle, and constantly violated the preppie dress code. As a result, several of us like minded free spirits formed the Ridge Rats and spin off Tyrants "social clubs" which validated our collective hoodlum image at every opportunity. Funny thing, though..I graduated with Honors and turned down a full ride scholarship to Florida State and volunteered for the U.S. Army in 1964 so as not to have to continue an association with the college preppies. Gordon Allport, Ph.D. published several seminal articles and manuscripts on the nature of prejudice in the late 1940s and early 1950s which may bear perusal. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and still a free thinker, questioner of authority and clearly a violater of professional dress decorum in Phoenix, Arizona

Don Boyd		03-Jun-2008 03:41
And continuing along with Jeff's summer of love, all tourist attraction photos were moved into a new Tourist Attractions gallery, all downtown - Bayfront Park - Port of Miami photos were moved into a new Downtown gallery, and most of the 60's images were moved into a new 1960-1969 gallery. Unfortunately the idea of the 60's gallery came after I moved a pile of 60's photos into the new subject matter galleries so it'll take some time to get photos back into the 60's gallery. You may notice that a lot of photos are duplicated, once in the subject matter gallery and again in the appropriate time frame gallery. That was intentional - some people like to search by years and some by subject and it will make it easier to find a specific photo one way or the other. Robertah, thank you for your comments on the reorganization and having the site up. The main page should load a lot more quickly, which will save me a ton of time in the future when working on the site, and it will also save time for those viewers accessing the site via dial-up and slow DSL. Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		03-Jun-2008 01:20
Jeff...Charlis...It was those others, who didn't "fit in," with wholesome, good kids, like the two of you are, & as Jeff pointed out, they are the ones who are the true "losers," for they lost out on the character-building of fairness, & non-prejudicial acceptance, of those who were, in some manner of speaking, "different" from those who spun in their own circles. We all know...NOW...that such behavior...most especially "snobbery...was borne out of innate (sic) immaturity. Dr. Ogus...? What say you, on this subject? Have I hit it on-the-mark?

Jeff		03-Jun-2008 00:14
Charlis... Your comments about "the old farts and Jews" puzzled me... especially since Evie is your best friend... and SHE is Jewish... You also know that I went to Beach High... and that I also am Jewish (although I DO NOT practice religion and actually have a distate for it). I was neither rich, nor fit in as well... so I certainly hope you don't lump us all into the same pile as the "privileged kids" who lived North of 41st Street... I'm definitely not trying to stir up any controversy with you - for as you know,we've had NO issues or arguments at all (so those who read this post will understand that you and I agree more than disagree on things)... Yet I really don't think that the "elitist snobbery" that was present from the privileged kids at Beach could be relegated to only those of the Jewish faith... From my own experience, I received just as much snobbery from the privileged non-Jews as my Jewish classmates. Truth be told, the Beach High of the Mid-60's was very much a school of snobbery and self-centered behavior than many DO NOT care to admit existed... This is why I went through three years of emotional hell. I spent many lonely nights at home wondering what it was about "me" that people hated [not realizing that the critics were the real losers - NOT myself]... I dropped out in my senior year - then eventually busted my ass to complete high school during summer school and because of that I chose not to attend graduation ceremonies (whcih I now regret)... There were a number of painful years of low self-esteem and self doubt until I finally had the courage (and encouragement) to change all that. I worked hard to overcome my issues, and now look back on my high school years for the GOOD things I can remember... Sweetie, NO school years are perfect - kids can and WILL be cruel... even as far back as in elementary school... but it's just a tad unfair to pigeonhole those of ANY race, religion, creed or national original as "the cause" of a particular problem. True, at the time Beach High had a higher percentage of Jewish students than now... True, many of those students were annoyingly spoiled, rude, shallow and egotistacal... but I sincerely don't believe that you didn't fit in because your WEREN'T Jewish... You just didn't fit in...like so many others didn't... because you didn't fit in... and neither did I!

Roberta Perry Hughes		02-Jun-2008 22:22
Don...I LOVE the new & efficient compact-edition of the Main Galleries!! Such a great idea, to compartmentalize the photos into their own click-on-it Gallery!! Makes viewing a lot easier, to have all of the "like kinds" photos all together in one place! Keep up the good work! I'm willing to bet that this is THE best, & most organized Site out there!! I am truly grateful, for what you have done, for all of us former, & current, Miamians. Without your wonderful Site, we'd have to rely on some semblance of recall, to remember our favorite places, that no longer exist. Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart! You're the best!!

charlis		02-Jun-2008 22:20
"Thanks for the memories..." (Sorry Bob....) I don't really tremember that much about the period... 1967-68. Too busy getting ready for college and working the teen club with Evie. (No. I was not smoking the funny stuff.) I was also, the fall of '67, dating a Beach High senior/nerd who was stuck in the 40's! Miami Beach was not exactly a place for the "love generation"... all the old farts and jews... They were all stuck in the '40's... or too rich to be hippies... except for one person who came down from Ohio and went to Beach for one year. She wasn't a hippie... just looked like one... long hair, free flowing outfits... Funny thing... I ran into her a few years ago up here in Tampa... I work for the county's Solid Waste dept... she works for the City's dept. She still has the long hair, although a lot of gray in it. She did not fit in at Beach because everyone thought she was a hippie. She didn't fit in because she was from Ohio... I went through the same thing... I never fit in... not jewish, not rich. You guys on the "mainland", aka, west of Biscayne Bay... you had it great, from what I can see in the posts.

Don Boyd		02-Jun-2008 19:51
Breaking away from the summer of love 40 or 41 years ago, Ted Crownover contributed a 1968 image of some fine Miami High ladies at Paradise 25 (new Schools gallery). Where have all the images in the main gallery gone? Here's where: all hotel/motel photos were moved into a new Hotels and Motels gallery, all school-related photos were moved into a new Schools gallery, all grocery store photos were moved into a new Grocery Store gallery, all drive-in theatre photos were moved into a new Drive-In theatre gallery, and all department store, shopping center and mall photos were moved into a new Shopping Centers gallery. Don

Jeff		02-Jun-2008 18:43
Hello all... I very well may be off-target. I THOUGHT the Summer of Love was 1968... but your collective response says 1967, so I defer... Al... I have the last surviving 20 minutes of Hendrix at Miami Pop... he sounded good to me... but what do I know? I though the Summer of Love was 1968! LOL!

Guest		02-Jun-2008 16:48
I saw a documentary on the Summer of Love not too long ago, and it was in '67.

Arizona Al		02-Jun-2008 16:33
Hello Again Jeff: On previously admitting to cognitive declination ,does my memory serve me correctly or incorrectly that the San Francisco Summer of Love took place in 1967? Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and wondering just how close to dementia in the presenium he really is in Phoenix, Arizona

Arizona Al		02-Jun-2008 16:28
Hello Jeff: I do recall attending the Miami Pop Festival at Hallandale Park in 1968. I recollect that Jimi Hendrix did not put on a great performance. However my cognitive acquisition, storage and recall skills may have been influenced by whatever substances I consumed during the event and the normal declination due to the passage of time. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive, well and currently limiting his concert activities to Diet Coke and whatever is on HDTV in Phoenix, Arizona

Jeff		02-Jun-2008 05:38
It was 40 years ago that the Miami Pop Festival was held - of all places - at Gulfstream Race Track in Hallandale. Featured acts included The Crazy World of Arthur Brown ("Fire"), the Chambers Brothers ("Time Has Come Today") and Jimi Hendrix! A short time after, one of the producers went on to arrange a little gathering in a small town in upstate New York. You might have heard of the event... it was called "Woodstock"... This is also the 40th Anniversary of what has come be known as "The Summer of Love"... Wouldn't it be nice to turn back the clock - when so many young people dreamed of a world free of war, ignorance, bigotry, racism and political divide... "If you're going to San-Francisco...be sure to wear some flowers in your hair..."

charlis		01-Jun-2008 20:16
Roberta and Jeff... thought you would get a big kick out of this... The new "password" game show... Evie is submitting an entry... she has to submit a pic. She has underlined... "NO! I am not Barbera Streisand trying to get on the show!" Hmmmm... maybe I should contact Regis and suggest a "celebrity look alike" show. Site still loading very slow...

charlis		01-Jun-2008 19:39
Roberta... got your email... I'm just afraid to open it... darn it, just mentioning it has the song playing in my head. Trying, unsuccessfully, to stay off the computer this weekend. Strained my eyes reading a great Robert Ludlam book. Good thing I can "touch type"! I'll get back to you on your emails. Evie is due to call any minute and I will relay your best wishes to her. I am also going to forward a pic I just found of her to Don, afterall, she is a Miami memory. See next post...

LARGO		01-Jun-2008 16:05
HEY DON...THANKS...WE ALL WERE CUTE AT 16....NOT DOING TOO BAD AT GOING ON "63" THIS JUNE (FRIDAY "YIKES!"...THE 13th)...WOW...TIME REALLY FLIES...AND I DEFINATELY WILL BE CELEBRATING, AS I AND MY POSSEE ALWAYS DO......STILL TWISTIN'.......LARGO

Don Boyd		01-Jun-2008 15:46
Kelley W. Barrigar contributed a 1961 image of actor Troy Donahue with her mom Sheila Poland (Largo) - aka "Largo" in this comments gallery - onboard "Surfside 6" on Miami Beach (Individuals & Small Groups gallery). (Largo was mighty fine looking back in 1961!) Robert Bowman contributed a 1973 image of a souvenir coin from Fun Fair that says "Bambi loves Robert" (Individuals & Small Groups gallery). Don

Ted Crownover		01-Jun-2008 14:23
Check out pandora.com to listen to music on your computer.

Don Boyd		01-Jun-2008 13:45
Nan, it was moved into the "Individuals and Small Groups" gallery to free up space in the main gallery. Don

Nan		01-Jun-2008 13:31
Don, What happened to the pix of the St. John Boy Scouts? Wanted to show an ole' classmate but was unable to locate it?

Roberta Perry Hughes		31-May-2008 20:27
A distant ("politically incorrect") Miami memory came to-the-fore when I was watching a special on PBS last night. When I was in the 4th grade, at Tropical Elementary, the male teachers, along with the male members of the PTA, had the students sell tickets for a show they put on, at the school, & our family bought tickets, through my brother, who was in Mr. Fistel's 5th grade class. Mr. Fistel was one of the players. It was a Minstrel Show, where they were all in "black face," & they performed the now-infamous "Jim Crow" skits, complete with banjo music, straw boater hats, & canes, & shuffled along, like the characters that actor Steppin Fetchit played in the movies, in type-cast roles of servitude, & uneducated demeanors. I had forgotten all about that show, but I remembered how the audience must have deemed it hilarious, as there was a LOT of laughter, & it evidently was well received, as the players got a standing ovation. Were Minstrel Shows performed in anyone else's schools, in the early-to-mid-fifties, or beyond, that you recall? I had all but blocked it from memory, until I saw such as that played out, in old footage, on PBS, in a special about the antebellum South. It also covered pre-Civil War, & of course, slavery. PBS specials are real eye-openers. What had seemed to be humorous, when I was in the 4th grade, was actually quite demeaning, to an entire race of People. But, at the time, it was considered as "innocent fun." Roberta, waxing nostalgic, & sharing a childhood memory, in the Peach State.

Roberta Perry Hughes		31-May-2008 20:04
Charlis...Did you get the link for Kyu Sakamoto that I sent you? Also, the link for the words to the song, in both Japanese & in English? Wish I could hear you singing it, in Japanese! Wish I could learn to sing it, in Japanese! I DO so love that song! The link I sent you shows a B&W photo of Kyu, his wife, & 2 beautiful children, which look to be a boy & a girl. Arizona Alan...Amazon.com has the Billboard Hits for 1963, on a CD, & also, a CD of the Greatest Hits album by Kyu Sakamoto, in case you want to order a "playable" version. I am going to order them, you can count on it! Roberta, grateful for the invention of A/C, oh a HOT 90 degree day in the Deep South.

charlis		31-May-2008 17:43
Roberta... may not have been your computer... it's taking over a minute and a half to load the site, post messages, etc. That's even after cleaning my temps, cache, and cookies. No problem with other sites I visit.

charlis		31-May-2008 17:33
Sukiyaki... thanks guys... that song will not stop playing in my head. It's as bad as "It's a Small World" at Disney.. !!!!!! Great! Now IT'S playing in my head! No Sukiyaki. !!!!! Great! Now Sukiyaki is back in my head. ;-0~ Thanks for your wishes for Evie. I'll tell her tomorrow when she checks in.

Don Boyd		31-May-2008 15:01
A bunch of images from the Miami Springs Historical Museum were added to the Miami Springs gallery, the aviation gallery and the other airports sub-gallery. Don

Arizona Al		31-May-2008 14:40
Roberta: I have a rather extensive collection of recorded music from the 1950's and 1960's on vinyl disks (45rpm records and 33rpm albums), cassette tape, video tape, CD and DVD formats. The song Sukiyaki is on a rather worn and scratched vinyl disk album by Kyu Sakamoto titled "Sukiyaki and Other Japanese Hits" pressed and distributed by Capitol Records circa 1963. It really does damage to my turn table stylus so I do not often play it. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and listening to "Oldies Music" most often in Phoenix, Arizona

Roberta Perry Hughes		31-May-2008 04:49
Howdy, Arizona Alan...!...How are you listening to Kyo Sakamoto's "Sukiyaki" in "real time?" Do you have a recording of it? On a CD? What is the title of the CD, if so? Where can I get this original song, for myself? I would love to be able to play it, ad lib. Any help you can give me in tracking down this song would be appreciated. Many thanks, Pal! Roberta, up late, as is the "norm," here in the Empire State of the South.

Arizona Al		31-May-2008 03:25
Hello All: I certainly remember Kyo Sakamotos' Sukiyaki circa 1963. It played on all of the Miami "AM" stations during the Summer of 1963 (WQDR, WCKR, WFUN). When I was in the U.S. Army in Vietnam 1966-1967 this song was frequently played on the Armed Forces Radio Network. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well, and listening to Suyiyaki in real time as I type this blog from Phoenix, Arizona

Roberta Perry Hughes		30-May-2008 23:46
Charlis...I am so very sorry to learn about your friend Evie's medical condition. It's terrible to be so ill, & even worse when you are alone. Please tell her that she is in my thoughts, though I don't know her, personally. I wish her the best.

Roberta Perry Hughes		30-May-2008 23:39
Charlis...I didn't "refresh" my posting. For some reason, my computer seized up, & I couldn't close the screen, by the red "X," in the upper right hand corner of the screen, nor do the "Ctrl/Alt/Delete," to cancel the program, & then reboot. All I could do was to unplug my computer, & give it a rest. Back on here, now, after I fed hubby his supper, & I was surprised to see that my post was even on here, & beyond shocked, to see the multiplicity of it all. Geesh. Believe me when I tell you that it wasn't an intentional thing, & I didn't do a thing, save for what I just told you, to have caused it...that I know of! I just tried to get to heck out of the screen, & off of the computer, & ended up taking the last ditch effort, borne of desperation...!! Roberta, UNPLUGGED, in the CSRA, in the Peach State, on a hot & muggy day.

Jeff		30-May-2008 23:01
Charlis... Sorry to hear about Evie... please send her my best... Strange... but I just sent off a donation to MDA yesterday... and as I type I'm listening to a MP3 of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis from their 1949 radio broadcast... I promise NOT to refresh the browser... NOT to refresh the browser... NOT to refresh the browser... LOL!

charlis		30-May-2008 22:47
jeff... the Marcella's location, across form the West Dixie Towers was the last store int the "wedge" of the building... that was 1973. Evie update... not good. Doctors want to open her up... neck and lower spine... without doing any "blood test" for MD (ironic that she might have MD)... she might be n a wheel chair within the year. She is refusing the surgery until the blood test are done, and the doctors are questioning her questions! Let's see... Evie and Jerry Lewis... Jerry Lewis and MD... mmmmm

charlis		30-May-2008 22:39
Roberta... 2 things... multiple posts...Do not hit the "refresh" button if you do not se your post. Just close your browser and open it again, Don is aware of the problem... which is getting worse. As to the song.... Ironic that it was played several times this week on the elevator... people were amazed at my pronounciation as I sang the song. I had learned Japanese as a child... neighbor... but all I can remember now, after 51 years, is that song, and how to say hello, good bye, and thank you. "hello" is "ohio gazimos" (sic) and I remember that because I lived in Ohio at the time. Even more ironic, today I was asked to do a special project for a party for two people that are retiring at the end of June... I was aksed to create a poster with "Goodbye" in many languages and Japanese was one of them!

Roberta Perry Hughes		30-May-2008 21:38
Hi, Gang...I hope I didn't confuse anyone, re: Kyo (pronounced "cue") Sakamoto, & his former #1 hit song, "Sukiyaki," & that many of you DO recall his original version of that song, & maybe, even remember having seen him perform it, on TV. I hope so, anyway. Please...if you remember the song, as performed by the late Japanese singer, & remember him, please, post on here, & let me know that you do, so I won't think that I'm the only one out here who does. It's very sad, when someone has been forgotten. I merely used the search I did on Kyo Sakamoto, as an example of how some searches can make us sad, whenever we learn the facts...not unlike having learned about a favorite restaurant, or other Miami landmark, that we were totally unaware of having gone into oblivion. Didn't mean to confuse anyone, by bringing up this late, & wonderfully talented singer, from our youth. I thought he was adorable, & all these years later, his song plays in my mind. (Never heard the "English version" by A Taste of Honey. It wouldn't be the same, as the original).

Jeff		30-May-2008 04:31
Don... Truthfully... I didn't know of the Hollywood location. I just learned something! For those of you mildly confused as to who was Kyu Sakamoto and his hit "Sukiyaki"... his Japanese language song [based on a traditional melody] went to #1 on the Billboard chart in May of 1963... 45 years ago. Yes, he was a passenger on a Japan airliner that crashed into a mountainside a few years back. During the 1970's the female duo called "A Taste of Honey" re-did the song with English lyrics. Interestingly enough, both releases were on Capitol Records... Kanichiwa!

Roberta Perry Hughes		30-May-2008 04:03
Jeff...Parks...Don...That's just sad, the way some of our favorite eating places cease to exist, & favorite places get eradicated to make way for apartments. Nothing every stays the same, does it? I did a search, on a "one hit wonder" singer that everyone seemed to love...especially his one song, which no one understood a word of, as it was in a foreign language...only to learn he had been killed in a plane crash when he was 41 years old. The singer was Kyo Sakamoto, from Japan, & the song was entitled "Sukiyaki," for American audiences. I had been hearing his song in my mind, & had been wondering what ever became of him, so did a search to find out. Sometimes, the results of a search can be sad, indeed. I'd have been better off remembering Kyo Sakamoto the way he was, the last time I saw him, performing his popular song on TV. Can't recall if it was on "American Bandstand," or on "The Ed Sullivan Show." I'm sure everyone remembers him, & that unforgettable melody.

Don Boyd		30-May-2008 02:35
Maybe you're not counting Broward on purpose or not, but there used to be a Marcella's on the west side of US 441 (60th Avenue) in a strip shopping center in Hollywood, just south of Hollywood Boulevard and across from where the Hollywood Fashion Center opened in the early 70's. I think Marcella's was there all through the 70's and possibly earlier and later. She used to appear in late night TV commercials in the early 70's as I recall and the 441 restaurant was always listed along with the original. I saw her in her Hollywood restaurant at least two or three times while dining there. Don

Jeff		30-May-2008 01:08
TX Jeff: The story of Marcella's restaurant is a bit of North Miami history... She first opened her restaurant in the original building that stood across the street from her on the Northwest side of 139th Street and West Dixie Hwy. - next to the Rex Pharmacy. [This building burned down a number of years back, and a two-story shopping/office building replaced it.] Soon after, she bought the building on that oppositive corner and eventually [as her business and catering service grew] expanded into the two adjacent buildings. Sometime in the 1960's she took on a young partner, and they opened a second Marcella's on Miami Gardens Drive. Eventually, this young, inexperienced partner ran her almost out of business with his mismanagement. She divested of the three buildings, and in the late 1970's-early 1980's moved to yet a third corner of that intersection in a small strip center alongside a convenience store. This was on the Northeast corner, across from where Charlis was living (West Dixie Towers). By the way, West Dixie Towers was built on the old site of the pony rides in North Miami... In between all this, Marcella opened up a restaurant at the Aventura mall, but this did not pan out. Failing health forced her to close her restaurant and she eventually sold the house she had lived in for years behind the famailar Marcella's location... Marcella Aitkin passed away a couple of years ago.

Parks		29-May-2008 23:42
TX Jeff, I'm afraid Marcella's is gone. I've lived all my life in Miami and have never had a Frankie's pizza. Everyone raves about them. I guess this weekend I'll have to get one. I had lunch at Arbetter's Hot Dogs today. That's just a couple of blocks from Frankie's. It's still great. I had two MOs, a CO, fries and a birch beer. Arbetter's does every thing wrong. They boil their dogs instead of grilling them. They steam their buns instead of toasting them. Don't know why I love them so much.

charlis		29-May-2008 23:06
TX.... I lived across the street from Marcellas in 1972-73... The aroma was wonderful.... I got pregnant at that time and they knew my regular order... pizza with double pepperoni and cheese, easy on the tomato sauce, the wonderful garlic rolls with extra "dip"...

charlis		29-May-2008 22:50
jo... I am lucky that I work for the Solid Waste Mgmt Dept... a few jobs are always needed... coroners, funeral parlors, and garbage collection. Good luck in your pursuits. I just heard today that they are trying to go after our state pension plan... not paying into it, or reducing the contributions to them... the stock funds. I got talked itno going with that idea when I went to work for the county 8 years ago. Luckily I was good friends with the rep for the company and he got me into a good plan.

MO John		29-May-2008 16:38
TX Jeff, On that pizza site. I grew up in the now Pinecrest area, but I never heard of Frankies Pizza. Wish I had. I love pizza. In the late 60s, we used to ride our bikes south toward Perrine to a place called Momma's Pizza. It was home-owned. Other than Momma's, there was a little stand-up pizza stand (around summer 1969) at the Staten Island and Governor's Island Ferry point in NYC. Along w/ Momma's, those two places had the best pizza I've ever eaten to date. Franks Pizza in Edgewood and Aberdeen, MD, is good too.

TX Jeff		29-May-2008 15:52
Thanks MO John. I changed it (and of course, will log out now so this one doesn't post a zillion times.

MO John		29-May-2008 15:07
TX Jeff, When you post a message, and this sites remains open, and you then refresh your browser, you will get a repeat of that post. BLUF: write a post, then log out of the site, then come back and refresh your browser all you want. To avoid confusion on this board, you might want to re-name yourself to "TX Jeff". There's already a Jeff on this board and he is one of the main charcters here (an icon, so to speak)......I mean that in a good way. I did the same when several "Johns" (lol) started popping here up like weeds.

MO John		29-May-2008 14:06
TX Jeff, Do a google search for "Marcella's Restaurant in North Miami" and you should find all the info you need. Good luck!

TX Jeff		29-May-2008 13:44
Great site. Moved to Miami in 1957 (to a small house on LeJeune Rd across the street from the Red Diamond). Went to Kinloch Park Elem for one year, moved to Westchester (brand new neighborhood), and went to Coral Park Elem, Rockway Jr Hi, and Coral Park HS...Class of 69. Best pizza IMHO was Frankies on Bird Rd. Still open and selling pizza online too, for those of us half a country away (in Texas since graduating college). Site ishttp://www.graphink.com/frankies/index.html and they have some great old pix from the 50s. Anyway, my reason for posting is that I proposed to my wife (in 1970) at Marcella's Restaurant in North Miami (the BEST little rolls w/garlic butter), and was wondering if they were still open, since we're coming back to Miami this summer for vacation and a cruise. Thought it would be fun to eat there if it's still around. Any help from readers would be appreciated.

Don Boyd		29-May-2008 02:37
Sorry Chad, I don't know of such a site. When I started this I intended on including Broward too in a separate gallery but I'm now overwhelmed with Dade stuff and I see no end in sight for the foreseeable future. There also seems to be a scarcity of old Broward photos on the net. Don

Chad Zurko		28-May-2008 21:17
This is a great site, but does anyone know of a site that focuses more on the landmarks of Ft. Lauderdale/Broward County? Like Castle Park, Pantry Pride, J. Byrons, etc...

Joanne		28-May-2008 01:26
Charlis...Amen to that. It's part of the reason I've been without work the last 4 months. So many city, county and state services have gone under the knife and there are very few positions available. I've applied to more than 60 jobs and have had only 4 interviews. The economy is rotten here in Tallahassee.

Don Boyd		27-May-2008 23:23
Jo-Anne K: no word yet on the ABC Good Morning America website. The latest video is from the 18th athttp://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4879997 and it is mentioned that viewers have until Sunday (2 days ago?) to vote online. Watching the video makes me want to drive up to Jaxson's for a treat despite the gas prices. Stay tuned. Don

charlis		27-May-2008 22:52
Jo... Bravo for rescuing Paper. Thanks to the stupidity of many Florida residents who did not look into the Property Tax amendent before voting... thinking they would save hundreds of dollars many of the county, Hillsborough County/Tampa area Services are being slashed everywhere... (lucky for me that there is always a need to get rid of garbage...) , the word has gone out for us "safe" employees to see if we want to volunteer for other services as people are being "let go". Lucky for me that I live in a condo with pet restrictions... otherwise, if I should volunteer... I'd be bringing home a lot of animals!

Jo-Anne K		27-May-2008 21:28
Roberta, funny you mentioned African Grey Parrots. About four years ago my Mom, who is now 86 wanted to get a parrot to keep her company but she changed her mind when she found out how long they lived for, she got a Yorkie instead. I didn't go to the pound over the holiday weekend, I kinda don't feel like I'm ready just yet for a new pup, but I'm still looking on line for English Setters (I've had three of 'em so I'm partial) I like Clumber Spaniels also. Actually I have an American Foxhound at home in NC, she was a rescue dog but she doesn't travel well. She was so terribly abused when I got her that it took about six months for her to know that no one was going to hurt her, now she is a GREAT dog and I've had her for about six years now but she is not willing to leave her home in the mountains. Her name is PAPER, since she was resued from the Union Camp (now International Paper) papermill in Franklin, VA. Don......is there a follow up to who won the best ice cream shop in America????

Don Boyd		26-May-2008 06:08
Jeff Levine contributed a 1953 image of Billy's Drive-in (restaurants gallery), a 1958 WINZ "top 40's" list (music gallery), and a 1959 image of Steve Alaimo and the Redcoats (music gallery). Don

Don Boyd		25-May-2008 17:16
Alvin Lederer contributed an unknown year photo of Bill Haast with a cobra (main gallery), an unknown year Zippy Chocolate Beverage bottle (Do You Remember? gallery), a 1920's or 30's image of Chalk's Airlines on Biscayne Boulevard (30's gallery), a 1930's? image of the North Miami Trailer Park on Biscayne Boulevard (30's gallery), a 1930's image of the Coliseum in Coral Gables (30's gallery), and a 1930's? image of Villa Augusta on NE 14th Street (30's gallery). All photos from Miami Springs have been moved into a new separate Miami Springs gallery. Don

Don Boyd		25-May-2008 17:04
Tina posted in the wrong place: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tina Dixon (McLeod) vauito@comcast.net hide \| delete 25-May-2008 16:00 What an amazing website and flash from the past this website is. I recognize the page from the yearbook from Miami Palmetto Jr. High 1969-70, as I was there. I also remember being on the Skipper Chuck "popeye playhouse" TV show as a young girl. When the cameras were off-he was rather hateful to the kids. I remembered feeling a little "let down" when I left as I watched this show every morning before school. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roberta Perry Hughes		24-May-2008 23:35
Don...This latest link made me weep, most especially the "recent" photos. Why weren't there more people there, on the day of the very last race held at the Hialeah Race Course? The entire city of Hialeah should have attended! You'd have thought they would have, anyway. The lack of support, by the "locals," on that historic & somber occasion, was blatantly remiss, in civic duty. And now, the city of Hialeah is gnashing its teeth, over the demise of the treasure they once had in their midst. ..."Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got, 'til it's gone? They've paved Paradise and put up a parking lot..." ---from "Big Yellow Taxi."

Don Boyd		24-May-2008 21:19
And here's a link to some Palm Beach Post historical and current photos of Hialeah Park: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/sports/slideshows/hialeahpark08/ Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		24-May-2008 20:53
Years ago, my first cousin told me that, when she was a young girl...(maybe, 14?)...the President of the United States, Harry S. Truman, visited Miami. She spent the night with a girlfriend, so she could go to the parade with her the next day, which featured Truman's motorcade. Her friend told her, the night before, that she had to shave her legs, when she took her shower to get ready to go to the parade, & asked my cousin if she was going to shave her legs, too. Well, my cousin said she would never admit to her friend that she had never shaved her legs before, so she said "Sure! But I forgot to bring my razor." Her friend volunteered the use of her razor. My poor cousin! Her legs were so badly nicked, over her shin, that the bleeding was hard to stop. The solution? They applied cobwebs (they got from under the bed) to the multiple nicks, which stemmed the flow. My cousin said she forgot all about her cobweb-covered shins, when the President passed by, waving to the crowd from the window of his limousine, she was so excited, to be seeing the President of the United States, in person! It was a memory that she would never forget...& colored brightly, by her "premier" leg-shaving incident! I'm sure this story will remind allthe ladies of their own mishaps from shaving with a so-called "safety razor," back in the day! I can't count the times when I, too, had deep nicks over my shins, & "razor burn" around my knees & ankles, & underarms, while in junior high & high school. Often, such events occured while getting ready to go to some milestone event, like a date, or the prom, or even just to the beach, or to the pool. It was all a part of growing up. Personal hygiene has come a long way, in today's world, as compared to the late '50's & early '60's. Ads for "sanitary napkins" were in the very back, of "True Story," & "Modern Romance" magazines, & they were very small, & indiscreet. Remember "Modess...because." ?? We used to ask, "Because...what??" Nowadays, it's in-your-face..."Have a happy period!" (Help me). Today's commercials would have had us fleeing from the living room, in the presence of "mixed" company, to be sure! I'm sure you've all-but-forgotten such as this, as part of your "growing pains!" We all recall seeing girls with their sweaters tied around their waist, by the sleeves, & even having done this practice ourselves. (I know I have). Arizona Al...great to hear from you again! Can hardly wait for you to relate The Florida City Nudist Colony Incident of 1962!!! Dish!!! LOL. Delighted to learn that Cousin Alec turned out to be successful, too! Don...Thanks so much, for that wonderful link about Hialeah Park. I do so hope that it will become a city park, at least, to be enjoyed by the public once again, & to showcase the gorgeous big pink birds. If only someone, like "The Donald," would pitch in, with their megabucks, on behalf of this once-glorious place, & invest in its future. Wouldn't that be fantastic!!??

Don Boyd		24-May-2008 20:04
Alvin Lederer contributed the first 1984 scheduled service Concorde flight to MIA postal cachet (Aviation directory), a 1928 postal cachet for the first flight from Havana to Miami (20's gallery), a 1938 Amelia Earhart postal cachet (Aviation gallery), a 1939 Miami Beach dog track post card (30's gallery), a 1940's post card of fishing boats headed for sea in Government Cut (40's gallery), a 1945 State of Florida 100th Anniversary cachet (40's gallery), a 1947 Crandon Park and Rickenbacker Causeway Dedication postal cachet (40's gallery), and a 1949 17th Annual All American Air Maneuvers postal cachet (Aviation > other airports > Miami Municipal/Master's Field gallery). Linda Bernat contributed a 1963 3rd grade class photo from Sylvania Heights Elementary (main gallery). John Holland contributed a 1942 residents' directory for the Town of Miami Springs (40's gallery). Charlis: patience my dear, the site is slow sometimes. In fact, it was totally down earlier today. Don

Joanne		24-May-2008 20:02
I have one very fond memory of flamingos. While at the Seaquarium in the mid 60's I got a flamingo from the machine that had several animals to choose from. Drop your money in, choose the animal and it would form from wax or plastic while you watch. I'll bet most of you have one or two of these figurines.

charlis		24-May-2008 19:52
Don... if this is a double post... something is wrong with the site. Takes a long time to load. Other sites I visit do not take as long. What I was commenting on was the post about Hiiiii-aleah, Hiiiiiii-aleah (song from "Guys and Dolls" runs through my mind every time I think of the greatest race track in the south.) What a shame that so-called progress is taking over even more of the "wild" areas. When I first moved to FL, W Hollywood area, we were on the edge of the Everglades. When I went down south a few years ago... there were communities in the area that used to burn where the Everglades were.

charlis		24-May-2008 19:44
Don... thanks for the Hialeah link. It was a beautiful race track. Every time I see the name of the track I hear the line from "Guys and Dolls".... "Hiiiiia-leah, Hiiiiiia-leah!" The "running" of the flamingos was a beautiful site.

Don Boyd		24-May-2008 18:08
The Thursday edition of The Palm Beach Post had a wonderful article about Hialeah Park and what once was greatness in our community. The article is posted in the Save Hialeah Park gallery on top of the older articles and you can read it online at: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/sports/epaper/2008/05/22/0522hialeah_park.html Don

Arizona Al		24-May-2008 14:56
Roberta: I wrote in erratum. The infamous Mayflower Incident took place in 1958. I had it temporarily confused with the equally infamous Florida City Nudist Colony Incident of 1962 but that is another story in its entirety. Film at eleven! Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive, well and so very glad that his juvenile delinquency legal record was automatically expunged by the Court when he turned 18 and coincidentally joined the U.S. Army.

charlis		23-May-2008 21:57
Roberta... will get to your emails this weekend. Ewok... has Star Wars been around that long! I am getting old! PS: is anyone else having problems with this page loading slow? I am not having probems with other "pages".

Bad Boy Arizona Al		23-May-2008 14:40
Roberta: Not dodging you..been in North Carolina on business last 2 weeks. I took no offense at your reply to the infamous Mayflower II incident of 1962. The events reported were but a mere soundbight of my misanthropic and malfeasant behaviors during my youth. Cousin Alec is a highly successfull cinematographer in N.Y.C. and you all know of my present life situation. alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive, well and basking in the glory of his delinquent ways of youth whilecurrently living in and enjoying Phoenix, Arizona

Roberta Perry Hughes		23-May-2008 05:04
MANO...LARGO...Charlis...& the rest of the Gang, old & new...I'm baaaa-aaackk!!! Mano, I bought the vintage flamingo statue for my sister Audrey, who collects flamingos; the Prize that I won for myself is a vintage 1957 commemorative plate of Miami, transferware blue on white, featuring the Dade County Court House in the center, & sold only at Burdines. It is fantastic!! There are flamingos on my 12 different vintage Florida souvenir scarves, featuring the state in the center & many pre-Disney tourist attractions, including Miami Jai-Alai, Theater of the Sea, Hialeah Race Course, etc. they are either silk or a silk & rayon blend, & were sold at Stuckey's, & other souvenir shops, like Frenchys, downtown Miami. Frenchys also had the big plaster flamingo lawn ornaments. LARGO...glad you appreciated my take on Arizona Al's Mayflower II adventure. I've been waiting for him to reply, but he's been quite laconic. Hope he didn't take what I said the wrong way; I was merely razzing him...or rather, the child he USED to be. Charlis...sent you some darling pictures in a FWD e-mail. Pass them on to all the folks you know who are pet lovers. I, too, lost my very best friend, Ewok, just 3 months shy of his 16th year. He came to me when he was 4 months old, & already, he was the size of a grown cat! We were together 24/7, & could read each other's mind. His green grape eyes spoke volumes. He was a black & tan long-haired Siberian, which is an offshoot of the Maine Coon, only with a much prettier face. His underbelly was tawny, with 19 dark spots, like a wildcat. He's been gone two years, now, & I miss him each & every day. Won't replace him. I am no longer physically able to care for an indoor pet. It would seem that our pets are only with us long enough to break our hearts...unless of course, you own an African Grey parrot, which can live to be 80+ years old! People have to make provisions in their will, for the bird's continued care. Thanks, JoAnne, for evoking memories of our dear friends, who gave us unconditional love. I remember each & every kitten, cat, puppy, dog, & parakeet that our family owned, when we lived in Miami, so long ago. We always adopted, mutts & alley cats, from the Pound. Never had a pedigreed animal. Talk at y'all later, with another Posting, about an Old Miami Memory, as told to me by my first cousin, Cecilia Perry Bridges.

charlis		22-May-2008 22:27
mano... flamingo... I've told this story before. I had a teacher at Beach Hi who started every year with this speech... "We will have an interesting year of learning about art. We will discuss the history of art. We will practice (copy) the history of art. We will do real life, still life... but, be warned... the first student to have a flamingo or "Sleeping Mexican" (both popular lawn ornaments in the 60's) will be given an "F"." Of course we all snuck the things into our art work. I had this teacher for 3 years at Beach, then 1 term at Miami Dade. The MD story is funny. He didn't make his usual speech. Looked up and saw me and started making jokes. I stood up and made his speech for him... "Class...." Of course my submission for the day was a huge pink flamingo cuddling with a Sleeping Mexican! I snuck them in every chance I could. Did a "landscape" and had the flamingo's head in place of a rose bud. Did a "redo" of a famous Picasso... the one with faces... the Sleeping Mexican. Yes. I passed the class... with flying colors!

charlis		22-May-2008 22:13
JO... good choice with the English Setters. I understand that they are almost as loving and lovable as beagles. Nothing beats a beagle, though. They stay puppies for years.

Jo-Anne K		22-May-2008 21:42
Thanks for the giggles charlis. I'm actually doing a bunch better than I thought I would. I've already been on line looking at some english setters and I am going to check out the pound over the weekend.

Guest		22-May-2008 14:53
Roberta: Where are you? Did the flamingo you bought on ebay ever arrive? Where did you display it. Every time I see mine on top of my refrigerator, I wonder if you are enjoying your new one as much as I enjoy mine. Of course it makes me remember Hialeah too. Its' doing its' job.

charlis		21-May-2008 21:30
Jo... when Rinty died, just before my marriage, my fiance cried... we all did. When Csonka died... he punched a hole in the wall... and the vet was crying when he gave us the news. I also have to mention my mother's dobie... Savage. I took her to the vet and was with her when she died at 14. We had one very special vet. In-laws wire haired lived to 16. Same vet... same reaction. Gee... I've had 6 dogs in my life... 6 best friends... and one cockatiel... and these 2 old cats... They were all the best friends I had in my life... the human ones turned out to not be "best freinds". Some memories to make you laugh... Rinty got a bad cough when he was 6. The vet recommend a "hot tottie" at bed time. No drink was safe after that! Rinty got drunk at my engagement party after everyone had left and we waited until morning to clean up. Fell down the stairs when the newspaper arrived in the morning. He had sucvh a hang over. Csonka? Loved a sip of B&B after a soak in the hot tub! He always jumped in when I was in the tub and sat in a spot that would massage his hip, that he had hurt as a puppy when trying to jump into bed with me. Jo... think of the great times with your best friend. You made me think about all the good times in my life. Thank you.

charlis		21-May-2008 21:09
Largo... Rinty was given to me as a 6th b-day present. Csonka was my daughter's xmas gift. The mixed was a pound puppy. We also had a Shar Pei given to my daughter as a wedding gift, and was dumber than dirt but so lovable. The mixed moved in with my daughter when I HAD to go to work for a living. He was used to having a yard to play in. The Shar Pei died because he refused to get his feet wet... we were having heavy daiy rains and flooding... his kidneys burst. There was also a 3rd dog at my daughter's... named Nala. All 3 got along great. The Shar Pei was replaced with a Rott... and a new hubby for daughter (#3)! Mixed died while playing with Nala and the Rott... fell on a piece of wood that was sticking out of the fence that workers had left. As to adopting... I really want a dog but I live in a condo complex and work. Dogs should not be "penned in" all day. All my dogs were in and out when they wanted. (The mixed had a tan that the Coppertone models would kill for. He'd go out in the yard and lie on his back!) If my situation should change... aka "win the lottery", you can rest assured that I will sell the condo, buy a house with a yard... and adopt a beagle... maybe 2.

Jo-Anne K		21-May-2008 14:34
I appreciate everyone's thoughts for BeeBee, yesterday was a tough day but my son did call from the room at the vet's office and I was there at the end. I keep saying that I'm not getting another one but I'm willing to bet money I'll be at the LaPlata County animal shelter some time this weekend.

LARGO		21-May-2008 02:36
HI ALL...JUST CHECKING IN..."MO JOHN"..THANKS AGAIN FOR THE KIND MENTION OF MY DAD...AND GOOD TO KNOW YOU ARE DOING BETTER..."JO-ANNE K"....SO SORRY ABOUT YOUR BF "BEE BEE".... PETS MAKE SUCH GREAT BEST FRIENDS...I LOST MY LITTLE PUG "CHLOE" @ 16...AND I SWEAR I CAN STILL HEAR HER LITTLE SNORTING & SNORING SOUNDS..(could just be me..yikes!!)...."CHARLIS"...YOU CAN ALWAYS ADOPT...WE CAN NEVER GET ENOUGH OF THAT UNCONDITIONAL LOVE THAT THOSE FUR ANGEL BABIES LAVISH ON US.......ROBERTA..WHERE ARE YOU?? ...LOVED YOUR LAST VERY DESCRIPTIVE MAY 8th POST...YOU RACY THANG..................LARGO !!

Guest		21-May-2008 02:04
I posted this on Google blogger as I was searching for Skipper Chuck Show and an episode I was on, so I thought I would post it here as well. I was born and raised here in Miami, still here, 41 years old now. I remember alot of those places. Not sure if I saw Godfather's pizza on US1 next to the Zayers (however it was spelled)?? Midway skating rink I loved, always there. How about the Pit out on 8th street way out close to Krome when it was actually a decent place to eat?? The food places next to South Miami Sr high before they closed them all up our Senior year (84). Key Biscayne and the beaches that were covered in trees not the way it is now, Ft. Lauderdale strip when it was a 2 way lane highway?? I think I saw the flea market off of bird road and the highway, like 50 cents or something to get in, doing it every sunday with the family, Tamiami airport where FIU is now, where I learned to drive when I was 15 and there was no school there. I was also on the Skipper Chuck show, I wish I knew how to get a copy of when I was on there cause I won the big show, Disney on Ice, a HUGE Sugar Daddy candy bar and some other stuff! How about the park and pool off flagler and i think between 8th street and 67th avenue maybe near the elementary school? cant remember the name of it, how about Venetian POOL? HOw about the Biltmore hotel when it was empty & falling apart? The girlscout camp ground off Miller and 87th I think, Kinloch Jr High and the icecream man who was there every morning/afternoon, how about split time school schedules, morning or afternoon shifts?? How about Lums? I loved the Velvet Kreme on 8th street, anyone remember the HIaleah Speedway with Saturday races?? HOw about the go-cart track around there as well I can still hear "Bring em in slow, one more lap, put your left foot on the brake, bring em slow"! SO many memories! Thanks for sharing, Peggy in Miami

charlis		20-May-2008 22:24
Jo... sorry to hear about your best friend. My first dog, Rin Tin Tin, (a cocker) spent 16 wonderful years with me. Next dog, a beagle name Csonka (my, at the time 2 year old daughter , was a big Dolphs fan and loved Larry.) lived to be 10. The Next beagle mix made it to 12. I now have 2 cats that I inherited. Dogs are your best friends... knowing when to cuddle. Cats own you. When they go (both are about 14 years old) I will not replace them with a dog. There comes a time in your life to not own pets... I keep telling myself that... other wise I will rush out and get a beagle! Take care.

Guest		20-May-2008 03:39
Peer pressure? That explains a lot.

MO John		20-May-2008 02:50
Jo-Anne K, Yea, this state ain't New Joisey for sure. Good synopsis. Hopefully we'll get out of here and move to Central or North FL within about 5 years. The weather here takes a toll on us. We'll see. My condolences on BeeBee LeStrange. I am surrounded by my two best friends, Little (Shi-zu; 9) and Sha Sha (Shepard mut; 8), both females. They are the love of my life. I often tell my wife that when they die, just throw me in the coffin w/ them. I understand what you're going through. Hang tough.

Jo-Anne K		19-May-2008 23:16
I found the Marcellas picture.

Jo-Anne K		19-May-2008 22:42
Hi Don! I couldn't find Marcellas with the little truck outside and I couldn't find the pic of the Newport Hotel in Sunny Isles. There is always the possibility that my memory is shot and I'm now paying for past sins. MO John, I do not miss Missouri at all and no job will ever pay me enough money to go back. I was thinking about you when I was driving down 63 to get on to 70 East one last time. One last thing to add........I'm having my best friend and companion put to sleep tomorrow at home in NC, I was hoping to see my bird dog one last time but I'm not going to make it. RIP BeeBee LeStrange 09/02/92-05/20/08. This is the first job she has missed going to in 15 years, I'll miss her.

Don Boyd		19-May-2008 17:26
My buddy George W. Young contributed a 1960's aerial photo, which I copied into three different zoom levels, of his beloved Pizza Palace at 3099 SW 8 Street (restaurants gallery). All restaurants, burger joints, bars, lounges, liquor stores, drive-ins, etc. were moved into a new separate restaurants gallery below. Exception: all restaurant-related images in Hialeah remain in the Hialeah gallery. All car images, car rental agencies, car repair places, car clubs, drag races, etc. were moved into a new separate cars gallery (below). Most images of individuals and small groups were moved into a new separate individuals and small groups gallery (below) to free up space in the 50's and main memories gallery. Don

Don Boyd		18-May-2008 15:28
Jo-Anne K: you noticed that some photos are gone? Do you remember which ones? I'm not aware of any missing photos except that I rearrange things from time to time, such as putting all the gorgeous gas stations into one gallery, and I may move all the restaurants and individuals into separate galleries in the future to free up room. Don

Don Boyd		18-May-2008 15:19
Fred posted this in the gallery where it says not to post things: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fred Daughtry Elvistlc@aol.com 18-May-2008 14:17 I sent some photos of Biscayne Park police Dept. from 1968 for people to see and I was just wondering just what ever happon to them. F.D. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fred, where did you send them? I never received them. Please resend to my e-mail address (OldMiamiMemories@gmail.com) and I will gladly add them. Don

Don Boyd		18-May-2008 15:16
Cecil Curry sent me the 30th Anniversary Thanksgiving Day Football Program (Edison vs. Miami High in the Orange Bowl) from 1952 and I scanned 37 old local ads out of it. They are located in the Advertisements > Local Ads gallery. There are also 12 photos of the program cover, Edison's and Miami High's teams, cheerleaders, band, cadettes, etc., all in the 50's gallery. He also contributed a 1935 image of his family's home on NE 66 Street (30's gallery) and a 1952, 53 or 54 image of Edison's football team (50's gallery). Don

MO John		18-May-2008 15:07
Joanne (and all). I goofed. Joanne's son's wedding plans are for a year from now. Not this year. My apology for goofing that up.

MO John		16-May-2008 02:36
Jo-Anne K, Hi Jo-K! I had a name change as you can see. Too many "Johns" on the board. Get it? Hope all is well. MO's been too wet. Ugh. That said, my Azlaeas look like the one's on Augusta National. Dogwoods too. I agree on the NC over the CO mountains. Welcome back. LARGO's Dad passed away a few weeks ago. I have been down, but I'm not out. I am sure the "regulars" will welcome you back. All, By the way, as of today, board member Joanne (from FL) should be a new "Mother in Law". She should be marrying off her baby boy as we speak. Congratulations Joanne!!

Jo-Anne K		15-May-2008 23:06
Just dropped in to see how things were going, noticed some new pics and also noticed some other pics had been removed (for my sake I hope I'm right....Don???) Finally made the transition from Missouri (Hi John) to Durango, Colorado by way of Houston, TX for eight weeks. I think my mountains at home in NC are much prettier than the ones in southern CO but I can deal with it for the next year or two. Hoping all is well with everyone.

Don Boyd		15-May-2008 04:25
Alvin Lederer contributed an undated photo postcard of the flamingos at Hialeah Park (Hialeah > Hialeah Park gallery), a 1910 image of the Bay View Hotel in Miami (1883-1919 gallery), a 1920's image of Carl Fisher's Casino on Miami Beach (20's gallery), two 1920's image of Opa-locka's City Hall (20's gallery), and a 1950's image of a tourist decal from the Miami Serpentarium (main gallery). Don

Nan		14-May-2008 17:32
Hi Jeff, Thanks for the update on Bell Haven. I remember when Mrs. Bell passed away the family took over the park and later sold it to the FCC railroad. Yes, I knew it was gone, sad day in my life since the park had stood there over 50 years. We had so many good times in that community and many great summers in the olympic sized pool. We had a big birthday party every year for the park and a grand water show always came with it. I still live here, Hollywood, since 1978. Don, I'll let you know when I have something together to send. Haven't gotten the scanner yet.

Don Boyd		14-May-2008 12:33
Nan, thanks for joining us here and for your memories. Please send me an e-mail before you send anything that you would like to see added. I can restore most things to new condition so don't worry about the writing on the program. Thanks. Don

Jeff		14-May-2008 05:11
Hi, Nan... I don't know if you're still in South Florida... but they vacated and tore down the Bell Haven Trailer Park last year for development...

Nan		14-May-2008 00:51
Just paged through most of these comments and astounded myself that I remembered most of the places mentioned. I too grew up in Miami. Moved to Bell Haven Trailer Park April 1959 from Biscayne and 127 Street across from Keystone Point. Went to Holy Family and later to St. John the Apostle in Hialeah and then to Nortre Dame Academy by Miami Edison graduated in 1968. My father worked the "hotel" scene from the early 50's through the 1970's as a bass player. Latest "gig" was the Fountainbleau -"Tiny" Mazza. Great Musician!! As soon as I can get a scanner, Don I have a few items that you had given intrest in like a very old program from Hialeah Speedway. Sorry, I wrote on it some but it is still in pretty good shape. My dad would stop at the Royal Castle 79th & 27th Ave.and bring home some of their pies after work. I believe they were open 24 hours. I spent countless Saturdays at the Hialeah roller rink. My childhood friend and I would walk to Madison Jr. High and take their bus to the rink. The owner and bus driver was Roy and his wife would maintain the concession stand. The majority of photo's I have are family and I sure people are not interested in those but I do have the class photo from St. John's 1964 that I could send along. Thanks for this trip down memory lane as I am still proud to be a South Floridian. I remember running into people as I grew up and they remembered Bell Haven's monkeys. There was a Monkey jungle west on 79th that had burned down and all the monkeys came to live with us. There was a fish hatchery right next to the park on the west but had been abandoned by the time we lived there. I was forbidden to go there (but we did anyway). Nan Mazza Kelly

Don Boyd		13-May-2008 23:21
Sandra Stringer Ahmad posted in the gallery where it says not to post things: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SANDRA STRINGER AHMAD SANSTRINGAH@BELLSOUTHBETH.NET 13-May-2008 21:54 Hey, how about adding some photos which include the the historical sites and prominent people of the Black Community and other people of color. Thanks! Sandra Sstringer Ahmad ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Well Sandra, send me some photos and I'll be glad to add them. Don

Don Boyd		13-May-2008 14:54
George Masek and Ken Eckert contributed a 1944 postcard depicting an aerial view of Venetian Way, Miami, Miami Beach. Both side of the postcard are in the 40's gallery. Don

Don Boyd		12-May-2008 16:41
Thanks to Fred Darwick tipping me off, here is a great website showing the Orange Bowl being demolished accompanied by a Frank Sinatra (?) song: http://www.schiavonephoto.com/ORANGEBOWL.html Don

Parks		12-May-2008 04:46
Hi Helene, I would love to read your history of the Kampong when it is finished. I don't know much about the early history but I can tell you that in the late seventies or early eighties, when the house was owned by the Sweeny family, Ed Sweeny used to fly ultralight airplanes on floats out of the back yard. I think it drove his mother nuts. Ed loved aviation and had started a company to produce an ultralight called the Hum Bug. He would test fly them at the Kampong. I was lucky enough to get to fly with him sometimes. Are you Lester Pancoast's wife?

Don Boyd		12-May-2008 01:58
Helene, where was it posted? Which gallery? What date? I just don't have the time to go searching the entire site looking for it. If it is only signed "guest" then I don't think I know who it was. Don

Helene Muller Pancoast		11-May-2008 22:57
Did you ever find out who posted the "memories of tales from early Coconut Grove" I would like to contact the person who wrote that as I'm working on the early history of The Kampong. I'm a descendant of David Fairchild and am really interested in anybody who has early memories of the Grove in the 30's and 40's. Thanks you for doing this site, it brings back floods of memories.

Don Boyd		11-May-2008 07:25
Gene Lanham contributed four late 1930's images of an Armstrong twin-engine molded plywood starter aircraft at Miami Municipal Airport (aviation gallery - other airports - Miami Municipal sub-gallery) and Jon Proctor contributed a 1971 image of a National Airlines DC8-21 (aviation gallery - National Airlines sub-gallery). Don

Don Boyd		10-May-2008 05:18
I added a bunch of very old news clippings about Miami Municipal Airport, All-American Airport, the Miami Seaplane Base and Sunny South Airport, all in the Aviation galleries. Don

charlis		08-May-2008 21:47
Roberta... one side of my family did come over on the real Mayflower. When I was very young, and still living in OH, I was told the story... said that some place in Indiana is a "crypt" were the "suitcase" is stored. In the mid '80's when I went back k to see some family I was shown a family bible... the first entries were of births dated back to the late 1600's. The places of birth were in this country! As to your ark... have you looked up stories of the "Flood" in other cultures? My favorite is one that says 2 men gathered up animals. The women were left at home! Sending out the doves to say that land was in site? They used crows!

charlis		08-May-2008 21:38
Jeff.... I can't believe that Lichter and RamRam are that old... but, then again... I can't believe that I'm getting old... last "young" b-day on Monday.... next year I get to use a zero! Glad to hear they are still with us. You missed out on one of the best principles ever... Mr. Moore.

Roberta Perry Hughes		08-May-2008 03:58
ALAN...!!!!! And I thought Lenny was mischievous, with his paper plane, launched from port side...!!! (Gasp!) You & "Cuz Alec" decided to do an..."I christen Thee..." from port side, with "yellow champagne," spewing forth from your "weiner whistles!!???" And while on deck??!! Was that a spur-of-the-moment idea, or an "I dare you?" Or an "I will if you will!" Or a "You first!"...??? Just curious!! I know how guys are, & once "The Yellow Stream," by I.P. Freely begins, it's impossible to shut it off!! Pray tell, did it cause you to wet your trousers?? Or, were you "just finishing up," when caught-in-the-act?? What did the Mayflower II personnel do about it?? And...what was your punishment, from your folks?? I'll bet your mother was mortified!! BTW...do you have any siblings?? If so, did they get in Dutch, too, like you did?? I think it's rich, that you became a Psychologist!! LOL!! At least, we all know, that, in your adulthood, you're a "changed man." Wow. And what became of Cousin Alec?? Makes me wonder how Lenny turned out! Jeepers, Ogus!! You were quite an unforgettable character!! In any event, you are very, very entertaining!! I can't wait to read about more of your escapades!! I can just imagine!! LOL!!

Jeff		08-May-2008 03:28
For any Miami Beach High Alumni from 1966, onward through the mid-to-late 1970's... The other day I had the pleasure of speaking with both former principal Dr. Solomon Lichter... he's soon to be 87... and former assistant principal Joe Marmar... he's soon to be 90! They both remembered me (I was class of 1970) and we spent some nice time reminiscing. For a guy who let peer pressure cause me to drop out during my senior year (only to return to summer school to earn my diploma), I hold a lot of fond memories of Miami Beach Senior High School. This was a generation of teachers that really, really cared... and a time when Miami Beach was still in the last of its "Golden Years"...

Arizona Al		08-May-2008 02:36
Yes I do recall the Mayflower II. It was harbored next to Chalks Airlines. Sometme circa 1957 or 1958 me and my cousin Alec got busted for urinating off the port side during a family excursion to th Mayflower II. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and constantantly suffering for his delinquent indiscretrions while growing up im Miami 1946-1964.

Roberta Perry Hughes		08-May-2008 00:39
MiamiGirl...No, dear, we didn't all come from the passengers on the Mayflower, but rather instead, from the passengers on that OTHER, older "boat," known as Noah's Ark, for the rest of the world entire, drowned, save for Mr. & Mrs. Noah, their 3 sons, & their 3 daughters-in-law. I've always wondered what that family looked like, seeing as how we are ALL direct descendants of them, & are, therefore, one & all, a part of the Family of Man, as a result. This makes any war a fratracide, as we are killing our brothers/sisters, when you think about it. I'll get off of MY soapbox, now. LOL! Isn't there a replica Noah's Ark somewhere?? I DO love ships. especially masted vessels. Fore, main, mizzen, jigger, spanker, pusher, & driver, are the 7 sails. Anyone out there remember my 5th grade class' resident mischief-maker, Lenny Noone?? He just couldn't resist a prank! Our class clown was Ronald Miller. Class brainiac was Norman Berlin. Class Romeo was Corey Coughlin. Resident artist was Lee Williams. They would all be alumni from Southwest High's Class of 1965. I think about the kids in my 5th grade class a lot, more so than any other class, & I wonder where they all are, today, how they turned out, who they married, etc. Fondest memories are from the carefree days of elementary school, when we enjoyed recess, still used crayons, safety scissors, paste, construction paper, & Muselage glue, & the paper towels were coarse & brown, & the liquid soap was green, & had a pungent odor to it...& it made the BIGGEST soap bubbles!! We took home "permission slips," for a parent to sign, so we could go on field trips, & we had to bring in our fees, for those trips, before a certain day, or we didn't get to go. The Mayflower II was made memorable for me, in part, due to Lenny's antics. But I was impressed with the ship, too.

Guest		07-May-2008 22:32
Roberta, Gypsies have a worldwide reputation for lifting things. One of the traits that has endeared them to so many different cultures they had taken up residence within. In Turkey where I was stationed there were always Gypsy women with babies inquiring of tourists around the hotels if they had any money to spare so they could feed their babies. Evidently there were some kind souls in Turkey that delivered them to their stations every morning, and picked them up later in Mercedes vehicles, thus helping them to feed their families. It was odd though how one child could have so many mothers.

charlis		07-May-2008 22:29
Don... thanks for the info. The info you need on the pics in the doc is included in the doc. Have to work this weekend so it will probably be in the next 2 weeks that I'll send you the doc.

Don Boyd		07-May-2008 16:14
Robert Bowman contributed a 1950's image of the Fun Fair on the 79th Street Causeway (50's gallery). Thanks Robert! Don

Miami Girl		07-May-2008 16:14
Roberta....thanks for bringing back that memory of the Mayflower replica. I had forgotten all about it. Don't remember when I went or even if it was a field trip or a family outing but I remember wondering how people survived living below decks for the whole journey. Survival of the fitest...that's who we all come from no matter when our ancestors arrived - from the first Indians to the most recent immigrants. It's no wonder we're such a great country! Okay, I'll get off the soap box now.

Don Boyd		07-May-2008 13:35
George Masek and Ken Eckert sent three 1930 images from Ken's grandfather, two of homes on Miami Beach and one of a church on Miami Beach (30's gallery). Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		07-May-2008 05:04
Does anyone remember going on a school field trip, ca. 1957, to visit the docked Mayflower II...? My 5th grade class went, from Tropical Elementary, & our resident mischief-maker, Lenny Noone, had fashioned a paper aircraft, & was in the process of launching it overboard, when the guide, a Pilgrim-attired woman interrupted her rehearsed speech to icily declare, "There will be no paper planes flown from the Mayflower II while I am talking!" Silence fell. Lenny reddened, & his boy pals gasped, as the principal, Robert F. Hudson...(sooooooo good-looking!) bore down toward poor Lenny, whose big blue eyes looked like Frisbees in his face. In a split second, Lenny whirled about...& launched his paper plane! As Mr. Hudson was dragging him away, by his upper arm (they don't do that, anymore, but should, in some circumstances) Lenny cried out, defensively, "But Mr. Hudson! She wasn't talking! She said not to fly a paper plane while she was talking! I didn't! I didn't!" The boys cheered, & the girl tittered. We had yet to explore the cabins of the replica ship, nor stroll her deck. But we did, of course, although a bit somberly. In any event, the Mayflower II was a perfect replica. In preparation for the big day, we read about the original Mayflower in class, & saw a film, of the voyage of the Mayflower II. Once Lenny's disruptive behavior was behind us, we were enchanted, to be on board, & were eager for the guided tour. Poor Lenny missed out. Mr. Hudson took him home. Those field trips cost a student anywhere from .25 cents on up to as high as $1.50, for admission costs, & lunch, which the room mothers would prepare & bring, as they were chaperones for the trips, too. I was just wondering if anyone out there remembered when the Mayflower II sailed to Miami, for educational field trips.

Roberta Perry Hughes		07-May-2008 03:59
Guest...Thank you, for having clarified the mystery of the Gypsies for me. When I asked them where they were from, I must have mistook their reply, "Romani," for "Romania," as "Romani" was not a familiar word. I also recall that they had a penchant for "lifting" things..like, waitresses tips, off of the lunch counter, e.g....but I figure it was done out of necessity. They didn't look to be financially comfortable. As an adult, a Gypsy fortune teller, at a local fair, asked me if I had any "spare clothing," as we were about the same size. I went home, & returned with her some clothes, & she was very grateful for them, & offered to give me a free "fortune" reading, which I declined. I was always fascinated by these very different people, & their strange language. Were they speaking Sanskrit, then? Hungarian, maybe? Turkish? I haven't heard that language since.

Don Boyd		07-May-2008 01:55
Charlis: you send me an e-mail and attach the document full of pictures to the e-mail. I will extract the photos into Photoshop and post them after cleaning them up if necessary. Make sure you give me a year, or decade, that they were taken - I prefer not to put undated photos up. Don

Guest		06-May-2008 23:01
The gypsies used to go around neighborhoods selling flowers and things every year. We learned to keep an eye on the back yard when they knocked on the front. I was stationed in Turkey in the early 70's, which had a lot of Gypsies in it. They lived in the slums of the city mostly, but you could see them in caravans on the roads out of town. Brightly colored wagons and horses with beautiful women, men, and children walking behind. The women would flash big smiles at you, looking saucy as can be. They aren't Romanian. They call themselves the Romani. They originated in northern India from what I understand.

charlis		06-May-2008 22:51
Don... how do I send pics to you? I have the Viscaya pics in a word doc with comments. Will that do?... and then you can take them out and put them in your format. Still have a few more to add... when I get a few minutes and can find the other albums.

Miami Girl		06-May-2008 21:41
Al...thanks, I thought that was Ned standing by the window, but wasn't sure. Stands to reason he was such a bully - looks like he was the shortest one in the class and had to survive somehow.

Arizona Al		06-May-2008 20:18
Miami Girl: If my 62 year old memory serves me correctly the infamous Ned Reep is in the 1955 Perrine Elementary 3rd Grade Class sitting in the back row next to Delbert Pinto Watters and in the 1956 Perrine Elementary 4th Grade Class standing by the window. I wonder he he lived to be a responsible adult? Thanks for the postings. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive, well and waiting for the 120 degree summer weather in Phoenix, Arizona

Don Boyd		06-May-2008 05:28
"Miami Girl", aka Jean Hale Lawson, contributed a 1955 image of Barbara Booher's 3rd grade class and a 1956 image of Clara Hood's 4th grade class, both at Perrine Elementary School. Sylvia Hitchcock, 1967 Miss Universe, is in the 3rd grade class photo. Both photos are in the 50's gallery. Thanks Miami Girl! Don

Miami Girl		06-May-2008 00:13
Largo...thanks for that info on the VA hospital, we drove around the area last year and saw it, a beautiful place and glad to hear it's great inside too! We all have both Miami and E. Tenn in common, maybe someday we can have a reunion! Leighton... that Eastman smell is the reason I'd rather live in JC (or Jonesborough). However, it's funny my son likes it (during quick visits only) because of the memories of visiting grandparents and cousins - go figure! We have noticed the smell isn't as bad as it used to be. Happy Spring to all...it's beautiful up here in upstate NY.

LARGO		05-May-2008 23:57
WOW!! LEIGHTON, MIAMI GIRL, AZ AL......IT'S LIKE THIS.........RE: E.TN.....STARTED OUT IN KINGSPORT IN '65...(A TOUR NEAR MIAMI ...FT LAUD.) FROM '69 'TIL '76...BOUGHT 30 ACRES UP IN STONEY CREEK (ELIZABETHTON)..OFF ..YEP ! "PANHANDLE RD."...'TIL '81....THEN SEATTLE, WA. AND THEN BACK TO JOHNSON CITY TN....WHERE MY PARENTS RETIRED TOO. THEN I SETTLED IN JONESBOROUGH, TN.....THE OLDEST TOWN IN TN. (NEAR JOHNSON CITY) ...MIAMI GIRL..THE MOUNTAIN HOME VETERANS HOSPITAL IS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE NATION IN MY BOOK.....EVERY VET IS TREATED WITH GREAT RESPECT, DIGNITY, AND KINDNESS..FROM THE OLDEST TO THE YOUNGEST...AS ARE THE FAMILIES OF THE VETS.....THAT IS WHERE MY DAD PASSED AWAY....THANKS FOR THE KIND THOUGHT MO JOHN...YEAH, I LOVE TREES AND PLANTS TOO !...TRY THE RESTAURANT..."COOTIE BROWNS" IN JC.......SOOO..I'VE LIVED IN EVERY TRI CITY ..EXCEPT BRISTOL......I GO BACK AND FORTH OFTEN................BACK IN LATE JUNE ACTUALLY.....................LARGO

Don Boyd		05-May-2008 18:33
Robert Bowman contributed numerous items for the Do You Remember? gallery. Linda Adleman Bolinger contributed an image of Ault's gift shop in Hialeah (Hialeah gallery), George Masek contributed a WFUN Club card, a WCKR Wacker Backer card (both in main gallery), and a biz card for Stanley's Cash Store in Edison Center (50's gallery). I added a 1957 image of the Carol City Town Center (50's gallery).

Leighton		05-May-2008 18:29
AZ Al, The area has really grown - unfortunate hillsides of McMansions, but the downtowns are pretty quiet. They haven't jumped on the "revitalize downtown bandwagon" so prevalent in Western NC, and SC. JC is trying, but far behind. Boone has a lot of development, on the Blowing Rock side. Asheville is really expensive, with lots of interesting shops and restaurants. Biggest change is the I-26 four-lane blasted through the mtns between JC and Asheville - provides some spectacular views, even if they did take out some mtns in the process. Abingdon, VA has great little shops, and the Martha Washington Inn is great. M Girl, House prices have shot up - well before this mortgage crisis. Coming from NY, it'll seem cheap, I guess. Everybody seems to be moving into the area - especially JC. Peerless Steakhouse is as popular as ever, and there's a great "new" restaurant in Elizabethton - "Carter on Main" - in the old Carter house. Visit ET often, now? With family, I'd guess so. I always look forward to a short visit each year - three weeks at Christmas was a bit long. I'm pretty sure I'll end up there in 20 years, if I make it. I always pass through the antique stores in downtown K-sport, but I just can't stand the Eastman smell. Can't wait to get on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and explore those mountains.

MO John		05-May-2008 17:05
Guest, Perfect. Not exact, but very close enough for govt purposes. Can you go over to the spot where I provided the info on MH and leave me a message when you get there? Then I'll get back to you. Thanks LARGO, Good to hear your voice again. The dogwoods, redbuds, Kwanzan Cherry, and red/white flowering crabs were the best in MO since I've been here. I liked them so much I went to Lowes and bought some white, pink and red dogwoods, along with a redbud and a kwanzan cherry. I suffer from an acute case of biophilia.

Miami Girl		05-May-2008 16:50
Al....back in the late 60's I said I never wanted to live in the E. TN area - it was way too depressed, but it's MUCHO better now.

Guest		05-May-2008 15:17
MO John - Thanks for replying and the info on MH. My name is Mike and I remember your family. I think you lived across from the Kloos. I remember your sister and I think but I'm not sure you have a brother.

Arizona Al		05-May-2008 14:22
Miami Girl and Leighton: I had the good fortune to live in the "Heavenly Highland Triad" of Johnson City, Kingsport and Bristol when I attended Graduate School at Appalachian State University 1972-1974. I have not been back since 1974 and assume that there have been the usual and customary civilization progress changes. When I lived in the area the landscape was truly spectacular. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive, well and living in another spectacular landscape area in the Sonoran Mountains East of Phoenix, Arizona.

Miami Girl		05-May-2008 11:55
Hey Leighton and Largo...it is a small world. My hubby and I are planning to retire to Johnson City in a few years (2012 if I make it that long), currently we're in NY due to his job. His whole family is in the Kingsport area and we want someplace near a big VA Hospital (there's a sign we're gettin' old). Although the 50's and 60's Old Miami is alive and well in my heart (I dream of palm trees and the beach). I only have a desire to visit again sometime in the future. Last time I was there was for my 30 yr Palmetto HS Reunion in '95 and never want to live there again. Anyway, enjoy JC!!

Leighton		05-May-2008 04:08
Largo, where in Upper East TN?? Just getting ready to attend my parents' 50th in Johnson City. They've been there 25 years, and my dad is from the area. Our family once had a cabin near Roan Mtn. We lived in Miami from 67 - 73, and I went back to UM in the mid-80s. Twenty years THIS month since I've seen Miami (that was a vacation) - can't believe it. I drive to TN in two weeks - I may just detour (big one), on my way back. I must sit on Crandon Park Beach, again. Dragged my college reading there every Sat. morning, at 8A, before the boom boxes and crowds descended. Oh, read that earlier post - somebody mentioning riding bikes behind the DDT trucks - YES! It was a late 60s tradition. Last month, I was at some stupid "organic" restaurant (not my choice), and the menu mentioned "organic maple syrup" - I asked the waitress how that worked, since it's from a TREE. "No DDT!" was the response. I said, "Listen, if riding my bike behind a spewing DDT waterfall hasn't killed me, I'm not too worried about the damn trees."

Joanne		05-May-2008 02:54
Roberta...The type of surgery I think you're talking about freezes the tumor and kills it. If it is the same one, I considered the same procedure for my breast cancer, a hospital in Alabama was testing the procedure. It is approved for liver cancer now and soon will be aproved for other types of cancer. My father is currently being treated for prostate cancer and "knock on wood" is doing quite well.

Roberta Perry Hughes		04-May-2008 22:41
Oh!! BTW, just wanted to say how very much I enjoyed reading the Coral Gables Memories in the Main Galleries!! If you have gone there, yet, you're in for a real treat! I laughed my head off, at the story about the land crabs turned loose in the movie theater, & the one about the seagull on Ex-Lax, that flew from the balcony of the theater!! Wasn't amused, however, about the use of cherry bombs. Never thought fireworks were funny, when used in a prankish & irresponsible manner. There were kids who lost fingers, or even a hand, from the misuse of cherry bombs. In rural areas, years ago, kids blew up mailboxes...which is a Federal offense...but when they were found out, all they got was a slap on the wrist! Didn't even have to buy new mailboxes, for the ones they mangled! They also used baseball bats, to whack mailboxes off of their posts, while hanging out the window of the passengers side of a vehicle, while their accomplice drove. Pranks are one thing, but vandalism is a different story.

Roberta Perry Hughes		04-May-2008 22:31
Largo...Welcome home, both to this Site, where all of your "extended family" have been watching, awaiting your return, & also, to your beloved St. Augustine. I can empathize with your family, re: going through a lifetime of keepsakes & mementos, left behind by one so dear, who has passed on, & it is, indeed, a bittersweet task. Know that you are cared about, & respected, on this Site. Thanks, for the well wishes for my sister, & her son, Travis & family. He will be going for chryo-type surgery, in the Bahamas, soon. It isn't sanctioned by the FDA, in the U.S., yet, evidently. They are always coming up with new ways to battle cancer, it seems, & some of the newest treatments are in other countries. I hope that, when he does go, that he & wife Kathy can enjoy the trip, as a sort of getaway vacation, & that he is feeling well enough to do so. That would surely help a lot, to offset the real purpose for the trip.

LARGO		04-May-2008 08:16
HELLO ALL...AND THANKS FOR ALL YOUR KIND WORDS...I RETURNED YESTERDAY...(FRIDAY)............IT'S GREAT TO BE BACK IN FLORIDA...ALTHOUGH THIS SPRING IN UPPER EAST TENNESSEE...WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THEY HAVE HAD IN YEARS...DOGWOODS, REDBUDS..ETC...MY DAD WOULD APPROVE. THERE WILL BE MANY MORE TRIPS BACK IN THE COMING MONTHS TO HANDLE ALL OF MY PARENTS WISHES....IT IS, AS I AM SURE MANY OF YOU KNOW, BITTERSWEET TO GO THROUGH THE MOMENTOS OF A FAMILY'S LIFE TOGETHER....THIS WILL TAKE SOME TIME............BUT !! THIS SITE IS LIKE WALKING INTO THE FRONT DOOR...AND INTO A COMMONS ROOM...WHERE THERE ARE FAMILIAR FOLKS, HANGING AROUND HAVING WONDERFULLY SPIRITED CONVERSATIONS...I FEEL THAT WE "ARE" THE VOICES OLD SOUTH FLORIDA...IN THE FLESH !!...AND WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY IN PART, REFLECTS THAT COUNTENANCE....HAVING THIS SHARED FORUM FOR THE LAST YEAR OR SO..AND KNOWING THERE ARE SO MANY CARING SOULS OUT THERE..IS TRULY A BLESSING...IN AN OTHERWISE COLD AND UNFRIENDLY WORLD....HOW BORING IT WOULD BE IF WE ALL AGREED ON EVERYTHING...HAPPY TO BE BACK...MY PRAYERS ARE WITH YOUR NEPHEW AND FAMILY ROBERTA ....JEFF...TAKE HEART..YOU ARE SUCH A GREAT TEDDY BEAR.( I MEAN THAT IN A GOOD WAY)..AND SO HELPFUL WITH ALL YOUR SHARING INFORMATION.........CARRY ON GANG.............LARGO.

Roberta Perry Hughes		04-May-2008 02:00
Charlis...Don't recall the Latter Day Saints coming around, but I DO recall the Jehovah's Witnesses, all years, & locales, when I lived in "Our Town," & once-in-a-while, they come around, here in rural Georgia. I let Lewis deal with them, as I don't answer the door, whether Lewis is home, or not, unless someone called to say they were coming over (like, my neighbor). When I returned to Miami (North Miami) to live with my aunt, Gypsies would come into Burn's Bar & Grill, & just monopolize the horseshoe-shaped lunch counter. There would be bunches of them, in town, for a wake & funeral, & the funeral home was in the same area as the restaurant. They looked sort of like Spaniards...(not Cubans, nor Mexicans)...but their language was not Hispanic. That's how I learned that they were Romanian, & that they were with a travelling carnaval. For the most part, they were quite attractive, & their children were just beautiful. Do they still show up, from time-to-time, I wonder? It may be difficult to tell, in today's world, however, since Miami has become so diverse, with many & varied Ethnic groups. No one probably even pays any attention, to anyone that "stands out" from the crowd. But...! All those years ago, it was quite striking, & noticeable.

charlis		03-May-2008 17:28
Roberta... your gypsies predate my Miami years. .. although I am part Gypsy on one side of the family. In the 60's we had the LDS going thru the neighborhood trying to convert the Jews! I was a teenager then and gave them a hard time. My father was Lutheren, mother was Catholic (neice of several priests and nuns!) and I was dating a jewish boy (eventually married him). Just because we had a messusa (sic) on the front door (put there by the original owners), the LDS just kept coming back always starting off the conversation with "Jesus wants to save you, even if you are Jewish..." PS: Sorry I haven't responded to your emails... trying to stay off the computer as much as possible until the new lenses arrive.

MO John		03-May-2008 14:15
The Guest in question asked a question about Mark Hagaman (MH), Black John (BJ), and John McCowan. In any event, I'm looking for the guest who knew these folks listed above. Thanks

Roberta Perry Hughes		03-May-2008 07:02
Does anyone remember, in the early-to-mid-fifties, beautiful, dark Gypsy children, peddling large handcrafted brightly-colored wax flowers, mounted on long stems, making their rounds door-to-door, while an adult or two waited, in a late-model car, out on the neighborhood street? I vividly remember them, & my mother always bought at least two wax flowers from them. I remember one was a bright fuschia color, & one was lavender. They looked like huge chrysanthemums, & were very beautiful. Mama put them down inside one of those tall free-form glass vases, that were popular back then. I think that the Gypsies were Romanian, & travelled with a carnival, or fair. You'd see them, although infrequently, but when you did, they left an impression, as they were so "different" from everyone else, living in our area, at the time. Saw a bunch of them in Virginia, once, next door to a Day Care Center where my sister would put her kids, while she shopped. They had a fire pit, in their yard, & were roasting a whole suckling pig, on a spit, mounted above it. It smelled delicious! The "chef," a Gypsy Rom, looked like he stepped right out of a swashbuckling pirate movie! The Gypsies I used to see in Miami, when I was a child, & later, when I returned after high school, to work for a couple of years, were very similar. I just was wondering, if anyone remembers seeing them, from time-to-time.

Guest		03-May-2008 05:45
Sorry MO John. Different guest...I don't know what, um, "BJ" refers to.

Guest		03-May-2008 03:56
Smart move. Finally.

Jeff		03-May-2008 01:28
Miami Girl... I agree... but it's so hard to not want to throw a well-aimed wisecrack in that direction... LOL! But, OK... we'll start to ignore.... uh.... start to ignore... mmm...er...uh....hmmmm!!!!! There WAS someone to ignore...wasn't there????????????

MO John		02-May-2008 23:54
Hi all, Nothing like a good spat to get the old juices flowing. Since I am a good Christian, I will not take sides here.....at all!! I love all (even Don). That said, you might care to know that I changed my handle and added MO to it. Too many "Johns" on the board (get it?); therefore, in the spirit of A.AL, I made the requisite changes. Guest, I read a few of your earlier posts before the big spat. Go to one of your other postings on another photo page ref your question if anyone knew "BJ" and we can talk Miami Memories from our neck of the woods. You'll recognize my post when you see it. LARGO, How are you doing?? Is all A-OK? Joanne, I dropped you a line and thanks to you and Roberta for well wishes. Peace.

Miami Girl		02-May-2008 21:42
Guest.... how extremely rude. Everyone else....I suggest we just ignore this ignoramus from here on out.

Guest		02-May-2008 15:47
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Jeff		02-May-2008 03:51
Thank you, one and all... for your support and encouragement that's (probably) not totally deserved, but certainly much appreciated. Even Don - in our personal email exchanges - assured me that he found nothing out of line with my postings. What our anonymous "guest" fails to understand - is that... What come off as pompous to you is simply my own personal point of view... I'm NOT all-knowing, or 100% correct... but it's sometimes necessary to "round up" our fellow bloggers who [by either intent or accident] will sometime stray far from the subject of this site and get a bit carried away. I call it a voice of reason... you call it pompous, etc., etc. I've even strayed off-course myself back in the past... and when Don politely asked for a curtailing of that activity I respected his wishes. What's your problem??????? You still hide behind a curtain of anonymity and cite that "this is the Internet".... RIDICULOUS!!!!! You could have assumed a nom-de-plume such as "Casual Observer", "Miami Jim", "Closet Queen" or WHATEVER... I would have had more respect for your point of view if you HAD a nom-de-plum, for one thing... and had addressed me in a direct and courteous manner , but instead you chose to do a hit-and-run snipe at me. Should I just stand idly by and let you use a poison pen [so-to-speak] without reacting? I think not! As I said before, I'm more than capable of continuing this back-and-forth for a LONG time... and I could say many things with acidly biting rhetoric... but you and I both know that this would do nothing to change your assumption of who and what I am... and you KNOW what they say about assuming... Do I come off as pompous now? YOU BETCHA... because you STILL need to pick at me in hiding... Roberta, Charlis, Arizona Al, Don and Miami Girl seem to have picked up on my intent... none of them chastised me for my words... but if they HAD, they would have held more sway and credibility than you... for you still want to do things from behind your safe-curtain. That's fine... enjoy yourself. Life is too short to worry about things that YOU wish to make a problem... and to all my fellow bloggers I reiterate... I respect YOUR opinions over "guest's" any old time... and we STILL don't have to agree on everything! Roberta... I owe you one correction in my PSA post... I mentioned Lutein as one of the preventative supplements... I meant Lycopene, which is present in tomatos, etc. Lutein helps the eyes... sorry for the error...

Arizona Al		02-May-2008 00:16
Jeff: You are most welcome. I feel free to speak for the "Band of Bloggers" to wit; Miami Girl, Roberta, Manocarz, Charlis et. alli. and encourage you to continue with your Role as the Devil's Advocate. I for one have always found your postings to be articulate, factual and spiced withe the personna of Master Jeff which I totally enjoy and eagerly anticipate. You Go Jeff! Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona but not to distant to support his " Blogging Buddy" Jeff.

Roberta Perry Hughes		02-May-2008 00:14
MiamiGirl...Not in Georgia, after I got my M.R.S. degree from the Hughes Institute of Wifery. (heh. heh. heh.)

Miami Girl		02-May-2008 00:08
Roberta... the mango's and champagne sounds like something for a hot tub on a cool night overlooking a moonlit lake. Is that what ya'll do in the Peach State?

Roberta Perry Hughes		01-May-2008 23:54
Jeff...Bite you...??? Really...??? Is that an invitation...??? Do you require registration, or an appointment, or is it a "first come, first served buffet"...??? Do you provide spices and/or flavorings...??? Watch it, "Mr. Hottie"...!! One of my favorite new TV shows is "Moonlight!" ("I vant to bite your neck!") ("Uh...! Beevis...! (heh! heh! heh!) I don't think he was talking about his neck...!") "Oh." (sigh) MiamiGirl...Charlis...Manocarz...Mangoes are scrumptious, chilled & sliced, & dipped in ice cold champagne. I love cubed avocado, tossed with minced onion & key lime juice (Conch Salad) & served with fried red snapper, grouper, or any seafood of choice. But you can have papayas, & though I love guava jelly & guava paste, didn't care for the raw fruit itself. Mama made loquat preserves, & Florida cherry jelly, & we loved to eat those cute little citrus fruits, called kumquats, skin & all!! Roberta, missing our tropical fruits, & the Miami of our youth...& having fun on here, with Jeff, re: his "Bite me!" expletive. : -)

charlis		01-May-2008 23:26
miami girl and mangos... personally I don't like them but up here in Tampa there is a town called Mango... Central FL is where you can find the most mango trees... everyone has one in their back yard... !!!!! I have been told that when you pick them, you should set them out in the hot sun to continue ripening... when "mushy" they are ready to eat! If another fruit, you would throw it out!

charlis		01-May-2008 23:21
guest.... re: Jeff. I am the only one on this board who actually knows Jeff. We went to the same high schoo;, worked for the same boss at the printing/sign shop... had the same best friend/teacher mentor. He was in my sister's class. This board has become a "personal" board for friends to get together and discuss things not really related to the main pages. Join the board, make a name... or go away.

charlis		01-May-2008 23:08
roberta and gang/family... men should also be screened for breast cancer.

Guest		01-May-2008 22:30
Hit a nerve...obviously. Didn't post a name, because it's the INTERNET, and folks give out WAY too much personal information in here. I was commenting on your tone, Jeff, which can be pompous. I'll leave these discussions to you folks - back to the photos...

Miami Girl		01-May-2008 12:29
BRAVO Jeff, Roberta and Al..... I couldn't have said it better. Sure wish we could grow mango tree's in NY, those from the store just lack something - although I do occasionally buy one or two. Next time I'm going to let them sit in a sunny spot for a day or two before eating, maybe that'll do the trick. I always felt so sorry for those who are allergic to them. They should be named Miami's official fruit - or are they already?

Guest		01-May-2008 09:48
Back to Miami.....I had a great mango the other day and it sure reminded me of our treees in Hialeah while growing up.

Jeff		01-May-2008 07:27
PS: Roberta... I hope that you will have found my information on PSA/DRE tests a helpful addition that might alleviate some folks' trepidations about getting tested... Now can we PLEASE put this to rest? We are only empowring our nemesis...

Jeff		01-May-2008 07:24
See? Roberta makes some valid points - and whether you or I agree or disagree, she signs her name and speaks her mind, as do I. Roberta may notbe in accord with everything I have said about the use of this site, but she DIDN'T hide in the shadows of the unsigned "Guest" - who could be ANYONE... from a recent newcomer to an old standby who lacked the courage to 'fess up as to who they are... While her intent was to do right, she couldn't have forseen this little bend in the road... Are you happy now "GUEST"?????????? That's what got me pissed off before... not that Roberta and I have different perspectives about this blog spot, but that some unsigned miscreant throws out sarcasm knowing full well I WILL respond to his or her cowardly, unsigned assault on me. To wit, The King HAS spoken... and in my self-aggrandizing, and pompous proclamations that seem so tiring to a certain menial subject of my realm, I offer THIS proclamation: "BITE ME!" LOL!!!!!!!

Roberta Perry Hughes		01-May-2008 05:30
Indirectly, my prior posting DOES involve Miami, as my sister, Audrey Perry Lane, is a 1961 graduate of Southwest High, & my nephew, Travis, is her #2 son. I thought that, maybe, there would be someone "out there," who would remember Audrey...? My brother, Willie, aka "Bill" Perry, & I both, are cancer survivors, & of course, we are former Miamians. It has been posted on here, about other Miamians, who have had cancer, & posted about some, who, unfortunately, succumbed to it. People more widely known than my family members. I did mention that I knew I was digressing, from the "usual postings" on here. But I did so out of the concern that, prostate cancer is, indeed, on the rise, & that there are many, many men out there, who have not been tested, & I just wanted to encourage everyone, who hasn't been tested, to do so, is all. I DO care, about our fellow Posters. I didn't mean for this to become a soapbox, or anything like what has happened on here, & become a free-for-all melee. Jeff...you know me well enough to know that I would have signed my name, in all capital letters, had I been the one who posted that criticism of you. Don can see who we all are, via our e-mail addresses, whether we sign our names, or not. I, personally, see no harm, to once-in-a-while, for one, or more of us, to open a small window into our lives, on here, for "tea & sympathy, among friends, even though the posting ISN'T regarding a defunct edifice, business, who founded the business, or a sea-going vessel, or the foods we used to love, or trees that were in our yards, back in the day, or any item of trivia, or historical data, or statistics. To announce the serious illness, or death, of a loved one, or to post a link to the obituary of a once-popular D.J., TV host, former teacher, business owner, or restaurateur, merely makes us human, with a desire to share a little bit of life, with the others who post on here, & for us to respond, in turn, one-by-one, by offering up our condolences, or support, to me, is NOT a waste of space, here. This Site, to me, is as much about the PEOPLE, who lived the life, in the photos that are posted in the Main Galleries, as it is about the history of "Old Miami." In many photos, of buildings, there are no people to be seen. But...we are there!! And we are HERE, too! (Correct me, if I'm wrong, Don). I don't know what I expected, in response to my post. Certainly, not what followed it, by any means. 'Scusi!

Jeff		01-May-2008 03:38
Thank you, Al... Today I interrupted my schedule to monitor this site a few more times than I normally do as of late. I was curious as to who might actually find me offensive, and who might find my postings - although somewhat blunt in my [personal] truth, welcome. Again, I do not wish to open up any detailed debates about my merits or faults. There is more to be gained from this site by the reminiscences about "Old Miami" than any personal agendas. What angered me was the easy, cheap shot taken by someone who couldn't even take a moment to identify him or herself. If the comment had come from you, Roberta, Charlis, or any one of the "regulars" I would have taken it as "a light jab with constructive criticism". In truth, I was so angry that I typed faster than I proofread, so some of my comments sound a bit odd... but here's one more truth: People mean well. This is why Roberta made that post. However, I DO understand human nature [based on past postings here], and this will invariably works its way into a long dialogue. With that in mind, I decided to post the facts I received from my urologist - firstly in the hope of both educating and enlightening men who've not done such screening (and I'm a bit over-due for another PSA test), and secondly to nip the subject in the bud - to reduce speculation, woory fear and debate over what "might" be the right thing to do... you know how things sometimes get carried away in here. Our "guest" - in the loosest sense of the word - evidentally believes that to NOT follow as a sheep; to exercise [or exorcise] one's opinion or to stand firm in one's thought and belief is synonamous with having a control issue. The last time I recall, I never told anyone that my word was absolute and resolute. I could have played on his or her court and returned the insults ten fold - for I have a razor-sharp tongue - but this would have solved nothing. I'd prefer for this matter to just go away andlet our "regulars" either like me or hate me... THEY hold more import to me than a cowardly, anonymous, ethereal sniper...

Arizona Al		01-May-2008 02:58
Jeff: Although I do not know you personally I have become fond of and admire your postings both relavant to "Old Miami" the esoteric outliers. You certainly do not hide behind the cloak of anonymity as you have provided your complete name and email address on several previous postings. I thouroughly enjoy your postings and trust that you will continue with same.I have never found them to engender the slightest of offense!! Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and Well in Phoenix, Arizona

Jeff		01-May-2008 00:17
No, "Guest"... I have NO delusions of grandeur, unlike yourself... at least I sign MY name... The PURPOSE of this forum is to discuss Miami memories, and it has slowly degenerated into a bulletin board for just about everything else. I'm even willing to have Don Boyd remove any or all of my postings if he finds them offensive or annoying. However, sir or madam... no one holds a gun to anyone's head to either agree or disagree with me (or anyone else for that matter) on this blog. Equally so, just because I vent my opinion - this does not mean I have the final say... for DON BOYD is the webmaster. He, and only he can make the judgement as to what should or should not be here. I, on the other hand am exercising my First Amendment right of free speech, which (despite your distate of it) DOES include my opinion. You DO NOT have to like me, my words or my point of view... but to take a "cheap shot" hidden behind the cloak of anonymity shows that it is you who has a problem with free spech. The door swings in both directions... you came in here freeley and can exit as such. I'm sure many of the bloggers who DO correspond with me regularly may also disagree with my position, but they will tell me openly without anonymous character association. I have contributed PLENTY of factual information and photos to the site. What have YOU contributed except for a cloak-and-dagger attack on me? I will NOT respond to any more of your sarcasm, for to do so will make me as guilty as anyone else who uses this blog for other than its intended purpose.

Guest		30-Apr-2008 23:27
Jeff, do you have delusions of grandeur? A king complex? Chill - your proclamations are tiresome.

Jeff		30-Apr-2008 19:44
Before this becomes "Doom and Gloom Central", here's the facts on men and prostate cancer so we can move on... Most men over 50 will get BPH, which in simple terms is an enlarging of the prostate. Saw Palmetto and Selenium supplements help keep this in check to a degree. We also need to get an annual screening in two ways: DRE and PSA. PSA mean Prostate Specific Antigen. Levels over 4.0 can indicate a possiblity of prostate cancer, but it can also mean the man has BPH. This is where the DRE (Digital Rectal Exam) comes into play. The doctor checks the "pliability" of the prostate. If it has too hard and rough of a feel, the doctor may then opt for a biopsy, which means a tiny nedle takes tissue samples to check for the possibility of a tumor. If found early enough, there's an over 90% cure/survival rate. Equally, the PSA test can also indicate "false positive results", so it should be taken first, then a DRE. If it's simply BPH, then a re-test of the PSA level may be required to continue checking the PSA levels. Avoiding red meat, dairy products, wheat products and processed sugar aids in lowering PSA levels. Additionally, eating foods high in Lutein (tomato products), watching your weight and adding antioxidants [especially red and green leafy vegetables], fish (brioled or baked - not fried)and spices to your foods will help as well. Some tests indicate that capsaicin [spelling?], the ingredient that makes hot peppers hot attacks prostate cancer cells - so as a "preventative" measure you could go and spice up your meals... How do I know all this? I have BPH, and I received this information from my urolgist. Now, that this subject has made you aware... be cautious, get tested, but don't panic or over-react. Fear is your worst enemy. A friend of mine just beat prostate cancer, and he recently turned 50. End of subject here on this blog. Case closed. Any further questions? DON'T post them here... consult your own physician for the best advise. He knows you. Rambling here about the "dos", "don'ts", "ifs" and "whys" will mean simply speculation...

Roberta Perry Hughes		30-Apr-2008 04:42
ALL of you guys out there, PLEASE!! Get screened for prostate cancer (PSA)! It is on the rise! In fact, my sister's #2 son, my 45 year old nephew, Travis Lane, was just diagnosed with prostate cancer, yesterday. He meets with an Oncologist, this week, to learn what course of action will be taken, to aggressively fight this disease. He is married, & has a 5 year old son. They live in Eustis, FL. I realize that I am digressing, from the usual threads, that are posted on here, but I feel that we have all come to know one another, on this Site, & that we even care about one another. Or, that is my hope, anyway. Just wanted to alert you guys, & encourage you to run...don't walk...& go for the simple blood test that screens you for prostate cancer. I pray that you will all be negative, for same. Please remember my sister, Audrey Perry Lane, 1961 graduate of Southwest High, in your prayers, & of course, her son, Travis, & his family, too. Thanks, in advance. Roberta, awake, as usual, on a chilly night in the Peach State, & reaching out to the guys in the Old Miami Memories peanut gallery, & wishing them well.

Arizona Al		29-Apr-2008 23:59
Guest: I am a few years older than you (62) and I agree that we are making reference to different people/different cohort time frame. We do have a common bond, however. I was at MMA 1960-1962. Refer to the MMA section on the main page. I Lived in Cutler Ridge 1955-1964 so it is possible we know some of the same people. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive and well on a 97 degree Tuesday in Phoenix, Arizona

Guest		29-Apr-2008 15:39
Al, thanks for the response, but we are talking about different people ( the McCowan's, etc.) I am from the Sunniland, Palmetto High area, although I did know some Ridge people. I get the impression you're a little older than me- I'm 55, but you may know them. The Goulds- Pat Gould and I forgot his brother's name , Mark Chile, Bud Leath are some of the ones I remember. I also remember hanging out at a park in Cutler Ridge on weekend nights and I think everyone in Cutler Ridge was there. Also, I was at MMA from 1966-67.

Jeff		29-Apr-2008 05:28
Hi, Parks... This is a "mini-mystery", isn't it? What deepens it is the quote from Paulette Carr: "On February 21, 1950, city orders to empty and demolish the ship were carried out..." If this is the case, the only two possibilities remain: 1. That WAS an earlier movie spliced onto the night shots (but the young boy looks to be the same age on the beach and in Downtown Miami), or... 2. That was a DIFFERENT vessel... I dunno...

Parks		29-Apr-2008 05:11
Hi Jeff, you might be right, it could be another vessel, but it is in the right spot to be the PV and it seems to have the dark canopy over the deck that shows in Don's photo of the PV. The stern is shapped correctly to be a sailing vessel and it has no masts. Despite my argument to the contrary, it sticks in my mind that the PV lasted until 52 or 53. I can't find any reference to that though. One of these days I might go to the library and look up the Miami Herald in February 1950 and see if I can find out anything for sure. I'm going fishing the rest of the week so I won't get a chance to play with this for awhile.

Jeff		28-Apr-2008 21:18
Hi, Parks... That very well could be, but I'm now more prone to believe that what "looked" like the Prins Valdemar was actually another vessel... Remember, this was taken from grainy, shaky 8mm home movie film...

Parks		28-Apr-2008 01:45
Hi Jeff, This is getting confusing and fun! Following is a quote from Paulette Carr, the grand daughter of Samuel Stout, owner of the Miami Aquarium. "By February 9, 1950, the Miami Herald reported that the city took possession of the ship in a trade with R. J. Walters for the $7,500 bond he had posted in 1946. On February 21, 1950, city orders to empty and demolish the ship were carried out. Without the boat, there could be no aquarium. The Miami Herald reported that a sad Sam Stout watched as his tanks were torn up and the adult female manatee, Lady, along with many of Samuel Stout’s fish, were released into the bay or ocean to fend for themselves." Maybe the film was a compliation of several trips to Florida? More research is needed!

Miami Girl		27-Apr-2008 23:24
Arizona Al, I remember Ned Reep from either 3rd or 4th grade at Perrine Elementary. It's hard to forget the bully who bent my arm behind my back and walked me all the way to the end of the playground that way! Don't remember seeing him after moving to the new Cutler Ridge school -- thank God.

Jeff		27-Apr-2008 21:30
Parks... This should answer your question about the Prins Valdemar: It WAS still in downtown Miami in 1952! I looked up the release date for "With A Song in My Heart" (The Jane Froman Story) - the movie listed on the marquee in the close-up of the Carib Theater... it was released in 1952! Judging from the mode of dress, this was the winter "season" on Miami Beach... so I was between 3 and 5 months old in Brooklyn, NY at the time that footage was taken!

Arizona Al		27-Apr-2008 13:17
Dear Guest: I remember Black John, the McQuen (not McCowan) brothers, Ned Reep and Burgin Reep, Jim Brecht , Rusty Wickline the Mackinelly berothers. They were the contemporary gang bangers circa 1958-1964. I actually worked with Robert McQuen and Tim Mackinelly 1963-1964 at the Grand Union in Perrine, Florida. I heard that Robert Mackinelley passed away several years ago from liver cancer . Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Parks		27-Apr-2008 03:36
Jeff, A freind of mine, Jack Wirt, could have told us when the PrinsV. was broken up. He bought the anchor and gave it to the Miami Yacht Club where it still is. Unfortunately Jack died a few months ago. He was well into his nineties, still sharp. I miss him. He owned a gas station on the corner of SW 8th Street and Miami Avenue in the fifties. He was also very involved, behind the scenes, in Dade County politics. He ran Hardy Matheson's campain for county commissioner.

Jeff		27-Apr-2008 03:27
Parks... I had a lull in my activities, so I made what will be one of my infrequent sojourns back here... and I'll take a minute to try and respond to your queries... I have no knowledge about who owned the boat docks, and you have eyes like an eagle to spot the Prins Valdemar. Good going. As to WHEN it was removed... only something found in print could settle that mystery and "carbon date" more accurately that home movie. As a graphic artist with a love for well-crafted neon, I was both thrilled and a bit saddened to see what is now a "lost art" down here. Due to ever-increasing regulations, what little neon we still have seldom compares to the beauty - and yes, there IS a beauty to a well made sign - of the 1950's Carib marquee, the Wolfie's sign, the Dubrow's frontage and those wonderful "spectaulars" on the bay... such as the Pepsi bottle caps and the Jantzen swimmer... I was born WAY too late... Postwar America (despite any of its social or political problems) seemed to me more classy, more sensible, more promising... Anyway, I'm NOT trying to start any long discussionsthat will end up being a can of worms about the merits or shortcoming of neon signs on our landscape... I was just having an nostalgic appreciation for the Lincoln Road that (according to the website) was photographed the year I was born...

Parks		27-Apr-2008 02:31
Jeff thanks for the link to the video. I recognized lots of places now gone and at least one still here, the Venetian Pool. Also in the movie was the main library in Bayfront Park with the band shell in the background. It looked to me that a lot of the film, near the end, was shot from the Columbus Hotel. Did you spot the Everglades Hotel? The ship docks where the American Airlines Arena now is, were they owned by the FEC railroad? Pier 5 and the Auditorium where Bayside Shopping Center is now. Some of the film may actually be eariler than 1950 as I spotted the Prins Valdemar. I tried to find out when the Prins Valdemar was removed and the best I can find is February of 1950. While researching that I came across a web site similar to this where people were talking about a manatee that was born in the Miami Aquarium aboard the Prins V. in 1948. He is still alive and living in Bradenton! His name is Snooty. Goggle him.

MM		27-Apr-2008 00:44
Bud,I'm from South Miami, was Flynn's Dixie Ribs at 152nd st and US1?

Guest		26-Apr-2008 22:46
Yeah, I used to go to Merry Christmas a lot, also the grove ( coconut) of course and how about the concerts on Sunday's at Greynolds Park?

Jeff		26-Apr-2008 18:34
Thanks for posting the full link, Don... Anyone who does download the file please note: You'll need Apple QuickTime on your computer to run the movie offline. If it's not already on your computer, Apple's site offers a free download...

Guest		26-Apr-2008 14:26
I remember black john! he lived behind the weinkles liquor store and would chase us if we hung out near royal castle. how about Merry Christmas Park?

Guest		26-Apr-2008 14:01
I remember when 132nd st. was a dirt road going to US1. Does anyone remember Mark Hagaman, or the McCowan brothers ( who were always in trouble)? How about "black john" who lived behind the 7-11 and royal castle?

Leighton		26-Apr-2008 09:43
Great footage. Wish I had a time machine.

Don Boyd		26-Apr-2008 06:12
In other words, Jeff's link is: http://revver.com/video/509832/miami-beach-florida-vacation-home-movie/ Don

Jeff		26-Apr-2008 04:13
PS: The first space is before revver.com/ and the last space is before video/

Jeff		26-Apr-2008 04:11
This site does not always allow posters to add web links, but if you put all the parts together (without the spaces), you'll find a site with a wonderful piece of nostalgia... some 1952 home movies of Miami Beach and Miami... http:// revver.com/ video/509832/miami-beach-florida-vacation-home-movie/ (Remember to delete the spaces!) Yo'll see some great shots of Downtown Miami by day, Lincoln Road between Washington and Collins Avenues by night (including images of Pickin' Chicken, Dubrow's, Carib Theater, Whelan's Drugs, Wolfie's)... along with the usual obligatory footage of family members frolicking beachside... and a special treat... the billboards with neon "spectaculars" that lit up Biscayne Bay at night from the site that's now The Miami Herald!

Don Boyd		25-Apr-2008 02:08
I added longtime popular radio announcer Arnie Warren's photo, newspaper article and obituary about his death last Saturday in Wellington (main gallery). RIP Arnie, thank you for the good memories! Arnie's website is located athttp://www.greatconnection.com His guestbook is located athttp://www.legacy.com/herald/GB/GuestbookView.aspx?PersonId=108199725 Don

Guest		24-Apr-2008 15:57
Arizona Al, that hanging onto the back of the truck had to be a "guy thing" - I sure wasn't that brave! Have fun in Montreal, "Old Town" is fantastic!

Arizona Al		24-Apr-2008 10:38
Largo..belated condolences. Miami Girl..I chased the same mosquito spray trucks in Cutler Ridge circa mid to late 1950's. The grand prize was to hang on to the back of the truck and have your bicycle pulled along as the truck emitted noxious and probably brain damaging pesticide. No wonder I am twisted and disturbed to this day!! Heading to Montreal tomorrow for a wedding and will return next week. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive, well and wishing you all good tidings from Phoenix, Arizona

Don Boyd		23-Apr-2008 15:08
4/23: Linda Adleman Bolinger contributed a 1940's image of her grandfather Howard Hubbard inside Hubbard's Kubbard in Hialeah (Hialeah gallery). Parks Masterson contributed a 1940's image of a Navy sub-chaser in Government Cut (1940's gallery). Robert Bowman contributed several items in the "Do You Remember?" gallery. Don

Jeff		22-Apr-2008 23:36
Largo... My heartfelt sympathy on your loss... Take joy in the fact that you had your father all those years, and could celebrate a long, wonderful life with him!

charlis		22-Apr-2008 22:08
largo... my love and thoughts to you and yours. I was always taught to "Forget the death, remember the life!" Sounds like everyone had a great life together and many fond memories.

Joanne		21-Apr-2008 01:58
Largo...my heartfelt sympathy to you and yours. Another one of the pages of life closed, but the stories continue still. It's all part of Gods green earth, life and death. Sounds as if his life was lived well and he passed that wonderful knowledge on to you. Peace to you!!!

MO John		20-Apr-2008 17:27
LARGO, My sincere condolences to you and your family. Your parents molded you much like mine. Hang in there. Gob bless you. J

LARGO		20-Apr-2008 12:48
THANKS YOU GUYS...MY SISTERS, FAMILY AND FRIENDS WILL BE HAVING A LIFE CELEBRATION/MEMORIAL..APPROPRIATELY ON EARTH DAY APR 22 (our home in S. Miami looked like the Garden of Eden..fruit trees and exotic plants & flowers everywhere.)....AND MY BABY SISTER TURNS 60 THE 23...MOM AND DAD TAUGHT US HOW TO LIVE, LOVE AND LAUGH..AND NOT TO BE AFRAID TO DIG IN THE EARTH..AND GET A LITTLE MESSY...AND IN THEIR HONOR, AND WITH THEM IN OUR HEARTS.....THIS IS HOW WE WILL ALL CARRY ON......LARGO

Guest		20-Apr-2008 11:17
Largo: I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. I've been there and understand how you feel. Better days are coming. Please accept our sympathy. John 5:28,29

Roberta Perry Hughes		20-Apr-2008 04:53
Largo...May the wonderful & cherished memories you have of your father be of comfort to you & yours in the days ahead. Through your postings on here, that related to your colorful father's life, I feel as though I met him, & oh! How I wish I had had such a privilege as that would have been. Your mother, also, sounded like she enjoyed a rich & very colorful life, & I know that you & your siblings were lucky, indeed, to have had such parents. My heartfelt sympathy goes out to you & yours, during this time. Know that you have many many friends on here, who care about you. Take care of your precious self. Hugs, Roberta

LARGO		20-Apr-2008 03:24
MY FATHER...CLIFFORD H. POLAND JR....91 & 8 MTHS...AN EARLY PIONEER IN THE S. FLORIDA FILM INDUSTRY...FELL ASLEEP AND WENT TO BE WITH THE LORD AND MOMMA...APRIL 17th ..THE 18TH WAS THEIR 71st WEDDING ANNIVERSARY...I MISS THEM TERRIBLY................LARGO

MP		20-Apr-2008 01:08
Hole in the Head's hotel was the Cardoza Hotel 1300 Ocean Dr.

Gables_Miami Beach		20-Apr-2008 00:16
Thanks for the Fontainebleau memories, particualrly to Charlis. The "Hole in the Head" discussion also dovetailed nicely with my Fontainebleau topic. The lagoon pool that replaced the original Fontainebleau pool when Hilton Hotels took over in 1978 was replaced last year by a new pool. It seems that was what was so new and exciting in 1978 had been duplicated and the trend ran its course. Hilton left in 2005 and now the place is being renovated yet again. It is interesting to hear the south wall mural mentioned, as it often is in discussions like this, but the funny thing is that the wall had a fairly brief history. It was painted in 1985 and that building demolished c. 2001, a small slice of the hotel's history.

BUD		19-Apr-2008 23:37
I am the grandson of Bill Flynn... he worked for the Florida East Coast Railway, past owner of Flynn's Dixie Ribs, and a member of the Florida House of Representatives. I didn't know my grandfather because I was adopted as a small child. Does anyone have any old photos of him, Flynn's Dixie Ribs or any other information. Thank you in advance, BUD

miami girl		19-Apr-2008 22:34
Roberta: My friends and I also rode our bikes behind the mosquito spray trucks - it's a wonder we have any lungs left! In the early days of Cutler Ridge (mid to late 50's) they used to burn off the underbrush in the woods before building new houses so maybe that smoke overpowered the Everglades burning which I don't remember for some reason.

robertbowman		19-Apr-2008 01:02
I was born ('56) and raised on Miami Beach and remember when the Glades burned every year. They usually blamed lightning or hunters for starting it. Sometimes the wind would carry the thich blue smoke over our part of town (south Beach) and the ash would come down like snow and cover everything with a good dusting. Probably was terrible for you, but what did we know we also rode our bikes behind the mosquito spray trucks. I think that they used DDT then. I don't think i'm any worse for the wear.

charlis		18-Apr-2008 21:42
roberta... I moved to FL in 1962 and lived in W Hollywood that fall... before moving to MB that Dec. We lived just a few blocks from the canal that separated W Hollywood from the Everglades... and civilization. (Now civilization goes miles west of that canal! The one fire reached to the canal! Looks to be that this year will be another bad fire year... according to predictions. But, they have been wrong on a lot of things this year... for the good. No hurricanes, no damaging cold fronts, etc.

Roberta Perry Hughes		18-Apr-2008 04:39
A most definite childhood memory of mine, of Miami, in the early 1950's, on up to 1961, which was the year my family moved away, was when the Everglades was a VAST area, & in the sweltering heat of the Miami sun, spontaneous combustion would ignite the smouldering vegetation, & the onset of the swamp fires would begin. Thick blue smoke would hover low over the neighborhood, & some days, I swear, it seemed you could hear the crackling of the flames. With the way "they" have drained the 'Glades, over-the-years, & have built upon it, to accomodate more & more transplanted "snow birds," or "whomever," are the swamp fires anything like they used to be? How have these extreme changes, in the size of the acerage of the 'Glades, affected the intensity, & the duration, of the swamp fires/swamp/smoke? Those who came along after the Everglades were drained, & her size diminished, have no idea what it was like, back in the day, when the hazy blue smoke was a part of daily life, annually. I remember how it would burn my eyes, & my throat. It was quite acrid, & seemed to have a different scent, & feel, from a forest fire's smoke. It had a pungent aroma to it. The swamp fires were as much a part of our lives as hurricane season was, & I'm sure, this is a part of every Poster's memory, of those days of yore.

robertbowman		18-Apr-2008 03:41
"The Happening" 1967 filmed in and around Miami Beach, Also some good shots of Miami Baseball Statium.With Anthony Quinn,Faye Dunaway ,Milton Berle and more. Here is a link for more info. http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F04E3D71E3CE63ABC4052DFB366838C679EDE

charlis		17-Apr-2008 21:45
"Hole in the Head"... my favorite Sinatra movie. I used to drive everyone crazy with the "ooops, there goes another rubber tree plant" when ever my sister was helping my mother with the gardening and dropped something. Sinatra seemed to like to film there. I remember one time going to a friends apartment on Pine Tree Dr. She lived across the street from a mansion on Indian Creek and we often used the pool... with the absent owner's permission. We had a party one Saturday afternoon and headed across the street to use the pool. Guards stopped us... Frank was filming there. Then you've all heard the story of Evie and I trying to get to work at the Teen Dance Club only to have Evie have a fight with Frank because he was filming in the alley where the entrance to her apartment was... we had to get to work and she needed to change clothes! I "lost my love" for Frank that evening... but the movie was great. I think it was "Lady in Cement", or the one after that.

charlis		17-Apr-2008 21:36
Jeff, I asked Evie about the Grand Union last night when she called go check in... she said the same thing you did. How have you been? I was getting worried. Your expertise is needed here. Hope things are going well with you... and what is keeping you away from this board is good.

charlis		17-Apr-2008 21:32
John... filmed in Miami and Italy... Did anyone catch the CSI Miami last year, or maybe the year before. It had to do with some computer geeks from UM killing people. One scene was at the ice hockey rink, which clearly said "Miami University". I do not know if UM has an ice hockey rink... but MU is in OH!

John		17-Apr-2008 13:41
Jeff you've made my day - finally I found the locations :D You really know your stuff. Roberta No, I don't know Gus personally, but got a friend who knows him. By the way Terence Hill & Bud Spencer made another film in Miami for those of you who like to see Miami locations. The movie is called "Odds And Evens" and was made in 1978. Thank you Don for helping me out :D

Roberta Perry Hughes		17-Apr-2008 06:32
Parks...(AND Jeff)...Thanks, for confirming that "A Hole in the Head" was filmed in Miami. I saw the movie, eons ago, but cannot remember too much about it, except what I had speculated. I'm considering buying a DVD of it. I apologize that my postings sometimes don't pertain to Miami Memories, but I only commit that faux pas, here lately, whenever it has become like a ghost town on here, for weeks on end...& mainly, to see if anyone is paying attention, as I know that it will eventually evoke a comment. : ) Roberta, loving each & every memory shared on here, & all of the facts, as well.

Jeff		17-Apr-2008 05:50
CORRECTION: That scene by the Grand Union by the rear could is actuallyfacing the other direction - TOWARD 125th Street... NOT Southeast to West Dixie Hwy... the Shopping Center actually is divided by that cross street...

Jeff		17-Apr-2008 05:45
PS: I forgot to comment on "A Hole in the Head". It opens with an areial shot over the Fontainebleau Hotel showing the Goodyear Blimp "Ranger". The hotel exterior was a real hotel on Ocean Drive (around 13th or 14th Street), and the hotel's sign was removed to put the the name of the fictitious hotel during the filming. A scene shot outside of Hoffman's Cafeteria (Collins Avenue and Espanola Way) was deleted from the film. This was according to the late dance teacher Bernie Sager, who told me he had appeared in that scene. Gotta go........

Jeff		17-Apr-2008 05:41
The Grand Union in question was located at 450 NE 125th Street in North Miami. It was built around 1955, and the surrounding Colonial Shopping Plaza was added in the early 1960's. This was after a failed attempt by Zegarra Construction [located at the time at 12345 West Dixie Hwy.] to build what would have been known as "The Griffing Plaza"on the same site in 1955. Another Zegarra Construction plan for a shopping center on NE 125th Street at NE 9th Avenue was also rejected by the city, and the Friedland Family (who showed interest in that project) subsequently built the 163rd Street Shopping Center the same year in North Miami Beach. After Grand Union closed and pulled out of Florida in the 1980's, Winn-Dixie took over the location for a number of years, then vacated the premises. Currently, it is a President Super Market. The Colonial Apartments are located directly across the street on the North side on NE 125th Street and may now be known by another name. The side view of the building looks Southeast toward West Dixie Hwy. IMPORTANT NOTE: I will only post here on the rare occasion I have the time - and then, ONLY to respond with any reasonable and thoughtful comments I hope to contribute about a particular Miami Memorabilia subject in question. ALL OTHER COMMENTS directed to me, for me, against me, about me, etc. will not be answered, so kindly save the valuable blog space for better topics of discussion, thank you. (In other words, there is nothing to speculate about as to "why" I'm not yakking my head off here... Simply put, I have other priorities at this point in time...)

Parks		17-Apr-2008 05:29
Hi Roberta, I had forgotten about A Hole In The Head. Yes it was filmed in Miami. As I recall there was a scene at Flagler Dog Track and lots of good South Beach shots. Didn't Edward G. Robinson play his older brother in it?

Roberta Perry Hughes		17-Apr-2008 05:07
Ooooops! I meant THINKING, not "thing"! Sorry. It's past the witching hour!

Roberta Perry Hughes		17-Apr-2008 05:05
Parks...Wasn't Sinatra's movie "A Hole in the Head" also filmed in Miami? I think the song "High Hopes" is from that movie, & that the movie was something about his character's hotel, that he was in danger of losing it, or something like that...?? It was filmed in either the late '50's or the early '60's, but I'm thing that it was filmed in Miami...? Was it???

Don Boyd		17-Apr-2008 04:05
I added four more images from John in his search to find the location of the Grand Union in the 1977 movie "Crime Busters." The images are in the 70's Gallery and specifically at: http://www.pbase.com/donboyd/image/95743099 - check out the reflections in the window http://www.pbase.com/donboyd/image/95743101 - some background visible http://www.pbase.com/donboyd/image/95743103 - Continental Apts. in background http://www.pbase.com/donboyd/image/95743106 - side and back of Grand Union Thanks for your help everyone. Don

Parks		17-Apr-2008 04:03
I love watching films and TV shows that were made in Miami and trying to spot locations I recognize. Tony Rome with Frank Sinatra and The Happening with Anthony Quinn are two good Miami movies. The TV show Burn Notice is filming here now. They have rented the Dinner Key Convention Center to use as a studio and base of opperations. It really annoys me when TV shows use Miami as a back drop but actually film elsewhere. Have you noticed that almost every movie or TV show filmed in Miami has a scene in which a car drives across the McArthur Causeway?

Roberta Perry Hughes		17-Apr-2008 01:21
John...Hope you find the locations that you seek, for that movie. Isn't it fun, to search for things you want to know? I'm always amazed, at what you can find! So, you're a great Dane, huh? Do you happen to know poker player, Gus Hansen? I think he's from Denmark, too?? Great to see you posting on here! Looking forward to reading more from you. Don't apologize for your English...I find it very charming!

John		17-Apr-2008 00:28
Sorry Don, I don't know why my post shows up twice??? By the way, sorry for my poor english - I'm from Copenhagen, Denmark :)

John		17-Apr-2008 00:25
Hi Parks I have checked the address out on Google Earth and it doesen't looks like it's the right one. Hi Charlis Crime Busters was released in 1977 and problaby filmed 1976/77. It was an italian movie with the action-comedy stars Terence Hill and Bud Spencer and all the outdoors scenes were filmed in the Miami area and some of the indoor scenes were filmed in Italy. I've located a lot of the locations in the movie by looking on Google Earth but some of them were really hard to find because things has really changed in the last 30 years. I have send Don a few more pictures from the movie and hope he get some new ideas. :)

charlis		16-Apr-2008 22:32
Where is Jeff when we need him? I hope he is okay. I find conflicting info on the Crime Busters film... filmed in 1976 or 1979, filmed in FL or Italy.... My ex worked for a company located near the address given and I do not remember a grocery store on that block of Biscayne.

Don Boyd		16-Apr-2008 05:01
The Grand Union photo that John sent in seeking the location is now up in the 70's gallery - here's the direct link to it: http://www.pbase.com/image/95703709 The movie was "Crime Busters" and he needs to find the location of this Grand Union shot. Thanks! Don

Parks		16-Apr-2008 04:46
Hi John, There is a Continental Apts listed at 2601 Biscayne Blvd. I don't know if there was ever a Grand Union next door. What was the movie?

Bill Simons		16-Apr-2008 03:13
My name is Bill Simons and I was born at St Francis hospital in 1951. My grandfather Harold Lee Barnes was in real estate and worked with developing Surfside in the early days. We grew up on Sunset Island #3 and have a lot of great memories from Miami Beach. My father and "Red" Long started Long's Office Supplies in the forties which was located in downtown Miami. I have really enjoyed your pictures and have seen things that I had forgotten all about. I wish you had more pictures of Miami Beach. We used to ride our bikes from Sunset down Michigan to the beach and spend the day in front of the Cleavlandar. Bet you wouldn't let your seven year old do that now! I went to St. Patricks Catholic School when I was young. I have so many things that I remember but I don't want to keep going on. Thanks, Don

John		16-Apr-2008 01:48
I need some help from some of all the viewers in here. I like to find movie locations and I've been searching for a Grand Union store in the Miami area, so far without any luck. Don has promised to put a picture of the Grand Union sign from the store up in here, but it's not a very good picture. What I can tell about the store is that to the right of the store there were a little street with a dry clean storeon the corner. On the opposite side of the street there was a low brick building with the name Continental Apts on the wall. The movie where I saw it was from 1977. Any ideas for where this Grand Union was located? I know it ain't much, but give me some shots and I will check it out on Google Earth.

charlis		15-Apr-2008 23:19
miami girl... hurricanes... my favorite subject. My first 'cane experience was Donna. That does not really count as I was in NYC at the time on summer vacation, and being from OH, I didn't know what a hurricane was. My first FL experience was Cleo in '64. Cleo, and all hurricanes afterwards, meant my dad and I climbing up on the roofs of our house, an uncle's house, and freind's homes, and taking down the TV antennaes. Cleo hit in the middle of the night. The weather people had lost track of her. The eye went right over the house! We walked outside at the time. Water came through the jalousied windowed kitchen door. I suffered the only injury... a bad cut to my hand while trying to open a beer can for someone who was staying t our house... aka hurricane party. My mother hated the storm. We had moved to MB in Dec '62. Our 2 orange trees and 1 grape fruit tree were full of fruit that my mother was waiting to harvest in a few months. Of course we spent the next several days raking up all the lost fruit. After the 'cane passed my dad and I went around to all the family and friends and replace their antennaes... we saw all the damage... amazing not so bad for a direct hit... saw Surfside Six on its dock. To this day I am fascinated with 'canes. It's actually my "other duty" job at work. I have a 100% accuracy on tracking... predicted that Charlie would not hit Tampa when the locals where still saying it was headed our way a few hours before it hit to the south of here.

charlis		15-Apr-2008 23:04
arizona... love the dog place.... do they serve the dogs with raw onions, melted cheese and mayo? ...the only way I eat dogs.. in fact.... just had one... okay, the Oscar Meyer version... but it was good. Good luck to the family on their venture.

charlis		15-Apr-2008 23:01
gables... my memories of the Bleu go back to the '60's. My best friend's Uncle designed the place and is rolling over in his grave at what has happened to it. All the "basement" stores and restaurants are gone. The pool where you could watch people swim through a "basement" window is gone. The pool was replaced by a lagoon style pool. I was there the year that Hurricane Charlie hit for a HazMat conference and could not believe the changes. They were getting ready to tear down the famous wall at the south end of the property. I remember running into, literally, Sammy Davis Jr at the Bleu. Saw Troy Donahue there too. I remember when Surfside Six was blown up onto its dock during Hurricane Cleo. I pointed out the room where Goldfinger was filmed to a few convention attenders. Even showed them a few short cuts around the place. I even had to use the employee elevator one time and people were amazed at the fact that I knew where I was going and the stories I told them about the old Bleu. My memories of the Bleu are great... prior to my last visit there.

Joanne		15-Apr-2008 22:53
I'm baaaaack : ) a very large and warm HELLO to all. Had a Miami flashback on Sunday as I was mowing my yard. Thought about how Dad would have the push mower to do all the intricate moves around trees, bushes, etc and I was on the riding mower (we had about 3/4 of an acre) wearing my bathing suit to catch some rays while I mowed. Then off we'd go to Matheson, or some other wonderful place. We talked before about being on the "patrol" and our neon orange belts, well here's another...was anyone out there one of the "A/V" kids? You know, the kids that were in charge of projectors and screens and showing educational movies in class? I'll bet a lot of those people are now involved in computers. Whose high school played "The Horse" or "The Budwiser Song"? "When you say Bud, (bum bum) you've said a lot of things nobody else can say. When you say Bud (bum bum) you've said you care enough to only drink the king of beers." LOL!!!

Miami Girl		15-Apr-2008 22:05
Charlis, what a coincidence -- a couple weeks ago I met a fairly new employee where I work (in Upstate NY) who's also from Coral Gables! He came up to me since I was wearing my Miami Dolphins sweatshirt on a "casual Friday". I told him about this site but haven't had the chance yet to ask if he's visited yet. Gables-Miami Beach, my memory of the Fontainebleau is going there for lunch one day (approx 1962) with my Mom and lo and behold Bobby Darin was sitting at the next table. I didn't want to intrude so wouldn't go ask for his autograph. I have a picture of Surfside 6 I'm going to scan to Don - it was across the street from the hotel. Az Al, I'd love to sample those Chicago Style Hot Dogs. I used to frequent Chi-Town Dogs when we lived in Tennessee - never could have imagined a hot dog with cucumber, tomato and hot peppers but it was WONDERFUL - those peppers really cleared the sinuses! Best of luck to your wife and her sister on their new business! Roberta, thanks for getting these postings going again. We need new memories, I think all the "old people" have run out. Everybody: Give us a memory of one or more of the hurricanes you experienced. My Dad insisted on having a generator so much to my disgust we were the only family on the block with lights! Also, why did they always seem to hit at night? We couldn't see much.

Roberta Perry Hughes		15-Apr-2008 07:56
Hey, Arizona Al, whom I named! Wish I could fly out there to Gold Canyon, & patronize Hawgs 'N Dawgs...or is it Hogs 'n Dogs? However it's spelled, it sounds DELISH, & I extend my very best wishes, for it to be a huge success!! Brings to mind the memories we all have of such bistros, as this will be, I'm sure! Just the thought makes me want a flamed dog, all roasted & juicy, with sauerkraut & mustard!! MMMMMM-MMM!!! Sooooooo good, to see you posting again! Hope that everyone else will soon return. Their absence is practically tangible, & I am very thankful, indeed, for the new Posters on here, as well as the recent input from Charlis, Miami Girl, & Manocarz. Roberta...chilled to-the-bone, due to bare feet & nylon p.j.'s, as the temp continues to drop, & the winds pick up in velocity, threatening the beauty of flamboyant azaleas & delicate dogwoods, here, in the Peach State. I want to bring the horses in the house...& that stray black Tommer, too, that I named "Shadow," though he's wild as a buck. Should have named him Rhett Butler. Be warm 'n cozy, y'all...& stay well.

Arizona Al		15-Apr-2008 06:59
Hello Alll: Sorry I have not been contributing much lately. Have been involved with my wife and her sister in their opening of a sandwich shop in Gold Canyon, Arizona. It is called Hawgs and Dogs and serves Chicago Style Flame Broiled Hot Dogs and Gourmet Sandwiches. I never reralized all of the government-beaurocratic hoops that have to be navigated and negotiated to open and operate a small business. I guess the addage "anyone who owns and operates a business deserves it" has a ring of truth. In any event, now that the business is up and running I have much more time to contribute. Hello Roberta, Jeff, Manocars, Miami Girl, Charlis et. alli. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive, well and recovering from opening a business in Gold Canyon, Arizona

Roberta Perry Hughes		15-Apr-2008 04:57
Guest of Apr. 15...I so enjoyed your posting! It was like I was there, seeing, hearing, & smelling, all that you described, & drinking in your memories, which are similar to my own, sans the religious denomination, & the location of your old haunts, for I am from S.W. Miami, & first, attended Southside (or was it Sunnyside?) Baptist Church, then Bird Road Baptist Church, & the year before we left the neighborhood, in 1961, I attended Olympia Baptist Church, with a few of the girls in my neighborshood. One of these girls came for a visit with me, in 1998, from Colorado,& another one will be here this month, from Oviedo, Florida. We all lived on S.W. 55th Street, back in the early 1950's. Our family was the first to leave the neighborhood. Now, everyone has scattered, all across the U.S., & our parents are all gone, & our aunts & uncle are, too. We are the "older generation," now, left with the memories of a place long ago & far away. Isn't this the most wonderful Site on the Web?? I have to go on here, daily, to be able to escape the way the world is, today, & to be in touch, too, with my "inner child," so-to-speak. It's a terrific stress-buster! Give us a monikker, so we'll get to know you, by name. It's great, to see new Posters on here. Our "regulars," mostly, have taken a holiday, it seems. Sure do miss them, too, & I'm anxious to learn how they all are doing, these days. Hope they are all well, & feeling good, & enjoying all that life has to offer. Charlis...I'll have to check out that Game, about Pompeii!! It sounds fantastic!! Roberta...up late...again...in the Empire State of the South, & in disbelief, that the wind chill factor will make it feel like 27 degrees, in the morning!...Brrrrrrr-rrrrr!!!

Guest		15-Apr-2008 04:08
Does anyone here remember Gladeview Elementary on NW 27th Ave and 62 St? Or the Army Surplus store across 62nd from it? The Stevens Market across 27th? Fredrich's Market on 62nd and 7th Ave? When I was small I remember the whole family driving down to Fredrich's every Friday night for groceries. Loved the magazine and comic book kiosk out front. My favorite memories of Miami was in the early and mid-fifties as a small child. The smells, the nights, the sky. I remember the pretty young mothers with the makeup and sweet smells at school functions. I remember the neat school carnivals held at Gladeview every year. Picking up pop bottles to cash in at Tu-Way Market for candy on the way to and from school. Amazing how much trash was thrown from cars back then. Until I was about 7 we used to go to the Church of God at NW 17th ave and 29th St on Sunday nights. When it got time for the fire and brimstone sermon my Dad would take me and my little sister for a walk around the block a few times. Was a neat adventure. There was a lumber yard and a hardware store on 28th st with pretty neon signs in the window. The smell of the night air back then was so rich. One of my memories of that time was of this bearded and grizzled old man setting in the last pew. We were in the pew before. He had a rifle or shotgun with him and said something about if that woman got up and sang he was going to shoot her. One of those older church ladies with those wavering voices. After my Dad heard that and saw the shotgun we got up and left. I remember the curve of the pistol-gripped stock on the gun. They had some characters back then. I remember dinner time then us all going out to the front porch and hear the stories the adults told as evening fell, then watching the moon and stars. This was before street lights. Never saw the night sky like that again until after Andrew. My Dad's family moved to Miami in 1922 and my mother was an old Florida Cracker. Lots of stories of the older days. We lived across the street from the old White Belt Dairy, part of which is now MLK Park and the rest are warehouses. It was called Hialeah Heights on the plat books. We had a 20 foot well that produced good water well past the time they put in city water. Miami was a wonderful place until the 60's.

Gables_Miami Beach		14-Apr-2008 23:10
Does anyone have memories of the Fontainebleau Hotel? If so, please share.

charlis		14-Apr-2008 22:17
roberta... I was just at my Volcano Google alert site and remembered something... a few years ago I bought a computer game that you might like... "The Last Days of Pompeii". Interesting game. Got it at Circuit City. It's fun as you go throughout the city searching for someone. We just got a new employee today. He is from Coral Gables. We didn't have much time to talk today as he was being "shown the ropes". Weather here is nice... cold for this time of the year... but I love going around the condo opening the windows and yelling... "Up yours TECO!"... I cleaned that up... did that many years ago... when the meter man was outside the window I was opening! He couldn't stop laughing!

Roberta Perry Hughes		14-Apr-2008 20:36
manocarz...Thanks for having responded to my posting. I appreciate it more than you know. Don't know what it's like, weather-wise, in Our Town, but here, it's turned off flat-out COLD, overcast, & windy, to boot! Thought we were done with the heating system, but I guess not! Even grateful for the ol' electric blanket, let me tell you! This cold front is making these 60 year old bones ache, like it's Winter, again! What's it like, where y'all are? My brother, in MI, says he got snow! UGH! Glad we don't live THAT far north! For real. Oh, what I'd give, for just one 24-hour visit to the tropical weather of my former hometown of Miami! To see the hibiscus in bloom, pick the ripe tropical fruits that everyone had in their yards, & to just go out wading, in the warm Atlantic...the way it was back-in-the-day, of course, pre-pollution & debris. Memory is a priceless treasure, isn't it? We can be kids again, & time travel, mentally, to our former neighborhoods, & it can seem so very real! It's a comfort to me, after all these years! Through this amazingly nostalgic Site, we can go back there any time we want to! Roberta, coping with a freak cold front, hovering over the Peach State, & waxing nostalgic, for sand & surf, tropical foliage, & long ago friends & neighbors.

Guest		14-Apr-2008 19:46
Roberta: You think this is a ghost town! You should see the Hialeah section! That's where I'm usually hanging out since that's my hometown. Seems like only on a rare occasion does anyone ever drop in on that section anymore. anyway, I don't say much to you Miamian's, but I have fun keeping an eye on you guys while I still enjoy Hialeah.

Roberta Perry Hughes		12-Apr-2008 20:53
What's going on, here? This Site is like a Ghost Town, lately! Where'd everybody go? Hubby & I are watching the Masters. Got our fingers crossed, for Tiger or Phil to win. Just hope Tiger makes the cut, today. Supper is in the crock pot...Boston Butt with vegetables...y'all come on in, & have a bite to eat with us! Supper will be served, when Lewis comes in from feeding the horses. You're all welcome at my table. Roberta, in the cool & breezy Peach State, home of The Masters, & missing old friends from my former home town, & fellow Posters, whom I've come to know ...& care about, very much.

Gary Pales		10-Apr-2008 18:30
what a great web sight. I viewed photos that are in my head. I never thought I would burger kingor grand union and the gold star deli on sw 8th st ever again. And you can't forget georges super sub shop. Any photo's of the blue gotto?Thanks for taking me back in time, a fun ride.

Gables_Miami Beach		10-Apr-2008 15:05
WhenI go to log in, it tells me that my user name or pasword are invalid. But when I type the comment and manually enter the same info below, it accepts the info and posts the comment.

Tami		09-Apr-2008 16:32
Love it! What a great collection. I remember seeing photos like these in my Dad's albums, and also remember a lot of "Old Miami" from visiting my Grandma in the 70's and 80's. Neat nostalgic trip. Thanks for the gallery!

Roberta Perry Hughes		06-Apr-2008 22:18
Miami Girl...Charlis...Many thanks, for sharing your wonderful images with me!! Can hardly wait, for the Vizcaya images, & EVERY image of Our Town that Don includes in the Galleries!!

charlis		06-Apr-2008 16:51
Don... scanned some of the Viscaya pics, including a brochure they gave out. I have other pics from an earlier visit that I still have to scan in. Will probably be next weekend.

charlis		06-Apr-2008 16:49
Roberta... sent the pics of Pompeii to you. The one pic you asked for is included. Being that the pic was taken while visiting the "Forbidden" area (Red Light District) I guess "pimps" were very wealthy. '-)

Don Boyd		06-Apr-2008 02:30
Cecil Curry contributed a 1941-1942 photo of his first grade class at Morningside Elementary (40's gallery) and two mid 1950's postcard images of the Columbus Hotel/Top O' The Columbus (50's gallery). Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		05-Apr-2008 21:04
Miami Girl...Got the email, but no attachments were there...??! (sigh) Try again...? Thanks, Roberta

Don Boyd		05-Apr-2008 16:57
TV producer Chuck Stewart sent in a comment to the Rick Shaw gallery which is worthy of repeating here for better exposure to our visitors: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hey everybody, Chuck Stewart here, director of Saturday Hop and The Rick Shaw Show. I'm still doing TV after all these years. Check out my you tube channel:http://www.youtube.com/conkyjoe . There are over 60 music videos there, most from the 2 shows. I saved everything I could back then. Only wished I had saved more. These clips are priceless now. If you have any pictures or films, tapes of the show, email me and I'll get them digitized and post on YouTube. I have a full blown edit system. I also have a 1 hour documentary of Rick's last day at Magic 102.7 along with the party at Gulfstream. If you wish a copy, email me and I'll give you the details. Chuck Stewart roomtone@msn.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I added a bunch of still shots from Chuck's videos to Rick's gallery, along with links to the video that the image came from. I particularly love this video featuring the Linda Rogers Dancers dancing to "Green Grass" by Gary Lewis and the Playboys: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgemSYV2tRg Don

Miami Girl		05-Apr-2008 00:24
Roberta, just sent you an e-mail. I've also scanned in a bunch of old Miami pictures but can't figure out how to forward them to Don. I did it once before with a shot of Matheson Hammock but now it's just not working. I'll "get it done" one of these days.

Roberta Perry Hughes		04-Apr-2008 21:37
Miami Girl...Just sent you the one photo I could find of my family's former ancestral home, in England. I have other, better views, but have yet to find where I put them! This one was in my stamps box! Will send the others your way whenever I locate them. It's warmed up, here, but overcast, & quite on the windy side. Hope the weather is kind, wherever everyone calls home. My best to all of y'all.

Miami Girl		04-Apr-2008 00:47
Roberta, send it to Miami.grl1954@yahoo.com - the earlier one I gave you is no longer good. I'm either an idiot or it was a senior moment, I forgot I changed it a couple months ago.

Roberta Perry Hughes		04-Apr-2008 00:16
Miami Girl...It will be tomorrow before I can scan pictures of Slaughter Manor, as I only found one, & it isn't the best view. A "scent/odor" memory of mine, is the fragrance of clipped hedge trimmings, smoldering in the heat, waiting for me to load them up on my wagon, & take to the curb for pick up. Daddy clipped the hedges faster than I could gather the trimmings. Also, the odor of rotting guavas, under someone's guava tree, is yet another memory, not-so-pleasant. But there were the pleasant "smells," too, like roses in bloom, orange blossoms, ripe Florida cherries, & other tropical fruits & flowers, that everyone had in their yards. Oh! The ripened mangos, & avocados! Wow. In my heart, & mind, I can still smell them, & how it takes me back!! Gotta go park somewhere, so I can watch "Survivor." Talk at ya later, Pal!

Miami Girl		03-Apr-2008 23:38
Roberta and Charlis, it's so very true - you can never go home again. No matter where it is, even if all outward appearances are the same -- you've changed and so have all the old friends and relatives. So, we're lucky to have this wonderful place here that Don has established where we can go to reminisce and dream of a much simpler time and place. Thanks so much Don Boyd! Roberta, I'm looking forward to your e-mail where we can discuss the "old country" to our hearts content and swap those pictures.... I don't want to irritate the others if we do it too much on this site!! Here's another memory from my early Cutler Ridge days --- the smell of those leftover tomatoes rotting in the fields after the pickers left. It's really not a good smell, but still nostalgic to me and takes me back.

charlis		03-Apr-2008 23:01
Roberta and Miami Girl... to show you how upset I was with my last visit there... I work for the county's (Hillsborough/Tampa) Solid Waste Management Dept. Conferences are held all over the country for both HazMat and Solid Waste Management. For some reason I only get to go to the ones held in Florida... I took my name off the list for any future conferences in Miami... and I really want to go to the conferences!

charlis		03-Apr-2008 22:53
Roberta... keep you fond memories of old Miami... I was there a few years ago and the place had changed so much... it was depressing! My previous visit was a year after Andrew hit... That was really depressing. You don't want to go back!

Roberta Perry Hughes		03-Apr-2008 18:22
Miami Girl...Sometime today, I will be sending you a color picture of Slaughter Manor, "our" ancestral home, located either in Upper Slaughter, or Lower Slaughter, which, as you know, are Shires, sort of like our counties, over here. Both were named for the Slaughter family. I would like to see a picture of your ancestral home, too! Do you have the "coffee table book," COUNTRY HOUSES OF BRITAIN AND IRELAND, by tom Quinn?? You would love it, I'm sure!! If you're like me, you watch the BBC productions on PBS, to see the English countryside, & the manor houses that they use, in their movies that bring their novels to life...especially the recent Jane Austen series (God, is Mr. Darcy a dish, or what??). Roberta...longing for high tea, taken in an English country garden, fragrant with beds of lavendar, double daisies, & tea roses, while having to settle for life in rural Georgia (sigh) BUT!! I DO have a tea set, & we do a tea tray, now & then, with savories, biscuits, & scones...Earl Gray is my very favorite tea. Soon will be time to make a batch of cucumber sandwiches...! C'mon over, y'all!!

Miami Girl		03-Apr-2008 15:11
Roberta, I returned to Miami in 1995 for my 30 year Palmetto HS reunion and only felt good about (1) the residential area of Coral Gables that never seems to change and (2) the upper keys where "at that time" still had a lot of "OLD FLORIDA" feel to it if you could ignore some of the newer resorts. I didn't get all the way down to Key West. Of course I'm sure there's mucho changes in the last 13 years. On one small branch of my family tree I also have some ancestors from the "nobility" class of old England, can you e-mail me at jlawinrome@yahoo.com to let me know where your's are from exactly (mine were in Cambridgshire and part of the huge estate home is still there also).

Roberta Perry Hughes		03-Apr-2008 06:17
Miami Girl...How goes it? Charlis...Really looking forward to your Pompeii photos!! My "dream" vacation? To travel to Upper & Lower Slaughter, England, to visit "our" once-ancestral home, Slaughter Manor, which was in my maternal grandfather's family (Robert Newton Slaughter), who were members of the Gentry. However, the sons who chose to migrate, to the so-called New World, relinquished all rights & title, to the estate, while the ones who remained left no heirs. (sigh) A huge 4-story dwelling, with many shared chimneys & back-to-back fireplaces, I cannot imagine having lived in so vast a place! I have several color photos of it. Still, I long to return to Miami, once more, before I leave this world, though many have told me that it would only break my heart, as nothing is the same, as I remember it from my childhood days. It's best that I go "home" right here, on Don's amazing, & very comforting, Web Site. Roberta, truly thankful, for the gentle rain that is falling outside, & hoping it will be cooler, tomorrow, than it feels tonight...up all night, again, in the Empire State of the South, & dreaming of faraway places.

Miami Girl		03-Apr-2008 03:32
Hey ya'll, glad to see everyone's back in the groove! I do remember Coral Castle but don't think I ever went there. It's amazing that one man carved all those rocks by hand and yes, for the love of a woman. That's all I remember, did she ever see it or had she died before he started?? Guess I'll have to Google it one day. Keep those memories coming....I found some pictures I hope to scan to Don soon.

Roberta Perry Hughes		02-Apr-2008 23:09
Joanne...Alan...Howdy!! Glad to see you on here again! John...Heartfelt well-wishes, for a speedy recovery! Believe me when I tell you, that it will all be a dim memory of the past, one day! (the pain, inconvenience, & rude discomfort, associated with moving about, etc., etc., etc.). I'll talk to y'all, later...!

charlis		02-Apr-2008 23:07
Roberta... yes, I did see that particular "art work".... even have a pic of it... The look on the kids' faces was worth a million... the looks on some of the mother's on the trip was worth a billion $!!!!!! This was only topped by the looks on the mothers' faces when we got to Aegana, an island off Greece that had topless bathing as a natural thing. Have a cute pic of that that I will include in the email.

charlis		02-Apr-2008 23:03
joanne and al... yes, the Coral Castle was done "by hand"...

Joanne		02-Apr-2008 17:44
Roberta...Still here, been using my computer so much for job search that I had taken a leave from posting. Not only that but my son has become engaged and the wedding plans are commencing. My dream vacation would inclide the British Isles. The Blarney Stone calls me. (of course I don't know what it calls me, but I digress) ATTN ALL POSTERS !!! Our friend John has recently had back surgery and I for one would like to send my wishes for a speedy recovery. Al...Coral Castle, I just saw a segment on TV about it recently. What I remember most about the site is the man who owns it fashioned it ALL by hand.

Guest		02-Apr-2008 15:36
Roberta et. alli.: I am still here in the void of cyberspace. Have not had much to say as of late so I am enjoying perusing the musings from other bloggers on this site. Does anyone recall the "tourist attraction" named The Coral Castle.? If my memory serves me correctly it was located off of South Dixie Highway just before entering Homestead. It had a sign on the front that said "Created for the Love of a Woman". I went there on an elementary school class outing circa 1955 or 1956. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive, well and enjoying the cool mid 80 degree temperature in Phoenix, Arizona.

Roberta Perry Hughes		02-Apr-2008 04:22
Charlis...As Scarlet O'Hara would say..."I'm so jealous!! I'm just pea-green with envy!!..." We have a lot in common, my friend! I, too have always been fascinated with Pompeii, & it was the very first thing I typed in, & hit enter, when I got my computer! One of those choices, shows a fresco, of a Roman(?) soldier, standing at a libra-type balance scales, & he's weighing his "member!" Did you get to see that particular fresco, in person?? It was on the wall of some rich Pompeiian's villa. I like the image you can click on, that shows what it might have been like, when Vesuvius erupted. Neat! So, yes, ma'am!! I would LOVE to see your photos, taken when you got to go over there, in person!! ( robertah47@aol.com ). Sorry about that, those of you who frown on any sort of communication on here, that isn't related to this Site! However, due to the unexplained absence of the "regular" Posters on here, I figure it's o.k., for Charlis & I to take this little "liberty!" I have no idea, where everyone got off to, nor why, but the "silence" is so obvious on here, lately. I can only hope that you will all come back "Home," & post, once again. I truly miss you. Joanne? Largo? Jeff? Alan? Stephen? & any others I haven't mentioned....where are y'all hiding??

charlis		01-Apr-2008 23:19
Roberta... Thanks for the info on DST.... 1966 was my jr/sr year and I seriously do not remember the change.... Virtual tour of Pompeii... it is nice, but not as nice as the real thing. As a child I had read a book called "The Last Days Of Pompeii". It was written in the late 1800/early 1900's. I was fascinated with the story. I was only 10, at most, at the time I read the book. I still have the book. In the late 80's I got to visit Pompeii... a life long dream that came true. I freaked out the guide and my daughter. Certain areas were not really open to the pubic but I kept turning towards them. Finally the guide relented and took us in the area. Everyone who knew me knew of my fascination with the place. Guess what... the area I kept wanting to see was the "Hooker Zone"!!!! I could even explain things the guide could not! To this day I am fascinated with volcanoes. Was I there at the time? Was I a hooker? If you want to see my pics, let me know your email and I'll send them to you... have to work a Household Chemical and Electronics drop off site this weekend... but, the good news is... the trip to Pompeii pics/album, I have found that!

Don Boyd		01-Apr-2008 17:44
I added two late 1950's images of Jordan Marsh on Biscayne Boulevard (50's gallery), a 1939 postcard image of Howard Johnson's on Biscayne Boulevard (30's gallery) and a 1940's image of Tyler's Restaurant on NW 36 Street (40's gallery). Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		01-Apr-2008 06:44
Charlis...I think you're looking for the year 1966, for when the U.S. went to DST, on a regular basis...then, Reagan changed it up a bit, in the '80's, & it varies, the world over, & isn't even observed, in certain States, in the U.S. ! Type in "History of Daylight Savings Time," & click enter, or search, & you will find more than you ever wanted to know, about this subject! It's mind-boggling, what you can learn, about any subject, just by typing in a few words, or a phrase, & click enter, or search. Some days, that's all I do, is think of "stuff" to look up, or even places to visit, like, a virtual tour, of Pompeii, for example. When I first got my computer (a gift, from the Class of '66) I nearly put my eyes out, searching anything & everything, including "old" movie & TV stars, to see if they were still around. Now that my husband has retired, I will resume that practice, as my days of enjoying the non-stop "yard sale," known as eBay, are going to be less. (sigh). Enjoy searching!! It's awesome fun!!

Roberta Perry Hughes		01-Apr-2008 06:12
Charlis...I cannot take credit, for that last line. It is a paraphrasing of my favorite quote, by Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, who said..."No one can intimidate you without your permission...". Over the years, I have quoted her often, & gave her credit. In my Post-A-Comment, I took liberties; but now, I am giving credit, where credit is due. As far as Daylight Savings Time...wasn't it first instituted by FDR?? Seems to me there was a song about it, that came out in the '40's...?? Can anyone shed light on this? Perhaps Mrs. Spon?? It is so very wonderful, to see new Posters on here, who have contributed "new" images, which, to all of us, are the very best, of any "eye candy" offered, anywhere!! Truly, images to soothe our nostalgic hearts, to bid time to return, & to bring our wonderful Town back to us, wherever we are, today, with a mere click of the mouse!! Thank you, so much, Newbies, & we all welcome you, to our Favorite Place, & we all hope to read your future Comments, & every memory you can give us!! And, as always, thank you, Don Boyd!!

Don Boyd		01-Apr-2008 04:10
New photos posted today: Dorothy Mendelson Spon, 85 years young, contributed a 1938 image of her Hialeah Junior High graduating class and the front page of their school newspaper (Hialeah gallery), and 1940 images of Edison Senior High's marching band in Washington, DC in front of the U. S. Capitol (40's gallery). And George Bluhm contributed a great postcard image of Shell's Super Store on NW 7th Avenue in the 50's I think (50's gallery). I've been dying to see a photo of Shell's since I started this oldies section on my site and now there's a great image of it. Thank you Dorothy and George! Don

charlis		31-Mar-2008 23:38
gang... need a favor. Can anyone remember when FL went on Daylight Savings Time? Someone said mid 60's but I don't remember it back then. We didn't have it in OH when I lived there. I moved to FL in '62 and I know we didn't have it here at that time. The only time I experienced it was during my summer trips to NYC in the 50's. TIA

BUD		31-Mar-2008 14:51
John, thank you so much

BUD		31-Mar-2008 14:50
BUD 31-Mar-2008 00:21 I am the grandson of Bill Flynn... he worked for the Florida East Coast Railway, past owner of Flynn's Dixie Ribs, and a member of the Florida House of Representatives. I didn't know my grandfather because I was adopted as a small child. Does anyone have any old photos of him, Flynn's Dixie Ribs or any other information. Thank you in advance, BUD

Ray		31-Mar-2008 14:22
About The Rascal House... my last memory of it was about a year ago. I went in for lunch. Being a landmark I wanted to check it out. The place was nearly empty for lunch, which I thought was odd for an area that's so busy. I ordered something I thought would be a classic.. A Ruben. Shame on me for not checking the menu. It was $14.99. That's even more expensive than airport food! The service was slow and boring. Nothing like the fast paced diner with an attitude you would like to expect. Needless to say, I didn't go back. So today I don't feel quite so bad they're closing. It's hard to say that because I like traditional, historic places. But when the owners decide to rip off the public, they're asking to close.

John		31-Mar-2008 03:33
Bud, I have no photos, but I knew Mr. Flynn vaguely. I believe he lived in a beautiful colonial style two story home on or near SW 84th Ave just barely north of SW 136th St. At one time I'm pretty sure (90% sure) he owned the Shell Gas Station at US 1 and 132nd St. He ran for a FL state congressional rep seat. I wasn't sure if he won or not, but you confirmed that. I was barely a teenager when he owned the Shell station and he would show up on occasion. It must have been the late sixties. I remember him as a "Jock Ewing" type guy. Very likeable; a good man. Please let me know if my math is correct on this info. I'm working off a 40 year memory here.

BUD		31-Mar-2008 00:21
I am the grandson of Bill Flynn... he worked for the Florida East Coast Railway, past owner of Flynn's Dixie Ribs, and a member of the Florida House of Representatives. I didn't know my grandfather because I was adopted as a small child. Does anyone have any old photos of him, Flynn's Dixie Ribs or any other information. Thank you in advance, BUD

charlis		30-Mar-2008 21:35
Roberta, your last sentence was the best... and so very true!

Ralph West		30-Mar-2008 04:22
Man, this has been a trip down memory lane. I grew up in Miami. Graduated from Southwest High in 1965, lived in Village Green at Bird Rd & 117th. I'll try to post some of my old pics also.

Don Boyd		29-Mar-2008 22:51
One of our fans, Ray, noticed what a pain it is to tell someone about how to get to this site due to the length of the URL, etc. Ray now has the URLhttp://www.MiamiMemories.com pointed to the main memories page of this site. So if you tell someone about the site you can just tell them MiamiMemories.com and it'll take you right to the memories page. Or, just tell them to type "old Miami Memories" into the Google search engine and our main page should be the #1 result on the first page. Thanks again Ray! Don

Don Boyd		29-Mar-2008 22:46
John posted this in the wrong gallery but thanks for telling us of this and for your comment! John spiderman2000s@yahoo.com 28-Mar-2008 13:45 Wow!, I grew up in Dade County (North Miami) in the 70's and boy, I love all the pictures. Lots of memories especially The Rascal House in Sunny Isles. Did you know they are closing it this Sunday, March 30, 2008? I had my last meal there this past week. Great photos, thank you! The Rascal House was built by Wolfie Cohen in 1954. The Miami Herald link to the article is at: http://www.miamiherald.com/548/story/474623.html - a nice story about another Dade landmark gone for good. Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		29-Mar-2008 01:37
Charlis...I endured the very same, when we moved BACK to Georgia, the State of my birth, from Miami. I was..."the only white girl in the State of Georgia with pierced ears (..."if God had wanted holes in your ears you'd have been born with them"...) & my brother's hair was long, & Brylcreme'd, a la Fabian, when the Georgia boys all had crewcuts with Butch wax. He was called "Hollywood,"& I was given the monikker "GMC," which stood for "Georgia Milk Cow," due to my 34D cup boobs, at age 14. We had not even a trace of a Southern accent, of course, so, that, too, was a source of ridicule, & derisive laughter, & most kids felt that we were "putting on airs." For us, the move from Miami to rural Georgia felt as though we had died & gone to Hell, to be sure. We sorely missed our former neighborhood, best friends, familiar surroundings, & the beach, walking to school, or riding our bikes, etc. Suddenly, we were having to catch the school bus in the pre-dawn hours, & the only friends we had were the "unacceptable misfits," like ourselves. I did a lot better than Willie did. I got my revenge by winning a spot in girl's trio, over girls who had "trained" voices; by being the champion speller, in the entire school, & 4th in State; by always making A+'s, on my English themes, compositions, & term papers; & by my in-your-face aggressive-but-gregarious personality. I championed the underdog, always, & no one got "picked on," on my watch. Back then, in the '50's, no one dreamed of returning to school with their father's handgun, & taking care of tormentors through an act of permanent violence. There were fisticuffs on the playground, of course, & the usual name-calling, etc., but that's all. The cruelest people on the face of the earth, are our Peers, while we are minors. With age, comes maturity, & with maturity comes grace, & with grace comes redemption, & forgiveness. My class reunions are filled with the love of each & everyone of us, for one another, as it should have been, in our teens, but our immaturity prevented it, unfortunately, & a genuine happiness, to see each other, once again. The class of '66 has lost so many alumni, in such a brief time, & many have had cancer, heart disease, & other life-threatening illnesses, & none of us is getting any younger. Reunions have become a celebration of life, for our class, & many times, a place for healing old wounds. It's true, that "...Time heals all wounds," & "...time wounds all heels," too. (Isn't it rich, to see the boys who made fun of you, because you were chubby, are now FAT, themselves? And the class "Romeo" is as BALD as a peeled egg? While the "nerd" got good-looking, or at least, is the one driving a Lexus?) In spite of it all, we miss those salad days, of our youth! Not everyone gets to win a popularity contest. You have to learn to be "number one," with yourself. Then, no one has the power to demean you, or belittle you. Not without your permission.

charlis		28-Mar-2008 22:02
Roberta... the Viscaya pics will be sent to Don this weekend... I promise. As to the apology issue... on all the blogs on the local TV station, everyone agrees... bad thing, bad timing, and that the Native Americans should have come first with the Official apology. You had a great teacher, to allow the jewish students to tell about their religion. I experienced discrimation when I moved to Miami Beach. I was not Jewish or Cuban... just a little old white girl from OH.

Roberta Perry Hughes		27-Mar-2008 23:45
Ted...I was wondering about that, myself! Alan...Thanks, for the response to my posting, re: if anyone remembers my first cousin, Carroll Williams, aka, Mr. Lawrence Williams, or Mr. Larry Williams, who was a school teacher in the area "back when." Charlis...looking forward to your pictures of Vizcaya. I didn't get to go there. Our 2nd grade class was scheduled to go, but, for some reason, it was cancelled...perhaps due to our young ages?? Re: the apology for slavery...I think that the Seminole Indians...(& ALL Native Americans, for that matter)...should be Number One on the list, of folks standing in line, awaiting an apology. It should go something like..."We, the People of the United States, do hereby apologize to You, for (1) having killed a gazillion of You, with European diseases; (2) having enslaved You (Columbus enslaved the Caribe Indians, & took some back with him to Italy); (3) having stolen every square inch of this continent from You; & (4) having broken every treaty ever drawn up, for Your so-called benefit, or for Your compensation (e.g., the gold stolen from the Black Hills, which is now the gold buillion ingots in Ft. Knox, which backs up the American dollar). I had a very "fair" 5th grade teacher, Miss Margaret Braun, at Tropical Elementary. Because we were the majority, in the classroom (Christians), & we only had a few Jewish students, after our morning devotionals, which included the Lord's Prayer, Miss Braun had one of the Jewish students, Norman Berlin, come up, & read a devotional & prayer, in fluent Hebrew. I, for one, was very fascinated, by this unfamiliar language, & very impressed, by Norman's total mastery of it. It's too bad that there weren't more teachers like Miss Braun, who granted equal time, to the Jewish students, & never let them feel left out, or embarrased, for who they were. We even had a question & answer session, where we could ask Norman questions, about his Faith, & learn from him, about the holidays. They put up Hanukkah decor in December, & taught us about their foods, customs, & gift-giving, & even sang songs for us. I was impressed that we all had the first five books of the Old Testament in common. Had it not been for Miss Braun...(& Norman Berlin)...I would still be in-the-dark, re: Jewish customs, months, holidays, etc. I LOVE knishes, matzoh balls, latkes, & gaviltefish (spell?), but only got it when my Jewish friend, Ann Schlossman, would visit me, from Atlanta.

Ted Crownover		27-Mar-2008 23:12
HEY!!! What happened to everybody. Ted Crownover, Not a PHD.....former JD. Alive, well, and enjoying the 75 degree weather in Hobe Sound, Florida

charlis		27-Mar-2008 22:55
so, gang... what do you feel about the state's apology for slavery? Everyone that I know was upset... black, white, male or female. The women said that the state should make an apology to us first. Evie was very upset... said that the Jews should be apologized to. she arrived in Miami in the late 50's. She told me a story about her and another Jewish student in N Miami Elementary who were made to sit at the back of the classroom, and were always ignored by the teachers when they had questions to ask. Life in Miami must have been really strange before I got there in '62. I did not grow up with any kind of prejudice in OH.

Guest		23-Mar-2008 07:53
Roberta: My younger brother attended Cutler Ridge Jr. High 1962-1964. I will ask him if he remembers Mr. Larry Williams. I was at Palmetto Sr. High during this time period. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and enjoying the 90 degree weather in Phoenix, Arizona

Don Boyd		22-Mar-2008 17:32
Thanks for the link, Robert. Robert Bowman contributed a 1938 image of the Calvert Club at Stiltsville and a 30's image of the streetcar on Washington Avenue (30's gallery), two 60's images of the real South Beach between the jetty and the pier (main gallery), two 60's images of the Goodyear Blimp (aviation gallery), two 70's images of stores on Washington Avenue and a shot of the Miami Beach Kennel Club (70's and later gallery), and the 1984 Herald article on the South Pier Pier about to be torn down (70's and later gallery). Don

robertbowman		22-Mar-2008 13:40
I dont know if it has been posted before ,But here is a little history of Miami Beach... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Beach

Don Boyd		21-Mar-2008 17:04
Robert Bowman contributed a 1950 image of the South Beach fishing pier, a 1950's image of the entrance to the Chamber of Commerce docks at 5th and Alton (both in the 50's gallery) and a 1960's image of South Beach - the beach between the jetty and the fishing pier (main gallery). Tom De Lello contributed a late 1950's image of Harry Steele's Cabriolets Road Club with numerous drag racers and their cars (Hialeah gallery). Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		21-Mar-2008 04:51
For the school years 1961-1964, my first cousin (our mother's were sisters) taught English & Geography at Cutler Ridge Junior High. He was known as Mr. Larry Williams. Do any of you "Ridge Rats" remember him? For the years 1964-1966, he taught 11th grade American History & 12th grade American Government, at Miami Springs Senior High, where he was also known as Mr. Larry Williams. Do any alumni from those years remember him? For the years 1966-1967, he taught those same grades & subjects, & 'broke the color barrier" as the first white faculty member in an all-black school, which was Miami Northwestern Senior High, where he was known as Mr. Lawrence Williams. If there are any alumni from this school, for those years, do you remember him? My cousin's full name is Lawrence Carroll Williams. He had to go by his first name when he was in the Service, & chose to go by it when he taught school, even though his family has always called him by his middle name. His wife, Mary Lee Williams, taught 7th grade Science, from 1958-1960, at Miami Edison Junior High, & in 1961, she taught Science, at Westview Junior High, in Opa Locka, & from 1962-1967, she was that same school's Librarian. Carroll's mother, my late aunt, Maurine Williams, also taught school in Miami, but I forgot to ask Carroll the names of the schools where she taught. She was also briefly known as Maurine Nixon, but went back to the name Williams. Carroll, & wife Mary, now live in Conway, Arkansas, blissfully retired, long ago, from their teaching careers, which also included Texas & Colorado, in both High School & colleges settings. We stay in touch, via email & telephone, & he said he would "look for," & if found, "send" me photos, of the schools where he taught, & any group classroom photos, too, of same, which of course, I will share. Looking on this Site, I'm wondering where everyone has gotten off to...? Watching March Madness on CBS?? (We watch, every year...tonight's Duke victory, by 1 point, was a real nail-biter!) Don't be a stranger, y'all...! I wanna read some new posts, ASAP!!

charlis		17-Mar-2008 22:06
Don, found one set of pics Of Viscaya, circa 1970. Even includes the tour guide. Still have to find the pics from 1967... scanner wasn't working.... this coming weekend, I promise!

Don Boyd		14-Mar-2008 05:42
Ted Crownover contributed 3 1950 images of his dad's 1934 Ford stock car, a 1951 image of him with his dad's stock car plus a pedal car, a 1953 image of the Whitmarsh Pre-School, and a 1957/1958 image of Mrs. Eleanore Irwin's second grade class at Citrus Grove Elementary School (all in the 50's Gallery). Gay Guyer Crownover, Ted's wife, contributed a 1967/1968 image of the Miami High Lucians Club (main gallery). Robert Bowman contributed a 1955 image of his Mom "Fish Mary" Bowman on the South Beach Pier. (50's gallery) Thanks Ted, Gay, Robert and other contributors! Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		13-Mar-2008 10:43
MiamiGirl...That's quite exciting...and impressive, too...about Cpt. Dominic Gorie being the Commander of the Space Shuttle!! Viya con Dios, Capitan...& crew.

Joanne		12-Mar-2008 23:44
I remember him!!! Very intelligent, but also athletic. Played football and was a wrestler. Tall, blonde, very nice looking. He was considered quite a catch. What a wonderful thing to find out about, THANKS Miami Girl!!!

Don Boyd		12-Mar-2008 22:19
Thanks for posting that, Miami Girl, that's very interesting about Captain Gorie and the Endeavor. Don

Miami Girl		12-Mar-2008 22:10
Hi all.... in case anybody's interested - a 1975 Palmetto High Grad is commanding the Shuttle Endeavor currently on it's way to the space station. Dominic Gorie, Captain, US Navy, Retired.

charlis		12-Mar-2008 21:51
Parks... that is good news. Haven't been back to Viscaya in more years than I care to count. Co-worker was there just before Andrew hit for a special function. Catered dinner, string quartet, a tour. He had spent a year in Miami in the early 60's... part of the first wave of Cuban immigrants (who was lucky to get a sponsor to move his family out to CA) so, as a youth, he had never been there. He loved it.

Joanne		12-Mar-2008 16:56
Parks...Glad to hear that. Haven't been there in a few years Has there also been work on Old Cutler Rd. for the canopy of trees that used to make the road so wonderful?

Parks		12-Mar-2008 03:20
Viscaya is still beautiful. The hurricane damage is repaired. The house has been unobtrusively hardened against future huricanes. The gardens look great and are being restored to their 1916 configuration. I was there a few months ago to hear historian Dr. Paul George give a talk.

Joanne		12-Mar-2008 00:51
Charlis...Viscaya, what a beautiful place it was. I once entered a "Little Miss" competition there. I was probably 7 or 8 and we all dressed up in Mom's clothes and did a pageant. I know Andrew did a lot of damage to Viscaya but also heard that work was being done to bring it back to the incredible garden it used to be.

charlis		11-Mar-2008 22:52
Don, I was speaking to a coworker today about the Hialeah Flamingos problem. He was upset. Then we talked about Viscaya. I didn't see anything about it on the main page. If I can get my dsl modem on the other computer working this weekend, I will send you some pics. Yes, I found a few albums this past weekend. ;-) I was told that the Viscaya we knew in the 60's had gotten run down but was taken over by the county's parks and recreation dept. They had been working on restoring the restoration for the past few years. The parts of Viscaya that I remember most, from the late 60's, was the indoor pool, the gardens, and that weird boat dock.

Don Boyd		11-Mar-2008 05:51
Jon Proctor contributed two 1960s images of a National Air Lines DC-7 and an Electra (Aviation-National gallery). David Schulman contributed several 1964 images of an Embry-Riddle Beech 18 (Aviation-Other Airports gallery), a Braniff B707 (Aviation gallery), a Pan Am B720 image (Aviation-Pan Am gallery), and three Eastern images (Aviation-Eastern gallery). Ted Crownover contributed a 1960 sixth grade class photo from Kensington Park Elementary (main memories gallery). Thanks everyone. Don

Don Boyd		11-Mar-2008 01:41
The below comments were moved from under the "Comments" image where it says not to post comments: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Vikki Burke MsWolf49 @aol.come 10-Mar-2008 23:25 Hi! Vikki Burke, class of 63 or 64 at North Miami Jr High. Looking desperately for the yearbooks! The name of that restaurant was Latta's. NMJH was near a Caravel & a place we just called "Eats." What about the A & W Drive In? Let me know if you have a book, PLEASE!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bob B 10-Mar-2008 05:13 Roberta and all the rest: My apologies on the subs. I spoke about what I remembered but didn't figure in the roughly 4 years I was away in the Navy during WWII and I guess I wasn't aware of the other stuff. However, I am correct and do remember the tar in the 30s...it was hell to scrape off. Has anyone been around long enough to remember "Burdine"s Book"? It was a huge ledger type book just inside the main entrance door on Flagler Street where everybody left messasages, such as " I was here, meet you at Woolworths at noon: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Craig Stevenson craig.stevenson@med.ge.com 02-Mar-2008 17:05 What about HOT SHOPS Drive Inn at the corner of US1 and LeJune? I remember that was the hang out for anybody and everybody that could drive. The place to be seen, driving around in circles for hours just to be "seen" and of course to Pick-Up the girls! Then the night that started its demise when Maddog (Doug Rebhand) had the famous gross-out contest, that led to the cash register being thrown to the floor, police dogs let loose, ending with one of the dogs dead! and Maddog visiting the Gables Police Dept. (or was it Miami Police?) And what about Matteson Hammock and the "private" swim enclosure with Tim McShane pranking the locals with his "Shark Attack" (and plenty of ketchup that took his leg! ( he only had 1 to begin with) We left before the police got there laughing like crazy!. Then of course Fairchild Gardens charging $1. entrance fee to try and keep the "hippies" out. Culminating with the sight seeing trains watching more hippies than its beautiful gardens. How about more on (locals: Frisbees Park) the Coconut Grove Park at Dinner Key putting the library out of business when all that dollar LSD/4ways caught on and families started staying away.! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rich Maniscalco		10-Mar-2008 22:26
I arrived in Miami in April 1954 when the terminal was on 36st. Went to work at Eastern Airlines in Dec 1955 and drove a Taxi when the airline went on strike. I have seen practically all of the Miami Area and it was great to reminice. I didn't realize what a small town it was at the time and I would not change a thing. My Dad was in the Air Force during WWII and had his basic training on Miami Beach. That is how I ended up in North Miami Beach......RAM

Roberta Perry Hughes		10-Mar-2008 07:38
Oh, Parks! I would just love to see that photo you have, of your Dad's ship, in the Government Cut, with the Causeway in the background! Can you scan it, & send it to Don's email address (as designated above the blue "Comments" square)? Anyone who has photos of the USCG Cutters, the sub chasers, etc., I would love to see them posted on this sight, somewhere. By typing in various phrases, re: Uboats, their close proximity to the U.S. waters, & the torpedo attacks, I read some hair-raising accounts, by Merchant Marines, who were on the freighters, & even accounts written by the German Uboat captains! Sometimes, they would surface, & blink their lights at a ship. Then, they'd come aboard, & give the U.S. crew cigarettes & French cakes, & a German captain even gave his cover (hat) to a Merchant Marine, who still has it. (read a recent article, about this incident, & it had a photo of the M.M. with that German captain's cover!) It was a lucky encounter, & the German spoke fluent "American." Of course, not all encounters with Uboats were good. They began their Uboat assaults pre-Pearl Harbor. Seems that they loved to sink oilers & tankers. Did you click on the image of that map, & see how widespread the torpedo attacks were? To see all those black dots, that represent sunken ships, just gave me a chill, borne out of a sense of the total helpless vulnerability, of how it must have felt, to witness such a sight, from the shore...from Florida's lovely beaches. Wow.

Bob B		10-Mar-2008 05:37
My apologies to all re u-boats. I said what I remembered but forgot to figure in I was away in thre Navy almost 4 years during that period and missed a lot. Parks, thanks for confirming that there was plenty of tar before the war years. Are any of you guys familiar with the "Burdine's Book"? It was a huge ledger type book that was on a stand just inside th main Flagler street entrance that you could write in and leave messages, such as "I'll meet you at Woolworths at noon" or stuff like that. You could see where all your friends were going or had been. I've had a lot of fun reading what everyone has said about "old Miami" from the 50s on, except I get lost when you talk about the "new" high schools. In the 30s and 40s there were only 5: the big 2, Miami High and Edison and the little 3, Ponce, Jackson and the Beach. If anyone has any questions about the 30s and 40s I'd be glad to answer if I can. No trick ones, tho. LOL. I have seen lots of changes. For instance, I learned to drive on Flagler St just west of 27th avenue because it just a quiet country road.

Parks		10-Mar-2008 04:38
Roberta, Thanks for the tip on the Museum web site. They had a photo of the Sub Chasser school that brought my Dad to Miami.

Parks		10-Mar-2008 04:28
On the subject of beach tar, my understanding is that is formed when crude oil is released into the water. Lighter distillates evaporate before they form tar. While I'm sure that ships sunk during WWII did contribute to the tar, a lot of that oil was pretty light and would have evaporated. A lot of the oil would have burned also. The major source of tar was from ballast water discharged by crude oil tankers. When a tanker empties its tanks it must fill them with water or it will float too high and be unstable. That water has to be pumped overboard before the tanks can be filled with oil. A lot of oil goes over with the water and forms tar. This was a standard practice until the sixties (I think) when it was outlawed. Modern ships are built with separate ballast tanks so the water never gets dirty. Older ships are required to clean the water before it is discharged. Unfortunately this is expensive and some unscrupulous ships captains will still discharge oily water. This is happening less as the Coast Guard is getting pretty good at figuring out which ship discharged the oil. Clean ballast water has caused another problem. The waters of the great lakes are now infested with Zebra Mussels brought to the USA in the ballast tanks of ships. These mussels are clogging water intakes of power plants and causing a great deal of trouble. There certainly were sinkings of ships by U-Boats all up and down the East coast. There was even a battle between a blimp and a Sub off the coast of Florida. The blimp lost but damaged the sub enough that some days later it was sunk by our ships. The US built a series of small ships called Sub Chassers to defend the coast from U-Boats. The school where crews were taught to run and fight the ships was located in Miami. That's how my father ended up in Miami. I have a photo of his ship in Government Cut with the County Causeway (now MacArthur Causeway) in the back ground.

Roberta Perry Hughes		09-Mar-2008 19:58
MiamiGirl...Charlis...Thank you both, for the support. Having to defend my father is really getting old. All anyone has to do, is to research the subject matter, & be informed, (re: any subject), prior to posting a comment on here. I hope that more than one poster typed in that Web Site, & read what was there, & clicked on the image of the map, on the left, to see WHERE ships were sunk by the German Uboats, especially in relation to Miami/Miami Beach. Every black dot on that map represents a sunken ship...& it doesn't picture on up the eastern seaboard, where there were even more sunken vessels...165, total, in U.S. waters. The Site also goes into detail, about the CAP (Civil Air Patrol) & the USCG Auxilliary, & the role they played in dealing with the German Uboats. I read everything I can get my hands on, about WWI & WWII, & watch every PBS special that is devoted to the subject...every time they air...because the Veterans of these wars rarely talked about what happened, what they saw, & had to do, to ward off an invasion by these Empires, to U.S. soil. Ken Burns was able to get a few of the still-living WWII vets to open up to him, & tell their stories, along with siblings & spouses, in his series entitled "The War." Before that, they aired "A Fighter Pilot's Story," & there have been many others, all worthy of us "Baby Boomers" to watch...& learn...with our jaws dropped, & a box of Kleenex close-at-hand.

charlis		09-Mar-2008 17:51
Bob, Roberta and Miami Girl... we are correct about the oil... but the massive amounts in the 60's were from the sunken boats. There is always oil floating to the sandy beaches along all the coasts, but it was at its worst during the 60's as the old boats broke up.

Miami Girl		09-Mar-2008 17:11
Roberta, I have to agree with you in that there were ships sunk by German U-boats all along the east coast. In January 1942 my mother and three older siblings were being transported back to NY from Puerto Rico where my Dad was stationed. On the last night they arrived outside NYC harbor after "the net" had gone up (to stop those U-boats from gaining access to the city). Mom happened to be out on deck talking to the Captain who told her another ship had been torpedoed close to them on the way up the coast and he opted not to stop and pick up any survivors because he had a ship full of women and children. He was extremely nervous during the whole trip but especially that last night having to wait before going into the port. I'm not sure where along the coast that particular ship was torpedoed, but she said they could see the city lights of Miami as they traveled North.

Roberta Perry Hughes		09-Mar-2008 07:11
Bob B...First of all, welcome!! Now...please type in Historical Museum of Southern Florida, Part 1 Miami 1941-1945. On there you will find a picture of a map, depicting the locations where ships were torpedoed by the German U-boats, in the Atlantic, & in the Gulf of Mexico. Click the image of the map, on the left, to enlarge. Ships were, indeed, sunk by German uboats. "On May 19, 1942, The Portero del Llano, attacked by a German submarine, burned & sank within sight of Miami Beach. Debris from those freighters and other unfortunate ships began washing up on the Gold Coast beaches." Uboats sank 165 ships, in U.S. waters, many in full view of people on the shore. My father wasn't misinformed. He was a Coastie. I had uncles, who were also Coasties, during that time, & a couple who were in the Navy, & all were in Miami, in the beginning.

Bob B		09-Mar-2008 06:08
I don't get on this site often but when I do it's great fun to read. I have been in the area long before most of you guys -1934 - so it's real interesting to read what you have to say about "old Miami" in the 60's and later. Back in mid February there was a discussion about tar on the beaches. With all due respect, someone's Dad was misinformed. There was tar on the beach in the 30s, long before WWII. It came from freighters plying there way up and down the coast. This was verified at the time by the Coast Guard and the Miam Herald and there was always a furor when it showed up. It is also true that there were U-boats sighted but I don't recall that there were any ships actually sunk off the beach. The sea lanes there were not really carrying anything the u-boats would be interested in sinking.There was an incident near, I think Daytona, when 4 or 5 Germans were dropped off on the beach as spies or sabateurs (?), but were soon arrested. Miami was a great, small town back then.

Roberta Perry Hughes		07-Mar-2008 06:40
Dear Don...Thank you, so very much. for having posted the "Save Hialeah Park" Gallery, on the Main Page of this Web Site. I just got through reading all of the articles from the newspapers on there, & if you can, please post a link we can click on, so we can purchase the CD of the song that the Hialeah Latino group has written & performed, to appeal to the public to help save the Park from demolition & overdevelopment. I would buy one, if I knew where, & I'm sure many other Posters would, too. I wish someone like The Donald would buy it from its current owner, & finance its preservation. What about Miami's rich & famous celebrities, like Gloria Estefan, et al? Can anyone approach them, to at least hold a fund-raising concert for the cause? Selling t-shirts, or CDs, & collecting nickels & dimes, hither & yon, just won't cut it, if the funds being generated, thus far, falls far short of the owner's annual taxes. What about the $100 a plate dinners, like socialites preside over? Surely, there's got to be a way, to tap into the deep pockets of all the flamingo-lovers, & horse lovers, out there, & those who are still around, who have a sense of historical preservation & prestige, for the area. Maybe this plight needs to go National? Get "Inside Edition" out there, or a widely read magazine. Something! Roberta, hoping & dreaming, that Hialeah's crowning glory can be saved, & restored to her former splendor.

Don Boyd		07-Mar-2008 05:45
Thank you Roberta! I'm getting back to normal day by day. A new "Save Hialeah Park" gallery is now on the main page with news stories under the photo. I also included the names, e-mail addresses, and website URL's for the Citizens to Save Hialeah Park which is trying to save Hialeah Park from development with even more buildings for businesses and residences in an already densely populated area. Steve McDonald contributed an image of the giant Lockheed Constitution that sat at Opa-locka Airport and on NW 135th Street for years before it was demolished (Aviation-Other Airports gallery). He also contributed an image of a National Air Lines Lockheed Lodestar (Aviation-National Air Lines gallery) and an image of an Eastern Air Lines Lockheed Constellation (Aviation-Eastern Air Lines gallery). Thanks Steve! Red Coach Grill Fan contributed a great image of the fine Red Coach Grill on Biscayne Boulevard in the 1960's (main gallery). Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		07-Mar-2008 05:14
Get well wishes go out to our Host, Don Boyd. May you be 100%, very soon, & stay well. It's difficult to get through a day, doing all you intend to do, when you're not feeling well. I think we all can empathize with that! To be sure! Roberta, sending only cheerful thoughts, to Hialeah's Native Son, from the Peach State

Leighton		04-Mar-2008 18:05
"Fire persons"????? Um, no. "Firefighters"

Parks		04-Mar-2008 04:08
Ray, I have to tell you that when I saw all those fire persons (politically correct term) I thought it might be a memorial service. I'm glad it was a much happier occasion. Was there food?

Parks		04-Mar-2008 04:04
Ray, Thanks for the update on the juice bar. Do you think Pinecrest will reopen it? It was a great place to stop if you were biking on Red Road. Parrot Jungle to Jungle Island, the owner is trying to let people know it isn't just parrots. I don't have a problem with that but he also wants to change the name of Watson Island to Jungle Island. I don't like that.

Ray		04-Mar-2008 02:48
Parks: I wish you had stopped for the event there when you saw all the trucks. We had a banner up, but now thinking about it, a ladder truck may have blocked the view of it. The construction just south of the Fire House is the old Juice bar. I think this was one of the first structures built there. The founder built that and lived in the loft while the Green house (where the Fire Station is now) was built. It appears there had been a fire in the structure they're working on now. I see soot on the walls. I remember the roof was caving in. The good news is they seem to be preserving the coral rock wall. I think all of this is being headed up by the Village of Pinecrest which now runs what used to be the Parrot Jungle. When I get the slide show about the fire station project posted on-line I'll mention it here. Did anyone notice that the new Parrot Jungle dropped the 'Parrot' in their name?

LARGO		04-Mar-2008 00:40
LEIGHTON....MAYBE I SHOULD RE-PHRASE THE WHOLE VINNIE D'ONOFRIO COMMENT THAT HE WAS "EDGY....HE IS OVER THE EDGE ?..MAYBE ?...NEVER MET HIM...BUT I THINK HE COMES ACROSS " LOCKED AND LOADED" THAT IS JUST HIS VIBE...PERHAPS "SOMEONE" KNEW TO PUT HIS TRAILER TOO FAR FROM THE SET.

Leighton		03-Mar-2008 23:13
Worked with D-Onofrio on "The Newton Boys" - he screamed the entire time. One poor PA actually handed him her radio, and D'Onofrio embarrassed himself by yelling at the entire crew, about his trailer being too far from the set. He was a handful. Didn't know he was from Miami.

Leighton		03-Mar-2008 23:07
Worked with D-Onofrio on "The Newton Boys" - he screamed the entire time. One poor PA actually handed him her radio, and D'Onofrio embarrassed himself by yelling at the entire crew, about his trailer being too far from the set. He was a handful. Didn't know he was from Miami.

Jeff		03-Mar-2008 00:58
This is sad news, Don. As I'd mentioned in an earlier post, I knew Ron from his days running the North Miami Arbetter's, and he was a sweet and friendly guy. I'd tried to reach him a number of times over the past few months with no luck - getting only the voice mail at the family home. I feared his health took a turn for the worst. God bless him, he will be missed by many, as was his dad, Bob Arbetter...

Don Boyd		02-Mar-2008 23:19
I am sad to report that Ronnie V. Arbetter, 52, of Arbetter's Hog Dogs passed away on Thursday, February 28th. He was a good guy from every account I've heard or read. The Miami Herald story about his death is at: http://www.miamiherald.com/512/story/440881.html and it will be there for a week before it is archived. I copied the story and put it under the photo of Arbetter's Hot Dogs in the 1970's and later gallery. http://www.pbase.com/image/91020730 RIP Ronnie! His obituary is also under the story. Don

charlis		02-Mar-2008 21:28
Don, I went to the "Do You Remember" page and saw "Sky King"... one of my favorite shows! Can you add a pic of Rin Tin Tin? I got my first dog when I was 6, a cocker spaniel. I named him Rin Tin Tin! He lived to be 16! I'll sent you a pic. I've just about found everything since the move so be forewarned... a lot of old pics will be on their way to you.

LARGO		02-Mar-2008 17:48
DON...I ALSO REMEMBER THE 2000 MOVIE "THE CELL" THAT FEATURED ...VINCENT D'ONOFRIO. (from Miami) AS CARL STARGER..the fictional ( I hope? ) serial killer with a VIVID WACKED OUT IMAGINATION. PROFILER J-LO TO THE RESCUE ! THE VISUAL FX WERE SPECTACULAR. THE CREEP FACTOR FOR ME WAS IN LINE WITH "SILENCE OF THE LAMBS"...(but then I watch the CSI"s) D'ORFINO WAS PERFECT FOR THE ROLL...HE PLAYS IT ON THE EDGE..EVEN IN LAW & ORDER. THERE ARE A FEW WHO ARE GIFTED AT PLAYING THESE UNEXPECTED & UNUSUALLY DARK ROLLS... SIR ANTHONY HOPKINS, ROBIN WILLIAMS, JIM CAREY & MARK HARMON... TO NAME A FEW...THANKS FOR THE NEW INFO SITES DON.............................I THOUGHT SO TOO JOHN... ;-) TOU~CHE` !

charlis		02-Mar-2008 17:34
Royal Castle gone!?!?! Say it isn't so! Such wonderful memories at the one on Arthur Godfrey Rd. The frosted root beer mugs, the 15 cent burgers, etc. A lot of northerners said they were a take off of White Castle but RC was a lot better.

Don Boyd		02-Mar-2008 13:09
The link to the Miami Herald story about the last Royal Castle is athttp://www.miamiherald.com/multimedia/news/27avenue/partthree.html . That link should be good until next Thursday when the Herald will archive it. I also copied the story into the description of a photo of the last Royal Castle at: http://www.pbase.com/image/78481232 Regarding the topic of wopping, or skim boarding as we called it, I have a photo of it being done athttp://www.pbase.com/donboyd/image/92857786 - I wish I had another photo of someone else doing it but I don't. Regarding the topic of celebrities from Miami, Vincent Phillip D'Onofrio graduated from Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High in 1977 and plays Detective Robert Goren on NBC's Law and Order: Criminal Intent. He has also appeared on Broadway and in films. His biography is athttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_D%27Onofrio Don

Parks		02-Mar-2008 02:39
Ray, I drove past the house this morning. I wondered why there were so many fire trucks there. I didn't know that the house had been buiIt the founder of the Parrot Jungle. It looks like there is some construction going on at what used to be the little snack bar in the Parrot Jungle that had a walk up window on Red Road. Do you know what they are doing to that?

John		02-Mar-2008 02:20
Charlis/LARGO, Wopping was for us inlanders and I agree it probably evolved into boogie boarding and spread east to Miami Beach. Very funny LARGO! Al, Any other skeletons in your closet? I have a few myself, but lack the courage to reveal them. Officer Obie probably frequents the board here. We used to hitch-hike everywhere around Miami and even points north. The farthest I ever went was Gainesville at 15. Metro officers wrote me a couple of tickets for hitch-hiking. That's how we got around up until my 16th birthday. Ray, Are you in the fire-rescue business? If so what area and what time frame?

Ray		02-Mar-2008 02:07
It appears my account has been removed. So I'm posting this as a guest. Some of you my remember the old Parrot Jungle in what is now Pinecrest. This morning the re-dedication of Miami Dade Fire Rescue Station 49 took place. 10850 SW 57 Ave (Red Road). This 1930's era house was built by the founder of the Parrot Jungle and now serves the community as a fire station for a Rescue Unit. Over the last few months the house was renovated and a garage was added in the back so the truck can be kept indoors. They did a great job keeping the house as it was built. Even the original wood work remains. And the rumor is, the ghost still visits the second floor at night. If you get a chance, stop by and take a look. It came out really nice. I hope to have a slide show posted on the internet soon. If you happen to have any old pictures of this house, please let me know. Ray

Parks		01-Mar-2008 23:33
Hi Guys, I just got an email anouncement from Books and Books in Coral Gables. It seems that someone has written a book about Frankie's Pizza. The author will be speaking at B&B on the 29th. I've heard about that place all my life and I read a lot of your comments on it. I guess I'll have to try it.

Miami Girl		01-Mar-2008 22:07
Al: It would have been Richards Dept Store - of course you being a guy we wouldn't expect you to remember the specifics. I don't remember the flag incident in front of the school, probably because we arrived in the back on the bus and they took them all up before I could see them? I remember hearing that some kids had to clean the panther mascot emblem on the floor of the school lobby with a toothbrush because they walked on it --- were you one of them? I've always heard you mental health professionals are a little wacky, now we know why - you evolved from being JD's on the edge! Hey.... is there anyone out there who remembers those polar bear pictures on the doors of stores with air conditioning? Usually the first ones were drug stores. WOW it was wonderful to walk into those places on a steamy July day.

Arizona Al		01-Mar-2008 20:13
Miami Girl: Guilty as charged! A few years later myself and a few cohorts from PHS Butch Childers, Ron Valentine, Terry Stewart and Nathan Levy climbed on top of the Cutler Ridge Shopping Center and "appropriated" all of the flags from the Jordan Marsh (or was it Burdines?) store and took them to Palmetto High and planted them in the grass in front of the school building. What fun we all had on the next school day as the faculty tried to figgure that one out.Do you recall that incident from 1963? I shure hope the statute of limitiations has not expired!! Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive, well and into his 45th year as a recovering juvenile delinquent currently credentrialed as Licensed Psychologist in Arizona and North Carolina. How Prophetic!!

LARGO		01-Mar-2008 19:37
CHARLIS...WE MUST HAVE BEEN ON THE SAME "WAVE" LENGTH ??...LOL

charlis		01-Mar-2008 19:31
john... you are correct with the "skimming". I remember that now. People not brave enough to surf would use them in the water/sand areas of the beach. Then they came up with the Boogie boards... to be used for skimming or for those not brave enough to surf... basically skateboard in water.

LARGO		01-Mar-2008 19:22
DID THAT MEDIEVAL "WOP BOARD" OF YORE... EVOLVE IN TO THE ...BODY"BOOGIE" BOARDS OF TODAY ?

John		01-Mar-2008 18:37
Charlis, I am not so sure that "wopping" wasn't a regional event in Miami during the 60s. Al, lived down south my way, was familiar with it, but Jeff, from the Beach area wasn't. I think some may have called it skimming. As for the recent "confessional" regarding the tower, how appalling!! These types of activities will not be tolerated :)

Miami Girl		01-Mar-2008 18:17
AZ Al, so you're the one who painted the water tower!!! That whole area is now Cutler Ridge Park and the pictures I've been able to find on line don't show the tower there anymore. There also was a huge tree right near the tower that had either a vine or rope that we used to swing on. By the way did you know "the Ridge" is now officially incorporated as Cutler Bay? Apparently after Andrew the area really went downhill so they wanted to distance themselves from the negative image.

charlis		01-Mar-2008 18:05
About the SnoBoarding.. we also used the lids off the garbage cans, then someone came up with a plastic version with handles. We would also use boxes... if there were no trees on the hills. My best sled ride was at a golf course. If you started at the top of the hill, where the club house was, you could sled 5 holes!

charlis		01-Mar-2008 18:01
john... wop boards... when I was a young child in OH in the 50's, we did the same thing for snow! We called them SnoBoards. Imagine my surprise to see that it's become a popular sport, but a take off of skate boarding and skiing.

John		01-Mar-2008 16:46
Arizona Al, Close enough for govt work. Fantastic. You're correct and winner of the "apple of the teacher's eye" award. Knowing you, you're probably throwing up right now! We wopped at Suniland Park mostly after a good rain when the puddles would go for yards upon yards. Deep water wasn't necessarily good. The best standing water was when the grass was just barely above the water level, cause then the boards wouldn't sink as in a deep line of puddles. Whenever we went to S. Beach (usually right there at 5th St.), we body surfed....never took out wop boards. When heavy rain clouds formed, it was "surf's up" at Suniland Park. Some of the boards were very elaborate, i.e., painted or laquered, rounded on the bow (the front corners), and even some had racing stripes painted on them. A few boards were round. Half-inch plywood seemed to work best. A few guys had 3/4 inch boards.

Arizona Al		01-Mar-2008 15:47
John: If I recall a Wop Board was a laminated piece of plywood 2x2 that we used while running along the beach by throwing in on incomming waves as they hit the beach and then jumping on top of the wop board for a mini surfing type of ride. Does my memory (aging and sinking) serve me correctly? Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and fondly recalling the joys of wopping at South Beach circa 1962-1964.

John		01-Mar-2008 13:25
Jeff, Nope, not even close, sort of. Nobody here from Miami has ever "wopped" or heard the expression, "Let's go woppin?" I will leave this out there for a while before I reveal the answer. Al, You naughty little non-conformist.

Jeff		01-Mar-2008 05:07
John... I presume a "wop board" was a long, flat wooden paddle used to tan the hides of unruly students?

Arizona Al		01-Mar-2008 05:02
One more for the "I remember when" category. There was a very tall water tower directly behind Cutler Ridge Elementary School. In the summer of 1958 myself and Hamilton Franklin(AKA Hambone) climbed to the top and with a can of spray paint proceeded to print vulgar (gasp!) words on the water tower. After the incident a Dade County Detective named Mr. Taddia questioned us but we denied any involvement. I wonder just how long our art work remained.; Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive, well and not always proud of the ill spent actions of his youth.

Arizona Al		01-Mar-2008 04:52
And in reference to the Safety Patrol at Cutler Ridge Elementary (1955-1958) and the Hall Patrol at Palmetto Jr and Sr High(1959-1964)...Poppycock and Balderdash!! I was muct too antisocial and delinquent to ever consider or be considered by faculty for such accolades and endeavors. Alan Ogus, Ph.D.. Alive, well, and worked through his issues during his youth.

Arizona Al		01-Mar-2008 04:46
Red Rover..Red Rove..Send Miami Girl Over! I do recall those halcyon days at Cutler Ridge Elementary circa 1955-1958. I also have recollections of putting frogs down the girls' backs and dances on the blacktop with snow cones for the winners of the dance contest. On to Palmetto Jr. High where the PE Coaches took undue liberty to burn our arses with the lanyards that their whistles were attached on. Gadzooks how did we ever survive? Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive, well and still recalling the welts on his buttocks!

jeff		01-Mar-2008 03:10
Thanks, Charlis!

John		01-Mar-2008 03:10
Leighton, I split time between Columbus HS (Catholic) and Palmetto HS. We got the livin "beep" beat out of us daily while at Columbus, i.e., books slammed against our heads for nodding in class, pull you out of your seat pulling your side-burns, and other corporal torture. All of it would be law-suit-type stuff today (I would think). Miami Girl, I never got a patrol belt. Did that leave a mark? Yes! They were so cool. Also, at Howard Drive Elementary we had a PE teacher (Mr. Drew) who took dodge ball, red whatever, flag football, and all else in between to a new level. Talk about a competitor. He played for blood (not literally of course). All, Does anyone (Joanne not included in this quiz) remember or know what a "wop-board" was and how it was employed? First to answer gets a big fat shiny star. LARGO, Did you say it was the "Old Crow" that made you do it or that you were an Old Crow and that's why you did it? Inquiring minds want to know :) Don, You've been awfully quiet lately. Working behind the scenes I suppose, and keeping folks off the main page.....not unlike a narly dog protecting his territory. Thanks for the time and effort you do on the site.

John		01-Mar-2008 02:40
Mr. Leach..............ouch!

Joanne		01-Mar-2008 01:25
Miami Girl...Lordy, you've hit on another one. I was on school patrol and we acted like mini-narcs. LOL We were so proud of that orange belt, had to roll it up just so the badge was showing. What a power trip that was. Who else had those gawd-awful gymsuits? White cotton, sleeveless, snapped in front with elastic in the hem of the shorts that made them look like bloomers!!! Whoever designed those things should be takken out back for 30 lashes. Back at Palmetto Jr High we had an assistant principle with a very big board to paddle unruly students. (John?????)

charlis		29-Feb-2008 23:20
jeff.... living up or down... You were what is considered nowadays a geek... so was my ex. You've done good as an adult with your font site. Our old boss would be proud of you.

Miami Girl		29-Feb-2008 22:04
Here's a few memories I don't think have been mentioned , forgive me if they're already here -- I'm old!! There's those sadistic games we played in elementary school: Dodge Ball and Red Rover, Red Rover (send ALAN on over) ---it's a miracle there weren't more broken bones on the playground with those boys throwin' that friggin ball about 80 mph and running into our arms tryin' to break 'em! They went the way of the see-saw's when the other person would jump off and you'd slam into the ground! Those would be a trial lawyer's dream today. Then how many lucky ones got to wear that oh so cool PATROL BELT with a badge! That ranks right up there with the pogo stick I always wanted and never got! We had a teacher in Jr. High that body slamed one of those JD hoods up against the fire extinguisher (he deserved it as I recall). The word was that teacher had a tattoo on his arm from his military days and the school system made him wear long sleeve shirts (in Miami pre-AC days). How did we all stand it down there without AC? Those people in South Miami after Andrew got a taste of it -- sure glad I wasn't there! And, last but not least for you early Ridge Rats --- remember Pete The Popsicle Man???? I'm not sure of how many years he was around but it seems like forever! Miami Girl -- freezin' here in upstate NY

Jer		29-Feb-2008 21:06
Add this one to your dance craze list, none would be complete without it. The Mess - Joe Banana & the Bunch

Leighton		29-Feb-2008 06:24
OK, I'll give you one bizarre memory. My sister and I attended Miami Christian School in the late 60s/early 70s. great education, but BOY, were they uptight. It was out Flagler, near Sweetwater, when it was still a swamp. Next to Pet Heaven (still there). One day, on the school bus, my sister was chewing gum. Apparently, that was a major crime. When the bus driver asked my sister if she was chewing gum, she lied, and said "No." He told her to come to the front of the bus, AND WHILE HE WAS DRIVING, he jerked her pony tail back and forth for a minute!!!!! Can you say "lawsuit" in 2008????????? This was the same school, that could demand that a girl get on her knees, and have her skirt measured. Good grief.

LARGO		29-Feb-2008 03:32
GEE...SHOT DOWN AGAIN...FORGOT TO MENTION ... "PINK FLAMINGOS & MIAMI" IN MY LAST POST...OH DARN...TO ALL THE HALL MONITORS OUT THERE KICKIN BUTT AND TAKING NAMES....SORRY...MUSTA BEEN THAT OLD CROW I HAD.....?.............LARGO.

Guest		29-Feb-2008 02:02
Roberta - I check in almost every day, but since I'm from Hialeah I usually hang out in the Hialeah section. I have posted many memories there and Don has graciously added many photo's I have contributed (mostly there}.

Roberta Perry Hughes		29-Feb-2008 00:52
NEWBIE POSTERS!! Quick!! Hurry!! Let us hear from you, ASAP, of your memories, of Old Miami!! Old Hialeah!! Old Cutler Ridge!! Old Coral Gables!! Old Kendall!! Old Perrine!! Old Naranja!! Old Miami Beach!! Old Miami Springs!! (Old Crow? Old Grandad? Old English Roses? Old Gold?) Make haste, before this "blog" becomes a "blah-gg!! (hee! hee!) ; ) Looking forward to MORE memories, from John, Joanne, Leighton, Tim of Orlando, et al!! Dave? Steve? Drew? Stephen? manocarz? Miami Girl? Phillip? Jan? Where'd y'all go?? Missing you, & wishing you were here!! C'mon back, y'all!!

John		29-Feb-2008 00:44
For the ladies of course......"the minute he walked in the place, I could tell he was a man of distinction, a real big spender...................hey big spender, spennnnnnnnnnnnnnd, a little dime on me."

LARGO		28-Feb-2008 15:55
N-E-S-T-L-E-S...NESTLES MAKES THE VERRRRRRRY BEST....CHOOOOOOOOOOCLATE !!!...que "FARFEL"...(HAND PUPPET PUP)...TO SLAP HIS JAWS SHUT !!!.......LAAAAAAAAAARGO !!!

O'Town Tim		28-Feb-2008 11:54
Thanks Joanne, I did drop by the A&W once in a while but lived in Cutler Ridge on Carribean Blvd. We rented a condo from a lady who had been married to the child actor 'Spanky' of Little Rascals fame, and @ the time was married to a gent who had played trombone on the score/record of West Side Story. More info than you were looking for probably ~ sorry! tlc

Jeff		28-Feb-2008 03:44
Right, John! By the Capitols on Karen Records... (Geez, I'm SO full of it... trivia, that is!) Next memory game? Favorite old-time commercial jingle... (Please, no local businesses)... Opening examples: You'll wonder where the yellow went when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent... Brush-a, brush-a, brush-a... Brush-a with Ipana...it's the greatest toothpaste... Mabel! Black Label! Carling Black Label beer... Look sharp!... Feel sharp!... Be sharp!... Buy Gillette...it's the best shave you can get! It's so easy when you use Lestoil...

John		28-Feb-2008 02:22
The song of course.

John		28-Feb-2008 02:22
Cool Jerk?

Roberta Perry Hughes		28-Feb-2008 02:12
Jeff...'K. So...! What game shall we play, next???

Jeff		28-Feb-2008 02:01
Roberta-DAHLING! You're s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g here... What I was suggesting that songs that represented or started a dance craze... (ie: Do the Philly Dog or The Bounce - both by The Olympics)... If you just want to list songs that reference dancing we could shut down this blog space with the amount of text... Very short example of what DOES NOT count as "dance craze records": When You Dance, Dance with Me, Let's Dance, Dance with Me Henry, Last Dance, Do You Wanna Dance or ANY other song that just has "dance in the title"...or such variations on the mundane as Twistin' with Linda, At the Hop, Twistin' the Night Away... What DOES count are titles that [again] INSPIRED a dance craze or picked up one one - such as: Baby, Hully Gully - The Olympics Hully Gully, Baby - The Dovells The 81 - Candy and the Kisses Do the Bird - Dee Dee Sharp

Roberta Perry Hughes		28-Feb-2008 01:49
AHA!! Another dance song was "The Frug" (frooog)...! And...! "Slow Dancin' (Swayin' to the Music")

Roberta Perry Hughes		28-Feb-2008 01:44
Didn't Connie Francis do a "dance" song" I'm remembering something about her singing about the cha-cha...???

Jeff		28-Feb-2008 01:11
Who cares what other people think? After all, they don't pay your bills! I spent too many years trying to live up [down?] to others' expectations of me... that's why I was an insecure, lonely and [generally] unhappy teenager. Later with all that. Glad to have filled in that memory lapse for you - as you did for me...

charlis		28-Feb-2008 00:33
jeff... thanks on the Intercontinental... I couldn't think of it no matter how hard I tried. Thanks for helping my memory. Evie and I hated doing "The Freddie" at the Second Floor, but we loved doing a lot of the other dances. The bad thing is that while on the elevator at work and a song comes on, I start doing some of the old routines that Evie and I used to do. I have gotten some strange looks from people as they got on the elevator... but I can still do the James Brown slide that Wayne Cochran taught us!

Jeff		28-Feb-2008 00:12
Charlis... Great trivia, great dance tune... and it all comes back to me now.about Carner Bank... It became Intercontinental Bank when it was sold (I once had an account there at the office on 10th and Alton across from Pantry Pride)... The bank has changed hands numerous times since then... Thanks for jogging my memory!

charlis		27-Feb-2008 22:50
jeff... dance names... Do The Freddy....

charlis		27-Feb-2008 22:42
Jeff... here's some Miami Vice trivia you might not know... do you know where a lot of interior house shots were shot? Imagine my surprise to be visiting my great uncle one time to see a film crew across the street from his house. Seems the owner of Lums had bought two properties and combined them into one... extended the one house, tore down one. Great garden, pool, etc. on Normandy Isle across the street from the 1st hole at Normandy Shores Golf Course... about the 150 yrd marker (just outside my uncle's back door.) Uncle Charles said Don was a very nice guy.

charlis		27-Feb-2008 22:36
Jeff... thanks on the WKAT. The minute I read your post it hit me. As to Carner Bank, when Jack died, his son Steve took over. Some time in the mid to late 70's he sold it to some spanish banking group. Ed used to love to drive Jack around in the Rolls. When Jack died we met a few "nice" people at the funeral... as in the Mafia. We kept in touch with Steve for a few years, then lost touch.

Jeff		27-Feb-2008 22:23
Sorry, Roberta... I had my mind on other things... Glad you won the post card ,but no, I won't need a scan of it. Hannau was one of a small handful of postcard companies locally. I believe there was also Gulfstream and Florida Natural Color (along with Hannua)... There was one or two other maller companies, but their names ecape me right now...

Joanne		27-Feb-2008 21:04
OTown...I wasn't friendly with Pam, just knew who she was, especially since she was a cheerleader. We ran in different crowds. But I did know some of the other cheerleaders. Did you ever go to the A&W Drive In down near Naranja? I remember the record store you spoke of but never went in, just drove by.

Roberta Perry Hughes		27-Feb-2008 19:58
Jeff...You didn't comment about the vintage post card... I heard that "they" have "moved the Hialeah flamingo flock," " to the new zoo"...??? And that "they" are "going to go ahead & bulldoze the buildings," at the Race Course, "in preparation for the building of the condos & shopping center"...??? Is this true...??? Or, merely hearsay...??? Or, just someone's panic attack...??? Oh, please...!!! SAY IT ISN'T SO...!!! (please, God. Amen.) Roberta, STILL fretting over the big pink birds, & their future, & anxious, about the future of yet another historical landmark, succumbing to the will of greedy heartless people, who could care less, about such things

Jeff		27-Feb-2008 15:08
Roberta... Right as rain about Chubby Checker.. with "It's Pony Time"... same label group - wrong artist... but "At the Hop" is NOT a dance in itself, it's a song about dancing... neither was "Little Egypt" a dance in itself... Likewise "Rock-A-Hula-Baby"... just an insipid song forced on Elvis during one of his filmings... NOT a popular dance... Of course, we could add TONS of "twist" variants, but let's not... here's a few more songs that sparked dance crazes... The Monkey Time - Major Lance The Bunny Hop (pre-rock & roll) - Ray Anthony [OK, Roberta-we squeezed this in) Willie and the Hand Jive - Johnny Otis (boy, did that one catch on!) The Loco-Motion - Little Eva Let's Turkey Trot - Little Eva Bongo Stomp - Little Joey & The Flips

O'Town Tim		27-Feb-2008 11:51
Joanne ~ YES my talented wife's younger sister IS Pamela Whitney!!! Thanks!!

Roberta Perry Hughes		27-Feb-2008 06:24
Wee hours, callin' a bird a "bid." Dang! You'd think I got into the 'Shine! (Hic) Back to "dance records"... "Rock-A-Hula," by Elvis Presley...back when he was known by both names "The Hop," by Danny & The Juniors "The Monkey," by...?????? "The Hokey-Pokey," by...???? (VERY popular at Sunland Skating Rink, on Bird Rd.) "Everybody Do the Cha-Cha-Cha," by Sam Cooke (?) Roberta, trying to remember "dance music," from the fifty-plus years ago, when she should be elevating her tree trunk lower limbs

Roberta Perry Hughes		27-Feb-2008 06:03
Jeff, Dah-lin'...Chubby Checker did "The Pony," not Dee Dee Sharp. He also did "the Hucklebuck," & "The Fly." Little Anthony & The Imperials did "Shimmy-shimmy, Koko-Bop." Can we count "Little Egypt," by The Coasters? On a different subject...I just got a vintage postcard of two dark pink hibiscus blossoms, & on the back is a flamingo in silhouette which is the logo for NATURAL COLOR PUBLISHERS, 605 LINCOLN RD., MIAMI BEACH, FLA. PHONE 58-2912, beneath the body of the bid, & beneath his legs, & beneath a half circle of "water." Vertically, in the center of the card, it states...A MIKE ROBERTS COLOR PRODUCTION. Then, down at the bottom, it says...Colorphotography by H. W. Hannau. Thought, maybe this info would be of interest to you. Perhaps you know the business owners, or the 2 men mentioned, or are familiar with this particular logo, of the silhouetted flamingo? If you're interested, I can scan both sides & send it to you. Many of my vintage Florida postcards were printed in "Yankeeville" (the North) & this one stands out, because it is a "locally made" postcard. (Sorry, if I offended anyone, by referring to the North as "Yankeeville." It's a term that originates with yours truly...you should hear my term for white frozen precipitation!) Roberta, munchin' on a biscuit, 'cause the pill she's about to swallow says to take it with food. Shucks...wish I had a batch of Charlis' Bott Boi to eat with it...! (Now don't go a-fussin' 'bout our recipes!!) It's the wee hours, y'all...

Jeff		27-Feb-2008 04:51
Here's a mind-blowing trip down memory lane for you... to see just how many dances came out of the rock and roll era... [In no particular order] Limbo Rock - Chubby Checker/The Champs The Walk - Jimmy McCracklin The Stroll - The Diamonds The Twist - Chubby Checker The Mashed Potato - DeeDee Sharp The Pony - DeeDee Sharp The Horse - Cliff Nobles and Company Twine Time - Alvin Cash & The Crawlers Bristol Stomp - Dovells Let's Stomp - Bobby Comstock & The Counts Hully Gully Baby - Olympics Slow Walk - Sil Austin Watusi - The Vibrations The Jerk - The Larks C'mon and Swim - Bobby Freeman Pop-Pop-Pop-Eye - The Sherries Monster Mash - Bobby "Boris" Pickett The Dog - Rugus Thomas The Funky Chicken - Rufus Thomas The Hustle - Van McCoy The Bird - DeeDee Sharp The Harlem Shuffle - Bob and Earl The Duck - Jackie Lee Peppermint Twist - Joey Dee & The Starlighters Hot Pastrami with Mashed Potatos - Joey Dee & The Starlighters The Madison - Al Brown's Tune-Toppers OK, kids... it's your turn to add a dance records to this list...

Roberta Perry Hughes		27-Feb-2008 04:47
Largo...Yes, 'Nita was the orange juice queen, with her family in the commercials, & she also sang a Coca-Cola jingle..."Zing! What a feeling with a Coke!" Roberta, chiming in, with her fat feet & swollen legs, from trying to catch up on a few chores, & making calls to M.D.s & pill rollers, while enduring stormy weather, in the Peach State

Jeff		27-Feb-2008 04:37
Yes, Largo... it's ironic that Anita Bryant was the "Orange Juice Queen" but that she railed against "queens" of alternative lifestyles. This is what cost her the job with the Florida Orange Juice Council and an eventual divorce from Bob Green... Bob was first heard on WINZ, then later on WQAM. He was close friends with my ex-employer, Steve Alaimo.

LARGO		27-Feb-2008 04:23
ANITA BRYANTS HUSBAND ....was it Bob Green ??....ANYWAY HE USED TO DJ AT SOME OF OUR PALMETTO HI SCHOOL DANCES IN THE GYM...IN OUR SOCKS...yeah....SOCK HOPS!!!...THE STROLL, THE HUCKLEBUCK...MASH POTATOES..THE TWIST...THE BOP!!!...GADS... WE WERE SO WILD AND WICKED!!!...HEH! HEH! HEH...ETC....I DO NOT RECALL IF ANITA BRYANT AND MR. GREEN WERE MARRIED AT THAT TIME....WAS'NT SHE THE BIG FLORIDA ORANGE JUICE...."QUEEN"...?..............................LARGO

Leighton		27-Feb-2008 04:09
Thanks for the suggestion of Delaware Punch, but it wasn't a brand name...something specially made at this location in South Miami - she couldn't find it anywhere else.

Jeff		27-Feb-2008 03:42
Leighton... From what I understand, Don Johnson (and/or "his people") really could try your patience... I worked for a photo lab that was stiffed by Johnson for processing, and the same happened to a professional photographer I know who did some work for him... On the flip side of the coin, I met Phillip Michael thomas a few times, and he was always a gentleman!

Leighton		27-Feb-2008 03:41
Thanks for the suggestion of Delaware Punch, but it wasn't a brand name...something specially made at this location in South Miami - she couldn't find it anywhere else.

Jeff		27-Feb-2008 03:38
Charlis... All we had in my part of town was a slight power flicker.... luckily for me... as I had a number of things to do today. The radio station you're thinking of "behind NuArt" was actually on North Bay Road off of Dade Boulevard... WKAT... (now in North Miami). I completely forgot about Carner Bank of Miami Beach! Jack Carner sold out to Barnett, didn't he? Jeez... that's a LONG time ago... the days of Miami Beach Federal, Chase Federal, Jefferson National Bank, Mercantile National Bank, Miami Beach First National Bank (a/k/a Flagship, Sun Bank, SunTrust), American Savings... Good Lord! That's 40+ years ago!!!!!!!!

Leighton		27-Feb-2008 03:33
And they can still screw you out of a credit...I have done a lot of location film work in South Texas the past ten years, and you never know when the producers are going to decide not to spend the $200 per name, for secondary positions. Worked three months on "Selena" - no credit as Asst Loc Mgr. Three months on "American Outlaws" - no credit as Loc Mgr/Second Unit....etc....it's really annoying, especially when you see some flicks where they credit everybody and his cross-eyed cousin. Right out of UM film school in 84/85, I was hired to be Don Johnson's assistant on "Miami Vice" - minutes before I arrived on the set that first day, they called to say the studio had cut the position. I heard, years later, that I should be thankful. He was apparently QUITE difficult. A film school buddy and I wandered onto the set of "Mean Season," at Joe's Stone Crabs, claiming our dad owned the place. We got away with it for about ten minutes.. Enjoyed shooting a student film at Place St. Michael in Coral Gables, and knocking out their electricity for an hour. Ouch.

Don Boyd		27-Feb-2008 02:06
These were posted in the wrong places and moved here: Don ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ bill johnson bjohnson@trilogybehc.org 21-Feb-2008 20:32 wonderful, love it, lived in coral gables 1958-65 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ron scott scott.ronald@gmail.com 26-Feb-2008 23:36 WOW! It really makes me feel old seeing all those pictures. Thanks so much for taking the time to post them. I have visited and shopped and eaten at so many of those places. My mother used to work at Wolfies on the beach for about ten years...Great memories...CapnRon ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ G. Altman altm0@yahoo.com 26-Feb-2008 17:29 Re: My entry dated Feb. 2, 2008--I must have had a "senior moment", or it was written too late at night! The hospital I was born in, in Nov. of 1948, located off N.E. 2nd Ave. near Archbishop Curley , was Edgewater Hospital, not Edgemont Hospital. Please forgive me! I have enjoyed reading the comments on old Miami history! Thanks! Grace A. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Joanne		26-Feb-2008 23:50
OTown...does your wife have a relative named Pam Whitney? Pam was in my class at Palmetto. (75)

charlis		26-Feb-2008 23:32
Johnny Tillotson was from Jacksonville. He was the nephew of my father's best friend and coworker at Monroe-Zeder Chrysler Plymouth. Got to meet him... my teenage girl's heart thumped a mile a minute!

charlis		26-Feb-2008 23:21
jeff... darn this laptop... it was 1968 when ex got to work with Larry.

charlis		26-Feb-2008 22:46
Jeff... Larry King worked at the radio station located behind Nu-Art back in the 60's. In 196 my ex hubby, then boyfriend, got to work with Larry for the Student/Professional Day. The weird thing is that, a year or 2 later, while working for Carner Bank, he, me, and another bank employee had to repo Larry's car! I think it was a Toyota... back when Toyotas first came to this country... not really sure. How did you get by with the massive power outage! Reminds me of the time when the whole East Coast went out! I was on my way to Miami Dade Jr. when that happened.... got to the north campus to find the guards turning us away. The trip back to MB was horrendous when off of 95 and Julia Tuttle. We weren't really affect by the problem today... sporadic outages as the grid took over.

Joanne		26-Feb-2008 20:21
Only celeb I can think of is a girl who graduated Palmetto the year before me. Valerie Lundeen became "Miss Florida, USA"In 1981. She ended up marrying Ron Eli (Tarzan) a few years later. Of course theres Sylvia Hitchcock. And I guy I knew in elementary school was on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" (Geez, I don't get around much.....)

Jeff		26-Feb-2008 15:24
I believe I have heard of Sandra wirth... and yes, Anita Bryant does count - although [to me] infamously because of her later political views...

O'Town Tim		26-Feb-2008 12:45
My wife Robin Whitney attended Miami U. School of Music where her grandmother Lena Maddaford taught vocal/opera one of her dear friends who loved Robin's grandmother was actress Gail Edwards, Full House, Touched by An Angel as well as Broadway and beyond. A talented lady and Miami celebrity!!! Daughter of June and Doctor Edwards.

John		26-Feb-2008 11:55
Does Anita Bryant count on this Miami celebrity remembrance?

Roberta Perry Hughes		26-Feb-2008 08:12
Shoot fire and save matches! I forgot to put my name on my entry! Chalk it up to yet another bout of insomia & my usual aches & pains. Roberta, in limbo...not asleep, but not awake, either, & starring in the late night movie, "Posting in a Coma," in the Peach State

Guest		26-Feb-2008 08:07
Leighton...I THINK that the "red punch" of which you speak was Delaware Punch. It was a concentrate, that you added water to. It tasted fantastic! Bird Road Baptist Church used it for Communion Sundays, in lieu of wine, & they used broken crackers, for the "body of Christ." My father used to buy it for us. I think they still make it, "up North." I did a search on it once, when I was looking for it. Largo...Our family also knows, first hand, about not getting screen credits, if you're a local. My late half-brother, Marshall E. Smith, was the sailor that the giant squid attacked, in the movie "20,000 Leagues under the Sea," starring Kirk Douglas. Jeff...Another possible celebrity, from the area, was a very pretty blond girl, who went to Gables High, & she was a flawless baton twirler, & a dancer as well, & later, she became an actress. Her name was Sandra Worth, or Wirth, I think. I remember seeing her in an episode of "Father Knows Best," where Eleanor Donahue's character was in a dance competition, at her high school, but she lost to Sandra Worth's character, who was the better dancer, of the two. Are you familiar with this person??

Guest		26-Feb-2008 08:07
Leighton...I THINK that the "red punch" of which you speak was Delaware Punch. It was a concentrate, that you added water to. It tasted fantastic! Bird Road Baptist Church used it for Communion Sundays, in lieu of wine, & they used broken crackers, for the "body of Christ." My father used to buy it for us. I think they still make it, "up North." I did a search on it once, when I was looking for it. Largo...Our family also knows, first hand, about not getting screen credits, if you're a local. My late half-brother, Marshall E. Smith, was the sailor that the giant squid attacked, in the movie "20,000 Leagues under the Sea," starring Kirk Douglas. Jeff...Another possible celebrity, from the area, was a very pretty blond girl, who went to Gables High, & she was a flawless baton twirler, & a dancer as well, & later, she became an actress. Her name was Sandra Worth, or Wirth, I think. I remember seeing her in an episode of "Father Knows Best," where Eleanor Donahue's character was in a dance competition, at her high school, but she lost to Sandra Worth's character, who was the better dancer, of the two. Are you familiar with this person??

Jeff		26-Feb-2008 04:52
Largo... ANY Humphrey Bogart movie is a good movie to watch or be associated with (as far as I'm concerned)! My favorite film of all time is Casablanca... However, I'm happy to know your dad worked on Bogie's Key Largo. My favorite bit of trivia from that film... when the hurricane hit, you see an external shot of the palm trees bending in the wind. If you look closely, you'll see the wire attached to the tree tugging it downward! LOL!

LARGO		26-Feb-2008 03:55
OMG JOHN...FROM MY EARLY POSTINGS, ONE WOULD SURMISE THAT I LIVED ON THE BANKS OF SNAPPER CREEK CANAL IN S. MIAMI......I WAS BIKING DISTANCE FROM MATHESON HAMMOCK, FAIRCHILD GARDENS (snuck in the back way)...THE BELOVED PARROT JUNGLE. AS FOR MY LAST NAME "LARGO"...IT IS A PROFESSIONAL NAME I ADOPTED AS A TRIBUTE TO A WONDERFUL OLD MOVIE...ONE THAT MY DAD WORKED ON WAY BEFORE THERE WAS CREDIT GIVEN TO "LOCAL SECOND UNIT FILM CREWS"...NOW EVERYONE FROM THE GRIP TO THE KEY GRIPS MOTHER GET "ROLLING SCREEN CREDIT"...THAT MOVIE WAS OF COURSE "KEY LARGO"........ MYSELF (NOT SO WELL KNOWN)...I SIGN OFF ON PAINTINGS AS ..."SHE LARGO"...FIRST NAME "SHEILA"........MY VERY SPRY 91 YEAR YOUNG DAD....LOVES IT!!!........NO LARGO RELATIVES....SORRY TO DISAPPOINT....................BUT I DO LOVE THE KEYS...LOTS OF GOOD MEMORIES THERE.............LARGO

John		26-Feb-2008 03:25
LARGO, Remember Matheson Hammock? The circular swimming hole right on the bay? Well, my folks used to take us kids down to either Key Largo or Tavenier Key to a similar swimming circumstance, i.e., a circular swimming hole on the edge of the ocean. Do you know of this place? I attribute my potential candidacy for skin cancer to all the sun burns I received at this place. As for other famous Miamians, I racked my brain and came up w/ nuttin honey.

LARGO		26-Feb-2008 03:12
THANKS JEFF..I KNEW YOU'D COME THRU.....BY THE BY...TOM PETTY'S EX GOT HIS BEACH HOUSE .......I WALK PAST IT ALMOST EVERY DAY ON MY A.M. CONSTITUTIONAL...IT'S LEASED OUT MOST OF THE TIME, AS ARE THE MAJORITY OF THE LARGE BEACH SIDE... HOMES...GOTTA PAY THOSE PROPERTY TAXES !!.....LARGO

Jeff		26-Feb-2008 02:48
Largo... Sally Jessie and Larry King were both on WIOD... but King actually started out on a small Miami Beach station in the late 50's... It was either WAHR, MET or WBAY... I can't recall what I'd read... Charlis... My God... you're absolutely right! When I read the IMDB bio of Jay Jensen, I thought it said February, 2008 - but it WAS 2007! Even with reading glasses, my eyes play tricks on me sometimes. Thanks for the correction! Roberta... Charlie McCoy has a single called "Cherry Berry Wine" on Cadence Records (#1360). It charted in 1961, only lasted one week on Billboard - and made it all the way up to 99 on their Hot 100 list! You know, we could expand this celebrity list to note stars from other points in Florida... Woody Woodbury from Fort Lauderdale, Johnny Tillotson (I think he was from the Tampa area). I think blues singer Billy (The Kid) emerson was from Tarpon Springs... Tom Petty was from upstate, and his first band (Mudcrutch) recorded at Criteria Studios... Then there's singer/actress Gloria Loring... come on people, we're on a roll here!

LARGO		26-Feb-2008 02:18
WELL THERE WAS ALSO MS. SALLY JESSE RAFAEL ...WHO STARTED IN MIAMI IN THE LATE 60"s I BELIEVE.........SHE BOUGHT A LITTLE PEN AND INK FROM ME IN '67 OR '68 AT THE COCONUT GROVE ART FESTIVAL. (WHEN IT WAS A REALLY FUN FESTIVAL)...I HAD A REGULAR DISPLAY PLACE IN FRONT OF A SHOP CALLED "THE ADAMS APPLE" FOR SEVERAL YEARS. SHE WAS SALLY JESSE THEN ON A LOCAL TV TALK SHOW..WTVJ ..MAYBE ?...AND ON RADIO AT NIGHT OUT OF MIAMI BEACH...CAN NOT RECALL THE STATION... "JEFF"....????......(OUR RESIDENT HISTORIAN.).............ALSO LARRY KING WAS IN MIAMI IN HIS EARLY CAREER....NO CLUE WHEN......BUT I LIKED MS. SALLY...AND SHE DID PRETTY WELL FOR HERSELF...HER MOTHER WAS AN ARTIST....AND I BELIEVE I READ SOMEWHERE THAT SALLY HAD TAKEN UP PAINTING IN RECENT YEARS...SHE ALSO MAINTAINS A B&B UP NORTH......ENOUGH ALREADY !!........LARGO OUT!

John		26-Feb-2008 02:14
Might as well add MLB Hall of Fame pitcher Steve Carlton (NMB HS) to the list. Welcome back Arizona Al....or is it now "chiggered and ticked-up" Al?

Roberta Perry Hughes		26-Feb-2008 01:24
Area's famous celebs also include...Charlie McCoy, who played harmonica on the TV show "Hee-Haw," in their "All-Star Band," which also included Floyd Cramer, on the piano, Boots Randolph, on the sax, & Chet Atkins, on the guitar. Charlie McCoy was a graduate of Southwest High School.

charlis		26-Feb-2008 01:14
jeff... Jay passed away a year ago. Famous beach celebrities should also include Joy Lansing of soap opera fame (wife of, I think, Alan Thick). Andy Garcia was also a High Tide.

Jeff		26-Feb-2008 00:15
My pleasure, Tim... Glad you're enjoying this blog space!

O'Town Tim		25-Feb-2008 18:49
Hey Jeff ~ THANKS for the prompt reply to my Tom Dowd question and memories of Pickwick Int'l (I did not know that about the Heilicher Bros. connection) And THANK you Don for a site that accomdates such memory chatter for the likes of us out in D.Boyd World. tlc

Jeff		25-Feb-2008 18:11
Hi, Tim... I never worked with Tom DOwd, but I did meet him when he stopped by Audio Vision once... I also remember Pickwick Int'l. It was owned by the Heilicher Brothers of Minneapolis. They also owned Soma Records (Amos spelled backwards) - the label that had Mule Skinner Blues by the Fendermen and Liar, Liar by the Castaways...

O'Town Tim (Orlando)		25-Feb-2008 16:46
Hola' Jeff ~ your postings ref. the famed & prolific Criteria Studios, I just watched a fantastic DVD on the great Tom Dowd WOW what a genius (evident by his having worked on the Manhattan Project prior to turing to record engineering!!!) Did you have the pleasure of working with Tom. Also in 1978 thru 1980 I managed the Music Land Record shop in Cutler Ridge Mall (owned by PICKWICK In't the record distrobution people) Standing by for your reply Jeff THANKS!!! HOW BOUT' CHA and Cutler Ridge Rats out there in Don Boyd world that knew the Whitney family or Robin and One Step Ahead Band. House band @ The Plantation Yacht Harbor for 4 or 5 years? Alright, carry on you guys I love reading your postings. Kindest regards / Timothy L. Cromer

Jeff		25-Feb-2008 14:54
Roberta - you are absolutely right about Dino's ex!

Guest		25-Feb-2008 07:45
Hello all. Been out in the Superstition Mountains camping all weekend .no cellphone o internet service:):). Have not been ignoring you or this site just unable to connect. Roberta: have a rapid and seamless recovery. Jeff and John: Enjoyed "catching up" on your posts for the last week. Don: Kudos and accolades for developing and hosting this website. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive, well and back to civilization in Phoenix, Arizona

Roberta Perry Hughes		25-Feb-2008 07:40
Forgive the oversight, Fellow Posters! I meant to thank everyone, for the well-wishes expressed on my behalf. Having a rough night of it, so, I'm hitting the computer. Having a drug reaction (extreme flushing) & got to call Doc, come breakup. Will be scanning some images, & sending them to Don...hope he includes them in the Galleries, & that everyone will enjoy them. Again, bless you all, for thinking of me, & letting me know that you do. Roberta, starring in "Insomnia of the Flush-Faced Peach," Act I, Scene I, in the Empire State of the South

Roberta Perry Hughes		25-Feb-2008 07:32
Jeff...Wasn't Jeanne (Bieggers) Martin, (Dean's ex-) from the Gables, & wasn't she an Orange Bowl Queen? I had heard (Urban Legend?) that that was how they met (?)

Jeff		25-Feb-2008 03:15
I was saddened to learn that Jay Jensen - my former drama teacher at Miami Beach Senior High - and a benefactor to the University of Miami and the Lowe Museum just passed away last week. Aside from yours truly, he taught my classmate Roy Firestone, Mickey Rourke, Luther "Luke Skywalker" Campbell and a host of others... Speaking of drama and the arts... Did you know that the conductor for the Oscars® for the past 19 years - and composer of Rocky's theme "Gonna Fly Now" - Bill Conti - was a North Miami Senior High graduate? Barabara Walters attended Miami Beach Senior High for a short period because her dad (Lou Walters) owned the Latin Quarter on Palm Island... Nancy Kulp ("Miss Jane" on the Beverly Hillbillies) was a graduate of Miami Beach Senior High School -Class of 1937... Famous faces that came through Miami... Entertainment reporter Shaun Robinson... 60 Minutes reporter Steve Kroft... CBS Evening News reporter Katie Kouric... ESPN reporter Roy Firestone... "The Rock" (actor and former wrestler)... singer Steve Alaimo (still here in Miami)... CBS Early Morning host Maggie Rodriguez...

John		25-Feb-2008 00:37
MM, Ref the pony rides across Dixie Hwy from Suniland Park (SW 128th St &US 1) toward Bowl-O-Mat (southwest from SW 132nd St & US 1). I vaguely remember them. It seems that the pony rides located on the south side of Suniland Shopping Center (near the elevator) must have moved over across from the Park. They didn't last too there. I suppose there could have been two different pony ride owners, but I do remember them being in both spots. I am only about 75% sure of my math here, so if it's incorrect, please chime in. I never rode the pony rides; I rode real horses at camp in NC. :)

Leighton		24-Feb-2008 21:47
Actually, I was extending best wishes to Roberta, for a speedy recovery. Yep, I remember those spin paintings. OK, I'll ask a question again - previously, I had the facts wrong. My mother, around 1970, used to buy a red punch at some store in South Miami - right off Red & Sunset, to the west. Does that ring a bell with anybody???

Jeff		24-Feb-2008 20:04
Stead... Actually, I kind of didn't... I was questioning my own memory - I THOUGHT there was one on South Dixie, but being a "North County Person", I wasn't quite sure...

Stead		24-Feb-2008 20:01
Jeff, You forgot the Pumpernick's on South Dixie Highway.

Tect		24-Feb-2008 19:56
Allen's Drug Store on the corner of Red and Bird . . . still there, the S&S Restaurant is located inside

charlis		24-Feb-2008 17:23
Don, hopefully Mr. Sutton will join us on this board. It would be nice to see a few more Beachites here. There was a Dorothy Sutton in the class of '66 and a Dennis Sutton in "68.

charlis		24-Feb-2008 17:19
jeff, thanks for the Wolfie's info. I knew the Cohens also. The one on Lincoln Rd. held very fond memories for me. We had just left Eddie's grandparents after lunch there. On the way home, he proposed to me.

Don Boyd		24-Feb-2008 14:24
Found in a non-posting area: jack thi sutton carrtoovon@aol.com 23-Feb-2008 20:28 i love your site, but i wonder do you have more photos of south beach? i am talking about lincoln road, wolfies "one" and wolfies 21. i grew up on south beach and my kids attended beach high! me? try biscayne elementry school (a long long time ago.) Judy Worsley (nee "Becker) jbw@worsleys.com 13-Feb-2008 03:13 Judy Worsley (Born "Becker") Grew up in Coral Gables. How about: Brownie hut on Granada., Jahn's on Miracle Mile, the fountain on Granada Venetian Pool (I, with our neighbors the Weinkles were on the swimming team that practices there, the drugstore (name please?) on corner of Red Rd and Bird Rd serving the hottest chile ever. I remember old Miami with great fondness. Glad to see Jimmy Hurricanes there. Hung out there many a week-end night.....Thanks for doing these photos. Cheers to all.

Don Boyd		24-Feb-2008 14:20
Roberta (Leighton), welcome and thank you for your comments. We were lucky to have grown up down here. Joanne, I remember those spinning cardboard art paintings now that you've mentioned it. I hadn't thought of those in decades. I had a few that I thought were gorgeous at the time. Don

Joanne		24-Feb-2008 02:59
Youth Fair...what a great memory that was. Always loved the polar express, the ferris wheel, the bumper cars and the house of mirrors. Almost every year I'd get the wheel painting, a piece a cardboard placed on a modified potters wheel and while it spinned you poured paint from a squeeze bottle onto the cardboard. Anybody else do those? My brother's band competed in the "Battle of the Bands" one year. Nobody cared about walking thru the mud (which was usually the condition of the ground .)

Jeff		24-Feb-2008 00:29
Charlis: Over the years, the late Wolfie Cohen sold off his restaurants... he was famous for being a gambler and needed to satisfy debts. There were three Wolfie's and Two Pumpernicks... The Wolfie's were on Collins Avenue and Lindon Road, Collins Avenue and 23rd Street and 163rd Street and NE 14 Avenue (across from the shopping center). The two Pumpernicks were on Collins avenue and 67th Street and Biscayne Boulevard and 125th Street. Interestingly enough, When Rascal House first opened in 1955, it was called Pumpernicks under a new name could be chosen. They actually held a contest for a new name.... Robin Cohen (whom I went to school with) ran Rascal House with her family until they finally sold it. It closed last year. Mori: Drop me a line at jnl1952@juno.com to fill me in on your Criteria years. Did you know that Steve Gursky recently passed away? I worked for Ron, Howard and Steve from 1993-2000. Carl Richardson is associated with them, and for a time, Mack Emerman was hanging out at the studios...

Leighton		23-Feb-2008 23:21
Don, This site is truly unique. Bringing all these folks together, from different generations. I only lived a fraction of my life in Miami (67-74, 82-85), but it still holds a special place in my heart. Best wishes, Roberta.

MM		23-Feb-2008 22:40
Thank you all, so much, for letting me know I am not alone in all these wonderful memories. Every time I go on here I am just more and more blown away. Jan, I actually came upon this site recently while trying to find pics of Fun Fair, so I am glad to find someone else who shares my affinity for tbe place, even if I haven't found any actual pics yet. It was one of the biggest treats of my childhood. I used to love the little arcade rides, altho I was scared to death of that strange little one-person ferris wheel. Jeff, I used to work at Criteria in the early 80s and was pretty close to Ron, Howard and Steve. I wonder if our paths crossed. When did you work with them? And while everyone is on the subject of amusement parks and such, how many of you remember the pony rides next to Bosl-O-Mat/across from Sunniland Park, or the ones at Westchester Mall? They don't do pony rides like that anymore. I'll never forget the little T-shaped handle that you'd hold onto and how my legs were barely long enough to actually reach the stirrups, even when they cinched them up to their highest point. Keep up the great reminiscing....Mori

charlis		23-Feb-2008 19:04
jan, your post about all the great places to eat got me heading to the fridge for a hot dog! Lums' were the best. My favorite Wolfies was the one on Lincoln Rd and Ocean Dr. I heard that it was no longer there, that the family decided to get out of the business. Jeff can confirm or update us on that. They had the best chopped chicken liver, bagels and lox, and kosher pickles... better than Pumpernicks. Lums on 41st St. holds a great memory for me... my parents went there all the time. On my 18th birthday I was served my first legal beer as a b-day present. Those frosty mugs and the hot dogs.... hmmm. To this day I steam my dogs in beer... and my beer is always ice cold when I drink it.

LARGO		23-Feb-2008 14:36
GOOD MORNING ALL!..... LOVELY, RAINY DAY IN OLE TOWN...SO HAPPY "Y'ALL" WORKED THINGS OUT....ENOUGH STRIFE OUT IN THE WORLD...THIS IS A FUN PLACE TO COME AND SHARE OLD MEMORIES OF "MIAMI"......I JUST GOT A NOTICE THAT MY 45th MIAMI PALMETTO HS REUNION IS THIS SPRING...............zounds!!!@#%!!!*%$???.not???....(note: that's is not an e-mail address).....SHOULD BE VEEEERY INTERESTING.......SHOULD I ATTEND (not a question)..............HI THERE JOHN..... :o) ............heading to my MYSPACE site to pose the question there...........LARGO......WELL !! I'M ALIVE and trying to stay up on LIFE!!!

Don Boyd		23-Feb-2008 05:27
There is an article in the Herald about a music group's efforts help save Hialeah Park through a new song. You can read the article athttp://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking_news/story/428954.html Don

Jeff		23-Feb-2008 04:00
You're more than welcome, John... They still hold the fair, and it now goes by the moniker "The Fair", but I believe it's full title is The Dade County Youth Fair and Exposition... Suffice it to say, it's changed as much as Miami has... but they still have the rides and events as in days gone by... I went once... nearly 30 years ago, and it was WAY overcrowded - even back then!

John		23-Feb-2008 03:11
Roberta, Hope you're feeling better tomorrow. Hang in there. HI LARGO!!

John		23-Feb-2008 03:09
Hi all, Speaking of "Fair" do they still hold the annual Dade County Youth Fair? I haven't seen any chatter ref that thus far. For me, and others I'm sure, the Youth Fair marked an annual pilgrimage in search of the members of the opposite sex.....not to mention cool rides, good music, and mandatory fun (thanks Dad) at the 4H animal exhibits. Jeff, Very interesting run-down on Steve Alaimo and associates. Thanks!

Jeff		23-Feb-2008 02:36
Fair is fair, Roberta. The written word is a difficult thing, because it doesn't always convey the intentions of the writer. Since you say there was no sarcasm intended or implied, I take your word for it. Let's just chalk things up to momentarily agreeing to disagree on a subject. Hope you'll be doing better soon...

Roberta Perry Hughes		23-Feb-2008 01:03
Don't sweat the small stuff, Jeff. It's all good. Did you read the end of my post? I said that I was glad that you accept the facts, & that I thank you. I wasn't being sarcastic; I meant it. I DO thank you, for that. A while back, I told Posters that I was having to take a hiatas from the Site, due to multiple clinic appts & tests. I'm right back to having to endure the same, once again. In fact, I spent ALL this dreary rainy day, from lab-to-doctor-to-hospital-back-to-doctor-to-nuclear-medicine tests-to-pharmacist-then--FINALLY!!--home. Travel was hair-raising, down U.S. 1, for a total of 110 miles, round trip. Ugh. Leap Year Day will bring more of the same for me. Chilled-to-the-bone, so, gonna take a hot shower, then press the goose hairs. I'm done in. It's been a long, tedious, & very weary day. I couldn't fight my way out of a wet paper bag. Hasta la vista!

LARGO		22-Feb-2008 21:21
HEY YA'LL...DON'T MAKE ME COME OVER THERE!!!!...LOL....YIKES!!!!.....PEACE OUT...LARGO

Jeff		22-Feb-2008 18:51
Phillip... the amusement park you're referring to was Funland Park, right behind the Frank and Bun on NW 27th Ave. and 79th Street... Fun Fair was on the 79th Street/North Bay/Kennedy Causeway, not too far from Nick and Arthur's restaurant. You must have worked for Harmony Music if you were working in the arcade... The amusements you speak of in Sunny Isles Beach - which included miniature golf, trampolines and bumper cars (along with pinball machines was just north of the 170th Street Shopping Center on the West Side of Collins Avenue.

Phillip Verolla		22-Feb-2008 18:46
Sorry Jan,had a memory lapse. Fun Fair was on NE 79th Street and Fun Land was on NW 27th Ave,

Jeff		22-Feb-2008 18:44
Jan... Seashore Pickles was a long-time favorite from a South Florida company... and Dipper Dan had a store on Twelfth Street and Washington Avenue on Miami Beach, along with the NMB location. Are you related to Albert Isaacs, who owned a block of stores in North Miami on West Dixie Hwy. until the 1980's?

Phillip Verolla		22-Feb-2008 18:44
Yes Jan,Fun Fair was on the corner of NW 27th ave and 79th street across from Northside SC. If you remember the open air 163rd,you must remember the small amusement park with train ride and the stand that sold "Ollie Burgers". I worked at the music store in the arcade during my last few years of high school and have many great memories of Pirates World,Miami Marine stadium and all the other cool places. I still live in south Fla and get flooded with memories when I drive by many of those old locations,most of which are gone completely IE Sportatorium. I have read many of the comments and I can't find anyone that mentions the amusement park that was in Sunny Isles on Collins avenue. It had in ground trampolines. I'll bet you also remember the concerts at Greynolds park and maybe some of the concerts held on the Seminloe Indian reservation in Hollywood.

Jeff		22-Feb-2008 15:23
Roberta, your sarcasm is NOT appreciated when you said "you must be referring to yourself" regarding my comment about those without facts posting urban legends. The INFORMATION I was GIVENabout tar on the beaches over the years was what I'd reported: dumped by cruise ships and tankers. In 44 years of life down here, NO ONE ever mentioned sunken war ships to me. If they had, I would have backed you up on that comment. When Charlis confirmed what you'd reported, I retracted my error of doubt. However, I strongly advise you to NOT "get personal" if you feel I've mis-stated something. When I am proven incorrect, I'll acknowledge my errors - however I strongly recall that I'd once made a constructive comment to you, and you threatened to boycott this space because your feeling got hurt. Stop being so sensitive and using this area to create unneeded acrimony. No one is attacking your personally... This is an area for posting memories, NOT for fighting battles. Please DO NOT engage me or anyone else in any heated discussions, or we all risk having Don pull the plug on this blog. If you disagree with me, so be it. That's your privilege and birth right as a free citizen of this country... but don't take it down to petty snipes... You DON'T want to bring out my bad side... or anyone elses!!!!! I have a lot to contribute to this space, but before I get into any war of words, I can find better things to do with my time that fight petty battles...

Jan Isaacs		22-Feb-2008 12:09
Greetings all! My name is Jan Isaacs and I grew up in North Miami Beach in the 1960's and 1970's. I left for Southern California in 1975 and have lived now in Seattle for the past 12 years. After having read everyone's comments, and reliving many of the experiences triggered by both the comments and the photos, I am flabbergasted as to how easily everything came flooding back to mind. It seems as though my life in Florida ended just yesterday. I remember so much of my childhood and teen years, especially concerts at the Hollwood Sportatorium and Pirate's World, the Orange Bowl, and Miami Marine Stadium. Going back to the 60's, I remember going to an amusement place called "Fun Fair" and I loved it! Does anyone remember it? I know it sounds crazy that I would remember of all things, pickles, BUT, does anyone remember Seashore pickles? You could buy them in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, and they were amazing! I also remember hanging out at the open-air 163rd Street Shopping Center, eating at the great Corky's deli with my friend Michele, and having ice cream after school at Dipper Dan's. I won't even go into my memories of Lum's hot dogs, Wolfie's and Pumpernick's. Ok, I'm hungry....nuff said for now. Will post more later. Thanks for all the comments..I'll keep reading...

Roberta Perry Hughes		22-Feb-2008 06:35
Jeff...Charlis' input, re: "tar" in the shallows, & on the beaches, only affirmed what my father told me, in the early '50's, despite your reply to my post, with "Truth be told..." & ending with , "Urban Legends...if it weren't for them, what would blogs have to discuss?" I had also stated that, as children, we had thought our father was telling a tall tale, but that, later on, I had learned that, what he had told us was true...& he, in all likelihood, knew what he was talking about, seeing as how he was, indeed, a WWII Vet, & had served with the U.S. Coast Guard. You further stated that, "...The trouble is too many people repeat what they read or hear elsewhere without any knowledge of the facts to back them up..." You must have been referring to yourself, as I had said, in my original post on the subject, that, "...I later learned that what our father told us was true," & indeed, I did; I saw it on PBS, on one of several programs, dedicated to WWII, which I never miss, & have watched again, & again, every time they are aired. The fact is, when I posted my comment, I knew it wasn't an "Urban Legend." Notice that I was prompt, to thank Charlis, for her affirmation of what I had said, by relating to you the "facts," & I'm glad that you accept them, & I thank you.

Don Boyd		22-Feb-2008 06:00
Regarding the request for a site to check out "urban legends", my favorite is <http://www.snopes.com There is so much distorted and false stuff going around in e-mails these days that it takes an entire huge site to track down most of them and some topics never get straightened out. Don

Jeff		22-Feb-2008 04:53
What I left out was that Ron and Howard Albert were chief engineers/producers at Miami's legendary Criteria Recording Studios. They worked on such albums as "Young Gifted and Black" (Aretha Franklin), "CSN" (Crosby, Stills and Nash), "Monkey Grip Glue" (Bill Wyman), "461 Ocean Boulevard" (Eric Clapton), "Layla" (Derek and the Dominos) and singles such as "You Are the Woman" (Firefall), "Rainy Night in Georgia" (Brook Benton), "Funk 49" (James Gang), "Spanish Harlem" (Aretha Franklin)... and dozens of others... TK Records - at its peak - had hits by George McCrea, Gwen McCrae, Foxy, Notorious Miami, KC & The Sunshine Band, Latimore, Anita Ward, Bobby Caldwell, Jimmy "Bo" Horne, Betty Wright... way too numerous to note here...

Jeff		22-Feb-2008 04:47
Charlis... point well taken. Without your input, this would have remained in the category of "Urban Legends". The problem is, too many people repeat what they read or hear elsewhere without any knowledge of the facts to back them up... John... You are correct! Steve Alaimo, Linda Scott and Paul Revere and the Raiders were all regulars on Dick Clark's ABC-TV afternoon music show "Where the Action Is". The theme song was sung by Freddy Cannon, and the show was shot in various California locales... Steve's singing career began with his band "The Redcoats" during high school in Brighton, NY - a suburb of Rochester. While attending medical school at the University of Miami, Steve decided to try for a full-time career in music, and left medicine behind. The Redcoats rejoined him, and they starting recording for Henry Stone who gave Steve his first break in the record industry (with such singles as "Home By Eleven" as well as various jobs at his record distributorship). After a long musical career (mostly solo -where he was quite popular in live venues, but was only "Top 10 in his "new" hometown of Miami), he started working behind the scenes as a producer and writer. Despite having only one top-50 hit on the national charts ("Every Day I Have to Cry"), Steve recorded for Imperial, Checker, Atco, Entrance, Handshake and a number of other labels... Steve wrote the song "Melissa" that Greg Allman recorded. Steve and Henry Stone co-owned TK Records in Hialeah. After TK went bankrupt, Alaimo hooked up with two friends - the chief engineers [and producers in their own right] brothers Ron and Howard Albert to form Vision Records and Audio Vision Recording Studios in North Miami. I worked for them for about 7-1/2 years!

Roberta Perry Hughes		22-Feb-2008 01:34
Charlis...I cannot thank you enough for your post, re: the "tar" that used to get on our feet at Tahiti Beach in the early '50's, & that my father said it came from the WWII vessels that the German subs torpedoed, as near to shore as the sea lanes. It gets tiresome, to see so many Posters' input/comments, as being attributed to "Urban Legend," or just having their statements discounted as being untrue. I would like to have someone post a link, to direct us to these infamous "Urban Legends," so that we can learn from them, lest we continue to embarass ourselves by being "misinformed," & posting one of these "untrue rumors." Roberta, always willing to learn something new, & to be enlightened, given the opportunity

John		22-Feb-2008 01:17
Jeff, I read one of your earlier posts ref you working w/ Steve Alaimo. Wasn't he a regular, along w/ Paul Revere and the Raiders (PR&TR), on the rock n roll "Where the Action Is" TV show? I was in STL a few days ago listening to Sirius 60s and the signature PR&TR song came on (Kicks). Where the Action Is popped into my head and then Steve Alaimo. Great memories. What happened to Steve? Was he or the show based in Miami or did they do any tapings there? That was a great show for me growing up. Al, Thanks from me too for Nam. I travel a ton and I stop Soldiers all the time and thank them. You never got much of that, but I sure appreciate what you did. Nuff said.

Don Boyd		22-Feb-2008 01:07
Charlis, no, not that I'm aware of. As I have said a couple of times before, this is a photo hosting site that works very well for displaying photos, descriptions, and dates. The comments portion of this site were intended for comments about the photos and never for blog purposes. My top priority for this site is displaying the images for the numerous visitors I get on a daily basis, my second priority is the comments under most of the photos from people who can relate to the subject matter of the photo and often provide valuable information for others to read, and the third priority is this comments gallery where y'all have your fun. Don

charlis		22-Feb-2008 00:38
jeff, re: tar.... as the old war ships "rotted" the oil/tar did made it to the beaches... and is still making its way to shore as the ships continue to "rot". It is not an urban legend. An old class mate worked for Dade County Solid Waste Management and we talk occasionally... he's now in TX. They constantly got requests for disposal of debris from the beaches and had to turn them down because of the contents. Don't forget that I am an Environmental Specialist and deal with the "stuff" every day. Yes, the cruise ships and tankers of the modern era have contributed to the mess... but back in the 50's and 60's the "stuff" came from the ole WWII ships... and will continue for, sadly, a long time.

charlis		22-Feb-2008 00:28
Don... suggestion/question... is there anyway that we can be notified, via email, when someone posts a response to a comment? The local FOX station has a great blog system that allows you to receive an email if someone responds to your post, if you choose to.

Jeff		21-Feb-2008 04:01
PS: ANYONE who "assumes" I was talking about THEM is letting their guilt lead their thoughts! I made my comments generic so EVERYONE might feel a bit hesitant about launching into a text-heavy diatribe about "Truth, Justice and the American Way"... after all this the comments galleries about "Miami and Old South Florida"...

Jeff		21-Feb-2008 03:56
Miami Girl, that's NOT a "soapbox moment"... All of our veterans - no matter what our ideological , religious or political persuasion regarding armed services and/or wars - deserve a round of "THANKS" from us for serving our country. Whether they joined voluntarily or were drafted, they still served... so I join you in saluting all of our posters who have protected our country. However, everyone... PLEASE don't use these comments as a benchmark for posting any long tirades, speeches, flag-waving soliloquoys or what have you... Remember, Don wants to keep this forum for MIAMI MEMORIES... (A word to the wise, the nameless and the guilty...hehehe)

Miami Girl		21-Feb-2008 00:12
Alan O: I have to stay off the soapbox here, but I just had to say "thanks" to you and all the Vets out there.

Jeff		21-Feb-2008 00:03
Truth be told, much of the "tar" that washed up on shore was from cruise liners and freighters who either leaked oil or dumped waste material into the ocean. Anything deposited into the waters during and immediately after World War II would have washed up years before. Urban Legends... if it weren't for them, what would blogs have to discuss?

charlis		20-Feb-2008 21:14
Roberta... I was a young teen when I moved to Florida. I can not even imagine what it was like for a child to go through those drills! As to the oil when going to the beach... I remember hearing those stories, and them being discounted... then being proven true. It was a problem of publicity... the beachs were clean, white... yeah, sure. Now all the beaches are made up of sand dug up somewhere else and not so white. what a shame.

Roberta Perry Hughes		20-Feb-2008 04:31
Air raid drills, in Miami, go back farther than the aforementioned Poster's recollections. We had to do the "duck-under-the-desk" with hands-clasped-behind-the-neck, supposedly, to protect the spinal cord & the cervical vertebrae, when I was in the first grade, Olympia Heights Elementary's portables, in 1952. I remember having to do these "drills" several times, & indeed, the siren would go off each time. These drills continued, when I was transferred to Tropical Elementary, for grades 3-5, but they were for a two-fold reason, as it was also for tornado warnings. I remember getting "tar" on my feet, wading in the shallow waters of Tahiti Beach, & our father told us it was from WWII, when the U.S. Oilers, & some ships, were torpedoed by the German U-boats that were in the Atlantic, as close to shore as the sea lanes were. The German U-boats were all around the perimeter of the U.S., I suppose, awaiting their orders. As soon as an Oiler was in the sea lane, they were targetted, by a Sub, even in the Gulf. We found it hard to believe, that the Germans were in our oceans, & I think us kids thought our father was telling a tall tale; he very seldom talked about the War, nor did any WWII Vet, in those days. Imagine my shock...& chagrin...to learn, many decades later, that my father spoke the truth, regarding those U-boats, so close to home. Civil Defense used to be a big deal, when I was a child, growing up in "Our Town," & I keenly remember their building, on Miller Road, where we turned right to go to Miami Memorial Park, where my mother's parents are buried. (I think Cocoplum Cemetery is nearby?) The Civil Defense folks had televised "actions to take," in the event of a nuclear blast. You were to "drop & roll," into a ditch, & assume the "air raid position." I think it was Jeff, many, many postings ago, who reflected on the fact that such "actions" would do zzzzzz-ip...!! to save your hide. (Think "Terminator" movie, of Sarah Connor's premonition/dream, of a nuclear blast). Those "air raids," & Civil Defense drills, were very very frightening, for children...actually, to everyone. Many folk built "bomb shelters," in their basements, & stocked them, as suggested by the Civil Defense. Whatever became of them? The Civil Defense, I mean? Roberta, hoping we never have a reason to assume the "air raid position" again, nor our children & grands, either. Fighting Mother Nature is stressful enough.

Guest		20-Feb-2008 02:43
I recall the air raid drills at Cutler Ridge Elementary 1957-1958 and the Cuban Missle Crisis while attending Palmetto High. At that time I could not imagine that in 2 years I would be humping the boonies with an M16 and a rucksack in Viet Nam. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive, well and happy to be an in country survivor (103rd Combat Support Batallion, Chu Lai, Vietnam 1966-1967).

Miami Girl		20-Feb-2008 02:15
Charlis...WOW, what a traumatic time that was for your Mother! I also remember hiding under the desks and told "DON'T LOOK AT THE FLASH OF LIGHT". I concur with you completely on Castro and that nothing will change any time soon. Az Al.... those drills happened a few times in Mrs. Bush's class, specifically after we moved into the new school from the "portables" we were in during the first semester...remember?

charlis		19-Feb-2008 23:37
Miami Girl... Cuban Missile Crisis... Boy! Have I got memories of that... I have posted my memories a while back. I had gone to MB on vacation with my mother and sister in February '62. We moved down there in December of that year. The sirens would go off every Saturday at noon. My mother, who was born in France, and was in Europe during the early years of WWII, would cringe when she heard the sirens go off. In school we were taught the "hide under the desk" drills. Now that Castro has resigned, nothing will change. I expect that after this weekend's so called meeting, Raul will keep his job. And a few weeks from now, Castro will "die". Personally, I believe that he's been dead for awhile, that little brother was waiting for this weekend, to gain total control, and that in a few weeks we will hear that Castro died "peacefully in his sleep". The videos were probably faked, or pre-planned as part of the set up.

Miami Girl		19-Feb-2008 23:07
Along with memories of Andrew, can anyone contribute those from the Cuban missile crises in Oct '62? I remember being on the bus that final day that either the ships turn around or we'd take aggressive action, pulling up to Palmetto High and wondering if the building and all of us would even exist the next day! Very sobering thoughts for a 16 year old. I also remember the soldiers camping out in our gym and locker rooms - that was pretty cool.

Don Boyd		19-Feb-2008 18:51
Steve McDonald contributed a 1949 image of a 3rd grade class at Coral Gables Elementary (40's gallery) and a 1952 image of Mrs. Piant's 6th grade class at Coral Gables Elementary (50's gallery). Welcome to Diane Andreoni who posted yesterday - she grew up on my old Herald route back in the 60's and went to the same schools, etc. Don

O'Town Tim		19-Feb-2008 14:12
Hey Joanne / Miami Girl ~ THANK you so much for your collective replies! Indeed this is just what makes Don's site so much fun and so infomative ~ Thanks Mr. B. Robin's family lived on Nicaragua not far @ all from Dominican. They were also friend with the Greens and the Specter families. (Specter Records) later Robin's brother's and sister ran a restaurant on the corner of Carribean & U.S.1 called (after the Jimmy Buffet tune) SON OF A PIZZA. Thanks again and a great day to all you out in Don Boyd's wonderful world of Miami Memories!!! O'Town Tim over & out ~ channel clear!!!

charlis		18-Feb-2008 23:15
jo... Andrew... I was in Tampa at the time. I was doing my route for the Auto Trader, trying to complete it before the storm got here. The original path had been for it to enter the state further north and cut across the state. Suddenly the sky cleared in Tampa. I got home and went to the weather channel to see that Andrew was heading straight to Miami. I still had a lot of friends there. Evie called shortly after the storm hit to say that she was okay on Miami Beach. We could not reach other friends. One lived just north of the eye. The other owned the mobile home park that was destroyed. We heard from him first. He said that the damage to the park was because of the new homes that had been built across the street from the park... all the upper stories had been blown into the park, destroying the mobile homes that were withstanding the storm's winds. Finally heard from the other friend, north of the eye, a few weeks later. The whole back of his house had been damaged. A year later we went down there, for ex's high school reunion, and the friend had just had repairs completed. The mobile home park was destroyed. Everyone told us about the lack of police, the crooks that came by to "help" make repairs, etc. During the hectic season a few years ago, I meant a young man that lived in Miami during Andrew. He lived in the complex where the pic was taken of the boat on the roof of the building.

charlis		18-Feb-2008 23:00
Roberta... congrats!

Joanne		18-Feb-2008 20:49
O Town...I have a very good friend that lived in CR on Memorial Road. While she is now in Homestead, her mother and sister are both still there in CR. They probably bought the home sometime in the mid 50's because they had 3 children who were born in 55, 57, and 60. Their name is Aerts. Dad was with the postal service and Mom was a german immigrant housewife. Joan Aerts and I met at Palmetto high school and have stayed in touch for many years. Just a general curiosty question: Would anyone who experienced Andrew care to tell their story about that night and the time after during the recovery period? I was in Orlando at the time but made the trip down in Nov. of 92 to check on Joan and the houses my family had occupied when I lived there. To this day I have never forgotten the sights or the smells I experienced while there. I had briefly lived in Homestead and Naranja in the late 70's. I never found the Homestead house and in Naranja I had lived at the Naranja Lakes Condos. Those were the one story units that took such a beating during the storm. I'm sure its still a very sore subject for many but that storm gave me a passion for meteorology that continues today.

Diana		18-Feb-2008 20:49
After reading Arizona Al's post I started to think of the many weekends I spent at my grandmother's house in Opa Locka when I was a kid and she would NEVER let any of us touch a mango let alone eat one for fear of "mango poisening". I think I was 36 before I finally got up the nerve to actually taste one. I also remember one night that I was staying with my grandmother and when I pulled the sheet back to get into the bed, there was a huge black scorpian right in the middle of the bed. I screamed and my grandfather came running in and took off his shoe and tried to slap the spider but it was hopping all over the bed and he kept missing it. He finally nailed the thing, but it took 3 hard slaps with his shoe once he made contact, before it stopped moving. I still refer to impetigo as Florida sores, and I've been living in Rhode Island since the late 60s! Old habits die hard..I worked as a Concession Attendant (candy girl) at the Gables Theatre in Coral Gable all through high school so I remember many of the promotions they ran. We wore bright yellow starched uniforms that had little brown and yellow checked pockets. The laundry used so much starch we had to chop our way into the sleeves and pockets..

Miami Girl		18-Feb-2008 20:10
O'Town Tim.....My parents bought the 40th house in CR on Dominican Dr. in 1954 but I'm sorry to say I don't remember any Whitney's. My parents may have known them but sadly they have both passed away. Mom didn't sell the house until 1992 so she knew a lot of the pioneers. My Dad was great buds with the founders of the Ridge (Bloomberg and Seigal??) and also hung out at a radio and TV repair shop that I think it was in that little small shopping center by 7-11 (corner of US 1 and Caribbean Blvd), he was retired from the Navy so had a lot of time on his hands to hang out! Wish I could help you, but keep posting and someday someone will remember! Miami Girl, lovin' these memories!!

O'Town (Orlando that is)		18-Feb-2008 18:38
Thank you Az. Al ~ I appreciate your reply! Robin was born in 1954 and the Whitney family were some of the early residents of the Cutler Ridge development right off of Caribbean Blvd. Again ~ many thanks, I enjoy the perpetual postings from yourself, Roberta Perry Huges and many other frequent flyers here on Don's fine site!!!

Arizona Al		18-Feb-2008 17:08
Old Town Tim: I am sorry but I do not recall the Whitney family from Cutler Ridge. I left the Ridge when I graduated from Palmetto High in 1964. I believe the family may have come after I left. If they lived there during the time I did (1955-1964) Robin would have much younger than me. Alan Ogtus, Ph.D. Alive, well and remembering Old Miami from his cuttent residence in Phoenix, Arizona

O'Town Tim		18-Feb-2008 15:47
Calling Arizona Al & Miami Girl ~ just read your postings on the dances at the Cutler Ridge Shopping Center. Would either of you remember the Whitney family from Cutler Ridge? Frances Maddaford Whitney taught @ the Miami U. School of Music vocal / opera and performed in the area, Col. Robert W. Whitney USMC worked in the Miami/Dade court system for Janet Reno and @ some point ownedor managed Over Seas Motors Volkswagon dealership. A GREAT family that I am proud to be a part of via my marriage to daughter Robin Whitney Cromer. Robin had her own band in the late 70's early 80's was house band for 4 years @ The Plantation Yacht Harbor as well as playing all through out the Miamia /Ft. Lauderdale area. Do you happen to recall them? As a footnote in 1978 I was manager of Musicland Record Store in the Cutler Ridge Mall before Hurricane Andy "reshaped" the area. Thank you Don for such a unique and wonderful site!!!

Roberta Perry Hughes		18-Feb-2008 05:11
Manocarz...Thanks for the heads-up! That's exactly where I will display my commemorative Miami plate...on top of my refrigerator!! I just now won a 1949-1953 Florida Driver's Handbook! My father probably had one, as we moved to Miami (from Georgia) in 1952. I love collecting vintage Florida items, most especially from Miami! Roberta, "shopping victoriously," on eBay, & relieved that the tornado watch is over, in the Central Savannah River Area! Hooray!!

Guest		18-Feb-2008 02:22
Roberta: I'm so happy for you about that plate you just won. Display it where you always can see it. I have a vintage '50's ceramic pink flamingo sitting proudly on top of my refrigerator to remind me of Hialeah! I just re-glued his neck back together a few days ago (I still love my four cats).

Roberta Perry Hughes		18-Feb-2008 01:53
EUREKA!! I just won the bid for a 1950's Vernon Kilns souvenir of Miami plate, sold exclusively at Burdine's!! It features the Dade County Court House, in the center, with other places of interest going around it, done in blue on white, in mint condition with no chips, cracks, or crazing!! Just HAD to share my joy with y'all!! I lost the bid, for another auction, for this same plate, a few months back, & it broke my heart. I got lucky this time!! WOW!! It's a real beauty, & perfect, for a collector of nostalgia, & vintage Florida, like me!! Roberta, dancing-on-air, but still under a tornado watch, in the Peach State.

Roberta Perry Hughes		18-Feb-2008 00:56
Don...Glad you're keeping the facts straight for the future, as it should be. I HAVE mentioned, several times, of my return to Miami, & asked about the Alabama Barbecue, & Burn's Bar & Grill, & mentioned the Dog House Restaurant, located in the same area as Burn's Grill, & also mentioned Detroit Hardware & Die Casting Company, which was my first job, prior to working as a waitress. I lived with my aunt, in N. Miami area, & Allapattah was nearby. I'd take the bus to S.W. Miami, via Coral Gables, & got off the bus across, the street from the Food Fair, on Bird Road, & would walk to my former neighborhood, & visit my cousins, too, & visit friends over in Westwood Lakes. Even then, it was sad for me, to see my former home, & know that no one that I loved & cared about was inside. A few former neighbors were still there, on S.W. 55th Street, but all of their kids were grown & gone. Today, of course, the folks I knew, back-in-the-day, have moved away, long ago. Two families, in particular, moved to Georgia. My cousin, Mary, took a photo for me, of my former home, & it is now a duplex, making the house numbers different, on that side of the street. The Mackle housing project, where I lived, stood up under the violent force of "Andrew;" newer dwellings did not. Roberta, waxing nostalgic, during a tornado watch, in the CSRA, Georgia.

Miami Girl		18-Feb-2008 00:41
Don..... I just saw your picture (mentioned below) with Jim, Lynne and Ronnie from Ronnie's Records in Homestead. Do you know if he had a Ronnie's Record shop in the Perrine Shopping Center in the early 60's? I remember buying my 45's there for $1.00 (that was two hours of babysitting earnings then). AZ Al.....Yep this world is getting smaller with every entry in this website. Thanks for all your work Don. Now have to go find those pictures of Dadeland that you've posted...

charlis		17-Feb-2008 23:55
don... don't apologize for not mentioning Jim.. I only mentioned him as he was a great guy. Very unassuming. I actually baby sit for him, pumped his gas (worked at a local full service gas station just up the street from the Miami Beach studio... book keeper was my actual job but I liked to work on cars.... I am a woman who rebuilt a 64 1/2 Mustang in 1970). Being that the Miami Beach station was close by to where I worked and lived, it made it easy to meet up with the whole WQAM gang. I really miss those days... thanks for bringing them back with this great web site.

Don Boyd		17-Feb-2008 23:34
Roberta: ah ha, you didn't tell us the whole story of coming back to Miami through 1967 after high school. You have mentioned leaving Miami in 1961 numerous times in your postings and I couldn't figure out how you would even know Roby's name. No reason for pardons but I do like to keep the history as accurate as possible so we don't leave BS for future generations to read. So I will not let inaccuracies go uncorrected. People correct me in comments under the photos all the time and I make the corrections with no bruised feelings. Charlis: I didn't mention Jim Dunlap because Roberta didn't mention him and there was no reason to add yet another name to the mix in the subject conversation. I liked the guy and have a photo of him and his wife (at the time) Lynne Russell, anchorwoman for CNN Headline News for many years, at a WQAM Disk Jockey Reunion in my VIP Gallery.http://www.pbase.com/donboyd/image/56722503 Jim passed away in the Atlanta area in 1999. Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		17-Feb-2008 20:23
Don...I "sit" corrected, re: Roby Yonge! However! I DO remember him, as I returned to Miami, after high school, & lived there, with my aunt, through 1967. I really liked him, & Charlie Murdock, too, whom I remember PRIOR TO moving from Miami, in 1961. For some reason, I cannot remember Rick Shaw. Maybe it's because I listened to WCKR & WFUN, quite a bit. (Gasp!) They had a lot of "call to win" contests going on, & other contests, too. Don't know WHICH radio station it was, but there was a poetry contest, which I won, & the prize was an Elvis Presley album. The poem had to be about Elvis. The album I won was entitled, "His Hand in Mine," & the cover was of Elvis, sitting at a grand piano. I wish I still had it, as it is a hard-to-find album. I feel as if I struck a nerve, by declaring Charlie & Roby to have been "more popular" than Rick Shaw. Too bad, that an honest mistake can have the power to generate animosity, & cause one to feel such humility. So...! For what it's worth...a thousand pardons, & Scusi! Scusi! Scusi! Scusi! If I had a blackboard, I'd write my apology 500 times! (Remember when your teacher made you do that??) Roberta, extracting her foot from her mouth, on a windy day, in the Peach State.

charlis		17-Feb-2008 18:34
You guys forgot to include Jimmy Dunlap. Such memories of QuackM (sic). The surfing parties were a lot of fun. Occasionally Roby or Rick would show up at the South Beach rec center during the Friday night dances. The old studio at the old Shine McCallister was a big treat when Jimmy gave me and Evie a tour, prior to our appearing as dancers on Rick's show... Then they move the studio to 41st St. where Evie and I met Ronnie Grant (nee Grantham), Jimmy and a few others for breakfast every morning before headding off to classes at Miami Dade. Ronnie's normal breakfast was a bagel and a Dr. Pepper. Yuck!

Don Boyd		17-Feb-2008 14:16
Just to add some more from what I remember of WQAM: as I recall, Charlie Murdock was the drive time home guy on the late afternoon shift, was married and always talking about his daughter Martha Sue and Flynn's Dixie Ribs, which appealed to young married families and older youth in their 20's but not necessarily to teens. When it came to listening to music and DJ's while driving around with your honey and making out at night, Charlie Murdock was not the guy and Rick Shaw was. I don't ever recall hearing Charlie Murdock at night or ever cracking jokes about people making out, playing loud smooching sounds in between songs or other crazy funny antics. Besides the surfing appeal, Roby had tremendous appeal because he was so young compared to the other DJ's - if he started in 1963 he would have turned 20 that year, 21 if he started in 1964, which made him more in tune with the teens at the time. As I recall WQAM had Rick and Roby ("Rick 'n Roby") on shows together for a period of time and they were a powerhouse together and garnered a huge audience percentage-wise. Don

Jeff		17-Feb-2008 08:04
I should note that there's a site dedicated to WQAM with a number of reproductions of WQAM surveys. This should help put into "chronology" years when certain jocks were on the air at 560... The site is called 560.com [just add www. before it if you feel comfortable, but you no longer need to]. Rick Shaw was at WCKR (WIOD as a rocker) circa 1961-62. He came to WQAM either in late 1962 or early 1963. Yes, Charlie Murdock was the "big guy" at WQAM at the time before Rick's popularity overtook the whole station... Yet, many of the pre-1964 jocks are seldom talks about nowdays (Jack Sorbi, Jack Purrington, Ted Clark, Jerry Goodwin, etc.)...

Jeff		17-Feb-2008 06:18
Don... your comments about Roby Yonge are right on the money. Roby came to Miami around 1963-64 fresh from Ocala. I knew Roby. He was a great guy; good-hearted, but somewhat self-destructive career-wise. He passed away a few years ago. Wendy Unger... do you have a brother name Steven? I vaguely remember him from either Fisher Jr. High or Beach High... he wore glasses...

Don Boyd		17-Feb-2008 04:44
Guest (girl from Jax) and Wendy: thank you for your comments. 2/15 and 2/16: I added three photos of Dadeland including one of the seahorse statue that most of us remember, plus some history on Dadeland (main gallery and the 70's gallery). Added numerous old aviation photos (aviation gallery). Roberta: I think you have names confused if you say that Roby Yonge was one of the most popular DJ's at WQAM "long" before Rick Shaw became popular, especially if you left Miami in 1961. I heard Roby's first WQAM show on my transistor radio early one morning (5am or so) when folding Miami Heralds for my route and that was either 1963 or 1964 - I was a QAM junkie for years and listened many hours a day and I never heard of Roby until then. That was at least 2 years after you left Miami. Roby became a hit because he could allegedly surf, and surfing was "in" at the time. WQAM held surf events with Roby appearing at the real South Beach back then (now half of Miami Beach is called South Beach) between the fishing pier and the Government Cut jetty. The most popular surfing songs were recorded in 1963, which again is two years after you left Miami. Somehow things don't compute with your statement that Roby was popular long before Rick Shaw on WQAM. Don

Guest		17-Feb-2008 02:42
Roberta: You Go Girl! Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well, and holding off the onset and ravages of dementia in the presenium in Phoenix, Arizona

Guest		17-Feb-2008 02:36
Miami Girl: I remember Mike Stotts from Cutler Ridge. I think he was a couple of years younger than me and was a friend of my Brother Mike who is 2 years younger as well. The last time I recall seeing Mike Stotts was around 1968 when he was driving a truck and making local deliveries for an auto parts store. Small world we live in Master Jack. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Roberta Perry Hughes		16-Feb-2008 23:26
Our family left Miami, in 1961, & we never went to Cutler Ridge, so, I don't remember the Friday Night Dances. However, I DO remember Charlie Murdock, of WQAM. When I lived in the area, he was one of THE most popular DJ's from WQAM...& so was Roby Yonge...long before Rick Shaw became popular. During that time, Rick Shaw wasn't the host of "Ten's Bandstand"...the host was Bill Wyler. It was like, Rick Who...??!! But I listened to Charlie Murdock, & Roby Yonge, on my transistor radio, & on my father's clock radio, when he was at work. We never missed Bill Wyler's "Ten's Bandstand." My sister, Audrey, & her classmate, Steve Howe, were on the show, as dancers, & all the kids on our block came over to our house, so we could watch them on TV, together. Roberta, reflecting on old Miami memories, also...& being very far from "apoplectic"

Miami Girl		16-Feb-2008 23:22
Alan.......yes those dances at the Cutler Ridge shopping center are a wonderful memory. Once I was asked to dance by Mike Stotts -- a pretty big guy at the time but what a GREAT dancer!! We won that particular contest and I still have the album I picked out as a winner. Does anyone remember the dances over at the "Cabana Club" across Route 1 at the entrance of South Miami Heights? I think they were even before those at the shopping center, in fact I met my first boyfriend there the summer of '62. I sure miss those days!

Guest		16-Feb-2008 21:46
Does anyone from South Florida remember the Friday Night Dances that were held at the Cutler Ridge Shopping Center circa 1962-1964? Charlie Murdock from WQAM was the host and the usual band was the Rockin Ramrods. A big but very amicable and friendly Dade County Deputy named Harry was the security force. I recall having much too much fun at the dances. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and back to the basics of Old Miami currently residing in Phoenix, Arizona

charlis		16-Feb-2008 21:31
Wendy... before you start racking your brain, you knew me as either Sue, Suzanne, or Charlie Strawser. Missed the reunion... had something come up... like having to move. Jeff is a "lower classman", class of "70.... we are the only HiTides here.

charlis		16-Feb-2008 21:28
wendy... glad to see you! How'd you find us? Will be talking to Evie this weekend. Go Hi Tides!

wendy unger		16-Feb-2008 20:15
wow this takes me back; fantastic collection

charlis		16-Feb-2008 18:38
Libraries... What a shame that they are tearing down the old library. That first visit to Miami Beach in '62.... my tutor took me there to do some research for a special project I needed for school. I recently had to go to the library here in Tampa. I was appalled with what I saw... racks and racks of CD's and DVD's... movies and games! It was like that in both the regular section and the kid's section. To this day, when I hear a book is being made into a movie, I go and buy the book (if I haven't read it). School was much better back in the day. OH schools were ahead of FL schools, but everyone got a good education. When I started back to teaching, as a teaching substitute, in 1980 I was appalled at what teachers were doing... or were not doing. Very little time was spent at the black board, or interacting with the students. Instead of making children use a book and write things down, photo copies were handed out... with instructions! Then FL came out with the FCAT. I was so glad that my daughter was already out of school by that time. Yep... America is definately "dumbing down".

charlis		16-Feb-2008 18:28
Roberta... your comments about Black History, etc. were great. I post on our local Fox channel's blog and my blog is often featured. You post got me to thinking about MLK and Presidents' Day. Remember way back when, when we were in school? On Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays we got the day off from school. We all had to do special projects in History classes about our history and the 2 presidents. Post Officces and other goverment offices were closed for both days. Then MLK Day was created and all the two greatest presidents b-days were put into one day with all the other presidents, many of which are undeserving of a special day. Someone on my blog responded to my post with this: In all the cities he had been to that had changed street names to MLK... he feared for his life when walking or driving on the street. He was hit on by crack addicts, hookers, etc. What a shame that MLK's dream turned into a nightmare.

Guest		16-Feb-2008 18:03
Finding this site has been so entertaining and brings funny and sad memories of my late husband, who unlike me, was a native Miamian and a '67 grad of Coral Gables. I'm a Floridian, but grew up in North Florida (Jax). I began going home with him during college breaks in '68 when we started dating, and I remember much of the "old Miami" from these photos and his stories of growing up as a wild child back in the day. What is it with you Miami guys - I think everyone had some stories that were crazy! I emailed this site to my sister-in-law, also a Gables and UM grad, and she was so glad to find this site as well. Great job, Don Boyd!!

Joanne		16-Feb-2008 17:45
John...Great article and photos. Thats a part of Miami history that I had no knowledge of. Good to see people taking back their city and preserving such a treasure. In the 70's we'd go to Va. Key occasionally. In the late 70's my husband (at the time) and I found a beautiful reef off the northeast side of the island. It was about 100 yds from shore and about 15 to 20 ft. water depth.

John		16-Feb-2008 17:09
Hi All, Please see the wonderful article posted in today's Miami Herald (online edition) front page regarding Virginia Beach history. It includes a few photos and a historical video link to the project that saved the beach and this historical landmark from land developers. Based on our recent discussion of Black History growing up in Miami (a very relevant and worthy topic), the timing of this article is eerie. miamiherald.com/multimedia/news/vabeach/index.html

Jeff		16-Feb-2008 05:57
Roberta, that's one request I'm afraid I can't fulfill... sorry! I seldom take pictures anymore, and I haven't been downtown in years. In fact, I refuse to visit down there if at all possible. It's overbuilt, overcrowded and a traffic and logistical nightmare. You could, however do a Google search for the Miami Public Library, and perhaps there'll be an image online. It's located in a multi-story complex just West of the courthouse, and it enters on the second floor, via an outdoor plaza. The library is adjacent to the Historical Association of South Florida. The street level acts as a storage "basement" area for them.

Roberta Perry Hughes		16-Feb-2008 05:38
Jeff...Do me a favor, & take a photo of the new Library, & either scan it, & send to Don to put in the Galleries, or, scan it, & send it to me. I would love to see it...in fact, I NEED to see it. It would mean a lot to me. Thanks, in advance.

Jeff		16-Feb-2008 04:39
More than likely they were moved to the NEW library just West of the courthouse on Flagler Street...

Roberta Perry Hughes		16-Feb-2008 03:54
Jeff...You still didn't tell me, WHAT BECAME OF ALL THOSE BOOKS???!!!! Joanne...Thanks, for the support. I, too, remember growing up in Miami, where we learned the basics, especially Geography, to the point to where WE know the answers to the questions that Jay poses to the young people on-the-streets of Burbank, in his Jaywalking stint...AND, we can answer the questions on "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth-Grader," too. (Notice, a lot of those contestants are younger than most of us who post on this Site!) All of this makes me wonder, how many American families watch "Jeopardy"? Has the educational criteria changed so drastically, in our public schools? This is distressing, to me. Oh, how I wish the children of today could have had our teachers, in the Dade County school system, back when we were kids! If they did have, or could have teachers today, who were as good as ours were, then, maybe they wouldn't embarass themselves, by showing their ignorance, on "Jaywalking"?? I remember a die-cut wooden puzzle, of the map of the United States, & the puzzle's pieces were the die-cut States, so, it was easy to learn how to recognize a State by its shape. On each one, the State's capital, bird, tree, flower, & major cities, were all imprinted on them. It was a very popular puzzle, & we all learned from it. We were encouraged to explore our big world globe, too, to locate a particular country that we were studying. How I loved that globe! (You can find them on eBay.) No-longer-used (?) educational tools (probably) include Flash cards, flannel boards, & the arithmetic teacher, or mathmatics teacher, requiring you to make different shapes, out of construction paper, to visually see how a circle, or the "whole", could be divided into parts, when we were learning fractions. We were required to make maps, of countries & States, to be able to recognize them, by their shapes. Remember learning the rivers, & the agricultural products, & industries, associated with each? A good teacher made learning fun, & I don't remember the first "bad" teacher, in Miami, do you? I remember one or two, who were strict, but the bottom line is, you still learned the subject matter, under their tutelage, provided that you applied yourself, & was sure to pay attention, & do your homework...which, reading was a vital component, of in-class lessons, as well as at-home studying. Roberta, wishing that the children of today could have access to an old-fashioned education...including discipline, for disruptive behavior.

Guest		16-Feb-2008 03:46
(MM - Mori) Yes, Claire is one of my older sisters. :) You can always click on my name and shoot a message to me through my site. Just don't look at the images, taken when I first picked up camera and haven't updated in over a year.

Jeff		16-Feb-2008 03:05
Charlis.... Yes, the Bass Museum is still there, and I still haven't been to it, despite the fact that I've been in the area over 44 years... Roberta... It's not the lack of libarary buildings that's the problem with today's kids, it's the indulgence of electronics as "babysitters"... When kids know how to operate an ipod better than they can point to Wisconsin on a map - that's where the trouble lies. OK... Since everyone want to still "soapbox" topics, here's one short and sweet: America continues to dumb-down. Our teachers used to teach, not be forced to babysit. When we have come to the point that "Washington Mutual" is too long for modern folks to remember and they shorten it to "WaMu", all is lost. End of soapbox. Jeff - doing the best he can in South Florida, despite all of the obvious changes...

Joanne		16-Feb-2008 02:57
BRAVO, ROBERTA!!!!!!!! I CONCUR !!!!!! All the kids know nowdays is how to play video games or pick up terrible things from horrid websites. I believe its because of the general deterioration of respect and humility across the board. Stress, greed, anger and ego have made an impact on too many. It's time to get kids back to the basics we had while growing up. Solid role models, acceptance of others, knowing right from wrong, the will to be a good person. Thats what I remember growing up in Miami.

Roberta Perry Hughes		16-Feb-2008 02:05
Alan; Jeff...You miss my point entirely! I just DO NOT like Obama's white side being disregarded, entirely. It is disrespectful, to his mother, who is white, & it is DISCRIMINATORY, no matter how thin you slice it. Period. Might I remind you, that, every February, we celebrate BLACK History Month, NOT "African American" History Month. I remember when "colored" was replaced with "black." (Remember BLACK POWER? James Brown's classic, "(Sing It Loud) I'm Black and I'm Proud?" Black-on-black crime?) It is interesting to note, that, the founder of the NAACP was a white man. Oh...there's one for you...it's the "National Association for the Advancement of Colored People." Will that be changed, to the NAAAA? Meanwhile...back to Old Miami Memories...My cousin, Mary, sent me a photocopy of a clipping from the Miami Herald, dated October 10, 1986, that shows the once-beautiful off-white marble Miami Public Library, on Biscayne Boulevard, with her windows ripped away, her books, long gone, falling to the wrecker's ball, to make room for a rejuvenated Bayfront Park. The Library was 35 years old, at the time, so, was built in 1951. Call it "soap boxing" again, but, to me, it is a sin, to destroy any institution that promotes learning. I am a bibliophile, & I find it very sad, that children aren't encouraged to read more, & there are many, many adults, who have never opened a book, since school days, or college, & who admit to the fact, that they have never read a book. Ever watch "Jaywalking," on the "Tonight Show" with Jay Leno? It really isn't funny, to see how ignorant young people are, today...even college students, who cannot name U.S. capitals, nor give the name of the largest country in South America (a 20-something year old replied, "Africa"). One young man couldn't tell Jay where the Panama Canal was, & several of them couldn't tell him where Iraq is located. ("Somewhere in Europe? or south of Europe?") What are they teaching in school, now? Obviously, not Geography! I guess we need to tear down more Public Libraries. It hurt my feelings, to see the image of that majectic Library being demolished. Our class went there, once, on a field trip, when I was in elementary school. I was in awe of the place. Tell me, what became of all those books??

charlis		15-Feb-2008 23:11
Jeff.. I do not remember if I asked this... is the Bass Art Museum still in existance? I used to love to go there? Didn't get there the last time I was in Miami Beach in 2004. That was a classy art museum. I might be going down there this summer. Evie and I are hoping to do a life long dream, before Evie is wheel chair bound... swim with the dolphins.

charlis		15-Feb-2008 23:05
Al and Roberta... I was born in France to a french-hungarian women and a irish-german american... so I am a french-french-hungarian-german-irish-american-american.... there isn't enough room on any current application to put that in! In other words, if you were born in America... you are an American! I can claim to be a French-American... being born in France to American parents. But.... I am an American! Sticking with the "only talking about Miami" theme... the cubans that came over from Cuba during the 50's and 60's are still Cuban.... with american citizenship... any children born here are Americans... not Cuban-Americans.

charlis		15-Feb-2008 22:57
jeff... we are discussing Miami memories... even bad ones... but they are memories.

Joanne		15-Feb-2008 20:00
WOW !!! I go to Pensacola for one day and look at this blog!!! I missed quite a conversation, RATS!! Just for my 2 cents worth...there were some blacks at Palmetto during my time and no one I knew really said anything about it. It wasn't of any importance what color, national origin, or religion anyone was. In my neighborhood we kids decided to have an Easter Parade one year. We decorated a red wagon, got ahold of a tiara and voted on who should be the easter queen. Turned out Nancy Luria was the choice and she was Jewish. My mom tried to explain why Nancy couldn't be the queen but finally just said,"go ahead". None of us had been raised to think of anyone as less, they were just different. In fact, in 1974 Palmetto elected its first black homecoming queen. But she wasn't referred to that way, she was presented as the 74 queen. I saw something today that took me back, a 57 BelAir that had a custom license plate that was done like the ones I remember. 1WW5662. The first digit was your county, the next was the weight class of the vehicle and the rest was your number. I think my dad still has a couple of the plates circa 1970-71. Another thing was the "elephant turds" people had along the front of their yards to keep cars off the grass. Some were round mound style, some were pyramid. Some folks used large chuncks of coral rock.

Jeff		15-Feb-2008 15:58
Once again we have forgotten Don's pupose of this forum is to discuss Miami memories, and that I'd previously requested that we all [myself included] refrain from "soapboxing" on non-relevant issues. So, without pointing fingers at anyone - let's ALL try to get back to Miami's roots and memories... Jeff in North Miami, trying to prevent a "War of the Worlds"

MM		15-Feb-2008 15:03
Hey, Christine (Hudnall)... Was one of your sisters Claire? She was my best friend in ninth grade but we lost touch after that. Mori (MM)

Arizona Al		15-Feb-2008 08:41
Roberta: Simmer down please! I do not want you to suffer an apoplectic moment. I agree with you regarding the term African American as it is used to universally depict persons of color in America. However, it is the term that is currently preferred, no actually mandated, by the people of African lineage residing in America today. People of African descent in America take pointed objection toward references to "people of color", "blacks", "colored people" and the unmentionable "N word". It is simply out of respect to persons of African lineage that I refer to them in the adjectives that they prefer. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. An American of Lithunian lineage, who worked long and hard to overcome and eradicate the prejudices and bigotry he was raised with in Miami 1954-1969

Roberta Perry Hughes		15-Feb-2008 05:10
HAD to jump in here...! Who was it? Jesse Jackson, who first came up with the (absolutely) RIDICULOUS terminology: "African American"?? Just bear with me, for a moment. Were golfer Gary Player, a native of South Africa, choose to emigrate to the U.S.A., & obtain U.S. citizenship, HE would, indeed, be a GENUINE "African American, "" even though he is "white." This is a term that is TOO LOOSELY used, today, & the majority of the time, it is TOTALLY erroneous!! Golfer Tiger Woods, for example, is NOT an "African American." Rather instead, he is multi-racial. So is Mrs. Clint Eastwood, & others, too numerous to count. Sen. Barack Hussein Obama ISN'T "African American," either...he's half WHITE, & therefore, he's BI-RACIAL, & should he win the nomination, & then, win the Presidency, he would NOT be the "first African American President"...he would be the "first BI-RACIAL President." Too, he was born in the U.S., or he could not run for President!! (Arnold Schwarzzenegger cannot run, as he was born in Austria). I RESENT the half of him, that represents Caucasians, to be TOTALLY disregarded, under this ridiculous moniker...that is, more often than not...WRONG terminology!! "African American" is just wrong. Period. Do we call ourselves "Anglo Americans"? As was stated earlier..."People are just people," & the majority of us are multi-CULTURAL, whether we are multi-racial, or bi-racial, or whatever! And, PROVIDED you have your United States CITIZENSHIP, then...& ONLY THEN...can you refer to yourself as an "American." But...! That's a whole different Soap Box, isn't it?? I was not brought up to be prejudiced, toward any race, & am not, as an adult. I have my pet peeves, & incorrect terminology is one of them...that, & calling a zero 0 an "o". :-) Roberta, on her soap box, by joining in this discussion.

Arizona Al		15-Feb-2008 03:59
John: Correct you are. I am a child of the 1950s and early 60s and you are a child of the late 1960s and early 70s. A major social paradigm shift took place in the late 1960s that facilitated the beginning of the blending of America. However, prior to that time it was segregation as usual in the south which unfortunately included Miami. I elect to no longer dwell in the unplesant past regarding this matter and am pleased that society has come a long way (although there is much more way to go) since then. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and permanently off his soap box in Phoenix, Arizona

John		15-Feb-2008 03:35
Al, I wrote the below post before reading your latest outburst (LOL; just kidding). I think I understand where your time of reference is and where you're coming from. You were just ahead of what became the beginning of tearing down the segregation barriers. You missed out. I lived it as it happened. It was a start. Interestingly, I was one of only a handful of "white boys" allowed into a few of the African American neighborhoods like Howard, Richmond Heights, and Perrine. I had school and work friends from there and they had friends who had friends (you get the picture). Word spread. About 70-72, I was known in some of those neighborhoods, not necessarily personally by all, but by reputation......I had a free pass so to speak. I must admit, I was a pretty culturally intentional individual; still try to be. Got that from my Mom.

Jeff		15-Feb-2008 03:22
Charlis... I stand corrected. When I'm in error, I'll admit it!

John		15-Feb-2008 03:21
Arizona Al, Very interesting comments regarding your experiences. You must have graduated from Palmetto before integration took hold. African Americans (AA) were bused into Palmetto High in the very late 60s I believe. In my area of Miami generally speaking, Palmetto HS AA's were from Perrine; Killian HS AA's were from Richmond Heights. During my Columbus years we had very few AA's attend. For the most part, I hung out and grew up at Suniland Park where we had a very integrated group of whites and blacks that played "non-organized" sports together (mostly basketball); however, at the end of the day or night, my AA friends would retreat west across Dixie Hwy to the other side of the tracks in what we called Howard. It was sad; it's still sad. Our neighborhoods were not integrated. The schools came first. In fact, up until the time I left for the military in 72, I don't think any AA's lived on my side of the tracks all the way east to the bay. I can not remember organized sports at Suniland being at all integrated. Maybe Joanne can weigh in on that, but I played and umpired and lived at that park.......don't remember it happening. I don't know why. All that said, THANKS ALL for the nice discussion. Very impressive and interesting. I would love to hear a perspective of "Black Like me" from an African American person that I knew growing up....someone my age, a friend maybe.

Guest		15-Feb-2008 02:53
I in no way support or condone the segregation practices of Miami and the entire south for that matter during the 1950s and 60s. I am angered that I was deprived of experiencing a people and a culture of such flavor and diversity in my youth as a result of living in the south. The social genre and heartbeat of places in Miami such as Richmond h Heights, Brownsville Suburb, The CND, and Liberty City were off limits to me as were the white only neighboorhoods to the African Americans. But that was 40 plus years ago and hopefully the tijmes have changed for the better not only in my beloved Miami but the entire United States of America. If someone told me in 1962 that an African American would be ahead in the 2008 Democratic Primary, I would be on the phone and calling the "men in white coats". THANK GOD the times have changed!! Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well and back on his soap box in Phoenix, Arizona

charlis		14-Feb-2008 22:42
jeff... jose was not kidding... several sources say "Miami Mayor Maurice Ferrer".... POP!

charlis		14-Feb-2008 22:33
Christine.... coming from OH, like you I did not know what segregation was. Things got better as the 60's moved on... or so I thought. I moved to the Tampa area in 1974... a then small town east of the big City. Imagine my surprise, while at my infant daughter's swimming class, the hear mother's tell the instructor that they would come back later... after the black person left the pool. I went and put my arms around the mother, took over teaching her and her young child how to swim. One of the women who made the comment was actually the wife of the son of my old golf pro in Miami Beach. I was so shocked to hear her comments. I turned to another woman and told her that she was black... that all civilization came from Africa where all skin color was dark. Never saw her at the pool again! A cute story.... my daughter was about 4.... we had just moved to another neighborhood and there was a black family across the street from us. My daughter was playing outside and came in and asked if she could invite the kid with the great tan over to play! Oh, the innosence of youth...

charlis		14-Feb-2008 22:21
Jeff... thanks on mayor maurice. Maybe Jose was kidding when, at the end of "Man of La Mancha" at the Coral Gables playhouse, said... "And special thanks to my (can't remember which family member), the mayor of the fanastic city." It just stuck in my mind all these years.

Guest		14-Feb-2008 18:48
Thanks Don - and thank you for this wonderful trip down memory lane, it was/is a hoot! :-) Al - a distant cousin of my Dad's did a book, called, Black Like Me, and all of us kids had to read it, so from that point of view, I can imagine what it was like, which of course isn't the same as having to live it. I was fortunate, because my parents taught us by example. I grew up in Miami Heights, right down the street from Eureka Park and Miami Heights Elementary, so our neighborhood was a wonderful variety of races. That is all I ever knew. We all went to the same schools, we all played together, we all got yelled at by each other's parents for doing stupid things, and it didn't matter the color. That's not to say we had our heads in the sand and thought it didn't happen, I know it happened, which is why my parents made sure of how we were raised. I remember my mom telling us the story of when she first came down from Pennsylvania and was going up to Miami via the bus. She had never encountered segregation before, but the bus driver made sure she got an up close and personal viewing of it. She refused to take an older lady's seat just because there were none left in the 'white' section. She got off the bus crying and walked back to my aunt & uncle's store, still crying and not understanding why. To this day we (our family) still doesn't understand - people are people, we all bleed the same color, we all take a last breath, we all scream when coming into this world. For some things, there is no understanding, we just have to get past the differences in skin and remember we are all humans. I was always taught, the only difference, is that my friends had better tans than I did. :-)

Guest		14-Feb-2008 14:46
I am not sure if any of us caucasians who lived in Miami and attended schools and engaged in the usual and customary social activities of the 1950's and early 1960's have any notion of the "black person's experience" during that time period. I attended a segregated school, lived in a segregated neighborhood, ate at segregated restaurants, attended segregated social activites, as the significant majority of my life at that time was engaged in a segregated world. All I knew about African Americans at the time was that they attended different schools, lived in different neighborhoods, and were to be generally avoided. I do not recall ever actually speaking to an African American until I joined the Army in 1964. The times back then were different and I suspect that our cohort African American residents of Miami would certainly have a different recollection of "Old Miami" than we do. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well, and stepping off his soap box in Phoenix, Arizona

Don Boyd		14-Feb-2008 14:18
Christine, great post and comments! My family would make the trek down to the Coral Grill a few times a year to pig out on seafood and now I can't believe we drove that far just for dinner but I'm glad we did. Don

Guest		14-Feb-2008 09:17
Growing Up Miami We truly were fortunate growing up in the southern part of Miami! With 4 daughters in the family, we were never without someone to hang out with. Our "backyard" was the Everglades, Crandon Park, Matheson Hammock, Suniland, Cutler Ridge, Perrine, Tamiami, Howard, Miami Heights, Homestead, Florida City, and of course the Keys. From canoeing in the Everglades, to riding our bikes across the old Blimp Base in Miami Heights, swimming in the beautiful waters of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, eating fried bologna sandwiches that my Pappap made for us at his store (Craft's Food Store) and drinking Fresca , street-wide came of hide-n-seek, laying on the hood of my mom's car as we watched the planes at MIA, hiding in the caves at Venetian Pool, driving down to Key West just to get some sandals, camping with the Scout's at Camps Wesumkee and Mahachee, watching in awe at the Miami Serpentarium, riding our bikes out to Matheson Hammock or to Tamiami Airport, making my birthday pilgrimage down to Coral Grill every October, to telling ghost stories on our front porch at night as my dad would sneak up and scare the daylights out of us, yes, we were fortunate to grow up in Miami. Could go on and on... but you get the picture. :-)

Don Boyd		14-Feb-2008 07:22
To Harvey Bendfeldt, who posted on the 11th: thanks for your comments. I went nuts trying to remember where I knew your name from and two days later I remember. You lived across from me in the Big Cypress Drive cul-de-sac in the early 90's. Your son Chad put up all my hurricane shutters while we were trying to get back from the Panhandle the night before Hurricane Andrew hit. Don

Jeff		14-Feb-2008 00:39
CHarlis... I hate to burst another bubble for you, but Maurice Ferre was NOT related to either Jose or Mel FERRER. Maurice was from Puerto Rico, the Ferrers from another Spanish Country... (I'm sure I'm being cursed at right now...)

charlis		13-Feb-2008 22:48
Jeff... tried to post this yesterday... The Highway men paintings... Kiibler must have hated them... the pink flamingo ones! I was not really into that kind of art... I liked abstract better. A camera could take the pics that the Highway Men did. Sorry... but, I hate to hear about art being destroyed. I wonder how many were slated to be on sale at the Ocala event. What a shame. As to "black american" life when we were kids in the 60's.... I visited MB in February 1962. My great uncle, a snow bird, had a home on Indian Creek Drive... 6500, to be exact. He had a maid that took the bus from SM every other day. If she missed the bus over to Miami, we had to drive her "over the water" so she could catch a bus to her home in SM. She did not need the money, just liked the work. Blacks (I hate that term, but for the purpose of this post, I will use it) were not allowed on the Beach after dark unless they were working... and that was discouraged... or if they lived at the place they worked. The few that were at Nautilus and Beach, after I moved down there that winter, were children of those that lived where they worked. There were very few in both schools. After a football or basketball game, the black players had to leave immediately after the game if at night... by car. As a young woman from Ohio, I was appalled!

charlis		13-Feb-2008 22:28
jeff... Mayor Maurice was related to Jose and Mel. And here is another cowinkydink... I used to work for Rinker back in 1997! Did collections and computer training at the local office.

charlis		13-Feb-2008 22:26
ng... bad storms yesterday when I was sitting here waiting for the AC guy to come out... read some posts then DSL kept going down, even wire less/air card, went down. Just heard that the emergency warning system wasn't working to warn people of the tornadoes on the east coast. Yeah, going digital and hi def is really great. Give me a few minutes to catch up... I have some interesting things to add to the memories...

Don Boyd		13-Feb-2008 22:25
2/13: I added a 1968 image of Cannon's Steak House in Northeast Dade. Aaron Kurtz contributed a great 1968 aerial image of the year-old Miami Killian Senior High School (main gallery). Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		13-Feb-2008 09:09
Guest755...In the early 1960's, the medicine that you drank was Sabin oral polio vaccine, comprised of dead polio virus in a cherry-flavored vehicle. A bit later, we had to go back, & it was put on a sugar cube, from a measured dropper. By that time, I was in GA, in the 8th grade, & they were set up, at long tables, on the grassy side of the paved drive, in front of Morgan Junior High. If memory serves me correctly, the sugar cube dose was like a "booster" dose, of the vaccine. It sure did beat the shots, I assure you. The shots were the vaccine developed by Dr. Jonas Salk. In those days, there was no "FDA approval," for such as that, no guidelines, & no required testing or trials, & there were kids, who developed polio, after having taken the shot. Tragically, Salk exposed his own children to the virus, upon coming home at day's end, during the vaccine's development, & they contracted polio, as a result. The next time PBS airs the program about polio, be sure to watch. It made my hair stand on end, at how close we all came, to getting infected, from that live virus. We were kept so unaware, of many things, in the early 1950's, & in the decades that followed...not like today! We also had to line up, in the early 1950's, for vaccinations, & after that, a few weeks later, the booster shots. It was for the immunization against small pox, measles, mumps, whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus, & rubella. (MMR, & DPT). The Health Department nurses, & a doctor, came out to the school, & set up outside, at long tables, & a classroom at a time came out, & lined up. I remember a lot of crying, even hysteria, in the ranks, among the kids whose position in line made them "next." It was all so very traumatic. I was only 5 years old, at the time, in the first six weeks of the first grade. (Olympia Heights Elementary). Your teacher, & the school's principal, were there, too, & joined in the restraining of any resisting student, who had the signed "permission" slip from his parents, & all of the adults present, felt it their "duty," to see to it that we GOT our shots...even if they had to be forced upon us. We ALL cried for our mothers, I can remember that, plain as day. However, for the most part, unpleasantries were soon forgotten, & were replaced by the memories of good times, at recess, on the playground, or sociable meals in the lunch room, with cold fresh milk in half pint bottles with little cardboard stoppers, big sugar cookies, Lance raisins in little boxes, buttered whole wheat bread, meat & vegetables. And we even had nap time, every day, & school was a fun place to be, 5 days a week, growing up in Miami, & learning the 3 Royal R's!!

Jeff		13-Feb-2008 03:14
Roberta... Drop me a line when you have a chance... I'd like to show you a sample of the font I designed thanks to the inspiration I received from your Kitty Davis' Airliner post card image... jnl1952@juno.com

John		13-Feb-2008 03:07
Thanks Jeff. You do not disappoint. Guest 755. When we trick-or-treated early on (pre-teen) UNICEF was my main goal.....before the candy. Speaking of Halloween, what ever happened to that? It was huge in Maimi. Does it still survive? I used to bring home full brown grocery bags, then we graduated to pillow cases. Nearly everyone participated in the Palmetto-Howard area (now Pinecrest? Whatever!). Here in C. MO, I've had a total of "zero" Trick or Treaters in the four October's I've been here. Course, I'm not exactly in a neighborhood though.

Guest 755		13-Feb-2008 02:37
Roberta, if I remember correctly I received the oral vaccine probably sometime late 50's or maybe 1960. I would have been pretty young (born in 55), but I remember being in line at a trailer type structure in the parking lot at the Frederick's store in Edison Center. We were given something pinkish to drink that I was told was medicine. Have known at least 3 people who contracted polio in the 40's-50's. One a co-worker who recovered very well, a friend who's left side was left weaker than her right, and my midwife and friend who they believed contracted it from a patient of her father's. She is able to walk with crutches only. She grew up in Hollywood and used to hitch rides everywhere and later worked concerts as part of the first aid staff. Do you remember the cerebral palsy telethons? Had a childhood friend who was on every year. Fortunately you don't see cerebral palsy as much since they have done away with forceps deliveries. Remember going door to door in our neighborhood with my mother and sister collecting for the March of Dimes. Later it became quarters. Years later my sons did walkathons for them. Who has had their tonsils out? Me!

Jeff		12-Feb-2008 16:52
Yes, John... They were created by Dick Orkin and Bert Berdis (sp?) in Chicago... "The greatest crimefighter the world has even known..................................."

John		12-Feb-2008 12:28
Jeff, Chicken Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan...........buck, buck, buck, buck! He's everywhere; he's everywhere! I didn't like it at first. The stories weren't funny, but that later changed. Were those clips syndicated?

Guest		12-Feb-2008 10:56
I agree with Jeff in regards to the "Highwaymen." I remember seeing them actually painting on the side of US 1 just north of the Roosevelt Bridge in Stuart during the 1970's. Some of the sunset's they captured and painted are just as stunningly magnificent as the sunsets we actually saw back then. There's an antique auction north of Ocala, Florida this Saturday that is advertising some early Highwaymen paintings by Sam Newton, A. Hair and A. Moran. This particular auction house has featured Highwaymen paintings before and we've attended the previews just so we can have a glimps at them (They are way out of our price range). You can rent a video at Blockbuster about the Highwayman too. It is very enlightening and enjoyable. We are still hoping to find one at a yard sell - we have a friend who bought one for $10 at a thrift shop and sold it for a couple of hundred dollars.

Roberta Perry Hughes		12-Feb-2008 07:07
Hi, Gang...type in "vintage Florida," & go to the link that is an eBay auction. On there, you'll find paintings by the Highwaymen, up for bid, among other vintage & kitschy memorabilia, ephemera, linens, tablecloths, post cards & souvenirs. It's my very favorite eBay auction site, & I visit there as often as I do here! No one remembers those gross earthworms, covering the walkways of your school, after a rain?? I hated their icky-ness, & their stench. Another bothersome critter were those bright green "hairy" caterpillars, that would shoot their spines into your skin, upon contact. They itched like mad...even worse than getting into stinging nettles...& left tiny little bumps, every where the spines were. If you ever had to mow the lawn, a real horror was mowing over a yellow jacket nest, burrowed in the ground. They have heat sensors, & many would die, trying to sting your lawn mower to death...but there were others, who came after you, as your body heat was up, from exertion, & POW! POW POW! They'd get you good!! Alan...glad someone out there recalls our childhood maladies, besides me! Those Florida sores were so godawful, & I felt so sorry for anyone who had Impetigo, or who were allergic to delicious mangoes. That HAD to be the pits!! Going further back, to the early '50's: anyone remember lining up to get the Salk vaccine polio shots? I knew several kids, who contracted polio, back then, & we'd even hear of fatalities from it. Our parents were scared-to-death, about the outbreak of this disease, but I learned on PBS that it happened even earlier, & even more devastating, in the 1930's. I remember seeing stories about kids who ended up in an iron lung, because of it, & there were kids in my 1st grade class, who literally disappeared...only to resurface, a few years later, in the 5th grade, wearing braces, & either on crutches, or in a wheelchair. The majority of my schoolmates, myself included, were very very lucky, to dodge that bullet. It all happened such a long long time ago, around 1953, that it has been all-but-forgotten. It was a very sobering time, for young children, & young adults alike, during the post-War era. But it was still a part of our childhood, & Nationwide, not just in "Our Town." Roberta, reflecting on many many reasons, to count her blessings, in somber retrospect, & to remember those peers, who weren't as lucky.

Jeff		12-Feb-2008 05:21
You know, speaking of the Highwaymen, we still haven't had any posters in here telling of life from the Black American standpoint of Old Miami... I would love to hear stories about what their Miami was like - both good and bad... What were their favorite restaurants, clubs, hangouts... how did they spend their youth... etc., etc. Our culture is so diverse here, but the stories are so few...

Jeff		12-Feb-2008 05:18
Parks... with the utmost repsect to your opinion, I politely differ with you as to the caliber of their art. Some of the images reproduced in that book - especially sunrises over the Everglades (amonst the other tropical scenes) were absolutely stunning! However, as in art, music, food, dating... taste is subjective... so one person's treasure is another's trash. For me, the Highwaymen were much better artists than some of the people I've seen touted as "masters"...

Parks		12-Feb-2008 04:57
I met the last of the Highway Men at an art show a couple of months ago. With all the publicity they've gotten he could charge a lot for his paintings. I understand that there is a gallery in Ft. Pierce that specializes in their work. Paintings that originally were sold by the side of the road for a few bucks now sell for hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Their paintings are colorful and decorative but not great art. They were influenced and taught by Bean Backus but never rose to his level. They could turn out several paintings in a day. They made their money by selling in volumn not at high prices. My favorite Florida artists are Bean Backus and Millard Wells.

Jeff		12-Feb-2008 04:48
OK... here's some WQAM memories... orange 'Tenna-Toppers, Lucky Matchbook numbers, Chickenman and the Chicken Coupe (a dressed-up Volkswagen Beatle)... Rick Shaw's interplay with the "Lone Teen Ranger" and Tonto... (The name of "The Lone Teen Ranger"was a take-off of a miserably horrible record from 1963 called "The Lone Teen Ranger" by Jerry Landis. Who would even guess that he was actually Paul Simon, and would evolve into one of the poets of pop music?) The record was so bad that it entered the Billboard charts on 1/19/63... stayed for three weeks and got no higher than 97 on the Hot 100 charts! However, some cleverly edited Tonto responses from old Lone Ranger radio shows and a fast-fingered Shaw (working the cartridge machine that contained the clips) turned a bad record idea into a fun routine for Miami Listeners... Does anyone remeber that Cousin Brucie and ALan Freed both had short stints here in Miami? How about Morton "Doc" Downey (yes THAT Morton Downey of talk show fame) on rival WFUN? Remember how WQAM would NEVER say the temperature was 79 degrees (if it was), because they didn't want to even allude to WFUN's spot on the dial at 790 AM?

Jeff		12-Feb-2008 04:37
John... When you "paid" yu admission, you were given one of those generic white boxies with some small candies, some coupons (for popcorn or a drink...or even another candy box) and a relay race number. Once the relay race was over, a few lucky kids would have the winning number. Florida State Theaters were probably the most kid-friendly in the 60's. They were the one chain, Wometco was the other...

John		12-Feb-2008 04:07
Thanks Jeff. How did you win the race? Did they give us a ticket as we entered the theatre? I forget; sorry. Guest 755. We found a Mulberry tree in the woods behind BK at SW 132nd St off U.S. 1. There were these old ruins in the woods. Maybe they were civil war era. We had a fort in there and there was a mature mulberry tree right at the ruins. - Suniland Theatre's first movie (I think) was Good Neighbor Sam w/ Jack Lemon.

Guest 755		12-Feb-2008 03:55
Largo, thanks for the grasshopper name. I Googled as well, apparently the small black ones were the nymphs of the big yellow ones. The Bufo toad is definitely dangerous to dogs and cats if they ingest the toxin that is secreted by glands at the base of the head. It can be fatal. My husband grew up in Opa-Locka and a neighbor of theirs had mulberry trees. He says the mulberries were good. Does anyone remember Ponderosa lemons? They were huge and grew on fairly small trees with really long sharp thorns. Made good lemonade.

Jeff		12-Feb-2008 03:45
Charlis... I've seen a book of the Highwaymen's work... simply stupendous. I believe it was a limited edition publihsed by the Florida Black Archives, or something akin to that... John... they used to call those relay race films "Reels-O-Fun". It wasn't Chaplin, but a series that [obviously] was produced during the silent era. Talk about getting mileage out of an old production... Those poisonous toads dogs would like and die from are the infamous Bufo toads... Charlis... The Cameo! Double feature eighth-run movies for 25 cents beofre 6 PM, 50 cents after 6... I saw "The Music Man" there a jillion times...

John		12-Feb-2008 02:10
- For years we spent weekends at either Tavenier Key near Key Largo (no pun intended) or on Key Biscayne before you got to Virginia beach or lot 1. At those locations we fried in the Miami sun, usually followed by 2nd degree burns (blisters) and copeous amounts of applied vinegar baths. The damage was cumulative if you didn't know. When I get out in the sun now for more than a couple hours at a time, and usually early in the sunning season, I break out w/ sun poisoning or sun bumps. They itch like crazy. - The dogs were at risk w/ those toads (LARGO). I think they were poisonous. - I too had a few bouts w/ the dreaded impetigo Al.......ugh, and Sea n Ski came in a green plastic bottle. We used that over coppertone. - Charlis, 5 bucks? Are you kiddin me? We'd be lucky if we got a dollar. A dollar would buy a whopper fries and a shake, w/ a little change to spare. - Jeff 10-4 on the RC bottle caps. I knew RC was somehow linked to the kiddie shows. I lost a lot of fillings on those sugar daddy and black cow suckers. We ate a lot of candy in Miami....if you think about it. Does ANYONE remember the races in between the movies......or was that a figment of my imagination? Good synopsis Jeff.

Steve Vajda		12-Feb-2008 01:18
Steve Vajda MHS Class of 1961: Great gallery. Good work. Maybe I missed it with my old eyes, but were there pictures of Miami Sr. High? Gables? Jackson? Edison? Also, the Great Gables drive-in, the Red Diamond Restaurant, Jahn's ice cream shoppe?

LARGO		12-Feb-2008 01:09
I GOOGLED THE common name: SOUTHEASTERN LUBBER GRASSHOPPER. GENUS: ROMALEA GUTTATA. THE STUFF OF CHILDHOOD NIGHTMARES, HORROR MOVIES ETC. THEY HISSED. DOES ANYONE REMEMBER DRIVING OVER LAND CRABS WHEN THEY WERE "ON THE MARCH"...mating season I guess?.....OR WAS IT WAS A FREAKIN PRADE???.............OOOOOOOOO!!... IT SOUNDED SO YUCKY WHEN YOU HEARD THEM CRUNCH UNDER THE TIRES.....IF YOU POLITELY STOPPED TO ALLOW THEM TO CROSS...there would be hundreds...and always that little slow one.. frantically darting out..then back...(near Snapper Creek area)...THERE WAS AN UNHAPPY TRAFFIC JAM WITH HONKING...SHOUTING..."crabby" drivers!...THEY (THE CRABS) ALSO WOULD SCURRY INTO YOUR GARAGE WHEN THE DOORS WERE OPEN...AND BANG AROUND ALL NIGHT TRYING TO FIND THE EXIT OUT...WHEN THEY DIDN'T...DAYS LATER YOU JUST HAD TO FOLLOW YOUR NOSE........again...YUCK !!...I mean what was there purpose?...I think they pollinated the sand spurs...and beggers lice...( our creators humor)....SAME WITH SNAKES AND FROGS....ANYONE REMEMBER THE GIANT "BUFFO" TOADS....THEY ALWAYS ATE OUR DOGS DRY CHOW...with the dog looking on mournfully....THEY ATE SO MUCH THEY SWELLED UP AND JUST SAT THERE...also with a mournful aura about them....not much expression ON THE BUFFO............................LARGOS AUGUSTINAS

charlis		11-Feb-2008 23:21
jeff... what do you know of the "highway men", a group of black artists who painted Florida landscapes and other topics. A tragic fire burned down one of the places in Lakeland that sold the paintings today. The "Highway men" were famous for many of the recreations used on post cards durings the 50's and 60's.

charlis		11-Feb-2008 23:14
64 hurricane... if it was around Labor Day it was Cleo. Funny thing, today at work someone offered me some grapefruit... I had to turn her down, and told her why.

charlis		11-Feb-2008 23:11
Bottle caps... don't remember that. I do remember my dad giving me 5 bucks on a Saturday afternoon to take my sister to the movies. 10 cents for the bus, 25 cents for the Cameo Theater, 15 cents for a big bag of popcorn (25 if we went for buttered), 50 cents for a hot dog and a soda combo. I got to keep what was left over.

charlis		11-Feb-2008 23:05
flora and fauna... any body have mulberry trees? We had one up here in Tampa... a female. She sent out shoots all over the neighborhood in search of a male. Luckily we didnt' buy the house... we only rented it and the owner's soon to be ex moved in after we bought another house. She said the tree invaded the toilet. She was on vacation for a week and came home to find a small tree in her toilet! The bugs! Spiders never really bothered me... roaches didn't either... but those Palmetto bugs!!!!!!!!! Grasshoppers terrified me, only because the girl next door, in OH when I was 4, dropped one down my shirt!

Miamigirl		11-Feb-2008 21:03
Alan: You forgot the insect of my nightmares -- THE FLYING PALMETTO BUG! Those things that we simply called "roaches".

Guest		11-Feb-2008 20:06
The theme for the recent/current blog seems to be on childhood maladies in Miami so I will interject a few that I recall: sandspurs, mango poisening, Florida sores, impetigo, blisters on feet from walking barefoot on coral rock or hot blacktop roads in the summer, ear infections from swimming, ringworm, heat rash, and of course mosquito bites. Did I omit any? Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well living amongst the scorpions, gila monsters and rattle snakes in Phoenix, Arizona

Roberta Perry Hughes		11-Feb-2008 17:22
Guest...We used Sea & Ski...I can still recall its scent! My 6th grade Phys. Ed. teacher used Nosecoat (Noz-coat?) on his nose, as did lots of folks at the beach, & I remember a young child in my neighborhood whose mother put (ick!!) egg whites on his sunburn!! There was also Witch Hazel, which felt good, especially if it had been refrigerated. Really helped to take the heat out of sunburn. Peeling was gross, in the days that followed a sunburn, & if it were on your face, it wasn't very attractive. Left me with a face full of freckles, which lasted through my adult years. They'd shine through liquid makeup, wouldn't you know? Do y'all recall getting badly blistered heels, from breaking in a new pair of shoes? And how those 4 heavy nails, that held your shoe heels on, would eventually migrate into the inside of your shoe, making it very painful to even bear weight on them, let alone walk? My parents were do-it-yourself shoe cobblers; my father would hammer the nails back down into the heel, outside, on the cement porch, & my mother would then cut a new liner, from cardstock, so we could continue wearing the shoes, until we outgrew them. That little problem doesn't exist, today, because the shoe's soles/heels are all one piece, now. If they get too worn, you just have to toss them, as shoe shops are gone, now, where they could do a half sole, or replace a heel that you ran over. Funny, how you can think back, & remember stuff like that, & realize that a once- thriving business (shoe cobbler shop) has gone the way of the TV Repairman. It boggles the mind, doesn't it?

Guest 755		11-Feb-2008 15:25
Thanks Roberta for the clarification on the pesky Florida flora. I remember the big, yellow grasshoppers. There were also those smaller black ones. I think they spit something that looked like tobacco juice. Tried to avoid any bodily contact at all with either of them, as extreme screaming would ensue. However we would sometimes catch them using a jar and it's lid. Fortunately did not experience sores, but lots of red ant and mosquito "bites". Rubbing alcohol was the recommended treatment for those. Vinegar was my grandmother's treatment for sunburn. Hated that. Later we would use Solarcaine. Some folks would use Noxema for sunburn, remember smelling that a lot in the summer along with seeing lots of white shoulders and noses and cheeks.

harvey		11-Feb-2008 15:16
great site moved to Hialeah in 1956. Can't believe all the changes. Graduated from Hialeah High in 1964. Then worked for National Airlines/Pan Am at Miami Airport until they went out of business. Now working at Spirit Airlines in Miramar and live in Hollywood

MM		11-Feb-2008 14:51
oops. that was me. Forgot to put my name.

Guest		11-Feb-2008 14:50
I also recall going to bottlecap matinees in the Gables, at a theater off LeJeune, maybe? I remember standing in front with my mom and a bunch of friends and holding a bag full of those cap liners. It was so much fun to pull them out of the inside of the cap. I know it sounds odd but I can still smell them. So does ANYONE have any pics of Fun Fair? I remember after they closed, I wished I could buy the big 'time for fun' sign out front. Wonder if anyone was lucky enough to get it. I was a wee too young for the games when we went. It was all about the coin-operated rides for me. But it had to be one of my favorite family outings (that and Dressel's).

Don Boyd		11-Feb-2008 06:34
Jean Hale Lawson added a 1954 image of Matheson Hammock that her dad took (50's Gallery). I added an image of a 1964 GSA ad in The Miami News auctioning off hundreds of acres of former NAS Miami property in NW Dade (Aviation-Other Airports Gallery). I also added a scan of a 1964 Miami News story about the Beatles boating in Biscayne Bay (Music Gallery), and a 1964 Jordan Marsh ad (Main Gallery). Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		11-Feb-2008 06:27
Those long, skinny seeds are Spanish Needles; the small round green, sometimes brown, Velcro-like seeds are Beggar Lice; & the weed growing close-to-the-ground, that had "stingers," are called Stinging Nettles. The boys always claimed that you could stop it from stinging, if you peed on the wound. (Yeah. Right). Y'all have GOT to remember "Florida sores." They were small round "wounds," that looked & felt like cigarette burns, on your arms & legs, & were slow-to-heal, & left scars. Worst places to get them were in the bends of your knees or elbows. I've heard they were caused by playing in mud puddles where lime soil was, but I've also heard they were caused by a virus. In either case, EVERY kid got them, in the early to mid-1950's. Ringworm was also a part of outdoor childhood play, & Impetigo. Those parasitic seeds were a real pain, but that's how they find new areas to invade, by letting people transport them...including those vicious sand spurs. I recall a neat phenomenon, re: Beggar Lice...our dog would try & pick them off of our clothes, literally, "grooming" us...or, trying to, anyway! So...anyone remember that little low-to-the-ground flowering weed, that we used as a makeshift weapon? Or, the "Little King" spiders, with perfect crowns on their backs? Did you ever see those HUGE hard shell grasshoppers?? They were a tan color, with red on their back legs, & scared you half-to-death, when they stared you down, & then, would leap toward you, with those big back legs. Made me cringe, just to see one! They were so big, you could see the details of their mandibles, & they had HUGE eyes, & antennae!! Does anyone remember the GROSS phenomenon, whenever it rained, of a GAZILLION earth worms, crawling over every square inch, of the cement walkways, at your school, & creating a wall-to-wall, smelly, smashed, & totally UNavoidable "carpet," for your every footfall, to coat your shoe soles, & emanate a hideous odor, wafting into your nostrils, on your way to class...or worse...on your way to lunch??? Bet THAT's a memory you've forgotten all about, right?? You'd have to clean your shoes soles, when you got home. Of course, everyone remembers walking to school, or riding their bike, in elementary school, or even Junior High. But I am also remembering the lucky kids who owned an Italian-made Vespa scooter, or a Cushman, & the occasional Motorbike, that could be engine-powered, OR pedaled. But I thought the Vespas were the coolest ones of all. The stuff that dreams & fantasies are made of!! Can't complain, though. My royal blue-and-white 26" wheelbase Schwinn Spitfire not only had a handlebar-mounted front basket, it had twin saddlebag baskets, mounted over my rear fender. I generously carried the books of my friends, who had no basket at all, on their bikes. Even so, I still longed for a Vespa scooter. (sigh). Roberta, dredging up childhood memories, both pleasant and not-so-pleasant, again, on a chilly night in the Peach State.

Jeff		11-Feb-2008 04:41
John... Those movies you and MM recall were sponsored by Florida State Theaters (owned by Paramount)... I went to them at the Sheridan Theater on 41st Street (Arthur Godfrey Road) on Miami Beach. Six RC Cola bottle caps or 15 cents paid your admission with the newspaper coupon... and I saw "Jason and the Argonauts" more times than I'd care to remember. Usually I won the coupon for another free box of candy in those 10 cent boxes of treats... but once I actually came up big by winning a giant Black Cow sucker! MM... Fun Fair was a tradition on the 79th Street Causeway from the mid-50's until its demolition in the 1970's. I particularly liked playing skee-ball there... but who could resist a hot dog or hamburger with the "top-it-yourself" relish bar or a frosty cold Hires Root Beer right off the tap...?

John		11-Feb-2008 01:12
Miamigirl, The bridge into the canal bit on Old Cutler near Snowdens was called Centurians Dam. The bridge was where most of the kids jumped and swam, then they would climb the coral cliffs back up. The part closer to the bay and higher was the actual dam. Some brave souls would climb an elaboarte cage around a locked ladder abould half way up then slip thru the bars and climb the remainder of the ladder. I think the jump was about 60 ft. MM, The kiddie shows at Suniland Theatre were fantastic. Remember the races in between the movies. They were in black and white and they were like watching a Charley (sp) Chaplin movie w/ racers 1 thru 10. If you held a ticket to the winning racer you got some kind of a prize. You had a different winner every week, but the same characters raced. They also had the boxes of candy and prizes w/ the prizes being a card w/ a free popcorn or candy or soda on it. I practically grew up at Bowl-O-Mat, learning to bowl and shoot pool.

MM		11-Feb-2008 00:24
What FUN! I just found this site in the proces of another one of my occasional googles for Dressel's Dairy Farm (YES, Thank you!) and Fun Fair (anyone??). My mind is boggled from all the amazing photos and references, including my first Burger King (on 8th Street off Red Rd) and the Red Diamond Inn (Shirley Temple Heaven)! We lived a few blocks from that BK (anyone remember Rod's or Diamonds?) until around '64, when we moved to Kendall, right behind Jefferson's (just before Betsy). I went to Vineland, Richmond Hts. Jr and Killian ('77) but was close to a lot of Panthers (and my older sis was one). Anyways, you are all bringing back so many cool memories and it's so awesome to find so many others who have the same points of reference. I just looked over that list of John's from last month and, yes, I remember Al's newsstand, my sister also went to that Doors show and I remember all the controversy, loved the log flume at Pirate's World, was on Skipper Check AND Banjo Billy several times in the early 60s, had my Sweet 16 at that Sweden House on S. Dixie (also several b'day parties at Polar Palace), was a Dolphin Doll (and a cheeerleader at K-Land), was always creeped out watching Bill Haas milk those snakes, still have a WFUN transistor radio, learned to bowl at the Bowl-O-Mat when I was 6, and traded in bottlecaps to watch movies (remembeer the double features?) at Sunniland Theater (it will NEVER be Pinecrest to me!!). SO so many more memories, like Pizza Palace and Carvel, those 5-person bikes outside the Barber Shop at Sunniland, and Betty Allan ice cream at Farm Stores. I, like the rest of you, will be back. Keep all the great stuff coming!

Miamigirl		10-Feb-2008 18:38
It's so great to go back in time to the many things we've forgotten, even the memories of the sandspurs and those other stickers that Guest 755 says are Spanish Stickers - I never knew their official name but I got them all over a blanket once when we had a picnic in the yard then had to pick them all off -- it took weeks! I planted a mango seed that turned into a tree about 20 years later, then was destroyed by Andrew so I never got a mango off of it. I loved eating them with the juice running down my arm and the stringy parts would get in your teeth. Then there was those wonderful tomatoes and strawberries fresh out of the fields -- none bought in the store today comes close to that flavor. Hey, does anybody remember those awful land crabs in the first few years of Cutler Ridge existence when there were only a few streets, Caribbean, Dominican and Haitian Drives and only a couple blocks of each one -- nothing between that and the tomato fields near the bay which I suppose was why those crabs came to the housing area. There was probably hundreds of them in our yard and garage. Driving down Old Cutler Rd you'd almost need a gas mask because of the smell all the dead ones gave off. They would also flatten tires when the pincher's punctured them. They used to deliver that beautiful white sand to the neighborhoods and dump a whole truck load for the people to spread on the yards-- or rather in the beginning while trying to establish yards. Us kids would dig tunnels and play in that sand so long it would no longer be a pile but half spread out on the yard! Talking about Old Cutler Rd. -- how many people jumped off that bridge into the canal? Then the guys had that upper arm strength to use the rope and climb up the sides but us girls had to swim down aways to find an easier exit. Had to be careful not to cut your feet on that coral rock! Al, if you know the actual address of your house in CR you can see it on Google maps (satellite view) to find out if it survived. Most of those earlier concrete block houses did make it, ours lost the back porch but the roof stayed on. They were constructed much better than later ones. Most of those houses are still recognizable on the outside but have had some additions. Keep those memories coming ya'll - we're having a blizzard up here (in upstate NY) so I love going back to those hot summer days in old Miami when the tar on the road would stick to your feet.....

Guest		10-Feb-2008 16:46
Thanks for reminding me about sandspurs. Have not thought of them in 40 years but now recall what a pain they were when they got on the laces of your tennis shoes. Cutler Ridge circa 1955-1964 had a fair share of canals, quarries and lagoons that made for nice water related activities. The only drawbacks were they were "off limits" which was ignored and surrounded by coral rock which was hard on the feet and could not be ignored. Our house in Cutler Ridge had a tar/gravel roof, jalousie windows, many fruit tree and palm trees and a wall space heater that was completely inefficient in the winter. No central airconditioning although my parents put a window unit in the living room which had no cooling effect on the rest of the house. I am certain that the fruit and palm trees did not survive Hurricane Andrew. I hope the house did! Miamigrl and I were in the same 6th Grade Class at Cutler Ridge Elementary 1957-1958. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and waxing in reminiscence in Phoenix, Arizona

John		10-Feb-2008 16:10
Roberta, The poisonous beads you describe in your last thread sounds like "Abrus precatorius", often called rosary bead or rosary pea. You can find pictures of these by Google searching the scientific name listed above. I too remember the "parental horror" that we might eat these. There was also a yeallow flowering hedge down in Miami that produced similar dreadful results. as for running barefoot in my yard one nasty little culprit was a small plant that stuck in your foot and itched like crazy. The itch would last about a half hour or so depending on the severity of the punture and amount of plant that actually got injected.

Guest 755		10-Feb-2008 14:47
I remember sandspur, AKA stickers to us, being everywhere not only at the beach. When they were green they were no problem, but when they tuned brown, look out! Because we "ran" barefoot a good deal in the yard, having them in our feet was not uncommon. Had to be careful pulling them out or would have to use tweezers. Also remember "Spanish" stickers. They were those flat green plant versions of velcro that would stick 3 or 4 in a row, sometimes 2 or 3 rows, to your socks. We also had those thin, black twig looking, with thingies on the end, that would stick to socks as well. I remember having awesome guava jelly made by my grandmother's sister from trees in her yard and mangoes from grandmother's brother's trees. They were juicy and delicious and sometimes we would just peel them and eat them. Other times we sliced them and ate them with sour cream. How about eating slices of wateremon on the back porch and washing the "sticky" off with the hose and ending up in a water fight. I remember the cherries from the cherry bush hedges that were everywhere. When the cherries were green they made great weapons, and when a deep red they were a tasty, abundant treat with seeds the boys would spit at us. The hedges made great hiding places for hide and seek or ambushes. No Playstation for us, just play.

Jeff		10-Feb-2008 06:00
Roberta... You are right about Maule Industries... they made cement, cement blocks and related products. As for the gas companies, the only "big" one left down here is Teco - who bought out Peoples Gas a long time ago...

Roberta Perry Hughes		10-Feb-2008 05:54
I vividly recall a certain small weed, that grew low-to-the-ground, in Miami, & it looked like a tiny blackeyed Susan, only the center part was more conical, like a chocolate drop, & tiny white flowers grew around its base. We used to pluck several of them, & make a loop, out of the stem of one. Then, we'd thread the stem, of a whole flower, through the loop, & take careful aim at someone, & POP! The flower head would be propelled into the air, & would strike your target! I engaged in many a "battle," on a Saturday afternoon, using these flowering weeds as weapons & ammo. Did any of you do this? Did any of you ever use half of one side of a long blade of grass, held tautly between your thumbs & the heels of your hand, & blow through it, using it like a reed, to see who could make the shrillest sound? First time we did it, our mothers came running, to see what was going on, as it sounded like high-pitched screams. I am also remembering a tiny glossy seed, about the size of an elongated BB, that we'd find in sandy soil, & we'd gather them up, & they were like glass beads, only with no opening. They were red on one end & black on the other. We'd hunt them all day, & collect them in a small glass jar. Never crossed our mind to put them in our mouth, but our mother's were horrified, that we were handling them, because they were poison. Does anyone remember these tiny seeds, or know what they were? The area was prolific with them. Living on the limbs & branches of our avocado trees were the cutest little spiders! I called them "The Little King," after the cartoon character, because they had a perfect crown on their backs, that was white with red tips, & had black pin dots, on the white part. Their legs were black, & they were about the size of a thumbnail. I used to just watch them, & once, called my mother out to see all of my "Little Kings." Does anyone remember these "royal" arachnids? A very painful memory, of Miami flora, are those large, dry, wickedly unforgiving beach sand spurs! I know you-all have GOT to remember stepping on them, at the beach! They were barbed, & pulling them out hurt every bit as bad as having stepped on them! My favorite fauna, however...& I sure do miss seeing them...are Sea Grapes & Sea Oats. In the movie, "Wrestling Ernest Hemingway," Richard Harris' character uses a Sea Grape leaf as a bookmark. Roberta, recalling the flora & fauna of her childhood days in Miami, while tolerating a chilly night in rural Georgia.

John		10-Feb-2008 05:10
Jeff and/or Robert, So that was Maule Lake? Wow. It looked like the Bahamas....the water. Maybe it didn't when Roberta watched it grow, but I think in the late 60s or early 70s they were skiing on it right? I took a lot for granted. You could literally survive down there eating the fruit from one yard to another. We had key limes too and a few orange trees. We didn't have any star apples, but some people did. My Mom made the best Key Lime Pie. It was a family recipe handed down.

Roberta Perry Hughes		10-Feb-2008 04:41
Jeff...Was that "Maule" business the one that made cement? We had a neighbor, Stanley Ward, who worked for a construction company/cement business, & he gave us dark yellow-colored pencils, with the company's logo on it, & I THOUGHT it was "Maul Construction Company." Are these 2 one & the same? If so, is it "Maule," or "Maul?" Perhaps they were 2 different businesses? Earlier, speaking of those in-the-wall gas heaters, I recall 2 companies that were in business in the early '50's, that supplied the propane: Roper, & Ohio Blue Flame. Are they still around? Our family used Roper, while our neighbors, the Smiths, used Ohio Blue Flame. Their tanks were more attractive, though they were the exact same, except for their logo.

Jeff		10-Feb-2008 02:57
I should add that when Mayor Maurice Ferre had financial troubles, he sold the Maule business interests to Rinker Cement...

Jeff		10-Feb-2008 02:55
John... Maule Lake and Little Maule Lake are both located in the Aventura area, and were part of the old Maule Industries properties owned by Maurice Free's family...

Roberta Perry Hughes		10-Feb-2008 02:42
John...What I was referring to was a large, seemingly bottomless rock pit, a very dangerous place. They never had them fenced off; the only warning was a skull-and-crossbones wooden sign. In the early dawn hours, we'd hear the construction equipment starting up, which included a backhoe-type crane, that had a bucket on the front. They dug ever deeper, & sold the pure white sand, & gravel, to construction companies, & to people who had a building permit, to add on to their homes, with a "Florida room," or to erect a patio, barbecue pit, driveway, or whatever. We had several avocado trees, a Hayden mango tree, key lime tree, kumquats, loquats, & papayas. Mama made preserves, out of the loquats, & we cubed the avocado, add minced onion, & key lime juice ("Conch Salad") whenever we had a supper of fried red snapper...Lord! Haven't had any red snapper in many decades!! Our avocado trees were grafted, & were short, but produced HUGE avocados. I love them!! Mama made many a key lime pie, using our limes. Us kids would sometimes trade some of our yard's fruit for fruit we didn't have, like plums, sapadillos, guavas, rose apples, or Florida cherries. Mama was very skilled, at making jellies & preserves. They made nice gifts, too. I was told...(MANY postings ago)...that all of the rock pits & canals were all filled in, & built upon, & that the majority of the natural hammacks have all been excoriated, & also built upon. Change, it seems, is inevitable, but not necessarily a good thing, when it destroys a natural habitat, like a wooded hammack. One of the largest surviving hammacks is in Cocoplum Cemetery, since renamed Pineland, or Pinewood Cemetery...(click on to the image, in the Main Gallery, then, click on to the link provided). Though it has been renamed, it will always be Cocoplum Cemetery to me. I have several relatives who are buried there, & remember going there, when I was 8 y/o, for "clean-up day." My Aunt Edna (Perry) Royal took my sister & I around, & identified our relatives' graves for us. In the years since, I had feared it, too, had been excoriated, & built over, & Don, God bless him!, included the image in the Main Galleries, & I wept with relief, to learn that it is now protected, & preserved.

John		10-Feb-2008 01:43
Hi all and Happy Saturday, Great home memories below. We had an amazing number of different plant species as many of you had. We had an avocado tree. It was tall, but it never would bear fruit. I'm not sure if we inherited that tree in 61 or if my Mom planted it; however, for the years I was there until I left in 72, we got nuttin out of it. Then around 76 or so I get a frantic call from my Mom that the tree had avacados. They were thin-skinned and big. We had a calamondin (sp; small little otangerine-type fruit) and the neighbors had a cumquat tree. The coconuts in our yard didn't bear fruit either until around the early 70s I think. Roberta, I read one of your threads a while back ref a bright green lake over by Palmetto expressway and the Miller Road exit....56th St right? We called one of those lakes "Mall Lake". Was that the correct name or was that a "Palmettoism"? We used to hop the train at Lindsay Lumber near Bowl-O-Mat at 132nd St and Dixie Hwy, and ride it to Mall Lake. The tracks ran right next to the lake and we'd hop off at about 35MPH, then get over to the exit on Palmetto and hitch-hike back home.

Roberta Perry Hughes		10-Feb-2008 00:29
Speaking of homes: We moved in the newly-built, very affordable Mackle housing project, in 1952, located between Bird Road & S.W. 56th Street. There were 1, 2, or 3 BR models, 1 bath, LR, small kitchen, DR, utility room, a gas space heater in the hall, tar & gravel roof, front & back porches with stoops & aprons, & a good-sized front. back, & side yards. No pool, patio, lanai, or frills; just a modest dwelling, in a neighborhood where the majority of the bread-winners were laborers, or tradesmen. The houses were all pastel colors. Ours was powder blue. Ideal for WWII vets, our home was modestly priced, at a mere $5,000. The windows were the vertical, outward-cranking type. The wooden front door had an inset of crank-turned wooden slats, which, my father later replaced, with glass jalousies, & it had a screen inset, of course. My father installed large awnings, early on, & window AC units were in our parent's BR, & the LR, but us kids had to rely on electric fans & open windows., to be cool. The awnings made it to where you could keep your windows open, even if it was raining, & they offered very good protection, during hurricane season. Our neighbors always ran out to Lindsley lumber, for plywood & planks, to "board up," when a hurricane was on its way. We never had to do that. Our neighborhood was full of WWII vets, & their families, & all had kids the same ages, so, you had blocks & blocks, of peers, school mates, & close friends. We had wonderful tropical foliage, & producing fruit trees, in our yard, & lush, emerald green St. Augustine grass. I loved our yard, & I miss the tropical fruits & flowers, of my former home. It was such a great place to grow up, & to go to school, & to really enjoy being a kid. There were so many family-oriented places to go, out to eat, or just to be happily entertained, or to go on "field trips," with your class from school, or church group, or to go, in a group, to the beach, or the Drive-in, with a neighbor's family. How I wish the kids of today could know such joy!! What wonderful memories we all share!! Thanks, Don, for helping us all to keep them alive, in our hearts!!

miamigrl		09-Feb-2008 19:22
We moved into one of the 1st houses in Cutler Ridge in Dec 1954 (cost $15,000.00). It had 2 small gas space heaters and of course all the jalousie windows that leaked cold air in like a sieve so my Dad had to put plastic over them, which slapped against the screen all night. I guess the builders didn't think it ever got cold down there! My Mom who grew up in Syracuse, NY said she was never colder in her life than that first winter! Joanne, I thought I was bad but I sure never went outside in the middle of a hurricane with an umbrella - even during the eye! What used to make me mad was the worst parts all seemed to arrive in the middle of the night. Like you they never scared me until I grew up, they were always an adventure!!

Joanne		09-Feb-2008 18:59
Al...I've listened to the tropicalglen website many times, and it is a good one. You're right, there is no downloading but it does have a wonderful selection of songs. We moved to Miami in the summer of 64 and were living at the Holiday Inn on US1 across from U of M. Had to wait about a month before we could get in the house. While in the hotel we experienced our first hurricane. Not sure which one it was, could have been Cleo. I recall two images so clearly. One was the lifeguard and another maintenance worker throwing all the patio furniture in the pool before the storm and the other was during the night, I woke up and looked out the window. A palm tree was positioned right at the window and the fronds were whipping the window repeatedly.(we were on the third floor.) I don't remember ever being scared about a storm until I became an adult. While still very young, I'd go outside during the eye with an umbrella and try to get airborn. Mom always yelled at me for that too. Going without power was not a big deal, we had a gas stove so mom cooked.

charlis		09-Feb-2008 18:18
john and joanne... the homes were built so much better back then than they are now. When Cleo went through in 1964, my first hurricane... and yes, I ran outside to see what was going on, there was very little damage to homes... okay, screens and carports, but not the houses. The worst damage I saw was that the Surfside Six boat across from the Bleu had been blown part way up on its dock... oh, and my mother lost her entire crop of oranges and grapefruits off the 3 trees in our yard (yippee! I was so tired of eating them!) Every window in my house had jalosied windows. Something to do with them being better during hurricanes than single paned windows. The flat roof design was for the same reason.

charlis		09-Feb-2008 18:10
eff... some of the double posts are caused by a glitch in the system that Don has tried to fix. I discovered that it had something to do with hitting the "back" button if you don't see your post right away. A page pops up that tell you to refresh... then your post appears twice... sooooo, everyone... don't hit the back button!

Jeff		09-Feb-2008 17:16
Good link Alan. In keep with my aforementioned note about staying within the "Miami Memories"format here, drop me a line at jnl1952@juno.com for any music chat you'd like to have...

Guest		09-Feb-2008 17:05
Jeff and John: I think the following website for music listening (1950s-1980s)will meet with your approval. It appears to have obtained the required authorizations from the music industry (well it says that it has). It does not permit/afford downloading from what I can ascertain. Please let me know your thoughts. http://www.tropicalglen.com/ Alan Ogus, Ph.D. An aging musician and 1950's-1960s music afficianado alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Jeff		09-Feb-2008 17:04
Don has a valid request, friends... We've all (myself most definitely included) become quite comfortable in here... forgetting that this "comments" page was set up for people to reminisce about what they recalled about the "Old Miami". From my good-natured and self-depricating jokes about my poor typing habits, many have run with that same "bit", and we've also posted recipes, asked for help in music research or collecting things [me!], had "soapbox rants", asked for weather reports from out-of-town, etc. Don's time is limited, and I'm sure he has a life other than maintaining this website. So, let me be the first to acknowledge his request, and I'll try to make a concerted effort to keep my comments related to Miami-area history and similar subjects. Should our fingers be faster than our eyes and we still make a typo or mis-statement, I'm sure we're all smart enough to know what the writer was implying. This will keep Don's editing at a minimum, and will also shorten the length of text people have to scroll through to read Miami-oriented comments. A suggestion: If something "really" has to be discussed other than Mmiami memories, I suspect that Don won't mind a quick post of someone saying "Hey, so-and-so... e-mail me at 'x' web address"... In this way, we can do all of our past non-Miami-memory communicating this way and not tie up the blog space with any non-Miami stuff.

Don Boyd		09-Feb-2008 07:54
Daniel Worth contributed an early 1960s and an early 1970s image of the Carl F. Slade Funeral Homes in Hialeah (both in the Hialeah Gallery). I added two 1961 photos of two Miami News advertisements in their annual bridal section (main gallery). John: fixed both items. Can y'all please stop with the typo comments, over and over and over again? I'm getting tired of reading so many of them and I'm sure others are too. Like John said, proofread your posts before clicking "add comment." Duplicate and triplicate comments that show up will be fixed - it happens to everyone including me. Thank you. Don

John		09-Feb-2008 05:09
All, Don't be like me. Proof your threads before you hit add comment. This site isn't very forgiving when it comes to typos and spell-checking. That's your, not you're. Sorry.

John		09-Feb-2008 05:06
P.S. Don't worry about your "bad". The great and wonderful Don will fix it tomorrow. Right Don? Don, Somebody's been posting on the main photo page AGAIN despite your instructions. I hate to be a tattle-tale.

John		09-Feb-2008 05:02
Joanne, Gosh, you're house almost sounds like ours ref the carport, the decorative wall at one end it (ours was like white brick sort of), jalousey windows on the skinny door from the carport and all that mopping up from hurricanes......not to mention scaring my Mom to death by running out and around in them. The hurricanes would always destroy and tatter our pation screening. Our screen was blue-green and it made the pool color prettier. I am pretty sure the home(s) around where you lived were going for about $30-40K when the ones in my neighborhood were about $25K......a lot of money more in those days. These are early 60s price though....not 64. Remember Devonwood down 136th and 72nd Ave before 136th turned into Old Cutler? That was the high rent district for sure. I think Kings Bay was on the right a little farther down.

Joanne		09-Feb-2008 04:47
John...I was thinking about our house this afternoon, we came to Miami in 64. Ours had the jalousey windows on the doors to the patio and the back door. We didn't have a garage, it was a carport with one wall of the decorative concrete bock. All the large openings out to the pool/patio where sliding glass. We also had the terrazzo floors and a lanaiin between the carport and living room. Dad added the central A/C after we'd been there a few years. Hurricanes were considered fun by me, we'd all be positioned at a sliding glass door to mop up the water coming in with towels. And as with so many homes, we had a tar and gravel roof. In a corner of the patio was a small garden with one large palm plant and some jasmine that smelled heavenly. We also had a bamboo fence to enclosed the trash cans, etc where a variety of miniature orchids grew right on the bamboo. Those days we still had a milkman delivering door to door.

John		09-Feb-2008 01:29
Charlis, Your house story sounds similar to mine. We bought ours in 1961. The color was that light sea blue-green color so prevalent in Miami during the 60s. I think my folks paid $25.5K. The home was 4 Br 2 Bth w/ a screened pool, but "NO" AC. Around 1969 they got a window unit for their bedroom. I started hanging out in there. We had jalocy (sp) windows and terraza (sp) floors. the patio was a rock floor and the patio ceiling up to the screened part was solid pine or mahogony planks. We had a wrought iron railing around the pool. Also had a beroom off the pool w/ glass doors and living room w/ glass doors. I think my bro walked thru them once or twice. That was a mess. We also had the standard yard w/ coconut trees, a bottle brush tree, a flowering purple-pink orchid tree, a few loblolly pines, and hedges of beautiful hibiscus that separated our yard from the neighbors. It was a beautiful house and it stood the forces of Andrew quite well compared to many of the newer built homes down there. My Mom sold it in the late 70s for about $80-something-K I believe. I didn't realize how good we had it until I started paying my own way. One distinct memory I have from when I was 8 or 9 was sleeping over w/ my friends that did have central AC and freezing during the night. I wasn't used to it.

charlis		08-Feb-2008 22:39
oooohhh! I hate this lap tip... post was meant for John

charlis		08-Feb-2008 22:37
ohn...AC...our home in Miami Beach had one of the first central air systems. The original owners of the house really didn't trust it apparently as they still kept the window units! We bought the house in 1962. It was built some time in the 50's. The unit was a "water tower" that my sister hated. It was on the back wall of her bedroom and she could hear the water running at night. She spent a lot of time in the bathroom!

Barbara Daniel Echols		08-Feb-2008 15:29
I was raised at Bird Road and 44th St. during the 50's and 60's and I absolutely loved the photos and memories you have collected. I loved "old" Miami and the way things were back then. Thanks for the memories.

Don Boyd		08-Feb-2008 15:07
Tom posted in the non-posting gallery: TOM BURR - tom.burr2@genworth.com - 08-Feb-2008 13:48 Love your old photos of Miami, Hialeah and your aviation photos. I lived in Hialeah in 1957 and we moved to Key Biscayne in 58 when the Key Biscayne Hotel at 4 stories was the tallest building on the island. I went to the first boat races in the then new Marine Stadium in 1960. Went to Key Biscayne Elementary School and St. Peter and Paul in Coral Gables for 1 year. Listed to WQAM religiously and loved your photos of that piece of history also. Used to go to Crandon Park Zoo often as well as Seaquarium, and the boat shows at Dinner Key. We used to walk from the KB Hotel to the lighthouse well before it was easily accessible and it was still natural brick- not painted white. Mashta Island was desolate except for the old ruins at the end of the island. We used to fish there, and on "fanny bridge". I left the area in 1960 at the age of 10. Spent most of my life in Jacksonville. Keep up the great work. I love reminiscing. Tom

John		08-Feb-2008 00:56
Charlis, Air-conditioners!? Are you kiddin me!? Air-conditioners!? In MO we'll be lucky if we can turn our air-conditioners on by spring. We're at 7 degrees one day and 72 the next. Air-conditoners!? LOL Jo-Anne K, You lucky.....

Roberta Perry Hughes		08-Feb-2008 00:01
Joanne...Thanks, for the link. I will go on to every one of them, & plan to join in the fight to save Hialeah Park, & "my" beautiful big pink birds. I also went to the Site that Don has, on Hialeah Park, & saw on there a few post cards that I have yet to find. I have won several vintage post cards, & post card folders, on both Hialeah Park & Tropical Race Track as well, on eBay. My sister collects flamingo figurines. I have a few, but they are imprinted on vintage bark cloth (toss pillows) or, on a vintage FL souvenir stein, or ashtray. I do have a vintage sweater guard that are gold metal flamigos, & flamingo jewelry. I plan to buy one of the fund raising t-shirts, & whatever else is offered, where the proceeds goes to this project. I do hope that the Triple Crown gets involved, & horse breeders & trainers...boy! if they ALL join in the fight, & bend the ear of FL's Governor, city officials, etc., & put the pressure on, hopefully, The Plan will work, & this wonderful icon of Hialeah will be protected for all time, & the race track, maybe, even restored, & reopened. Roberta...Flamingo fanatic, nostalgia buff, collector of vintage FL items, former Miamian, sand still in-her-shoes, & living in the Peach state.

charlis		07-Feb-2008 23:13
jo-anne... send the weather down here to Tampa. I am without AC until they get around to replacing the entire unit! The place is well insultated as the few cold days we've been lucky to have didn't effect the temp in my place, but another day of above normal temps just might make life uncomfortable! Bought a condo conversion in October and the seller lied to the Warranty Insurance Company and the buyers about the ages of the ac units!

charlis		07-Feb-2008 23:08
Roberta... no. I didn't do a jeffie... the typo was caused by this stupid laptop's sensitivity... I had typed "Glad to hear you are okay."

charlis		07-Feb-2008 23:06
roberta.. glad to hear you are I was okay. I was sad to see the post about Parrot Jungle. I knew they took quite a hit when Andrew went through.

Joanne		07-Feb-2008 19:45
Roberta...try this www.savehialeahpark.com It's already in the works to save the birds and the park. Audabon Society is protecting the birds and the Park is eligible for designation as a National Historic Property. Hope this makes you feel better.

Jo-Anne K		07-Feb-2008 18:36
Hey John.....Moday it was 72 here in Clifton Hill and then 22 on Tuesday with heavy rain that turned to snow. I'm going to Houston for two weeks, can't wait to thaw out.

John		07-Feb-2008 11:32
Roberta, We're fine in MO. We had lots of rain and wind, but no tornado damage to my knowledge in these parts (S.Central). Thanks for checking on us.

Don Boyd		07-Feb-2008 07:32
Roberta, there is no more Parrot Jungle. It was moved to Watson Island years ago where the Japanese Gardens used to be and renamed Parrot Jungle Island. In the latter part of last year they removed the word 'Parrot' from their name to make it Jungle Island. The original Parrot Jungle is now a park in Pinecrest if I remember correctly. I don't know if Jungle Island has flamingos or not. Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		07-Feb-2008 07:07
So...! There are flamingos at the Metro Zoo. And, I know there are more, at the Parrot Jungle. However, I STILL want to know the future of the State's LARGEST FLOCK...(the ones at Hialeah Race Track)...IF the owner of that property DOES sell to the greedy developers, for condos, shopping center, or whatever! Does ANYONE know?? Here, in the Empire State of the South, we miraculously dodged the bullet, for that extremely volatile & deadly weather, that destroyed so many lives & property. If you would, if you can, those of you who live in the states that were hit hard by this storm system, please, post on here, & let us know how you & your families are. (NC, TN, MO, AK, AL, MS, & other areas in the news, that I may have omitted). Largo...is your father o.k.?? I know we have Posters on here, who live in NC, TN, & MO. I pray that everyone is o.k.

Guest 755		07-Feb-2008 02:53
Researcher, thanks for the info. Flamingo fans, Researcher's photo link confirms there are flamingos at Metro Zoo.

The Researcher		07-Feb-2008 02:13
Greetings Guest 755! The short answer to your question is yes according to my research. Using your Google search engine please try going to the site titled webshots.com/search. Once there, plug in "Miami Metro Zoo Flamingos". I believe you will be pleasantly surprised. Good luck.

Jeff		07-Feb-2008 02:08
Roberta... correction appreciated! I've got literally HUNDREDS of songs filed away in my brain 'cause of my love for music. Occasionally, I get the words as transposed or misstated as my typing errors...LOL!

Guest 755		07-Feb-2008 01:47
Oops! Brain blip! Question was: Does anyone know if there are still flamingos at Metro Zoo?

Guest		07-Feb-2008 01:44
For the flamingo fans. Was reading a 2007 article by the National Trust about Hialeah Park. In the article it was stated that the Audubon Society has designated the park as a sanctuary for the flamingos. Don't know if this designation offers any legal bearing as to the fate of the park or the birds. The flamingos currently residing at the park are the descendants of flamingos brought from South America and Cuba. Does anyone if there are still flamingos at Metro Zoo? There were the last time I was there, but that was probably 15 years ago.

Jo-Anne K		06-Feb-2008 22:54
Jeff I haven't been back south since 01. I guess that is why I am so appreciative of Don and this site. What is that old saying....."you had to be there"! By the way, Windsor Towers was just new and tall at that time.....I wouldn't call it luxurious.....we had a corner apartment on the top floor and it drove the tenants nuts when I hung christmas lights in all the windows during the holidays or took my surfboard through the lobby and up the elevator.

miami1956		06-Feb-2008 22:17
I noticed a comment asking about elaborate display in 60's. It may have been our house. We had live nativity scene- we lived in carol city at the time.. My dad also did the huge animated courthouse square Christmas dispaly in coral gables. My dad still has the illlustrations he made with glitter and all. I would love to see any old photos from that time. My dad also made fiberglass race cars for kids. My siblings used to race every week. he also used to make these animated things like a chef ringing a that he sold for restaurants to put out front. thanks in advance

Jeannie		06-Feb-2008 18:13
Don Thank you for the beautiful pictures as I listen to my parents and there friends talk about Miami, North Miami and Hialeah, over the years and were they use to hang out - it was great seeing the pictures - since I was born in 1964. and the photos of Immaculate Conception School were I first went tp shcool and lets not forget Skipper Chuck - the love of my life @ 5 years old. I saw the photos of the menus for the pizza palace - and we played a joke on my mother - who can never make up her mind about lunch - so we print the menu and told her to pick lunch. Thanks again for the great pictures. Jeannie Murphy - Daughter to Larry & Penny Murphy - Niece of Dick Murphy

Jeannie		06-Feb-2008 16:40
Don Thank you for the beautiful pictures as I listen to my parents and there friends talk about Miami, North Miami and Hialeah, over the years and were they use to hang out - it was great seeing the pictures - since I was born in 1964. and the photos of Immaculate Conception School were I first went tp shcool and lets not forget Skipper Chuck - the love of my life @ 5 years old. I saw the photos of the menus for the pizza palace - and we played a joke on my mother - who can never make up her mind about lunch - so we print the menu and told her to pick lunch. Thanks again for the great pictures. Jeannie Murphy - Daughter to Larry & Penny Murphy - Niece of Dick Murphy

Roberta Perry Hughes		06-Feb-2008 16:31
Jeffrey...It's..."They PAVED Paradise, and they put up a parking lot..." And...prior to THAT line, was..."Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got, 'til it's gone..." Oh, and don't forget..."They took all the trees, and put 'em in a Tree Museum... And the people came from miles around, just to see 'em..." I guess it may well be paraphrased, (before too long?), to..."They took all the flamingos, and put 'em in a Flamingo Museum..." if y'all don't roll up your sleeves, get organized, & have fund raisers, and FIGHT to save them...and Hialeah Race Track, which is their home, and get the County to turn it into a Park, like they did when Tropical Race Track closed, in Miami. "Paving Paradise" disrupts wildlife, too. And that flock is the largest in the State of Florida. They are an icon, a landmark, priceless treasures, & a heritage, for the generations to come, to enjoy their magnificent beauty, & their awesome numbers. THINK PINK!!!

Jeff		06-Feb-2008 15:51
Jo-Anne... I remember Windsor Towers being [at one time] the luxury apartments in North Miami Beach. Way before the high-rise assault on the North end of the county, it was a welcome building... However, if you were to travel over the causeway to Sunny Isles Beach (formerly part of North Miami Beach), you'll now see high-rise towers from Haulover to the edge of Golden Beach. As I'd quoted before from Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi"... "The tore down paradise and put up a parking lot"... but in this case... dozens of concrete monstrosities!

Jo-Anne K		06-Feb-2008 14:13
Hey Jeff.....I lived in Windsor Towers across the street from 163rd Street shopping center from the mid-60's (and Kew Gardens Apts. by Victory Park prior to that) and my Dad's dental practice was on the 1800 block of 164th Street. Graduated from Norland in 70 and then my parent's moved to Hollywood when I went to Gainesville but my Dad practiced dentistry in NMB until he passed in 94. I hung out at Sunny Isles and Haulover.

Roberta Perry Hughes		06-Feb-2008 13:39
My very best wishes, to one & all, & my prayers are that the weather is kind, wherever you are, & that you & yours will be safe, & your homes protected, & the animals, too, who might be in your care. Be well. Be safe. Take care, my friends. Roberta, battening-down-the-hatches, in the CSRA, Peach state...& wanting to bring the horses in the house. ("Auntie Em! Uncle Henry!")

Jeff		05-Feb-2008 23:13
Al, you were NEVER "on the hook"... my comments were solely about the site's content, NOT your good intent. That said, it's over and done with... Would you believe there's just ONE CD that I'm missing in the Time-Life "Rock and Roll Era" series, but every time it shows up on ebay, it gets bid into the stratosphere by over-zealous collectors... In my other Time-Life sets, I'm almost complete in the "Classic Rock [1964-69] series - just missing one "add on" title from the end of the run... I need four titles in the "Sounds of the 70's" series... twelve from "Sunds of the 80's", five from "AM Gold"... three from "Guitar Rock"... eight from "Living the Blues... one from "Contemporary Country" and six from "Classic Jazz"... I've completed the "Your Hit Parade" and "Country USA" series... Add to this over 120 CD's spotlighting the recordings of Vee-Jay Records, various individual artists and a number of other blues and doo-wop Cd's and I have a BETTER play list than most radio stations... Jeff... alive and well and "living in the past" in my music...

Guest		05-Feb-2008 17:50
Jeff: I appreciate your position and "letting me off the hook". I too have an extensive collection of CDs and (gasp) Cassettes covering the early(1955-1965) decade of Doo Wop, Blues, Rockabilly, and Rock and Roll. The CDs are Time-Life produced and the Cassettes are from various , random and sometimes unknown production sources. I "grew up" in Miami listening to all the songs on WCKR and WFUN during the 50s and 60s. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and still grooving to the fabulous 50s music in Phoenix, Arizona

LARGO		05-Feb-2008 11:58
THANKS DON...NO SWEAT...IT MAY BE AWHILE BEFORE I CAN GET THEM TO YOU.....LARGO

Alex		05-Feb-2008 07:55
This site brings a back a lot of memories. I came to Miami from Cuba in 1968 with my parents. I was 3 years old and grew up in Little Havana when there were only Cubans there and Hialeah. I've seen Miami grow from a small town to a metropolitan city. This is a great site. I have been in almost every place that is pictured here.

Jeff		05-Feb-2008 03:02
Al... I'm glad you saw my position on this, and (of course) it was no reflection on you by any means. I never beat up the messenger for the message. Conversely, I wanted to make known the actual shortcomings of that site - for many people are not audiophiles, and as long as they can get free music is doesn't matter about "high quality". After all, many of them grew up playing scratch 45's on a portable record player or listing to their favorite AM station on a tiny car speaker... Don't think I didn't like many of the songs I saw posted there... and I'm as human as the rest... having made an occasional download or two over the years until common sense kicked in... I'm simply trying to educate the masses that "just 'cause it's out there, it ain't necessarily free"... After all, Don posts on each image page "Unless otherwise specified, all images are Copyright Don Boyd". To respect copyright is to respect creativity... and they flow hand-in-hand. Jeff, rockin' and rollin' [and tripping over his soap box] with one HUMONGOUS CD collection (mostly Time-Life) in North Miami, Florida...

Don Boyd		05-Feb-2008 02:55
Largo: my e-mail address is in bright white letters at the top of this page above the top comments. OldMiamiMemories@gmail.com It might be more than a few days before I can get them up; I'm backlogged right now. Thanks. Don

John		05-Feb-2008 02:44
Good boy Al.

Guest		05-Feb-2008 02:31
Jeff: I do not endorse or sanction downloading files for production or reproduction without expressed consent of the rightfull parties. I am in full support of the artist receiving just compensation. However, the website in question clearly advises the viewer that the files available are less than enhanced quality compressed versions of the music and encourages the reader to purchase the original music in applicable formats. My intent was to expose the usual bloggers in my age range (55-65) of a source for acquiring music of "our generation"that is available on the website in question. I have no pernicious motivation to encourage any untoward action or reprisals to the original (mostly deceased) artists or their posterity. Your point and position is well taken and germane. I retract my advisement that the songs are available for download and support your position to listen but refrain from downloading. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and listening without downloading in Phoenix, Arizona.

Jeff		05-Feb-2008 02:02
Arizoan Al... It's no fault of yours, but I just checked out that music site and it is SO WRONG!!!!! They lay claim to having only samples of the songs online, and encourage people to go out and buy CD's... That's a feeble attempt at a "disclaimer" to cover their arses, but a quick test shows they are full-length, dowloadable WMA files that are easily converted to CD audio... so who's goint to REALLY buy the music if it's there for the taking? There are those who might find me "stuffy and old-fashioned", but as a creative artist, I RESPECT copyrights... Having also worked in the music industry for nearly 7-1/2 years (for Steve Alaimo and his partners), I can tell you that more than just record companies get hurt by illegally downloaded music... The REAL victims are the songwriters... those who depend on every penny in royalties to earn a living. It's not just the record company who loses when a song is pirated... it's the writers, artists, producers, the label and those who depend on the label for their jobs... I know... I worked amongst them... There are way too many times I've heard "What's the big deal... it's an old song... who's gonna care?" My answer is this: "OK... you've been with this company for 20 years... what do you need the paycheck for? Just keep working and we'll give the check to someone else"... Who gets to decide when someone else [whether a person or abusiness] has earned "enough" money? Sorry for the soapbox, but I get set off when sites allow creative works (music, fonts, e-books, etc.) to be downloaded without the creators being fairly compensated. I've got no issue if anyone from here visits that site and simply listens to the music... but friends, think of your own personal value when you work (or have worked) and respect the creators of this great music... and please DON'T download...

LARGO		05-Feb-2008 01:39
DON....... WHICH ADDRESS DO I USE TO SEND YOU OLD PHOTOS ?.....I LOOKED THRU EVERYTHING AND WAS NOT SURE....MY SCANNER IS ACTING UP SO I WILL HAVE TO SEND FROM ELSEWHERE.....THANKS, LARGO

charlis		04-Feb-2008 23:05
jeff... you are about 10 years to late for the request for old records... I had quite a collection... going back to 78's. I gave then to a local nuring home. I had some great ones... Efrem Zimbalist SR, Mario Lanzo, Glenn Miller (also had 33's), Benny Goodman, the Beatles, Beach Boys, etc.

charlis		04-Feb-2008 22:55
loved the story about Burdines. It was my favorite shopping place... got my first ever credit card at burdines!

Guest		04-Feb-2008 21:36
Hello all music afficianods. The following website provides a complete compilation of Top 40 music from 1955-1960. I is available for download as well os real time listening.http://www.bobforrest.com/JukeBox.htm..ENJOY! Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive, well and groovin to the tunes in Phoenix, Arizona.

Joanne		04-Feb-2008 18:17
The Rhodes Brothers...I saw them back in 73 or 74 at the Fashion Mart by the airport. Great act. There was a streaker at the show that night. Management knew but the brothers did not. Made for a terrific show since they were so genuinely surprised.

Guest		04-Feb-2008 17:40
Someone correct me if I'm wrong but didn't that old New England Oyster House in Perrine change later to a Red Lobster?

Guest		04-Feb-2008 14:36
What a trip down memory lane. I was born in Miami 65 years ago and although your record starts 20 years later it is amazing to see what has happened to the city. My parents moved here in the early 20's. My grandfather worked for Merrick, my father was responsible for the planetarium and my husband built the David William and Coconut Grove Hotels and they built a city around what he built. Great job!

Don Boyd		04-Feb-2008 08:22
Bob B, I have an image of the Perrine New England Oyster House at <http://www.pbase.com/donboyd/image/87085520 - that was in the divider area? The description underneath also has their other location addresses at the time. Don

Bob B		04-Feb-2008 06:28
Sorry, I hadn't read the article about Roddy B before I wrote about the Orange Bowl. That info was in the article.

Bob B		04-Feb-2008 06:26
The original Orange Bowl Stadium was called the Roddy Burdine Stadium and morphed into the Orange Bowl.

Bob B		04-Feb-2008 06:24
Somewhere back down the line someone asked the name of the seafood restaurant/bar down where the Dixie divided at Perrine...It was New England Lobster House, built of coral rock. There was one on Alhambra in the Gables and another on NW 36th St by Jai Alai and another in Islamorada by the bridge

Jeff		04-Feb-2008 05:35
Don... Since this site is all about nostalgia, I wonder if you'd allow me to digress for a bit and ask some help from your readers regarding a music project I've been working on...? If you feel this is inappropriate, go ahead and delete my message and I won't take any offense to your actions. For well over a year, I've been researching the master numbers for the various releases on the legendary Vee-Jay Records (originally of Chicago). They were the home of The Spaniels, The Dells, Jerry Butler & The Impressions, Dee Clark, Jimmy Reed, John Lee Hooker, The Four Seasons, The Beatles and numerous other artists. This project has started to evolve into an interesting cross-reference piece and I'd like to try and assemble some images for display in what I hope will be a great reference book (should I ever complete it and a publisher pick it up)... "Collectors' values" aside [since they are usually over-inflated to begin with, I'm hoping your posters and visitors might have some of their old records still hanging around. As long as they aren't trashed and would make good, scannable items, I need any 45's, 78's, LP's, EP's, picture sleeves, promotional material, etc. from Vee-Jay or their associated labels (Abner/Falcon, Tollie, Oldies 33, Oldies 45, Vivid, Interphon, Exodus)... "Playability" is not the issue in this case. I'm not swimming in cash, but I could always reimburse any Media Mail postage for large assortments sent my way. What say you? This has become quite the endeavor, and although the actual story of Vee-Jay has been told before, my book would be a listing of discographies, master numbers, notations on label discrepancies and oddities, etc. In fact, my "master list" Word document exceeds 100 pages and is growing... so you cans ee this is a serious project of mine...

Jeff		04-Feb-2008 05:15
I concur, Don... The article was quite enjoyable, and I learned a lot more about Roddey Burdine that I had previously known. Wouldn't it be nice if a miracle happened and the City of Miami found a new way to honor this pioneer merchant, while at the same time the Burdines logo magiclaly reappeared on stores?

Don Boyd		04-Feb-2008 04:22
There was a great article in today's Neighbors section of the Miami Herald about Roddey Burdine, the "Merchant Prince of Miami" who took over the store at the age of 23 in 1911. The article was written by Dr. Paul George of Miami-Dade College and will be viewable online for a week at <http://www.miamiherald.com/996/story/403551.html One of many interesting facts about Burdine's is that they had a 5-story building on Flagler Street in 1912 with 10,800 square feet of retail space. Also in today's Neighbors section was an advertisement for the Rhodes Brothers appearing at the Miami Elks Lodge at 10301 Sunset Drive on Saturday night March 8th. John and Ed Rhodes will perform, backed by "Room Service" at 9pm. Tom Rhodes will also be there. Tickets are $20 and selling quickly. Call 305-279-2868 or 305-270-8184 for reservations. A dinner package is also available. Don

Joanne		03-Feb-2008 22:54
Leighton...Thanks, or more appropriately the thanks goes to my mom. It was her recipe and I just keep it going wherever I can.

Guest		03-Feb-2008 22:29
Meant to put "fourth," not "fouth"...(of July).

Guest		03-Feb-2008 22:28
Hey, Leighton...!!! Happy St. Patrick's Day!! Happy Easter!! Happy Mother's Day!! Happy Father's Day!! Happy Fouth of July!! Happy First Day of School!! Happy Labor Day!! How's that for you??

charlis		03-Feb-2008 21:15
jeff... have to wait until next weekend... working that household chemical and electronics collection yesterday wore me out... over 700 people showed up! Then I got busy doing some more redecorating and unpacking at my new home today....

Jeff		03-Feb-2008 19:01
Tell you the truth, Charlis... I don't recall that picture... it's been 41 years since that class... BTW... you told to REMIND you to send me the pics this weekend... OK... here's that reminder... and please also include your phone number (as previously requested) so we can chit-chat)...

charlis		03-Feb-2008 15:21
jeff... yes, it was Kiibler. BTW... at the back of Kope's classroom, how long did that reproduction of the famous Life magazine's article of the first pic's taken inside of a womb stay up? I know it was still there when I did my teaching internship with Kiibler in '69. I was the one who did it for Kope as part of my "lab assistant" work in 11th grade.

Leighton		03-Feb-2008 11:47
J. - your "scalloped corn" recipe is great. You posted it in Dec.

Leighton		03-Feb-2008 11:38
It's only Feb 3 - let's stop pushing the holidays, shall we?

Don Boyd		03-Feb-2008 07:05
Ray posted this in the wrong gallery: Ray Allen FLVT123@aol.com 02-Feb-2008 17:54 What a great collection! Thanks to old friend, Steve MacDonald and all the others. Ray Allen (3rd generation Miamian!)

Jeff		03-Feb-2008 05:13
My only regret is that there's so few Miami Beach or North Miami posters in here... I have some pretty nice memories of the Beach from the 60's and 70's (when in 1978 I relocated to North Miami permanently)...

Don Boyd		03-Feb-2008 05:07
John, I've heard the name before but I didn't have him as a teacher. Don

John		03-Feb-2008 04:56
Jeff, You hit the nail on the head again. I learned that Don ran into my Dad a few times way back, Joanne knows a bunch of my old friends, and LARGO's Dad worked for Ivan Tors as did one of my child-hood buddies. This is almost like being back in the Army........the camaraderie (sp).

John		03-Feb-2008 04:47
Don, Did you know a teacher named Mr. George Kloo?

Don Boyd		03-Feb-2008 04:46
John, yes, it's GMT or UTC - subtract 5 hours for Eastern Standard Time, 4 for Eastern Daylight Time, 6 and 5 for Central, etc. I miss my submarine race watching days, they were the best times of my life, or should I say "single life?" Yes on Hialeah High - class of 1965 - 1190 in the class or something absurd, and 4000+ in the school at the time, on three shifts. We had a lot of Miami Springs kids because their new high school didn't have a senior class yet. Don

Jeff		03-Feb-2008 04:37
John, I'm always happy to share what I've learned with this blogging community. It's really quite a small world in here when you think about it... Charlis knows Evie, I know Evie... Parks knows Al Kaplan... I know Al Kaplan... Grace A. posts and I know her from the North Miami Public library... Others know some who knows someone who knows another party... We share common ground, common memories and great pictures and fun nostalgia... Kinda makes you wish the REAL world was like this!

John		03-Feb-2008 04:30
Don, Can you please explain the time hacks next to our postings? I understand military time, no problem, but I can't seem to match the times up these times w/ when the posts were actually written, i.e., time of day. Are we on GMT here? Jeff, Thanks for the history lesson on the submarine races. I have never participated in any of the races myself, although I enjoyed watching and cheering from the sidelines! It appears that Don was an active submariner:) LOL Don, Did you attend Hialeah High?

Jeff		03-Feb-2008 03:41
I've been meaning to thank Roberta for providing the scan of the Kitty Davis' Airliner Club post card. I liked the lettering style for "Kitty Davis"... and I'm going to try and turn it into a digital font in time... Roberta, thanks for the inspiration!

Jeff		03-Feb-2008 03:37
Glad you enjoyed those tidbits... I learned quite a lot back when I was collecting and researching old photographic images of Miami. I'm kind of a trivia buff on old music and lettering/typography/sign making as well... Kind of a "jerk" of all trades; master of none... LOL!

Don Boyd		03-Feb-2008 03:36
It's scary to think of how many submarines were out there because they infiltrated the canals, lakes and rockpits in Hialeah and west of the Palmetto where it was totally undeveloped back in the mid 60's. I'm sure the lakes and rockpits in the SW section were full of them too. There must have been a herd of them south of the airport where numerous cars parked along Perimeter Road every night of the week, and even more on Friday and Saturday evenings, but it's funny that the cars were facing the airport and not Blue Lagoon behind them. From what I've read in the postings there must have been a fleet in the bay near Peckers' Point near the 79th Street Causeway? Don

Guest 755		03-Feb-2008 03:33
Thanks Jeff for all the info. Knew you would come through with more interesting tidbits to share with us all.

Jeff		03-Feb-2008 02:51
Guest 755... You offer a subject with two unique schools of thought... During WWII, there were actual German U boats spotted in the waters off of Miami Beach... but I think you're more that likely referring to "watching the submarine races"... That [of course] was the secret code for finding a nice quiet spot with your favorite guy or gal - parking along a waterway - and trying to make out, "get to second base" or ?????????? [hehehe] Walter Frederich lived in Miami Shores, and that was where he opened his original Frederich's Market. In the late 50's or early 60's he sold his "mini chain" to the Friedlands (who owned Food Fair)... The Biscayne Shopping Plaza was the FIRST commercial shopping center built in Dade County around 1953-54. Some of it's better-known tenants were Belks, Neisner's, W.T. Grant, J.C. Penney, Walgreens, Three Sisters and National Shirt Shops. Arthur Maisel's was the original corner restaurant on the Biscayne side of the center, and a few years later it was taken over by Junior's. The Rosetta Theater later became the King, then the Rex (showing adult films). Likewise, the Little River Theater (on 79th Street just West of NE 2nd Avenue) later was know as the Bard, the the 79th Street Art (another adult movie house). Little River Bank and Trust became First State Bank, then was absorbed by Barnett... then NationsBank and currently it's Bank of America. There used to be an old Woolworth store on the South side of 79th and NE 2nd Ave. that was a Salvation Army in the 1970's.

Guest 755		03-Feb-2008 01:35
Does anyone else remember hearing about the submarines that were supposed to be racing out in the bay, or just off shore, or where ever one might park near the water at night? LOL!

Guest 755		03-Feb-2008 01:15
Grace A....my mother was born in the Little River area in 1935. I lived in Edison Center from 1955 until late 1970. I remember grocery shopping at Frederick's with my grandmother and sister. We would sit with her at the lunch counter while she had a cup of coffee as she rested a bit. They had a wonderful old wooden telephone booth there, used to love sitting in it with the door closed. Everything got very quiet when you would close the door. I found an old receipt from Frederick's among some of my mother-in-law's things. It was from when phone numbers were five digits, the receipt was for a dress shirt and tie that totaled $1.62 including tax. Do you happen to know why the old Edison Jr./Middle High School building was torn down? It was the old high school (Dade County Agriculcural High School, started in the 1890's) before the new high school building was built across the street in 1926. Can't find any more history after that, but know it was Edison Jr. when I went there in 7th and 8th grade. It was a pretty neat campus. The main building was kinda funky with some of the classrooms in what I can only call a basement. When you were in one of these classrooms and looking out the windows, (imagine that, windows in a school) you could see the feet of people walking by. Anyway, I just wondered if anyone might know what happened. I also remember the Lemon City Library, walking to the Biscayne Shopping Center with my sister and friends, and seeing a movie at the Rosetta for 35 cents. Thanks for your memories. Don, as always thanks for this site and all the work you do to maintain it.

Jeff		02-Feb-2008 22:40
Charlis... you MUST be talking abour Richard Kiibler... I had him for art one school year. He gave us an assignment to draw - overlapping geometric shapes and coloring them with tonal ranges. I did that, handed it in for grading and then he said it wasn't right and to do it over... When I complied and handed it back in he told me "Draw it my way or transfer out"... I responded "Give me the transfer"... About ten years later I was shopping in Bell's Art Supplies on Poince de Leon Blvd. in Coral Gables and who waltzes in? Of course... Richard Kiibler. I reintroduced myself to him and he asked me what I was doing with myself... I smugly replied "I'm doing graphics at Miami-Dade Community College"... Revenge is sweet!

charlis		02-Feb-2008 21:33
largo... you were correct the first time about Busch Gardens... it's in Tampa. A great place. I worked there for a few months back in 1997. What an experience!

charlis		02-Feb-2008 21:30
Roberta... the flight of the flamingos at Hialeah was a beautiful thing to watch. That was the only place they were really save, and with the over development going on in florida, they aren't even being seen in their natural habitats! Maybe the slow down of building in FL is a good thing. Cute story...yes, I have a cute story about everything... My Art teacher at Beach started every year with a lecture... "No painting of Pink Flamingos or Sleeping Mexicans will be tolerated. You will get an automatic "F" if you include one of them in a project." (In the 60's both were popular lawn ornaments.) Of course, we all included them! When I got to college the teacher was also teaching there. The first day of class he gave the same lecture. I was the only one to include them in the day's project. But, I was the only one who had had him as a teacher before and you should have seen the looks on the other students' faces when I drew the pink flamingo standing beside the Sleeping Mexican. When the teacher walked over to me, he burst out laughing! BTW... In my senior year in HS, I was his student assistant, and after during my teaching internship I worked with him, became his permanet sub when he was out sick.

Joanne		02-Feb-2008 21:16
Roberta...I'm with you in saving the flamingos. I could probably get 10 or 12 of them into my truck. Or maybe Mr. Haast has some land at his disposal. Disney might take them or Sea World. I'm sure there's a place for them if enough of us yell about it. I dearly love those beautifully odd creatures. Anyone know if Monkey Jungle is still in business? I don't love those creatures but I do like them despite the way they smell. Talk of Flamingos reminds me of the spot at Parrot Jungle where the flamingos ran around the lake and all the sausage trees.

RCGF		02-Feb-2008 13:54
You're very welcome Mr. Boyd.

Don Boyd		02-Feb-2008 06:52
Red Coach Grill Fan contributed an early 1960's image of the Red Coach Grill located at 18050 Collins Avenue, Sunny Isles. It's in the main gallery. Thanks RCGF! Don

Don Boyd		02-Feb-2008 06:37
Thanks for the information on the hospital's location, Grace. I'm still amazed that I never heard of it or have forgotten it over time. John, I did receive the e-mail after I returned home. It was Friday night, my wife is out of town, and I had a hankering to go out for a couple of beers and a grilled Dolphin dinner at a gringo bar here in Miami Lakes while checking out the scenery. I've got to get away from the PC at least once or twice a day. Don

Grace A.		02-Feb-2008 05:52
To Don: Edgemont hospital was on N.E. 49 St., one block away from the fire station--about two or three buildings from 2nd Ave. It was a white bldg. you could see it from 2nd Ave, on left side, going west--later, it was a drug rehabilitation center. Thanks for your comments!

John		02-Feb-2008 05:48
Don, Have you checked your inbox for part 1 of my series of photo dispatches? Thanks.

John		02-Feb-2008 05:46
Ms Grace, The best part is that you can relive the Miami that you knew and loved from anywhere thanks to this wonderful site. Gosh, I'm in S. Central, MO, but these folks that hang out here treat you like family. Don't forget that and thanks for the uplifting thread. Don, the proprietor (caretaker if you will) runs a very tight ship here. He has some quirks about him that are tough for some of us to take (especially the one they call Jegg or Jeff). Some posts seem to disappear out of thin air and Don usually gets bashed for that. I try to defend him when possible. Other than that, we're good.

Don Boyd		02-Feb-2008 05:41
Grace, thank you for your memories, I appreciate it. I don't think I've seen Edgemont Hospital mentioned by anyone in the comments yet so that's a new one for me. I lived near NE 2nd Avenue in 55-56-57, north of Curley but I still don't remember that name. I too remember the Little River area when it was thriving and people would drive all the way from Hialeah to shop there and at the Biscayne Shopping Center which was state of the art at the time. It's amazing how a neighborhood can go downhill over time. Good luck on selling your mother's home. Don

Jeff		02-Feb-2008 05:35
Hi, Grace! This is Jeff Levine... who used to make all of the signs for Bill Painter when you were working at the library!!! Your sister had the "upstairs" picture framing shop on 125th Street just West of the railroad tracks... I remember you quite well, and also remember your retirement. Would you believe I was at the library just two nights ago and hand-lettered a sign for one of the newer members of the staff? It's so good to see you post here! Hope you're doing well!!! As you're getting ready to sell the house, etc. please keep me in mind if you come across any old North Miami memorabilia for the Greater North Miami Historical Society. Did you know that Bill Valentine (from the Chamber) passed away on New Years Eve? You can drop me a line at jnl1952@juno.com to free up space here...

LARGO		02-Feb-2008 05:10
MAYBE THATS BUSCH GARDENS IN ORLANDO ???......... LARGO

Grace A.		02-Feb-2008 05:09
I enjoyed seeing the pictures of "old Miami" My grandfather, F.M. Soar had one of the first nurseries , after arriving in Miami in 1892. I was born in Edgemont Hospital (near Curley HS) in 1948. My sister & I attended Morningside Elem., Horace Mann, and Miami Edison, ( '67) Go Red Raiders!! My husband also attended Edison Sr. High. I see these old pictures and remember the old Miami, and now see the current Miami (my sister & I were downtown yesterday), The current Miami looks so tired and rundown. We moved to W. Palm Beach two years ago. Our mother's house is on the market to sell in Little River--an area riddled with crime--not the beautiful area it used to be 50 or 60 years ago. It is sad, and it makes me cry for what was, and though we long for it, we can never bring it back, except through our memories & pictures. Change is part of life--but sometimes change is hard to accept. My son grew up in Little River, left, and called our formerly beautiful Little River neighborhood "ghetto". Unfortunately, he is right. I remember the Biscayne Shopping Center (our family used to walk to the stores and back home after dark, and never give it a second thought--now you don't even consider walking in the day time, let alone at night). I remember Shell City & Fredericks on NW 62 St., where my mother would shop after picking us up from Edison. I also remember the Miami Drive In Theater, across the street from my grandparents' home, the Rosetta Theater in Little River, Royal Castle on NE 2nd Ave., just down from where I worked at the Little River Bank & Trust Company in 1968, just out of high school, & attending Miami Dade Community college. You drive by that same area now, under construction, and all you see are for the most part vacant buildings. We had Food Fair on 84th St., then Pantry Pride-- First Federal Savings & Loan across 84th St. All vacant. Further down 2nd Ave., Eagle five & dime, then the famous Watson's restaurant, which later moved to N. Miami. Jackson Byron's was further south. Many times, I went to the Little River Library on 79th St. to do research for class assignments, from junior high, through high school & college. I remember when attending Morningside, taking field trips along 4th Ct. to the old Lemon City Library. It must have all paid off--I retired after 22 yrs. from N. Miami Library, & enjoying retirement. I didn't mean for this to be this long--but thank you for the memories of Miami. We get to Miami every three or four weeks to check on the old family home place. After it is sold, sooner or later, I suppose we won't be coming down so often. Gas prices are too high!

LARGO		02-Feb-2008 04:41
ROBERTA...PERHAPS JACK HANNA IS THE GUY TO GO TO REGARDING THE FLAMINGOS...I BELIEVE HE HAS CONNECTIONS TO BUSH GARDENS IN TAMPA...MAYBE THE RELOCATED PARROT JUNGLE WILL ADOPT THEM...?......THE PINK FLAMINGO COOKIES WOULD GO GREAT WITH MY PINK MARGARITAS..........LARGO

Roberta Perry Hughes		02-Feb-2008 04:16
Don...Just supposin', & (God forbid!) the GOOD people lose the fight, to save Hialeah Park (what's left of it) from the greedy owner's plans to sell it to the greedi-er developers...WHAT WILL BECOME OF MY FAVORITE BIG PINK BIRDS...?????? "MY" FLAMINGOS??????? ..."Don't make me have to come down there...!" (Remember THAT idle threat, coming from your Mom?) All such talk, of the possibility of destroying their habitat makes me want to just make haste, & go & scoop ALL of the Big Pinks, up in my arms, with their chicks, & their eggs, & just abscond with them! Are y'all going to just sit idly by, & let them go the way of Central Florida's precious little burrowing owls?????? IF Hialeah Park does go the route of the greedy developers, could the relocated City Zoo take in the flock, & reintroduce them, to their own (new) habitat & nesting grounds???? Maybe???? I LOVE THOSE BIRDS!!!!! Who DOESN'T love those birds???? Maybe y'all could make some darker pink ribbons, to wear on your lapels, & have an all-out campaign, for this cause, & set up at shopping centers, or wherever, & hand out tracts, & sell those beautiful t-shirts, etc., as fund raisers...& sell pink frosted cupcakes, & big pink cookies, shaped like flamingos, & cakes, etc.....just roll up your sleeves & get organized, & WORK at fund-raising, & increase the number of supporters, you know???? Oh! How I wish I were able-bodied, to go down there & help out, with getting the ball rolling for this cause! You could have car washes, benefit dances, and/or auctions, enlist the radio & TV stations, newspapers, etc., to cover the fund-raising events, etc.!!

LARGO		02-Feb-2008 04:15
JOHN..I WILL ASK MY DAD...HE IS 91...AND ALTHOUGH HE AMAZES ME WITH HIS MEMORY...HE HAS TO BE "PRIMED" A BIT TO GET ROLLING...NOW SYLVIA AND I TOOK ART AND DRAMA CLASSES TOGETHER AT PALMETTO HIGH...THAT GIRL COULD DO ANYTHING...AND SHE DID!! I'LL SEE WHAT I CAN FIND OUT...........LARGO

John		02-Feb-2008 03:40
LARGO, This is a small world and it is about to get much smaller. Peanuts Crenshaw, who lived caddie-corner to Howard Drive Elementary (on 77th Ave and 136th), was the son of a man who also worked w/ Ivan Tors on Flipper, Gentle Ben and maybe Sea Hunt (dun, dun, dun dun). I believe his Dad was an electrician on the set. Peanuts played the drums quite well and was very popular for his renditions of the Safari's popular hit "Wipe-Out" both on his drums and with his hands on the trash cans around Howard Drive. Any chance you or your Dad/family know of the Crenshaws? They lived on the corner, which was right across the street from Sylvia and Danny Hitchcocks house. Thanks.

John		02-Feb-2008 02:54
Hi all! Don, FYI. I sent you an email a bit ago ref some photos. Roberta, Very well put on being away for so long and all those changes being overnight occurences (seemingly). Once you get past that, it's not too bad. Your Valentine thread was especially good and brought back some nice memories. If you ever received a small piece of candy in your card, the card giver liked you.....at least I had wished that was the case. I was always interested in cards from girls I might have had a crush on and I would pay particular attention to any potential hidden nuggets (nuggets of hope) listed in their messages. Does anyone remember Momma's Pizza located just north of Perrine, on U.S. 1 (southside of the Dixie Hwy), Joanne, Jo-Anne K (JK), LARGO, Arizon Al, Jeff, Charlis?? This was back in the late 60s. JK, U still in MO? How much snow'd U get? I got into STL around midnight and they had 6-10 depending, but we only got about 3-4 here.

Don Boyd		02-Feb-2008 01:08
Charlis, I have no idea as to why posts disappear. I haven't deleted one in a long time except for those posted on the wrong page. The website was designed as a photo hosting site first, with comments as a second priority. The old photos are drawing far more comments than virtually all of the photogs displaying their photos on the site and maybe it craps out from time to time. In reference to the race track casinos, they are pumping $100+ million a year into the state's coffers, with far less going to the city and county where they are located. Hallandale is getting rich with two casinos (Gulfstream and Mardi Gras) in their town limits. As that's not even considering what the Indian casinos have agreed to pay to the state in exchange for what they operate. Don

Don Boyd		02-Feb-2008 00:57
Steve McDonald's 1951 and 1952 images of his classes at Coral Gables Elementary and a 1953 class image from Ponce de Leon Junior High were added to the 50's Gallery. Thanks again, Steve! Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		02-Feb-2008 00:41
Imartin...Thanks, so much, for the link to www.floridamemory.com! On it, I found several more images, of Fowey Rocks Lighthouse. My paternal grandfather, Hamilton Sharpe Perry, was a Keep, there, for many years. (See the images I submitted of him, in his uniform, & inside the lens, service room, & on the deck of the living quarters, in the 1930's Galleries). That particular section, in the link you sent, has images of many Florida lighthouses on it. I was enchanted, with what I viewed, & I really appreciate the extra help there. Don...Well, as they say..."There goes the neighborhood!"...re: ruining the race tracks, that are still active, by putting in the casinos. I truly hope that Hialeah Park can be saved, for Hialeah's benefit, & for the sake of those gorgeous big pink birds, too! Is NOTHING sacred, anymore, to South Florida's inhabitants? Do the greedy & powerful developers outnumber the caring citizens? And are ALL of the mayors, city councilmen, & other elected officials, & school principals, teachers, etc., hispanic? ('Scusi! For grousing, & Soap Boxing, &...again...lamenting the "modern-day" Miami). "Jimininy Crickets, Toto, I don't believe we're in Kansas, anymore!" Roberta, who is shockingly realizing that she has been away from "home," for far too long, & that all of these changes seem severely drastic, & overnight occurences!

Joanne		02-Feb-2008 00:13
Joe Harrell...I remember that restaurant right by the VW dealership. Can't remember the name but I think it was a seafood place. My favorite place to eat in Perrine was "Sub King". It was part of the highway divide but further south.

Don Boyd		01-Feb-2008 23:48
2/1: Steve McDonald contributed a 1945 image of his kindergarten class band, a 1947 image of his 2nd grade class, and a 1948 image of his 3rd grade class, all at Coral Gables Elementary (40's Gallery), and a 1958 image of the Coral Gables Senior High Homecoming Court (50's Gallery). Thanks Steve! Don

charlis		01-Feb-2008 23:35
Don... I remember that back in the 60's they tried to get casinos in the hotels on the Beach and were voted down. Putting them at the race tracks was terrible. I haven't been to a track since... and we have a great track up here in Tampa... both horse and dog. But all the "action" is slots and poker... I'm a BJ and craps player. Hate slots.

charlis		01-Feb-2008 23:31
Don... it is strange. We can see a message but hitting refresh makes it disappear if opting for "no", but comes upas a double post if opting for resend. Problem with your "host/server"?

Don Boyd		01-Feb-2008 23:25
Charlis: I saw that message too but I don't know why it disappeared. All you can do is resend it - I can't recover messages I can't see. Don

Don Boyd		01-Feb-2008 23:21
The tracks in Broward now have casinos which are heavily taxed by the state at 50%. I was at the beautiful Pompano Harness Track casino with friends two weeks ago at 6pm on a Wednesday and it was packed with folks and it became even more crowded over the next couple of hours. They have a huge poker area on the second floor overlooking the harness track and it was packed with considerable waits to be able to play. I've also been to the casino at Gulfstream Park but it seemed smaller than Pompano to me. I haven't been to the Mardi Gras Casino at the Hollywood Dog Track (US 1 and Pembroke Road) but it's supposed to be nice. Dania Jai-Alai has not built their casino yet though they are autorized to do so. Last Tuesday our county's voters approved the expansion of casinos in Dade at the Flagler Dog Track, Calder Race Track and Miami Jai-Alai. Hialeah Park was not eligible because they've been shut down for a few years and lost their racing license and state legislators wouldn't give them an exception to qualify as a casino location. Don

charlis		01-Feb-2008 23:07
Don... a glitch with the page... I posted something about the long promised pics. The post showed up... I got up to do something and came back to see if you or Jeff had responded... I hit refresh and got the message about resending my post... which in the past has resulted in multiple posts... I said "no" to the resend message, went to my "Favorites" to reload the page, and my post was missing!

Don Boyd		01-Feb-2008 23:01
Hialeah Park is shut down but it is not "gone" yet. The track is still there along with the grandstands, clubhouse, statues and gardens. The flamingo flock is still on the island in the lake in the center of the track. The horse stables along Palm Avenue on the west side of the track were torn down last year due to hurricane damage. The owner will be seeking to develop the entire track with commercial and residential properties despite the historic designation on the park but there is a movement to save the park from development and their website is at:http://www.savehialeahpark.com/ - please visit it and help out if you can. Don

charlis		01-Feb-2008 22:57
Jeff... glad to hear Pompano is still around. Harness racing is fun to watch but you don't hear much about it anymore.

charlis		01-Feb-2008 22:52
Jeff... glad to hear Gulfstream is still around... Calder is okay, but Gulfstream was great. Which track had the "flying of the Flamingos"" I want to say Hialeah.

charlis		01-Feb-2008 22:50
Don... every time I hear mention of Hialeah the song from "Guys and Dolls" goes through my mind! It's doing it right now! Arggggggh!

Jeff		01-Feb-2008 22:48
No, Charlis... Calder AND Gulfstream are still here... (if you don't count Pompano Park for harness racing)... Hey, Al... better late than never.... In fact, why not dig through a few of your file boxes and add a couple of shots to the galleries?

charlis		01-Feb-2008 22:47
Roberta... early Happy V-Day to you too. One of the county agencies that shares our floor always decorate their entrance hallway depending on the season. After the xmas decs were taken down, they replaced them with snowflakes. Got to work this morning and the flakes were replaced with hearts and a great heart "chandelier". I'll show up at work on March 1'st to find Shamrocks, in April to find Easter Eggs, May and June vary, July is patriotic, August and September vary, and Ocotober is Halloween stuff followed by turkeys.

charlis		01-Feb-2008 22:37
Tropical and Hialeah gone! Mr. Kope used to take me, and the now ex, there. We both had fake id's borrowed from a friend who looked like me and the ex's older brother. When we "came of age" we still went with Mr. Kope, who knew a lot of the owners, and got to go to the stables. In-laws were into racing so we went with them quite a few times. I won enough, when pregnant, to pay for a year's worth of Pampers! I believe the only race track down there now is Calder.

Al Kaplan		01-Feb-2008 22:15
Wow, what a great site! I wish that Jeff had let me know about it ages ago!

Jeff		01-Feb-2008 22:09
Roberta, Hialeah colsed down a number of years ago... Gulfstream is the track on US 1 and Hallandale Beach Boujlevard. Parks... I'm sitting right now at Al Kaplan's house, and he was surprised to receive your greeting. He asks that you drop him a line at preacherpop42@aol.com. Al's looking forward to hearing from you!

Don Boyd		01-Feb-2008 22:07
2/1: Steve McDonald contributed a 1945 image of his kindergarten class band, a 1947 image of his 2nd grade class, and a 1948 image of his 3rd grade class, all at Coral Gables Elementary (40's Gallery), and a 1958 image of the Coral Gables Senior High Homecoming Court (50's Gallery). Thanks Steve! Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		01-Feb-2008 21:26
Jeff...I know that Tropical Race Track eventually became Tropical Park, when it closed, but what about the Hialeah Race Track? And its largest flock of flamingos? Are they still there? And...what became of all of the edifices, in both places...i.e., the grandstands, the paddocks, the Jockey Club, etc.?? Where was Gulf Stream Park Race Track, & what became of it?

lmartin		01-Feb-2008 19:54
This may have been posted before but there are just thousands of photos on www.floridamemory.com if you would like to check this out. There are so many you will have to search to narrow the number. Larry Martin

Don Boyd		01-Feb-2008 14:50
Welcome Joe. Photos of those places you mentioned may turn up someday if someone reads your comments and has photos they can share with us. I don't remember the name of the restaurant/bar in the divided area of US 1 but perhaps someone will answer up for you. Don

Joe Harrell		01-Feb-2008 13:56
Very much enjoyed these pictures. I was hoping to see Sir Andy's Dolphin, Black Caesar's Forge, Serpentarium and more. Any chance there will be more in the future? What was the name of the bar/restaurant in Perrine in the 70s....where US 1 divided? Thanks, Joe Harrell

Roberta Perry Hughes		01-Feb-2008 07:44
To all of y'all Posters out there, across the U.S.A., IN ADVANCE, I want to be the first to say "Happy Valentine's Day!" & may you'all get lovely cards, chocolates, & "conversation hearts", nice "smell goods", dinner out on-the-town, & any & everything to bring you joy, & feelings of love!! Remember the cardboard Valentine "mail box," that your teacher made, & put in the classroom, so you could drop in your Valentines to your classmates? And usually, one for your teacher? And how the art teacher brought in a supply of red construction paper, red & white crepe paper, snow white doilies, safety scissors, & pots of paste, so you could make your mother a home made Valentine? We were told to bring one of our small school photos, so we could paste it inside our cards, & to bring "trims" from home, such as rickrack, lace, buttons, or other baubles, to "fancy up" our cards, & make them unique. Oh, what wonderful fun it was, & how we looked forward to our designated "Art" day! Our assigned "Room Mothers"...(remember them?)...would bring cupcakes, for our Valentine's Day party, with pink, white, or red frosting on them, & heart-shaped sugar cookies with red sprinkles, & we even had red punch, served in those paper cups with the fold-out handles. (Do they still make those??) The paper plates & napkins were so pretty! Again, my fondest, & most vivid memories, of Miami, are those spent in childhood, attending Olympia Heights Elementary (grades 1 & 2), Tropical Elementary (grades 3-5), & Blue Lakes Elementary (grade 6). My teachers were: Cordelia Brockway; Florence Drinkwater; Mrs. Stevens; Nancy Renniger; Margaret Braun; & Mrs. Ferris. Attended Riviera Junior High, prior to moving back to Georgia. Junior High wasn't nearly as much fun, as those elementary school years.

Jeff		01-Feb-2008 06:13
Not a problem, Parks... Double-check his site and see if he's got an email address posted... I'm sure he'd be glad to hear from you. In the meantime, should I remember the next time I bump into him, I'll send along your regards...

Parks		01-Feb-2008 03:26
Jeff, Thanks for the link to Al Kaplan's site. His hair is a lot shorter but he isn't any prettier than I remember. If you run into him, tell him Parks from Brown's Photo said hi. I bet it's been fifteen or twenty years since I last saw him. He stopped into my marine supply store to get something.

Ray		01-Feb-2008 03:05
I think I know the source of that comment about phone lines changing. The traditional analog phone line isn't going away. But something that rides on it is. My alarm company sent out a letter saying that Watch Alert is going away soon. This is a service from BellSouth that monitors your alarm system and tells your alarm company when your phone line has been cut. The usual phone dialers most alarms have aren't effected by this. But if you pay that extra $7 a month for Watch Alert on your phone bill, you better check with your alarm company. I think the thing driving this is that the WA technology is not compatible with DSL. BellSouth doesn't want ANY reason for you not to get DSL. All the phone companies expected ISDN to be the digital replacement for analog phone lines. But it didn't fly and very few people use ISDN. The joke in the industry is it stands for "I Still Don't kNow. It will fade away before analog phone lines do. So your 1950s rotary dial telephone is safe. And will be for many more years to come. Ray

Jeff		01-Feb-2008 02:43
Charlis, there's no need for anyone to worry about their phones or alarm systems. The phone company is NOT abandoning it's land lines. Sounds like another urban rumor... Did you verify this on the site Don provided? While television signals are going digital, the phone company has been using fiber optics for years - and unless I'm mistaken, filber optics also embraces a bit of digital technology. Don't forget, computers are hooked up through phone lines... computers are digital... phone lines transmit data, hence the ability to connect to the internet... Get it? All's well in cyber-land...

LARGO		31-Jan-2008 23:18
SORRY FOLKS.......DON.....DID NOT SEE THE "NO URBAN LEGENDS" IN THE FINE PRINT ANYWHERE.....AND I DID NOT REALIZE IT WAS AN URBAN LEGEND...................JUST THOUGHT I WAS PASSING ON HELPFUL INFORMATION....YOU CAN BE SURE MY LIPS WILL BE SEALED WHEN I HEAR THAT THE "SKY HAS FALLEN"............................LARGO

charlis		31-Jan-2008 23:10
Largo... Jeff is correct about the cell phone thing. However, there is worse news... depending on the age of your phone, and for that matter, the age of your home alarm system... next month, or next year, both will be useless unless purchased in the past 2, or so, years... part of the going digital thing that is making rabbit ears, and our emergency TV's useless.

charlis		31-Jan-2008 23:04
largo... thanks for your thoughts for Evie. She was a legend in S FL... one who is not remembered now. What a shame that Miami looks out for the new comers before taking care of the long timers. As to Lewis... besides him making it hard for her to get work as an impersonator... he did the same thing for Charlie Callas! Made him stop doing Lewis impersonations! Do make matters worse, at one time Evie was diagnosed with possible MD, and contacted the association... she has never heard back!

charlis		31-Jan-2008 22:58
jeff... I'll try to get the pics to you this weekend. I'll even include the ones of Evie on stage with Jerry. She is a memory of old South Fl... everybody knew who she was back then. And the rest of the gang... he really was nerdy looking back then. Maybe we can get Don to post the pic of his favorite poster. Jeff and I have a lot more in common than going to the same school... he's into fonts, my great great great uncle created the font that is used by Microsoft as the default font... Times New Roman. (I hate the font, btw.) My little sister and Jeff were in the same graduating class. We both worked at the same business... a few years apart. Had the same biology teacher and were friends with same after school.

Don Boyd		31-Jan-2008 17:02
Steve McDonald contributed a 1946 image of his 1st grade class at Coral Gables Elementary (40's Gallery) and a 1954 image of the childrens choir at St. Philips Episcopal Church in Coral Gables (50's Gallery). Way to go, Steve! Don

Jeff		31-Jan-2008 14:59
Parks... I know Al Kaplan... he's still kicking around North Miami doing photography... In fact, he has his own website on Geocities. I'll include the link with a space beween part so it will post here, but close up the space so the link will work... www. geocities.com/alkaplanfotographie

Jo-Anne K		31-Jan-2008 14:02
Thanks Jeff and Parks. I don't know why Sweetwater kept coming to mind, possibly another local band. I had the album at one time, but the part I remember most was not Stoned Cowboy, it was the vocals. Like I said earlier the chick's (think her name was Lydia something) voice was amazing,.

Don Boyd		31-Jan-2008 08:22
1/31: Steve McDonald contributed a 1952 6th grade class photo from Sunset Elementary, South Miami, and a 1953 7th grade class photo from Ponce de Leon Junior High School (both in the 50's Gallery).

Don Boyd		31-Jan-2008 06:16
Susan: thank you for your comments, but people would be plural - there's only one of me scrounging around for photos and putting them up, with grateful thanks to the folks who have sent me images and commentaries in the past ten or so months. I'm a former Hialeah guy, and Miami Lakes for the past 32 years, and not near South Miami at all. It's pure luck as to the photos that are found and put up on this site. Largo: please don't put urban legends on here for people to read and possibly believe. I've probably received 30 or 40 e-mails for the past three to five years with the same phony information. Go to <http://www.snopes.com for the facts on stuff that you receive. And please remember that this comments gallery is primarily for memories of Old Miami, people you used to know, etc. Thank you. Don

Don Boyd		31-Jan-2008 06:03
Susan posted in the wrong gallery: Susan Smith Shively blazer2752@aol.com 31-Jan-2008 03:55 Wow what memories this brought back obviously the people that put this together were from south miami and I am from the north part near Northside Shopping Center but I sure do remember a lot of the these places thanks.

Parks		31-Jan-2008 05:59
I thought I was the only one who remembered the band Fantacy. At the time their album came out, I was working in Brown's camera store on NW 22 Avenue and 79th Street. One of our customers was Al Kaplan who took the photo of the band that is on the album. Al had also taken photos of Ike and Tina Turner. He was quite a good photographer. I still have an old Leica camera I bought from him. Still have the album too.

Jeff		31-Jan-2008 04:37
Largo, that email is an urban legend!!! They have repeatedly reported on the news that NO cel phone numbers will be released to telemarketers, and there is NO NEED to contact the Do Not Call registry. The registry is ONLY for home phone numbers. I implore anyone who receives an email (or a forwarded copy of it) to check out the government's "Do Not Call" website and you'll see the same thing I've told you! PLEASE don't buy into this rumor. There's a number of people on the web who concoct these stories for the sole purpose of upsetting good, decent people and hoping they will panic and over-react. That e-mail's not true! Honestly! PS: Largo...thank you for the compliment to Charlis and myself...

LARGO		31-Jan-2008 04:04
HI EVERYONE...I JUST RECEIVED AN E-MAIL FROM ONE OF MY OLD PALMETTO H.S. BUDDIES. HE ALERTED ME TO THE FACT THAT AS OF "LIKE NOW" ....ALL CELL PHONE NUMBERS ARE BEING RELEASED TO TELEMARKETING COMPANIES.....TO BLOCK YOUR NUMBER...YOU MUST CALL "FROM" THE CELL PHONE NUMBER YOU WANT TO HAVE BLOCKED...NOT A DIFFERENT NUMBER...IF YOU CARE TO ...CALL > THE NATIONAL DO NOT CALL LIST @: 1-888-382-1222....IT ONLY TAKES 20 SECONDS OR SO...AT THIS LATE DATE IT MAY TAKE A FEW WEEKS...BUT IT IS SUPPOSED TO LAST 5 YRS.............NOW I AM NO TECHY...BUT !..WITH TECHNOLOGY THE WAY IT IS HAPPENING...I FIGURE WE MIGHT BE TELEPORTING IN 5 YRS.....SO WE WON'T NEED THE DANG CELL PHONES....;-)......BUT FOR NOW, USE THIS INFORMATION AS YOU WISH..................................CHARLIS, JEFF....I AM SO SORRY ABOUT YOUR FRIEND "EVIE"......SHE MUST BE A FABULOUS TALENT.....HARD TO BELIEVE THAT A MAN WHO SPENT HALF HIS CAREER HELPING RAISE FUNDS FOR PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED CHILDREN (jerry lewis) COULD LET HIS EGO CRUSH THE DREAMS OF A GIFTED YOUNG WOMAN...THAT JUST DOES NOT BALANCE WITH ME.......SHE IS FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOU AND JEFF AS FRIENDS..................LARGO

Jeff		31-Jan-2008 03:00
CRAP! I just posted a long reply to Charlis and it's a no-show... probably because I added a page link in with it all... Short and sweet: Charlis... Right now I don't know of any work for Evie. I had such a tough time over the five years previous to my getting into font design - all because of a lack of viable employment... Should I learn of anything I'll let you or Evie know... The picture of me in that 1967-68 is one of a true high school dork. I had a fever the day the picture was taken, and I remember wearing my black sports coat, white shirt and tie (while others wore "cool clothing")... I had short, curly hair (almost like a crew cut) and ears that stuck out to rival Clark Gable... That's the ONLY photo of me that went into a Beach High yearbook... Charlis, drop me a line at jnl1952@juno.com and give me your email again. If you'll also include a phoen number, I'll grab one of my phone cards and we can chat about the good old days... I tried before to post the archived picture link from MyFonts to prove to anyone curious that I am FAR from being a "hottie", but I think that glitched my previous post... So, here's what I suggest... Here's the link again, but with spaces between the kep parts (so it doesn't look like hypertext and won't blank me out again. Simply type (or copy and past) the link into your browser address window and delete the spaces... THEN you can get a good laugh... er... look at me... Mylanta or Pepto Bismil NOT included... www. myfonts.com /library /aw/original/24/0/12392.jpg

charlis		31-Jan-2008 00:28
Jeff and Roberta... just got off the phone with Evie. Doc wanted to put her in the hospital but medicare would not cover it. He gave her perscriptions, $150 worth, but she does not have the money. Landlord upped the rent to almost her entire month's check. I can not believe that living in Miami has gotten that bad. She is looking for some part time work... Jeff? Know anyone? thank goodness for this site to remind us of the good times.

Joanne		31-Jan-2008 00:23
Speaking of bands, I recall two groups that played a lot of the dances I went to. "Clockwork" and "Summer". Ring any bells out there? Joanne (Copp) Reid Palmetto 75

charlis		30-Jan-2008 23:25
Roberta... thanks for the wishes for Evie. She was well known in the 60's as a Jerry Lewis impersonator. She looked and talked like Steisand. The Beach paper and WQAM worked hard for her to meet Lewis. I have pics of that meeting, and her appearing on stage with Lewis. He later "screwed" her by not allowing WQAM to use her/his voice. Lewis's agent was upset about that.... even told Evie that, when they were thinking of doing a sequel of one of Lewis's movies, that everyone suggested Evie for the part of the main character's daughter. Lewis turned down the suggestions... Eddie Murphy finally did the remake and sequels. Evie did a great Lewis impersonation! Maybe I'll send the pics to Don... those I can find as I had them out for when Evie came up to visit me a few months before I moved and packed things up.

charlis		30-Jan-2008 23:16
oops... I did a "jeffie"... I meant HazMat....

charlis		30-Jan-2008 23:04
roberta... Jeff as a hottie... you should see that hi-school pic! I keep checking the HaxMat web site to see if they are scheduling a conference down in Miami so I can meet up with Jeff again, after all these years. If I have a moment this weekend, I might scan the pic and send it to Don! Sure looks like you are feeling better! Glad to see it.

charlis		30-Jan-2008 23:01
jeff... Evie still hasn't returned my calls. Can you get by there and see if she is okay? Really getting worried. As to the rejection... remember that I knew you "when"... I have the year book from '68, when the ex hubby graduated. Don't forget to email me on Saturday so I can remember to sent you the pic of Kope.

Jeff		30-Jan-2008 21:12
Jo-Anne, you are aboslutely correct with the band's name being "Fantasy". The band was lucky enough to get a pick-up deal with Liberty Records. The single of "Stoned Cowboy" (released as Liberty 56190) entered the national Billboard 'Hot 100' charts on 9/19/70 and spent 11 weeks there, but only peaked at number 77. However, the band members were "hometown heroes" and the record did much better on out local charts.

Jo-Anne K		30-Jan-2008 19:31
Does anyone remember the name of a local band that had one hit "Stoned Cowboy"? I want to say the band's name was Fantasy but the name Sweetwater keeps popping up. The lead singer was a blonde chick, had a really strong gutsy voice. By the way, in the Carolinas the word ya'll has now become Yuns......go figure.

Don Boyd		30-Jan-2008 17:07
Largo: sure, I'll put it up on the site. Please tell me the year, or at least the decade, that the photo was taken. Thanks. Don

Guest 755		30-Jan-2008 14:00
Ya'll, ya'll is correct anytime!!

LARGO		30-Jan-2008 12:45
HEY ROBERTA,...I FINALLY FOUND MY OLD BLACK & WHITE PHOTO OF TROY DONAHUE "SURF SIDE 6"...AND MYSELF AS A GUSHY YOUNG TEENAGER ...15 or 16...I CAN'T RECALL...I BELIEVE I DROOLED ALL OVER HIS JACKET...MY DAD TOOK THE PHOTO......siiiigh....200 YRS. WENT BY SO FAST...DO YOU THINK DON WOULD WANT TO POST IT.(Don...are you there ?...behind the curtian...) IT IS ABOUT MIAMI...I'M STILL LOOKING FOR THE T.R. ONE WITH MY GRAND POP. SOMEWHERE IN A BOX I ALSO HAVE ONE OF GEORGE HAMILTON, AND ME AND A VERY YOUNG BURT REYNOLDS...."ANGEL BABY"....BURT WAS THEN GEORGE'S STUNT MAN.............I WAS IN THE CLOUDS FOR MONTHS AFTER THAT..TALK ABOUT HOTTIES....BURT WAS ONE OF MY DADS FAVORITE ACTORS...VERY KIND, FUNNY & DOWN TO EARTH...AND SO GENEROUS WITH ALL THE FILM CREWS...... at the intersection of memory lane & starstruck ave. .......................LARGO

Roberta Perry Hughes		30-Jan-2008 06:14
Jeff...Charlis...My sincerest well wishes go out to your mutual friend, Evie.

Roberta Perry Hughes		30-Jan-2008 06:02
John...Thankee! Thankee! Thankee! For the complimentary comment about my State!! Georgia IS quite lovely, in certain areas...but so is Anywhere, U.S.A.! I was impressed with the mountain streams of NC, & TN...Most anywhere, where the weather is kind, suits me. (don't care for frozen precip). Jegg...uh, Jeff...YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!! You ARE a hottie!! And I was stone cold SOBER, when I viewed your photos, & when I made that statement...in fact, sobriety is a constant for me, in my "mature" years. My partying days have been over, for decades. Largo...we both forgot..."zip," "zilch," & (the hispanic) "nada." Oh, & "goose egg." In the greater scheme of things, it ALL means "nothing." In that same light...have you ever heard a student state that he got an O, on a test?? Jeff...My vintage embroidered "Orange Bowl" patch arrived today, & it is just PERFECT!! I'm so proud of it!! It is a large oval shape, & features a marching band, in the street, with 3 female color guards in front, holding flags, & behind them is the band's drum major, so, must have been for those who participated in the Orange Bowl Parade (?) The band's uniforms are green & yellow; lettering is done in green, & the embroidered border is yellow. It states "ORANGE BOWL," at the top, & "MIAMI FLORIDA, on the right side, while on the left, is a palm tree, & a crowd scene, in a sea of yellow & green. Does this patch sound familiar, to any of you former band members, who marched in the Orange Bowl Parade? Perhaps it was something they could add to their band uniform's sleeve, or school jacket, at a later date? Maybe, this was a gift, of sorts, a memento, from their band teacher? Just curious, as to its history. How I loved those Orange Bowl Parades!! And half time activities, at the football games, that showcased the marching bands, majorettes, & drum majors!! The school's colors were so lovely, too!! And worn so proudly, by the students & supporters, in the bleachers, of every football game. What a sight!! And what glorious excitement, & school spirit!! Doesn't it take you back??

Jeff		30-Jan-2008 04:30
Oh, we're a live bunch tonight, aren't we? LOL! John, I'd NEVER bash Don... he's our genial host, picture-poster, put-up-with-all-of-our-insanity webmaster and all-around good guy... Roberta... you think I'm a "hottie"???? LOL! Whatever you're drinkin', darlin'... I WANT some of that (and I seldom really drink!)... Perhaps I'll even look good to ME in the mirror! (hehehehehe) Thank you for the compliment, nonetheless... Since you were bragging about your recent ebay acquistions... Even though my interest is in lettering and type deisgn when scouring ebay for bargains... I recently acquired a dozen sets of old Stenso Lettering Stencils from the 1940's and 1950's... When I find those, I'm like a kid in a candy store... Sure wish some you posters has some stashed away... I'm willing to buy them (if you'd go easy on me!) {:cP

John		30-Jan-2008 04:16
Hi all, I'm glad I took the Evelyn Wood speed-reading course to keep up w/ your rapid-fire succession of posts. Great job; all interesting, amusing, informative, and hysterical. Thanks much! I'm real busy w/ work and some other stuff. I'll be in the "Roberta State" on Thursday......but only for a couple hours. I do love Georgia! Welcome Ron and Parks. Ron, Were you an ADA Officer in the Army? If so, then we know each other. It's a long shot, but your attendance at a military academy and your name got me to thinking. Jeff, Add this to the talk.......all ya'll vs all of you, y'all, or you all. Bama talk. LARGO spills bitter then she lits on. Dont letter fool yoo. Hoo! P.S. Jeff, Are we still bashing Don or giving him a well deserved break?

lARGO		30-Jan-2008 01:31
R0berta, Jegg.......I think y0u are b0th c0rrect...........Acc0rding t0 my trusty Merriam-Webster desk t0p dicti0nary: NAUGHT : n0un 1)n0thing 2) mathmatical symbol for ZER0 AUGHT: n0un , zer0, cipher...................................AHHHHHHHHHHHHH THE SWEET LANGUAGE OF MAYBERRY WELCOME NEW POSTER RON JONES......WHERE DID YOU ATTEND HIGH SCHOOL, WHAT YEAR DID YOU GRADUATE ?...Whats y0ur bl00d type...JUST KIDDIN'.........Up thar in n0rth Fl0rida......using less screaming type f0r t0day 0nly......................................................Larg0

Roberta Perry Hughes		30-Jan-2008 01:25
Charlis...Ooooooooooooooo!! Have you seen pictures of Jeff??!! He's a real hottie!! I cannot understand any "chick" rejecting HIM...in real life, OR in cyberspace!! (BTW...Alan Ogus is ANOTHER hottie!! Have no idea if HE's available, or not...if not, hope wifey isn't the jealous type!!) I'm not "available," myself, but I can still admire the scenery!! Roberta, alive, & still able to admire the opposite sex, Anywhere, U.S.A., in magazines, movies, or on TV. Current favorite celebs: Dr. Robert Jarvik, & actor sTom Berenger., & David Caruso.

Jeff		30-Jan-2008 00:38
How do you like that? I throw in a funny about "a phone number for the single chicks" in my "Lounge Comic" reply and I get rejected by Charlis WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING I WAS HITTING ON HER!!!! LOL! Hey, Charlis... I can strike out well enough in the REAL world without any imaginary cyber-rejection, Thank You!!!! {:cP Seriously, I DID talk to Evie a couple of weeks ago. She said she was trying to get out of South Florida once and for all... but last I know she was still in the same place you'd mentioned... After a few minutes she begged off to continue her writing... Roberta... you're right as rain... we speak "American English", NOT the Queen's version... Glad to help out with the Pickin' Chicken info... I've seen that menu before... It's really cool! The business cards were also die-cut as well...

Roberta Perry Hughes		30-Jan-2008 00:32
'K, y'all...I'm done with my soap boxin', 'n pet peeve-in'...I promise!! The latest "memories" post, by Ron, gave me a "reality check!" Surely did enjoy your wonderful paragraphs, of back-to-back memories, Ron, & so very well-written!! I could visualize it all, as I read them!! That's quite a talent!! I will be looking forward to reading more postings from you, in the future, to be sure!! Jeff..."I'm o.k.; you're o.k." And...you're correct, unfortunately: our National (un- official) language ISN'T English...it's "American." The accents, new word usages, slangs, & phrases, are mind-boggling, & it all reflects the huge "melting pot," that comprises our population. Oddly enough, "Our Town" had a bit of it all...virtually everyone, from everywhere, was in our midst!! We were like New York City: culturally diverse!! It was very interesting, & fascinating, too!! Thanks, for the info on the "Pickin' Chicken" restaurant.!!

charlis		29-Jan-2008 23:32
ron... you sound like a "beachite". Those beer steamed dogs at Lums were my favorite... to this day I steam my dogs in beer. No grilled dogs for me. How far back do your memories go... aka, what's your age?

charlis		29-Jan-2008 23:25
jeff, thanks for the info... phone # for the single chicks... one nerd from Beach in my lifetime is all I can handle... ;-) and we share too many memories and people. Came across a pic of Kope at my wedding. I'll send it to you this weekend... if you remind me. Have you seen Evie lately? do you know where she lives? Haven't heard from her since a wek ago when she was going to the doctor. Left messages for her and they haven't been returned.

Ron Jones		29-Jan-2008 19:56
Wow! That is really memory lane! These shots bring back all the events of that era: Miami Military Academy when I was 8, Crandon Park picnics, Haulover Beach to study and for beach parties from school, North Miami High, working at Kwik Chek, swimming in the crystal clear waters of the Venetian Pool, eating the "kitchen sink" at Jan's Ice Cream Parlour on the beach, watching my Dad one day eat 23 eggs cooked at Royal Castle (unbelievable to me even now), dating a Stingaree, working at the Fountainbleau Hotel parking cars where we raced Corvettes underground and watched the amazed look on customers faces when we threw any tip below a half dollar in the pond in front of the hotel, eating beer steamed hot dogs at Lums, etc., etc. I could go on and on. Thank you for bringing back such fond memories and great times that formed our personalities, characters and our lives in the future.

Jeff		29-Jan-2008 15:53
Roberta... Pickin' Chicken was founded by Joe Hart, who later built the Castaways complex in Sunny Isles. The four Pickin' Chicken locations were [approximately] Lincoln Road and Collins Avenue, 22nd Street and Collins Avenue, 74th Street and Collins Avenue and the intersection of Biscayne Boulevard and NE 6th Avenue at 90th Street (by Tropical Chevrolet) in Miami Shores. If my information is correct, the Miami Shores location was the former site of the Miami Shores Drive-In, which boasted an automated service complete with a conveyor belt. As for the Castaways, Hart built two buildings on the ocean side of A1A, then subsequently purchased the Trent Hotel, the Santa Anita, Atlantique and Sunny Isles motels and other adjoining motels to complete his complex. He then built the addition on the West side of A1A that eventually included the Wreck Bar. Now, for your "pet peeve" of people saying "O" instead of "aught" [my mom used to say "naught"] instead of "Zero"... If we really want to disect the cultural idiosyncracies of American English, then we might as well devote the rest of our lives to the task. We ain't not speakin' the Queen's English in this country... and the differences are as wide and varied as our country and populace... Many New York Italians (and later African Americans) use the term "Yo!" to get someone's attention rather than "pardon me" or "hey there"... Us Jewish folks say "Oy!" instead of "oh my"... Newscasters say "Feb-you-ary" instead of February and President Bush says "new-clue-yer" rather than nuclear... Southerners say "y'all" instead of "you all" - or the correct way - "all of you"... New Englanders "pahk the cah by the bah" and the hard-core New Yorkers say "shoo-ah" instead of "sure"... "aluminum furl" instead of "foil" and "wit dat" instead of "with that"... not to forget "Toidy Toid and Toid" (33rd and Third) What's my point? Our language is a hybrid of not only English but words adapted from other languages, regional dialects, American slang and other lexiconic puzzles that differentiate our English from any other Spoken English world-wide. I agree with you that aesthetically we SHOULD say "Zero" rather than "O"... but... and I'm guilty of it as well... it's become a comfort tool. It "sounds" quicker... 3-O-5 rather than 3-Zero-5. We've saved an extra syllable for a rainy day! In regard to "aught"... I'm afraid that's passed into what the experts call Archaic English. Terms such as "Aught-7", "buggy whip", and "flivver" are stored carefully alongside our unique American idioms such as "real George", "fine as wine", "What's the word, mockingbird?" and "Far out!"... So, fer all of youse guys what ain't likin' the way I tawk or spel... I'm the Cat's Meow... a Solid Sender who's real gone with the ladies. Yo! Kookie! Lend me yaw comb! I'll give it back on Feb-you-ary 1-Oh? You dig! LOL! Roberta, it's ALL good, sweetie...

Roberta Perry Hughes		29-Jan-2008 12:33
God's nightgown! That menu isn't a die cast of a chicken! It's DIE CUT, for Pete's sake!! Pulling a "Jeffrey," here!! 'Scusi! (What!?? So now, I'm a Southern-fried Italian??! Who talks like Jackie Mason??) Go to bed, already!! You're in a coma, you schlemiel!! Roberta, the cultural chameleon, staggering, reeling...NO, Jeffrey, aka "Jegg," I do not have any Madeira!! zzzz-zz-z-zzz-zzzz-zz---!? G'Night...!

Roberta Perry Hughes		29-Jan-2008 12:22
AWWW, shucks, folks! I need to just keep my 'tater trap shut, & only open it to eat my hot buttered grits!! 'Scusi! "!Scusi! 'Scusi! If I offended anyone, with my nitpicking over numerals & letters! But...dontcha just have something, that just gripes you to no end, like that?? A pet peeve, I mean?? Getting on with Old Miami Memories... I just won a menu, on eBay, of the "Pickin' Chickin'," restaurant, which had four different locations, one on Biscayne Blvd, in fact. The menu is die cast, of a yellow chicken, & when it gets here, I'll scan it, & send it on to Don. Anyone remember the place? They sold...CHICKEN!! (Duh!) I also won an embroidered Orange Bowl patch. There was only one other bidder, so, I got lucky. Only way I'll get an Orange Bowl souvenir, & that was the only listing for such. Won some GORGEOUS vintage 1940's souvenir post card folders, of Miami, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Hialeah, & even one of "Surfside Six," across the road from the 'Bleau!! See y'all a bit later...the Tart Peach from Georgia.

Roberta Perry Hughes		29-Jan-2008 12:01
OOOOOOPS!!! That's pseudo!!

Roberta Perry Hughes		29-Jan-2008 12:00
It can be noted that guys have always been better at "ciphering," than at spelling, & methinks it carries over to the secretarial skills as well: typing, filing, shorthand, etc. I can overlook the psuedo-poor-"spelling," due to typos...here, or anywhere. However, my pet peeve is, how it has become (erroneously) accepted to say "o" for the numeral zero, aka, "aught." (My parents called a 0 "aught"). Zero is the numeral; "o" is a letter. Not the same character, on the keyboard, & it is ALWAYS WRONG to say "o," for the numeral. Newscasters say it; audio advertisements say it; even the operators say it, in their recorded ..."the number is: 3-o-5-555-ooo1. Typed out, you can see the obvious difference. Try these sentences on for size: Wh0 wants t0 be a milli0naire? Me, I'd settle f0r a mere $1oo,ooo.oo H0w ab0ut y0u? I deliberately interchanged the characters "o" & "0" to show that they do not look correct, in print...because, they are NOT correct, & cannot be interchanged. So...why is it that everyone continues to be guilty of this bad habit?? We all learned our numbers, pre-K, K, or 1st grade, depending on your age, & we all learned the alphabet, too! What happened?? I was born in 1947, but the current year is is two thousand eight, or, abbreviated, it is '08, pronounced "aught eight," but NOT 'O8. That's just wrong, no matter how you look at it. No wonder the foreign folk are confused by our language! An "O", on the telephone, is the numeral 6! (M-N-O) Tell a non-English person to dial "O," for the operator, & they will (probably) hit the 6, where the O is! Can y'all tell I was up all night...again...?? On a personal crusade, to try & get adults to set the example for the younger folk, re: "0 vs O." Jeff...John...I LOVE your typos!! Especially when the two of you razz each other over it...& Don joins in!! What fun! That's entertainment!! Remember...y'all ought to say aught, for 0!! Roberta, minding everyone's P's & Q's, Nationwide...AND their 0's & O's, too!...in the Empire State of the South, where, if you say "O" for "0," you might be a Redneck!!

Parks		29-Jan-2008 04:43
Jeff, You should try using a spill checker. That weigh you well never make a mist steak in your typing. I spell checked this and my computer says it is fine.

Jeff		29-Jan-2008 03:06
Free hot dogs, balloons for the kiddies... popcorn and Coca-Cola... and my phone number for all of the single chicks... (bada-boom)... Watch out people... I'm on a roll! Thank you... thank you... please... sit down... a standing ovation wasn't necessary...

Joanne		29-Jan-2008 02:26
Hey Shecky...I mean Jeff...will there be free hot dogs and coke at these grand openings????

charlis		28-Jan-2008 23:46
don, thanks for posting that link... Rick and the gang were friends... babysat for Jimmy Dunlap, shared bagels and Doctor Pepper with Ronnie Grant (nee Grantham, brother of a Falcons player that I met years later)... I'm going to go to the site now...

Jeff		28-Jan-2008 03:46
John... I know that's Don's doing one helluva job here, and I'm just playing around with him... In fact we have a strong friendship - on a warm day you can smell it for miles! (drum rim shot)... In fact, Don and I are like brothers...Caine and Abel...(another drum rim shot)... But I wanna tell ya, friends... Don Boyd made me what I am today... old and bitter!...(still another drum rim shot)... No, seriously, folks - you've been a great audience... I'll be playing this weekend at the opening of Gardner's By-Rite... and the week after that you can catch me at Municipal Auto Sales... Don't forget... I do a regular gig at Plager Brother Brake Shop on NW 36th Street...

Don Boyd		28-Jan-2008 03:23
Okay, here is the link that John was trying to post: <http://objflicks.com/TakeMeBackToTheSixties.htm - it's one of several good oldie music and video productions by OldBlueWebDesigns.com that I've seen in the past and I'm sure some of you have seen them too when people spread the URL's around by e-mail. They are fun to watch. Don

Don Boyd		28-Jan-2008 03:06
Darn, I must have caught Jeff's typos - I deleted the message and now reposting it: John, please send me the URL in an e-mail ( OldMiamiMemories@gmail.com ) and I'll try to add it. Roberta: you're welcome. Okay, in case there are some hard-core (not that kind, Jeff) WQAM Tiger Radio junkies out there, a gent left a posting in the Rick Shaw Gallery about having a hobby radio station recreating the good old days of 'QAM. He calls it "Storz Starz", after the owners of WQAM and KXOK in St. Louis. He plays oldie songs along with WQAM jingles, DJ's talking, etc. every other day (today is WQAM) and KXOK every other day. You need a high speed internet connection and you can listen for free at:http://www.live365.com/stations/560wqam Free listeners have to endure commercials every so often from Live365, something he has no control over. "VIP memberships" are available at prices ranging from $4.95 to $7.95 a month, depending on which payment plan you opt for and part of the proceeds go to the owner of the station for spending many hours compiling the music, station jingles and old DJ banter. The VIP membership provide CD quality listening without ads from 365.com. Both Storz Starz stations have music, station jingles and old ads playing on them, just like when we were young in the 60's. I'm just passing along the information since far fewer people will see the gent's post where he put it. Don Here is the gent's post from the other gallery: flarrfan flarrfan@gmail.com 25-Jan-2008 02:08 One of the listeners of my web radio stream sent me the link to this blog. I grew up on KXOK and WQAM and got a life-long love of radio from them. When I started a hobby station at Live365, I decided to re-create the '60's sounds of these great stations. If there's anyone here who would like to hear what Rick sounded like on Tiger Radio, or the great Johnny Rabbitt on KXOK, they're still on the virtual air at my Live365 station. I alternate days with KXOK and WQAM, inserting DJ airchecks, jingles, news and commercials between great oldies. It's my way of keeping the golden era of Top 40 radio alive. Just go to Live365 and search for Storz Starz if you would like to listen. Except for the Live365 commercials that I have no control over, it's purely a hobby for me, one I pay Live365 to let me do. Just wanted to let the folks here know if you are interested. The DJ's are all in about the same day part as back in the '60's, so at night on alternating days you can hear either the young Rick Shaw or the Rabbitt we all remembered from '60's KXOK.

John		28-Jan-2008 02:09
Jeff, You are a riot; however, Don, is only a messenger trying to sweep the cobwebs out of our clouded memories......and doing a right fine job at it I might add. Sorry about the previous post. My finger slipped. A sign of old age I suppose.

Jeff		28-Jan-2008 01:54
Don.... HUH???? Does your "in case there are some hard-core (but not you Jeff) WQAM Tiger Radio junkies out there" mean I'm already a hard-core oldies junkie, or that everybody else can listen to the webcast EXCEPT me???? ....LOL! That's OK... I've got a CD collection that can rival ANY oldies station, so THERE!!!! (hahahahahahaha)

John		28-Jan-2008 00:26
Don, Done. I sent it this morning in an email along w/ some other chatter, but I just re-sent it again. I have a "gmail" address, so keep your eyes peeled.

Roberta Perry Hughes		27-Jan-2008 23:42
Don...Many many thanks, for adding the photo of my sister, Audrey, & my 2 cousins, Joe & Mary Perry, along with the image of the mascot for Southwest High School, to the main Galleries. Also, in the 1950's Galleries, the image of the "Night Club in the Sky" photo folder, & the photo of my late aunt & uncle, Dorris & Ted Bamberg. In it, they are forever young.

John		27-Jan-2008 22:53
Don, It still won't post. Must be some type of protection on it.

Don Boyd		27-Jan-2008 22:28
John: try putting a < in front of the URL, without a space, like this: <http://www.pbase.com It should turn it into a hot link that people can just click on it and get taken away, instead of cutting and pasting. I forgot to mention this with the new photos that I posted but I also added another photo a couple days ago of my future wife and her brother on the Channel 7 "Romper Room" TV show in 1957 (50's Gallery). Don

John		27-Jan-2008 22:26
Oops. Sorry. See, he cleaned up my mess in the previous post.

John		27-Jan-2008 22:25
Don runs a tight shi_ here. That's good. Thanks much Don.

Jeff		27-Jan-2008 21:57
LOL! Don... you mean to say I've acquired 10% of the posted messages here just by self-editing!?! Oy vey! Tell you what, ladies and gentlemen of the blogging audience out there... I will conserve space by heretofor exclaiming that: 1. I CAN spell... 2. I CANNOT type quickly without making typos... 3. I AM A LOT smarter than I look... That said, I'll do my best to conserve space so no one get carpal tunnel syndrome trying to scroll past all of my edits, re-edits and edits of re-edits! {:cP Don... to shorten the blog length... and only "if and when" you're scrolling back during your "webmaster" phase... please feel free to delete any of the humorous [but unnecessary] after-the-fact comments I make about my typing. I really won't be offended... and it might keep others from falling asleep at their computer trying to make it through all the posts without my additional sidebars... Stay tuned, folks... there's LOTS MORE typos to come from me... "ten thumbs and all".... LOL!

LARGO		27-Jan-2008 20:37
BRANDY PERHAPS...JOHN.........BUT NEEEEVER GASOLINE!!! .......WE HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING TO TOAST WITH AS THE HOT AIR BALLOON CARRIES DOZ.....ERRR... DON I MEAN, AROUND MIAMI IN 80 MINUTES.......ALL US GALS WILL BE CLICKIN' OUR RUBY SLIPPERS..... WAVIN' & WISHIN' HIM A SAFE RETURN.........GASOLINE IS TOO EXPENSIVE AND DOES'NT TASTE NEARLY AS GOOD......................THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK ON THE NEW STUFF DON....I DO BELIEVE I HAVE ENOUGH HOT AIR FOR YOUR BALLOON TRIP ;-) ...........LARGO

John		27-Jan-2008 20:33
Don, It won't post. Just tried pasted it to my comment box and it didn't take when I clicked add comment.

Don Boyd		27-Jan-2008 18:56
John: we can't add a video here anyhow but I don't see why we can't add the link to the video without infringing on their copyright. New photos added today: 1/20: Steve McDonald contributed 3 early images of Eastern Air Transport (Aviation Historical Gallery). 1/27: Jeff Levine contributed an image of the Borlin Building in North Miami (main gallery). Roberta Perry Hughes contributed two 1950's images of the Nightclub in the Air (50's Gallery), a 1960's Southwest mascot image and graduation photo, and a movie flyer from the Tropicare and the Dixie Drive-In Theatres (main gallery). I also added several 1950's and 60's images to the Aviation Historical Gallery that were lost in a gallery transfer a few weeks ago. I added an early 1900's image of the Car Dale Tower on the Miami River, an early 1900's image of the original Dade County Courthouse and a 1913 image of two kids on a dead whale shark on public display (1879-1919 Gallery). I added 3 1926 images of downtown Miami (in the 20's Gallery), a 1939 image of the Perrine Liquor Store in an old trolley car (1930's Gallery), 2 1941 images of the 7 Seas Restaurant (40's Gallery), 2 1953 images of the new Burdine's on Miami Beach, a 1955 image of the Ainsley Building downtown, 4 1957 images of the new Burdine's at the 163rd Street Shopping Center and a 1958 image of Arthur Maisel's Restaurant in Sunny Isles (50's Gallery). Enjoy! Don - back to transferring image files for days on end now

charlis		27-Jan-2008 18:41
Those road trips and the picnic areas bought back a lot a great memories. When we made our move to FL in 1962, we stopped at many of them. Then we took our family tour of south FL in 64, and again made sure to stop for picnics. The last time we did that was in the md 80's on a motor home trip to PA, OH, AR, TX... even with the luxury of the motor home, we still enjoyed the outdoor picnics. Feeding the ducks, squirrels and rabbits that made the areas their personal diners was a great experience when I was a child and when my daughter was little.

John		27-Jan-2008 17:57
2,000,001 ain't chopped liver either. I see the great and wonderful OZ has spoken below....er, Don, sorry. LOL Speaking of OZ....Don (there I go again), there is a "rights reserved" at the end of the memorable 60s audio-video I was going to attach here. It prohibits posting the video on websites. I sent it to Don in an email and will let him decide if it can go here. He might have to send the producers an email asking permission, or he might dump it if he thinks it's not worthy of posting. Don's call. On driving cross-country or on long trips w/ family, I learned to swim at one of those motels. Staying at a motel for me was magical if it had a pool. I did stay at South of the Border once or twice, but I did NOT get "likkered" up, like my friend A.A (LOL)! I am ashamed of you Al. Don had good teachers. MT Graves and Reginald. I'll bet they haunt this site w/ regularity. I remember the alligator wrestling farm for sure......run by the Seminoles? Growing up gators were endangered at best I believe. We never saw gators in the canals of S.Dade although an occasional sea-cow would swim by. I swam in the canals all the time and never came across an alligator. Jeff/LARGO, You are a riot. I can picture Jeff w/ a big ole goblet of Maderie (sp; whatever), and LARGO w/ a big ole can of gasoline fueling the Don is OZ myth. Too funny you two.

LARGO		27-Jan-2008 13:42
YA JUST GOTTA LOVE DON ...LOVE YA DON !!!!...THANKS.............HEY...........JEFF....DID YOU READ THAT ?.....YOU ARE FAMOUS !!...............2 MILLION PAGE VIEWS...WOW!......CONGRATS ON A GREAT (FUN) SITE DON.............LARGO

Don Boyd		27-Jan-2008 07:57
Welcome to the comments posting gallery, where 25% of the posts are Jeff's typo corrections! : ) Jeff: I can't edit anyone's comments at all so the mistakes are all yours. I can copy them and repost them or I can delete them but I can't edit them and repost them without them appearing under my name, which none of yours appear to be. : ) John: sure, you can provide the link you asked about on the 25th. Parks: I remember the Old South Barbecue signs all along US 27 very well - I drove US 27 once or twice a month coming home while stationed in Tampa in the late 60's. Was the alligator wrestling farm also located there or was that a separate attraction? I remember signs for some alligator place along US 27. Largo: in regards to when this site started, etc.: I moved a lot of personal photos from our aviation stock photo site to a new personal site in June 2005. I added the "Old Hialeah, Old Miami, Old South Florida" Gallery to the personal site in August 2006 and Sharon was the first to post a comment on August 9th. I started adding a lot more historical photos in the March/April 2007 time frame when George Young and Gary Licko sent me some great stuff that I liked (including some prints previously owned by our famous Jeff) and it has been building ever since. We hit 2 million page views on the site yesterday (but Jeff is responsible for 10% of those with his correction posts). I'll add a bunch of great photos later today (from Jeff, Roberta, a guy named Chick and some I found) because I took a break from the files copying duties for a day or two. Don

LARGO		27-Jan-2008 06:29
JEEEZE......YOU GUYS...STEPPING ON EGGSHELLS AGAIN.....SPARING IS HEALTHY!....SPICES THINGS UP!..........JOHN...AGAIN LOVED THE VISUAL OF DON BEHIND THE CURTIAN..........SORT OF THE ALL POWERFUL OZ.......DON...YOU'VE CREATED A MONSTER !.....just kiddin'...................LARGO

Jeff		27-Jan-2008 06:09
Roberta, my dear... Why do you think that I'm ever upset with our exchanges? We don't have to agree on everything... but I certainly don't take offense at your writings... or if you should ever voice a contrary opinion... However, in this instance you were correct in finding my error with Madeira and I acknowledged it... but PLEASE don't think I was upset that you pointed it out... Look at how I make fun of myself with my miserable typing and embarassing errors from the lack of a typing skill... It's all good. If I ever did have an issue with something you've said in a way that I'd take it personally, I'd still bring it to note in a polite way... and then I'd probably feel extremely guilty for even bringing it up in the first place! LOL! No need to worry... we're ALL friends here...

Jeff		27-Jan-2008 05:46
Roberta, my dear... Why do you think that I'm ever upset with our exchanges? We don't have to agree on everything... but I certainly don't take offense at your writings... or if you should ever voice a contrary opinion... However, in this instance you were correct in finding my error with Madeira and I acknowledged it... but PLEASE don't think I was upset that you pointed it out... Look at how I make fun of myself with my miserable typing and embarassing errors from the lack of a typing skill... It's all good. If I ever did have an issue with something you've said in a way that I'd take it personally, I'd still bring it to note in a polite way... and then I'd probably feel extremely guilty for even bringing it up in the first place! LOL! No need to worry... we're ALL friends here...

Guest		27-Jan-2008 05:32
John: If you are on I-95 and anywhere souh of Fayetteville, N.C. you are inundated with billboards that advertise "South of the Border" at least every 10 miles. What a marvelous example of a modern day tourist trap! Anything from fireworks to a stiff drink of likker! Pedro's is alive and well onh the N.C./S.C. border 2008.

Joanne		27-Jan-2008 05:06
Our town is in the midst of the "crummy winter cold that sticks around for three weeks and makes you lose your voice" ailment.

Roberta Perry Hughes		27-Jan-2008 04:56
Jeff...'Scusi! I'm still a bit under-the-weather...(hubby, too, back to not feeling well)...so, I'm up, & being nit-picky, I guess! That last post of mine sounded like a barb...& I'm not the barbing type, usually. Truce...??? Any of y'all, out there, (wherever you live, now), coming down with this seasonal "Montezuma's Revenge?" It's going around, in my area, like gang busters! Was told that the Clinics & E.R.s are stacked up like cord wood! Just enough to make life miserable, & force you to force fluids...& stock up on t.p.!!

Jeff		27-Jan-2008 04:52
Yes, Roberta... you're right on that one... I wasn't sure of the spelling...

Joanne		27-Jan-2008 04:50
There are a few of the old roadside parks up here on some of the back roads going to the coast to Appalachicola and Panama City. When my family went on vacation we always stopped at the roadside for lunch. I even do it now when I have a long drive ahead. The car has the cooler in it so I can have lunch on the road. I could judge where we were on the map by the roadside park we were in. When we went between Miami and Houston, once you hit Lake City you were on the back roads til you hit the town with the funny name DEFUNIAK SPRINGS. Thats were you picked up I-10 West. I loved to ride in the back of the station wagon with my feet stuck out the back window.

Roberta Perry Hughes		27-Jan-2008 04:48
Jeff...Isn't that...Madeira??

Jeff		27-Jan-2008 03:57
Tonight I have a valid excuse for my last typo... (that SHOULD read Dennison)... I've had a little wine... and that's impaired my abilty to mis-type normally! LOL!

Jeff		27-Jan-2008 03:55
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain! LOL! Hey, gang... I've asked around before with just one response from Martha Pierson... Please check through all of your junk... I collect old lettering stencils (like we used to use in school - such as Stenso, E-Z Letter, Stencil-It and Duro), as well as old "desktop items" such as Denniosn gummed stars, labels, letters, reinforcements, seals... anything that is considered a "small office supply" from the 1950's or 1960's... If you have any, I'd love to acquire them and would be happy to reimburse postage... Also, a buddy of mine wheels and deals with old 45's and I'd be happy to chat with you about those old records (so long as they're NOT all scratched up...)... Don is nice enough to indulge me once in awhile with these requests, because he takes pity on the "elderly"... LOL!

Loren		27-Jan-2008 03:02
Great site ....many memories brought back ... some good others not so good but greatly appreciated!! Thank you for this flashback to the past!

Loren		27-Jan-2008 03:00
Wonderful site ....many memories brought back ...some excellent, other not so excellent, but appreciated nevertheles...... Thank you for this flashback to the past!

Roberta Perry Hughes		27-Jan-2008 02:41
Jeff...John...Did y'all have the same English/Typing/Spelling teacher as G.W.?? LOL.

Parks		27-Jan-2008 01:59
I see a lot of chat about the Old South BBQ in Clewiston and Burma Shave signs. Does anyone remember that The Old South BBQ had their own version of the Burma Shave sign? As you drove South on 27 heading for Clewiston, you would see dozens of signs with clever rhymes promoting the BBQ. The signs were built out of tree branches and the letters were nailed to the branches. The Old South BBQ is gone, but the Clewiston Inn is still there. If you ever get the chance, stay a night at the Clewiston Inn. It's old south Florida. If you can't spend the night, at least have a drink in the bar and see how many different animals you can spot in the mural of the Everglades that is on all the walls.

John		27-Jan-2008 01:23
Roberta, I remember the Rock City sign for sure along w/ ruby mine signs. We actually dug through the mud somewhere in NC for rubies around 66. My Mom dug up a big sapphire. Now that you mention it, I haven't seen a road-side area on an off highway in ages. Jeff, Exaaaaactly. Me two. Git it? I was going to blame Don. He hides behind a curtain and changes the letters to make us look like a bunch of boobs!

John		27-Jan-2008 01:19
Roberta, I remember the Rock City sign for sure along w/ ruby mine signs. We actually dug through the mud somewhere in NC for rubies around 66. My Mom dug up a big sapphire. Now that you mention it, I haven't seen a road-side area on an off highway in ages. Jeff, Exaaaaactly. Me two. Git it? I was going to blame Don. He hides behind a curtain and changes the letters to make us look like a bunch of boobs!

Roberta Perry Hughes		27-Jan-2008 01:00
Oh...! Here's yet ANOTHER long-gone road trip memory: Remember the side-of-the-road state-built "Roadside Parks," that were on our backroad HWYs, that featured cement picnic tables with built-on benches, either covered overhead, or al fresco, & with cement or grass underneath them, & with a big trash can nearby? The idea was to buy some sandwich fixin's, fruit, chips, sodas, & other picnic items of choice, in a store in a town you passed through, & stop there, at the Roadside Park to eat it, & enjoy the break from the road, walk the dog, etc. Due to the Interstates' Rest Areas, & drive-through fast food restaurants, these side-of-the-road Parks have disappeared. There's still one, however, down-the-road from where I live, & I just told my husband that we need to go there, & photograph it, while it's still intact. It's between Wrightsville & Dublin. Anyone else know of any of these places, that are still standing?

Jeff		27-Jan-2008 00:53
Roberta... You can still do a road trip... if you've received a Federal grant... at $3.00+ per gallon, that's what it would take. See the USA in your Chevrolet...but bring your Mastercard or Visa along... John... Of course I knew you were just kidding... "afftur awl, I'm a salf tawt typissed mishelf!" LOL! (I CAN spell... I just can't type...)

Roberta Perry Hughes		27-Jan-2008 00:44
John...re: road trips...you'll also remember the barn roofs, along the way, in Georgia, with "See Rock City," painted on them, & on the sides of the barns would be, like, "Cherro Cola", or "Dr. Pepper", or the Coca-Cola Sprite boy, or announcing a fair, or even a dance in town. Travelling advertisering sign makers would pay a farmer to use his barn for a billboard, back then, & there were many products hawked, even on silos, & the sides of general stores, that are no longer around, like Cardui tablets, & various tonics, & the now-defunct soft drink bottlers. Still, none of it could compare to our beloved neon signs, or the so-called "running" lights, or flood-lit billboards, that were all over the place, in Florida. Even so, it ALL made for an awesome & super-colorful road trip, & no DVD player was needed in the car, or van, nor MP3's or IPODs, to keep kids entertained. Remember all of the silly...(monotonous)...songs we'd sing on those trips? Even your parents joined in, as it helped to keep Dad on-the-road, 'til the nearest motel. I have (so far!) a total of 8 different "souvenir of Florida" scarves in my collection, made in Japan, that feature a map of the state, with all of the colorfully illustrated tourist attractions on them. NO Disney, & NO Cape Canaveral, & absolutely NOTHING, between Miami & Lake Okechobee, but the 'Glades!! These were sold at Stuckey's, & at other tourist stops along the way. One scarf features the Jai-Alai players, & one even has Theater of the Sea on it, in the FL keys! Always, are the Hialeah Race Track's horses, bathing beauties, flamingos, palm & coconut trees, & hibiscus flowers, & citrus fruit, Bok Tower, & even the Winter home for the circus people! They are real treasures!! I also collect vintage FL/Miami post cards, & state hankies.

John		26-Jan-2008 23:52
Arizona Al, Wow! That's fantastic. You made it big-time. I went to J'ville St Univ (majored in bio) after I got out. While there, I got an assist from a professor st NCSU. It was ref "grasspave" as a potential parking lot for a future field school JSU was planning at Little River Canyon near Ft. Payne. If I remember correctly, grasspave was born at NC State by some graduate students and their professors. That professor was very helpful; I can't recall who it was. I believe some of the orange bowl parking is the product of grasspave. Grasspave is/was the "environmental-friendly" answer to storm water runoff and erosion. Roberta, You brought back some fond memories writing about driving. My Dad drove us from Miami to camp up in the NC mountains a couple summers for 3 or 4 years. My Mom taught at Western Carolina one year....we drove. I remember the Himilayan kitties we had would lay on the back of the seat against Dad's neck while he was driving. The dogs came along too (2 dashunds sp). I-95 wasn't completed; we took the turnpike then 75 or whatever 75 was before then. I remember all the "Stuckey's" signs, i.e., 40 miles to Stuckey's, 30, then 20, 10, 1, 500 ft, 400 ft.......you get the picture? I learned every cuss word in the English language when my Dad drove through Macon, GA while (I assume) 75 was under construction. What a goat rope. Lastly, we took trips up the semi-eastern side of North FL, GA, SC, NC, on I believe Hwy 301 before I-95 was completed. Favorite stopping spot for us kids was Pedro's...."South of the Border". That place was magical for us. Anybody remember "I slept w/ Pedro"? Jeff, I was kidding on that of course. After I hit add comment I looked over my stuff.....it was ate up like a soup sandwich. I am a self taught typist and I stink at it. I have to watch the keys.

Guest		26-Jan-2008 22:36
Roberta: I ceratinly remember the Bar-B-Q stop in Clewston on many trips to Lake Okeechobbe in the late 50s and early 60s. The Burma Shave signs were dispersed along Highway 27. We used to refer to Highway 27 as the "poor man's turnpike" John: I do not recall the quarry in Lillington but had several fun times at the Neuse River. I am a Licensed Psychologist (North Carolina, Arizona) although I have not practiced since the mid 80s. I serve as Chief Clinical Officer to Arizona Health Care and Risk Management Clinical Consultant to its sister corporation in Raleigh, North Carolina. I return to North Carolina 1 week out of each month and spend the other 3 weeks in Arizona.Been doing this since 1995. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Roberta Perry Hughes		26-Jan-2008 22:17
Largo...Yes, I do believe that the Burma Shave signs were on HWY 27...(unless Jeff can interject with another locale)? LOL. What say you, Jefferino?? But, from what I read, on the 'Net, they were all across the U.S.A., & each geographical location sported different rhymes. Type it in, & hit search, or enter, & it will direct you to a '50's Web Site that I think you will enjoy. They even describe a road trip game that kids used to play, using the Burma Shave road signs. Too, there are a couple of Sites that lists several pages, of the Burma Shave rhymes, as seen in various parts of the country. They were a real hoot, weren't they? HWY 27 was like Route 66, & there were many of these types of HWY back roads, all across the Nation, back then. The young folk of today have no idea, how very lovely, & FUN, & laid-back a family road trip, or regular travel, could be...or even a business commute! Car trips were yet another way for families to bond with one another. It is sorely missing, in today's world, of rush! rush! rush! hurry-up-&-wait! we're-not-there, yet? I'm bored!, venue, of 100% impatience, bad attitudes, road rage, lead feet, get- behind-the-wheel-take-you-own-life-(& the lives of others)-in-your hands! For real. Travelling is stressful, today, even to just get to the Clinic, for appointments, or to go to the grocery store. It is flat-out life-threatening...& it scares the beejesus out of me! I'll do anything, to get out of travelling down U.S. 1...! (as a passenger, as I don't drive, anymore). Wouldn't it be great, to just be able to take one of those road trips, today...(the way it USED to be)...& take your kids & grands along, so they could see WHY we all miss it so much!? Wouldn't they all be astounded??!!

Jeff		26-Jan-2008 21:37
Charlis, my dear... you go ahead and believe Troy Shondell's story if you want to, but it's simply an urban legend. He was a one-hit wonder, and is trying to coat-tail on Tommy James' success. I've met many like that within the industry... no matter how nice and likable they were... I received my information from reputable sources, and Tommy might have copped the name "Shondell" from Troy's stage monier... but Troy had NOTHING to do with the band. Troy Shondell only made the Billboard Hot 100 three times... "This Time" went to #6, but his subsequent releases only went to 77 and 92 respectively... and those two chart entries were the A and B sides of a single issued in Dec. of 1961 (with the flip charting in January 1962). However, Tommy James and the Shondells charted 19 times - the lowest record making it way higher than Troy Shondell - Number 58. Tommy also charted 13 times as a solo artist. Combined Tommy had seven Top Ten hits, two Number Ones, and - if you use Top 40 as a guide... 17 entries into the Top 40. Troy Shondell was from Fort Wayne, Indiana... Tommy from Niles, Michigan. "Hanky Panky" was first released on a Tiny label called SNap - and as previous annotated - it ws just a regional recording until Bob Mack found it and persuaded Roulette Records to purchase the rights and re-release it. It was then that Tommy formed a new "Shondells". MONY is the business inintials for Mutual of New York, and Tommy has told that story about how he noticed the neon sign and found his inspiration there. Not trying to pick a fight, but I'm "Mr. Anal-Retentive Oldie Goldies Trivia"... Conversely, if I ever disseminate inforation that can be substantiated as being wrong, I'll be the FIRST to apologize and acknowledge the error... but in this case, all of the other stories are rumor, hearsay or urban legend. John: Touche... I'm a horrible typist, and I try to work TOO quickly at posting things... you caught me in another goof! PS: If anyone wants to see what Troy Shondell currently looks like now, his web site is: www.troyshondell.com----and guess what, Charlis???? His beio makes NO claim to anything about Tommy James and the Shondells!!!! (I'm NOT as dumb as I look!!!)

LARGO		26-Jan-2008 21:23
YES ! YES ! ROBERTA....THANKS....WHAT ABOUT JOANNES BURMA SHAVE SIGNS...?? WAS THAT THE ROUTE THEY WERE ON ?....OLD SOUTH BBQ...YUMMMMMM.....WE HAVE A CENTRAL & N. FLORIDA CHAIN OF BBQ HERE...SONNY'S BBQ....ALL HOMESTYLE..I THINK THEY ARE IN GEORGIA TOO.....PRETTY GOOD STUFF.....I AM NOW CRAVING A LARGE PORK BBQ SANDWICH WITH HOT BUTTERED CORN ON THE COB...HOME FRIES.....COLD FROSTY MUG OF BEER............AND A GASTRIC BYPASS ON THE SIDE...............AHHHHH...MEMORIES....LARGO

Roberta Perry Hughes		26-Jan-2008 21:03
Largo...John...Sounds like y'all are remembering the family-friendly HWY 27 route, & that barbecue place, in Clewiston, was Old South Barbecue Ranch. Our family also stayed at the neon-lit motels, that dotted that route, & ate either at the motel's restaurants, or at nearby truck stops, such as the ones in Haines City, & Avon Park. As a change, for some trips, Daddy would take the route to the RIGHT of Lake Okechobee, for a different string of towns & motels. Family vacations took us to the west coast, on the Gulf, to Tarpon Springs, where the (mostly) Greek folk were sponge divers, who also, dove for abalone...gorgeous shells!! There was a tourist attraction, too, over that way, called "Cars of Yesterday"...or was it "Yester Year"?? They had a marvelous huge Nickelodeon. Captivating!! Vacations to the Keys, over the Seven Mile Bridge, brought a whole new venue, of motels & eateries, & the (long gone) Theater of the Sea. Florida was just a Neon Wonderland, & with awesome flood-lit billboards, for the advertising of products, or to alert you to the tourist attractions, such as Weeki Wachee's mermaids, Homosassa Springs, & Silver Springs, & later, Six Gun Territory...remember THAT place (long gone, too). Motor trips were such fun, then, pre-Interstate travel, & the backroads & highways were the best...actually, the ONLY way to travel. (Remember Stuckey's, & other souvenir places, & shell shops, along the way??) I, too, am a Super Bowl-watcher, as is my husband. Favorite features are the commercials, & half-time..can't wait to see Tom Petty!! Haul out the recipes, for barbecue meat balls, cheese balls, & savory dips, & gather up the chips & crackers for same, & a supply of diet Mountain Dew!! Roberta...slowly recovering, in the CSRA, of the Empire State of the South: Georgia

LARGO		26-Jan-2008 20:51
WELL !.......IT'S BEEN RAINING SOFTLY HERE IN ST AUGGIE SINCE LAST NIGHT...SO FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AWHILE...I HAVE ENJOYED HERBAL TEA AND STAYED IN MY JAMS ALL DAY...(IT'S NICE, RARE) IT'S ONLY AROUND 3 P.M. AND I HAVE WORKED ON TAXES (YUCKS TO INFINITY!!!)PAYING BILLS & ANSWERING E-MAILS...CATCHING UP BASICALLY...........................JOHN!!!.......YOU KNOW HOW TO REALLY (sort of)...GET TO KNOW "BOYDS REGULARS"...AND TONS OF OTHER INDIVIDUALS AND MIAMI MEMORIES... AMAZINGLY SHARED AND MIRRORED IN MANY OF US ?? .......SCROLL ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL THE WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY DOWN TO THE VERYYYYYYYYYYYYY BOTTOM AN THATS (I THINK/ UNLESS DON HAS STORED SOME...DON WHEN DID THIS SITE OPEN???)......WHERE OUR SITES "MIAMI MEMORY LANE" STARTED...........DON THE ENTRY AT THE BOTTOM (BEGINNING..??) IS AUGUST '06.......WAS THAT THE FIRST ENTRY???.....AND IT REALLY IS INTERESTING TO GO BACK AND REREAD.........ESPECIALLY WHEN SOME OF US STARTED POPPING UP AND BEGAN GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER...........IT IS LIKE A TIME CAPSUL WE HAVE ALL FOUND TOGETHER...AND ARE SHARING, MEMORY BY MEMORY..THIS IS HUGE ! ......LARGO

John		26-Jan-2008 20:16
Arizona Al (AA), Did you ever make it to the rock quarry in Lillington (sp) while you were at NCSU? It was about half-way between Raleigh and Ft. Bragg I think, and one heckuva swimming hole. It later commercialized I heard. By the way, N.C. State was my favorite BB team, i.e., David Thompson, Monte Towe, etc., when they won the National Championship in 73 or 74? I later rooted for Jimmy V of course (RIP) during his magical season. Does anyone remember the Key Motel in the Grove, down across from Dinner Key....sort of? Run by a fine gentleman named Mr. Baum....very hairy arms as I remember. When we moved to Miami from Kodiak in 61, that's where we lived for quite some time while my folks shopped for a house in S. Dade. My Dad flew out of Dinner Key until his retirement (USCG) in 64. I thought the Key motel had a cool neon light, but I agree w/ LARGO.....I can still remember all the neon motel lights on the drive from Seattle (where our car was shipped from Kodiak) to Miami. Those were very magical memories We stopped at every imaginable place on the drive southeast. I was 5, nearly 6. A.A. Go Giants! I am a grumpy old man not unlike many of the old Dolphin cast. What is your major....(discipline)? Are you teaching out there?

LARGO		26-Jan-2008 17:52
JOANNE.....I SEEM TO REMEMBER THOSE "BURMA SHAVE" SIGNS ON ONE OF THE OLD BACK HIGHWAYS MY MOM & DAD TOOK HEADING NORTH TO VISIT RELATIVES IN THE SUMMER. I THINK THAT HWY WENT THRU (sp?) CLEWISTON, FLORIDA ?????....AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE WAS A GREAT (second only to SHORTY'S of course) BBQ PLACE AROUND THERE THAT THEY ALWAYS STOPPED FOR LUNCH. WE ALWAYS STAYED IN SOME NEAT LITTLE FAMILY RUN MOTEL THAT WAS LITERALLY SURROUNDED BY "NEON"...IT WAS MAGICAL TO A CHILD....(mom & dad in one double bed and all us kids piled in the other)....REGARDING NEON, THERE ARE SEVERAL SITES ON THAT MEDIUM AND OTHER SINAGE ART...JUST GOOGLE...THEY HAVE SHORT DEMONSTRATION CLIPS ETC. WHEN I LIVED IN S. MIAMI WE HAD SOME WONDERFUL AND INTERESTING NEIGHBORS ACROSS THE STREET. HIS NAME WAS SALVATORE BOSCO AND HE WAS A WONDERFULLY CREATIVE ARCHITECT...HIS OFFICES WERE IN THE OLD DUPONT BUILDING. SAL'S WIFE DOROTHY BOSCO, WAS A WONDERFUL VISUAL ARTIST...PAINT, CLAY, EVEN NEON LATER IN THE 80'S....................LARGO

Guest		26-Jan-2008 15:59
John: I left Miami in 1969 and went to Raleigh, N.C. where I attended N.C. State University 1969-1977(BA, MS, Ph.D.) I certainly recall WQDR Radio which most all of us radical students listened to as opposed to the very conservative at the time, N.C. State College Radio Station. I also recall that during that time Jesse Helms was a news reporter of some sort on the local Raleigh television station. The world is definately flat! Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and waiting for the Super Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona

charlis		26-Jan-2008 14:45
jeff and roberta... Troy and the Shondells... Troy had plenty to do with the band named the Shondells. That was the name of his band when he recorded "This Time". However, Troy did not record as "Troy Shondell and the Shondells", but only under his name. Tommy liked Troy and named his band after Troy. As to Mony Mony... yes, it had to do with the building and the "ticker"... The MONY on the ticker did not stand for Mutual of New York... According to Troy the ticker had something to do with MONEY and the E was missing... a blank space between the N and the Y. Tommy and his band were working on the song and were hung up with one part, looked out the window of the hotel they were in, and kept looking out the window and seeing the "mon_y" going around the ticker. Darn it! Now I can't get the song out of my head. Heading out to do errands. With my luck the song will be on the radio! It was the last song I heard in the elevator as I was leaving work last night.

John		26-Jan-2008 12:47
Good morning All! Jeff, Excellent, but add "listing" to the typo list....it's listening!! And I believe there's one more doo at the end of that Romeo & Juliet stanza? I keep singing it and I get four doos. I knew what you meant to put. I think I used to play DJ in the 60s. Probably Rick Shaw. When I left for the Army in late 72, my first duty station was Ft. Bragg, NC. I was an MP. We all listened to rock and there was a great station out of Raleigh I think called WQDR. That station had the coolest news. I think it was called "The Source". They talked about the wierdest stuff.....not wars or robberies, or politics, etc. It was probably syndicated all over to toher stations....not sure. Point is, the news guy was a fellow named C.D. Jakeo (sp). Well, I watch news here in Rolla, MO over the Dish Network. Our local stations come out of St. Louis. CD is still around and he does special reports for the St. Louis Fox affiliate, but now goes by Charles Jakeo (sp). N ot sure if anyone ever hear of CD.

Jeff		26-Jan-2008 04:18
You've been listing to all oldies, all the time on WRPH with Roberta Perry Hughes! W-R-P-H.... 20/20 twin spin! Yes, plenty of chatter with the platters that matter for you cool kids and keen teens out there in Radioland. Here's won that's been steadily climbing the charts even since WRPH made it a Pick Hit just a week ago... It's the Reflections with "Just Like Romeo and Juliet"... .........Get me a job tomorrow morning.... 'cause there's somthing' I gotta do.... gonna find something to ride in...take my baby datin' at the drive-in... our love's gonna be written down in history.... just llike Romeo and Juliet - doo-doo-doo..............

Roberta Perry Hughes		26-Jan-2008 02:11
AH...! "...Since you've gone I find that I Only live from day-to-day..." That right, Jeff??

Roberta Perry Hughes		26-Jan-2008 01:12
Plus..."My heart is broken now But it doesn't matter, anyhow..." And there's where I draw a blank! And the rest of the chorus is...???

Roberta Perry Hughes		26-Jan-2008 01:09
Jeff..."This time we're really breaking up This time there'll be no making up This time's for all the time...how about this time? This time there'll be no good-night kiss This time it's forever This time I find that I'm Really losing you!..." One of my favorite...(all-but-forgotten)...songs! Thanks, for the memory jog!

Jeff		26-Jan-2008 00:35
OK... it's time to straighten out both Charlis AND Roberta... Troy Shondell sang "This Time". He had NOTHING to do with Tommy James and the Shondells... The original group hailed from Niles, Michigan. After they recorded "Hanky Panky" the record went nowehere on its little label and the group disbanded. A DJ (or promoter) named Bob Mack heard the record and brought it to Morris Levy of Roulette Records in New York. After a long search, they finally located the then-16-year-old Tommy James (Jackson) and brought him to New York to record. Unfortunately, the original group was scattered to the wind, so Tommy formed a new "Shondells". After a number of successes he was standing on the terrace of his New York apartment, trying to come up with a new idea for a song. As he turned, he spotted the Mutual of New York building with it's large MONY neon sign and the rest, as they say, is history. By the way... myself and my long-time friend Larry Stang (a local singer and second cousin to character actor Arnold Stang) went out with Tommy and his wife Lynda (and their band) for Italian food after they finished their gig at the Newport's 7 Seas Lounge one evening, and we alled played "music trivia". Larry was doing a solo gig in the small "Rhum Room" at the time...

charlis		26-Jan-2008 00:18
roberta... partially correct on the MONY thing.... yes, it did involve that sign... I looked up what the story was... my version came straight from Troy Shondell. I actually got to sing with him on stage. Troy actually helped the friend who introduced us to record some music at his, Troy's, Nashville recording studio. Troy was great...

Roberta Perry Hughes		26-Jan-2008 00:05
Charlis...I cheated, & looked it up, & saw where they wanted to use the name of a girl, in the song's title, but couldn't think of one. They were up all night, on "speed," & one of them spied the neon sign, for Mutual of New York, hence: m-o-n-y, & decided that it sounded like a girl's name, & they doubled it, as in "Yummy Yummy," or "Sugar Sugar," or "Chewy Chewy."

Roberta Perry Hughes		25-Jan-2008 23:57
Joanne...re: your new printer/scanner...when all else fails, read your intructions! I hauled out my hp 3-way's manual, & taught myself the "how to" business, of scanning & sending images! That's how I was able to send the images in the 1930's Gallery of my grandfather & the Fowey Rocks Light! Had absolutely NO ONE, to come & take me by the hand, to show me how, & I wanted Don to include those images, so badly, to pay tribute to my late grandfather, & to give a bit of Miami history, too, of "our" light house. Once you get the hang of scanning & sending, there will be no stopping you! I'm sure you have many images to share with all of us, & I am sooooo looking forward to them!! ..."Git 'er done!!!..."

Roberta Perry Hughes		25-Jan-2008 23:45
Charlis...my hubby said that the speed limit was lower, than I had it, that it was 50 mph in daylight, & 45 mph at night. Glad you posted, to support my memory of this phenomenon, of the sign dropping 5 mph, like magic, when the high beams hit it. As I only just now had posted, I was a very impressionable child, & unusual sights, or events, are still embedded in my gray matter...most especially, all things Miami!!

charlis		25-Jan-2008 23:40
jeff... neon signs... did your research? or remembered what our old boss taught us? ;-) Here's a good bit of trivia for you about signs... nah... I'll put it into a question form for you. Where did the Shondells get the idea for the name for a song called "mony mony"? And... has anyone figured out the name of that restaurant?

Joanne		25-Jan-2008 23:38
Roberta...I remember those changing speed signs. We used to blink back and forth from low to high beams to try and get them to change. I also remember the old "Burma Shave" signs but where I saw them is a mystery. Maybe driving out Hwy 27 or 90. Speaking of lights, my favorites were the airport runways at night with the jets coming in overtop of where you parked. Or the bridge lights at night with boats going underneath. Miami was magical at night. Roberta...you may not be too far from me since I'm in Tallahassee. What town are you in? I attended Girl Scout camp one summer up in Sebring. Any other ladies spend time there? Ted...Where in Houston do you live? I spent many years there(ex husband still there) in the Memorial area, Bellaire and up in Spring and The Woodlands. I set up my new printer today and discovered I have a scanner on it. Don...I'll send some pics to you after I figure out how to use it. Joanne Copp Palmetto 75 Now with Charlie Crist. (ha ha)

Roberta Perry Hughes		25-Jan-2008 23:37
Jeff...OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...!! I like those "balck" denim trousers the best!! Alan...I'd have been more drawn to YOUR type, than to the "Ivy League/Preppie" types, who were the male counter-parts, of the "snooty" charm-bracelet-wearing-cheerleader-type-teenage-queens, reeking of Tabu cologne. There was more of an attraction, to the "...boys your mother warned you about..." rather than to the milk-and-cookies-Pat Boone-type boys. I guess it was the allure of the "forbidden." The older brother of my brother's friend owned & rode a maroon-colored Indian motorcycle. His name is Bruce LaBonte, & my brother's friend, Pete, is married to my cousin Francis (Perry). Pete couldn't believe I remembered Bruce's bike! (I was easily impressed, by the unusual, or the extreme).

charlis		25-Jan-2008 23:36
roberta... I remember those signs! When I first saw them... happened to catch one as it changed, I screamed. My father was driving and he nearly lost control of the car!

Jeff		25-Jan-2008 22:31
That SHOULD be "BLACK Denim Trousers"... (Grumble, grumble...friggin' bad typing!!!@#!!/%!!!!)

Jeff		25-Jan-2008 22:30
Arizona Al: "Well he never washed his face and he never combed his hair...he had axle grease embedded underneath his fingernails. On the muscle of his arm was a bold tatoo - a picture of a heart saying 'Mother, I Love You'..." We can take this song all the way to the end... but dig this: The host of the 70's TV show "Tattle Tales" - the late Bert Convey - was a member of The Cheerswho sang "Balck Denim Trousers"], as was composer/arranger Perry Botkin, Jr. (example: "Nadia's Theme" a/k/a the theme from "The Young and the Restless")...

Guest		25-Jan-2008 20:46
Jeff: "He had a hot rod cycle that took off like a gun. That fool was the terror of Highway 101."Unfortunately I do not have any pictures from my hoodlum days. However, for the record, I rode an Indian Motorcycle to Palmetto High in 1964. I was not the favorite of the T-Bird, Vette, and Porsche set at at the very jocular and preppy Palmetto high School the time. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well and currently riding a Harley Dyna Wide Glide in Phoenix, Arizona

Jeff		25-Jan-2008 20:04
Roberta, that's a first for me! I never knew of those "magic" speed limit signs... Wow! Where are they when we need them now? Arizona Al... C'mon, "Ridge Rat"... you've GOTTA have a pic of yourself all greased up and decked out just the Cheers song from 1956: "He wore black denim trousers and motorcycle boots and a black leather jacket with an eagle on the back"... leaning against your hot rod in some cool location that's now long gone... This site NEEDS one "classic 50's hood" photo on it!

Jeff		25-Jan-2008 20:04
Roberta, that's a first for me! I never knew of those "magic" speed limit signs... Wow! Where are they when we need them now? Arizona Al... C'mon, "Ridge Rat"... you've GOTTA have a pic of yourself all greased up and decked out just the Cheers song from 1956: "He wore black denim trousers and motorcycle boots and a black leather jacket with an eagle on the back"... leaning against your hot rod in some cool location that's now long gone... This site NEEDS one "classic 50's hood" photo on it!

Guest		25-Jan-2008 16:11
Joanne-K: Well that explains it! If Martha Brown was a cheerleader she would not have known a hood such as myself at Palmetto High in 1964. The cheerleaders, jocks and the plethora of preppies considered us as undesireable at best. Funny thing though, the hoods from Palmetto 1964 that I keep up with are all successfull professionals or business owners or financially secure retirees in 2008.( Terry Stewart, Butch Childers,Vaughn Stinson, Nathan Levy and Ron Valentine) Alan Ogus, Ph.D.Alive and well and semi retired in Phoenix, Arizona

Jo-Anne K		25-Jan-2008 16:11
charlis- another young lady I went to camp with went to Beach around your time, her name was Deborah Layne. The maiden name sure explained the initials on the tree at Greynolds. John- Blue Star was a HUGH camp several people I went to Norland with went there. My permanent residence is actually just outside of Asheville, NC but I never get home much with my job. Jeff- I remember Nebas on Young Circle (The Banshell as we called it), on the SE corner was a LUMS and on the SW corner back in the 50's was a Polly Davis Cafeteria that had the best tapioca pudding in the world. Don- I'll be the one with the LOUDEST flowered bell-bottoms, long hair and no bra (giggle, giggle).

Ted Baida		25-Jan-2008 14:56
Unbelieveable pix! Born at Jackson Memorial in '44 in Miami I recognize so many of the images. A lot of good memories there. Living in Houston since the mid-70's it was nice visiting Miami a few years ago. The changes were enormous and so much more crowded. The good old days are missed. Hi to all my friends from Shenandoah's Elem and Jr. High and Miami High, of course. Sure miss the Hickory House on Coral Way. Their ribs beat the Texas BBQ I have had over the last 35-years. My mouth waters for 3 Royal Castle burgers, birch beer and a honey bun (52 cents), corned beef sandwiches from Wolfie's, Pumpernick's and the Rascal House. And REAL Krispy Kreme's, when they were big and cheap. Go Stings!

Roberta Perry Hughes		25-Jan-2008 06:50
Jeff...WOW!! I would have LOVED to have seen that neon car with turning wheels at the Miami Drive-In!! Don't we wish that camcorders were around, back in the day, to have videoed all of our fantastic neon sights of yore!! And the "motel rows" with their individual identifyning neon signs, & "Vacancy," too. Highway 27, the family friendly route to take, when traveling north, was like a version of Route 66, with motels, & truck stops, & signs like, "Eat...Get Gas." Closest I've seen to it is in the clay-mation movie, "Cars," which is awesome, when the "car" characters re-vamp their town, called "Radiator Springs." I know it's a kid's movie, but it is soooooooo delightful, & you'd love it, for the neon-lit town! No problem, looking up something, to learn the facts. I'm up, as usual, tonight, still a bit under-the-weather, which is dropping to the 'teens. Trying soooo hard, to stay out of the hospital...not my favorite place. I, too, enjoyed your described process of how neon signs are made. Boy! That sounds like a very artistic profession, involving many aspects, for the total sum. Would have loved to watch the artisan at work. Bird Bowl is in my (former) side of town. My cousin, Mary Johnson, & her daughters & granddaughters, bowl there, often. (Mary is Joe Perry's sister. Joe posts on here, once in a while; Mary generously sent me the photocopies of our grandfather, Hamilton Sharpe Perry, & of Fowey Rocks Light, where he was a Keep, to share with everyone...see the 1930's Galleries). Remember the large, wonderful round neon clock on the wall, inside the darkened movie theater?? I was enamored by it, too! Like I said, anything neon, & I was just totally captivated by it! You would have loved the Fisk Tire billboard, Jeff! That darling little touseled headed blond toddler, in his baby blue footie pajamas, yawning, was even more adorable than the Coppertone girl! Does anyone else remember this billboard? Here's a memory for you: remember when the speed limit sign would magically change, from 55 mph, which was for daylight hours, to 50 mph, when the car's headlights hit it after sundown?

Jeff		25-Jan-2008 05:51
Roberta... Thanks for playing detective on those two famous icons... Joyce Ballantyne Brand ws either working for - or commissioned by Tally Embry Advertising to develop the advertising campaign for Plough. Obviously, many of these facts have been lost to time. Since we've been on the subject of advertising and neon signs... here's a few tidbits to mull over... The entrance to the E. M. Loew's Miami Drive-In on 79th Street and NW 7th Avenue had a neon sign of a car, and the wheels "turned" thanks to multiple layers of neon. Likewise the AMF bowling "mechanical man" on the side of Bird Bowl. My late friend - Al Eckhardt of Allied Signs - was then working for Tropicalites (later Bengis Associates). He made the original patterns for the sheet metal and neon workers who fabricated the "Bird Bowl" letters and "mechanical man" neon... Al also made the original pattern for the Burger King pole signs which featured the "king on a bun"... How about the [original] script Sears sign on the roof of the Biscayne Boulevard Sears on 14th Street? The Fun Flair "pennants" sign? How about all of the great signage along "Motel Row" in Sunny Isles?

Jeff		25-Jan-2008 05:42
Parks, I'm so glad you enjoyed my little tutorial on sign animation. The same "pin box" was also applied to neon signs as well. Neon signs are made by following a pattern transferred in reverse onto a heat-resistant surface and bending a glass tube [while it is heated] into forming letters, words or shapes. An electrode is sealed into one side of a tube of neon glass and then an expert glass bender follows the pattern precisely, including the "bend-backs" - which are the twists you see in neon to form complex shapes. For example, in a simple sign (such as "Open"), a straight line starts the sign, then the "O" is curved and the tube is then bent back, across and up to start the "P". Without getting too technical, that's how it's done. In single letters (such as in metal channels), neon can be bend into double or triple rows for effect. When a longer length is neded for a particular job, the glass is welded together through heating to make longer tubes. Once the tube has been formed, the neon gas (sometimes mixed with argon or other inert gases to form different colors when the gas is heated) is pumped in, and is sealed off with another electrode on that end. After the sign is installed, a power transformer (rated for the length of the neon tubing utilized) is hooked up to the sign, along with a "pin box" [if necessary]. The sign is then complete. Much of this I learned on my own because of my fascination with lettering and signage, but a great deal was taught to me by the late Al Eckhardt - my good friend for 18 years - and the owner of Allied Signs.

Roberta Perry Hughes		25-Jan-2008 05:39
Jeff...& fellow Posters...Anna Turner Cook was the original Gerber baby, & appears on that Site's 75th Anniversary. Joyce Ballantyne Brand, who died May 18, 2006, was the artist who, in 1959, painted the famous Coppertone ad, of the blond little girl, having her swimsuit bottoms tugged down by a puppy, thereby revealing her tan line. The artist's own daughter, Cheri Brand Irwin, was the model for the advertisement's painting. I got curious, & looked up both of these people, to solve the "mystery" as to their respective identities, once & for all. Hope this clears it up for everyone.

John		25-Jan-2008 03:30
Don, I have a great link to a short 60s audio-video I just received. I think some of the folks here would enjoy it, but I won't post it unless given a green light by you. All, Most of the bio stuff on me is listed below on 13 Jan +/- when I lucked out on discovering this God-send site. Largo, St. Augustine? My younger sister just moved out of there to TN < a year ago. Small world. The 60s hurricanes were good family time for sure. We rode out Cleo and Betsy huddled around a transistor radio while living in S. Dade a couple blocks from Suniland Park off S. Dixie Hwy (U.S. 1). Yard clean-up was no fun afterwards. Arizona Al I don't remember the Par Tee Lounge, but it sounds like fun. I went in the Army barely at 18, so I never did get much nightlife out of Miami unless I came back on leave. I did doctor up my "red" FL drivers license when I went to the Super Bowl in N.O. in Jan 72 (Mia-Dal). I was 17 and had the time of my life. Neon signs, Gosh there were a bunch of cool signs. One I remember was an "Eat Meat" or something like that sign at a butcher shop somewhere around S. Dixie in the Palmetto area. I remember the banjo or guitar neon sign that hung at the Dixie Drive-in and the palm trees at the Tropicair (sp) Drive-in.

Parks Masterson, Gables 68		25-Jan-2008 03:09
Jeff, Thanks for the info on how signs are animated. I love good neon. The best neon in Miami that I know of is on Allen's Drug Store on the corner of Bird and Red. The last time I saw it, it needed work. I hope they don't take it down. There's also a good neon billfish in the window of a fish store on Grand Avenue in the Grove. Does anyone know of other neon in Miami? Neon has become more than just signs, it's an art form. The University of Texas at Arlington offers a neon course and a glass blowing course in their art department.

Jeff		25-Jan-2008 02:36
Don... I can be patient in regard to the posting of the photo I sent you. Lord knows, you have a lot to do regarding this site. By the way, Don... I'm sure you already have done so... but if not... once you've transferred all of your photo images to the external drives... make backup CD's... in duplicate (if possible). It may be redundant... but it's a sure-fire way to protect yourself against any loss if something crashes... No doubt you're way ahead of me on this... but I also offer this suggestion to any posters out there who love to save old images, emails, favorite recipes, etc.

Jeff		25-Jan-2008 02:27
Another poster ID comes me... Jeff Levine, a South Florida resident since 1963 (so Roberta, I'm aftraid I don't remember those earlier neon signs of the 1950's). Barely graduated Beach High in the Summer of 1970 (after dropping out for a spell in my senior year, then returning to summer school to get my act together). Charlis... Many people have claimed to be the Coppertone or Gerber babies. The REAL Gerber baby was interviewed on TV some years ago... I believe she was from the Midwest. I've heard a few people swear black and blue that THEY were the Coppertone girl. The closest story that sounds credible is that it was either the daughter of Tally Embry (Tally Embry Advertising, Embry-Riddle Avaition,Tally Embry Ford) or one of his employees. His agency had the Plough account (the original manufacturers of Coppertone). Does anyone remember the ORIGINAL logo/mascot? It was a profile of an Indian chief and the motto "Don't be a paleface"... Roberta... You're a woman after my own heart. Well-made and classy neon signs were always (to me) a joy to see. As a youngster on South Beach in the Mid-60's, I used to lean against one of the flagpoles at the foot on Lincoln Road Mall (at Washington Avenue) and look Eastward toward Wolfie's Restaurant on Collins Avenue. Their sign has a combination of neon and "chasing bulbs" - that's a sign shop term for bulbs that light up in a designated pattern... The sign would light up one row at a time - from the bottom up - then reverse the process (row after row turning off from the top down)... then repeat the lighting-up of the rows, "sparkle" (bulbs turning on and off in what looked like a random pattern), go totally dark... then the process would repeat over and over. What a fun light show that was... Here's a technical secret on "how they did that"... Similar to a music box, a special rotating disc is used with pins placed in designated sections of the flat disc. As the disc revolves, the pins come into contact with a metal conductor. This acts as a switch to turn the light bulbs on and off. This is how you get row-by-row, sparkle, "running" lines or arrows and on and off displays. However, "news boards" such as inTimes Square or on the Goodyear blimp were done with a punch tape (similar to a ticker tape). As the tape ran over various pins, the lights would go on and off (or run messages of text or patterns in various directions). That's all for Signmaking 101 this evening. Study pages 33-60 in Chapter 17 on how to bend neon tubing. A test will be given tomorrow... LOL!

Don Boyd		25-Jan-2008 02:15
Wow, a lot of comments today! Thanks everyone. The more I read in the comments the more I remember and that's a good thing at this ripe age of 60. Charlis: this is a photo hosting site so there are no automated signatures, sorry. The comment about maiden name/last name, high school and year, was really directed at newcomers who post and wouldn't mind hearing from old acquaintances who discover the site. It is entirely optional but recalling someone is a lot easier with a maiden name/last name, high school and year of graduation. Jo-Anne: the duplicated postings are a bug in the PBase site software - it happens to all of us and I just delete one of them when I notice it. It's not your fault. And from one who loved to see all the hippie chicks at Greynolds many years ago, welcome! I may have a photo of you back then somewhere in the boxes. Durango is gorgeous so good luck on your move there. For others who have contributed images recently (Roberta, Jeff and someone new) and not seeing them appear on the site: I'm in the middle of arranging, transferring and backing up tens of thousands of photo files (historical plus my aviation stock photos) around from my old PC to new external drives so I can install a new PC without losing anything. Another day or two and I'll be back to work on the oldie photos. There's some good ones coming up soon. Don

John		25-Jan-2008 02:12
Hi All! JoAnne K, You are about 149 miles from my house +/-. I'm in Rolla......pronounced RawLa. This place is very "rural", Ozark woods and critters all over the place. I went to Our Lady of the Hills (OLH) near Hendersonville I think from around 67-69. It was a wonderful Catholic Summer Camp although there were many non-Catholics that attended too. Many/most of the campers were from Miami or spots in FL. I remember Camp Bluestar, a Jewish Camp in NC, and even ran into some cute Bluestar girls on a campout trip during one of the summer sessions up there. P.S. 4 degrees forecasted here tonight :(

charlis		24-Jan-2008 23:58
Roberta... ove the "moved to a farming community" comment. When I moved up to the Tampa area... it was a farming community... not any more. Farms are disappearing rapidly as construction takes over. There is one good thing about the problems in florida... over developement and so many homes up for sale... it's slowed the developement! We used to be known for our strawberries and Ruskin tomatoes... huge juicy tomatoes... that we could go out and pick at certain farms... not any more. The farms are disappearing and the famous Ruskin tomatoes are now grown in the Carolina's! You can take the girl out of Ohio, but you can't take the Ohio out of the girl! I miss the rural areas of my youth.

charlis		24-Jan-2008 23:53
per Don's request... maiden name was Suzanne Strawser aka Charli. Married name is Slingbaum. Graduated Miami Beach in 1967. Don... any way this info could be automated when we post? Something like a signature that you do when doing email.

charlis		24-Jan-2008 23:43
jeff... the restaurant was on the south side of the street. I loved your mention of Coppertone. Remember Ms. Rasmussen? She was the first baby... or was that gerber foods? Can't remember... but I do remember that she was a regular at Mr. Kope's parties... and that she caused problems when the biology books came out that showed body parts... she had her 2 daughters take all the books assigned to the classes and "black out" certain pics before the schoool year started.

Roberta Perry Hughes		24-Jan-2008 23:32
Jeff...Seems like there was another favorite neon sign in Miami, ("somewhere") of a red-outlined Pegasus, for Mobile Oil, & it was 3 images, maybe more, where he looked like he was flying across the billboard. Where was that?? Anyone remember?? Do you remember the Fisk Tire billboard? It was in the early '50's, as was the Pegasus Mobile Oil neon-in-motion sign. I never realized the drastic changes that Lady Bird brought about, for the billboards that I loved, as a child. By then, I was living in GA, & rural GA just never had the glorious signs/billboards, that I am recalling, that were in the Greater Miami area, in the '50's. Maybe they had them in Atlanta, but not in SWGA, where I lived. (Nearest "big" town was Albany). I lived in a farming community, after we left Miami. Shoot, I was so fond of neon signs, I even liked the one for the 7-11 store! HA!! And that was later on, after h.s., & my return to Miami! Movie marquis were a marvel unto themselves, & the Drive-In theaters, all lit up at night, too...especially Tropicaire Drive-In, with their palm trees. There were night club signs or lounge signs, with a neon cocktail glass, with bubbles in it & a swizzle stick, or a bottle of spirits. Restaurants, & even grocery stores, had their own neon signs going on, & most of the service stations, of course. Las Vegas' neon is a bit "overkill" (ya think??). But 1950's Miami's neon was "just right." I loved those lit-up night time sights!!

charlis		24-Jan-2008 23:25
jeff... Mr. Blumstein... I had Mr. Rosenfeld for French... he was from S America and taught Spanish also. His french had a spanish accent! My mother was invited to the class many times to speak to the students during the years I was at Beach.

charlis		24-Jan-2008 23:19
so many posts today! Roberta... glad you are back. The restaurant mentitoned is not the one I am talking about... it wasn't that far west and the name wasn't that long. Another friend, who has retired, knew the name when we talked about the great food there when he went to Miami on business.

Jo-Anne Kirby		24-Jan-2008 22:45
John- I went to Camp Perry in Vilas, NC. Started going there in 1963. By the way I'm in Clifton Hill, MO but will only be here for two more weeks before I go to Durango, CO for another job. Blues Image- Ride Captain Ride Arizona Al- Martha Brown was a cheerleader (I was a hippie) and we didn't have anything in common but being at the same camp. Just for you Don ....because this site is like being home again (or young again) Jo-Anne Kirby (and that is my maiden name). Miami-Norland Class of 70, I graduated at the age of 16 so born in 1954, Dania, FL. Grew up in NMB starting in the fifth grade, surfed Sunny Isles and Haulover, hung out on Collins & 163rd (there was a Nebas Roast Beef on that corner) and was at Greynold Park on Sundays if there were no waves which was most of the time in So FL.

Don Boyd		24-Jan-2008 19:57
Thanks Paula. People might not take the time to try and figure out if they knew you just based on year of birth, first name and where you grew up. It's always nice to hear from folks who you knew way back when and haven't heard from in 20 to 50 years. People who don't want anyone to know who they are just use the "guest" label and nothing more. That was a "guest" whose comments I moved from the wrong page to this page who asked if you knew his or her cousins, the Lithgow brothers. My wife knows Don Lithgow's wife and they now live up in Ponte Verde Beach upstate near Jacksonville. Don

Jeff		24-Jan-2008 19:26
LOOK OUT PEOPLE! Jeff's typing is getting ahead of his brain again... In the previous message these typos occured: Red Fox Inn, not "in"... ...type of signs... not "sign"... Lady Bird Johnson's beautification program... not "problem"... Sinclair station... not "Sincair" LOL! Spell checker, where art thou?

Jeff		24-Jan-2008 19:22
Roberta... La Lechonera is NOT the restaurant I went to in 1964-65. The one I recall was just off of downtown Miami. The Red Fox in is long gone, along with all of those wonderful neon sign. As a graphic artist/type designer I have a love for that kind of signage... but Lady Bird Johnson's roadway beautification problem minimized the amount of outdoor billboards. While I can understand that cause and effect, I still resent communities who have this gung-ho need to over-restrict signage (such as North Miami, North Miami Beach, Bal Harbour, Surfside) to the point where it deprives the store owners of the First Amendment right of free speech in being able to advertise themselves properly. While sign clutter CAN be tacky, I think it's up to a consortium of business people to self-regulate - NOT a local, state or Federal government... In today's world, the big Coppertone sign on the side of the McAllister Hotel, Dino the Dinosaur (with his bobbing head) alongside the Sincair station on Biscayne Boulevard... even the Burdine's giant neon Santa or the cobra outside of the Serpentarium are illegal because of various and sundry regulations. As my late friend (Al Eckhardt of Allied Signs) used to say... they worry more about size regulations than aesthetics. You can put up a crappy-looking sign that's legal, but go just one square inch over the limit on a beautiful, professionally-designed sign and down it comes! The worst part of it is... WE are the ones who vote the people into office who appoint the "enforcers" to over-regulate us, and then we follow like sheep!!! I've often said that Communism is alive and well and living in our government offices! Bring back the "waterfall" on Publix stores, the Pabst Blue Ribbon sign on the roof of the Singer Building and the Coppertone girl!!!!!! (OK - I'm off my soapbox now!) LOL!

Paula (Peterson) Rappaport		24-Jan-2008 19:09
Sorry - Email: Koolbowler300@hotmail.com

Paula (Peterson) Rappaport		24-Jan-2008 19:08
Don, I went to St. Rose of Lima until 8th Grade, graduated Madonna Academy in 1976. I know of Lithgow Funeral Homes, but don't think I remember them. Where did they live? I lived on 93rd and N. E. 9th Avenue. You can email me privately, if you wish.

Don Boyd		24-Jan-2008 18:46
Paula and other visitors: it would really help folks viewing this site if you would put your maiden name or last name, and the high school you graduated from and the year you graduated or would have graduated, etc. Don

Don Boyd		24-Jan-2008 18:38
Guest posted: Guest 24-Jan-2008 15:24 Paula, maybe you remember my cousins, Dal and Don Lithgow who also lived in the Shores?

Don Boyd		24-Jan-2008 18:37
Paula posted: Paula 24-Jan-2008 14:33 Unbelievable website. I was born at Hialeah Hosp. 10/1958, grew up in Miami Shores and remember a lot of all of these places. I bowled in every bowling house in the county in the early 70's. I know I have a ton of pictures in my parents albums to contribute as they were married here in 1957 and raised our family here.

Don Boyd		24-Jan-2008 18:35
Stephen Chase posted this: Stephen Chase scchase61@netzero.com 20-Jan-2008 18:58 Great website! Grew up in both NW Miami and Hialeah. Born Hialeah Hosp. 10/1961. Lived at 3905 NW 9th Ave, Miami and then 630 E 10th Ave Hialeah. Anyone remember McCurdy's store on NW 36th Street? How about Met Drugs lunch counter in Hialeah on E 8th Ave & 9th Street? Went to Santa Clara Elem, Gladeview Elem, Brownsville Jr High, Miami Springs Sr High. I had a WQAM Tiger transistor radio, bowled at Hialeah Lanes, swam at Babcock pool in Hialeah, and watched The Mole People movie one night at Moore Park on NW 36th Street....on and on.

LARGO		24-Jan-2008 18:06
JOHN...and whomever....as some of you already know, I AM IN ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA...NORTH LOW COUNTRY...I AM ON ANASTASIA ISLAND... SKIPPING DISTANCE BETWEEN THE MATANZAS RIVER (WEST)...AND THE CHANGABLE ATLANTIC (EAST)...(I still skip sometimes) IT CAN GET COLD (FROST)..BUT NOT SO MUCH NEAR THE WATER....I WAS RAISED IN MIAMI FROM AGE 2 TO AGE 20...I HAVE LIVED IN E. TN., N. CAROLINA, FT, LAUDERDALE ,SEATTLE, WA....BUT!..MY HEART HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN FLORIDA.....I LEFT TENNESSEE IN '04...A BIG OLE 6K SQ. FT. FARMHOUSE RESTORED TO A B&B...........TO 1,000 SQ. FT..... FOR MY DAUGHTER, GRANDSON, AND THE WATER...AND THE OLD VILLAGE HERE...AND THE DEEP CULTURAL FLAVORS...IT WAS CATHARTIC TO GET RID OF SO MUCH STUFF.....MY FIRST SEASON BACK IN '04 WAS WHEN THE ONE AFTER ANOTHER, HURRICANES DANCED ALL AROUND US......ALL THE SURVIVAL INSTINCTS THAT MY PARENTS TAUGHT US AS YOUNGSTERS KICKED RIGHT IN ...LIKE RIDING A BIKE. THE THING IS, WE ARE SO MUCH CLOSER TO ESCAPE ROUTES UP HERE...AND IF A MONSTER,ie: ANDREW, KATRINA...ARE AT ALL PREDICTED..WE...THE FAMILY, CRITTERS AND PHOTOS, DOCUMENTS AND COMPUTERS, ARE OUTTA HERE!!!!!!!!.......HOWEVER...A "SUNAMI."...JUST SAY YOUR PRAYERS. IN MIAMI GROWING UP, WE JUST HUNKERED DOWN AND RODE THE STORMS OUT...MOST MIAMIANS DID...WE HAD OUR TUBS FILLED, COLEMAN CAMP STOVES AND LAMPS.....CARDS AND BOARD GAMES...CANNED FOOD, THE SURVIVORS STAPLE...PNUT BUTTER...........AND DADS OLD GENERATOR WELDED TO A GOCART CHASSY..... TO PLUG INTO THE FRIDGE & FREEZER...WHERE ALL THE YEARS CATCH OF SEAFOOD... (ESPECIALLY SPINEY LOBSTERS FROM THE KEYS)... WE WERE IN HEAVEN......kids were fearless back then!............OUR FAMILY REALLY GOT CLOSER DURING THOSE STORMS...DUHHHH...NO TELEVISION!!!!! now people that can buy generators just for the t.v..... pssttt! I think mother nature is trying to tell us something...pass it on. ANYWAY THOSE OF YOU WHO WENT THRU THE STORMS AS KIDS IN S. FLORIDA KNOW WHAT I MEAN....BLIZZARDS I CAN DO WITHOUT. PEACE OUT, LARGO

Roberta Perry Hughes		24-Jan-2008 15:51
My late Aunt Maurine Williams (once, was Maurine Nixon; then, back to Williams) was a teacher in the Dade County school system. Don't remember what grade she taught, but I THINK it was elementary school (?). She was also a very good artist. Her son, my cousin, Lawrence Carroll Williams, & his wife, Mary Lee Williams, were also in the Dade County school system. They lived & taught in Cutler Ridge. I think Carroll taught high school, & Mary was a librarian. They now live in Conway, Arkansas. Any of you Cutler Ridge folks remember them? Or, my late Aunt Maurine? Alan?? BTW...Alan...thanks, for the Welcome Back! I appreciate it so much! Roberta, alive-but-still-puny, in the Central Savannah River Area, in the Peach State.

Joanne		24-Jan-2008 15:25
Mention of the Spanish teacher taking the class to the restaurant brought something back to me. I had a Cuban Algebra teacher (name escapes me) who took our class to a small restaurant in "little Havana" to have Cuban sandwiches. That was my first experience with Cuban food and it carries over still. I find myself looking for good Cubans everytime I'm in a restaurant. Haven't found a "good" one yet but the hunt continues. Weren't school field trips the BEST!?!?!? We had sooooo many opportunities back then.

Guest		24-Jan-2008 15:24
Roberta: Hello Welcome Back! John: Keep on wearing the jeans and boots! Jo-Anne K: I do not recall Martha Brown at Palmetto but I was not part of the "in crowd". To the Guest inquiring abiout Redlands Tavern: I vaguely recall that the Redlands Tavern was located on South Dixie Highway or right off the Highway in or near Homestead. I recall passing it on the way to the Keys on several fishing trips in the late 1950s thru early 1960s. Now an inquiry for the South Dade County Bloggers: Do any of you remember a lounge on South Dixie Highway between Perrine and Cutler Ridge named Patricks Par Tee Lounge? I ordered my first illegal drink (age 17) with fake ID there in 1963. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and attired in Levis and Tony Llama Cowboy boots in Phoenix, Arizona

Guest		24-Jan-2008 05:57
I believe Neba's was founded by a disgrunted former partner from Arby's. Neba stood for "Never eat bad Arby's".

Roberta Perry Hughes		24-Jan-2008 05:49
Jeff...Charlis...Parks...So! IS La Lechonera THE restaurant that is the one that is being remembered by Charlis & her friend? And by Jeff? Did I solve the mystery?? Jeff...anyone?...IS The Red Fox Tavern still in existence, in N. Miami? The sign was a fox, done in red neon, on top of the building, or either out front. It sticks in my memory, because it was where we turned, to go to my Aunt Dorris' (Bamberg) house. There were many signs, all lit up at night, that were a marvel to me, when I was very young (pre-school age), like the Fisk Tire billboard, of the darling yawning little blond toddler wearing baby blue footie pajamas, holding a candlestick & lit candle in his right hand, & with a big white sidewall tire with the Fisk logo on it, over his left shoulder, & the words, "Time to Retire," printed below. It was our favorite billboard. We also loved Merita bread billboards, Coppertone suntan lotion billboards, the Shell service station's sign...anything, that was done in neon, or had floodlights on it, were a wonder to us kids from the country. Even the lit-up large triangular wind direction indicators, at the airports, had us kids craning our necks to see. They were all like Christmas decorations to us, including the lights on the runways, & on the airplanes themselves. Childhood, indeed, is a magical time, & when you put small town/rural countryside kids in the Big City, the first year or two is awesome. How we loved our Miami, then! And how I miss her, now, the way she was...& the way we all were, then, too: young, & living at home, with our folks, & with our best friends, right next door, or across the street, or down-the-block. I haunt this Site, daily, if I'm up to it. I know all of you, my fellow Posters, do, too!!

Jeff		24-Jan-2008 05:21
Roberta... Speaking of the "Dog House" restaurant... if my trivia is correct, the original one was on 37th Avenue and Flagler Street. They eventually expanded into a chain, and... similar to many other companies that expanded too fast, they went bust in the early 70's... The logo for the company was twin bassett hounds with their noses in the air, sitting on both sides of a dog house. Does anyone remember Neba's Roast Beef? They started in a small storefront on the SW corner of Young Circle and US 1 in downtown Hollywood and followed the same pattern... expansion into a local chain... then out of business. The two most successful local restaurant chains were Royal Castle (1930's-1970's) and Lums (1950's-1980's). By the way - for a shameless plug of my efforts - one of the commercial typefonts I sell via MyFonts.com is a typeface modeled after Royal Castle's logo. I call it Burger Royale JNL. In my own way, that's keeping a little bit of the old South Florida alive...

John		24-Jan-2008 03:02
Hi all! Roberta/Charlis, I can't remember the restaurant in question. During the mid-60s if I wasn't eating BK, my parents were likely dragging me out to the Homestead AFB Officers Club or the Red Coach Grill downtown. Roberta, you did conjure up a good memory when you mentioned the "Doghouse". Not that, but "Hungry Hounds", which I often frequented for two eggs over medium, bacon, toast, and home fries. H.H. was located just north of SW 124th St. (& Dixie Hwy) next to Donuts Galore. I'm sure that all the Palmetto posters here (J, AA, JK, and LARGO) will remember those two places. Nothing like H.H. at 2 AM. Largo, Good one. I owe you and I come from a long line of jokers. How far north are you? I'm in MO and it's pretty cold here too. Supposed to get into the single digits tonight AGAIN! I sure miss the S. FL weather cept when a hurricane rolls in. Arizona Al (A.A). You are exactly right. I was in the majority w/ the rest of the crowd. Baaaaaa. I'm wearin jeans now brother. Joanne K. I think I saw Savoy Brown in G. Park. I didn't hang out there much. Blues Image? 73 men sailed a.... Where did you attend camp? I went to camp too (NC) and the Keys. Guest, On the Redlands Tavern near HAFB. Negative knowledge from me on that one.

Parks		24-Jan-2008 02:59
Hi Roberta, I remember La Lechonera restaurant on NW 22 Avenue just a block or two north on 20th street. It was just as described. A big tree out front and mural on the wall. Beside the restaurant there was a factory where they made and bottled sauces. I think they still sell the sauces although the restaurant has either moved or gone out of business. I have a bottle of their Mojo Criollo Spanish Marinating Sauce in my fridge. I used to ship cases of the sauce to a friend in Texas who couldn't get it there. The picture on the label and the mural were of a pig, hanging in a basket from a tree, nursing from a bottle of the sauce. Very strange. I just Googled it. The factory is still where I remember it but there was reference to a La Lechonera restaurant on 17 th Avenue just north of 20 street.

Jeff		24-Jan-2008 02:27
Hi, Roberta... "Jegg" here... LOL! Good to see you back online... Hope you're feeling a bit better... Charlis... I vaguely remember that Cuban retaurant, because my junior high school Spanish teacher (Ruben Blumstein) took the class there on a field trip. It was my first taste of Latin food and quite the experience. I recall it as being on the North side of the street somewhere near downtown. I wonder if we're both thinking of the same place...? Despite his name, Ruben Blumstein was a Cuban-born Jew. His name was traditionally Jewish, but he was 100% Latin... and really a sweet guy... However, in his class he was a drill sargeant of an instructor. This is probably why my Spanish lessons ended after 7th grade... LOL! I spent many years working the the Community School program at my Junior High (Ida M. Fisher on Miami Beach), and Ruben used to live in a condo on the NW corner of 11th Street and Alton Road. I hope he's alive and well...

Roberta Perry Hughes		24-Jan-2008 00:13
OOOOOOOOOOPS...!!! That's JEFF, not Jegg! Sorry 'bout that! Guess I got off of home row key, huh??

Roberta Perry Hughes		24-Jan-2008 00:11
Hello, again, Gang. I'm still kickin', but still puny-fied...so is hubby...something going around?? Had to cancel 2 of my scheduled appts. Think I'll wait 'til there's no germy-sick people in the waiting rooms, & after the weather gets more tolerable. Jegg...Largo...Joanne...Arizona Al...Charlis...many many thanks, for you best wishes & encouragement, during my hiatus from posting. I appreciate it, more than you know. Charlis...there was a Spanish (Cuban?) restaurant "somewhere" downtown Miami, around Biscayne Blvd., called La Lechinera (spell?). It had murals, on the side of the building, of pigs, & barbecued dishes (?). It was very colorful. This was in the 1960's, when I returned to (North) Miami, to live with my Aunt Gloria (Caulder), following h.s. graduation (in GA). I worked, briefly, @ Burn's Bar & Grill, then @ the Doghouse Restaurant, nearby, & at a factory, Detroit Hardware & Die Casting Company, prior to waitressing. I remember a place called Alabama Barbecue, not far from the factory, where I would get a cheeseburger basket with fries, after work. Those were the best cheeseburgers ever! Never did eat at that Spanish (Cuban?) restaurant, but wanted to, as the murals made everything look so good. I know it probably isn't the restaurant that you & your friend remember, but, perhaps someone out there will recall the one I'm remembering? My best to everyone, & a big warm welcome, to the new Posters!!

charlis		23-Jan-2008 23:34
question for the board... a coworker, and one of the first Cuban refugees from the early 60's, and I were remembering the good old days. He had left Miami during the time when people in other states were "sponsoring Cubans" and his family lucked out with a family from CA. He later returned to Miami in the 70's, and has visited often after he moved away again for jobs. We talked about the Rusty Pelican, the Castaways, etc., but neither one of could remember a great Spanish restaurant known for it's food... it was an unassuming place with a big tree out front, a porch... located a few blocks west of Biscayne Blvd and somewhere between 20th and 36th. Any ideas of the name of this place... and if it still exists. I was there several times in the late 60's/early 70's (before I moved to Tampa), and the friend was there in the late 70's.

charlis		23-Jan-2008 23:27
Jo... some where in the park is a tree carved with the initials "SS heart RG". Thanks for the memory.

Jo-Anne K		23-Jan-2008 22:48
Question for Arizona Al......I attended a summer camp and worked with a girl by the name of Martha Brown who went to Palmetto back in 64. I know it is a common name but I was wondering if you knew her?

Jo-Anne K		23-Jan-2008 22:31
Greynolds Park man those were the good ole days. A "love-in" every Sunday. I remember Mike Pinera and Blues Image from the Image on Collins Ave. back in the mid to late 60's.

Guest		23-Jan-2008 17:17
Does anyone from South Dade County remember a bar/lounge near Homestead called Redlands Tavern? It was a popular hangout for both the locals and the servicemen stationed at Homestead Air Force Base in the early 1960's. I fondly recall that it had an elliptical bar and quarter beer during Happy Hour.

Guest 755		23-Jan-2008 00:28
For any former South Floridians who might like another look at the fort at Greynolds Park, there is a video on YouTube titled Mike Pinera Get Ready at Greynolds Park. You see the "fort" at the begining of the video. Apparently the parks dept. sponsers an annual "Love In" there with bands. Could not find a date, but looks fairly recent. Hope you enjoy!

Guest		22-Jan-2008 16:38
John: If you were a sheep for your dress style you were in the significant majority of the animal population. The majority and I mean the majority of students at Palmetto High in 1964 aspired to be and were the gant shirt, weejun loafers, madaras cloth, color coordinated ensemble crowd of preppies. A few and I mean an insignificant few of the students aspired to be and were the garrison belt, cycle boots, dungaree wearing hoods. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. One of the dungaree wearing hoods in 1964 at Palmetto High School. Alive and well and currently attired in dungarees and boots in Phoenix, Arizona

LARGO		22-Jan-2008 12:25
HAPPY FULL MOON......OW! OWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.!!!!!! LARGO

Jeff		21-Jan-2008 18:00
Thanks for the kind words, Largo... Yes, I'm still around - but not on this site as much. The weather down here is refreshingly cooler today and I always enjoy the change - no matter how brief our cool season may be. Business was horrible in December but picking up a bit... hopefully enough to pay all the bills. Selling digital type is like selling beachware... it can be seasonal, yet it can also be lucrative. The problem is, MyFonts.com has over 50,000 fonts ofered by a plethora of vendors... having the right font for the right designer at the right time is a royal crapshoot... but I keep trying... I've got 148 fonts online with them, and have about 20 more ready to go...

Guest		21-Jan-2008 07:34
I've got a queston about hospitals. I was born in the Naval Dispensary on Miami Beach in '45 but do not know what it is called today, if it still exists. Anybody?

LARGO		21-Jan-2008 01:54
JEFF.......SO GLAD YOU ARE STILL OUT THERE...HAD TO "BAIT" YA........AND YOU ROSE TO THE OCCASION....YOU ARE STILL A KID!!!...........HOW IS THE WEATHER DOWN SOUTH ? ...GETTING TOO CHILLY HERE...READY FOR SOME HEAT IN THE FORECAST.......I HOPE THIS FINDS YOUR MIAMI BASED BUSINESS AND YOU THRIVING.....AS EVER ...LARGO

Jeff		21-Jan-2008 01:25
At my age, I probably would love to have my chain yanked... LOL! (CENSORED sign starts to flash... buzzers blare...!!!!)

LARGO		20-Jan-2008 23:10
JOHN.....FEAR NOT !!!!..."SOME" OF US LIKE TO DO A LITTLE FRIENDLY "CHAIN YANKIN'' ..NOW AND THEN...FREEDOM OF SPEECH YA KNOW.............DON WILL BLEEP US OUT IF WE GET TOO ROWDEY......IT'S ALL IN FUN.....WE HAVEN'T HAD A GOOD OLE MIAMI SPARIN' ROUND YET THIS YEAR.............I USED TO HAVE A PET SHEEP....HIS NAME WAS "NOAH".(come on Jeff... I know you wheels are turning)...........AND I TRIMMED HIM LIKE A STANDARD SHOW POODLE IN THE SUMMER....THE LOCAL FARMERS IN JONESBOROUGH, TN. WERE SHOCKED.......THEY WERE ALL OLD SCHOOL....I LIKED TO SPICE THINGS UP A BIT...GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO GOSSIP OVER........................;-) ......................LARGO

LARGO		20-Jan-2008 17:13
SOOOOOOOOO...JOHN........WHO ARE THE "SHEEP"....???? LARGO

LARGO		20-Jan-2008 17:08
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AL !!!!.....AND MANY MOOOOOOOOOORE !!!................LARGO

Guest		19-Jan-2008 15:49
Roberta: You go girl! Keep on Truckin! Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well for a 62 year old fogie in Phoenix, Arizona

John		19-Jan-2008 02:55
Jo-Anne K, Thanks for clearing that up; it's been driving me crazy for years. Don, I got your message at Al's N.S and left you one. We've come full circle I guess. Al, Good thread. I was laughin for sure. All, Thanks for the interesting comments on the dress code(s). Unlike Al, I guess I was a sheep.

Joanne		16-Jan-2008 16:32
Hey Roberta...We'll hold down the fort while you are away. Your spot will be right here when you get back. God Speed!!

Guest		16-Jan-2008 07:53
hello. what a wonderful thing you have done here. do you know where i could get pictures of the Crandon Park Zoo, Planet Ocean, or the Mimi Golf on SW *st and 82 ave?? thank you Hircio Exalarms@aol.com

Jeff		16-Jan-2008 07:29
Roberta... I hope you know that my best wishes go with you for health and happiness...

charlis		15-Jan-2008 22:34
roberta.. keep a smile on your face and in your heart. My thoughts and love are with you.

Jo-Anne K		15-Jan-2008 16:37
Hey John, I can finish the "Burger King" song........ Broiled not fried, how does that sound!

Jo-Anne K		15-Jan-2008 15:34
I remember the Dade County schools dress code changing so we could wear jeans in my senior year at Miami Norland and I graduated in 70. A friend of mine who I went to school with sent me this amazing site. He was the hairdresser to the BeeGees back in the early 70's and started cutting hair at the Castaways at Sunny Isles if I remember correctly.

LARGO		15-Jan-2008 12:29
HEY ROBERTA...SENDING POSITIVE THOUGHTS FOR SUCCESSFUL DIAGNOSTICS TO YOU......POST HOLIDAY ADDS TO FATIGUE SOMETIMES...I FOR ONE WILL MISS YOUR WONDERFUL, INSIGHTFUL INPUT. HURRY BACK...YOU MAKE THE MEMORIES FLOW GAL!!!! ..................LARGO

Roberta Perry Hughes		15-Jan-2008 10:33
I attempted to scan & send a few images to Don, but I guess I'm just a computer moron. From what I could tell, they didn't turn out too good, & then, nothing worked, though I did nothing different, for other images I had tried to send. Oh, well. No big deal. I am going to have to take a hiatus from posting, as I have a lot of scheduled tests, labs, & Clinic appts, coming up. I am dreading it, as getting out of the house is an ordeal for me. I have not been feeling well, & this is the first time I've felt like posting on here. Just wrung out, & puny. (Boo hoo). Y'all take care. I'll play "catch-up," later, when I'm able.

Don Boyd		15-Jan-2008 07:06
1/15: Bill Nazarkewich contributed a 1948 of his parents on the Seminole Queen jungle cruise boat (in the 40's Gallery), two images of the Hialeah Optimist football team in 1960 and 1961 (in the Hialeah Gallery), and a 1962 image of Cub Scouts at St. Mary's Cathedral (Gallery below). Thanks Bill! Don

LARGO		15-Jan-2008 06:22
FOR SOME OF THE GALS AT PALMETTO HIGH, IT WAS VILLIGERS, PAPAGALLOS, CAPEZIOS, HARBURT SKIRTS, MADRAS WAS IN....BERNARDO SANDLES...JUDI LESLIE'S WAS A FAV SHOP... CONSIDERED VERY PREPPY BY TODAYS STANDARDS......AND THE EVER POPULAR "FLIP" HAIRDO............JEEEEESE!!!!!.......PASTEL SUNDRESSES WITH SPAGHETTI STRAPS COULD GET YOU IN A JAM...IF !! YOU FORGOT YOUR LITTLE MATCHING JACKET...OOPS! ...........SO RISQUE WE WERE.............................LARGO

Arizona Al		15-Jan-2008 02:39
In 1964 at Palmetto High the "vogue" dress for males was Gant Shirts, Weejun Oxblood Loafers, Gold Cup Socks, Scotchguard pants, and a belt from the Stagg Shop on mIracle Mile. The "vogue" dress for females was color coordinated ensembles from Bobbie Brooks or Mayshore Classics. For the record, I was a member of the Tyrants and we wore Motorcycle Boots, Red Shirts, Garrison Belts and (gasp) Dungarees. I spent several days in Indoor Suspension at Palmetto High in 1964 for violation of the "No Dungarees Policy". Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive and well and still wearing boots and dungarees in Phoenix, Arizona.

Guest		15-Jan-2008 00:35
I've read many of the posts,but have yet to see anything about Sweetwater Fla. Wasn't that town settled by ex-circus performers,specifically "little people" and the original buildings/houses were all built to accomodate their smaller stature. Any photos or history anyone can share or if this is true?

Guest		14-Jan-2008 23:19
Joanne and Charlis thanks for your feedback on the dress code change. Thinking maybe different schools made the change in different years once the school board gave the approval.

charlis		14-Jan-2008 22:52
guest.... clothing... I know that in 1967 the dress codes had not changed. I sorta remember my sister wearing pants.. she graduated in 1970, and when I was doing my pre-internship in '69, at Beach Hi, I commented to one of the teachers about the girls wearing pants. As to another post about the different things to wear... of course we were all decked out in school colors on certain days.... ours wear "scarlet and silver" (strange that my daughter's school colors were the same!) Living on Miami Beach, you could tell the rich kids... They wore LaCoste (?) (the line with the alligator as a logo), while the rest of us bought the Three Sisters version! Same stripes, but the logo was in a different position!

charlis		14-Jan-2008 22:38
john... good post on memories... the "Good Night My Love" brings back strong memories... every night, just as Rick was ready to sign off, my boyfriend would call and sing the song to me. 40 years later, thanks to a mutual friend, the old boyfriend called me... and ended the call by singing the song to me! I was surprised that he remembered!

Jeff		14-Jan-2008 15:52
The last posting didn't appear when I added it, so I'm trying this again... According to Wikipedia, Bill Haast was born in 1910 in Patterson, NJ. Since there is no date of death listed, Mr. Haast is 98! He has been bitten over 170 times by poisonous snakes during his career. Haast runs the Miami Serpentarium Laboratories in Punta Gorda, FL.

Joanne		14-Jan-2008 14:16
I think it was around 71 or 72. When I was in junior high we still had to wear dresses. When I got to high school in 72 we could wear pants. I remember checking the news in the morning on cold days to see if it were OK to put on pants. Sometimes we even wore pants to school under our dresses in case the school told us it was too warm. To go along with John's post...girls were wearing Bernardo's sandals, Pappagallo shoes, clothes from Judy Leslie and 5-7-9 shop. We took great pride in snatching the shirt tabs from the guys Gant shirts. My friends and I would take the bus to Dadeland (when it was still open air) and shop Burdines, Jordan Marsh, then stop at the five and dime lunch counter for coke. I'm not sure if it was a Kresege's (sp?) or Woolworth's next to Jordan Marsh. I still remember the spot right on the dividing line between Coral Gables and South Miami where we'd change buses. At that time there was no chance for racism, the KIDS always had the back of the bus. If you wanted to go anywhere it was bikes or bus. When I think back it amazes me how much I rode my bike. Sometimes 3 or 4 miles. If we wanted to go the Matheson Hammock it was about 12 miles round trip. We didn't think a thing of it. Wish I were in that shape now!!!

Don Boyd		14-Jan-2008 05:12
John: I'm sure Bill Haast is still alive and kicking because his death would have made the news big time down here and I haven't seen a thing. Love live Bill Haast! Joy/Jeff: I don't have a problem with people saving pages and/or images to their own PC's as long as it's for personal use, even if the photos involved are copyrighted instead of public domain. Commercial usage and the use of copyrighted images on another website without express written permission from the copyright owner is prohibited. Don

Guest		14-Jan-2008 02:05
Hey, does anyone remember what year Dade County schools changed the dress code and girls were finally able to wear pants to school? I'm thinking somewhere from '68 to '70. If I remember correctly temperatures had to be 55 or below for us to be able to wear pants unless we wore them under our dresses, general concensis(sp?) for that look was NO WAY!! Used to wear shorts or "shots" as a Northern classmate used to call them under our dresses until the dress code changed. I think that's when they started letting everyone wear jeans. YAY!! I remember gator skirts, poor boys, maxi dresses, surfer shirts and banlon. Anyone else? Oh, and everyone wearing school colors on color day.

John		13-Jan-2008 20:57
Here's a memory. Does anyone remember clothing status symbols. We wore certain clothes around Palmetto and Columbus? I'm not sure if the other high schools played that same game. Most shopped was done at Puritans in Dadeland around 66-69 buying the following: - Gant shirts. You could always spot a Gant from all the others. Forgive yourself if you were caught wearing a copy. Creighton shirts usually worked as a backup. - Scotchguard (sp) pants. - Canterbury belt. - Gold cup socks. - Either Weijun (sp) or Bostonian penny loafers or tassels. I don't know how my folks afforded to dress me, but that's part of the reason why I started babysitting and working at Uncle John's Pancake House when I was 13.

Jeff		13-Jan-2008 20:26
Joy... FIRST and FOREMOST... ask Don if he has any objections to individuals saving the images for personal use... He (or others) may have restrictions on the images and you MUST respect all copyrights... Remember, just because it's on the web DOESN'T mean it's in the public domain... If Don has no problem with that, you can simply go to File/Save As and then save each web page to a target directory (such as your Temp folder). Once they have all been saved, you can then burn a CD-R and simply double-click on each Internet Explorer page and the entire page will display. You then can reminisce at your leisure... So, be thorough and thoughtful BEFORE you do any saving of the web content... Make sure that Don Boyd is OK with it. Don, if you feel this note may encourage the wrong behavior, then delete it ASAP...

Joy Thompson Norman		13-Jan-2008 20:11
I would love to have a dvd of the life of early Miami and its called old Miami Memories as I lived ther when the town was growing . aaaaaaaaait would be nice to have incase the compt. crashed

Joanne		13-Jan-2008 18:26
John...Let me try to jog your memory about Rick Brophy. Had real curly hair, almost "fro" like, light brown, and a beard. Drove a lime green Dodge Challenger. Had a boat and loved to fish. (I just described half the city of Miami LOL) Did you ever go to any of the dances or parties that the sororities or fraternities held? I checked my 73 yearbook to look for your sister but, alas, she must have been camera shy. But her name is familiar. If I can make a suggestion, I have registered on Classmates.com and have found several people I lost track of. You might want to try that. In consideration of all the others posting here, send me an e-mail address. Mine is gingermissa@yahoo.com. That way we're not tying up space on the website that others have little knowledge of. Looking foward to more...

John		13-Jan-2008 18:19
Thanks Alan and Joanne. I live half way between St. Louis and Springfield, MO near Ft. Leonard Wood. I retired in AL nine years ago, then went to school (JSU), graduated, and took a second career job up here about 5 years ago. I can't remember any of the others on your list,,,,Mindlin's sounds familar though. I can't remember Bob Lapoint.

John		13-Jan-2008 17:07
Joanne, Unreal. I knew all Breeders (no pun intended) except maybe Dick (the oldest). Their folks were the best. I went to Sea-Camp w/ Johnny and hung out w/ Bobby and Steve. Suzi was a doll. I think Mike's been gone for years. I did play football/baseball/basketball at Suniland. Umpired games at around 15 years old, worked at Uncle John;s (13), McDonald's (14-15), Sweden House during high school . I hung out w/ the Murray's a lot......Howie, Ox (aka Dan). I saw Howie and Dan about 12 years ago +/-. Howie went to West Point (USMA), played basketball, and was an Army Officer. He got out after his committment was up. Ox was a firefighter in Dade County ....maybe Chief by now. Ricky Brophy I knew, but I can't get the face or remember. You have to remember that I haven't seen most of the folks we've mentioned in about 35-40 years. Rippy and Robby Kloo....my best friends and neighbors. I saw Rip last when my Dad died in 99. I haven't seen or heard from Robby in about 10-15 years. I would like to hear from Jeff Kantor, but it's been at least 30-35 years since I heard from him. I did get to hook up w/ Russ Alexis about 6 years ago in Bama. I was stationed up there and he came up from N.Orleans for a Talledega Race. Did you know Janine J, Terry M? Terry's gone.

Guest		13-Jan-2008 16:40
John: Welcome to the South Miami Bloggers! You are correct in that I am a few years older than you. Graduated 1964 from Palmetto. Performed the same pranks and mischief you describe but in the early to mid 1960s. Again, Welcome Aboard! Roberta: No No No!!! Please continue to post as usual. Simple misunderstanding should not compromise your form/content/style...Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Joanne		13-Jan-2008 15:53
John...We definitely traveled in the same circles, just a few years apart. I knew the Breeders, John is in real estate and a village councilman for Palmetto Bay. Was friends with Suzie Breeder, we were Chatonettes together. Suzie was Greg Greenfields girlfriend when he was murdered. Happened at the little pizza joint across from U of M. I remember the name Kathy Knust but didn't know her. Same with the Doddridges and Bonnie Bray. Also knew the Haast's. Ricky or Robby Kloo, which was it? I hate to admit this but lost my virginity to Mike Pascetti. I heard he was dead too, but no details. How about Greg Kmetz, Dave Riggs, Ricky Brophy? I went with Ricky for a time, he was a terrific guy. I think he has an A/C or plumbing business down there. So you were the ones mooning cars on the bridge?!?!? We used to swim there too as well as ski in both the lakes. Thr Lurias lived there, and maybe you knew the Murphys; Murph, Tim and Carol. Others on my street were the Dardens, the LeCains, the Lloyds, the Linaburys. We used to spend skip day at The Dam (Centurians) and I practically lived at Suniland Park. Did softball and cheerleading there for 6 years. Did you play football at Suniland? For some reason your name is in that memory. And the Crenshaws lived next door to one of my best friends, Robin Schulze. Just found out a few weeks ago that she's up in north Broward. How about the Mindlins? I realized after I posted the earlier comment that the guy I knew at Coumbus was Bob LaPointe, not Ray. Just wish the last names were accesible in my brain. Send more, I'm enjoying this trip down memory lane. Also, where are you now? I'm still in Florida, in Tallahassee.

John		13-Jan-2008 14:56
Ref the Seed....yes I remember. They were brain-washers. Teens would come back from the Seed and act like aliens from Mars!

John		13-Jan-2008 14:53
Joanne, My maiden name (lol) was Stanton. I am drawing a blank on your maiden name, but you were about two years behind me I think. My sister is Melinda (Lindy). You would probably know her. I know about where you lived and I knew lots of kids in that neighborhood. I was at 83rd and 131 St. I used to jump off that bridge into the dividing canal at twin lakes on 136th St right down the street from you. We mooned the cars driving by, then would jump in. I am sorry if I offended any motor vehicle operators, but I was young and dumb. Remember Centurians Dam on Old Cutler? Did you know a Mary Brown? I went steady with her for about a week in elementary school. Kathy Knust. I went w/ her for a couple days too. I was told she passed away. Peanuts Crenshaw? Frank Laugerella (sp)? Rainy Neal? Breeder's? Bonnie Bray? The Doddridge's? I saw Clay a couple times during my trips home. He is a great guy. The Pacceti's (sp). Mike died I had heard; Billy is or was a big time grocery district manager down there for Publix I think. The Reinart's (sp)? Kloo's? These names go way back cause some of them I haven't heard from or seen since the 60s or early 70s probably. Carter Reinart (sp) died as a teen. I knew Gary and Greg Greenfield well. Greg died in a stabbing near the U after I went in the Army. We all played rinky-dink football together at Suniland Park. I'll keep in touch. I saw some of your threads at some of the other links. We're looking at the same photos for sure.

Guest		13-Jan-2008 14:17
John...Read your posts and yes, we may know each other. I was at Palmetto 72 thru 74. I knew a few guys at Columbus, Ray LaPointe, twins named Tom and Ray (last name escapes me). They lived in Gables By the Sea. Tom switched schools and went to Coral Gables in 73. Another guy named Bill (oops, there goes the memory again) Went to the Columbus prom with him in74. Many of the items you mentioned on your "remember" list were things I did as well. I went to Kendall Methodist Church, Howard Drive Elem. and Palmetto Jr High, and lived off 136th at 70th Ave. My maiden name was Joanne Copp. Here's another "anybody remember"...The Seed....up near Ft Lauderdale? Drug rehab place the was feared by every teenager. Welcome to the gang, John. Hope you'll stay and reminisce for a while.

John		13-Jan-2008 12:45
Don, I have a lot of catching up to do.! I found some of what you already mentioned, but not all. The Rich Shaw photo pages are awesome. Q-56! I knew Nia and Chantay (sp?) Haast growing up. Is Mr. Haast still alive? I don't think he ever got sick a day in his life. Thanks Don. Largo, As I was going through other links on this site last night, I figured that I might have known Joanne, but not Alan. He was about 7 years older than me and you might be as well. Not sure about Joanne's timeline. I went to Columbus and Palmetto, but joined the Army in 1972. I returned throughout my military years during brief family visits while on leave or on pass. I haven't been back since 99. I did get to watch Miami grow thru the years 72-99. Unbelievable! Thanks for the welcome.

Jeff		13-Jan-2008 06:32
PS: If anyone else possibly thought I was trying to commandeer the direction of this forum or discourage open thought and discussion... my apologies to them as well. I sure DIDN'T mean that... I was just trying to get us back on track with the reminiscing... BAD Jeff! Bad boy!!!!! I certainly hope Roberta continues to be an active part of this site... she sure has had more to contribute that I have... LOL! Roberta---are you reading this???? DON'T give us the silent treatment... PLEASE!

Jeff		13-Jan-2008 06:26
Roberta... I finally have a chance to check back in here and... NO! NO! NO! That's NOT what I meant... I was NOT chastising YOU!!! I was merely suggesting the we ALL have gotten so wrapped up in the demise of the Magic City (and surrounding areas) that we've tended to forget about the nostalgia portion of this forum. I was only encouraging us to return to the roots of what Don started this whole thing for... the preservation of our collected memories and photos... Please don't think I was censoring you by any means whatsover... Everyone here is free to speak their mind on ANY subject... and they certainly don't need my approval by any stretch of the imagination... If you've misunderstood my intent, I sincerely apologize. You have been a faithful contributor and we do not need to lose your input!

LARGO		13-Jan-2008 06:01
WELCOME JOHN......NICE TO SEE ANOTHER S. MIAMIAN ON THIS SITE....PALMETTO HIGH '63.....THANKS FOR SHARING... OTHER S. MIAMIANS...ALAN OGUS "ARIZONA AL" AND JOANNE TO NAME A FEW ARE FAMILIAR WITH YOUR RECALLS I WOULD IMAGINE.............LARGO

Don Boyd		13-Jan-2008 04:33
John, you asked if anyone remembered a bunch of items that you listed. People should certainly remember the ones we have photos of on the site already. There is a photo of Al's newstand in the 1964 grouping of photos on the large page. There is also a Charlie Baxter (M. T. Graves) Gallery with all kinds of photos of him in it, including a Royal Castle I'm a Bozo Buddy Button. There is also a photo of Skipper Chuck from the late 50's. There's also a photo of Shorty's from the 50's. There is a Rick Shaw Gallery with numerous new and current photos. And a photo of a WFUN car downtown. There's a photo of Bill Haast and several comments from folks who sold him snakes when they were kids. Please go to all the pages on the site to see what we have and what we don't. Don

John		13-Jan-2008 03:43
Anyone remember these? - That front of the Parrot Jungle on Red Road......always looking when you drove by to see if the parrot was in that little compartment at the top of the building. - Al's Newsstand on 124th St? The smell of smoke and bubble gum. - Grand Funk Railroad and Vanilla Fudge concerts at Dinner Key Auditorium - The Doors concert....my sister went to that one and you all know Jim Morrison was pretty gross. - Pirates World - Skipper Chuck (Burger King) and MT Graves (Royal Castle) - Here's one you might remember. Can anyone finish this jingle from the 60s in Miami? "There's a Burger King close to you, buy a whopper order two, best burger buy for miles around....... - The Sweden House on S. Dixie Hwy. What an awesome buffet line. I worked there during high school. Friday night was pizza and crab legs, Saturday was steak, and Sunday was turkey and dressing. The roast eef carvers could slice that round razor thin......and they were instructed to do so. - Velda Farms Huddle Club. If you were a kid and you were a huge Dolphin Fan, then you were a member of the club. Season tickets 10 games....11 bucks. - The Dolphin Dolls. - Ted Hendicks (the Mad Stork) catching a pass as a freshman at UM. - Beautiful Indigo snakes.......50 cents a foot from Mr. Bill Haas at the Serpentarium.; where have those beautiful snakes gone to? - WQAM signing off with "Good Night My Love". - Mr. WQAM............Mr. Ricky Ticky Shaw. Thanks Rick! - WFUN........we had options back then. - Palmetto bugs......larger than a locomotive; they were pretty gross when you squished them. - Bowl-O-Mat....U.S. 1 and 132nd St. - The woods....now the Falls - Bream fishing on the pipe that crosses the canal near the Falls at 136th St.....flipping our catch out onto the highway......bless me Father. - Sunburns at Lot 2 at Candon Park? Try Matheson Hammock too. - 5th St and S. Beach. - Shorty's on S. Dixie and the smell of that BBQ; there was an imposter south of Cutler Ridge. - McGee.....played fullback for UM in the 60s......got a few concussions, so they fitted him w/ a space helmet! - Baby Canes vs the Baby Gators......a freshman game - JV high school games at Suniland Park. - The Kiddie Shows during the summer at Suniland Theatre I have more; I'll be back. Thanks All.

John		13-Jan-2008 02:25
Charlis, Yes.....Epiphany Catholic School in 62 during the Cuban Missle crisis. I can remember hiding under our desks. We wore uniforms of course. The girls wore long skirts and were instructed to wear petticoats under their skirts. When we would duck, they would lift their skirts over their head. We (boys) would occasionally peak.....bless me father for I have sinned. I grew up near U.S. 1 and SW 132nd St. I remember the trains passing on the west side of U.S. 1 headed south and loaded w/ military equipment. That whole episode left a mark! Don, Wonderful site here. I don't know how I stumbled upon it, but I am glad I did and I hope I have contributed (in small part) toward someone else's memories. Thank you Sir.

Don Boyd		13-Jan-2008 00:47
1/12: Dave Kleylein contributed 1957 images of Emerald Lake and the Miami Seaquarium (in the 50's Gallery), a 1960 image of the Miami Seaquarium, two 1962 images from the Opa-locka Air Show, a 1964 image of a Royal Castle, four 1966 images of downtown and Bayfront Park, and eleven images from 1968 of various sites (all in the main gallery), four 1972 images of Crandon Park and the Zoo including the famous mini-train we all loved, and a 1972 image of Venetian Pool (all in the main gallery). Way to go Dave! Don

charlis		12-Jan-2008 21:19
how many of you remember the air raid drills during the early 60's? I remember my mother running for cover... since she had been in Germany and France during WWII. Then there was the explosion at one of the restaurants near Lincoln Rd. She was terrified for hours until we found out what had really happened. Do any of you remember the "duck and cover" drills we had in the early mid 60's at school. I was used to them, being from Ohio, but they were for tornadoes. That is the only bad memory I have of "the good old days" in Miami.

Guest		12-Jan-2008 15:31
Thanks so much for the images and the information. It was very special growing up in the 60's in Miami. Doris Espineta-Johnson 2008.

LARGO		12-Jan-2008 01:33
HI! .... ALL YOU MEMORY LANE GALS & GUYS ........'THE TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGING "...EH ??....THERE ARE DAYS WHEN I FEEL LIKE A BEWILDERED BYSTANDER ...ON THE VERY FAST EXPRESSWAY OF LIFE...WITH TORNADIC BLOWBACK...ROAD GRIT IN THE EYES.... STRETCHING MY NECK TO CATCH A GLIMPSE OF THE OCCASIONAL '57 CHEVY... (imagine the gas & oil in that baby's diet) OR SOME SUCH RELIC OF THE PAST.....HOWEVER, THERE ARE MANY NEW AND AMAZING OCCURRENCES TO EXPERIENCE "NOW... TODAY"...EVEN WHEN LIFE GETS US DOWN AT TIMES ( and please understand I am not being a trite Pollyanna here...not ever meaning to trivialize any ones dark hours ), I FEEL IT IS IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE AND TRY "LIVE" IN THE PRESENT...ALL THE LITTLE MOMENTS ARE SO VALUABLE IN LIFE..ESPECIALLY WHEN WE THINK WE MIGHT LOSE EVEN A SECOND ( I know many of you know what I mean) . OUR COLLECTIVE MEMORIES HERE ARE TO BE CHERISHED...BUT THE PRESENT IS WHERE WE ARE NOW...BE CAREFUL NOT TO GET A CRIK IN YOUR NECK WHEN YOU LOOK BACK FOR TOO LONG......................HEY... SUBJECT CHANGE... !!! IN MY OLD MIAMI TREASURES, I FOUND MY OLD... APPROPRIATELY COLORED ORANGE WITH BLACK PRINT ..SIZE SMALL..1963 ORANGE BOWL "PRESS" BALL CAP.......I'M TAKING AN UNOFFICIAL POLL....... SHOULD I PUT IT ON E-BAY BEFORE OR AFTER "OUR" OLD BELOVED ORANGE BOWL IS OBLITERATED FOREVER FROM THE MIAMI LANDSCAPE. ???.....IT'S IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE FOR BEING "45"....THE THIN LEATHER INSIDE BAND IS A BIT CRACKED HERE AND THERE...BUT HEY...IT'S NOT GUCCI !!!....ALSO IT'S NOT LIKE "TODAYS" FANCY RAISED LOGO/LETTERED EMBROIDERED , ADJUSTABLE ALLWEATHER CAPS.......JUST SIMPLE COTTON CANVAS...................FEED BACK... ANYONE???......GO JAGS!!!!.....LARGO OUT!

charlis		11-Jan-2008 23:43
peaking of memories... I had an idea last night to paint the one wall of my new bedroom. I remembered a painting I had seen at the Bass Art Museum. The painting was by Mondrian.... imagine my surprise to get "pulls" on the Mondrian Hotel on Miami Beach. Where the heck is it? Is it still there?

charlis		11-Jan-2008 23:40
Roberta... I suggested to my friend that I, as a government worker, could intercede on her behalf. She asked me not to do so as she feared reprocussions from the building owner. Thanks anyway. Please keep on posting as you have... this is basically a chat room, leaving the other board for Miami discussions. We have all become friends here.

Roberta Perry Hughes		11-Jan-2008 22:19
Jeff...Touche'...!! (And, ouch). I stand reprimand...?...CORRECTED!! I cannot write it on a blackboard, 500 times, but...!! ...I DO, hereby, solemnly swear, to no longer use this Site, as a Forum, or Soap Box, nor as an outreach, in any manner of speaking, in the future. I DO have a few more interesting images, to scan, & send to Don, should he choose to include them in the '50's Galleries, at some point. Other than that, I will visit the Comments section only to read the Postings of others. I was merely trying to help, in some way. Didn't mean to upset anyone, nor break protocol, for the accepted use, of this comments section. 'Scusi!! Charlis...if you'll get my e-mail address, off of here, from an earlier Posting, please feel free to contact me, & keep me updated on your friend, o.k.? I care, & would still like to help, in some way, if I can. My very sincerest, & warmest, best wishes, to you-all!! Keep the faith, & cherish your (selecttive) memories of yore, from our "ghost town," aka, Miami. I sure do!! God bless!

Jeff		11-Jan-2008 15:24
Roberta... I spoke with Charlis and my mutual friend just the other night. She's of the same mindset as I, but more so... fed up, and wanting to get out of South Florida... and trying to work that out. As much as I have carped about the changes to the area, I tend to agree with Don... this forum should [with all possibility] return to the posting of our collective memories of what was, not what Miami's become. It's far too obvious that what once existed 20, 30, 40, 50 years ago - or more - has given way to either progress, greed or simply overgrowth of an area. I am as guilty as anyone else of bemoaning the horrid state of the South Florida area, but since I can't change it - I can only try to change my own life's quality... You are an extremely kind and sensitive person who cares very deeply for your roots, and I can appreciate that. You also have a good heart in your willingness to help another person in need. Those are rare qualities nowadays. The important this is that you (and the rest of us) DO have wonderful memories of a past Miami area... palm trees, open green spaces, tropical breezes, tourist "seasons", drive-ins, movie houses, hangouts, favorite stores..etc., etc., etc. Let's celebrate the past. Miami will go on with or without us... and, Roberta... don't stop being you!

Don Boyd		11-Jan-2008 07:19
1/11: Former Miamian Dave Kleylein contributed a 1956 image of the 6th grade class at William Jennings Bryan Elementary in North Miami, a 1957 image of Sears on Biscayne Boulevard, a 1957 image of The Miami News building on NW 7th Street, and two 1959 images of the Florida East Coast Railway station in North Miami (all in the 50's Gallery). Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		11-Jan-2008 04:37
Charlis...I was clueless, re: having to pay (?) to belong to a Synagogue. I cannot begin to imagine such as that. Though your friend is Jewish, has she reached out to any other denominations, for help? The Catholic church (usually) doesn't turn away anyone, nor do some Protestant denominations. Too, there should be a local Food Bank, or Soup Kitchen, and/or the Salvation Army, if she needs groceries, or even a job, maybe, from what I remember about them. Also, The Goodwill. There's a church...(can't remember their name, or denomination)...that has a program called "Angel Food," that might could help her out, with groceries. She needs an advocate, of some sort, to go to bat for her, & point her in a direction that can be of help. Would her doctor know of any programs available, for any sort of help? Tell her to knock on doors, make phone calls, & to call, or visit, The Salvation Army, and/or The Goodwill organizations. Does she have a family? Grown children? Siblings? What about her peer group? Friends? Former co-worker, or bosses/supervisors? Classmates/alumnae? Everyone needs help, at some point or another, in their lifetime, & when we know of someone, personally, in need, it is our duty, to do all we can for them, as part of the Family of Man. We should all "pay it forward." Do let me know how I can be of help, in some way, no matter how small. I am willing, to reach out to her, within my means. Just let me know. I'm not "down," really, over what my former hometown has come to, in the present, because I'm not down there, to see it, first hand, nor do I plan to visit, & have it in-my-face. I know I couldn't handle that. I can continue to relish Don's heartwarming Web Site, & drink in the images of the Miami that I remember, & hold so dear to my heart...as we ALL can, & do, as often as we are able. It's great, that it's only a mouse click away! Awesome!! I have come to know, & care about, the "regular" Posters on here, & there's always room for new ones, to get to know, as time goes by. My best wishes to everyone "out there."

charlis		10-Jan-2008 23:11
Roberta... thanks for your concern. She did try contacting the local synagoue... they wouldn't help as she was not a member. Remember that you have to pay to belong! And, as Jeff can confirm, the new jewish community on the Beach is mostly Orthodox. I saw that for myself when I was there 3 years ago. HFH is a great organization but once they set you up, you still have to make the payments on the home they fix up for you... and the prices in Miami are outrageous! Even with the bad market. This site is great for memories of a good past. Keep up your good spirits. Never, ever, let the bad get you down.

Don Boyd		10-Jan-2008 06:27
1/10: Dave Kleylein contributed a 1957 image of Grandma's Kitchen on Biscayne Boulevard (50's Gallery). Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		10-Jan-2008 04:58
Charlis...I am concerned, over the plight of your friend. Can she possibly get some kind of help from her Synogogue? What about contacting Habitat for Humanity? What, if anything, can I do to help her, in some way? Let me know. Alan...Great to see you posting on here, again. Geesh! Phoenix is getting "ruint," too? Where does it stop?? We have those "South of the Border" folks here, too, & yes, some of them are illegals. Augusta...(& even small towns)...has an influx of folks from India, who get the million dollar loans, to build a motel & run it, or to buy a fast food restaurant, or a local convenience store, or Dollar Store, etc. On one of my Clinic referral visits, to Augusta, we stopped at a convenience store, so my husband could get directions, to the Dr.'s office, but he couldn't understand a word that the proprietor said, due to his very thick accent. On down the block, another one, who had barely discernable speech, flat-out told my husband that he was totally unfamiliar with the area, & that he had only recently moved to town (from India) & had only opened up his store just a few days prior. It has come to the point to where you feel like you're in a foreign country, anymore, no matter where you live, U.S.A., & to quote a well-known Book, you get that unmistakable feeling that... ..."I am a stranger, in a strange land..." (Amen). I LOVE this wonderful Site, where I can "time travel," & can escape the realities of modern day's so-called "progress." Thanks, Don, for preserving the very BEST years, that we have lived, in "Our Town."

Don Boyd		10-Jan-2008 03:14
Phil said (in the photo gallery instead of here): Phil philbeckman@comcast.net 10-Jan-2008 01:08 These pictures are great! What a treasure trove of memories!! Especially the gas and radio station stuff. Thank you!!!

Guest		10-Jan-2008 02:52
Hello All: I feel a contemporary sadness along with the "regulars" regarding the demise of the Miami that we knew and grew up in circa 1950-1970. I feel compelled to interject that this musrt be a universal phenomena as evidenced by the cornucopia of negative changes that I have witnessed in the Phoenoix, Arizona area since my relatively recent arrival in 1995. Unplanned growth, congestion, ungodly traffic to rival Los Angeles, smog, desecration and destruction of the deseret, and a continual influx of undocumented aliens fron south of the border. Holy Samoly, it sounds just like what has happened in our beloved Miami..Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

charlis		09-Jan-2008 23:08
Jeff... progress is not necessarily a good thing. As I stated... cable and satellite are the first to go out in just a regular afternoon t-storm... and, according to the gov site... the converters may not work on battery operated TV's... unless you get additonal equipment... but that is a mute point if the cable service is not working. The coupons are worthless if you order them now... if you can.... I tried 10 times and the site would not acknowledge my address... and, if you get a coupon now, it is good for only 90 days... and the boxes are not available until April.

charlis		09-Jan-2008 23:03
Don... did some more unpacking and still haven't found the old albums. I have a lot more to go, the scan them in... but I will get them to you.

charlis		09-Jan-2008 23:02
Roberta... your posts about the good past and the bad present were very well written. Jeff and I have a mutual friend who is currently going through such an experience. She was in tears the other day... they raised the rent for her hole-in-the wall apartment... and are now metering her AC use. The place is filled with mildew and mold. Owner will not make any repairs. She is on disability, recently diagnosed with Fibrosous, can not get public assistance because she is a 59 year old, white, Jewish woman! She can not even get a part time job because of same... It's pretty bad when natural/american born older citizens can not get help. My co-workers, who work with aging services, here stories like that every day.

B. Young		09-Jan-2008 22:55
This is terrific. My dad was stationed at Masters Navel Base in the '50s. I graduated from Miami Jackson High School in 1961. It is fascinating that so many folks assume that there was nothing going on in Miami prior to their arrival. The Miami-Dade Public Library System's (www.mdpls.gov) Main Library's Florida Room has a wonderful collection of 17-20,000 photographs by Gleason W. Romer from the '20s, '30s, 40s , the Historical Museum of Southern Florida, the University of Miami, and Berry University archives are filled with fascinating images and info about early and more recent history. Evidence of architecture, scholarship, culture and life here in the our beautiful tropical swamp. Please check out and excuse me if I am being redundant.

Roberta Perry Hughes		09-Jan-2008 22:09
My father owned land in Georgia, was a USCG Ret. Vet of WWII, & took early retirement, due to health issues. And so, we left my childhood home in Miami, & moved to the countryside, in 1961. I never got over leaving my former familiar neighborhood, & life, as we knew it, then. Yes, the Miami I remember, & miss, only exists in these Galleries, & I am truly thankful for them, & the preservation of these wonderful images. I USED TO desire, greatly, to visit Miami again, before I die. But I don't think I could handle the grief, over the loss of the familiar. It's best, that I "visit" on this amazing Site...which I do, daily. But I can "bemoan" the REALITY, of the LOSS, of the familiar, if I so choose to do so, & I can purentee HATE what my former home town has come to, & the flat-out disregard, for our familiar landmarks, & their wanton destruction, to make way for more & more condos, to house the well-to-do, & I can express my disdain, for the greed & corruption, that has grossly invaded Miami Dade County. I cherish my childhood memories of S.W. Miami, & I appreciate the images on this Site, that has "frozen-in-time," our landmarks, & places of entertainment, & the eateries, where we all went, with our families, & enjoyed immensely. To quote Joni Mitchell..."Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got, 'til it's gone? They paved Paradise, & put up a parking lot..." On that note, I'm off my Soapbox. Thanks, Jeff, for the update. I STILL would like to know the outcome of the arrest of those 2 crooks, mentioned in that "Expose'," on PBS (filmed in 2006). Does anyone know any more info about it? Love & best wishes, to you-all.

Don Boyd		09-Jan-2008 16:33
Troy Brugger contributed two photos of fans at Hialeah Speedway in the early 1980's (Hialeah Speedway Gallery in the Hialeah Gallery). Jeff, thank you for your comments about present-day Miami being totally different than the Miami we knew way back when. The purpose and emphasis of this site is to preserve the memories of how things used to be and not to bemoan the loss of quality of life down here, especially when between 1 and 2 million people chose to move from the county to Broward and points north from the early 1960's until present. That did more to change the area than anything else. Don

Jeff		09-Jan-2008 15:49
Roberta... I can well understand your frustration... I've had it for years. Like it or not, the demographics of Miami are [and have been] changing. The Latin influence has taken over most government, bank and business operations... and while there are many fine people who work in these fields, there's a handful of individuals who use that same ethnic influence and "island mentality" to serve no one but themselves. I can't tell you the exact outcome of the housing fiasco trials, but one of the biggest outcries right now is that the City of Miami seems to have plenty of money to throw around in the demolition of the Orange Bowl and the construction of a new stadium (to hopefully secure the Marlins) and nothing to help those who need the low-cost housing. It's sinful that our legacy is not the palm-lined streets and tropical breezes that millions enjoyed over the years as an escape from the big cities, but a big city unto itself... with block after block of highrises, traffic congestion, road rage, an increase in violent crime, political corruption and ethnic division. Let's simply enjoy the nostalgia of this (and possibly other) web site(s). The Miami of 2008 is NOT your father's Miamim 1948... or 1958... or even 1968! Charlis, although your outcry is understandable... technology will prevail. This has been in the works for years, and I recall them mentioning this about FIVE years ago. Don't say those converter boxes will be thoroughly useless on battery-powered TV's... I'm sure they're working on that solution as we speak. Change is inevitable... and I'm not always the first to jump on the bandwagon for things... but in this case it's a done deal. Digial TV will increase broadcast quality of sound and video... more channels will be available... and the analog signals will revert back to the government for other uses. Would you REALLY prefer a scratchy, breakable 78 to your CD? How about a small reel of 8mm sound film that runs for only 3 minutes, or your DVD with a feature-length movie? How about the computer yyou're using? Do you want to go back to DOS, where there is NO internet, NO web galleries of old Miami photos and NO place to voice your feelings? Of course not... Change sucks... but in this case, change is inevitable and etched in stone. Rather than drive yourself crazy, go sign up for the two free coupons per household if you haven't already... To get your TWO free converter box coupons for the digital TV switchover, go to: https://www.dtv2009.gov/ApplyCoupon.aspx

Joy Thompson Norman		09-Jan-2008 15:02
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE MENORIES AS I SKATED AT THE ROLLER RINK FOR YEARS AND ALSO PLAYED TENNIS A BLOCK AWAY. I lived on 99Terrace and 24 Ave. and the roads were not paved til some 5 years later .I have lived in Miami all my live and there is no other city like it .I remember all the things that were built there. Thank you for all the memories. I will always keep them

Don Boyd		09-Jan-2008 06:25
Steve McDonald contributed three more images that are in the 1950's Gallery (1952 Coral Gables Elementary, 1958 Coral Gables High calendar, and 1952 bike races on Biltmore Way). Don

Roberta Perry hughes		09-Jan-2008 01:56
I watched "Expose'," in the wee hours, on PBS. It was about an investigative reporter, from the Miami Herald, who wrote a series of articles entitled, "House of Lies," about 2 corrupt Cuban-American real estate developers, in 2006, 1 of whom used Federal funding to build himself a multimillion dollar mansion, instead of building affordable housing, like he was supposed to do. There were hundreds of people, who had been on the list, waiting for said affordable housing, for as long as 2 or more years. They lived in very old & very dilapidated roach/rat infested housing, that was falling down around their ears, & leaking, etc. The 2 Cubano-Americans were arrested, & jailed, but the 1 who built the mansion had pled "not guilty," to all the charges facing him. Jeff...PLEASE tell me that these 2 greedy crooks are STILL behind bars, & that they didn't beat the judicial system!! Habitat for Humanity stepped up to the plate, using their own funding, & built affordable housing, on 1 of the abandoned vacant lots, allocated to the one crook who built the mansion for himself. I think his name was Rodriguez? One of them's name was Rodriguez. Have the OTHER abandoned vacant lots been built upon?? Have all of those displaced persons been able to enjoy a nice new home, as promised them?? What have they done to my town??? And why is it, that, any foreign immigrant can waltz into our banks, & get fast approval, for a megabucks loan (or, Federal funding) to build a motel, restaurant, houses, businesses, or what have you, & the rest of us (so-called Anglo-Americans, & African-Americans) are NOT afforded those SAME opportunities (the monies necessary) to enjoy a lucrative business venture, & all it entails, for a 6-figures income, & a beyond-the-mere-comforts lifestyle?? WHAT has happened?? I don't get it!! That program was so very grievous for me to watch. Especially when I view the pictures in Don's Galleries, & reflect on the childhood, & teenage years, most of us Posters enjoyed, in the 1950's & early 1960's. How very lucky we all were, to have lived back then, in our salad days!! And how we all wish we could have "Our Town" back, for the sake of the children, & young people, & the senior citizens, who live there, now. I don't have to tell you that I wept, over what I saw, & I finally, realized what Jeff has been gently trying to tell me: that the Miami I am remembering, the one that I miss so badly, in my heart-of-hearts, & long to visit once more, is, in reality, non-existent...except in Don's Galleries, 7 in our snapshots, & in our high school year books. I understand, now, why people have moved away. I realize that it must be just too sad, to remain, & watch it continue to degenerate, into the greed & corruption, of the land developers, & in the results of hostile corporate takeovers, & the imminent domain law, where personal property can be legally seized. It's beyond shameful, & tragic. There are no words for it. Jeff...I'm sorry to learn of the death of your friend, Bill Valentine. From what you have said, he must have been quite a guy, & very good for Miami, back in the day. God rest his soul. Take care, my dear friends. I am so very thankful, for each & every one of you. I know that you understand how I feel, & are empatheic, toward my emotional outburst, here. And of course, I am extremely thankful, for Don Boyd, who has given us this wonderful Site. Thanks, Don. We love you, unconditionally.

charlis		08-Jan-2008 22:59
gangwe, this is a bit "Off topic" but please bear with me... This past weekend we did our monthly Household Chemical and Electronics collection... we had close to 800 participants... many bringing TV's. The reason was the "anolog TV being obsolete in 2009". I urge everyone to contact the FCC, networks, local TV channels, etc. and tell them that they can not get rid of anolog... those of us in Florida have battery operated TV's as part of our Hurricane supplies. These will be useless after February 2009. And you all know that cable and satelite are the first to go out during our regular thunderstorms! The "almost free" converter boxes will be useless. Sorry to vent, but I have to spread the word.

Jeff		05-Jan-2008 15:50
Please forgive my haste in typing the previous notice. I mis-spelled the name Valentine... and Bill deserves his name to be correct. Sorry.

Jeff		05-Jan-2008 15:49
To any regular posters or visitors to this page: If anyone spent any significant time around North Miami during the past five decades, you had to know of Bill and Penny Valetine. Their tireless efforts with the Greater North Miami Chamber of Commerce are long appreciated in these parts. Bill passed away on Dec. 31, 2007 after battling lung cancer. He is survived by Penny, his wife of over 65 years and their extended family. Bill was also a solider in WWII, a City of Mmiami policeman, a councilman (and interim mayor) in North Miami and held a number of other posts as well. He will be missed by all who knew him...

charlis		04-Jan-2008 23:23
Roberta... glad you all liked the Bott Boi. I'll go look at your pics this weekend.

charlis		04-Jan-2008 23:21
largo... moved to Miami Beach in '62 from Ohio. I love the cooler weather. You can take the girl out of Ohio, but you can't take Ohio out of the girl. I saw the news about the iguanas.... amazing. Moved the the west coast in '74. The Blizzard of '77 was truly amazing.

LARGO		04-Jan-2008 22:45
SORRY CHARLIS.......I READ BACK A BIT REGARDING YOU ...IN TAMPA...I THOUGHT I RECALLED YOU MOVED TO THE FL. WEST COAST ...WHERE WERE YOU BEFORE?.....SO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT REGARDING "the weather" HERE...........PERHAPS I'LL START SAVING TO HEAD TO "THE KEYS".......I JUST DO NOT HANDLE COLD WEATHER WELL...I TRULY NEED SUNLIGHT OR I GET BUMMED OUT...S.A.D.......NOT GOOD!!............LARGO...........CHILLY IN PARADISE

LARGO		04-Jan-2008 22:08
DANG YA'LL...............PARADISE IS FROZE UP!....THERE WERE SNOWFLAKES SPOTTED NEAR DAYTONA...SOUTH OF MOI !!!!!!!!!!!!!......ME NO LIKEY THIS!.......BROUGHT MY ORCHIDS INTO MY LIVING ROOM.......AND LATER OBSERVED DAZED AND CONFUSED ANOLES (lizards ) RUNNING UP THE WALLS AS THEY PRESUMABLY BEGAN TO THAW OUT AND REANIMATE...VERY SCI-FI.......THE ANOLES RESIDE IN MY PATIO PLANTS...MOST OF WHICH ARE FAIRLY HARDY( the plants ).IF THE LIZARDS WERE ANY LARGER I WOULD BE CONCERNED AS THEY ARE EXTREMELY AGGRESSIVE...I HAVE SEEN THEM HANG IN TO MY CATS WHISKERS IN A VALIENT ATTEMPT TO FIGHT TO THE DEATH (tiny dinosaurs )...................BUT! ...FOR THE 1st TIME SINCE I HAVE BEEN BACK IN FLORIDA...IT HAS DROPPED TO 27 DEGREES ON THE COAST ( I live on Anastasia Island ) HEY JEFF...DID IT FREEZE IN THE MIAMI AREA.....CHARLIS ...AREN'T YOU ON THE GULF ?...HOW WAS IT THERE ? ..........I HOPE EVERYONE ELSE IS STAYING WARM. ROBERTA, THANKS FOR THE GUIDANCE ON THE 30's SITE......I SO ENJOYED THE OLD PHOTOS OF FOWEY ROCK LIGHT AND YOU GRANDPA HAMP AND GRANDMOTHER...HANDSOME FAMILY !! THANKS FOR SHARING...................EVENTUALLY I'LL DIG OUT MY OLD TR PICS AND WHATEVER ELSE I CAN FIND THAT MIGHT INTEREST YOU AND SEND THEM VIA YOUR E-MAIL.......IT'S NOT REALLY ABOUT MIAMI...MORE HISTORICAL ....I JUST RETURNED FROM TENNESSEE WHERE WE SPENT THE HOLIDAYS WITH MY DAD, SISTER AND ALL HER FAMILY...IT WAS WONDERFUL........BUT WE THINK THE COLD WEATHER FOLLOWED US BACK....SIGH.......HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008 TO YOU ALL!!!

Roberta Perry Hughes		04-Jan-2008 02:28
Charlis...the Bott Boi was amazing!! Will fix it again this Winter!! Everyone liked it very, very much!! Thanx, for the recipe!! Click on to the 1930's Galleries, to see Fowey Rocks Light, & my Grandfather, who was one of the Keepers. Tell me what you think about it, o.k.?

charlis		03-Jan-2008 22:33
Hope everyone had a great xmas and a happy new year. Hope you enjoyed the Bott Boi... I just finished the last of it last night. Very cold here in Tampa... they even had snow over near the Cape! If I can find the pics of the Tampa Blizzard of 77, I'll send them over to Don.... I know it has nothing to do with Miami, but all you Floridians will get a big kick out of seeing over an inch of snow in Florida. Yes, I am still digging through my stuff... the pics of old Viscaya and the Parrot Jungle are here somewhere.

Don Boyd		03-Jan-2008 16:44
indiana visitor pat.mccammongp@gmail.com said at 03-Jan-2008 13:20: WOW! You are to be congratulated for foresight and excellent follow through. My brother, Bob L. Banks and his family, wife Yvonne, daughters Cherie and Melody, lived on East 36th Street ( or 35th?, been too long now) in Hialeah after moving from (I think) Coral Gables. He worked for the power company until 90's, did part time tv repair in 50's, 60's, being in area originally as a result of being stationed at Marine base and meeting his wife to be, Yvonne, again I think, where Dade Junior College was later established? I am much younger than Bob and my other brother and at one time it was calculated that we had visited Coral Gables and then Hialeah over 50 times. My dad drove a semi and my Mom and I often accompanied him on trips. We also made automobile trips to visit a couple of times per year, staying weeks and weeks and weeks. I have ONLY great memories of the visits to Bob and Yvonne's, Hialeah race track, Key West cabin, shopping stores which dwarfed what I had ever seen back then and so on and on and on. I have packets of old black and white photos and your web site, which I found only by luck, has warmed me this morning of 2 degrees above zero in Central Indiana. Bob and Yvonne were involved in Moose lodge activites in 80's and 90's, until their far too ealy passings. Bob, as a widower, made his final "outside his home venture" to the Lodge. Bob and his family always wanted the rest of the family to move there but only my other brother went there (North Miami) in late 60's, only to move back at end of that decade. I sincerely thank you for the site, I will return often to try to jog the memories. My last trip to the area was to drive alone, recalling every landmark I could. As to that area being anything less than grand back then, phooey.

Roberta Perry Hughes		31-Dec-2007 01:12
Parks...Hamilton Sharpe Perry & Carrie Bell Conley Perry, pictured in the 1930's Galleries, are my father's parents. I am honored, to be able to share these images with all of the visitors & posters on this wonderful Site, thanks to Don Boyd, our host. The photos of my grandfather, in his Keeper's uniform, may be a rare sight, as I have no idea, if there are other photos out there, of other former Keepers of the Light, attributed to "our" Fowey Rocks. How I wish I had some of the brass buttons, that were on his coat, or his cap, with the emblem of the lighthouse in its center (see the studio photo, of Grandpa Hamp with my grandmother, Carrie, for the details of his uniform & cap). I also wish there were photos of him inside the first floor's living quarters. It would have been so neat, to see the floor plan, & the furnishings, wouldn't it? I am continuing to research the history of the Light, & if there is anything pertinent, I will share it with Don, in the future. Roberta...inviting all of you to view these 6 images, to see "our" Lighthouse, & to meet my grandfather on there. (Joe Perry's & Mary Perry Johnson Perry's grandfather, too).

Parks		31-Dec-2007 00:54
Hi Roberta, Thanks for the photos of your Dad and Fowey lIght house. I'm facinated by anything related to Miami maritime history. Some day we may have a maritime museum in Miami. The Historical Museum has a great start on a maritime collection. John Harrison left them a warehouse full of antique outboards and small boats. Unfortunately the museum doesn't open it to the public very often.

Roberta Perry Hughes		30-Dec-2007 23:30
Largo...I'm not Don, but...! What you are seeking is in the 1930's Galleries, in the main photo Galleries. Let me know what you think about them! Can you send Don photos of your granddad with T.R., so he can post them, maybe? If it isn't "Old Miami," etc.-related, how about flying it through cyberspace to ME, ?? ( robertah47@aol.com. ) I absolutely adore T.R., & would love to see your Dad or Granddad! Give your beautiful frozen-in-time town a big "hello" for me. (St. Augustine). Roberta...alive, & housebound...(raining cats & dogs, here!)...in the Peach State's CSRA.

LARGO		30-Dec-2007 22:28
HEY DON...TRUST THIS FINDS YOU AND YOURS WELL......WHERE DO I CLICK TO VIEW THE FOWEY ROCK LIGHT PHOTOS THAT MISS ROBERTA SENT???.....I AM NOT COMPUTING PROPERLY...THANKS IN ADVANCE...AND HAPPY 2008 TO ALL .....................LARGO

Kevin McClintic		30-Dec-2007 02:38
What a great collection of photos. Thank you for sharing! I really enjoyed looking.

Guest		28-Dec-2007 00:53
Don, thanks so much for your answer to my query about Santa's Main Street arrival. We didn't visit Main St. very often either before we moved away. Nowhere to park. Liked it better when it was still cow pasture and the barn was there. Thanks again.

Don Boyd		27-Dec-2007 21:10
Eleven images from the early 1920's added to the Hialeah Gallery. Don

Don Boyd		26-Dec-2007 23:40
There is also a new "Memories of Old Coral Gables and surrounding areas" by Steve McDonald (commentary only) Gallery at the top of the photos in the main photo Gallery, chock full of great memories by Steve and his cohorts. Don

Don Boyd		26-Dec-2007 16:53
Guest: I don't believe they still do the Santa arrival at Main Street in Miami Lakes but I could be wrong. I don't go to Main Street very often. Thank you for posting your memories. 12/26: Steve McDonald contributed an image of his 1948 3rd grade class at Coral Gables Elementary (in the 40's Gallery) and an image of two 1957 calendar girls from Coral Gables High (in the 50's Gallery). Don

Parks		26-Dec-2007 03:18
Merry Christmas everyone! Who remembers the wonderful Holsum Bakery Christmas display next to their building on US1 in South Miami? I loved watching the electric trains.

Guest		26-Dec-2007 00:55
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone. Was remembering some of our Christmas activities from days gone by. Shopping for the Christmas tree, live and usually a Scotch Pine. Decorating it with the big, multi-colored lights and tinsel. We were a one string at a time family. Watching Mr. Magoo's "A Christmas Carol" on TV. It was the first version I remember seeing. Shopping of course, downtown, Flamingo Plaza in east Hialeah then Northside Shopping Center and later Westland Mall. And of course we hoped it would get cold for us to do our shopping. Some how it seemed more festive when it was cooler. Same for when we went out looking at Christmas lights in N. W. Miami, East Hialeah and awesome Miami Springs. Later Miami Lakes would be our main area for lights. It was more fun seeing them if it was cold. Then back to the house for hot chocolate and cookies. Does anyone remember the beautiful animated storefront window displays at Jordan Marsh on Biscayne Blvd? We would go every year to see them and then visit Santa on the second floor. His area also featured animated ice skaters in front of his workshop. Then we would go out to the patio to Santa's snack bar for hot chocolate and a hot dog. I believe Santa used to arrive at Jordan Marsh via helicopter the day after Thanksgiving. Years later when my children were young we would attend 4-H Christmas parties and go caroling with our home schooling group. We would also take them to the Christmas tree lighting and Santa's arrival on Main Street in Miami Lakes. Don, do they still do that in the Lakes? Thanks for the chance to meander down Christmas Memory Lane. Happy Holidays everyone!!

Roberta Perry Hughes		25-Dec-2007 04:17
Joe, aka "joda"...Hi, Cuz!! Great to see you posting again!! And Merry Christmas!! Y'all fellow Post-A-Comment folks, Joe & I (& Don) invite you to view the 1930's Galleries, to see Fowey Rocks Lighthouse, the way it looked when our grandfather was its Keep, & to see our grandfather in his Lighthouse Keeper's uniform. A bit of Miami history, here, involving an integral Miami landmark (6 images). Gotta close this out, & get the pies on to baking, do some dishes, then, catch 40 winks, so I can get up early, & start the Christmas din-din. Wish y'all had been here to have had a plateful of my Whistle Stop Cafe Chicken and Dumplings!! Much love to ya'all, & have a safe & merry/happy holiday season!! And God bless our Troups, this, & every day. Roberta, the late-night pie-baking Southern cook, down South, in the Peach State, U.S.A.

Drew		25-Dec-2007 01:01
OK, somebody has been watching "Doris Day" recently.

Don Boyd		24-Dec-2007 23:02
And joe perry joda@nbtx.com said in another location: To ex-floridian from charlottesville, va. i'm a tad older(sw high grad 1960) but you must be referring to the old pizza patio drive in near 95th ave! can remember they had the best kosher hot dogs and french fries in miami, bar none! they also had the same original waitress for many years. wish i could remember her name? i left miami in 1970 and it was still there then. don't know what's happened to it since? from the comments i read it's probably been bull dozed over and replaced with condos. maybe someone can let us both know. this is a great web site, huh?

Drew		24-Dec-2007 21:23
Prefer this new set-up, definitely. DAVINO - whereabouts in WNC? Visiting Asheville area right now.

Jeff		24-Dec-2007 06:43
Hi, Everyone! I must seem like a stranger in here by now, but as Billy DeWolfe might have said, "I've been busy, busy, busy!" May you and yours enjoy the happiness of the holiday season, may the warm memories you cherish stay alive both on this site and in your hearts, and may you be happy, healthy and content in the love of your friends and family!

charlis		23-Dec-2007 23:45
gang... my friend Evie is sending me some pics of the 63rd street beach. That was my first Miami Beach beach experience way back in February 1962. there are several cranes and what looks to be a pillar. Miami Beach is not what we all remember it to be... and it is getting worse. She has bad sinus problems and I told her to go to the beach, jump in the water... she said the water is so polluted that she can smell the stench from her apartment a few blocks away.

Don Boyd		22-Dec-2007 04:34
The captions have been fixed, Roberta. Thanks again for sharing them with us. Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		21-Dec-2007 22:21
Don...Just a P.S., here, re: Fowey Rocks Lighthouse. The families did not live in the Light; only the Keep, & the Assistants, lived there, & were out there for weeks, even months, at a time. Their families lived on the mainland, in Miami. My grandparents had 4 school age children, & a toddler or 2, when he first went to work at Fowey Rocks. My father was the eldest, of a total of 9 children. Again, thank you so much, for including these images in your wonderful Web Site!

charlis		21-Dec-2007 22:20
roberta.. all are served separately so that people can choose how much of each they want. There should be very little liquid left after the noodles cook. If more than needed, use a scooping ladle to put the cooked "noodle s" in a bowl with just enough broth to cover them. Then the remaining broth can be used for cooking the leftovers, if there are any, and then serve with extra veggies as bean soup. My grandmother would be so happy to hear that the family recipe is still being passed on. She died when I was 8... but the years I had with her are filled with wonderful memories. Sorry to hear about the toe... ouch! I have broken both of my little toes... a few times. The darn things are sideways to the others.

Roberta Perry Hughes		21-Dec-2007 21:49
Don...Many heartfelt thanks, for allowing me to share these images with everyone who visits this Site, & for allowing my grandfather to shine. I am grateful to my cousin, Mary Perry Johnson, for having sent me photocopies of these images, so that I could send them to you. (Our father's were brothers). BTW...the parents, grandparents, aunt, brother, nephew, & infant twin son & daughter, of Grandpa Hamp, are all interred in the (formerly-called) Cocoplum Cemetery, also pictured in the Galleries. I am very proud, that my family was an integral part of the history of Old Miami, & I cannot thank you enough, for this gift, of including them in your Galleries. Roberta, proud granddaughter of the late Hamilton Sharpe Perry, Keeper of the Light of Fowey Rocks Lighthouse, ca. 1920-1939, & beyond.

Don Boyd		21-Dec-2007 17:24
12/21: Roberta Perry Hughes contributed six photos of Fowey Rocks Light, lighthouse keeper Hamilton "Hamp" Sharpe Perry and his wife Carrie Bell Conley Perry who were Roberta's grandfather and grandmother. These photos are in the 1930's Gallery. Thanks Roberta! Don

Monty		21-Dec-2007 12:02
Hello all, My name is Monty and my father Wally Deane & The Flips were popular in the 50's on Miami Beach. They played at the Shoremede hotel. I am hoping maybe someone could post pics of that and the sands hotel if they are available. You can visit my dads didication site at www.myspace.com/deanewally or www.wallydeane.com. Thanks so much for this site. It brings back many memories. Merry Christmas

Roberta Perry Hughes		21-Dec-2007 03:18
Charlis...Quick footnote here, re: the PA. Bott Boi: after you cook the noodles, in the strained ham butt stock, do you turn the 3 ingredients TOGETHER (Navy beans, ham butt meat, & noodles)?? OR...is everything kept segregated, or at least, just beans & ham butt meat together, & the cooked noodles by their lonesome?? Do the noodles take up all of the stock, or is there enough liquid, in the pot with them, to be able to fold the ham butt meat, & beans, back into the pot, all reunited?? Everyone I shared your recipe with is asking me these questions, as several plan to make this dish for their New Year's fare...including MOI...!! :) I am thankful, for the warmer temperatures. Cold weather is painful for me, physically. Saves on the cost of heating, & the stress of worrying about pipes freezing...or the horses' water troughs. Went & broke my left little toe, yesterday, when I struck the heavy frame of a floor fan that we had yet to put out on the porch. Was wearing only hospital footies, on my feet, so, may as well been barefooted! Said a few Sunday School words. Can still manage to hobble around, though. I was lucky. Could have easily made me fall. Roberta...gauche, & lamer-than-usual-but-gittin'-'er-done, in the not-too-cold Peach State, waitin' on the Fat Man in the red suit. Love to all of y'all...!!

Guest		21-Dec-2007 02:28
To all the usual loggers and bloggers: Happy Holiday Greetings from Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Palmetto High Class of 1964. Alive , well, and relatively warm in Phoenix, Arizona 12/20/07

charlis		20-Dec-2007 23:21
I also wish a happy holiday season to everyone. Thanks to Don for letting us all get together. I only wish more Beach Hi people would show up to share their memories of the years.

charlis		20-Dec-2007 23:19
roberta... glad you enjoyed the recipe. It's so simple and tasty. It's supposed to be in the upper 70's here so the joy is a little diminished and I refuse to fill the coffers of the local power company by turning the a/c to cold. Hope you and yours have a great holiday.

LARGO		20-Dec-2007 04:23
FA LEEZ ON DA DOG YA ALL !......HAVE A LOVELY, SAFE HOLIDAY.......TO ALL MY FELLOW POSTERS...AND OUR "POSTMASTER" DON BOYD...AND A HAPPY, PEACEFUL & MUCH MORE LOVING 2008.......AS EVER..................LARGO

Don Boyd		19-Dec-2007 20:54
Several photos from the 1930's and 40's were added to the Hialeah Gallery today. Don

Don Boyd		19-Dec-2007 19:40
Thank you for your comments Timothy and I wish the best for everyone's holidays no matter what they celebrate at this time of year. 2008 will bring a lot more photographs and memories. Don

Timothy Lee Cromer		19-Dec-2007 14:43
Just wanted to tag on and wish our host Don Boyd and ALL the fine folks who love and visit this site (I do daily) a very Merry Christman, Happy Hanakah, and a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year in 2008. One of the most enjoyable sites I've had the pleasure of visiting with its extensive photo galleries of a very special area of our great state!!! Thanks again Don ~ over & out till the new year ~

Joanne		19-Dec-2007 01:59
Just wanted to let all the posters here an extremely joyous holiday season and much light and peace in the new year. You are special people in my eyes and I pray for your good health in 2008. Tomorrow I'll begin my "Christmas rush" and don't know if I'll be online much from now until the 26th. So my best wishes to all and may a greater spirit lead your way. I'm thankful for all of you.

Roberta Perry Hughes		19-Dec-2007 01:15
Charlis...Thanks, for the support & TLC, re: my comment that stemmed from Alan's MMA site, & the fact that his former school is gone. How I wish we could take the younger folk back in time, to see Our Town through our eyes, that are, at times, dimmed by tears, over the coldly rude changes that they have only known, from the cradle up. How much joy they have missed, & simplicity! I have finally sent our host, Don Boyd, the photos of my paternal grandfather, taken inside of Fowey Rocks Lighthouse, & on the outside of it, too, & even inside of the Fresnel lens, back when he was a Keeper there, in the '20's-'30's. Don't know when they will appear in the Galleries, nor where...he's pretty busy, plus, I'm sure he's dealing with the holiday preparations, like the rest of us are. It has been requested that he (Don) let us Posters know whenever he puts up new photos in the galleries, through a Post of his own, on this Comments page, so, be on the lookout. I'm sure everyone will enjoy these photos! Can hardly wait to make Joanne's mother's Crispy Corn Casserole, & your PA. Bott Boi!! I have already passed on both recipes, to friends & former classmates, most of whom plan to make one or the other, over the holidays! Thanks, for sharing! Roberta, proud granddaughter of Hamilton Sharpe Perry, Keeper of the Light, at Fowey Rocks, ca. 1920-1939, & beyond.

charlis		19-Dec-2007 00:35
Roberta... they say that things change for the better... not the case in Miami. Kicking out the old timers to make way for progress has not worked down there. Neighborhoods are raised to make way for new developments that are not selling. The eco damage is terrible. The old landmarks are gone, the old timers are treated like dirt. Jeff's and my mutual friend can not get public assistance because she is not hispanic! Old Miami is no longer. New Miami is not a nice place unless you are a "minority" or a developer.... and right now, being a developer is not that good.

Don Boyd		18-Dec-2007 18:58
Six photos from old Hialeah in 1927 were added to the Hialeah Gallery. Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		18-Dec-2007 14:59
Alan...I really enjoyed the photos of MMA, in the Galleries, & reading the history, via the link provided. Thanks so much, for sharing that with us! Hard to imagine a learning institution closing, being sold, & then, obliterated, to make way for condos. That's a shame. Seems that nothing is sacred, anymore, & nothing stays the same. I can hardly get my brain around the knowledge that so very many of our old haunts, hang-outs, eateries, stores, & entertainment spots, & the old Art Deco hotels...(& soon, the Orange Bowl)...no longer exist, & in their place is a bunch of JUNK, enjoyable to no one, but the owners. I saw, on "CSI Miami," where court was held in the Biscayne Court House. That lets me know that the days of Our Town's (1927) Dade County Court House are, more than likely, the next, to be numbered, & probably, before we can blink, the sad announcement will come, that it, too, will be imploded, after pieces of it are sold, as "souvenirs." It saddened me, when Jeff (Levine) told me, in an earlier posting, that "my" Court House's clock no longer chimes the hour & half hour, as it once did. One of my fondest memories, as a child, while shopping downtown, at Richards Department Store with my family, or leaving a Theater's matinee showing of "Journey to the Center of the Earth," or other movie, was to hear that wonderful clock, chiming out the hour, as we strolled down the sidewalk of Flagler Street. I cannot begin to imagine knowing that a school I had attended was gone, without a trace. How lucky that you have your wonderful year book! I'll go on here, to add my comments, but I still visit the Galleries, often, for there, in those treasured photos, our favorite places are frozen in time...& when I view them, I'm not 60 years old...I'm in elementary school, & Junior High. The Galleries are like a Fountain of Youth! Thank you, so very much, Don Boyd, for this amazing Site! Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Kwanzaa! To one & all!! Roberta, hanging in there, in the Peach State's Central Savannah River Area.

Don Boyd		17-Dec-2007 18:12
The PBase photo hosting site is having problems with their servers and things are really sluggish. In addition, a lot of thumb nail images are not showing up but instead displaying the title of the photo with the dreaded red 'x" in the upper corner. They have been working on the problems for a day or two and hopefully things will be back to normal soon. Don

Don Boyd		17-Dec-2007 18:07
Sure, I can do that, even though I post the new photo info on the main memories page. Don Parks wpmjr@bellsouth.net 17-Dec-2007 04:37 Hi Don, Will you please let us know on the Comments Page if you post any new photos? Are any of you old time Miamians familiar with the S&S Diner in Downtown Miami? It's been there since 1938. Great food. They have just opened a second location in Allen's Drug Store on the corner of Red and Bird roads.

Don Boyd		14-Dec-2007 14:47
Welcome back Tim, no problem on the posting in the other gallery. It's only a click to eliminate it. I hope you hear from folks who knew you and/or Robin. Don

TImothy Lee Cromer		14-Dec-2007 13:03
Timothy Lee Cromer 14-Dec-2007 12:58 Good morning Don ( and all the Old Hialeah, Miami, South Florida Folks ) Just wanted to do a repost call for ANY Cutler Ridge "Rats" lurking out there to respone to me via my e-mail as to not further clutter up Don's wonderful site. tim.cromer@occc.net ~ I have the honor of being wed to the beautiful daughter of Frances Maddaford Whitney who both perfomed first chair violla with the Miami Sym as well as teaching opera vocals @ The U. of M. school of Music. Robin Whitney's father, Colonel R.W. Whitney USMC, worked in the court system with Janet Reno and also owned a Volkswagon dealership called OVERSEAS MOTORS. Robin had her own band called Robin & One Step Ahead which played all around the area and later was the house band @ The Plantation Yacht Harbor on Plantation Key. Any one out there remember or recall the Whitney's of Cutler Ridge?? I'd love to hear from you ~ Thanks & Merry Christmas/Happy New Year one & all. P.S. Don sorry to have posted my comment on the other page before noticing your NEW comment page, SORRY!!!

charlis		14-Dec-2007 00:51
davio"/dave... it is funny that the "natives" have to suffer so that that tourists can have fun.... but... in Florida we should be used to it... yeah, sure. But, the way the iceburgs are melting, Florida will be under water in a while.

charlis		14-Dec-2007 00:46
roberta.... NASCAR and oil... I like to watch the races but.... maybe if we all stop watching the races, they stop running them, we all stop driving our cars and use public trans, force the auto industry to make more smaller energy efficient cars... nah.... that won't work... rich and semi rich men have to have their SUVs and Hummers. Over the long xmas holiday, I might come up with a usable idea... I will let you know. '-)

Don Boyd		13-Dec-2007 17:41
Okay, you can now resume posting comments. I managed to create the new Comments Gallery without losing thousands of old comments and those old comments now appear on one large page instead of several pages because the photos aren't taking up all the allocated space. Thanks. Don

Don Boyd		13-Dec-2007 17:13
Roberta said: Roberta Perry Hughes robertah47@aol.com 13-Dec-2007 11:40 "Shucks, folks, I'm speechless!" Will send Don the photos of my grandfather, soon, taken in Fowey Rocks Lighthouse, just as soon as I learn how to scan & send images, via e-mail. I think the pictures I have, when he was Keeper, will be an interesting addition, to the "appropriate" gallery slot...at least, I HOPE that they will be welcomed, by all. It may be after the holidays, due to other commitments, company coming, etc., before I can get this done. Meanwhile...sure will miss the Post-A-Comment gang, & going on here, often, to connect with other former Miamians. Have a very Merry, or a Happy, holiday season, & a terrific New Year...for the world entire. Bless you, one & all. Be well.

Roberta Perry Hughes		13-Dec-2007 04:08
BEFORE you NASCAR fans want to hang-me-out-to-dry, consider this: every quart of oil being burned up, by EACH of those race cars, it's taking it away, from the trucking industry, who delivers goods & groceries, to all major cities, & bergs; it's taking it away from school buses, who take rural kids to schools, many miles from home; it's taking it away from the vehicles of folks driving to & from work; it's taking it away from the vehicles of folks, out & about, doing their holiday shopping, or grocery-buying, or out to buy a source of heat, other than propane; it's taking it away from EVERYONE, who plans to DRIVE to grandma's house, this holiday season, rather than fly; it's taking it away from EMS vehicles, going to & from a traffic accident, or someone's home, in order to save a life; etc., etc., etc. Some of you may argue, that, the race cars don't use the same FUEL, as cars, school buses, or 18-wheelers...BUT!...they ALL use OIL, people, same as most cars & small trucks do. At this point, not everyone has a "hybrid" vehicle. As with the ski resorts, making snow, & golf courses, blatantly overhydrating the greens...WASTE IS WASTE.

Roberta Perry Hughes		13-Dec-2007 03:48
Yo, Davino...! I got one better that THAT for ya...! Oil is...HOW much per barrel??? BUT...!!! Has it stopped NASCAR???????????????

Davino/Dave		13-Dec-2007 03:10
Yooo, Charlis.. How about sending that bad girl Olga up this way into W N. Carolina.. Do we ever need some rain in these here parts?? Oh Yeah!!! Meanwhile, the ski resorts are still making snow in 60 degree weather and the golf courses are still pumpin out water faster than the fairways and greens can absorb it all... Then of course, all us other folks, "must conserve" ..... Eeeyyy , Water dept... Conserve this!!!! Davino/Dave, Still holding my own on a parched parcel 3k' somewhere in in the Blue Ridge Mtns............. Salute'....

charlis		13-Dec-2007 00:16
Don... I promise I will get those 1962 and 1968 pics of the Parrot Jungle and Viscaya to you. I am still trying to find my pots and pans and xmas decorations. since my move in October. I found them.... for a few minutes!

charlis		13-Dec-2007 00:06
Joanne... I love corn and will make the recipe for our department's xmas luncheon. Thanks for the recipe.

charlis		13-Dec-2007 00:02
Roberta... you will love the Bott Boi! Hopefully it will be cold enough to really really enjoy it. We've been in the 80's the past two weeks with cold weather expected on Sunday. The weather in the midwest is not good, and looking worse. and it is all heading to the NE where my daughter lives... and then we now have the remnants of Olga to add to the mess as it rides up the cold front! they say we might get some rain due to the cold front and what is left of Olga.... I am not holding my breath. Every day they say something about what she will do, adnd the next day it is the opposite... ie: will not develope into anything.... next morning she is named, but will not develope into a TS.... surprise... next morning she is a TS...

Roberta Perry Hughes		12-Dec-2007 23:29
Joanne...Thank you, for the Crusted Scalloped Corn recipe!! I just may add that to the "sides," for our Christmas dinner!! Sounds yummy!! Roberta...getting fatter, just READING recipes, in the Peach State's CSRA.

Sofia		12-Dec-2007 23:08
Larry -- you may want to contact the people at the Coconut Grove Arts Festival (305) 447-0401.

Larry		12-Dec-2007 19:50
Where can I get a poster titled "Miami See It Like A native" vintage 1979-80? Thanks...

Joanne		12-Dec-2007 16:54
Here's a recipe from my dear departed Mom. I use it every holiday and whenever a "pot luck" request comes my way. CRUSTED SCALLOPED CORN 1 stick of butter (melted) 1 bx of Jiffy corn bread mix. 1 can regular corn (17oz drained) 1 can creamed corn (17 oz) 1 pint sour cream. Mix all together in a baking dish, 400 degree oven for about 30 to 40 minutes. Easy and yummy! HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!!

Roberta Perry Hughes		12-Dec-2007 04:23
Joanne...I second the motion, re: preferring a "green" Christmas, over a white one. My mom decorated our twin hibiscus trees, with outdoor colored lights, that were on each side of the sidewalk that lead to our front porch, from S.W. 55th Street, & everyone was in shirt sleeves, for daily wear, & even shorts, or play suits, on the weekends. A trip to the beach, in December, was a treat, for any out-of-town "Yankee" holiday visitors, who were always just amazed, that we had the weather, to go swimming in Winter. My thoughts & prayers go out to the folks in MO, OK, IA, NEB, CO, IL, & the other states, who were hit by the crippling & deadly ice storms, recently. I cannot begin to imagine the crisis they are all facing, & will continue to face, in the days, even weeks to come, & how just getting to a warm place, with food, shelter, & water, takes top priority, over the former excitement of holiday shopping, going to work, or to school, or to the Day Care Center. Always, are the homeless, & the stray animals, in situations like these, who, many times, find no respite. I am concerned about FEMA relief aid, & supplies, going out to the isolated Indian Reservations of OK, far away from the towns, cities, & urban neighborhoods, who will be tended to first, due to easier access. I'm referring to the truckloads of bottled water, food, & emergency generators. If you & yours are safe & warm, tonight, & are enjoying the comforts of home, take a moment, to count your blessings, & pray, each in your own way, for those who are suffering the miseries, & tragedies, that this ice storm has wrought, across this Great Land of ours. Roberta, alive...& soberingly humbled...in Wadley, Georgia.

Roberta Perry Hughes		12-Dec-2007 03:45
Charlis...WOW!! I will do the PA Dutch Bott Boi for New Year's!! Nuttin' better'n beans 'n ham 'n noodles!! Roof-raisers, I'm sure!! I look forward to it, & thanks, for the recipe/directions!! Got out my pen & paper, to write it all down!! Any more recipes floatin' around out there?? I'm all ears!! Will have paper & pen, at-the-ready!! How about a traditional Hanukkah dish?? I love to try out new recipes, when I'm feeling up to it. Roberta, the obsessive recipe collector/Southern cook, in the Peach State's CSRA.

charlis		11-Dec-2007 23:03
Roberta... xmas feast? I'll have the traditional xmas eve pizza (this year it is Lean Cuisine's Spinach and mushroom with my additions of pepperoni and pepper jack cheese... the traditional cup of hot chia (created for my daughter when she was very young... hot chocolate with a bit of Tia Maria....for her... a lot of Tia Maria for me). Then xmas day, hoping it will be cold here in Tampa... Pennsylvania Bott Boi. A family recipe that has been handed down for generations, although the last generation buys the noodles. Boil a ham butt with navy beans until the beans start to come apart. The smell fills the house and makes you so hungry! Remove the ham and beans from the broth and add the noodles and cook until done. Muellers makes pretty good PA Dutch noodles, use the wide variety. I use to make them myself... just egg, flour and water. Guarantee you that you will eat 3 helpings before you realize you ate too much!

Davino?Dave		11-Dec-2007 20:41
Roberta, Thank you, for I think you hit on my problem.. I'm just under the influence of a "mountain top high". How simple!! I was about to respond and ask AA if he would translate his last post to me... I read it 3 times and all I got was a migraine..................

Roberta Perry Hughes		11-Dec-2007 15:06
Me, again, y'all! What all are y'all cookin', for your holiday meal, this year? By special request, we're having a non-traditional meal: Boston Butt, roasted in my buffet oven, with pork dressing, & a double measure of Whistle Stop Cafe's chicken and dumplings!! And the usual sides & pies. Y'all come, heah, & have a bite with us! Roberta, Southern cook, fatter than Paula Deen, in the CSRA, Peach State...formerly, from beautiful 1950's Miami, where I left my heart.

Roberta Perry Hughes		11-Dec-2007 14:56
Those who use spirits to get "high" need to try a "mountain top high," not just for the effects of anoxia, but for the sheer beauty of the scene! Don't care for high altitudes? There's always any National Park, or even an out-of-the-way spot, where fly fishing is great; or the sun & surf, of Florida's many beaches; or an ancient-but-well-preserved town, like Largo's St. Augustine; or even some tourist attraction, like Vizcaya...or even your own backyard! Or, in the face of a child, or a friend, or family member, who is so dear to your heart. THAT's a very nice "high!" Be careful, y'all, wherever you go, during this busy season! Embrace the excitement of the many holidays, & your plans, to be with loved ones, both family & friends. Be mindful, always, of your surroundings, most especially among throngs of people. Roberta, alive, & feeling pretty good, but sleepy, in the CSRA, Peach State, U.S.A.

Guest		11-Dec-2007 14:16
Largo: Sorry for forgetting the difference between my professional and personal characters. Layman's translation: It is not the altitude! It is the alcohol consumed that makes one act and behave like an idiot! No offense taken or engendered. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Forgetting that he is a psychologist, Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

LARGO		11-Dec-2007 05:11
LOVE ! LOVE ! LOVE ! ARIZONA AL'S 10,000 FT. VOCABULARY!!!....WHO NEEDS A 5th OF ANYTHING? ...MY BRAIN IS DOING CARTWHEELS ALREADY !!!................LARGO ...alive and well at sea level

Arizona Al		11-Dec-2007 02:51
Davino/Dave: I respectfully submit that at your current altitude of 3K feet above sea level any variance in cognitive, intellectual, or social functioning would be attributed to the alcohol consumed and not coterminal or contiguous with any effects of relative altitude. Alan Ogus, Ph.D.,Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

charlis		10-Dec-2007 23:19
Roberta... I noticed the same thing this weekend when I finally had a chance to check in. Guess everyone was out xmas and Hannuka shopping. Me? Still trying to unpack and find things!

Joanne		10-Dec-2007 18:07
Davino/Dave...I watched the game on TV. Our ladies were not up to snuff this year but I think they'll be back next year. Most of the starters will be returning, in fact, some of our starters are freshmen so we look forward to many more championship attempts. I hope they don't have to be against USC. Those ladies were very talented.

Davino/Dave		10-Dec-2007 16:53
Arizona Al... Thanks for the info on, "diminished cognitive/intellectual functioning.. Guess I'll have to find another excuse....... How about, the combination of altitude and half a fifth of any whiskey??? Go Canes!!! Joanne, Sorry to report, USC won the championship over FSU 2-0....

Joanne		10-Dec-2007 16:14
Hi ya Miamians!! As with Jeff, I too have been going in all directions for the past several weeks. Between holiday functions, being an "athletic supporter" to my son (he coaches soccer), and following the incredible FSU womens soccer program (who played for the NCAA title yesterday) I fall into bed at night exhausted. "GO 'NOLES!!!" Oh yea, and I do go to work, even though I'd prefer being at the mall. I miss Miami at Christmastime. Swimming in December, sweating while putting up the decorations, lights on the palm tree. I didn't care about a white Christmas, a green one was better!!

Timothy Lee Cromer		10-Dec-2007 12:21
Sorry Cutler Ridge Rats ( if you're out there ) forgot to mention my wife Robin Whitney had her own band called Robin And One Step Ahead that played ALL around the Miami, Ft. Lauderdale area and later held the 'House Band' position at The Plantation Yacht Harbor during the mid to late 70's and early 80's??? If so I'd love to hear from you, THANKS and Happy Holidays!!!

TImothy Lee Cromer		10-Dec-2007 12:17
Hello out there in Don Boyd's wonderful world of Miami yesteryear, and Cutler Ridge 'Rats' out there who could tell me if they knew of my wife's family the Whitney's??? Robin's mom Frances Mattaford Whitney sang opera and played first chair violla with the Miami Sym. and taught @ The U. of M. music dept. Her dad was a Marine Corps Colonel who later worked in the court system down there with Janet Reno, he also 'owned' Over Seas Motors Volkswagon dealership, anyone who might remember ~ my e-mail is tim.cromer@occc.net THANKS!!!

Guest		10-Dec-2007 03:33
Davino/Dave: North Carolina..I know her well. Called her home from 1969-1995. Lived in Raleigh, Boone, Marion, Morganton, Wendell and Wilmington. Truly appreciated the ocean to the mountains geography. I return once a month on business in the Raleigh area. Go Wolfpack!! I am unaware of any relationship between altitude under 10,000 feet and diminished cognitive/intellectual functioning. Past 10,000 feet the decrease in oxygen (anoxia) causes notable deficits in cognition and intelligence. On the other hand, a half a fifth of good whisky, rum or tequila at sea level also produces the same cognitive and intellectual deficits. Alan Ogus, Ph.D.,Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Jeff		10-Dec-2007 01:43
Awww, gee, Largo... "Our Jeff"... thank you... I've been running my tail off between font design work, daily activities and some much-appreciated socializing with friends... I glance in here from time to time...commenting on what piques my interest... and then zip on to other tasks... To paraphrase Alan... Jeff Levine-Miami Beach Senior High Class of 1970-surviving the life in Miami-Dade County...

Roberta Perry Hughes		09-Dec-2007 21:29
Hallelujah!! GREAT, to hear from my Pals from the Post-A-Comment Club!! Hooray!! To INCLUDE: Alan, Drew, Guest, etc., etc.!! It just LOOKED as if our "conversations"-type repartee had gone "bye-bye," due to the request, (by you-know-who) that we have a special "chat room"-type format, to be set up, by Don, for such, & to restrict this Site for comments that relate ONLY about the photos in the Galleries! Too, it continued to be suggested that our various ares be compartmentalized into groupings, geographically-speaking...Oh, just all such as that, & I cannot quote directly, so, scroll on down, to the origin of all of that, & go UP, from there, at how everyone seemed to be absent, from our usual postings. I was thinking that everyone decided to be in "compliance" with the proposed bylaws of this Site, & were only going on here to read. Glad to see that we have some NEW POSTERS on here, & hope we will have the opportunity to get to know them, too, as we have done with one another. Be careful, out there, shopping for the various holiday gifts, in the Malls...or anywhere else, for that matter. Roberta...alive & well, (so far), in the Central Savannah River Area, in the Peach State

Davino/Dave		09-Dec-2007 21:02
Arizona Al........... PS Alive and well(??) at 3k' in NC........

Davino/Dave		09-Dec-2007 20:51
Arizona Al... Do you have any knowledge of the higher the elevation the lower the brain functions?? Just wondering........???

LARGO		09-Dec-2007 20:24
HAPPY TO KNOW YOU ARE THERE AL....DOING WHAT YOU DO...PARDON MY NOSINESS...SOMETIMES A FLAW...SOMETIMES A CONVERSATION OPENER....................AND BY THE WAY... HOW IS "OUR" JEFF...WELL I HOPE.........AND EVERYBODY ELSE...WHAT GOING ON???? LARGO

Guest		09-Dec-2007 19:14
Largo: My Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy, North Carolina State University, 1977) is in Clinical-Community Psychology. I am licensed in both Arizona and North Carolina. I have not been involved in "direct practice services" since 1985 when I made the quantum leap from clinical practice to clinical management and administration. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

LARGO		09-Dec-2007 18:45
HEY DAVINO !!! LETS NOT FORGET ARIZONA AL. PHD....AL... DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOUR PHD. IS IN....BUT IF IT IS IN THE AREA OF "SHRINK"...THIS WOULD BE AN EXTRA BUSY TIME....WHAT ID ....... (ah em) IS... THE PHD. AFFILIATE IN?.......UNABASHEDLY CURIOUS............LARGO

LARGO		09-Dec-2007 18:28
ROBERTA....I THINK WE LAST POSTED NOV. 29 ?....... IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE TRYPTOPHAN......I DID CHECK IN A TIME OR TWO AND JUST FIGURED THE RAPTURE HAD OCCURED...AND HERE I WAS!...sigh..SO NOW HOLIDAY PHASE 2 FOR ALL THE DIVERSE CELEBRATIONS AROUND THE PLANET..... I WISH YOU ALL PATIENCE....AND KINDNESS TOWARDS EACH OTHER.........LARGO

Davino/Dave		09-Dec-2007 16:29
RPH............. You forgot to include Guest and Drew.............

Roberta Perry Hughes		09-Dec-2007 06:18
What's going on?? Jeff? Charlis? Largo? Joanne? Steve? Stephen? Dave? Where did everybody go?? Have we been evicted??

ex_floridian		05-Dec-2007 20:46
Great Photos of old Miami, miss the old days, I graduated from SW Miami High school in 1975, born and raised in Miami and now live in Charlottesville, Va. Sad to hear about Ron Arbetter, but I could not find the email link to the article. Anyone remember the drive inn on Bird Road and around I think it was 95 Avenue. Can't remember the name but we used to have some great times there.

l'il jimmy m.		04-Dec-2007 18:43
Miami Springs is where I was raised, but since I left for college in Texas in 1960 (and with no malice intended) I haven't missed it a bit. Uhhhhhh, well I DID go through a period of grieving when the original SHORTY'S burned down and it would tickle me plum to death if a SHORTY'S would open up here in Dallas. As it is I have to fly down for a short family visit each Christmas and often my first stop after leaving the airport is the closest SHORTY'S. I relish the fact that there are more than one. I think my Dad learned of the joint from other mechanics while overhauling piston engines at Pan Am on 36th St. and the shops on the SW side of the airport. It seemed like a hunnert miles driving for BBQ from the Springs. And I also lament the loss of the Red Diamond restaurant over toward the dog track. I am very much enjoying the memories resurrected by the postings on this site. Thanks all! I have dredged up some of my own: Ralph Renick's newscasts on WTVJ 4, Austin Burke and his clothing commercials, Joe Vallella's Cartoonoville on 4 where I won an English Bike for a drawing I did, Dressels Dairy out just west of MIA where you could get great ice cream and shakes on weekends and a pony ride around a circular track. I was out driving a country road in central Texas last year and after taking a bend in the road was pleasantly shocked to see a herd of black belt cows before me. Who remembers the Black Belt Dairy which I think was in Hialeah at about 54th St. and the RR tracks?

Richard		03-Dec-2007 23:03
This incredible e-mail (website) info was just sent to me by a former classmate of mine. We both graduated from North Miami Senior High School in 1961. These pictures brought back so many memories and helped me realize, once again, that those were some of the happiest days of my life. I've had the privilege of meeting people from all over the world and during those discussions, have described South Florida during the 50's. Words don't do it justice!! It really was a special place and a special time. Miami Beach had the glitter and excitement of Las Vegas, with stars like Sinatra, Bennett, Mathis, Louis Prima & Keely Smith, Rickles, etc. frequently appearing at places like the Eden Roc and Fountainbleu. But more than that, South Florida was a great place to grow up--at least during the 40's and 50's!! Thanks For The Memories!!

annmled		03-Dec-2007 10:26
What a great site!! I came to Miami with my husband in 1949, adopted my Son in 1955 and unfortunately, got divorced in 1960. I went to work in 1960 at the Carriage Club Beauty Salon at the Miami Springs Villas and had a great time! I met many celebrities there. Art Bruns did not own the villas, he was the General Manager. A Canadian business man from Toronto named Percy Gardiner and his son George Gardiner owned it. The Doorman then was Mike Coker and The head brtender was Al Day. I dated some famous people, Mickey Mantle and Lorne Greene and met his mother who lived at the Morton Towers in Miami Beach and I did her hair for a while until I went to work for J. Baldi managing two of his Beauty Salons, one on Miracle Mile in Coral Gables and one in Miami Beach. Then I left Miami and now I live in Saibel Island. What a Great place Miami was then. I have some pictures to add that you will like as soon as I dig them p! Thanks for letting me rant on! Ann

Bob		03-Dec-2007 07:51
I seem to remember Opa Locka airport being further north in Opalocka itself. It was a Navy Base during WW 2, a training base for those pilots who had already gotten their wings. I had a friend who was killed there in, I think, 1942. A little bit later when I was stationed at Jax NAS, I would fly home to Miami on NATS flight into Opalocka. I also went for a short period to MMA but I don't remember a seaport behind it. Of couse I was in the south end of the county and didn't know too much about the North end. I do remember the "Little River Rats" up there and have a bent nose to prove it. I also remember my Miami Hi beating Edison lo those many years in a row...and the hell raised when they finally beat us. That was back in the 30s, 40s, and maybe 50s.

Bob		03-Dec-2007 07:38
Forgive me if I repeat some stuff already covered and that I might have missed in trying to go thru the enormous amount of info below. This is such a super site. As I said earlier I have been in Miami since 1934 and so much of this is so familiar. Iwanrt to chat about airports. I don't see whereanyone has mentioned Pan Am's activities at Dinner Key where the Flying Boats came in. It was a great spot to go and watch them land and then come ashore. In the administration bldg was this huge globe, which for years after was at the Museum of Science by Viscaya. The property was for a time Miami City Hall and the hangers a convention center. Has anyone talked about Chalk off what used to be County Causeway? and the blimp base there? I notice that someone mentioned Richmond Airfield but not that it burned down during a hurricane in the forties and subsequently became the U of Miami's South Campus. It then became the "worst kept secret" as the center for CIA activities here and in Central America.

pam		02-Dec-2007 11:21
Thanks was great seeing the old home grown, to bad there was anything on the Everglades, I when to West Miami Jr. High School, & CoralPark Sr. thanks again for post this

Jeff		02-Dec-2007 08:01
I happened to come across these notes on Wikipedia, which tells the full story of Channel 10's history (as I've partially mis-stated somewhere on this blog)... "WPST-TV - The station first took to the air on August 2, 1957 as WPST-TV, as the second ABC affiliate in the Miami market, under the ownership of Public Service Television, Inc., the broadcasting subsidiary of National Airlines. (Hence the call letters.) Prior to this time ABC had been carried by WITV, channel 17. When the more powerful channel 10 came on the air, however, channel 17 quickly went out of business. (Channel 17 is now occupied by a PBS member station, WLRN-TV.) In the early 1960s the ownership of WPST-TV got in trouble with the FCC over the Richard A. Mack affair* (*-refer to Wikipedia) and was stripped of its broadcast license. A New Channel 10 - A group headed by L.B. Wilson won the right to start a new station on channel 10. As part of an FCC-supervised deal, National sold WPST's assets to Wilson's group. WPST signed off for the last time on November 13, 1961. A week later, on November 20, channel 10 returned to the air as WLBW-TV (after the owner's initials). Although it operates under a separate license, it claims WPST's history as its own. The new station called itself "Colorvision 10", indicating that it was broadcasting in color. In 1967, WLBW moved to its present studio facility location on Biscayne Boulevard. In 1969, WLBW was purchased by Katharine Graham. On March 16, 1970, WLBW was renamed WPLG, named for Katharine Graham's late husband Philip L. Graham."

Don Boyd		01-Dec-2007 03:00
Charlis and Arizona Al: I didn't attend MMA. That was a direct quote from Dick Besola who did go there. Yes Al, send any and all scans from MMA (facilties, scenery there, large groups of cadets, etc.) and I'll get them up. Thanks! Don

Guest		01-Dec-2007 01:03
Don: The universe is collapsing upon my cortex!! After getting "permanently" expelled from Redlands Jr, High in 1960 for hitting the shop teacher (Mr. Kokel) over the head with a wood planer,my parents enrolled me in Miami Military Academy where I attended 8th, 9th, and 10th grade (1959-1962). I fondly recall those years and have a 1962 "Recall" yearbook from which I would be glad to scan some photos and send to you. What years did youb attend? Was "The Commander( Ralph Patterson) there during your servitude? Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Staff Sergeant A Company McKibben Barracks Miami Military Academy 1959-1962. Long Live the Apache Motel and the Dahla Horse!!

charlis		01-Dec-2007 00:30
Don... ? year at MMA

charlis		01-Dec-2007 00:25
jeff... sea planes and Miami Military... that sounds familiar, but still seems had to believe. ;-) The fancy entrance to the homes behind the academy...

Parks		30-Nov-2007 04:12
Jeff and Don, Thanks for filling me in on the seaplane base in North Miami. I had no idea it was there. Trigg Adams is a customer of mine. I'll have to pin him down for some flying stories next time I see him. I got my seaplane ticket up at Brown's Seaplane Base in Winter Haven. They had Cubs on floats also but I got my ticket in a 172 on floats. I wish I'd gone for the Cub.

Jeff		30-Nov-2007 01:28
DON! I know Dick Besola...!!! He was a cabinet maker and did some construction in the North Miami end of the county... He might not recall me, but if you talk to him, please tell him that Jeff Levine ("the fellow that collected old pcitures of Miami") sends his regards... One correction for you, old friend... The Voyager Motel was father North on Biscayne... approximately 124th Street. Do you remember when the Lear school was originally on Miami Beach? They were "transplanted" to North Miami when their property was sold for development of one of the many high-rises ditting the bay side of South Beach... I think it was Seacoast Towers... I'd all but forgotten about them being in the old Motel property...

R		30-Nov-2007 00:56
OH! AND BY THE WAY GOOD JOB DON .KEEP UP YHE GOOD WORK.

DRDDRRrdlackey48@alltel.net		30-Nov-2007 00:52
COME ON PEOPLE WE MORE OLD PHOTOS TO LOOK AT .IM BURNING ALL THESE UP LOOKING AT THEM.NEED MORE MEMORIES QUICK. THE SUN IS SETTING FAST.SOON IT WILL BE TO LATE {FOR SOME OF US}. GROWING UP IN MIAMI I REMEMBER EVERY ONE OF THESE PHOTOS. SITTING IN CAMPUS CORNER {ACROSS FROM MIAMI SR.HIGH} EATING LUNCH, DRINKING COKES,PLAYING THE JUKEBOX AND HITTIN ON THE GIRLS. RICK L.

Don Boyd		29-Nov-2007 16:59
Welcome Barbara, I'm glad you enjoy the site. Thanks for posting. Regarding the Biscayne Seaplane Base, mentioned earlier, old-timer Dick Besola says: "It was located on the bay, at the south entrance to a short channel, where the first phase "Jockey club" hi-rise condo is now standing (11111 Biscayne Boulevard). The "Cricket Club" condo sits on the channel to the north of this channel. There was a crude boat ramp at the west end of that short channel and a wood frame kinda restaurant/bait house located at the north entrance of that channel. At the Biscayne 111th street entrance was a trailer park, just to the north of the trailer park was a group of motel cottages which became the "Lear School" (I taught there too). The Miami Military Acadamy was located where the huge Quayside condo complex across from "K-mart" now sits, at about 104th street and Biscayne Boulevard. I went there also. MMA was run by "Colonel Tims" and family. The Voyager Motel was later built on the south football field, on Biscayne, where the tennis courts now sit. The north football field, on Biscayne, now has strip stores and a gas station on it. Some of the homes where the faculty lived are still located along the road at the north line of the original site. Our "back field" was on the bay, we had a rifle range that shot against the bay too. Let me know if you run across any pic's of MMA too."

Barbara Vitulli Zimmermang		29-Nov-2007 16:23
I am a 1971 graduate of Miami Coral Park High. Born at JMH in 1953 and grew up in SW area of Miami. We moved so many times but stayed in the area. Went to Banyon Elementary, Rockway Elementary, Tropical Elementary, Riviera Jr. High and on to Coral Park High. These pictures are great. Thank you so much for the memories. I have had three classmates send this to me. I love looking over and over at the pictures. I am now reading some of the comments too. This is fun.

Don Boyd		29-Nov-2007 06:34
Jeff: no need to apologize regarding the location of Amelia Earhart Field. I was just surprised to read what you wrote after posting so many informative facts for us in the past. The main reason I really got into putting the oldie photos on the net was because the Miami Herald printed stories, at least three times that I know of, stating that Amelia Earhart took off from Opa-locka Airport, two or three miles to the north of Miami Municipal Airport. The stories were run in connection with Barrington Irving, a young local Jamaican pilot, (site at: http://www.experienceaviation.org/ ) flying around the world earlier this year. I kept sending in corrections and their executive editor Tom Fiedler replied that the facts were fuzzy regarding the airport or words to that effect. I started thinking that if the Herald was this screwed up in 2006/2007 regarding our local history then how screwed up would they be 20, 30, 40 years from now? Thus my efforts to preserve some of our factual local history on the internet because the Herald sure isn't doing it. Regarding the seaplane base that was mentioned: according to Trigg Adams, it was called the Biscayne Seaplane Base and was operated by Joe Maugeri. Trigg soloed there in a 65hp Cub on floats, which were not amphibious - you had to gun it up the ramp. Trigg says that after the property was sold to the developers Joe moved the operation over to Opa-locka. Trigg also says that for many years, and perhaps even now, it was still listed as a seaplane facility on sectional charts, although no one used is as such. He doubts if the ramp into the water is still there. Here's a link to old abandoned airports in Florida. http://www.airfields-freeman.com/FL/Airfields_FL.htm - Miami is broken up into north, central and south in the listings and there is some interesting reading in there. Probably not too many folks remember the Viking Airport on the Venetian Causeway, which is on the Miami central page. Another airport that few remember is the Sunnyside/Sunny South Airport at NW 7th Avenue and 91st Street - photos and text are on the Miami north page. Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		29-Nov-2007 05:03
Warren Lieberman...Thanks, for enlightening me about the 3-wheeled bicycles...no, TRIcycles!...that, literally, pedaled ice cream through my neighborhood (Mackle projects) in the Southwest section, in the early 1950's. Being from rural GA, we'd never seen anything like that, in our lives, & it was very fascinating for us, & great, to run out there, & get a popsicle, & take the man a cold glass of water. My earliest memories include this very image. In the movie, "What's Up, Doc?", with Ryan O'Neal & Barbra Streisand, she pedaled one, with Ryan on top of the ice cream box. It was the first time I'd seen one since, all those years ago, & brought back a lot of memories for me. Must have been great, to have a father who owned an ice cream company!! Wow! Bet you were the envy of all your friends!

Roberta Perry Hughes		29-Nov-2007 04:42
Imartin...Ron graduated in 1973??? My God, he's still relatively young!! For those of you who know him, personally, & his family, I know that this is very difficult. My thoughts are with all of you, & most especially, with Ron himself.

Jeff		29-Nov-2007 04:41
Parks - The Miami Military Academy was (I do believe) located where the Jockey Club was built... NE 111th Street & Biscayne Boulevard. If what I've been told is correct, the seaplane base was originally housed on the bay, behind the academy... Tonight was the final weather Broadcast for Don Noe, the Chief Meteorologist for WPLG (Channel 10). He started with the station 28 years ago, under the guidance of Walt Cronise, Dwight Lauderdale, Glenn Rinker and [the late] Ann Bishop... For your REAL old-timers, WPLG was previosuly known as WLBW, but when they first went on the air, they were WPST - owned by National Airlines. After National got into some trouble (something about stock manipulation), they sold the station to Lewis B. Wilson (the LBW of WLBW) in the early 1960's. Post-Newsweek purchased the station in the early 1970's, and changed the cll letters to WPLG to honor the memory of their late major stockholder, Paul L. Griffen.

Roberta Perry Hughes		29-Nov-2007 04:31
Guest...Plans to take "the deep six"?? Please, bear in mind that that route is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. NOTHING is worth that, & no situation that dire, that you cannot resolve it, maybe, with a little help from your friends. A geographical relocation may not be a solution for you, because, as Ann Landers once said, "No matter where you go, there YOU are." If you are not a happy person, leaving Miami won't make you happy...nor any other locale, for that matter. If you are that depressed, please, seek help. If, on the other hand, as Largo commented, this is a (bizarre) sense of humor, on your part, please let all of us know that, & that you are o.k., or that you are going to be o.k.; I, for one, am concerned, & I don't even know you. In the light of such sobering, & very sad news, re: Ron Arbetter, such talk is far from humorous. Despite the comment from Drew, that Don needs to set up a separate "chat room," for conversations, if you need us, for a "sounding board," we are here for you. For the most part, we are a caring bunch. Share your memories of "old" Miami with us. It might help you to loosen up, & make still living there more tolerable, by embracing & enjoying the past. Looking forward to seeing you on here again. Keep your sunnyside up! Take care.

LARGO		29-Nov-2007 04:06
HEEEYYYY GUEST.....SO HAPPY TO HEAR FROM YOU !... SOOOOOO........DEEP 6...sounds kinda final-ish. NOW IF IT'S GALLOWS HUMOR YOUR EXPRESSING...I'LL SKIP ALONG WITH YA...MAYBE DAVINO WILL TOO...?..........SO DOES "GUEST" HAVE A NAME...?.........OR ARE YOU FLYING UNDER THE RADAR ?...WHERE DID YOU ATTEND SCHOOL ?...WHAT AREA OF MIAMI DID YOU LIVE IN?........WHAT WERE YOUR FOND MEMORIES OF MIAMI ?............WOULD LIKE TO HERE BACK FROM YOU.......LARGO

lmartin		29-Nov-2007 03:26
Roberta Perry Hughes Ron Arbetter graduated from Southwest in 1973. He was a great athlete and anyone that played against him found out the hard way. He would have 2 steps on you before you even had a chance to move. Gladly, I never had to guard him one on one. L Martin

Parks		29-Nov-2007 01:55
Jeff, where was the Military Academy with the seaplane base behind it? I know that Glen Curtis had a seaplane training base near the agriculture station on Old Cutler. Is that the one you're talking about? What was the name of the grass strip out on the edge of the everglades where you could learn to fly gliders? I think it is part of Everglades National Park now. The last time I flew over it I was flying an ultralight and I saw deer grazing on what was left of the runway.

Jeff		29-Nov-2007 01:22
Don... I stand corrected... I have been grossly misinformed, and I apologize to you - the (obvious) aviation expert here... Charlis... the planes were SEAplanes behind the Military Academy... not land-based on an airstrip...

charlis		29-Nov-2007 00:10
forgot to add that the last time I was down there... have live in Tampa since 1974, was there after Hurricane Charlie, I was very sad. It had changed so much. .. and not for the good. The visit before was after Hurricane Andrew. I have good freinds down there but have no desire to go back. Jeff and I have a mutual friend and she is suffering down there. Because she is not hispanic she can not get public assistance... lives in a rat hole on Miami Beach and pays more for rent than I did up here in Tampa for a place 3 times as big!

charlis		29-Nov-2007 00:02
jeff, bob, etc... about the old airports... you brought back fond memories. My first visit to Miami was February 1962. It was a memorable trip (I got my first period!) My great uncle picked my mother, my sister and I up at MIA. Ohio was bleak, the roads and bridges old. The "Jetsons" was a popular TV show and that was my impression of Miami and Miami Beach as we drove from the airport. Everything was bright and open. To this day I remember turning to my mother as we drove across the Julia Tuttle... "Mommy, this is the highway of tomorrow... today!" 5 months later we moved to Florida, W. Hollywood, and on 12-12-61 moved to Miami Beach. I attended MDJC in '67-70 (double minor) and was aware that it had been an old airport. Jeff surprised me by saying the area behind the Military Academy had been an airport... my best friend finished highschool there and there is no way, in my mind, that there could have been an air field there... it was already developed in 1967.

Guest		28-Nov-2007 22:39
For LARGO from Guest. That would be the rising sun, as in heading east, you know, ocean, deep six. No, no one has forced me here, just lamenting of days past and passing the days, much like a kidney stone, becomes painful after awhile. I have moved out of Miami at least six times and no matter what...I end up back here. Now I have the one hour commute down the Crawlmetto to go 16 miles, like so many thousand others. When I was in high school I could make it from Coral Way to 154th in 10 minutes. And they keep coming...and building...and coming...there's hardly room to turn around here now. Oh so sorry, this all started when I couldn't remember Charlie Baxter's name, only MT Graves, then I found an email from someone I've known since 3rd grade. and she still lives nearby, with a link to one of the pages here. Mom has dementia and I think it's starting in on me now, apparently a genetic thing. What were we talking about?

Don Boyd		28-Nov-2007 22:38
Jeff, I am shocked regarding your comments on Amelia Earhart Field (former Miami Municipal Airport and used by the Navy during World War II). It was not in Opa-locka at all but on unincorporated land and then Hialeah annexed the area. It was located between E. 53rd Street and E. 65th Street, (NW 107 Street to NW 119 Street for county addresses) on the east side of LeJeune Road and west of the Seaboard Coast Line tracks and Master's Field. It is now occupied by a huge UPS sorting facility and the Hialeah Police Department and other city agencies. There are numerous photos and diagrams on my aviation stock photo website athttp://www.pbase.com/airlinerphotos/airports_oldmiami . There is only a monument at Amelia Earhart Elementary, across the street on west side of LeJeune, to remind anyone of her stopping at Miami Municipal on her ill-fated around the world flight. Miami-Dade College is located on the former Master's Field, home of NAS Miami, on the west side of NW 27th Avenue, not 17th Avenue. The above link has more photos of that airport.

Roberta Perry Hughes		28-Nov-2007 22:20
Ron Arbetter is in the prayers of many, including my own, though I didn't know him. Can anyone tell me what year he graduated from Southwest High? Perhaps he would be in my sister's yearbook (1960) ? As a cancer survivor...(my brother, too)...I can certainly empathize with what Ron is going through. It's terrible, that he had to go for so long, without a definitive diagnosis, in order to have begun treatment a lot sooner than he did. Please...consult a doctor, who specializes in whatever body part you are having symptoms, or at least, ask a G.P. for a referral, if you need one. Many insurance companies allow you to make appointments with specialists, on your own, WITHOUT a referral. One telltale symptom of pancreatic cancer, (besides the obvious pain), is a very high blood sugar, most expecially if the person is NOT a diabetic, & along with that elevated blood sugar will be the SYMPTOMS of diabetes: excessive thirst, & excessive urination, etc. If you get the "runaround" from ANY doctor, find another one, who has the good sense to order diagnostic labs and/or tests, to rule out cancer, of any sort, & to come up with a definitive diagnosis, in order to treat your condition, or illness, whatever it may show, in those reports. Nowhere is it written that a doctor's mouth is a prayer book! They are only human, with human failings, just like the rest of us have. They are NOT infallible, nor divine, though many of them want you to believe they can walk on water. In my seventeen years in nursing, I learned them, & had to deal with their inflated egos on a daily basis. When one entered the nurses' station, you had to stand up, & you had to give them your chair, if you were seated. They were very haughty, believe me! It is your right, to consult another doctor, if you feel like the one you went to is missing something. It can make all the difference in the world, between getting well, or in having a disease process to escalate. Be well, my friends. Be diligent, with your medical care, & with your choices, in a caregiver. Been there, done that! When I knew I had breast cancer, a doctor, a surgeon, who always interpretted my mammograms, told me that my lump (big one, right at 12 o'clock) was "nothing to worry about," & "let's see what your next mamogram shows." Had I not consulted with a Gynecologist, for a 2nd opinion, I wouldn't be sitting here at my computer, typing this (hopefully, helpful!) comment. Also...men, listen up!! MEN GET BREAST CANCER, TOO!! There were 3 men, who were having mastectomies at the same time that I had mine, at Medical College of Georgia Hospital, in Augusta!! Though they don't do mmgms on men, you should do monthly breast exams, & examine everywhere there are lymph nodes, as well, & in your external "glands," too ("family jewels") for any sign of a lump, no matter if it is a tiny one. I hope this information is helpful.

Jeff		28-Nov-2007 22:18
Bob... Just one correction for you... Amelia Earhardt field was NOT Miami International Airport... There were a number of small airfields in Miami, and her namesake field was located in Opa-Locka - the site of the current Opa-Locka Flea Market. The military air field on NW 17th Avenue is what's now the site of Miami-Dade College North Campus. The site of J.D. Ball/Tally-Embry/Aldo/Metro Ford was the old Sunny South Airport. Let's not forget the Richmond Air Field (now Metrozoo) and the Tamiami Airport. Then there was the North Dade Aviation Station, which was redeveloped into Keystone Point area of North Miami... and don't forget the seaplane base behind the Miami Military Academy---just to name a few.

Guest		28-Nov-2007 20:59
Don, Thanks for posting the Miami Herald website article on Ron Arbetter. I was out in Arizona visiting my Mom over Thanksgiving, and I called Ronnie on Thanksgiving Day to see how he was doing. He told me about the Miami Herald article, and he was thrilled about it, and I could hear the enthusiasm in his voice as we discussed it. I worked at Arbetter's from 1970- 1977. Ron's Mom and Dad were like my second parents, and Ron is like a brother. The best working years of my life was during that time when I worked at Arbetters- I copied Bob's bun behind the back toss, and added the hot dog flips into the bun. Bob was amazing, and Ron is just as amazing, and more. I now live in Houston, and I pray for Ron daily and call him on the phone every other week. I flew into Miami to see Ronnie over the Memorial Day weekend, and it happened to be on that Saturday when Royce Green and others promoted Ronnie's party. It was a great turn out for Ron, and he really appreciated seeing everyone. I was back in Miami in October, and we had a little "Arbetter- Former employee's Reunion" lunch. Attending the lunch, of course was Ron, and former employees from the 60's and 70's- Julie Horstmann, Henry Horstmann, Cliff Reithmiller, and Brad Berman. After lunch at a local Fish House Restaurant, we all went to Arbetters on Bird Road, and got behind the counter for old times sake. We had a great visit and talked about the "old days". To any of those customers I served food to at Arbetters on 8th Street and Bird Road, who are still reading this, please keep Ronnie Arbetter in your prayers. God is good and can create amazing miracles. God bless, Jeff Brauninger

Dave/Davino		28-Nov-2007 20:19
Eyyy Guest. You sound just like Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) in Godfather lll.. Everytime time I try to leave... Something keeps pulling me back in!!! Silvio Dante, of The Sopranos, also does an excellent take off on that famous line.. Guest, rising sun from Miami means riding your bike east into the ocean... Your not thinking of sleepin with the fishes are you? I agree with Largo, log back in on this site and talk to us.. Us posters here will help, I promise you!! Thanks Roberta for your Thanksgiving wishes. We had a good time, both in NC and SC.. Hey, why not have 2 for the price of one? Sounds like you did also........

Warren Lieberman		28-Nov-2007 19:30
To Roberta and Jeff, Back in the era of 1937-1960 there were two main companies with those 3-wheel scooters and bycicles selling ice cream. One was "Good Humor" and the other was "Tommy Tucker Ice Cream." My father owned "Tommy Tucker." The company was based at Southern Dairies (Sealtest) on NE 27th Street and 1st Ave. And yes some of the men took their scooters home and others brought them back at night to the garage on 26th and Miami Ave.

Bob		28-Nov-2007 06:52
Oh and one more thing. The poor about to be gone Orange Bowl was originally the Roddy Burdine Stadium, of the department store Burdines.

Bob		28-Nov-2007 06:47
I just found this site and it's great. I moved to Miami in 1934 so I've seen a lot and a lot of these comments bring back many memories. In no particular order, here are a few comments of mine.To start, Royal Castles were originally 5 cents. When they went up to 7 cents it was a scandal. Yes, Dadeland was open aired, and 1/2 the length it is now. Jordan Marsh was the anchor on the west end. I learned to drive on Flagler just west off 27th Ave because it was a country road there wiyth no traffic. Coral Gables had wide streets platted out with 12' sidewalks and we used to drive my friend's Austin on them because there no buildings. Where the mansions of Coco Plum are now used to be an overgrown jungle but under the undergrowth were the same wide streets and sidewalks like the Gables. There were 2 major high schools, Miami Hi and Edison and 3 minor, Jackson on NW 36th st, Beach Hi and Ponce on US 1. US 1 used to be 2 lanes. What is now MIA was once named - might still be - Amelia Earhart Field. Fla East Coast RR station was on NW 1st Ave, and 1st St, across from Dade County Courthouse, which was not just the tallest building in the county but the tallest south of Jacksonville and/or Atlanta. MacArthur Causeway was the County Causeway then and had trolley tracks that ran to the Beach. Miami Hi used to play Edison in football every Thanksgiving nite in the Orange Bowl with crowds of 30,000+ people and beat them for about 28-30 straight games, and yes , the results were front page news every day after Thanksgiving in the Herald. Coconut Grove was just a tiny cute little village. That's enough for now, but I'll probably be back with more.

LARGO		28-Nov-2007 00:31
"GUEST"..... HUMMMMMMMM..???... "READING BETWEEN THE LINES 101"...WHAT IS "GUEST" TRYING TO SAY ??? DID I MISS SOMETHING...ARE YOU "IN MIAMI"...and want to leave ?...ARE YOU SOMEWHERE ELSE AND trying to get back to Miami ?...SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR PARENTS AND 19,000 DAYS...AND A RUBBERBAND ON YOUR BUTT...???...A BICYCLE...AND A SUNSET...SO MANY CLUES.... WELL...I AM NO NANCY DREW ...AND UNLESS YOU ARE BEING FORCED TO COME TO THIS SITE.. AT GUNPOINT AGAINST YOUR WILL....TO FONDLY MEANDER DOWN "MIAMI MEMORY LANE" WITH A BUNCH OF INTERESTING INFORMATIVE FOLK....JUST WHAT ARE YOU SAYING ??? FILL IN THE BLANKS.....WE'RE HERE FOR YA !...AT LEAST ONE OR TWO OF US... ;>).......LARGO

Guest		27-Nov-2007 20:15
Thanks for reminding me of the approximately 19,000 days, mostly in here, since my parents moved here in '55...as if it weren't enough already...like a rubber band attached to my rear, every time I left I would be yanked back here. One more try next spring. And if not...how about a nice long bike ride into the rising sun?

Roberta Perry Hughes		27-Nov-2007 02:01
Juan...Yes, but...! I'm 60...so...is that "the new 40"?? Many of these no-longer-in-exisence buildings, businesses, & eateries, etc., from back-in-the-day, aren't around, anymore, to attest to there having even been an "Old Miami, Old Hialeah, Old South Florida." There's no regard, anymore, for what landmarks are still left standing; it wouldn't surprise me, if the next "link," to a news item, heralds the coming demolition/implosion of "our" Dade County Court House. But, by Jiminy, I'M HERE!! JEFF'S HERE!! AND so are CHARLIS, LARGO, ALAN, STEPHEN, DAVE (DAVINO), JOANNE, etc., etc., etc.!!! And you, too Juan! AND Don...even Drew!! By all that's rightfully justified, we ARE "Old Miami, Old Hialeah, and Old South Florida!"

Guest		26-Nov-2007 20:20
Hello Don: At your invitation for suggestions, maybe you can leave this main page as some sort of a menu selector with all the main comments in tact, and group photos by catagory, such as eateries, filling stations, schools, people & people groups etc., with one resprsentative photo on this page that, when clicked on, takes us to all the rest of the photos in that catagory. In that way Dade County won't be broken up. Even though I was from Hialeah, we went al over other areas of Dade, so I have enjoyed reading all the comments that include memories of other prominent places, and it has stirred up many good ole' memories.

Juan R. Pollo		26-Nov-2007 15:33
¨Roberta, "senior citizens"? 50 is the new 30. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Roberta Perry Hughes		26-Nov-2007 08:08
Drew...!!...We were all wondering whatever became of you!! You never did post comments to tell us where you grew up, went to school, hung out with, & where, after school hours, where you family went for entertainment, etc., & we were all hoping to get to know you, in this manner, as we have done, with one another. Our "conversations" are easily averted, by scrolling on down, to comments and/or questions, about the places, or events, of "our town," back-in-the-day. If you'll look closely, you can see how most of our conversations end up in reference to this theme, in-between wishing one another well, expressing seasonal or holiday greetings, or asking "our historian," Jeff, to enlighten us, re: a "whatever happened to...?" query, about a long ago landmark, or place of business. Please don't fight us, Drew...we invite you to join us. Come on in! The water's fine...& it's warm, too! Nothing cold, about this Site, or about us "old Miamians," most of whom are now senior citizens. Looking forward to hearing from you again, on here...!

Don Boyd		26-Nov-2007 02:20
The PBase photo hosting software doesn't allow for building chat rooms so that's not feasible at this time. Breaking down the areas is something I've been intending to do one of these days, which is not that hard to do but the comments thus far will be stuck in this gallery unless I cut and paste them into one giant comment for the new areas. I could do North of Flagler, Flagler and south, or Key Biscayne, Miami Springs, North Miami/North Miami Beach, Miami Shores/Biscayne Park/El Portal, etc. but need some suggestions based on the photos that are already up, especially for the south side of the county. Anything prior to 1960 in the 50's, 40's, 30's Galleries will remain like they are since they don't draw many comments. Please feel free to offer some suggestions. Don

Drew		26-Nov-2007 01:57
Don, it would be great to create a separate chat room for general, personal conversations. Also, look forward to future breakdowns of areas throughout the city. Thus, discussions could be tailored for specific topics and locations.

Don Boyd		24-Nov-2007 21:49
Juan, that sounds okay to me too - current photos of old locations, old businesses, etc. I surely don't have the time to do it so go for it. Thanks. Don

Juan R. Pollo		24-Nov-2007 20:08
My post was directed to requests I saw of current pictures, for example someone recently asked for a shot of the gas station at Coral Way and 17th. But if it's not OK, it's OK with me.

Don Boyd		24-Nov-2007 18:39
Juan, your comment about your photos doesn't appear in my master list of comments so it didn't make it. Try again. I don't mind if the link is to other old Miami photos but I will delete comments with links to non-Old Miami sites with the exception of Jeff and his fonts because he contributes a lot of knowledge and history to this site plus he added some old photos. Don

JuanR. Pollo		24-Nov-2007 17:13
Hmm...I posted a comment with a link to Miami pictures I have at Panoramio.com, but it did not go through. Is this verboten?

Jeff		23-Nov-2007 23:27
Just wanted everyone to know that I spoke with Ron Arbetter today. Considering all that he's facing, he's in really good spirits and very optimistic. Let's keep him in our prayers!

Juan R. Pollo		23-Nov-2007 06:45
Hope all had a great Thanksgiving, just wanted to note that there will be a "Clash of the Titans" of sorts on Friday at 7:30 PM in the Orange Bowl, when Columbus meets Northwestern. Even though both teams are 11-0, Northwestern is ranked #1 in the nation. But then again, Columbus was the last team to beat them, so there is a lot of bragging rights at stake here. The game may be on Sunshine Network, but I'll do my best to get out there if the wife lets me. One of my sons is a senior at Columbus, but he doesn't want me anywhere near him at the game.

Jeff		23-Nov-2007 06:13
I met Ron Arbetter when has father (Bob) opened up the North Miami Arbetter's in the former Royal Castle on NE 6th Avenue [just North of NE 125th Street]. After making friends with Bob (and subsequently Ron), I used to occasionally letter some signs for them, and I was a regular customer in those good old days B.C. (Before Cholesterol)... Bob moved upstate and opened up a different restaurant other than his hot dog stands. First Ron's brother, then Ron ran the North Miami location, but Ron soon tired of the daily grind and sold the restaurant to Eli Price. Eventually, Price gave up the shop and Ron soon returned to run it until he decided to concentrate his efforts with the original Bird Road location. The restaurant, along with the adjacent corenr property on 125th Street was purchased for the site of the present Walgreen's. I was shocked to read of Ron's present health condition and pray that somehow he'll beat the odds. He is a kind, good-natured fellow who deserves only the best. May God be with him...

Parks		23-Nov-2007 03:46
Hi Don, I read the story about Arbetter, very sad. He is a very nice guy. I'm glad he got to serve his free beans. I started eating his Dad's hot dogs back in the sixties. I always order the same thing, two Mo, a Cee Oh, fries and a large coke. Mo is Arbetter talk for Mustard and Onion. Cee Oh is chile and onion. Ketchup is for french fries, not hot dogs. I hope all the regulars here had a nice Thanksgiving.

LARGO		23-Nov-2007 00:38
ROBERTA...SOUNDS LIKE YOUR SPIRIT IS WAY UP... EVEN IF THE BODY IS TRYING TO KEEP UP. I HAVE A COUSIN WITH DIABETES WHO AS A LAST DITCH EFFORT WENT ON THE "EAT TO LIVE" FORMULA: DR. JOEL FUHRMAN, M.D. (they don't like to call it a diet..but a way of LIFE).....ANYWAY HIS DIABETES, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, BLOOD LIPIDS HAVE ALL GONE DOWN RADICALLY...AND HIS DIABETES IS GONE......or in remission.......PLUS HE HAS LOST A REMARKABLE 67 POUNDS DURING THE PAST 6 MONTHS. HE IS ACTIVE AGAIN AND LOOKS GREAT...BUT BEST OF ALL HE FEELS GREAT!..SO ALTHOUGH I DO NOT HAVE DIABETES...I WAS SO IMPRESSED THAT I GOT THE BOOK AND STARTRD THE 6 WEEK PLAN ABOUT 2 WKS AGO..I HAVE DROPPED 5 LBS AS OF TODAY. THE FIRST 6 WEEKS IS PRETTY SEVERE..VEGAN....BUT FOR ME IT IS WORTH IT TO JUST HAVE MORE ENERGY NATURALLY. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER HEALTH PROBLEMS THAT COME AT US.......BUT I JUST THOUGHT THIS MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE OF USE TO YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW..or anyone out there.THE MAIN THING IS "WILLPOWER" AND CLICKING OFF THE DAYS.....SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO FEEL BAD BEFORE YOU BEGIN TO FEEL GOOD...WHAT WITH THE DETOXING...ANYWAY...FOR THANKSGIVING I HAD TONS OF VEGGIES, FRUIT, WATER.......THAT WAS MY "TEST"......NOW ON TO CHRISTMAS...MY 6 WEEKS WILL BE AT AN END BY THEN...BUT! I THINK I'M OK...IF I CAN GET THRU THE 3rd WEEK...I 'LL BE FINE......HOPING FOR YOU, ROBERTA... AND ALL OF YOU OUT THERE, THAT THIS DAY WAS WONDERFUL......IF NOT DOWN RIGHT YUMMY! ...........LARGO

Roberta Perry Hughes		22-Nov-2007 23:36
Charlis...Thanks, for the recipe for the Cornish hens! Didn't see it 'til after the fact, however. What I did was, salted the inside of the cavities; loosely packed with oyster dressing, & secured the skin with toothpicks; then, sprayed with olive oil Pam, & rubbed with a tad of sage, then, sprinkled with Lowery's seasoned salt. Placed 'em all on a rack in an open roaster, & baked for approx. 1 1/2 hours. Had 'em tented with foil. Then, put strips of foil, on the wing tips, & their tootsies, to prevent burning, & removed the tent of foil, & continued to bake, 'til golden brown. They were yummy, & we had a 1/2 one each, but couldn't finish them...I won't have to cook for a while! We really should have only cooked 2 of them, not 4! I MADE myself do this dinner, as I've not felt well, for about 3-4 days, now. Should have ate some chicken noodle soup today, instead of indulging in all of that rich food. I'm an idiot. I need to listen to the alarms that my body sends me. I will lay low, the rest of this holiday's extended weekend, believe me! (groan).

charlis		22-Nov-2007 17:57
Roberta... my recipe, if you want it... If you have the "upright" bird racks the better, but they can be cooked in roasting pans... Turn your oven up as high as it will go. Take the birds and rub them down with garlic powder or that nifty new thing... garlic in a tube. Sprinkle them down generously with paprika and not so generously with Cayenne and sage. Spray them with Butter flavored spray on butter substitute and stick them on the roasters or place in the roasting pan. If using a roasting pan, use a rack. The reason is that you will then pour white wine in the bottom of the pan. Put them into the oven and lower the temp to 350 and cook for 25 minutes per pound. Enjoy! the skin comes out tasty and crispy... the skin was often fought over... I usually peeled the skin off of my hen to save for the last bite on the plate. My daughter ate hers first... and then tried to grab mine!

charlis		22-Nov-2007 17:48
Gang, Santa appeared in NYC and the ceramic tree was lit. That's my holiday tradition. Took me a while to find it among the boxes still unpacked. I am spending a quiet day alone... okay, I am terrorizing the cats as I keep unpacking. Jenny-o turkey breast is on the menu. My family is all up north, with their family. I am okay with that... cold weather clothes are stuck at the back and bottom of the stacks of boxes. The Cornish hens are on the menu for tomorrow night when my best friend comes into town for dinner. They are the "specialty de maison" and this friend wants them every time he comes to town. Hope you are all having a great day. I am.

Don Boyd		22-Nov-2007 17:24
There's an article in today's Herald about Ronnie Arbetter of Arbetter's Hot Dogs. He is dying from liver and pancreatic cancer but has survived longer than what the doctors told him. The link is at: http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/story/316926.html

Roberta Perry Hughes		22-Nov-2007 08:13
Thanks, y'all! And don't forget Davino! (Dave) up NC way!! Salutations, man! Lewis grocery-shopped, at the last how-do-you-do, & came back with 2 twin packs of Rock Cornish game hens! HA! All the other birds were GONE!! (I had wanted 2 plump hens). Oh, well! They're cute...like mini-chickens! I'm sure they'll be tasty! "Hoorah, for the pumpkin pie!"...(miatwr, diabetes-be-dammed!) (Made with Splenda, anyway! tee! hee!) Love those college football games, so does Lewis, so we'll be a-watchin' 'em, back-to-back, while stuffin' the stuffin' in ourselves! Dasani water is the beverage of choice, at our house, or iced tea. Fun to eat, & cheer on your favorite team! Macy's Parade is a ritual, too, & one we love. It will be poignant, & I'm sure all of us will be reflecting on the Orange Bowl parades, back-in-the-day, held in "our town." Many of us are anticipating Christmas; others await Hannukah, or Kwanzaa, or Feliz Navidad. I think it's great, that they all are around the same time, for that tangible sense of joyfulness & eagerness, to be among all of us, this time of year, don't you? What's on y'all's menus, tomorrow? I hope no one will have to dine in solitude. Don't forget the "plop! plop! fizz! fizz!", or the Pepcid AC's! Sweets to the sweet! Thanks again, for the holiday wishes!

Don Boyd		22-Nov-2007 03:29
And Happy Thanksgiving to all you posters. May y'all have a blessed day and thank you for all of your comments so far this year. Largo, I deleted the duplicate message - I don't know how that happens but it even happens to me sometimes. I also deleted the 'hate crime' wacko's comment since he or she erroneously thinks free speech is a crime. Don

Guest		22-Nov-2007 02:46
Joyous and Blessed Thanksgiving to all the usual suspects: Roberta..Jeff...Charlis...Stephen..Largo..Don..Joanne...miatwr..and of course Don! Alan Ogus,Ph.D. Alive and very well in Phoenix, Arizona

LARGO		22-Nov-2007 01:18
HEY DON......I THINK THE "DITTO ANGEL"..........HAS ENTERED THE SITE ....AGAIN.....BY THE WAY...THANKS TO YOU AND THIS GREAT SITE...........WISHING A WONDERFUL "PEACEFUL" HOLIDAY TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.......LARGO

LARGO		22-Nov-2007 01:11
WOW !!! AT A TIME OF THANKSGIVING......WITH NOTHING BUT HORRIBLE SITUATIONS HAPPENING ALL OVER THIS WORLD.....SQUEEZED IN BETWEEN NOTHING BUT LOVING, CARING, THANKFUL COMMENTS....A HATEFUL COMMENT......BY AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HIDES THEIR IDENTITY BEHIND THE MONIKER OF "GUEST"........I TRULY WISH I COULD INVITE YOU TO SIT AT MY TABLE AND PRAY THE PRAYER OF "PEACE" THAT WE STRIVE FOR.....WHOMEVER YOU ARE..."GUEST"....LOVE TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.............

LARGO		22-Nov-2007 01:00
HEY ALL................HAVE A GREAT DAY....NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE...I AM SENDING POSITIVE THOUGHTS YOUR WAY...........BLESSINGS............LARGO

Jeff		22-Nov-2007 00:53
May everyone enjoy a safe, healthy and happy Thanksgiving with their friends and loved ones!

charlis		21-Nov-2007 21:47
Roberta, and everyone else... have a very happy... and safe... turkey day. I can't wait to see Santa arrive at the Macy's parade... that's when I light my ceramic xmas tree and the holiday's begin.

Roberta Perry Hughes		21-Nov-2007 06:57
Here's wishing all of you Post-A-Comment Clubbers out there in cyberspace a very Happy Thanksgiving Day, surrounded by friends & family, good food, & the warmth of total LOVE. May all of you have safety, in your travels..."to Grandmother's house you go!"...on-the-road, or in our airspace, or in our sea lanes. May all of the calories we consume NOT settle to our bottoms, & may we all take the time to count our many blessings...not just on this designated holiday to do so, but each & every day that is granted to us. Love & joy, to you all! Be well.

charlis		19-Nov-2007 22:21
Don... it was on the news here in Tampa. My then boyfriend, now ex-hubby, took me to Beach Hi's prom there in 1968. A lot of great memories of the place from the years I lived on the Beach.

Don Boyd		18-Nov-2007 18:44
The Sheraton Bal Harbour (the former Americana Hotel) was imploded this morning and the story about it is at:http://www.miamiherald.com/top_stories/story/312170.html

Roberta Perry Hughes		18-Nov-2007 00:14
Largo...Oh, yeah, I remember J. Baldi Hair Salon!! The Miami Herald ran a contest, which my mother entered...& won...& the prize was, to have her hair styled by J. Baldi...& we were in fear that, with a name like that, he'd scalp her!! (I THINK the one who did her hair was the man, himself...?) She also won an expenses-paid vocational training course, in the Beauty School, which, I THINK, was owned & run by J. Baldi. (?). Anyway, you could get your hair done there, by the students, for a fraction of the price, if it were done at a Salon, so, Mama took my sister & me there, for cuts & perms...remember the "bubble cut"? And the "poodle cut"? That's what we had done. It's so strange that you mention J. Baldi, as I just recently came across b&w photos, taken over at my Aunt Dorris' house, & the other sisters were also there, & they had all met over there, so they could see Mama's "prize-winning" hairstyle, by J. Baldi! Anytime the 4 of them were together, the cameras came out...(Brownie Hawkeye, with flash attachment using Sylvania flashbulbs)...& that particular day was no exception. They were in a variety of poses, including their favorites, the "chorus line," & the "conga line," oldest to youngest). I think Mama was around 43 years old, then; Aunt Maurine was 47; Aunt Dorris was around 38, & Aunt Gloria was the "baby," at around age 34. Oh, my...how young they all were, then!! The year was around 1956...?? Give or take. Anyway, we always called those photos the "J. Baldi haircut" photos. Thanks, for the memory jog!

LARGO		17-Nov-2007 23:00
DOES ANYONE REMEMBER THE HIGH CLASS BEAUTY SHOP....." J BALDI"S HAIR SALON " ?... BACK IN THE 50's, 60"s..etc. I DO NOT KNOW HOW LONG IT LASTED....AFTER THE 60's..WAS VERY she she FOR THE DAY..MY MOTHER TOOK ME THERE BEFORE "THE COTILLION DANCE" TO GET MY EYEBROWS THINNED....YIIIKES !! ....only the beginning of PAIN vs BEAUTY ..IN A YOUNG GIRLS PATH TO WOMANHOOD.....another OXYMORON. I THINK THERE WAS ONE IN S. MIAMI, THE GABLES, THE BEACHS SOMEWHERE....EVEN AS A DORKY KID THAT NAME WAS SUCH AN OXYMORON TO ME....BEFORE I EVEN KNEW WHAT THAT WORD MEANT............THANK GOD BROOKE SHIELDS GAVE EYEBROWS A BIT OF FUZZY FREEDOM................THANKS JOANNE.....CHECK OUT ST. AUGUSTINE.......................LARGO

Joanne		16-Nov-2007 19:41
Roberta ... In answer to your query about where the 4 winds have taken us posters: I lived in Miami (S. Dade) from 1964 to 1974. Left only because my father was transferred (oil company) to Houston. Tried to come back to Miami several times after that but to no avail. Now currently in the state capital after many years in the Orlando and Kissimmee area. So I've stayed in the state but have only visited Miami a few times. The last time was December 2003. I consider Miami to be "Home" because during my formative years it was the one place we stayed for any length of time.

charlis		15-Nov-2007 22:51
Roberta... I moved to the Tampa area in 1974. I lived in a rural area where cows were seen as much as dogs. Raccoons and possums would be in the trees. Sadly it is not so any more... The demise of Miami as we knew it was the arrival of the Cubans... the ones in the 70's. Not my words... the words of many Cuban friends who came to the country for freedom and to become Americans. Most of them have left the Miami area. But, the ones who need to take the biggest blame are the developers who took up every inch of bare land to build on. The current crisis is to be blamed on them... too many empty homes, not enough empty land. I could go on and on, but I won't. I miss the old Florida... progress is not necessarily a good thing. Hope you are feeling better.

Joanne		15-Nov-2007 20:50
BRAVO LARGO!!!!! Well said. The only thing we truly have any control over is ourselves. That's why I'm glad to have found this soundingboard where we all feel free to let go and give our voices wings. There's tons of life out there for all of us to experience, good and bad. If we didn't have the lows in life how would we ever appreciate the highs? Personally, I think cock-eyed optimists are a grand bunch of folks!!

LARGO		15-Nov-2007 20:07
I HAVE BEEN RE-READING SOME OF THE PAST POST ON THIS SITE...SOME ARE VERY UPLIFTING...SOME OF YOU ARE ACTUALLY HAPPY WITH YOUR LIFE CHOICES...SOME ARE REGRETFUL...AND PRESENTLY IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS...PHYSICALLY, FINANCIALLY..MENTALLY. MOST OF YOUR THOUGHTS ARE COLLECTIVELY ENDEARING...I TRULY ENJOY THE CARING ATMOSPHERE GENERATED BY MANY OF YOU AS YOU REACH OUT TO TO UPLIFT EACH OTHER. IT SADDENS ME TO READ SO MUCH REMORSEFULNESS OVER A CITY THAT HAS CHANGED ...AS THINGS DO. WE REALLY ARE NOT ABLE TO CONTROL HOW SOME POO HAPPENS...BUT THIS SITE...AND SOME OF THE FIRST CORE POSTERS WHO HAVE STAYED ON TO OFFER GREAT STORIES OF PAST LIVES IN MIAMI AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO THEIR CYBER FRIENDS... IS WHAT IS GREAT!...THE REAL GOLD. SOMETIMES CHANGE CAN BE WELCOMING...EXCITING ! (as this site proves)...THAT IS THE BEAUTY OF LIVING IN A FREE COUNTRY....REALLY THINK ABOUT IT...IF YOU ARE NOT WHERE YOU WANT TO BE...WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO CHANGE IT?...CALL ME CRAZY...BUT I BELIEVE IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO BREATH NEW LIFE INTO YOUR DREAMS...TAKE SOME CHANCES...WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO LOSE?...LIFE IS REALLY SHORT....ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE SURVIVED A CRISIS..(ANY CRISIS),,,MAYBE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DO SOMETHING REALLY AMAZING.....WHAT COULD THAT POSSIBLY BE...??? CALL ME A COCK.EYED OPTIMIST...THERE'S WORSE THINGS....BLESSINGS ......LARGO

Jeff		14-Nov-2007 21:27
For those of you who do not recall the Spector family Tim writes of, they are the former owners of the Spec's Music stores... now owned and known by FYE (For Your Entertainment)...

Guest		14-Nov-2007 18:24
Greetings fellow fans of Don's great site!!! My question is...I lived in Cutler Ridge from 1978 to 1980, I managed the Music Land Record Shop in the newly opened Cutler Ridge Mall on U.S. 1 ~ Many years later I would meet and marry my wife who was born (1954) and raised as a "Ridge Rat" her name is Robin K. Whitney daughter of local opera singer Frances Mattaford Whitney wife of Marine Colonel Robert William Whitney. Both Robin's mother Frances and her grandmother Lenna Mattaford taught vocals @ the U. of M. School of Music. Later in the late 70's early 80's Robin had her own band called Robyn And One Step Ahead, they played all around Miami area as well as ending up as the 'house band' down @ The Plantation Yacht Harbor for four years or so. Just wondering IF any one out there knew Robin or her family back then??? Her family owned and operated The Circle Inn Pizza and later Son of A Pizza located @ U.S. 1 and Carribian Blvd. I did not meet her until 1994 but I SO enjoyed hearing her dad "The Colonel" & her discussing the 'old days' they were friends with the Spectors, the Greens and many other 'characters' back in the day. Thanks in advance and THANKS again to Don for the great site! Timothy L. Cromer signing off for now.

Guest		14-Nov-2007 14:56
Roberta et. alli.: I left Greater Miami in 1969 and headed to North Carolina where I completed my education. Lived in North Carolina until 1995 when I relocated to Arizona. I currently live in the Ussery Mountain Preserve in the North East Valley of Phoenix in a city called Mesa. I am so happy that the lovely Miami that I remember from the 1950s and 1960s continues to be recalled and remembered fondly by others. I do not think I would care much for Miami in the 2000s. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Roberta Perry Hughes		14-Nov-2007 08:41
Largo...My! My! My! I am truly envious, of where you now reside! We whizzed thru St. 'Tine, eons ago, on a "drop by there" trip, on the way home to S. Miami, from GA, when I was around 7 or 8 years old. I loved the old Spanish architecture, & the old "ruins," of their forts, & missions. Such a beautiful city!! Lucky you!! How very fortunate, that your city's managers value the preservation of your city's landmarks, & architecture! If only Miami had had such civic-minded folk, we wouldn't be mourning our collective loss, of the Miami we once knew, & loved. I enjoyed reading your post, about your current hometown. Would love to hear about other places, where our former "denizens" of Miami have migrated to, & now call home. Who ended up the furthest from "home?" Alan, out in AZ?? I'm sure that, for all of us "displaced" Posters, we left our hearts, (& our youth), back in Old Miami, Old Miami Beach, & Old Hialeah. It was a picnic, wasn't it? How amazing, that we can go there again, anytime we want to, via this awesome Site, that Don Boyd has so generously provided for us!! Thank you, so very much, Don!! You're the best!!

LARGO		14-Nov-2007 06:05
YEP...ROBERTA....LARGO DOES LIVE IN THE OLD-DEST, BEAUTIFUL CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FL....AND SHE LOVES IT...BECAUSE, AS I HAVE STATED BEFORE...IT SO REMINDS ME OF OLD MIAMI...ESPECIALLY THE WAY THE GROVE ...AND THE GABLES ..."WERE".....SURE THERE IS THE US1... RESTAURANT/CARMARKET ROW THAT MOST ALL TOWNS HAVE....BUT THE OLD CITY HERE IS TRULY FROZEN IN TIME........THANK GOD FOR THE PRESERVATIONIST / ENVIORNMENTALIST WHO WORK HARD TO KEEP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE...SAFE FROM THE LAND BARONS.........ALL OF YOU... HAVE A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING..............LARGO

Jeff		13-Nov-2007 23:59
Michael, that WAS a neat Gulf station, with its Spanish-styled architecture and Gulf pole sign lit by tube neon (rather than the fluorescent bulb-type signs of today)...

Roberta Perry Hughes		13-Nov-2007 22:21
Alan...Steve...Gawrsh, guys!! (>>blush! >blush! >blush!<<) You've both really made my day!! Thank you, for such uplifting posts, on my behalf! I feel like I'm walking-on-air, from such kind words & compliments!! Wish I had known both of you...(& all of the Posters, & our host, Don)...back-in-the-day!! Great, however, to get to know you, now, through this amazing Site!! Thanks again, for your kindnesses!!

Michael Clements		13-Nov-2007 21:02
Does anyone have an old picture of the former gulf gas station at 17th avenue and Coral Way? I think it would be a neat photo

Guest		13-Nov-2007 05:35
Roberta, My dear, you truly make me laugh way out loud!! After reading your numerous comments, especially the one about the 50 condo crappers backing up with human waste,gotta say that I've not laughed so loud and hard recently until I saw your posts. Your recall of Miami memories is truly impeccable, sprinkled with vivid details that a veteran news anchor compared to the likes of Walter Cronkite could not begin to possibly match (even Ralph Renick if you remember him!!) Keep it up. I can't help but believe that your current physical health status helps to create a rather unique, and perhaps far more appreciated perspective (than most of us possess) to recall and review just what we long time residents had and sorely miss from the good ol' days here in Miami. One thing is readily apparent to me and that is your grey cells are compensating for any other health changes that you're experiencing!! Keep posting and abolutely keep smiling; in my opinion, you're one of the exceptional regulars who keep this site electrified with your frequent contributions. Hope that you're feeling better and life is treating you decent. And, by the by, when you've finished enjoying the recent cooler air the GA area, please remember your former neighbors way down here and send it on down fast!! Be well, miatwr ( Steve Horowitz )

D/D		13-Nov-2007 05:07
Better late than never, from a rusty and crusty ol Vet..... All my best to "ALL OUR VETS", who proudly served and sacrificed for all us Americans so we can enjoy the freedoms and liberty's that we enjoy today... Dave/Davino.... Alive and well at 3K' in the Blue Ridge Mtns. of NC.... Hey Roberta... Grab your skis, join us, there snow(man made) up here in these here Mtns..... No water shortages here???

Arizona Al		13-Nov-2007 02:23
Roberta: Thanks for your redemptive discourse. Although we have not met except within the nebula of cyberspace, I am 100% certain that you are a compassionate, and caring person who truly sees the positive attributes in all she encounters. I wish our paths could have crossed in person in our beloved Miami, Florida in the 1960's. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and humble in Phoenix, Arizona

Jeff		13-Nov-2007 01:54
Roberta... My desire to leave South Florida is not predicated on just this shooting incident, it's been growing for years (while my finances were shrinking)... As the madness of today's world keeps spiraling out of control, I keep hoping for a miracle that will get me out of here. Let those who love this area stay here, and God bless them for it...! 44 years is more than enough for me... but right now I'm stuck until if-and-when my small typographic design business starts making some real money. As for erases... who needs them? Once I "thought" I was wrong... but I was mistaken! LOL! why, I NEVER even make one small typing mis-steak!! {:cP

Roberta Perry Hughes		13-Nov-2007 01:32
Jeff...Many have relocated to Georgia, S.C., N.C., & Tennessee. Jumpin' Jack O'Brien lives in N.C., I think, & the late Charlie Baxter either lived in N.C., or Tennessee. I think Largo is in St Augustine (?), & I've forgotten where Charlis is...? Some went up to Malabar, or other areas, & there are still some in-the-country areas in Weirsdale, Lady Lake, Leesburg, Wildwood, & Umatilla, FL. I am so sorry to learn of such a violent death, near to where you reside, but Jeff...such as that happens ANYWHERE, U.S.A., anymore, even in tiny hamlets & bergs!! There is violence & criminality, anywhere you go, be it a big city, suburbia, or even a mountain retreat, or a beach house!! It's a lot cheaper, to stay put, & hope for the best. Good luck, friend, wherever you choose to hang your hat, now, or later. Thanks, for the report on the Seminole Tribe, & the Micosukees, too...& the state of the Everglades. So glad that the destruction/ruination of that area has been halted. Alan...Glad to learn that Ira Hayes USMC, made it to Arlington. He deserved to be there. It's very remorseful, that ANY cemetery falls into neglect & disrepair, & I am truly grateful, that Cocoplum Cemetery--(now known by another name)--was restored & protected, as my family is buried there. Don't be embarassed, to have made erroneous statements, within the pages of these postings! The high school football games, that I had attended, with my sister, Audrey, were NOT played in the Orange Bowl...they were played on the football field of Southwest High School, in 1959. The Superbowl, my favorite one, when the Jets beat the Colts, 16-7, was Superbowl III, NOT Superbowl VII, as I had erroneously stated. God gave man the ability to invent the eraser...because people make mistakes. Take care, you bewhiskered, bike-riding-guitar-playing-Arizonian-former-Ridge-Rat-Emeritus-PhD-Psychologist, you!! Peace!!

Arizona Al		12-Nov-2007 22:45
Jeff: Arizona is georgeous! Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and totally enjoying living in Arizona

Jeff		12-Nov-2007 22:41
Some sad news to report to any former North Miami (or surrounding area) residents... If you remember the Young Tae Kwon Do school on West Dixie Highway and 128th Street... its owner (Grand Master Young Su Do) was shot three times on Saturday while having his car washed behind his studio. He died either yesterday or this morning of his injuries. Young Su Do was 62. The exact cause of the shooting has not yet been determined, and the shooter is still on the loose. This happened very close to where I live, and I swear... if I could just get a few more bucks into the bank, I'd relocate ASAP and leave all of this "modern" South Florida living behind in my dust! R.I.P. Young Su Do.

Guest		12-Nov-2007 18:06
Roberta: I stand corrected (blush..stammer) Ira Hayes is buried in Arlington National Cemetary. Located in an unceremonious ill kept cemetary on the Pima-Maricopa Reservation is a small deteriorating"paupers" headstone that commerates Ira Hayes in effigy. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and embarrased in Phoenix, Arizona

Jeff		12-Nov-2007 15:03
LOL! Arizona Al, I've been called many things in my life, and now I can add "savant" to that list.... Roberta... the Seminoles are alive and well and running a major casino/hotel/entertainment complex in Hollywood, Florida. They've recently purchased the Hard Rock Cafe chain! I believe the Osceolas are the patriarch family of the tribe, if I'm not mistaken... The Miccosukee tribe also has a mega complex near the edge of the Everglades... but worry not for the "River of Grass"... Marjory Stoneman Douglas - considered the "Mother of the Everglades" passed away a couple of years ago at either 100 or 101. She lived long enough to triumph over the greedy developers by seeing Florida put a stop to any further encroachment into those precious wetlands...

Guest		12-Nov-2007 08:30
Jeff: You are certainly a savant! Case in point: Rawhide Western World was previously located in Scottsdale, Arizona. It is a mega theme park with an "old west' cowboys and indians motif. It is currently located on the Pima-Maricopa Indian Reservation (40 miles S.W. of Scottsdale). The Pima-Maricopa Tribe purchased the entire park, bulidings and attractions with funds generated from their 4 gaming casinos and moved the entire operation to its present location where both tourists and locals pay big bucks for admission. in the 1980's there was a song called Cherokee Fiddle sung by Johnny Lee. A verse went " Now the Indians are dressing up like cowboys abd the cowboys are putting feathers and jewelry on. And the music is done by lawyers and the fool that played fiddle in the railroad station is gone" Who knew back then that it would come to pass? ALan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Guest		12-Nov-2007 08:17
Roberta: Ira Hayes is buried in an unceremonial cemetary with a "pauper's" headstone on an indian reservation located in Maricopa, Arizona ( 25 miles S.W. of Phoenix) I doubt if many Arizonans except the Pima-Maricopa residents are aware of the location of the cemetary or the life and history of Ira Hayes. How regretable!! Alan Ogus, Ph.D.

Oscar Varona		12-Nov-2007 06:09
I haven't found anything on my old time favorite bar, LUDWAY'S on 67th Ave (Ludlam) and Coral Way. Great, great burgers and cold cheap beer!!!

Roberta Perry Hughes		12-Nov-2007 06:08
Jeff...I was made aware of the story of Ira Hayes, (a Pima Indian), long before Johnny Cash's song. There was a movie about him, starring Tony Curtis, but I don't recall the title, nor the year of its release. I saw it on TV, a long time ago. Yes, the casino-owning Tribes rake in the megabucks; but don't think that all of the People benefit, from that one Tribe's fortune, just as not all Navajo are wealthy rug-weavers, or sterling silver & turquoise jewelry-makers, or wealthy pot-throwers. Like the masses, of our diverse populace, in this great Nation, there are the very rich...& the dirt poor...in every color, creed, & background..."from sea to shining sea...", as our Anthem goes. Speaking of...can you fill me in on how the Seminoles are, these days? (The People, NOT the football team...not trying to be "funny," by that statement). I'm asking because, I remember a (very) few Seminole kids, whose surname was Osceola, who are in my sister's (Southwest) high school year book, & there were a couple of half-Seminole kids in our neighborhood, with an "Anglo" surname. In comparing a current Florida map, with one of my vintage early 1950's Florida maps, I've noticed how the Everglades have been swallowed up, by development, & that the Seminole Reservation is a very tiny upper corner, now. The 'Glades used to be their domain. I worried about them, when "Andrew" was on-the-way, if they were evacuated, & to where, due to their little chickee huts. What can you tell me, about how they are, today, & where they are?

Jeff		12-Nov-2007 02:38
Juan... I'm so glad that you weren't misunderstanding my written intentions. So, we're pretty much both on the same page after all! Great! Roberta... another good point raised... Let's not forget about Ira Hayes, one of the flag raisers at Iwo Jima... an American Indian who was hailed as a hero, but forgotten by society and who died from alcoholism. It took "The Ballad of Ira hayes" by Johhny Cash to revive any recognition of his patriotism. What makes me smile is how the Indian Casinos are now raking in billions per year... They no longer need to be repaid for the lands others stole away from them... they'll eventually buy it all back with "our own money"... and good for them! LOL!

Roberta Perry Hughes		12-Nov-2007 00:36
Jeff...True, those two "ethnic" groups willingly fought in WWII, only to face segregation & adversities & injustices upon their return to stateside. But let's not overlook the contributions of the original Americans, most especially, the Navajo code talkers, whose language the Germans & (enemy) Japanese could not decipher. They played a vital role, in WWII as well as members of the other Native American tribes, who served, in all of our wars. BLACK Americans, as well as the Japanese Americans, did, indeed, get a raw deal, before & after WWII ended...& before & after other wars, & conflicts. But so did the People. (Native Americans)...& still are.

Juan R. Pollo		11-Nov-2007 23:12
Jeff, I don't know you and I would never presume to be able to accuse anybody of anything without knowing the facts. I'm sorry if you thought it was a personal attack. But my point was directed towards a perception that a lot of people share, that it's always "them" who have made the mess, and notice that I use "we" and "us" in my post because I consider myself guilty of this perception as well. In my view, we have met the enemy, and it is us. I no longer live in the Little Havana area that I love because I wanted a better neighborhood. But then I complain when I see how overdeveloped it's become, and I decry the Orange Bowl demolition. But where was I when all of this was taking place? Out in West Kendall enjoying my peace and quiet. One of the best things (if not THE best thing we have) is our diversity. Let's enjoy it, learn from each other and yell like hell when things go bad. It's the American way. Happy Veteran's Day to all our folks in the military and their families.

Jeff		11-Nov-2007 22:41
Speed-typing does me in again! The word is "egregious", NOT "aggregious"... but once again, I never claimed to be a typist by any stretch of the imagination...

Jeff		11-Nov-2007 22:39
A hearty "thank you" to all of the veterans who unselfishly gave so much in support of our country throughout our many wars, but an especially warm "thank you" to all of the Vietnam veterans... Whether you were drafted or enlisted, you still were called upon to fight a war that was unpopular in so many areas of this country, and many a veteran returned home only to be cursed and spat upon. I cannot personally undo such aggregious behavior from the past, but I can and DO offer my sincerest appreciation for all that you've endured during those tense years and beyond. I have a number of friends who also did military service in Vietnam, and whenever I happen to meet someone who mentions that they served over there, I try to make it a point to shake their hand and say "thank you"... Two more special "shout-outs": Thank you to the African-American and Japanese heritage vets of World War II. Both of these groups of soldiers endured their own personal injustices while in service to our country during the 40's, yet still did their part for a "free" society, only to be segregated or insulted upon their return... These soldiers are another elite group who deserve our recognition... putting country and honor above prejudice and isolationism...

Stephen LeQuier		11-Nov-2007 21:37
Sorry! I meant to say, November 12, but I was delirious from all the mothballs fumes.

Guest		11-Nov-2007 21:30
To all posters and bloggers regarding Veteran's Day...THANK YOU!!!! Alan Ogus, Ph.D.,U.S. Army Veteran 1964-1967, Specialist 4th Class, 103rd Combat Support Batallion, X-Ray Company, Chu Lai,South Vietnam 1966-1967. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Stephen LeQuier		11-Nov-2007 21:17
When I was five years old. My mother took me out to Homestead Air Force Base, where Ranger Bob was part of a veteran celebration. At one point during the day there were these planes that flew over and dropped out parachutes with American flags. I was lucky enough to get one. Will this morning I was going through some things in a box, and neatly folded was the American flag my mother caught for me. I was so proud of that flag and still am. Tomorrow November the 11th we honor our veterans here in the United States. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank every veteran for their service and sacrifice, for without them there would be no freedom. THANK YOU! And God bless. Stephen LeQuier

Sofia		11-Nov-2007 16:36
Salutations and good wishes to all veterans, and a big THANK YOU for your service.

Jeff		11-Nov-2007 04:58
Well said, Parks... well said. As you reiterated, change comes to everything... and a beautiful tropical day with balmy breezes and blue skies are a blessing that never goes out of style...

Parks		11-Nov-2007 04:50
There has been a great deal of bashing of the current Miami and lamenting of the lost Miami going on here. I miss old Miami too, but I wouldn't live anywhere else. While Miami has changed, it is still the most interesting and exciting place in the world. We all seem to be of an age where we should realize that every thing changes with time. We need to remember the past but we must enjoy the present or what's the point? I took my boat out for a ride by my self today. The sun was bright the air was cool, other boaters waved as we passed. As we exchanged waves one fellow shouted over to me, "Where else could we be doing this?' I replied "No where else in the world!" It was a magnificent day in Miami.

Jeff		10-Nov-2007 20:42
Juan... you've (understandably) misjudged my intent with my description of "ethnocentric" businesses. The written word does not always convey the true meaning of the writer's ideas... As communities evolved and changed, and as different demographic groups move in and out, the businesses change with them. That's what I was inferring. For example, South Beach was the home of [mostly] Jewish-oriented businesses in the 50's, 60's and 70's. Thoese are now all gone. North Miami had a large Italian-American population. They since have moved on. The larger percentage of the Miami-Dade demographic base is currently made up of Hispanic (Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Columbian, Peruvian, etc.) as well as Haitian, Jamaican, Bahamian and other West Indian Afro-American cultures. This is neither a condemnation nor assualt on their being here... just a simple statement of fact. Each of these cultural bases has food, recreation, clothing and lifestyle preferences that reflect the richness of their resdpective culture. To NOT cater to their needs would be a failure of business to do right by their customers. Although all of thesew diverse cultures assimilate iunto what we refer to as the "American fabric", they have the privilege to maintain and enjoy what is part of their root history... and so things will eventually change within many neighborhoods. When I refer to the "demise" of the Miami Roberta remembers, it is the demise of what she REMEMBERS from years ago. This was not placingf blame for who or what did or did not "cause" such demise PERSONALLY. This is NOT a personal issue or agenda. Times change, and people change. So to restate things, EVERYONE and EVERYTHING killed off the "old Miami". My friend, I implore you to not have a knee-jerk reaction to my written words. There was no slight or insult intended, nor should anyone read it as such. I sincerely hope this has qualified things for you, and if not, I can simply offer an olive branch to you... At the remote chance that you might still bear a suspicion that I am racially or ethnically intolerant (which I am not), I'm typing this post at one friend's house [who is Haitian], and we will be leaving shortly for dinner at a restaurant another friend of mine owns [who is Hispanic]... I REALLY hope that you'll see what I meant in the way I meant it, not for how it "sounded"...

Juan R. Pollo		10-Nov-2007 19:00
Jeff, what "ethnocentric" businesses are taking over? You mean like IKEA, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Staples, Office Max, Publix, CVS Pharmacy? Behind my house on Kendall Dr. and 162 ave, there was raw land until a couple of years ago. Now there's a BJ's, a Walgreens, Discount Auto, and construction is well underway for an Office Max, LA Fitness, SunTrust and Starbucks in several shopping centers and office buildings. And a mega-center is coming up with, among other things, a Baptist Hospital center. Don Carter's bowling lanes on Kendall and 137th were torn down less than six months ago. In its place is a shopping center anchored by Staples and Walgreens. The old Zayre store on US1 and SW 32nd Ave became a Home Depot over a lot of ruckus from some residents. Obviously more people wanted it than not. There are two Publix stores now within a mile of each other in the Brickell area, one on Coral Way catty-corner with Southside Elementary and one near the river on SW 6th Street and about 3rd Ave. I resent the implication that "foreigners" have been a cause of most negative changes (and some people seem to think they are THE cause). Plain and simple, it's an economic issue. If there's a demand for businesses and residential units, they will be met with supply. A lot of us no longer live in the area. We sold our homes (at a nice profit) and moved to greener pastures. Let's not complain now that our neighborhood has gone to the dogs when we sold it to them.

Roberta Perry Hughes		10-Nov-2007 16:10
Jeff...I wept, when I read your reply to my posted question, "What are they doing to "our town?" Dear God, is NOTHING sacred, anymore?? FIFTY condos!?? I hope they are ALL, architecturally, pieces-of-crap, with bad plumbing, to where they'll have overflowing crappers, from one unit to the next, pumping raw sewage into their bathtubs & kitchen sinks...& ALL of it TOTALLY IRREPAIRABLE, to where the Health Department condemns the whole lot of them, & orders them to be razed, toot sweet!! I hope their elevator system NEVER works properly, forcing the residents to have to take the "dam" stairs, to come & go!! I hope their central A/C is on-the-fritz, more often than not, to render the entire lot of them (the condos) UNLIVEABLE!! Every "dam" condo has to have a freakin' parking deck...so, MORE space will be required, to accomodate the residents!! Wasn't Superbowl VII held in the Orange Bowl, when the N.Y. Jets beat the Baltimore Colts, 16-7?? What about when the Miami Dolphins beat the Dallas Cowboys--TWICE?? Weren't those games also in the Orange Bowl?? Where's the Historical Preservation Society, during all of these atrocities, of destroying Miami landmarks?? Are the going to raze "my" beloved Court House, next?? Sofia...Thanks, for the heads-up, re: Crandon Park's picnic area, & that it is still a nice place to go. Wish I were able to join your group, for the annual March of Dimes. I remember the door-to-door donation-seekers, when I was a child, & the fund raisers for Cerebral Palsy. Kids participated in "paper drives," to raise money, for various causes, back-in-the-day. Do they still HAVE paper drives?? Hope I haven't offended anyone out there, who happens to live in a condo. It's just that I hate them (condos) & the way they have RUINED the Miami skyline. "Progress" isn't always a good thing. Most especially when it's roots are steeped in unabashed GREED, & respect, for landmarks is pushed aside...& NO ONE speaks up, in protest, & just LETS it happen...& sometimes, even joins in the fray, & buys in to the end products of same. I'll step off of my soapbox, now.

Don Boyd		10-Nov-2007 15:40
Here is a link to an article about the City of Miami's plan to demolish the Orange Bowl: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3101733 And there's an interesting article about Homestead, past and present at:http://realestatemiami.wordpress.com/2007/11/09/homestead-a-tale-of-several-cities/ Don

Guest		10-Nov-2007 14:19
After reading and processing all of the postings regarding what has transpired in and happened to Miami during the past 40 years, I am convinced that my departure in 1969 was a fortunate event. The memories that I hold and cherish are diametric opposites of the descriptions presented in the numerous postings/discussions on this site. So very regretable!! Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Sofia		10-Nov-2007 13:21
Roberta -- I've been to the Crandon Park area for the March of Dimes walkathon over a year ago, and despite the overdevelopment in Key Biscayne, it is still very nice and the picnic tables you refer to are still there. The March of Dimes 12-mile walk used to take place in the Coconut Grove area, but now it's about six miles through the Crandon Park/Key Biscayne area. The Sonesta Beach Hotel -- which was one of my favorite hangouts as a teen -- closed down a couple of years ago. A Ritz Carlton opened up a little further south of the Sonesta. Bill Baggs Park (with the lighthouse), which is further south of Crandon Park has been well preserved and still beautiful. As for Joe Robbie Stadium . . . well, I will always refer to it as Joe Robbie Stadium, regardless of who buys the rights to the name. People have tried to correct me, and I always say to them that as far as I'm concerned, it will continue to be "Joe Robbie Stadium" because the man put up his own money to build it and deserves that respect.

Jeff		10-Nov-2007 05:09
Roberta, you ask "What are they doing to "our town"??? I can boil it down to two things: Greed and more greed. Picture fifty... yes, FIFTY high-rise condo towers being erected downtown... (not all are selling because of the depressed real estate market, but that doesn't change things)... Picture shopping centers and strip malls ad infinitum... Picture mom-and-pop stores of old being replaced by ethnocentric businesses, predominantly Latino and Haitian in nature... Picture virtually every open plot of land being used for some type of construction... This might sound like an over-exaggeration, but I've seen this happening for the 44 years I've been down here! Long ago, Joe Robbie built himself a new stadium up by the county line for his beloved Dolphins and moved them North from the Orange Bowl. He passed away shortly thereafter, and the stadium was named in his honor... his family sold the Dolphins and the stadium to Wayne Huizenga, owner of Waste Management... Shortly thereafter, he leased the rights to the stadium's name to an outfit called Pro Player, hence "Pro Player Stadium"... After Pro Player went bankrupt, a new name lease was secured. As for what's happened at the old Crandon Park, perhaps another person could fill us in... I haven't been there in well over 30 years...

Roberta Perry Hughes		10-Nov-2007 03:30
Jeff...So glad that there was little loss of animal life from the zoo. So...! What ever became of the old Crandon Park, & those picnic areas, & all of the cages/habitats, for the animals?? Is any of it still out there?? Still usable?? Patronized, by beach-goers?? That really sucks, about the Orange Bowl! Went to a football game there, between Southwest High & Broward, & one between Southwest & Coral Gables. Southwest won both games. They had a tough football team (1959 & 1960). Just breaks my heart, about the Orange Bowl. Didn't the Dolphins play there, back when Bob Griese was the QB?? What are they doing to "our town," Jeff??

Don Boyd		09-Nov-2007 23:12
Posted on behalf of Ken Hirsh who e-mailed me: Ken Hirsh here. HHS '71, PSJH and John G. DuPuis before that. A few of the earlier comments caught my eye, after my brother Bruce told me about this site. I'm guessing that the tikis mentioned in JDs and earlier message may have been made by Lewis Vandercar. That may be where the warlock connection originated. He did lots of interesting stuff, including the dragon that stood on the southern tip of Merritt Island. See more about him athttp://www.myspace.com/lewisvandercar. Food Fair gave Merchant's Green Stamps and Kwik Check (Winn Dixie) gave Top Value stamps. Later Publix gave S&H (Sperry & Hutchinson) green stamps. Back then many gasoline stations - when gas was 28.9 cents per gallon or less - also gave trading stamps. Nowadays that is not even enough for the tax per gallon. Back then there were TV repair shops everywhere and tube testers in every drug store. My have things changed - now our electronics are either disposable or take up the wall. Ken Hirsh

Jeff		09-Nov-2007 22:14
PS: Thanks ever so much for your kind and complimentary comments...

Jeff		09-Nov-2007 22:09
Roberta... You were misinformed about Crandon Park Zoo and that ridiculous story of all the animals being swept out to sea. The original zoo closed years before Andrew, and was relocated to the old Richmond Airfield (blimp base) site in South Miami as the new Miami Metrozoo. Although the new zoo did suffer some extensive damage from the storm, it was soon repaired and there was little loss of animal life. Tropical Park closed (to the best of my knowledge) because the park lost its lease and the land was reclaimed by the county as a park. For a number of years, Calder hosted "Tropical at Calder" after their own season ran its course, but that's long since ceased as well... Hialeah, on the other hand, suffered from declining revenues and it became too costly to keep the aging park open, despite its glorious history and its flock of flamingos... Regarding Channel 4's "musical interludes", I can't verify the use of Lisbon Antigua, but I do recall them using the instrumental version of the Beatles' "And I Love Her" from the soundtrack of "A Hard Day's Night". As a jet is shown traversing a blue Florida sky, the music is playing... and during the last few notes, the voice-over announcer says: "Channel Four........serving South Florida." From what I understand, WTVJ won an award for those innovative (and subtle) commercials... All I can add about Tahiti Beach is that the property was sold to developers years ago for home sites... FYI: The very last Miami Hurricanes football game in the 70-year old Orange Bowl is being played this weekend. After that, there's one more event to take place and the stadium closes permanently. The city will then sell off many stadium artifacts, then bids will go out for its demolition. Miami is still trying to work out a deal for the Florida Marlins to get a new baseball stadium built on that site, but many people (including myself) do not like or appreciate the idea of using government money to finance a stadium for a privately-owned sports franchise. Add the Orange Bowl to your listed of used-to-be memories...

Roberta Perry Hughes		09-Nov-2007 20:39
Joanne...Thanks for the tip, re: "Absence of Malice," with Sally Field & Paul Newman! Will certainly see if I can find a copy! I HAVE "Wrestling Ernest Hemmingway," on video. My late father looked soooo much like Richard Harris, that the scene, where he is found in his recliner, makes me weep, every time I've watched it. I adored Richard Harris...(& his best pal, Peter O'Toole...don't you just HATE Hollywood, for not having awarded this amazing actor the Oscar?? That movie was a real "sleeper!" It is a moving study, in loneliness among the aging, & relationships, & estrangement from family, & how swiftly the years pass us by, & the fact that we never outgrow the need for a friend, & human contact. There were NO bad actors, in this film, to be sure. Wasn't it great, to hear Nelson Riddle's "Lisbon Antigua," in the scene where Richard Harris is dancing with a little girl? And I LOVE it, that he used a big Sea Grape leaf, as a bookmark! I miss Florida's foliage, so much! Jeff...was that piece of music ("Lisbon Antigua") used for one of WTVJ's station breaks?? Seems to me that ONE of the TV stations used it (?). What say you? Jeff...You are such an invaluable resource, for all of us "Post-A-Comment" Clubbers!! You always give us the histories, & the spot-on locations, & subsequent fates, of the places & haunts, where we visited, dined, shopped, or were entertained, & were schooled, "back-in-the-day," & it means so much to me...& I think I speak for everyone, on this!! Query: WHY did Hialeah & Tropical race tracks close?? I know that Hialeah closed in Y2K; when did Tropical close?? I was told that "Andrew" virtually destroyed all there was, to the wonderful Crandon Park, & that the animals were swept out-to-sea. What a tragedy!! Our family reunions were held at Crandon, every November, for many years, until everyone moved away, & the elders passed on. (Now, WE are the "elders!"). They had numerous cement picnic tables, on cement slabs, & a place to cook burgers, at every area, & you had to call & reserve your space, in advance of your event. What is the current status of Crandon Park? Did they rebuild the zoo? Also, tell me about Tahiti Beach, & Matheson Hammock. (Remember when it was called Matheson Hump Beach?)

Joanne		09-Nov-2007 18:44
There was another movie shot in Miami that I always enjoyed, "Absence of Malice" with Sally Fields and Paul Newmann. Has tons of shots all over downtown, Merry Christmas Park, Biscayne Bay to mention a few. Plus its a good movie to boot!!

Jeff		09-Nov-2007 15:22
LOL! Sofia... I have a penchant for useless information! Actually, much of the "trivia" I've learned came from my days of collecting old photo negatives and researching them through Polk's Cross-Index. It's a reverse-lookup directory that's available at the Florida Room of the Miami Public Library and has been out of print for years... but they have many years to reference on their shelves. Other things come from my own collective memories of 44 years in South Florida, and the tidbit of the furniture in the movie was simply passing on facts I was made aware of... Unlike Bullwinkle the Moose, I don't aspire to the title of "Mr.-Know-It-All"... LOL!

Sofia		09-Nov-2007 05:13
Jeff, you're a walking encyclopedia of south Florida history/trivia. Most people I know have never even heard of this movie. I guess it's because it doesn't fit the Hollywood blockbuster formula (i.e. violence) for success, which is unfortunate. Thanks for the interesting tidbit.

LARGO		09-Nov-2007 05:02
MY DOG JEFF !!... YOU EVEN KNOW FAMOUS FURNITURE FROM MIAMI !!!...YOU ARE AMAZING !!!....HI TIM ...WELCOME TO....... literally ...THE TWILIGHT ZONE..............DID YOU GO ALL THE WAY BACK ...TO THE BEGINNING OF THIS SITE ??? you have to go deep...scrolling back in time ....and you really have to have an interest in the SPIRIT ( drum roll ) of MAGICAL OLE MIAMI...MANY OF US REALLY HAVE A LOT OF COMMON MEMORIES??.......SOMETIMES THINGS GET FEISTY.....WE LOSE SOME....WE GAIN SOME.......SOME NIGHTS A BUNCH OF US RIDE THIS SITE AROUND LIKE AN OLD 60's VINTAGE VW BUS...............YEP!!...THIS CYBER NOVELLA IS TAKIN SHAPE...THERE SEEMS TO BE A CAST OF CHARACTERS DEVELOPING.... YOU WILL HAVE A PLATFORM FOR YOUR MEMORIES HERE ...AND MOST SUBJECTS ARE FAIR GAME....IT'S COMMUNICATION OF SORTS...IN THAT... LIKE MANY CHATS....YOU OCCASIONALLY GET A RESPONSE...BUT SOMETIMES YOU ARE IGNORED...TAKE NO OFFENSE...JUST BE PERSISTANT............WOW !! I THINK I WAS CHANNELING WILL ROGERS FOR A SEC........LARGO

Jeff		09-Nov-2007 04:16
Speaking of "Wrestling Ernest Hemingway", the apartment scenes (filmed in an actual Hollywood Beach apartment) feature a guest appearance by a dining room set owned by my buddy John Miller - former owner of the Record Museum in Hollywood. The lease deal was struck up between him and Keith Allison (yes THAT Keith Allison of Paul Revere and the Raiders fame) who was working with the movie company...

Sofia		09-Nov-2007 01:21
If any of you are interested in watching a good movie with great scenes of Miami/Miami Beach, I highly recommend "Wrestling Ernest Hemingway" starring Richard Harris, Robert Duvall, Shirley MacLaine & Sandra Bullock. It's about the developing friendship between two retired men from totally different backgrounds. It's very well acted with an obviously great cast. It's been a while since I've seen the movie, but I recall some scenes were filmed in Miracle Mile, Coral Gables.

Jeff		08-Nov-2007 23:50
Joanne... Believe or not, Service Merchandise met the same fate for basically the same reasons... The founder of Service Merchandise's son (Ray) opened up a small chain of mega-dollar stores called 99 Cents Stuff and guess what? They too are in bankruptcy... Like father, like son... LOL!

Joanne		08-Nov-2007 22:00
Jeff...Thanks for the Lurias update. I sort of thought that might be the case but I hoped they had sold before the "Service Merchandises" of the world came in.

Jeff		08-Nov-2007 21:06
Luria's became a victim of changing times and changing tastes. The stores eventually went bankrupt due to a decline in sales, deep-discout retailers and the public moving away from the "catalog showroom" concept. People wanted their merchandise immediately, not retrieved from a back storeroom, and they wanted better prices than Luria's could offer. Most of Luria's jewelry was considered "marked up", and other items were also sold at prices higher than could be found elsewhere...

Tim		08-Nov-2007 19:28
Great site!!! Born in Miami in 55. Grew up near Variety Childrens Hospital. Columbus HS grad. Moved away in 82. As many of you have already stated, Miami was a great place to grow up. As kids we would ride our bikes to Matheson Hammock. High School Sat nights were spent at Crandon Park. My mom was born and raised in Miami and she is going to love this site!!!

Arizona Al		08-Nov-2007 17:01
Joanne: I graduated from Palmetto High in 1964. My brother Michael "Mike" Ogus graduated in 1966 and may have known you or your sister. I think he was involved in student government activities. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive and well in Phoenix,Az.

Joanne		08-Nov-2007 16:35
Hey!!! My area of the state hit the record last night/this morning. We were 28 degrees when I woke up. It was colder in Tallahassee than Bismark, ND. (ha ha) Does anyone know what happened to Lurias? (Jeff?) They were neighbors of mine back in the 60's.

Joanne		08-Nov-2007 16:21
Roberta...The "duh" was aimed at myself for not giving my full name at the outset. There was no ill will intended. I can't think of any other spot that has my pic and Classmates is how I've been looking up old friends at Palmetto. In fact have already connected with 2. Largo...My mother was Mary Copp, she worked in the office as a secretary. Per my sister, the man in charge of the office was an MCP (male chauvenist pig) and Mom couldn't stand the sexual undercurrent in the office so she didn't stay but about 6-7 months. But she did have great stories. She would be 83 now. You lived up beyond Chapman Field. Do you remember a private school on Old Cutler somewhere around 112th? Name was Vanguard or something with a "V" I think.

Jeff		08-Nov-2007 15:08
Roberta... between you and Largo I can start to believe my own publicity! LOL! All of these compliments from OLD pictures when I was fatter and bearded... Just think of what someone might say "if and when" I can get down to my healthy weight...??? This brings a smile to me as I try to shake off a draggy head cold...

Roberta Perry Hughes		08-Nov-2007 05:45
Jeff...Hey...!!! I said that you're a "real looker," FIRST!! (tee hee) Glad to see that Largo agrees with me! Largo..That's AWESOME, to have a photo of your grandfather with T.R!! I ADORE T.R.!! I have several books about him ("River of Doubt," & "Mornings on Horseback", to name two.) And I'm very impressed, that your Dad was there, to witness & photograph the surrender of Japan. I'm watching the reruns of Ken Burns', "The War," on PBS. Everyone should see this very moving & historical account, of WWII. It's mind-blowing. Send Arizona Alan your e-mail address, & he'll send you photos of himself. He's a cutie, too!! Me...?? I'm fat 'n ugly, & the very first to admit it...but, hey! I'm here! AND a "b.c. survivor" to boot! Hey! In truth, ALIVE is beautiful! For real. Put the ol' electric blankie on the beddie-bye basket, this evening. Sure will feel good to my achin' bones, if I can tolerate lying down. If not, guess it's back to my "nest" in my recliner. (sigh). Stay warm 'n cozy, y'all. Sweet dreams.

Jeff		08-Nov-2007 04:20
Aw, gee, Largo...... Thanks!

LARGO		08-Nov-2007 03:59
HEY JOANNE...THANKS FOR YOUR RESPONSE.....I LIVED ON S.W.106th STREET...(6325)...LOVED IT!....I LOST MY MOTHER LAST YEAR AT 90....DADDY IS 91 AND MISSES HER TERRIBLY...THEY WERE HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS...HE IS STILL PRETTY SHARP (sharper than me!)...MY DAUGHTER, GRANDSON AND I ARE PLANNING TO GO UP FOR CHRISTMAS TO SUPRISE HIM AND MY SISTER.............WHAT WAS YOUR MOMMAS NAME?....I'LL ASK HIM...HE LOVES TO TALK ABOUT THE GOOD OLE DAYS...........ROBERTA GAL....DAD LOVES THIS SIGHT.....I TOOK MY LAPTOP WHEN I WENT FOR HIS 91st BIRTHDAY...AUG.1st................MY SISTERS JUST SENT A LOAD OF PHOTOS AND MEMORABILIA..OF MY FATHERS..FATHER.(CLIFFORD H. POLAND SR)...TO THE US NAVAL MUSEUM......I HAVE AN OLD PHOTO OF HIM WITH TEDDY ROOSEVELT. DAD (JR) WAS A COMBAT PHOTO JOURNALIST ...US ARMY...HE WAS ONE OF THE FEW CAMERAMEN ON BOARD TO COVER THE JAPANESE SURRENDER...I WAS 2.............HE INSTILLED A GREAT LOVE OF OUR COUNTRY INTO ALL THREE OF HIS GIRLS... AND TAUGHT US THE PROPER WAY TO RESPECT OUR COUNTRY, OUR FLAG ...AND WHAT IT STANDS FOR...AND HOW PAINFUL IT IS TO SEE IT DEGRADED IN "ANY" WAY!!!...SO THANK "YOU" ROBERTA FOR YOUR KIND WORDS...HE WILL SEE THEM...AND THANK YOU ALAN AND ALL OF THOSE WHO SERVED OUR COUNTRY TO KEEP US FREE AND SAFE...YOUR SERVICE IS APPRECIATED TOO.....HEY JEFF...YOU ARE KINDA CUTE!!!.......AS EVER......................LARGO

Arizona Al		08-Nov-2007 02:11
Roberta: You are most welcome!! Thanks for the Veterans's Day Greeting. I served as a combat support specialist with the 103rd combat support batallion, Chu Lai, Vietnam 1966-1967 and your acknowledgement is appreciated. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Leighton Chapman		08-Nov-2007 01:29
Does anyone have any photos or articles of either Toby's or Forum cafeterias???????? Also, when did Andalusia Bakery finally shut down?? leightonchapman@hotmail.com My mother used to buy some special "Green Punch" somewhere in South Miami - it was a mix, I think. Does anybody recognize that???????

Roberta Perry Hughes		07-Nov-2007 23:06
Arizona Al...Thanks for the e-mail, with the link to view your photos, at age 17, & in 2006. Can still tell that it's you, one from the other. Love the one of you with the guitar, & on the motorcycle, though, all of them are good. Saved them in a file, & it's nice, to put a face to the name! Thanks again! Joanne...What's with the "Duh"??!! I do not do Classmates.com, so, cannot look up your high school photo. Hope everyone's doing well, these cool Fall days, & more importantly, hope one & all are feeling well, too, in every way. Veteran's Day greetings, in advance, to the all of Vets out there...my heartfelt thanks, to all who willingly served. Much respectful thanks, & well wishes, to your father, Largo, for having served in WWII...& to any & all WWII Vets out there. God bless you, one & all, the VFW's, from any war or conflict. Be well, dear ones.

Joanne		05-Nov-2007 18:50
Roberta...And duh!! My full name is Joanne (Copp) Reid if you're looking up the photo. Largo...Where abouts did you live when you were at Palmetto? We were 70th Ave. and 136th St. just east of Old Cutler Rd.

Joanne		05-Nov-2007 18:32
Largo...My sister was the 66 Grad at Palmetto and I'm sorry to say she didn't keep up with any of her Tao-Ti sisters. I also asked her about your sister and she didn't recall the name. But she was in Miami for just 2 years and hasn't been back since. I wish I could ask my Mom about your Dad but she passed away 10 years ago. Chances are they would have been introduced. The only place I have a photo of me posted is on Classmates.com under Palmetto HS class of 1975.

Jeff		05-Nov-2007 14:46
Roberta... Sorry if I mis-stated the facts and said cousin instead of half-brother. Sometimes late-night fatigue gets me a bit loopy. Anyway - when I said "sure wish you had some of his art supplies" I wasn't referring to stencils. A professional artist doesn't need those, except for a specialty project [for effect]. I meant pen nibs and holders, templates, sketching and charcoal pencils, etc., etc., etc. You see, I am a bit more versed in graphic arts than simply lettering stencils. I collect those as a keepsake of my youth and their influence on my lettering skills. However, I also save old graphic arts supplies when I can get them on the cheap, because the current price of some of these goods are astronomical... Anyway, that's all academic at best and just small talk on my part... hehehe

Arizona Al		05-Nov-2007 14:10
Roberta (and the other usual bloggers): I will be glad to email you pictures of me at age 17 (high school graduation 1964) and a couple of recent/current ones for a "43 year comparison" > if you are interested please send me your email addrerss. alan.ogus@ahccms.org...Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Don Boyd		05-Nov-2007 06:37
Roberta - I sent you an e-mail about Alapaha, GA. Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		05-Nov-2007 05:37
Jeff...the late Marshall Smith was my half-brother, not my cousin. He never used stencils. All of his graphic art works were freehand. He never drew with pencil; he drew with India ink. He was very quick, & very accurate, with his illustrations, as well as with his paintings & drawings. He was amazing to watch. He was my mother's first-born; I was her last. Marshall's widow has any & all of the art supplies he left behind. She lives in Alapaha, GA. Good luck, with the weight loss. A good, & healthy, diet is The South Beach Diet. I lost a lot of weight on it, but had to give up the program when I developed diverticulitis...which meant no more salads, or raw veggies, or greens of any kind. I wish I could go back on it, but I cannot take the risk of another attack of that Godawful syndrome. It always puts me in the hospital...NOT my favorite place. Weight Watchers is good, too. Consult your Dr., before going on any diet, of course. Take care.

Guest		05-Nov-2007 04:33
To Dave/Davino I grew up in Edison Center, so totally remember the 4th of July fireworks put on by the American Legion. We lived on NW 3rd Ct & 63rd St until we moved to Hialeah in 1970. Everyone would carry out chairs or blankets or just stand or sit right on the road on 63rd St. We had a direct line of sight east for the show and could even hear the boom when they went off. It seems they would start when it got dark and go non stop for a couple of hours. I can still hear the oohs and aahs as bursts of color and sparkles would fill the sky. There would be a big finale with multiple fireworks going off all at the same time over and over. No other fireworks have ever impressed me as much as those. So glad you remember them also

Jeff		05-Nov-2007 04:19
Roberta... Thanks for your kind and complimentary remarks. Yes, I am a tall fellow... 6'2" to be exact... and (thankfully) a bit lighter weight than pictured... I was 242 pounds in many of those photos and got down to about 210 but have [unfortunately] added 10 pounds back on. My goal is to reach a healthy 190 as soon as I can... Sure wish you had some of the old graphics supplies your cousin used... I'm a scavenger/collector at heart... Jeff

Roberta Perry Hughes		04-Nov-2007 21:27
Jeff...WOW!! Great to see the "rock and rollers," from "back in the day!!" I LOVED Jack Scott's deep bass voice; Jay Black's falsetto; Bryan Hyland's summer songs; all of Dion's songs; Bobby Rydell & Freddy Cannon's songs; all of the girl groups, & girl singers...just ALL of them, that are pictured!! And especially, our own Steve Alaimo!! Hey, sport!! You're a real looker!! Don't let anyone tell you any different!! And you're quite a man of "substance"...(size-wise)...how tall are you, anyway? Or is it just that some of those singers were of smaller stature?? A few of the ladies look very petite, standing next to you!! Enjoyed the pictures, & called hubby over to the computer, & said, "This is the famous Jeff, who posts on my favorite Site, & even comments, on my comments." Hubby said, "He could star in "Fiddler on the Roof." Believe me, that's quite a compliment, as we both love that musical...& Topol, who is the star, in the film version. (THIS comment came when he saw the photo of you, on the "A bit about myself" link. At least, he didn't have a jealous reaction...!! {smile}...). Your dingbats are impressive. My half-brother, the late artist, Marshall Smith, was a commercial artist. He illustrated for Doubleday, Compton's Encyclopedia, Harper and Rowe (Row?), & the American Medical Association, in addition to his original India ink drawings, water colors, & oil paintings, & doing consignment work, for newspapers, magazines, & private customers. He lived in Coconut Grove, for years, before relocating to Alapaha, GA. He passed away in 1998. I miss him very much. Good luck in all you do, friend!! Hope all of the Post-A-Comment Clubbers will check out your Site...to see YOU...! Anyone else out there, have a link, that has photos of yourself?? It's always nice, to put a face to the name. Charlis? Largo? Joanne? Steve? Dave (Davino)? Don?? Anybody??

Jeff		04-Nov-2007 18:51
Thanks for the plug, Dave... I'm so glad you enjoyed those pictures. It was a lot of fun to meet and greet many of those performers from the first generation of rock and roll, rhythm and blues and doo-wop. Sadly, Zeke and Jake Carey of the Flamingos, Richard Blandon of the Dubs, Rudy West of the Five Keys and Little Eva have passed on. Time is not kind... However, their music is still around to bring us all pleasant memories. For those of you who didn't know this: Little Eva (Boyd) was the teenage bbabysitter for Carole King and Gerry Goffin... Yes, she was actually babysitting singer Louise Goffin as a toddler! Carole noticed the particular way Eva would dance to music being played around the house, and that's what inspired Carole to write "The Locomotion"... the rest, as they say, is history!

Dave/Davino		04-Nov-2007 16:52
Jeff, Thank you so much for sharing those great pic's of you and all those great entertainers from our golden years of music,,, It's great to see so many are still active and making the concert scenes. Hey, all you folks that liked or still like the music of the 50/60's, check out Jeff's web site, it's well worth the time...

Jeff		04-Nov-2007 04:33
Dave... You were not the only Johnny-come-lately to doo-wop music and oldies. I "discovered" it in the 1970's, and along with those genres have really embraced just about all popular music from the 1980's back to classical. However, if you'd like to see some photos of many of the people I've mentioned, there's an OLD photo gallery on my free fonts web page. Huh? Whaazat, Jeff? Free WHAT????? Fonts... computer fonts of dingbats [a printer's term for small illustrations] that I did in my beginning days of font design. The photo page was an extra diversion. If you go to www.geocities.com/jeffsfonts and then click on the "rock and roll" you see a whole slew of pix taken of me with these many performers at the various and sundry oldies shows I've either asisted at or attended... and PLEASE be kind... Although I was a tad younger, I was a bit heavier than I am now and bearded. For your own benefit, take some Mylanta BEFORE viewing the photos... looking at me might get your stomach a bit upset... LOL!

Roberta Perry Hughes		04-Nov-2007 03:49
Getting back to the TV series, "US Border Patrol"...the premiere episode, March 10, 1959, was titled "Everglades Story," & was filmed there. It featured a Seminole alligator wrestler, who helped the Deputy Chief on a case. The one filmed in Miami was titled, "Crime Wave At Coral Gables." That's the one that had a contest, to be an "extra," & my mother entered a photo of my father. He was a runner-up, & got to attend a luncheon, visit the set, & meet Richard Webb, the star of the show, who portrayed Deputy Chief Don Jagger, in the series. The episode aired on Nov. 23, 1959. The other episodes were filmed all over the U.S. It was only a half hour show, & lasted a mere 10 months, ending in Dec. 1959. Does anyone remember this particular episode, filmed in the Gables? The contest was announced on TV, during the show, about 2 months before production, & they did a write-up on it, in The Miami Herald, I'm sure. You "Gables kids" should remember this??!

Dave/Davino		04-Nov-2007 03:44
Thank you both, Don Boyd and Parks Masterson, on the updates and history on MDJC.. Don, I guess there in the late 50's, no MDJC North, since they were the only Jr. college in Dade Co. Then I guess later, they added South and Downtown..... And Jeff, now I really wish you and I were friends back when, since we have a commen interest in 50's and 60's music... As of late, I have been on a doo wop (no slur intended my fellow Italianos), craze and realize now, what a shame how those talented groups were taken so advantage of..... You were so fortunate to see those great entertainers and groups live and also meet them in person. I've purchased many boxed sets of these groups and have learned the real story of their music.. Also, we both spent a little extra time at our respective High School;s.. I'm sure that by now everyone has, by readin my posts, figured out which courses set me back... Hey, I figured out early on, I was in no hurry to leave a good thing.........

Jeff		04-Nov-2007 03:23
And before the college was built in 1960 it was a military air station...

Don Boyd		04-Nov-2007 02:21
And before it was Miami-Dade Junior College, it was Dade County Junior College (DCJC). Don

Jeff		04-Nov-2007 02:15
One correction to the post below... It's Terry Johnson of the Flamingos, NOT Terry Nelson...

Jeff		04-Nov-2007 02:09
Now's my turn to "brag" about my "brushes with fame"... I used to help with the Acorn Civic Theater of Miami Beach while in my teens. I met Roz Berle, Milton's sister and an actress in her own right, along with Warren Day - a nice young actor who had parts in a number of Ivan Tors projects - including Flipper. While at Beach High, I got to ask a question of Mercedes McCambridge whom drama teacher Jay Jensen arranged to speak to our class... In the 70's, I was able to get backstage to some rehearsals for two oldies concerts held on Miami Beach... I was fortunate enough to meet Lloyd Price, Chuck Berry, The Fleetwoods, Danny and the Juniors, some of the original Five Satins, Ben E. King, Shirley Owens Reeves and the Shirelles (among others)... When my buddy (Larry Stang) worked at the Newport Hotel's Rhum Room, we got to meet (and have dinner with) Tommy James and his wife, Lynda. Years later, I helped another friend (John Miller) with his doo-wop/oldies concert productions. Through this venue, I met Jack Scott, Gerry Granahan a/k/a "Dickie Doo" of Dickie Doo and the Don'ts [whom I just spoke with last night], Rosie Hamlin of Rosie and the Originals, Cathy Jean of Cathy Jean and the Roommates, Jay Black, Kenny Vance and Marty (last name escapes me) of Jay and the Americans, Rudy West of the Five Keys, Earl Lewis of the Channels, Dave Lerchey of the Diamonds, Jimmy Gallagher of the Passions, Arlene Smith of the Chantels, Richard Blandon and Cleveland Stills of the Dubs, Zeke Carey, Jake Carey and Terry Nelson of the Flamingos, Lee Andrews of Lee Andrews and the Hearts, Barbara Lewis, among others... Through other music venues I've met Jan Berry of Jan and Dean, Little Eva, Brian Hyland, Bobby Rydell, Peter Noone ("Herman" of Herman's Hermits), Connie Francis, Stephen Stills, Harry ("KC") Casey, George McCrae, Freddy Cannon, Dave Mason... Then there's writer/singer/producer Luther Dixon, Arranger Charles Calleo (Four Seasons)... and I COULD go on... [I know, I know.... SHUT UP ALREADY!] LOL! Hey, I'm a music buff... and I just was lucky enough to meet these folks... I purposely left out one until the end... Miami's own Dion DiMucci. The first time I met him, he was shopping in Publix on NE 6th Avenue in North Miami, as he used to live on Spur Drive... he's long-since moved to points North...

Jeff		04-Nov-2007 01:48
Charlis... You're referring, of course, to Luke Halpin and Tommy Norden. I used to have a friend I hung out with in Surfside who lived about two or three houses South of the Nordens... I believe that was on Emerson Avenue. I always wanted to meet him (although I was aware of his "brattitude"), but the closest I got was to meet his mother (who was very nice to me) and his kid sister, who also had the reddest of hair... Every time I was over my friend's house and I saw the Country Squire station wagon at the Norden property, I kept hoping Tommy would be around... but that never happened... Oh, the foolishness of young teens!

Parks Masterson		04-Nov-2007 01:24
Dave, Miami Dade Jr. College became Miami Dade Community College and is now Miami Dade College. It offers some four year degrees now.

Guest		03-Nov-2007 22:24
Any one Remembers M.R K at Shenadoah J.R High school? Wow that paddel lol....... Bill

Dave/Davino		03-Nov-2007 21:22
Rick, In your posting of 10/31, you mentioned Miami Dade Jr College (North) as the name it was called back then.. If so, what name do they go by now? Or does anyone else know? Also, Edison got the name of Black Board Jungle, around 1956 from an incident at Edison Jr., that involved a few students that were caught carrying loaded guns to class.. The next day either the Herald or News showed a pic of a gun on a desk with the title, "Edison, Black Board Jungle"..

Guest		03-Nov-2007 21:01
I moved To Miami 1955-1969 now i'm in West Palm Beach Florida! went to Shenandoah JR high And of course Miami S.R high 1964-1966 any one out ther remembers Shirley's Restaurant? was near Miami High had foot ball players pictures all over the inside wall! And Of Holy Joe I met him many times in the 60's as i wrote before a thin man with a hat and usually wore a dark brown suit or a jacket..alway's preaching! Now that i'm old lol i know now he meant well......Bill

charlis		03-Nov-2007 20:43
I love the stories of all the famous people we have all met. Living on Miami Beach in the 60's exposed us to a lot of them. Sammy Davis Jr., Sinatra, Lou Rawls, etc. But, Jeff... Troy was great but I can beat that story... re: Ivan Tors.... I used to hang out at the Surfside Rec Center and met 2 boys. We had a great time together swimming, diving on the reef, playing games in the rec room. Then the new TV season began for that year and a wonderful show came on... "Flipper". The boys were the ones that "played" with us in Surfside. We all remained friends, although Tommy was a brat. But, the best thing of all is that they named Flipper's replacement after me... Susie! I spelled it differently but when Flipper lost his eye and they needed a stand in, the boys got to name it.... they named it/her after me... the one friend who didn't treat them any differently once they became stars. I have one more drinks at Trivia bars when the "what was the name of the dolphin who played Flipper...." question came up.

charlis		03-Nov-2007 20:37
Holy Joe... thanks gang for reminding me of him... just a few weeks ago we had someont on the corner of the block where I work doing the same thing and I was telling a few people about Holy Joe.... but I couldn't remember his name!

Jeff		03-Nov-2007 20:02
Wow! Someone remembers "Holy Joe"! He stood at the corner of Lincon Road Mall and Washington Avenue (near the Liggett's Rexall Drugs and Woolworth's) and used to hand out miniature bibles to anyone who would stop and listen to his preaching... He was an actual ordained minister... but that's all I knew about him... Roberta-- why I didn't mention that movie is because I didn't know that movie... there's more films that I've not seen than have...

Guest		03-Nov-2007 18:53
Who knew Holy Joe at South Beach? i remember a thin man wearing a suit and a rim hat around 1964 alway's preaching to us, We kids use to make fun of him ,, I would like find out more about Holy Joe.. .......Bill

Roberta Perry Hughes		03-Nov-2007 17:25
Stephen...you're right! Troy was only in that one scene. It had to have been his film debut. I'll have to check & see if he's in the credits. (I have the video). Alan Alda's father, Robert, is in that movie, as Lana ("Lora") Turner's agent. LOVED her wardrobe! And Sandra Dee was so very young, & innocently beautiful-looking. I cried when she died, so tragically, of alcoholism. Such a waste. I remember how shocked we were, That "Frankie" Used the "n" word, during his confrontation with Sara Jane. Susan Kohner won a Golden Globe, for that role; should have won an Oscar, but wasn't nominated, I don't think. How does all of this tie-in with Miami memories?? Saw it at the Drive-In theater, that's how, when I was 12 years old. (Tropicaire Drive-In). Melodramas were quite popular then, like "Back Street," with (the Georgia-born) Susan Hayward. (She married a doctor, & is buried in Eatonton, GA). Lana Turner was also in another melodrama I saw at Tropicaire, called "Madame X." All of these movies required a box of tissues!! Tropicaire Drive-In held so many memories for me, of the movies we saw there; the candy, popcorn, corn dogs, & hot pistachios, at the concessions; the big bulky speakers, that hung in the car door window; the foggers that sprayed for mosquitos...(man! how we hated to get caught in their path, going to the concessions!...); the ever-present cars, usually in the back row, with the steamed-up windows; little kids, in pajamas; the station wagons, filled to capacity, of neighborhood kids; trying to watch the movie, while walking to the concessions, to beat the long lines that ensued at Intermission; & the excitement, of going out at night, for family entertainment. That was such a treat, & a privilege, & how we looked forward to Friday or Saturday nights! Were we lucky, or what?? Just to enjoy being with our families, on a sort of "date!"

Stephen LeQuier		03-Nov-2007 05:41
Troy Donahue was Frankie in Imitation of Life 1959

Roberta Perry Hughes		03-Nov-2007 04:09
Jeff...What??! No comment about the TV show "U.S. Border Patrol," starring Richard Webb, of "Captain Midnight" fame?? Thought sure you'd confirm it on here, as you've mentioned many other TV shows and/or movies that were filmed in Miami, or at least, in FL. What say you?? About your "Beach" memories, I can relate, as I've yet to see folks from my neighborhood on here (Mackle project) except for my cousin, Joe! It's like, everyone's gone to the moon, like the song says!

Jeff		03-Nov-2007 03:46
Geez... except for the occasional posting by Charlis, I feel like I'm the ONLY "Beach Bum" on here... Granted, over the years I've learned a lot of facts and trivia about Old Miami in general and love to share it on here... but isn't there ANYONE who grew up on Miami Beach with some neat stories? How about some more North Miami lore? C'mon you guys... I kinda feel left out, not being able to relate to your South Dade memories... {:c( [However, you're ALL still A-1 in my book!]

DaveMESH60		03-Nov-2007 00:46
Pris, Wasn't that bonfire at Edison the one that turned into a full scale riot when the fire trucks arrived along with many Miami police cars? If I remember right, once the fire hoses were turned on us, the riot began... Police cars were overturned, set on fire, all kinds of fights broke out.. Edison Sr. was already known as, Black Board Jungle, from the movie of the same name... That night didn't help any.

Helen B		03-Nov-2007 00:20
Hey. I read what you guys wrote about Imitation of Life and about Troy Donahue, I'm pretty good about old movies, but, I also didn't remember what was his first was so I looked in this book I have about actors (going all the way to the silents) and looked him up. It said NOTHING about him being in that movie, but, I know he was in there. I also typed in his name in the computer and that said nothing about him being in it. But, I remember him being in it. A little trivia.....In real life his name was Merle Johnson (no wonder they changed his name) and in 1974 he was in The Godfather 2 and played a kind of playboy and playboys name was Merle Johnson. See you later.

Roberta Perry Hughes		03-Nov-2007 00:13
Largo...I met Van Williams, in Albany, GA, at the City Auditorium (Sarah Bernhardt's autograph is on the wall of the dressing room, there) when he, & several other TV celebs, were the star attractions for a Cerebral Palsy Telethon, which was an annual event. Also, met the late Nick Adams there; the tall (& wonderful!) Ed Ames; Johnny Tillotson; Nancy Ames; the late Michael Landon, & several others. All of my ephemera...(the autographed glossies)...are long gone, now. (sigh). My fave, on Surfside 6, was Van Williams. Don't care too much for the blonds...now, redheads, that's another story! Best looking actor in "A Summer Place" was the gorgeous Richard Egan. Were I to ever meet David Caruso in person, I'd have to ask him if Louis Gossett, Jr. is a good kisser...(he gave Caruso mouth-to-mouth, in "An Officer and a Gentleman.") I think that was the very first time I ever saw my "Howdy Doody!" (LOL).

LARGO		02-Nov-2007 23:57
ROBERTA...(on a roll here)...."IMITATION OF LIFE"...WAS A REAL TEAR JERKER... I HAD MIXED FRIENDS AND THEY AMAZINGLY BLEW IT OFF ...SAYING "GOD LOVES US ALL ....ALL COLORS...WE ARE HIS CREATIONS..... I REMEMBER THAT!...OF THE "SURF SIDE 6" GANG... VAN WILLIAMS(ACTUALLY VAN ZANT WILLIAMS) WAS THE NICEST (GENTLEMAN) OF THE GROUP...HE DID NOT GET INTO THE HUGGY STUFF FOR PRESS PICTURES...HE WAS THE BEST LOOKING OF THE LOT......AND HE WAS MARRIED AND IS STILL MARRIED TO THE SAME WOMAN SINCE "56 I BELIEVE...IN 1966 HE STARRED AS THE "GREEN HORNET"...HIS SIDE KICK/CHAUFFER WAS THE FAMOUS "BRUCE LEE"...VANS DAD WAS A RANCHER FROM TEXAS I BELIEVE.....AND VAN...(before tv)..WAS RUNNING HIS OWN SCUBA/SKIN DIVING BUSINESS IN HAWAII....HE WAS DISCOVERED BY ELIZABETH TAYLOR AND MICHAEL TOOD.....WHO TOLD HIM TO COME OUT TO CALIFORNIA AND TODD WOULD GET HIM IN THE BUSINESS. WELL MR. TODD WAS KILLED IN A PLANE CRASH....BUT VAN VENTURED OUT TO CALIFORNIA ANYWAY TO CHECK IT OUT AND BECAME AT LEAST A "HERO" IN HIS OWN RIGHT IN THE INDUSTRY. HE WAS ONE OF THOSE WHO KEPT OUT OF THE TABLOIDS IN THE DAY.ONE OF HIS BEST FRIENDS WAS THE GUY WHO PLAYED THE ORIGINAL "BATMAN"...ADAM WEST...THEY ARE STILL FRIENDS TODAY. INTEGRITY IS A BIG DEAL AND TAKES A STRONG CHARACTER NOT TO SUCCUMB TO ALL THE FAKERY AND FALSE PROMISES THAT HOLLYWOOD PROMISED...HE HAD THE GREENEST EYES I EVER SAW...WITHOUT CONTACT LENSES.....SOMEWHERE I HAVE A PHOTO OF MYSELF, MY NEIGHBOR AND GEORGE HAMILTON AND BURT REYNOLDS...ON THE FILMING OF "ANGEL BABY"......WHATS NEAT IS BURT WAS GEORGE'S STUNT MAN....LOOK WHERE THAT WENT!!!.......BURT AS A "NICE, GULLABLE GOOD OLE BOY"....MY DAD MET HIM AGAIN AS A CAMERAMAN ON THE 1st "LONGEST YARD"....TO LET YOU KNOW HOW NICE BURT WAS...HE REMEMBERED DADDY FROM HIS STUNT WORK ON "ANGEL BABY"THEY ARE IN CONTACT AS OF TODAY...MY DAD JUST TURNED 91 ON AUG. 1st AND ACTUALLY RECEIVED A GREETING FROM BURT......THATS A NICE MAN.....WHO TAKES THE TIME TO DO THAT ANYMORE??? I REALLY THINK BURT WAS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BY SLICK FOLK...............DON I SAW PHOTOS OF HIM IN YOUR ARCHIVES........WAS HE NOT A REALLY NICE MAN?????..................S.A.LARGO

Roberta Perry Hughes		02-Nov-2007 22:38
Largo...BEFORE "Surfside 6," I remember Troy...(might have been his film debut?)...in "Imitation of Life," as the very prejudiced & mean-spirited boyfriend of the character Sara Jane, who, to me, was THE best actor in the entire movie. When Troy found out Sara Jane's mother was black, he beat her very badly, & left her for dead, in a rain-soaked alley. Then, he was in "A Summer Place," of course, & everyone remembers Percy Faith's instrumental orchestration title, that was its theme. The #1 slow dance song, I'm sure. The actress who portrayed Sara Jane...(Susan Kohner, I think?)...has 2 sons, who are well-known producers, but I cannot recall their name, right now. She "retired" from acting, soon after "Imitation of Life," to marry & raise a family. Smart girl. Another FL (Miami?) TV show was "U.S. Border Patrol, which starred Richard Webb, of "Captain Midnight" fame. My mother entered my father's photo, in a contest, for a part as an extra. He was a runner-up, but got to go to the "meet & greet" luncheon, on the set. Much to our disappointment, he never came home with any autographed glossies of Richard Webb. (sigh).

LARGO		02-Nov-2007 22:01
ROBERTA.........DO YOU REMEMBER TROY DONAHUE..."PARRISH" & "SUSAN SLADE"..."SURFSIDE 6"...FILMED IN MIAMI...........I HAVE A B&W GLOSSIE OF ME AS A GOOFY STARSTRUCK 15 YEAR OLD GRINNING EAR TO EAR HUGGING TROY DONAHUE....YES... I COULD TELL YOU STORIES...TOO BAD YOU LIVE SO FAR AWAY..WE WOULD HAVE SOME FUN....BUT WE CAN CHAT..........HOPE THIS FINDS YOU ON TOP OF YOUR GAME GAL...THANKS FOR THE MEMORY JOG!!!....I THINK CLINT HOWARD GOT INTO SOME HORROR VENUES AS WELL....SCAAAAARY.........S.A.LARGO

Jeff		02-Nov-2007 21:53
Pris... Pickin' Chicken was the successor to the Miami Shores Drive-In, which used to boast an automated service system. There's a Bank of America on that site - just South of what's now the Miami Shores Publix. Pickin' Chicken was owned by Joe Hart, who eventually built his Castaways complex from newly-construced and acquired hotel/motel properties in Sunny Isles. The restaurant's other locations were Lincoln Road and Collins Avenue, near the Roney Plaza [around 22nd and Collins] and about 73rd Street and Collins Avenue.

Roberta Perry Hughes		02-Nov-2007 20:36
Largo...Ron Howard's little brother's name is Clint. He was also in "The Andy Griffith Show," as Opie's friend, Leon. A cutie-pie, when he was little, he didn't stay "cute" as an adult.In the movie "Far and Away," he's the mean-spirited supervisor in the chicken factory where Tom Cruise & Nicole Kidman worked. She called him a "pig," & he threatened her with her job, but she quit, before he could fire her...but not without a parting (verbal) shot! Ron Howard, the director/producer, always manages to put little brother, Clint, in his movies, in bit parts. Wow...that had to be such fun, to have a family member who worked closely in those TV productions! Bet you have a lot of glossy B&W autographed photos, huh? Bet your school mates were a bit envious! I would have been.

LARGO		02-Nov-2007 18:21
JOANNE, MY DAD, CLIFFORD H. POLAND, ASC, WAS A FREELANCE CAMERAMAN FOR IVAN TORS STUDIOS AND WORKED ON THE FIRST "FLIPPER" SERIES WITH LAMAR BOREN, JAMES PERGOLA, AT SEAQUARIUM...ALSO "SEAHUNT" WITH LLOYD BRIDGES, AND ALSO ON "GENTLE BEN". THE LITTLE BOY IN "GENTLE BEN" WAS RON HOWARDS ( OPIE ) YOUNGER BROTHER.( CANNOT RECALL HIS NAME...HE IS STILL WORKING ) MAYBE YOUR MOTHER KNEW OF HIM(MY DAD) ?? DAD ALSO HAD HIS COMPANY "FILM PRODUCERS SERVICE" THAT RENTED EQUIPMENT AND CREWS TO OUT OF TOWN PRODUCTION COMPANIES.......BY THE WAY ..I WAS A "DEB" AT PALMETTO. I BELIEVE MY FRIEND, ANNE BREEDING, WAS A "TAO TI"...I THINK I ASKED YOU BEFORE IF YOU KNEW MY SISTER LINDA POLAND, SHE WAS A '66 GRAD AT PALMETTO. SHE HUNG WITH, PAM THOMPSON, BONITA GROOME, JAN POLDEN...JUST CURIOUS...............LARGO

Pris Drenberg		02-Nov-2007 17:07
So much about south Miami...what about Miami Shores and Lemon City (now Little Havana/Overtown/Ghetto} I grad. in 57 from Miami Edison and have so many memories of Pickin Chickin on Biscayne (Sudsing the Waterfall after football games) and of course the infamous bonfire under the traffic light at 62nd & N.E. 2nd Ave. when we beat Miami High after a million years. THE Center theatre on Sat. morn.

Joanne		02-Nov-2007 15:05
In reference to the Ivan Tors Studios...My mother worked for a time at Fairchild Gardens where much of "Gentle Ben" was shot. She'd come home with stories of the days production, the bear and it's trainer, etc. That was the dinner time topic many evenings.

Jeff		02-Nov-2007 00:19
I've posted this reply to Scott Perlman on the page with the Lum's photo: Scott, thank you for setting me straight about the Abner's Roast Beef and Laugh-In Restaurant portion of my story. I never mind being corrected by the actual facts. The first Lums I ever ate at was the one on Jefferson Avenue and Lincoln Road in the corner of the Van Dyke Hotel. In earlier days it was a retail store prior to Lums moving into that location by the early 60's. I'd also patronized the one on Collins Avenue and Espanola Way, diagonal from Hoffman's Cafeteria and also the restaurant at 23rd and Collins near Beach High. Have you or any other family members ever thought about trying to revive the chain? I think it would still fly if it reverted back to their old-style (and succesful) ways. Please post any comments you may have on the main page of this site so that everyone can enjoy them - even if they haven't surfed the photo galleries.

Don Boyd		01-Nov-2007 23:38
Jeff, and others: there is an interesting post under the photo of Lum's on NW 79th Street from Scott Perlman, son and nephew of the founding Perlman brothers, who says: "It is not often when you are able to explain the Lum's story and have people understand what you are talking about. In fact, some of the info below is quite accurate (The Ollie Story selling to John Brown). In reference to the Abner's and Laugh In Restaurant discussion, my father and his brother, Cliff started that in the late 60's, not John Brown. Additionally for the restaurant buffs out there, we opened a steak restaurant called Steakthing with the first location was on Biscayne Blvd around 131st street. There are many other interesting stories, but it was certainly some unbelievable times from "Hot dogs steamed in Beer to rolling the dice in Vegas."" Thanks for writing in, Scott, we appreciate it. If you have any old Lum's photos, menus, etc., I'd love to add them to this site. A lot of us loved Lum's, as did our parents who took us there when we were growing up. Don

charlis		01-Nov-2007 22:49
jeff... Deep Throat... it was filmed near where I lived as the home of a fellow Beach student... a well know architectural family at the time. Imagine my surprise to see the movie crew in the drive way as I was waiting for the "O" bus to go to school....

charlis		01-Nov-2007 22:46
jeff... email to you... I still have to dig them out. Almost have the living room, dining room and kitchen organized. Will probably be during the holidays before I get to the other rooms.

charlis		01-Nov-2007 22:45
roberta... CSI... I watch the show for the same reason. There was one episode last year that was fun... They said UM but the shots showed MU ice hockey rink... which is in OHIO!

charlis		01-Nov-2007 22:41
Arizona... yeah... Shorty's.. thanx. The place was great!

Dave/Davino		01-Nov-2007 22:39
OK Jeff!! Just lettin you know... They're coming to take me away ha-haaaa, They're coming to take me away....................... Napoleon XlV (1966).. Warner label. Once again Jeff, you were spot on, in your earlier post today, on the pranksters from somewhere south of Flagler.. You know, the ones in gant shirts, weegee loafers with gold cup socks, yes, gold cup socks.. Think they would be noticed, if by mistake, they wandered into Billys, Fun Fair, Majorette or anywhere else in Little River, Edison Center, the inner city or anywhere in NE Miami... Say, are we having fun yet?

Guest		01-Nov-2007 20:58
Roberta, when my friend and I rode those 3 wheelers, selling ice cream there were mostly older men riding them. I don't know if they went to the Bird Road area from there but most of them would have wanted a Bud more than a glass of water. Those vehicles were very hard to pedal and steer and if you had to go up a little hill, God help you! We didn't wear the Pith Helmet (that wouldn't have been COOL)! In the photo at Paleys Big Wheel, that was a Cushman, it was made like that. Hope that helps satisfy your curiosity! Jeff...Tell me the history of those FIRST ice cream peddlars, who cruised the neighborhoods on a 3-wheeled contraption that had a big box, on the front, with dry ice in it, to keep the frozen treats frozen. The men who peddled these big "tricycles" wore shorts, & wore a pith helmet on their head. They were bronzed from the sun, & we all wondered how they could endure such a job! It had to be exhausting! We would sometimes take the guy a glass of ice water, & he sure did appreciate it, in those hot, humid Miami summer months, believe me! Where was their "starting point?" Where was the "home base," for this business, where they loaded up the big box, with popsicles, dreamsicles, lilly-dillys, fudgesicles, nutty buddies, Eskimo pies, ice cream sandwiches, Dixie cups of ice cream, creamsicles, & the dry ice? And where were those 3-wheeled contraptions kept? Up on Bird Road? Or, did they, somehow, haul them, to the various neighborhoods, in a van of some sort, or on a flat bed, with the big boxes fully loaded, to a certain locale, where the employee had to be, to begin his route? As kids, we always wondered about that, as we knew he had to start out, somewhere, near our neighborhood, & he couldn't have peddled that thing from "downtown!" Can you shed any light on this subject? Who owned the company, & how many of those contraptions were there, & what was the name of the company? And when did it cease to exist? In the photo of Paleys Big Wheel, in the Galleries, you can see a very similar, updated vehicle, only the one in the photo had been motorized. The ones I remember were chain-driven, on a sprocket, & had to be peddled, like a bicycle, only from a seated position. Barbra Streisand peddles one in the movie, "What's Up, Doc?". Seeing it, in that movie, brought back a flood of memories for me! These conveyances were replaced, before too long, by the independent (?) ice cream trucks; then, Mr. Frosty came along, & the Good Humour truck. Forgot about those first ones, 'til that movie came out! C'mon, Miami Historian! Satisfy my curiosity!

Roberta Perry Hughes		01-Nov-2007 19:47
Guest...Thanks, for helping to satisfy my curiosity! I know that the older guys were all wishing for that motorized Cushman version of this item..& you, too, probably! Did you notice that my original posting about this subject was re-booted, or whatever you call it, to reappear on here? Bizarre!

Jeff		01-Nov-2007 18:14
Perhaps it's a post-Halloween prank by Pbase!

Roberta Perry Hughes		01-Nov-2007 18:10
Is there an echo on here? Or is that just Don, adding to the humor of the triplicate thing? OR...is that you, Jeff?? (LOL)

Jeff		01-Nov-2007 15:56
Dave... Of course I know you're kidding! Ted... glad to have stirred those memories for you... Thanks to both of you for the kind words... even Don's "wild Jeff" reference! LOL!

Ted		01-Nov-2007 14:57
Jeff, you are right, years ago there was an ice cream wholesaler on NE 2nd Avenue and about 16th Street (near The Palette Artists' Supplies) in Miami. It reminded me of when my freind Moe and I had the idea that would be a good way to make money and we rode our bikes there from NW 30 Place and 7th Street. We both went out on our carts and sold ice cream but gave all of our friends credit and it wasn't long before we were out of business. LOL...Thanks for the memories. Ted

Helen B		01-Nov-2007 07:21
`Don, OK. But, I'm not sure of your email. And I'll find out how to do that. I guess you could say I'm technically challenged.

Don Boyd		01-Nov-2007 06:35
Helen: only if you send it to me via my e-mail address and I decide to add it. Don

Helen B		01-Nov-2007 06:25
Question. Can a picture on the internet be put with the pictures that are on this page? Anyone?

Don Boyd		01-Nov-2007 04:40
Reference wild Jeff and his duplicated/triplicated postings: sometimes postings (not only his) appear two, three or four times, and not only on this page but in other galleries too. Apparently there's a glitch in the PBase website software but it's minor and easily correctable. I just keep the newest one and delete the rest whenever I see it happening. Don

Dave/Davino		01-Nov-2007 04:25
Jeff, Hope you realize that I'm just havin a little fun bustin your chops.... I personally enjoy everything that you post.... You have such a knowledge bank to draw from, that I, being an old Miamian, am truly amazed with your knowledge of our beloved city... Please don't ever stop... You have brought back so many memories to this old Red Raider.....

Jeff		01-Nov-2007 04:02
Dave, I'm originally from Brooklyn, New York... moving here in October of 1963... However, I have an affinity for Chicago, as it was the home of Vee-Jay Records, one of the GREAT legendary R&B labels... As to why soe of my posts end up duplicating... ask Don... I can't understand why it does that... nless the blog site really enjoys wqhat I have to say.... NOT!!!!! LOL!

Dave/Davino		01-Nov-2007 03:52
Hey Jeff, Ok!!! As Ronald Reagen once said to W. Mondale, "There you go again"... At least this time, only had 1 instant replay... Can we surmise that your next posting will be with no replays?? Gee, I hope so!! Can't believe you don't remember those july 4th firework displays off the American Legion Club... Guess you became a Miamian long after.... By the way Jeff, where are you from originally... I'm from Chicago, but thankfully my parents moved to Old Miami in the early 40'ssssss.... Later!!!

Jeff		01-Nov-2007 03:39
Roberta, you'll be somewhat placated to learn that the Miami Vice exterior shots were all done here on location and NOT blue screened! Obviously, there were some interiors that had to be shot at the Greenwich Studios (formerly Ivan Tors Studios) in North Miami and elsewhere, but the outdoor stuff was the real deal! Remember Ivan Tors? He brought us Sea Hunt, Flipper and Gentle Ben... all Florida-based shows. Another TV project that was shot in South Florida was Caribe... as well as the revival of the Howdy Doody Show (the REAL one, NOT Caruso...LOL!) Some of the movies shot in Miami (if you don't count Deep throat) were Birds Do It with Soupy Sales, The Miami Story (a crime drama of the 50's centering around the open gambling of the day), Tony Rome, The Specialist, Flipper's Big Adventure, A Hole in the Head, La Cage Aux Folle... just to name a few. We could probably fill up this blog space with all of the productions done around these parts...

Roberta Perry Hughes		01-Nov-2007 03:12
Alan...Charlis...Dave...Jeff...Were I to ever visit "Our Town" again, the men in the little white coats would probably come & haul me away, to a padded cell, for my heart would be so broken, I'd be totally inconsolable, to find all that was familiar, & dear to me, totally unrecognizable, now, & I'd make a scene, I'm afraid. I used to watch "Miami Vice," NOT to see Don Johnson, but to see "my" town again, even if it was blue-screened, just as I watch "CSI: Miami," now, to also see "my" town...but to also see "Howdy Doody," too, which is mine & my sister's pet name for David Caruso. (We're WILD about the redhead!) When I watch(ed) both of these TV shows, I'd find myself looking, in vain, for the Dade County Court House, or other places, to see if I would recognize anything. Doesn't it hurt, to see nothing that is familiar? It's just so sad. But as you pointed out, here, on our treasured Site, it's still there! Don't you find yourself sort of projecting yourself, into each photo? I do!

Guest		01-Nov-2007 02:54
Charlis: Shorty's BBQ did in fact burn down and was later rebuilt on its same location opposite the Dadeland Shopping Mall approximately 1/4 mile south of the mall, actually on US#1. You are correct that it is on the west side of the road. The "second Shorty's BBQ" that I believe Alan is referring to may be the Shiver's BBQ located at approximately SW 280 Street on US#1 in far south Dade County. Been there for decades and actually has something that sounds rather strange, but is mouth watering...frozen deep fried corn on the cob. P

Jeff		01-Nov-2007 02:48
Well said, Alan... Your gang of Ridge Rats may have been pranksters, but at your worst, your activities were mild compared to some of the street gangs that have evolved down here over the years... While they say change is inevitable, the wholesale bulldozing of the tropical Florida we all knew and loved was sacreligious. It's a crying shame that developers were allowed to run roughshod during the past 35-40 years, and that "air space" became more valuable than land space. When once "snowbirds" came to winter in a sunny paradise to escape the big city life, Miami (and it's neighboring cities) are now more like "New York-on-the-Bay"... So, we all find refuge, solace, warm memories and new/old friends on Don Boyd's website... and what's wrong with that? At least here, in the ether of the cyber-world, the Miami of old continues to live and thrive... if only in our collective imaginations... I may be one of those "transplanted Northerners" who arrived here in late 1963, but for the past 44 years this has been my home... and I miss terribly the things of my own personal past, as well as the by-proxy experiences of those who have shared on this site. We cannot change what has transpired, be we sure the hell can reminisce... so keep those memories, rants, raves, tirades, questions, mistaken locations and anything else related to our area coming in, friends!

Guest		01-Nov-2007 02:25
Charlis: Are you referring to Shorty's Bar-B-Q on South Dixie Highway in South Miami? Acturlly there were two. One in South Miami and one close to Homestead that burned down years ago. Both were on South Dixie Highway. It was a ritual for the Ridge Rats to eat at the South Miami location on Friday Night prior to "cruising" the Hotte Shoppes and eventually heading over to Miami Beach for mischief and mayhem circa 1962-1964. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Ridge Rat Emeritus, Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Guest		01-Nov-2007 02:18
To my blogging buds: I left Miami in 1969 to attend N.C. State University in Raleigh, N.C. I have not been back since my original departure and from reading all of the fantastic/interesting/often scary comments from you all I do not really regret not having returned. My cherished memories of South Miami (1950-1969) will always be with me and not tranished with the apparant demise of "civilization and culture" that seemingly has transpired since I left. Sometimes the more things change they really do not remain the same!! Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Ridge Rat Emeritus, Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Jeff		01-Nov-2007 00:59
Dave... Yes we DO need instant replays... Yes we DO need instant replays... Yes we DO need instant replays... But that's weird... I only posted ONCE...blame that on the wonders of digital technology... Charlis... to my knowledge, Sonny's and Culpepper's Plantation Pit were the farthest South of the Bar-B-Q places... but those from that part of Dade County would know better than I... and it was I who mentioned Gallagher's... By the way, Charlis... WHEN are you going to send me that email you've been promising me regarding the stencils/graphic arts stuff? Hmmmmm??????

charlis		31-Oct-2007 23:45
Jeff... guru of Miami of days gone by... what was the name of the bbq place in S Miami... I think on US1. It was on the west side of the road, very few other buildings around it... back in the late 60's and early 70's. I want to say "Sonny's" who might have later branched out in the 80's throughout Florida. Best ribs in the world... melted off the bones.

charlis		31-Oct-2007 23:40
Jeff... Manfredi still alive and doing well? Glad to hear that, but she was old when I was at Beach! Funny that someone mentioned Gallaghers... I still have a few of the old "Tubby Potato" cups and racks... took some to work today for our Halloween party. Use them when I put out chips and dips. (knew the owners of the place and they gave the family a lot of stuff from the warehouse or that survived the fire.)

Dave		31-Oct-2007 23:25
Jeff, All right all ready...... As always, your posts are interesting, very informative and spot on 99% of the time... But do we need two instant replays?? No sweat buddy, just havin a little fun with ya...........

Helen B		31-Oct-2007 22:47
This is for whoever likes Doo Wop. Type in www.youtube.com and then type in Kid Kyle. Then click on Kid Kyle. Should be the first one. You'll see first Tony Danza. It brought tears to my eyes and a smile to my face. If you do it let me know what you think.

Jeff		31-Oct-2007 22:41
Helen... That's funny... you were in the 10th grade at Beach High in 1970 and I graduated that same year (summer school edition)... If you had English teacher Pat Manfredi... she's alive and well and living in North Dade. I occasionally run into her at the North Miami Public Library or at our Chamber of Commerce... I had the pleasure of knowing Jack Silver and Herb Bernstein, co-owners of Black Angus Systems, Inc. They've both passed on a while ago, but Jack and Herb's friendship went back to the age of five, and their work desks were actually one custom built unit with two openings for their legs... The Sub Center location on 163rd Street just closed about a year or so back... it's now a Quiznos. The lady who ran that chain used to have other locations on 441 and 199th Street, the intersection of NE 16th Ave. and West Dixie Hwy. and on NW 7th Avenue... they're ALL gone as well... Regarding the Broad Causeway tokens... I actually have a few of those myself in a small collection of odds and ends tokens. Since you remember the Golden Buddha, let me mention that many of the North Miami restaurants you'd also remeber from the 70's-80's (or even earlier) are also long gone from the landscape... Gallagher's, Hurricane Harbor, The Cattleman, Jackie Gleason Restaurant, Pumpernick's... Soon they will be tearing town the Publix on 127th and Biscayne for a possible renovation. That was the FIRST Publix in Dade County and the first South of Lakeland (Publix' home base)... The old McDonald's on Biscayne and 139th long ago was relocated to a newer one right on the outside edge of the shopping center housing that Publix. The original one was [depending on whose memory you believe] the first or second McDonald's in the greater Miami area... The site was later a Tark's seafood restaurant, and is now shared by a Dairy Queen and a fine dining spot called Scorch. Also gone from North Miami are the Grand Union on Biscayne, the Howard Johnson's (still there, but not owned by HJ), the Voyager Motel (where scenes from the infamous Deep Throat were shot), Weigel's Motel (135th and Biscayne - now part of a shopping center), the Bouylevard Drive-In Theater (now the site of Costco), Lionel Play World (in the Causeway Plaza)... that's now a Ross Store and previously was Luria's, then Space Music... Suffice it to say "things just ain't what they used to be"...

Guest		31-Oct-2007 22:34
Jeff... it's me, Charli... didn't realize that I had to sign in... something must have happened recently, since I hadn't been here in a while.

Guest		31-Oct-2007 22:32
Jeff... West Dixie Towers... first, I am still busy unpacking... but when Ed and I got married we lived in the West Dixie Towers... but I remember riding the horses and ponies at Greynolds Park in the early 60's. Got a kick out of your post to Helen... she started Beach when you graduated... and you started when I graduated!

Roberta Perry Hughes		31-Oct-2007 21:34
Helen...Once in a while, I wear my 1950's Rollfast skate key, on a ball chain. Those under 60 or so years old have no clue what it is!

Helen B		31-Oct-2007 20:34
Hi. First.... Yes, Jeff, I think it was the Sub Center. The Super Sub is here in Deerfield. And also, yes the Golden Buddha was on 123rd which I had to pass by to go to my Grandmothers because I moved in to her house in Bay Harbour at the end of 1970 for my 10th grade at Miami Beach, High. And about the Black Angus that never even crossed my mind because I always thought of it as a steak house. My mom worked there as the hostess when I was in JFK Jr. High. When I lived with my grandmother she used to give me these tokens all the time for the Broad Causeway and because I always hitched hiked everywhere I went I ended up with LOTS of them. Years later when I lived in San Francisco (1978) I was going through some old things and found one of them and an OLD Zayres bag. That bag was saved from when my older brother asked me if I would like to go to Greynolds Park and help him wax his car. BOY, was that a thrill. Spending the day with my older brother and he was going to let me wax his car. So we went to Zayres and bought the wax there and this day was so exciting to me that when we went home I put it away and saved it. When I showed it to him a month or so ago he was surprised that I still had it. I must have been 9 or 10 so it had to be before 1965. Jeff, don't be concerned when you correct anything. My memories not the best. And Roberta, you were talking about the ice cream trucks, I always liked the fudgecicles, creamcicles and these things that were pushups. It was vanilla ice cream with fudge in it. Never saw them again. Oh and about the token I found.... a few years ago I took it to a jewelry store and had it made into a necklace that I keep shined with this cloth they gave my. It's the only jewelry I wear anymore. Later.

Dave		31-Oct-2007 19:12
Thanks folks, Both the trampolines and the go-cart tracks triggered some funny memories for me... When the weather got a little cooler, we stopped doing the "pool hopping" thing and switched over to trampoline hoppin over at motel row, just north of sunny isles blvd... One member, name withheld, was going to try standing on the wall with a deck chair and was gonna try and bounce once off the tramp. and land on the pool deck sitting in his chair.. Yeah, right!! Weall thought for sure, that both he and the chair would tear right through that fabric.. Wrong!! The fabric held tough and he bounced once and landed right side up on the deck as advertised, much to the applause of the many guests and even some employees of the motel.... Hey guys, what are all those sirens I hear headin in this direction for..... Guess it's time to move on... One other night, late at Billys, we decided to drive out to Hialeah and try out the new go cart track we had heard so much about... We got there, a few beverages under ouur belts and a little late, but this nice owner told us we could have a half hour even though he was about to close.. Good deal!! He took our money, then after about 10 min on the track, he starts turning the track lights on and off.. told us to get the hell off the track... Bad move, mr. nice owner.. We kept on motoring, still had at least 15 min of track time left, so then he started rolling the trackside tires at us, another bad move. Actually, that was even more fun, doggin the tires, even gave us an escape route.. Someone, not me, saw an escape rt. and just drove right off the track and onto the main street, probably 79th st. Miami #, and off we all went heading east when someone yelled, lets go to Billys!! No chance, we were puttin along with traffic backed up behind us, when I remember going over some rr tracks and there the police were, right there waiting for us.. I could only imagine, lots of trouble, lots of money out of my pockets, and on and on.... But, after we told our side of story, the policemen just laughed, told us it was their very first time stopping go carts on a main road. Then, told us to just drive the carts back to the track and work things out with the owner.. They even gave us a police escort... What a sight that must of been, for all our fans and onlookers!! Definitely would make You Tube... It did make the the Hearld/News, don't know about the Hialeah paper.. Anyone remember?? My guess is 59/60.. Good times, understanding policemen and parents, and another golden memory to last a lifetime!! Gee, wonder how many gas station stops we would've had to make to reach Billys??

Jeff		31-Oct-2007 17:20
Roberta, all I can do is surmise on this one... Years ago there was an ice cream wholesaler on NE 2nd Avenue and about 16th Street (near The Palette Artists' Supplies) in Miami. I can simply guess that these independent vendors bought their wares from that site and also kept the pedal-driven coolers there at night. Another possibility is that some vendors took their "bikes" home after a day's work and bought the ice cream from a genreal supplier of dairy goods such as Velda, MacArthur or Foremost...

Joanne		31-Oct-2007 15:46
Largo... You hit the nail on the head. Both my sister and I were Tao-Ti, Gentrys, Soiree, Centurion were still going strong. By the 70's Debs had disappeared. Arizona Al mentioned a couple clothing items that were so important, Gold Cup socks, Gant shirts, in fact we girls used to pull the tabs off the guys shirts and keep them. We did have a prep thing going on. Pappagallo shoes!! I remember Judy Leslie and 5-7-9 shops. Anyone remember the Key West Prints? Don't recall if the store was in S. Miami or Coral Gables.

Roberta Perry Hughes		31-Oct-2007 15:13
Jeff...Tell me the history of those FIRST ice cream peddlars, who cruised the neighborhoods on a 3-wheeled contraption that had a big box, on the front, with dry ice in it, to keep the frozen treats frozen. The men who peddled these big "tricycles" wore shorts, & wore a pith helmet on their head. They were bronzed from the sun, & we all wondered how they could endure such a job! It had to be exhausting! We would sometimes take the guy a glass of ice water, & he sure did appreciate it, in those hot, humid Miami summer months, believe me! Where was their "starting point?" Where was the "home base," for this business, where they loaded up the big box, with popsicles, dreamsicles, lilly-dillys, fudgesicles, nutty buddies, Eskimo pies, ice cream sandwiches, Dixie cups of ice cream, creamsicles, & the dry ice? And where were those 3-wheeled contraptions kept? Up on Bird Road? Or, did they, somehow, haul them, to the various neighborhoods, in a van of some sort, or on a flat bed, with the big boxes fully loaded, to a certain locale, where the employee had to be, to begin his route? As kids, we always wondered about that, as we knew he had to start out, somewhere, near our neighborhood, & he couldn't have peddled that thing from "downtown!" Can you shed any light on this subject? Who owned the company, & how many of those contraptions were there, & what was the name of the company? And when did it cease to exist? In the photo of Paleys Big Wheel, in the Galleries, you can see a very similar, updated vehicle, only the one in the photo had been motorized. The ones I remember were chain-driven, on a sprocket, & had to be peddled, like a bicycle, only from a seated position. Barbra Streisand peddles one in the movie, "What's Up, Doc?". Seeing it, in that movie, brought back a flood of memories for me! These conveyances were replaced, before too long, by the independent (?) ice cream trucks; then, Mr. Frosty came along, & the Good Humour truck. Forgot about those first ones, 'til that movie came out! C'mon, Miami Historian! Satisfy my curiosity!

Jeff		31-Oct-2007 14:14
Hmmmm.... the more I think about it, Helen.... the name of that BBQ very well could have been Plantation Pit... (the one near Zayre and Pix)... Why I wasn't sure is that there was a Culpepper's Plantation Pit Bar-B-Q in South Dade... Can anyone out there verify the name of this North Miami Becah BBQ joint?

Jeff		31-Oct-2007 14:04
Oh, Helen! I've got to straighten you out - and I hope you won't hate me for all of the corrections... The Golden Buddha was on 123rd and Biscayne, and that's now the site of a Fedex/Kinko's. The "Bar-B-Q" place you recall by Jefferson's was actually a Black Angus Restaurant. It later was torn down and a Bennigan's built on the site, but now that's vacant... Was the sub shop you thought was across from the shopping center actually on NE 18th Avenue... "The Sub Center"? The Bar-B-Q joint I'm referring to was just East of the corner of NE 164th Street and NE 15th Avenue... Pix Shoes was on the corner of 163rd and 15th, and the barbecue's building had a round shape to it. It wasn't a famous name by an stretch of the imagination... but it lasted for a number of years...

Helen B		31-Oct-2007 06:49
Happy Halloween!! Jeff, the more I think about what I said about the barbecue restuarant that you asked if I remembered I think I might be wrong about the name. You said "I think that it was across the street from the shopping center behind the shoe store Pix", and I said Plantation Pit, but, I think I got the name wrong. Plantation Pit was down the street from there. I think you said it was near Jeffersons. Plantation Pit was east from there on the other side of 163rd. I think in walking distance of Zayres. So no I don't remember the barbecue restuarant near Jeffersons. What I do remember was across the street from the center was a little place that sold subs. Super Subs? And the chinese restuarant you mentioned Fong Shay Noon? For some reason the name The Golden Buddha stuck in my mind. Anybody remember where that was. I was talking to a friend today who has a 9 year old son and he told me they're already teaching these kids algebra. I know when I was that age I hadn't even heard of algebra. These kids are so smart today. But, I don't think I would want to be a kid today. In the 60's down here in Miami it was so nice. I don't really remember being afraid of very much. But, it seems that everyday on the news someone is hurt or killed and the sad thing is nothing surprises me anymore. It was such an innocent time that we lived through. I'm sorry that the kids today will never know what it was like. Well, it seems I'm preaching so I'm done for now. See ya.

Parks Masterson		31-Oct-2007 03:37
Largo, sure, I remember the Collesium. I remember going there in the fifties to see an ice show. In the sixties it was a bowling alley. I worked in the sandwich shop as a bus boy after school. It was on Douglas Road (SW 37 Avenue). The building was torn down a few years ago, Now there is a condo building with a Publix on the ground floor at that location.

Roberta Perry Hughes		31-Oct-2007 01:54
Larry...Rex Caulder, who you say lived on Whitethorn Drive in Miami Springs, had to have been the nephew of Jimmy Caulder, my cousin's step-father. One of his brothers, Billy, wife named Ruth, lived on the corner of the street, on the end, & Bill was a vice cop, on a beat in Miami Beach. I have his night stick. He & Ruth had two kids, a daughter, I think her name is Karen, & a son, who was the younger child...can't remember his name. The other brother lived about 2-4 houses away from Jimmy Caulder, in the other direction, & that brother, I believe, was the youngest of the three. His wife's name was Jean, & they had about three kids; maybe, just two. Can't remember. Anyway, all three lived on Whitethorn Drive, & Jimmy's house was in the center, between where his two brothers were. So...do you remember who Rex's parents were??

Guest		31-Oct-2007 01:44
The Collesium became a raquetball club in the late 70's. It was on Douglas Road and S.W. 16th Street. It was abandoned for a long time before finally being torn down. Parks Masterson is correct, a condo building with a Publix attached is located on that spot.

Parks Masterson		31-Oct-2007 01:00
Largo, sure, I remember the Collesium. I remember going there in the fifties to see an ice show. In the sixties it was a bowling alley. I worked in the sandwich shop as a bus boy after school. It was on Douglas Road (SW 37 Avenue). The building was torn down a few years ago, Now there is a condo building with a Publix on the ground floor at that location.

Jeff		31-Oct-2007 00:55
The Coliseum was on Douglas Road in Coral Gables... and had a life as an ice skating rink, a bowling alley and a fitness gym. Across the street from it [back in the 50's] was the Food 'n' Fun Drive-In...

LARGO		31-Oct-2007 00:24
......HEY JOANNE ...IT WAS YOU WITH THE BERNARDO SANDLES!....I HAD TO GO BACK THRU "BOYDS ARCHIVES" & DOWN AROUND BRAIN BENDER LANE TO FIND IT (the Bernardo thing)... I KNEW I HAD SEEN IT ....GIRL "PANTHERS" HAD A DRESS CODE....IT WAS RATHER PREPPY FOR THE DAY...HARBURT SKIRTS...VILLIGERS LINE, MADRAS, WHITE PLEATED SKIRTS. REMEMBER JUDI LESLIES SHOPS ?...1 IN S.MIAMI AND ANOTHER AT DADELAND. PALMETTO ALSO HAD "THE CLUBS"...social & service... DEBS, SOIREE, CENTURIONS, WHEEL...ADNAUSIAM......HEY ROBERTA...I REMEMBER THE JORDAN ALMOND CRAZE TOO..(I am a tad older than you)....BUT YES WE HAD THE SWEATER GUARDS AND CIRCLE PINS.......ROBERTA YOU REALLY DO HAVE A "GIFT" FOR PAINTING PICTURES WITH YOUR WORDS.......I TOO HAVE TO CHECK IN TO SEE WHAT YOU, JEFF, ALAN AND NOW JOANNE AND THE OTHERS ARE UP TOO....I DO NOT ALWAYS COMMENT...BUT WHEN I DO IT IS BECAUSE ONE OF YOU HAVE SPARKED A MEMORY. THANKS AGAIN DON BOYD !!!...THIS REALLY WAS A GENIUS IDEA ..............DO ANY OF YOU REMEMBER A PLACE CALLED "THE COLLESIUM" ??...I KNOW IT WAS SOMEWHERE NORTH OF SOUTH MIAMI...( he he )....BUT IT WAS IN THE 50's.....AND I REMEMBER IT AS AN ICE SKATING RINK...I took lessons there as a child along with my sisters...I JUST REMEMBER WHEN THE INSTRUCTOR SAID .."CLAAASS DISSSSMISSED CHILDREN !!!"....MY LITTLE SISTER AND I WOULD GET UP SPEED AND FLY ACROSS THE RINK ON OUR BELLIES..SQUEALING LIKE BANCHEES....wish I could still do that....SOOOO...COLLESIUM?....ANYBODY????.........HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO ALL OF YOU AND YOUR "INNER LITTLE TRICK ER TREATERS"..........LARGO

Guest		31-Oct-2007 00:16
The trampolines were next to the drive-in on 27th ave.by n.w.125th st.across from Trader Johns lounge.Just up from miami dade junior college as it was called back then.Mr.Wilson owned a pony ring on s.w.8th st.at about 29th ave.Across from the bowling alley that was nextto the indoor gun range.Thanks for the memories as the man sang. Rick.

Larry C.		31-Oct-2007 00:01
Roberta, Riding the go- carts was really safe. I think the noise and smoke made it seem like it was dangerous. Like I said before I knew a Rex Caulder who lived on whitethorn in the springs.

Roberta Perry Hughes		30-Oct-2007 23:18
Larry...Thanks, for clearing that up for me, about the go-cart track! I knew it had to be near Miami Springs, as my cousin (known then, as LeeRoy Caulder) is the one who got to ride one, & we merely watched him. My brother was envious, & wanted to ride, too, but I could see that it was on the dangerous side, & was content to just watch.

LARRY COTHRON		30-Oct-2007 22:38
Roberta, The go-cart track was in medely just west of miami springs.

Joanne		30-Oct-2007 19:31
RICE PAPER CANDY!!! We used to get it in a little Chinese place at Dadeland. We'd also get grilled cheese sandwiches at Kresge's 5 & 10 and cherry sodas at this other restaurant right across from the Chinese place.

Jeff		30-Oct-2007 15:51
Yes, Helen... 163rd Street curves into 167th Street. Glad I brought back some memories for you, but I left out a few... Mr. Coney Island [up near NE 2nd Avenue] and the miniature golf course just off the Golden Glades Interchange on the South Side of 167th Street... There was a short-lived (6 months) place across from the Dog House (where Fong Shay Noon later was to be) called the Dixieland Restaurant. It was just like Fun Fair, but indoors... food, fun and games for the kiddies... I did my homework on that place and talked to the former owner... His business partnership dissolved, and with that, so did the restaurant/game spot. There was an A&W Root Beer Drive-In on 167th Street near Miami Avenue, but by the time I arrived down here in 1963 it had closed... and was now a tourism stop-off for visitors. You could pull in, get a FREE glass of Florida orange juice and pick up hotel, motel or sightseeing information. Believe it or not, it's now an adult video/novelty store!

Helen B		30-Oct-2007 07:14
Hi everybody. I remember some trampolines, but, not where they were. I might have the area mixed up with another one and that is a miniature golf place and I'm thinking it might have been way out west near I 95 down 163 st. By the way, did 163 st. run into 167 st? Because I don't drive and never did it seems with me that I don't really pay attention to places like aves., places, ways and things like that. By the way, Jeff, near 163 st. shopping center you mentioned to me about a bar-b-cue restuarant. I remember very well the Plantation Pit. There was also one out west, but, I don't where. And I also remember the little walk in Chinese restuarant next to the movie theatre at the shopping center. They had these little candies that I never saw again ever. They were very chewy and when you unwrapped it the candy was wrapped again in a clear paper that you could eat that just melted when it got wet. I think they were made from rice. And the other place you mentioned was the White Castle at the corner on 163 st. and I remember it very well. My mom used to take my little brother and me to a day school while she worked and every morning before she took us to The Little White Schoolhouse we would stop in there and each get a chocolate shake. Oh, yes those were the days. And at the Dog House my favorite was The Greyhound which only got cheese on it. Later.

Roberta Perry Hughes		30-Oct-2007 06:28
Parks...Oh, yeah, I recall the trampoline parks! A neighbor took a bunch of us to one, once, & a chubby kid was so heavy, one of the springs came undone, or the canvas tore, at a corner of one of them. Shook him up...& all of the kids, & their parents, too, as you could see how deep it was underneath, so, there were a lot of ..."what would happen if's?"...being bandied about. We had all had our turns, at jumping on them, so, no one got "left out," in our group, when our neighbor had decided it best we call it a night...as did other parents, who were present, with their kids, & their kids' friends. I still remember the loud...(wailing!)...protests, from those who hadn't taken a turn, & from the kids, newly arrived, when parents asked what was going on, & why was everyone leaving?, & they did a U-Turn, kids in tow, when they found out what had occured, just moments before. Perhaps something DID happen, later on, and a kid really did drop down, into one of those "pits," & got hurt? Or, landed wrong, & broke a limb? Looking back, the potential for injury was great. We never went there again, & I had forgotten all about those places, until you stirred my memory! There were other "dangerous" places, too, like the go-cart tracks. Can't remember where they were, but our folks wouldn't let us ride on them. Was there one in Miami Springs? Maybe that's where I remember them from, when we visited my cousin there? Thanks, Dave, for the support, & glad my postings are appreciated...such as they are! Wow! Couldn't live any further north than I do! BRRRR-RRR!!! (Husband's sister lives in Thurmond, N.C.). Look at the time!! Got to "eat" my nightly pills, & then, see if I can catch a few zzzz's! Y'all take care, now, ya heah...? (smile).

Parks Masterson		30-Oct-2007 03:23
Hi Guy's, Does anyone remember the trampoline parks? It was a short lived craze in the fifties. They would dig a bunch of pits in the ground and stretch a trampoline over the pit. I guess the idea was that you couldn't fall to far if the trampoline was at ground level. You would pay for time jumping. As I recall there was one next to a pony ride in North Miami. I have a hunch that law suits kept the craze short.

Dave		30-Oct-2007 03:05
Hello again RPH... I'm hangin in there, up here at 3k ft. in the mountains of NC.. We were in the high 20's last night with temps plunging again tonight... You're right, it's time to shift into our winter mode... I must say, that each winter we've spent up here the past 10 years, has been milder than the last... We could have Miami weather year round up here soon.... Roberta, The very best of every thing to you and your family and please don't let the minority non posters get to you... You are needed and greatly appreciated on this great web-site that Don provides for us ol Miamians....

Guest		30-Oct-2007 02:56
For Stephen LeQuire: After I returned from Military Service in 1967 I moved to North West Miami to attend Miami Dade Jr. College. Consequently I would occasionally treat myself to GiGi's fabulous garlic rolls and the etheral fountain inside the restaurant. After all these 40 years I still remember those "to die for" garlic rolls. Alan Ogus, Ph.D...Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Guest		30-Oct-2007 02:49
And speaking of fashion..Palmetto High School Class of 1964..Gant Shirts, Weejun Loafers (Oxblood Color), Gold Cup Socks and Slacks. Rest assured that my delinquent self wore none of the afforementioned. Alan Ogus, Ph,D. Ridge Rat Emeritus..Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Roberta Perry Hughes		30-Oct-2007 02:19
Largo...I wore flats in elementary school! We called them "teenager-shoes," & they were sold up on Bird Road, at Goodys Shoes store. They came in the pastel colors, like Jordan almonds (remember THOSE teeth-breaking candies, at the Drive-In movie's concession stand?). Anyway, you could match any pastel outfit, & usually, you could easily find a matching clutch-type purse, to go with the shoes...& sandals, too! Oh, & don't forget the twin sets (sweaters) in pastel colors! In Orlon knit! Remember Orlon?? Speaking of...anyone remember sweater guards? I have collected several, off of eBay, where...believe it or not!...I'd be the ONLY bidder, for these vintage 1950's items!! Do I wear them?? You betcha!! They re-introduced twin sets, about 5-7 years ago! You'll find them in Blair catalogs, & at JC Penneys stores. The sweater guards are just wonderful! You can take your arms out of the cardigan's sleeves, & it is like a cape, over your shoulders, & the sweater guard keeps it from sliding off. I LOVE them! Alan...wish you knew where the folks we both once knew were, today. It's a shame, how we seem to grow up...& away...from the friends of our youth. Don...thanks so very much, for your support!! You're my hero!! Hi, Dave!! How goes it?? Hi, everyone!! It's going to drop down to 38-39 degrees, tonight!! Time to hook up the ol' electric blankie! Sure feels good on old bones!! Y'all cold, yet, where you are??

Jeff		30-Oct-2007 02:08
Stephen... thanks for letting me know that there was more than one pony ride in the area way back when... Don... thanks for NOT deleting my "spam"... LOL! For those of you who wonder what Don meant by that comment... he's referring to my self-aggrandizing plug for my digital type fonts (heck, ANY income is better than NO income!) and my occasional begging for old lettering stencils and/or vintage office supplies... Hey, he collects old photos... I collect old "things"... everyone's gotta have a hobby... I'll bet if I'd asked for old 45 RPM records there'd have been a TON of responses, as music was central to ALL of us... hehehe... As it is, only ONE person actually found me some old stencils and office items since I'd first asked... Anyway, I try to make up for my self-indulgence by providing pictures and trivia when and if I can... so I hope you'll ALL be a bit forgiving of my "advertising" and "quests"... LOL! Again, thanks, Don for putting up with me..........

LARGO		30-Oct-2007 01:05
OMG!...SOMEONE MENTIONED "BERNARDO SANDLES"...HAH...WHEN I WAS IN HI SCH ...WE WERE SO HUNG UP ON CAPEZIO FLATS AND BERNARDO SANDLES!!!!.....ABSOLUTELY NADA SUPPORT!!!........NO WONDER MY BACK HURTS TODAY!!!....Siiigh...silly girls we were!!! LARGO

Don Boyd		29-Oct-2007 21:46
Roberta said: "However, Don Boyd himself, has personally addressed me, on this Site, & has (yet) to issue any sort of request, that I stop posting. Don? What say you??" I say keep on truckin' Roberta. You can post what you want, especially if it has anything to do with the good old times, preferably in the Miami area. I do delete spam (except Jeff's, haha) and offensive messages almost immediately unless I'm out of town without my laptop which is rare. I enjoy reading everyone's comments, especially those that jog my memory about certain places and events that I've forgotten, even if my own comments have been limited. I'm sure many others also enjoy the numerous comments because of the page views the site is getting on a daily basis. No one is forcing anyone to read the comments and viewers who have problems with the comments are free to go elsewhere. We've put up with a ton of rules since we were kids and the fewer we put up with now the better. Don

Dave		29-Oct-2007 20:15
Thanks Stephen, I was almost 100% sure that pony ride/western town attraction was on NW 7th Av. Our parents would load up the cars with as many kids from the neighborhood that could pack in, then leave us there for the better part of the day.... Always something going on there!! Don't remember any pony rides on dixie unless they were located north of 163rd St. Also spent many weekend days at Greynolds Park.. I was in The Nomads car club, a branch of the Little River Rats, and we brought our music, downed a few brews and waxed our cars... Then it was on to the paddle boats, untill we were asked to leave... Gee officer, we didn't know there was a charge!! Yes, those were the days my friend. We thought they would never end.........................

Stephen LeQuier		29-Oct-2007 17:42
Jeff There were pony rides on NW 7th Ave around 125th St.. My neighbor's grandfather owned the place, don't recall his name. He had a little western town set up. He also had wagon rides/hay rides. He also hosted birthday parties. Another thing I recall is there was a train ride with a little amusement park next to the Kwik Chek /Winn-Dixie on 7th Ave close to the Little River. Does anyone remember ladders restaurant? Another one that was on 7th Ave.. There was also an Italian restaurant called Gigi's. I loved their garlic rolls. Helen mentioned Greynolds Park; I spent a lot of time they're both on the west side and east side. When I was in high school there used to have concerts in the park. As a kid I loved the castle. Used to play along the water until I got bit by a water moccasins. The YMCA used to have a camp on the east side in the summer. Steve

Joanne		29-Oct-2007 16:27
Sofia...Thank you!!! I remember those jail cell bars and the horrendous creatures at that haunted house too. And it being multi-level added to the fun. SnoCones (choice of 3 flavors) being sold by the PTA on Wednesday afternoons just after school. They were perfect for that hot afternoon since we didn't have A/C at school back then. First boy-girl party, first game of spin the bottle. Bernardo Sandels. Then a head shop opened on Miracle Mile. Bikinis got very small and you baked in the sun with baby oil slathered from head to toe. Geez, I wish you could see the big grin on my face from these terrific memories.

Helen B		29-Oct-2007 06:28
Hi, This has NOTHING to do with Miami, but, because it's Halloween...... Anyway, if you like the channel Discovery and you like creepy things you might like this. Go to www.youtube.com and then type in Elizabeth Bathory. Now this is only if you like stuff from the Discovery channel and creepy stuff.

Jeff		29-Oct-2007 04:04
Helen... It's I that collect the old stencils... not Don! The Luau IS the tropical restaurant on the 79th Street Causeway, and was a business neighbor to Tony's Fish Market, Jilly's Bar, Dean Martin's Restaurant, The Bonfire, Fun Fair, Nick and Arthur's, The Place for Steak and... depending on what decade... Col. Jim's BBQ/The Peppermint Lounge/The Barn/The Mix II/The Crab House (all on the same site)... The pony rides were on 139th Street and West Dixie Hwy. until they built West Dixie Towers in the mid-60's. They relocated to the park on NE 16th Avenue and 135th Street... The Mayflower was midway between a Shell station on 17th Street and an Amoco on the corner before Dade Boulevard. I was Beach High Class of 1970 (summer school edition)... If I can try to fill in any other trivia, you can drop me a line at jnl1952@juno.com...

Roberta Perry Hughes		29-Oct-2007 04:02
miatwr (Steve)...Thank you, so very much, for your kind words & well wishes, & your encouragement, for me to keep on postin'!! It means a lot to me! I do so love this Site!! In all fairness, however, I misunderstood Helen B.'s comment. We are "o.k." with each other, now. Even so, I'm sure there are those (non-Posters, as you pointed out) who are unkind to us "regulars," who post often on here. Just wish they would also contribute! I love all of the shared memories on here! It's like a "cyberspace reunion," of a shared deep longing, for a happier time & place, when we all were minors, & lived with our Mom & Dad. And Mom & Dad were young, then, & alive, & oh, how we miss them! Like me, I'm sure many Posters wish things hadn't changed, so very drastically, in "our town," to make some get disgusted, & move far, far away, & want never to return (to live). Some don't even want to visit, or, have no one left, in Miami, to visit. We all regret the closing of the many stores, eateries, & businesses, & how "they" razed all of their buildings, to where you cannot recognize the once-familiar areas, anymore, that were so dear to our hearts, & so filled with memories for us! These photo Galleries are such a treasure for us! But--! Some folks never left! My cousin, Mary (Joe's sister) still calls Miami "home," & only lives a few blocks from Bird Bowl! She is with a bowling league, & both her 2 daughters, & her granddaughter, are all active bowlers, too, & all are familiar faces at Bird Bowl! Mary doesn't live that far, from her family's former home, where she (& Joe) grew up. Our family lived nearby, in that same neighborhood. (Mackle project). Sadly, all of our former neighbors are long gone, & Joe & I fervently hope that, one day, we'll see postings on here contributed by our former schoolmates & friends. In the meantime, I feel that we have all made lots of friends, on this Site, & in a way, we are like family, to one another. It's great fun, & I cannot sing Don Boyd's praises loudly enough! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Mr. Don Boyd, our dear friend, & host!!

Arizona Al		29-Oct-2007 03:36
Roberta: Although I went to Palmetto High I "ran with" the mentioned people from Southwest because my best friend from childhood (Brent Burnett) went to High School there. It is amazing that the people I remember and identified from Southwest High are/were known and remembered by others that I do/did not know. I am certain that we are talking about the same people( congruent time frame and neighborhood). Unfortunately I have not seen or heard from any of these individuals since 1964. Alan Ogus, Ph.D.

Guest		29-Oct-2007 02:33
Roberta Perry Hughes, Who cares what the posters think about "hogging" a site, especially when they don't contribute. You keep on posting no matter what they say and remember that it's OK (and in your case especially, therapeutic!!) I gotta tell you that one of the reasons that I keep returning to this site is to read about others' memories so that theirs may trigger some of mine from the ol' cobwebs!! Hope that you're managing your pain somewhat effectively and that you fell better sooner. Keep on writing and of course, keep smiling. Your contributions are invaluable to us. miatwr (Steve Horowitz)

Sofia		28-Oct-2007 23:14
Joanne, the Tropical Park haunted house was known as the Campus Live Haunted House, and it was the scariest haunted house experience I've ever had. They discontinued it in the late 70s because someone got hurt . . . or so they say. I imagine the liability issue was a factor. There was a section where you would walk through what seemed like cages with monsters inside, and the "steel bars" were really made of rubber, and so as you walked by, these gory-looking creatures would push the rubber bars out and grab your arms, hair, and other body parts. Everyone ran out screaming, and some kids were actually crying and shaking. I was very upset when it was discontinued.

Helen B		28-Oct-2007 22:46
Dave, No, I was born in1955, o maybe it was the early 60's, maybe late 50's.

Dave		28-Oct-2007 15:18
Helen B, I vaguely remember a pony ride place onthe west side of NW 7th Ave. possibly around 95th-125th St... I'm talking late 40's early 50's here. I think Jeff may have mentioned this place in one of his earlier postings.....

Helen B		28-Oct-2007 05:25
Roberta, I went To Ojus Elementary, J.F.K Jr. High and then Miami Bch. High. Don Boyd, I don't know if you would be interested in this, but, I went to www.youtube.com and then typed in stencils and all these sites came up. Maybe there are some people there that could help you find things you're interested in. Also, while I was there I typed in on the You Tube page Miami History. Some of the things were interesting and maybe to much sports for me. But, if you ever have the time take a look.

Roberta Perry Hughes		28-Oct-2007 04:36
Helen B....where did you go to school? Elementary, Jr. High, & High School? That's usually a start, to finding people, who read our comments, that you might have known, "back-in-the-day." Many say this Site is better at finding former school chums than Classmates.com is! Had no clue, that there would be people I knew, that Arizona Al knew, when he was in Cutler Ridge, as a 'teen. (Of course, I knew them from elementary & Jr. High). My family has a rich history, rooted in Miami, & Coral Gables, on my late father's side. Of course, they all originated in GA, as many of the early settlers of the area did. You'll have to overlook me, as I sometimes get on-the-defensive, & am very sensitive, at times. I was up all night, last night, so am exhausted. GOT to just MAKE myself get off of here, & try & see if I can get some rest. I just turned 60 years old, Oct. 19th, but feel like an octagenarian. I wish, with all of my heart, that all of us Posters felt as good as we did when the places pictured in the Galleries were newly-built. Getting old ain't no fun, most days. Be well, y'all. 'Til soon...Roberta

Helen B		28-Oct-2007 03:51
Roberta, I say you DO NOT hog the site. I think you're terrific and I hope you keep on writing because you've reminded me of so many things. Don't ever let anybody tell you that you are either. As I said in my last comment there are people that will never write anything and will so much appreciate you and what you're reminding them of. I was looking around and found this. Type in www.youtube.com and when you get there on the You Tube site type in 163 st. shopping center and then click on the only video that is there AJM Kiddieland. Now, also I've put this in different ways so you don't have to put in so much, but, the only way I can pull this up is this way www.miamidade.gov/parks/Heritage/Greynolds/index.htm and there maybe another way to pull this up without having to type all this in, but, I just don't know how. I also am up to the early hours of the morning. My email is hjb103055@aol.com so Roberta you let me hear from you if you want. By the way, was there ever a pony ride thing possibly on Dixie...........

Roberta Perry Hughes		28-Oct-2007 02:56
Helen...when you look at the TIME of my postings, they are (usually) in the "wee hours" of the a.m.; I am not in good health, & pain is my constant companion. Many, many nights are spent at my computer, as it is easier for me to breathe at a 45 degree angle. Even 30 degrees, in my recliner, can prove to be suffocating for me...& prone position, in bed, can only be managed infrequently. I have ZERO "competition," during those early a.m. hours, but many times, those in Central or Pacific time zones will be up, as the very same hour, for them, is a "reasonable" one. I am also, more or less, housebound, & live out in the GA countryside. My former high school (GA) classmates got me this computer, to help take the edge off of my isolation. If there is anyone else, out there, who feels that I am "hogging" space, on this Site, let me know. I'll just read, heretofore. I certainly don't want to be a pest. However, Don Boyd himself, has personally addressed me, on this Site, & has (yet) to issue any sort of request, that I stop posting. Don? What say you??

Helen B		28-Oct-2007 02:55
I know the Broward restaurant was the South Pacific. I remember in 1973 or 74 the guy I married worked at the restaurant on 79th st. I'm so sure it's the Mai Tai, but, I'm not sure. I have to look this up. And about the area that had the Mayflower what I do remember is a gas station at the corner. It's amazimg the things we remember. You and all these people are so interesting. There's a lot of people that will never write anything in here, but, you, Roberta, Don Boyd and everybody writes their memories and people read them and no matter what their going through now, whether their sick or just stay home now because they're not so young anymore this is a wonderful thing this is. Memories, and wonderful memories at that if not for this would forever be gone from so many of us. I don't mean to preach here.

Jeff		28-Oct-2007 02:38
...and AGAIN Jeff mistypes his way through another post... Make that Mai Tai, NOT Mail Tie... *grumble*

Jeff		28-Oct-2007 02:36
Helen... I do believe the Halcyon was a mainland Miami hotel... The hotel that housed the Mayflower was... I think... called the Variety... there was a deli (Variety Deli?) in the corner of the building on the 17th and Alton side... The Mayflower was in the Northern corner of the building facing Alton Road. Sometimes I can't pick through all of the useless crap I've stored away in my memory files... I suffer from a cranial case of "TMS"... "too much sh**!" The restaurant on the 79th Street Causeway was Syd Mass' Luau Restaurant... the Mail Tai was a Broward eatery...

Helen B		28-Oct-2007 01:31
Well, is it possible the Mayflower was near a few crummy hotels maybe one called The Halcyon? I just KNOW that name.

Helen B		28-Oct-2007 01:26
By the way, Mr. Boyd, I read that you were maybe going to make one of these sites for Broward. In 1973 I got married and for the wedding dinner was at the South Pacific in Hollywood. The same kind of restaurant was the Mai Tai which was on the 79th st. by the water. There was also a restaurant across the street which I can't remember the name of. Anyway, the restaurant took these pictures and put them in these white paper frames and on the front was a picture of the restaurant. If you're interested I can take it to Walgreens and see if they can make a picture of the front. And Roberta, I don't think you or Jeff are hogging the space, but, what I do know is all you guys make me laugh so you keep doing what you're doing. Thank you.

Jeff		28-Oct-2007 01:26
CORRECTION: JAckson was 52, not 92 in Broward... 92 was WAbash...

Jeff		28-Oct-2007 01:24
Helen... Yes, the "M.T." of M.T. Graves [or M.T. Space] was just that... Empty! (The pun WAS intentional.) Regarding that motel... it might have been the North Miami Beach Motel... but still, I'm not quite sure. The bars by Sonny's Italian Restaurant were Bill Jordan's Bar of Music, the Nightcap Lounge - and a couple of other smaller ones - whose names escape me right now. The Mayflower was located on Alton Road between 17th Street and Dade Boulevard on the West side of the street. The Pussycat Theater [NOT Pink Pussycat] was the old Boulevard Theater on 77th or 78th and Biscayne. At one time, Zorita (of the famous snake dance) had her club a few doors down... and the Miami Playboy Club was just South of there, on the East side of Biscayne. You brought up a fun factoid about the old phone numbers... back in the days when they used letter/number combinations, North Miami Beach was WI (for Wilson), later 94... other combinations were: CAnal (22) CEdar (23) FRanklin (37) HIghland (44) JEfferson (53) MOhawk (66) NEwton (63) PLaza (75) TUxedo (88) UNion (86) Did I miss any? Was there OXford for 69? When North Miami was assigned the 89 exchange, if was after the days of the letter/number phone numbers... so it never got to use something like TWinbrook or TWilight... I do recall that Broward used JAckson (for 92)... Before the explosion of phones, cel phones, pagers, fax lines, etc. you could actually KNOW what part of town you were calling by the phone exchange. Now anything goes... Before the name/number configurations, numbers slowly evolved from four digit [4624] to five [3-4761] to six [75-2343] to seven [Franklin 3-4763]. I saw an old phoen directory from mid-to-late 50's Miami, and they had five, six and seven digit numbers at the same time.... growth in certain areas was faster than the exchanges could manage. At one time, you had to use "routing numbers" to reach either Key Biscayne or North Dade from certain parts of Dade County. Key Biscayne had an "881" routing prefix, while North Dade had "81"... so long before the "Wilson" numbers, if you had a business in North Dade that served all of the community, it was a good chance that your number read something like this: 81-6-9823.

Helen B		28-Oct-2007 01:12
If anybody is interesting in looking for old songs type in www.youtube.com and then type in the name of the song or whoever sings it. I read what Jeff wrote about Wayne Cochran and that he wrote Last Kiss and I didn't know that so I typed in Last Kiss and also Goin Back to Miami, but, I don't think it was what I looking for. Jeff, maybe you can take a look. Also, my nieces made me a myspace and you can find some things at www.myspacetv.com so take a look. By the way, there was a Coney Island in NMB maybe at 163st or 167st. It was the only place I could ever find a chocolate covered frozen banana. And a drink called a egg something. My memory is VERY bad. Also anybody remember The Old Heidelberg? I think that's what it was. Take care.

Roberta Perry Hughes		27-Oct-2007 19:56
Alan...the ones who lived on the same street as Connie Sternglanz were Billy LaVoie & his brother, Albert. Also, a boy named Leon Montafue (Montague?) lived on that same street, as did a girl named Linda Duncan. A girl named Sharon Price lived next to the Nicholson's. (Fred & Arlene). There was a boy on our street named Jimmy Blaylock, originally from N.C., but he moved away. Have no idea if his family remained in Miami, or moved back to N.C. Miatwr...(Steve Horowitz)...Did you mention Mr. Turner, once? Maybe it was a "Guest?" Can't remember. "Post-A-Comment" Club...y'all ever wonder whatever happened to the infamous "Drew?" I think about him, once-in-a-while, & wonder if he reads us, anymore, you know? Gotta fix hubby some supper, so, talk with y'all, soon. Take Care. P.S....Helen...looking forward to more of your postings...! You, too, Juan!

Roberta Perry Hughes		27-Oct-2007 19:32
Alan...I remember Connie Sternglanz, & I THINK Roger Cruz & Jerry Boyette were in my brother's 6th grade class, with Mrs. Bratz. (?) I also THINK that Carol Coughlin is the baby sister of Corey Coughlin, who was in my 5th grade class. He & Connie would be from the Class of 1965. If we're talking about the same people, & you know where they are, round them up, because they are all from the S.W. section (Mackle project) & turn them on to this Site. Connie lived, maybe, about 5 or 6 blocks from me. Charlie Guy lived across the street from my cousin, Joe Perry. There were many kids, in both the Guy & the Perry families. Charlie & I were in elementary school, when his older brother, Wally, was killed in a motorcycle wreck. Who else do you remember from Southwest High?? Ronnie Miller? Mike Leslie? Dennis Goodwin?? Billy LaVoie?? (they lived on the same street as Connie did). Did you know Freddie & Arlene Nicholson?? Martha Morrison?? Ellen Atkerson?? Does anyone know whatever happened to the band teacher from Riviera Jr. High, Mr. Turner?? Or the Art teacher, Ralph Woodmansee?? Surely would love to hear from kids I went to school with, some 50-55 years ago!! The few names you mentioned, in your latest post, rang a few bells, so, help me to find them...& others, please. Thanks, in advance, Mister "Peach Dee!" (PhD) :)

Guest		27-Oct-2007 16:32
Roberta: yes Charlie Guy and Chuck Guy same person. Chuck was in a band called The Trojans in 1963-1964. He was the frontman/vocalist. Sorry to hear of his passing. Other persons I associated with from Southwest High 1962-1964 were Connie Sternglancz, Jimmy Blackley, Roger Cruz, Jerry Boyette, Carol Coughlin and Eddie Coughlin. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Palmetto High 1964

Juan R. Pollo		27-Oct-2007 16:04
Largo, South Miami is still a special place. Always looked to me like Miami Springs without the noise. It's a little fancier now with new homeowners being influenced by the Gables and Pinecrest, the simple houses have given way to fancy ones and house values have rocketed. The wooded sunken area behind the YMCA started being filled with construction debris after hurricane Andrew and is now a huge treeless sport field at the same level as the houses around it. I don't know how the neighbors allowed this to happen, if somebody had tried to do this to Schenley Park there would have been a riot. Those woods were a great place for a kid to grow up close to nature. The fact that it's now called the YMCA Downrite park, and Downrite is involved in construction, may have had a little to do with it. Four of my sons still live with their mother on 42nd Ter & 60th Ave.

Helen		27-Oct-2007 06:40
Jeff, You're absolutely right. The little diner was called The Snackery. But, I was so sure the motel was called Sunny Isles because I would think that it didn't make sense because it wasn't IN Sunny Isles. I think it was you who said something about The Mayflower Bar. Now, I'm thinking it was near an italian restuarant named Sonny's that was maybe on 23rd st. a block off Collins ave. But, my memories are a little blurry, but, I can remember my 2 phone # from when I lived in Ojus. The first was WI7-7338 then was changed to 945-2922. We're talking over 40 years here, but, I leave the bed room and walk into the livingroom and for the life of me can't remember what I wanted. I want to ask if anyone remembers The Pink Pussycat theatre on Biscayne maybe a block south of 79th st. I was asked to go to the movies one night and that's the theatre I was taken to. It was an X Rated that of course was right at a stop light and when we were standing to get tickets for The Devil and Miss Jones (not the Jean Arthur movie from 1941) that's right..... a red light. Everybody it seemed was looking out their windows from their car. It was 1973 I think and it was a date I'll never forget. (No matter how hard I tried.) If anyone can remember the name of that little motel I'd like to know. And THIS is something I've always thought about and had no one to ask. I always wondered even back when it was on if MT from MT Graves was possibly meaning Empty. You know....Empty Graves? Just wondering.

Jeff		27-Oct-2007 04:51
If it's a post from Jeff, there HAS to be some typos... LOL! Larry HAD the band, not has... Dorio's was on US 1, but I conveniently left out the "1" Believe it or not, I actually proofread the damned thing TWICE before posting, and yet I still missed those goofs... It just goes to show you... once I THOUGHT I was wrong... but I was mistaken!!!

Jeff		27-Oct-2007 04:45
Helen... that motel on Biscayne Blvd. couldn't have been the Sunny Isles Motel, for the Sunny Isles Motel was the Northernmost property on 163rd and Collins Avenue that was acquired by Joe Hart as part of his Castaways complex... However, I DO remember the motel you speak of, and that little diner was called The Snackery... Back around 1974-75, my buddy (Larry Stang) and I used to go there occasionally after he finished playing a gig at one of the hotels in Sunny Isles. (Larry previously has a band called Larry Stang's Method -a/k/a- Broadway Park before going solo)... I used to order the bowl of chili at The Snackery. For $1.25 you got a giant bowl of chili and crackers, and they used to serve Hires Root Beer out of one of those old-fashioned fountain dispensers shaped like a barrel keg. The place had a fire, and they never reopened. It was torn down years ago [along with the motel], and currently there's a liquor store on that site. As for Neba's... Florida's own chain of roast beef sandwich shops... they were the WORST! I once got sick from one of their sandwiches... but their "tater tots" were good... I'm not 100% certain, but I believe that Dorio's (which was on US just South of Hallandale Beach Blvd. on the West side of the street) is now gone... Years before Clyde Beatty's tigers were up near the county line, they were housed during the winter at the North Miami Zoo - which ceased to exist in 1955 when the built North Miami Junior High...

Roberta Perry Hughes		27-Oct-2007 04:37
Arizona Alan...from Southwest High, you mentioned "Chuck Guy"...do you mean CHARLIE Guy?? If so, I hate to tell you this, but my cousin, Libby (Joe's sister) told me that Charlie Guy passed away, recently, of liver failure. He quit school to form a band. He was a very good singer, & sang in local clubs down there. He was on the football team at Southwest, Libby said. He would have been in the Class of 1965, had he graduated.

Guest		27-Oct-2007 03:22
Hello Joe Perry: yes it sounds like we were kindered spirits. I fondly remember the burning bag trick but in Cutler Ridge we did not have ready access to cow manuer so we used dog droppings. The outcome effect was similar I am certain. I graduated from Palmetto High in 1964. Original-Founding member of the Ridge Rats on 1962. Did you attend Southwest High? I had many friends circa 1960-1964 who attanded Southwest. Chuck Guy, Brent Burnette, Joe Gugliano, Bob Hepper, Jack Barrios and Harolyn Locklair to name a few. Alan Ogus, Ph.D.

Helen		27-Oct-2007 01:22
I grew up in Ojus in walking distance of Greynolds Park. I can remember when I was laying in bed at night I would hear the peacocks screaming way out in the bushes, the train (I lived off Dixie on 190th st.) and also hear the lions roaring over at Clyde Beattys Circus. Now I'm not sure I'm spelling that right, but, it was on Biscayne Blvd. a little north of 163 st. Also, what was there was a little motel on the right of Biscayne called Sunny Isles Motel. It was a VERY crummy motel that also had a little diner. If you liked southern GREASY food that was the place to go. In 1971 we used to hang out at Nebas down on Collins and 163 st. It was next door to the Castaways and it had a little arcade in the back. Like a little Fun Fare. Across 163 st was a little resturant called The Purple Scallion which is where I first heard the music of Janis Joplin. I also remember when I would be waiting for the school bus to go to J.F.K. Jr. High we would stand at 191st and Dixie in front of a little store called The Mushroom. We would look in the window and see people sleeping in there. It sold incense and I guess you would call it a head shop. That was a new thing back then. I was going through some old things and found a VERY old bag from Zayres which was on the east side of the 163 st. Shopping Center. Had to be from the late 60's or early 70's. Great place for Italian Food was Martys, Marcellos and Dorios and Dorios is the only one I remember the location. It was on Biscayne Blvd. on the left side right before you hit Hallandale. I could go on and on, but, there's just to much. But, there was a place I don't even remember if it was in Miami called Storybook Land. Does anyone remember where it was? Take care.

joe perry		26-Oct-2007 21:00
arizona al i loved your alan is my name delinquency is my game! i am positive you and i could have been good friends! i never considered myself a deliquent back then but now that you mention it........! my friends john guy,roland abercrombie and eddie lamb would do some raunchy things at halloween time! i lived off 102nd ave & 50th terrace and arcoss the street was a cow pasture,long before westwood lake and those homes were built. our favorite trick was to heap a handful of fresh cow dung and place it in a paper bag. we'd then set it on some one's porch and put a match to it and ring the door bell. the unsuspecting home person would come and start stomping the fire out and of course their shoes got rather sloppy.i honestly don't know why we thought it was funny but we sure got a kick out of doing it. i guess boys will be boys,huh? anyway, i got to say hello to my cousin roberta perry hughes, boy does that woman have a memory! wow. of course roberta as you know i'm older and mine has slipped a bit. ha ha yes, i do enjoy this site very much and enjoy reading all the comments.i too wonder if we are the only ones from the old mackle project???(other than joe rambo) it's a shame if that is true because this modern technology has made life a tad nicer, don't you agree? joe perry

Joanne		26-Oct-2007 18:23
On my side of town it was very much the same as you've already described, the school had haunted classrooms, the homemade costumes, UNICEF, but I also remember going to Tropical Park for a giant haunted house and carnival. Anyone else go?

Guest		26-Oct-2007 17:00
WELL ROBERTA, IT REALLY IS AMAZING THE PARELLELS OF CHILDHOOD FROM THOSE MOSTLY CAREFREE DAYS. YES THE COSTUMES WERE ALWAYS HOMEMADE BY MOM....( AND I AND MY SISTERS CARRIED ON THE TRADITION...NEVER STORE BOUGHT. ONE OF MY EARLIEST MEMORIES WAS WHEN WE LIVED ON N.W. 6TH ST (NEAR LE JEUNE RD AND FLAGLER DOG TRACK AREA) MY LITTLE SISTER LINDA (AGE 4 OR SO) WAS DRESSED AS A PIRATE (THANKS TO OLD ERROL FLYNN MOVIES) AND MY OLDER SISTER AND I WERE ALL CROWDED AROUND THE WELL LIT FULL LENGTH MIRROR AT THE END OF OUR HALLWAY PUTTING ON OUR FINISHING TOUCHES...AS IF IT WERE OPENING NITE ON BROADWAY...(I LOVED RED SKELTON ...SO I WAS A HOBO)....MOM, WITH BLACK EYEBROW PENCIL IN HAND, ASKED LINDA IF SHE WANTED A "GOTEE"....AND LINDA LOOKED UP AT HER GRINNING WITH ONE BLACKED TOOTH AND REPLIED..."NO! I DON'T GOTTA GO!!! ".........AND OF COURSE THE REST OF US JUST FELL OVER IN A HEAP ROARING WITH LAUGHTER. THOSE WERE SUCH INNOCENT TIMES...MOM WAS YOUNG, CREATIVE AND BEAUTIFUL...SEWED EVERYTHING FOR US........DAD TOOK THE PHOTOS AND PUT A CAR INNERTUBE AROUND HIS MIDDLE....AND PUT ON HIS ARMY PONCHO & WHITED HIS FACE AND USED EYE PENCIL AROUND MOUTH AND LIPS FOR A SPOOKY EFFECT...DAD TOOK US AND HALF THE NEIGHBORHOOD OUT. IT WAS ALWAYS FUN! WE TIED APPLES ON A STRING AND HUNG THEM ON THE PORCH DOOR JAMB AT OUT BITING LEVEL,...AND WITH HANDS BEHIND OUR BACKS, TRIED TO SEE WHO COULD EAT THE APPLE THE FASTEST (try it.. it is not easy!). IN FIFTH GRADE WE MOVED TO SW MIAMI...SW 106 ST AND IT WAS STILL VERY OPEN AND UNPOPULATED...THERE WAS A 1 ACRE WOODS ACROSS FROM US...AND WE (ALL THE NEIGHBOR KIDS) ALWAYS HAD A HAUNTED FOREST...WITH LITTLE TRAILS AND SPOOKEY (we thought)..SCENES PLAY ACTED AROUND EACH CLUMP OF PINE AND PALMETTO...MUMMIES AND WITCHES, GOBLINS ...HOBOS AND PIRATES OF COURSE. ALL THE KIDS WORKED "TOGETHER" FOR DAYS AFTER SCHOOL AND OF COURSE "HOMEWORK"..TO PREPARE THE FOREST FOR THE BIG NIGHT. WHEN I TURNED 14 OR SO A "FOR SALE" SIGN WENT UP...AND OUR WONDERFUL WOODS WENT THE WAY OF MOST OF S. FLORIDA. BY THEN WE WERE OLDER AND TAKING THE "LITTLE ONES" OUT. WE ALSO COLLECTED FOR UNICEF. THAT WAS THE WAY IT WAS ON THOSE COOL FALL NIGHTS IN S. MIAMI. BUT BY THEN THE SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES ALL HAD THEIR FALL CARNIVALS AND COSTUME CONTESTS. MY S MIAMI NEIGHBORHOOD STARTED BARRACADING OUR STREET AND HAVING YEARLY BLOCK PARTIES...USUALLY BETWEEN HALLOWEEN AND THANKSGIVING...WITH ONE HOUSE BEING THE DESIGNATED FOOD HOUSE...WITH GRILLS GOING AND TABLES PILED WITH FOOD AND THOSE THAT PLAYED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS..DID..THERE WAS LITERALLY DANCING IN THE STREET...OF COURSE I LIVED IN MY ROLLERSKATES FROM 12 TO 15... THAT WENT ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS...IT WAS A TIGHT LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD..EVERYONE WATCHED OUT FOR EACH OTHER...IT WAS SAFE. I REMEMBER COMING HOME ONE SPOOKY NIGHT WHEN I WAS AROUND 10, WITH A TINY KITTEN IN MY GOODIE BAG......MOM AND DAD SAID I COULD KEEP HER...OF COURSE I COULD NOT REMEMBER WHERE I GOT HER ??...HUMMMMMMMM...HEY ROBERTA...WE HAVE THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS AND CHANUKAH TO MEMORIALIZE...I TRULY LOVED THE CELEBRATIONS OF MY NON CHRISTIAN FRIENDS...AND LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT THEIR WONDERFUL CELEBRATIONS AND TRADITIONS...WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MORE FROM OTHERS WHO SPENT THEIR HOLIDAYS & CHILDHOODS IN "OUR OLD MIAMI"....BOO RAH!!! TO ALL...AND DO DRIVE CAREFUL ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT (ACTUALLY AT ALL TIMES).....SMILES.. ...LARGO

Roberta Perry Hughes		26-Oct-2007 04:51
Largo!! How-dee-dooooo!! Been a while!! Missed ya!! Halloween memories...our mother made our costumes, & used flour, in our hair, & black Maybelline eyebrow pencil, to give us scars, wrinkles, & such, & old clothing could be shredded & tattered, & she could make the most perfect witch's hat you ever saw! She also made herself up, because she went around the neighborhood with us, when my brother & I were younger. In later years, when my sister was a 'teen, she & her friends took us around. Oh, for those days back again, when it was "safe," to be out after dark, & on-the-streets!! I fondly remember the school's Halloween carnivals, & the ones that were held at Olympia Baptist Church, up on Bird Road. The games, like bobbing for apples, were such fun! Kids today would find all of that corny, I'm sure! There were always prizes, for the best costumes...I won, once, as Mama made me up like a rag doll. Creativity paid off, as those "store bought" costumes never won! Community, or church-sponsored, haunted houses were great, too! Never failed, to make me shake-in-my-shoes, & be so scared, I couldn't utter a peep, let alone scream! We loved the wax lips, wax teeth, & wax soda bottles filled with drinkable liquid, candy corn, & those candy pumpkins, too! Caramel apples were good, at the carnivals, or parties, but made a mess, in your trick-or-treat bag...(usually, a big brown paper grocery bag, from Food Fair). I remember, for Miami, the weather, after the sun went down, on Oct. 31st, was kind of nippy! Depending on your costume, it was flat-out COLD! There were some sick kids, next day, with bad colds, or ear aches...or both. Mostly, my memories are those of a child. We moved away, before I made it to high school, so, Halloween was not one of mischief, for me. But...!! I want to hear all about YOUR memories, Largo!! I'm all ears!!

Arizona Al		26-Oct-2007 04:26
Roberta: Im still here in cyberspace. Alive and well in Phoenix, Az. I do remember Halloween Hi Jinx in Cutler Ridge circa 1955-1964. Mostly throwing water bombs and eggs from rooftops at unsuspecting trick-or-treaters or putting live toads into the trick-or-treaters paper sacks. The theory was that the toads would urinate and the bottom of the sack would get wet and give way. Never validated the theory with good hard core scientific replication. Alan was my name and delinquency was my game. Oh how times have changed!! Alan Ogus, Ph.D.

Roberta Perry Hughes		26-Oct-2007 04:19
Jeff...well, schickelgruber!! Ain't nuttin' sacred no more?? Thar goes the "neigh" borhood!! (sigh). Wha' happened?? (to close Tropical & Hialeah Race Tracks)?? Would you believe...? I won the bid for a 1948 Miami postcard, of Tropical Race Track?? I was a year old, then! Just won one for the Dade County Court House, 1937. My parents were married there, as was my sister Audrey, & several 1st cousins. I've won several vintage old Miami postcards, including downtown Flagler Street, where the marquis of a theater has my first name on it (an actress in the movie that was playing) but I cannot read her last name. Now, I ask you...HOW could I resist THAT one?? I think it, too, is from the '30's. Then, there's the one of Frenchy's, on Biscayne Blvd., where they sold all sorts of stuff. My neighbor bought her pair of shrimp pink cement flamingos there. They had black wrought iron legs. Wish I had a pair like them! These new, hollow plastic ones are an UNbelieveable color, & a puff of breeze would knock 'em over! Those cement ones were built like a Sherman tank! (Y'all fellow posters have GOT to remember THOSE!) Do you remember Frenchy's?? I had all-but-forgotten them...'til I saw this postcard! I lost the bid, a while back, for a vintage '50's souvenir pennant, of Theater of the Sea. Our father took us on a trip to the Keys, one Summer, & that place was one of several we visited. They had a pair of porpoises (we didn't call them "dolphins," then) named Buttons & Jeannie. One of them was blind in one eye. I really wanted that pennant, as hurricane Donna washed that place out-to-sea, & we had had such a great time, there, when we visited, a couple of Summers before. Hope that business picks up for you, soon, my friend. Keep the Faith, whatever it may be. Great to see you post on here, again. I miss ALL of y'all, when you're snoozin'! (You, too, Steve! AND Don!!) 'Til soon...Roberta

LARGO		26-Oct-2007 04:13
STILL HERE...TRICK OR TREAT......HEY ANY FUN MEMORIES AS A KID ON HALLOWEEN...YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO SHARE???.....I LOVED M.T. GRAVES (CHARLIE BAXTER) AND HIS VISITS AND FUND RAISERS AROUND MIAMI IN THE DAY....RIP M.T. ...........SOUTH MIAMI WAS A GREAT AREA FOR ALL HALLOWS EVE....STILL LOTS OF WOODED ACREAGE TO HAUNT....FALL FESTIVALS..COSTUME PARTIES...ANYONE CARE TO SHARE STORIES??...SEASONAL THEME STORIES FROM DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF OLD MIAMI...P.S....HI! ROBERTA, JEFF :) ......S.A. LARGO

Jeff		26-Oct-2007 01:02
Roberta... I'm still around the site... but as I said before... not posting or visiting too often because of other responsibilities. The sales of my computer type fonts are a bit down for this month, and I've been scrambling to get some new stuff out so I can try and make my monthly needs for rent, health insurance and utilities... Don, if you'll forgive a shameless plug... I design decorative and display type faces and sell them through MyFonts.com. If anyone does desktop publishing or crafts with their computer, I can sure use ANY sales... Just go to www.myfonts.com/foundry/jnlevine and click on the "browse all Jeff Levine fonts" link. You'll see over 125 interesting designs. Oh, by the way... if you DO happen to purchase any fonts... please respect my copyrights and DO NOT share them... it's not only illegal, but it deprives me of the income that I so desperately need... (It's my ONLY source of income!) As for Tropical Race Track, Roberta... that closed years ago... it's now a county park... but for quite a long time, Calder Race Course hosted "Tropical at Calder"... in a staggered horse racing season... but that went bye-bye as well...

Roberta Perry Hughes		25-Oct-2007 20:10
Joe...Hey, Cuz'! Great to see you posting on here!! Ain'tcha glad I turned you on to this amazing Site?? Jeff, Largo, Charlis, Dr. Ogus, etc....where ARE you?? I miss your posts!! I know that Hialeah Race Track closed in 2000, but what about Tropical Race Track?? Is it still active?? If not, when did it close?? Does anyone have a photo of the strip shopping center on Bird Road that was directly across from the Food Fair, Goodys Shoes, etc.?? Or, a photo of Sunland Skating Rink?? (It was right next to Bird Bowl). Or, of that particular Food Fair, & the stores that were next to it?? In my mother's sewing box, I have a complimentary package of needles, in a Food Fair logo needle book, from all those years ago!! Wow. Where are all the "kids" from the S.W. section?? Brownie/Girl Scout Troop 580?? Alumni from Riviera Jr. High, & Southwest Senior High?? Is Cuz' Joe the ONLY poster from our area?? (besides myself, of course). Did EVERYONE move far, far away??

joe perry		25-Oct-2007 05:33
to juan pollo re: lost lake and the caves off bird road and 72nd ave,my old memory banks went into high gear! it seems my military career as a tail gunner in the back of a B-52 finally paid off a bit! i was scanning some of the photos that don boyd has posted and one in particular caught my eye! starting from the list of photos scroll down about 34 or 35 rows and the 2nd photo from the right is an aerial picture of the palmetto expressway from 1965. the very bottom of the picture is the east side of the palmetto and is very close to being 73rd or 74th ave @ bird road. i can actually see where my friend esther lived, which was 2 blocks to the left of bird road in that group of homes. either of the bottom 2 roads going south(left) just a block or so out of the picture would take you very close to the entrance to lost lake and the caves. i know you did not ask for some much detail but reading maps and topography from the air is in my blood and past history. i was also fortunate enough in the early 1950's to fly over tropical racetrack and that general area in a stearman bi-plane which was towing an advertisement banner. it took reading your response and scanning that old picture to stir up some mighty fond memories. thanks loads! joe perry

Parks Masterson		21-Oct-2007 07:37
Juan, the Punch Bowl was at the foot of a low rock cliff much like the rock cliff you can still see on Bayshore Drive across from the Coral Reef Yacht Club and Kennedy Park. I guess it was part of the same geologic formation. The cliff allowed us to work our way along the shoreline without being seen from the houses. Back then we would have been yelled at but not shot! The cliff or ridge could also be found on the coast just north of 25th Road. It was maybe ten to fifteen feet inland of the high water mark. It the section north of 25th Road there were deep hollows in the cliff that we called "The Caves". There is a big condo on the property now. Between the causway and 25th Road was a vacant lot with a portion of the cliff but the cliff was a little further inland, maybe 50 to 75 feet from the water.

Juan R. Pollo		20-Oct-2007 16:16
Wow, Parks, thanks for the info. It's hard to imagine kids these days exploring the area, first of all there is no foot access, and second I wouldn't want to get shot trespassing on those properties. Those property owners have included the likes of Madonna and Sylvester Stallone, the latter owned the southernmost house next to Vizcaya. The northernmost house abuts Alice Wainwright park, I'm not sure if that was there in your day. There is a seawall extending from the Causeway all the way to the first private home, and access from that point on looks to be extremely discouraged. I wonder how this plays with the Florida law that makes the shoreline public up to the high tide line. If I recall, one of such property owners was caught destroying the rock formations to improve his property. I know Dr. Paul George conducts tours of the area, I just have to go on one and see the stuff first hand.

Parks Masterson		20-Oct-2007 04:37
Juan Pollo, I saw the Devil's Punch Bowl as boy in the fifties. My friend Billy Gardener lived on 25th road near there and we spent a lot of time exploring the coast line. The Punch Bowl was located behind one of the houses north of Vizcaya and south of the Rickenbaker Causeway, My mother had seen it many times when she was young and she confirmed that we had found the right spot. No water was flowing from it by the time I found it. As I recall it was a roundish hole in the rock about 18 o 24" in diameter. The bottom had filled in with sand and debris so that it might have been four or five feet deep. Some distance away we found an arrow carved into the rock pointing to the Punch Bowl. The arrow had remnants of red paint in it. I don't know if it is still there or not. Probably not. Several of those houises have had docks built along the shore line and I'm sure it would have filled completely by now. It's been almost fifty years since I saw it.

Juan R. Pollo		19-Oct-2007 04:25
Shenandoah JHS class of 73, Miami High class of 76. Who wants to know?

Roberta Perry Hughes		18-Oct-2007 06:41
Don Boyd...re: your 4 trips...VIYA CON DIOS, Mi Amigo...!

Don Boyd		18-Oct-2007 06:13
Tell Jumpin' Jack not to worry and that I'm going to give him his own gallery to reduce the number of images on this one huge page, like I did with the Charlie Baxter Gallery. However I have four trips out of town in the next four weeks so it may take a while to get them up. Don

Jeff		18-Oct-2007 05:17
I had the pleasure of chatting with Jumpin' Jack O'Brien today for a few minutes... He sounded GREAT, and we both had a few laughs about the good old days and all of the changes in broadcasting since he's worked in it... Jack says he has a bunch more stuff to send in, but has been holding back because he feels he's "taken over" that section of Don's site... LOL! I'm sure more will appear before you can say... "Municipal Auto Sales... the lot with the satellite on top..."

Guest		17-Oct-2007 19:24
Juan Pollo when did you attend Miami High School?

Dave		17-Oct-2007 18:04
Ok!!! I'll try again to get the NE DADE and the Miami BEACH crowd fired up enough to start postin again.. I'll start with the 4th of July fireworks show that the American Legion Club, located on around NE63rd to 66th street on Bisc. Bay, would put on from Boy Scout Island. The fireworks reflecting off the water was like getting double your moneys worth. No charge, just bring your blanket, beverage cooler, and your date and spread out on the sloping bank that led down to the shore line... I'm sure there were many other places to view this show like over on the Miami Beach side, Morningside Park and PP (Peckers Point) just off the 79th Causeway just to mention a few......

Jeff		17-Oct-2007 04:39
Thanks for the correction, Shoojohn...

Guest		17-Oct-2007 02:51
uke is still openn just finished re lettering the outside a few months age

Juan R. Pollo		16-Oct-2007 00:24
Thanks for the info, Joe, that was before my time but I'm a Miami history buff, which served me pretty good when I worked at the airport info counter. We liked to brag that there wasn't a question we couldn't answer, kind of like in the Airplane! movie. Plus, now with Ebay we run into obscure and forgotten stuff like the Lost Lake, but it's sometimes hard to correlate the old geography with the new. Another place I'm still trying to find is the Devil's Punchbowl on the shoreline near Vizcaya, a lot of people seem to know it's around there but I haven't been able to find the exact spot.

joe perry		15-Oct-2007 14:15
to juan r. pollo to the best of my senior memory lost lake caves were very close to 72nd court and 43rd street or in that general vicinity. i was friends with a sweet girl named esther that lived close by and we would spend hours in and around those caves and the lake.her brother skipper was an avid turtle collector and we would jump in the lake and swim and catch them. yes, there were some gators in the lake too but they never bothered us. since i've been reading this web page i've often wondered if there was anyone around that remembered the cave and lake. there were also reminants of an old trailer park and i learned to roller skate on some of the old concrete slabs nearby. thanks for putting those old memories back in my mind.

Juan R. Pollo		15-Oct-2007 13:03
Where exactly was the Lost Lake and Caverns, in the area of Tropical Park?

Jeff		15-Oct-2007 04:53
I had a feeling that the Uke had closed - and in checking the phone book I didn't see a listing. North Miami has changed quite a lot since 1975... many of the places our Guest remembers are long-gone.

Guest		14-Oct-2007 23:27
Does the Ukelele Bar on Biscayne Blvd. still exist? I met my wife of 32 years there in 1975.

charlis		11-Oct-2007 22:25
Cuban Missle Crisis... that was a period of my memory that I will never forget. I had moved to Miami Beach in 1962 from Ohio. The only time I heard sirens in Ohio was during tornado season. I remember that every Saturday, at noon, in Miami Beach, the sirens would go off. My mother, having been through that in WWII in France and Germany, would go white. Then, in school, they would have us to the "squat under the desk" routine at least once a week!

Dave		11-Oct-2007 17:40
Chas. Waddell, I think the bar that you are refering to was called the Gold Dust.. It was a combination motel and restaurant/lounge. It was located right across Biscayne Blvd. from the Playboy Club, both being on the Little River Canal.. I know that area well as I delivered the Herald throughout that area from 56-60. No, I didn't get to collect my money inside the Playboy Club, they paid through the office... Damn it!!!

Arizona Al		10-Oct-2007 20:28
Roberta: My father passed away in Miami many years ago. He was on active duty at Homestead Air Force Base in 1962 when he had a massive heart attack and passed on. Thank you for your concern and continued support of America's Veterans. Arizona Al

Guest		10-Oct-2007 20:18
Wow Don!!! You can't pass on now - your undertaker has retired so there's no one to take care of you. You'll have to keep on living...and posting

Roberta Perry Hughes		10-Oct-2007 18:11
Don...dang...! Glad the rumors of your passing were incorrect!! Doctor Ogus...reason I warned you about Lake Havisu, is, there is brain-eating amoeba in there, & it has already killed several young men & boys. It was on the AOL news, the other day, & my friend in Parker, confirmed it was a true story! Geesh. You usually associate stuff like that to be in "Third World" Countries. Has the Jet Age made the U.S.A. "Third World?" This is scary stuff. Banquet has recalled chicken & turkey pot pies, due to salmonella. Seems like, everytime we turn around, foods are being recalled, & lead is in BSA badges & kid's toys, & dangerous microbes are in our waterways...remember red tide?? How can we safely make our families a tossed salad, when Ecoli even gets into lettuce, & spinach?? Even our pet's foods were tainted, & killed pets, all over the country! What's going on??? It is unsettling to note, that, "they" never did find out who the person(s) were, who poisoned the Tylenol capsules...or who was responsible for the anthrax, via letters, targetting Daschle (Dashle?). You get to where you hate to turn on the news! Oh, to bid time return, to our (seemingly) "carefree" days of the 1950's! But...even then, there was ugliness, in the cities. (the "cement swimsuits," on the bodies in the Miami River, & "hits," in the parking lots, in broad daylight, & the numbers racket, & other racketeering, & henchmen, for the "bookies," sent out to collect on gambling debts, placed with them, at the tracks, Jai-Alai, & other places). I remember the news about these goings-on, in Our Town, but we never dwelled on it, for long, because no one, (we knew), was involved in it. But it was a reality. We carried on, in spite of it all, & mostly, we only saw what we wanted to see...especially as kids, & 'teens. "OUR" Miami did NOT include gangland activity. Can you believe, how very innocent we were, or were we just naive??? The Cuban Missile Crisis had many building bomb shelters, & stocking them with canned goods & other such supplies...which, in truth, would offer zilch protection, we later learned. That's the beauty of this awesome Site!! We can time travel, in our minds & hearts, back to a time when we, at least, FELT safe, & most of us enjoyed a 2-parent household, & sitting down to meals,together, & relating to one another. Our family played board games together, & 500 Rummy, & put Whitman jigsaw puzzles together. And there were games, on-the-lawn, on Saturdays, like Croquet, Badminton, & even playing tag. Families don't do any of that, any more, unfortunately. Don't you wish it were possible, to take our kids & grands back there, for just one day, to see what it was like, to be allowed to just "be a kid," in no big hurry to "grow up?" To embrace childhood, for as long as possible, & just revel in it?? They just can't comprehend, what life was like for us, when we were their age. My God. Were we blessed, or what? Or, just plain lucky! Is your father still living? I forgot to ask you. Lost my father in 1975, & my mother in 1986. The last living aunt passed away this past Summer, & my siblings & I are now the "older generation." Ah! But on here, we are forever young, thanks to Don Boyd!! Love ya, Don! Roberta

Don Boyd		10-Oct-2007 17:22
Hi Juan, thanks for writing and I'm glad to say I haven't passed on yet. I'll be posting photos for the rest of my life so let's hope I have a few years left. Take care. Don

Juan R. Pollo		10-Oct-2007 17:01
Hello, Don, I worked at the Info Counter in Terminal Ops from 83 to 87, glad to see you're still around and posting, I thought I heard from somebody over there that you had passed. Thanks for all the Miami High stuff and the rest of the memories.

Guest		10-Oct-2007 15:25
Roberta: Thank You! I know Parker very well as I frequently drive from Phoenix to The Blue Water Resort in Parker for a weekend of jet ski mayhem on the Colorado River. P.S. The Ph.D. is an artifact of stumbling over a myriad of hurdles while in grad school over 35 years ago on my misguided quest to become a psychologist LOL. Alan Ogus, Ph.D.

Roberta Perry Hughes		10-Oct-2007 04:31
AZALAN...Thank you, for having served. I was in high school, during 'Nam (in GA) & helped spearhead "Operation Necessities," where we held a drive, to collect much-needed (scarce) toiletries, for our troops, via the brother of our classmate, Catherine Rish. We sent all of the gathered "loot" to his particular division over there, & it was very appreciated by them, that we continued to send them items for the rest of our senior year (1966). We learned of their need for toiletries through letters home, to Catherine's family, which she shared with our class. We branched out, from toiletries to hard candy, & things that were allowed to be sent to them, as there were guidelines & restrictions. Catherine took care of the packaging of the items, & getting them sent in care of her brother's C.O. Wow. I would have loved to have met your Dad, & listened to all he could tell me. I never missed a night, of the 7-part series on PBS, entitled "The War." I cried my eyes out, with every Vet's account of that time, both in the Pacific theater, as well as in the European theater. Can't name which one was the most hair-raising & horrific. Both were beyond harrowing, & they were heroes, one & all, God love 'em! Isn't it jaw-dropping, to reflect on the fact that the German subs were in our coastal waters?? It gives me chills, even though I had yet to have been born. We were so lucky, to have come thisclose, to being a "host country," for the War with Germany. (The Cuban Missile Crisis is a whole 'nuther story!!!) Tell Arizona I said, "Hey!" I have a very dear friend, who lives in Parker, right there at the CA state line. I know how proud you are of your father. I am, too! Oh, BTW...if you go out to Lake Havisu, don't go swimming!! Be well, Mr. PhD!!! Roberta

Guest		10-Oct-2007 04:20
Any and all from the 50s and 60s generation...check out this fantastic website for the Top 40 music that you grew up with:http://www.bobforrest.com/JukeBox.htm. ENJOY! Arizona Al

Guest		10-Oct-2007 03:38
Roberta: My father was a WWII Veteran. He was a pilot in the Army Air Force and flew missions in B-25s and B-24s in the Pacific Campaign. He subsequently flew B-29s in the Korean conflict and B-47s after that well into the 1960s. I, unfortunately served in the U.S, Army 1964-1967 with a tour in Vietnam 1966-1967 as a combat support specialist in the 103rd combat support batallion. Not a day passes when I do not remember all vets who served their country. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Palmetto High Class of 1964, Ridge Rat Emeritus

Charlie Waddell		10-Oct-2007 03:32
DOES ANYONE KNOW 2 BROTHERS NAMED GARY AND GENE LANGFORD THAT WERE IN THE NAVY WITH ME 1957-1960. WE WERE ON THE USS AMPHION (AR-13) IN NORFOLK, VA. WE WERE IN PORT EVERGLADES ON THE SHIP IN 1959 AND I WAS INVITED TO STAY A FEW DAYS AT THEIR HOME. WE WENT TO SOME OF THE PLACES THAT I HAVE VIEWED AND READ ABOUT TONIGHT. WE WENT TO HAULOVER BEACH, TO THE DRAG RACES AND TO A BAR THAT I THINK WAS AT 77TH AND US1. IT WAS A 2 STORY PLACE WITH A GLASS FLOOR THAT YOU COULD LOOK UP THRU (THE VIEW WAS CLOUDED BUT THE IMAGE WAS STILL THERE) AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW THE NAME OF IT AND ALSO TRY TO LOCATE GENE AND GARY. I KNOW THAT THEY WERE MACHINIST FOR EASTERN AIR LINES FROM THE TIME THEY GOT OUT OF THE NAVY UNTIL EASTERN FOLDED. GENE ALSO WAS INTO RACE CARS AND CORVETTES. IF ANYONE COULD HELP ME OUT PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT waddell_charlie@yahoo.com

Roberta Perry Hughes		08-Oct-2007 22:24
Steve...thanks for the heads up, re: pulmonary rehabilitation! I have a F/U appt. this Thursday, & will ask my Pulmonologist about this possibility. Thanks again! I, too, was saddened to learn of the passing of our "childhood friend," Charlie (M.T. Graves) Baxter. He leaves us with memories too-numerous-to-count, & I hope his family fully realizes how much he was loved by his fans. May he truly rest in peace. Don Boyd...I checked out the "Old Hialeah" pages, & saw your wonderful childhood home! It brought back memories of my 2 aunts, who had homes in Hialeah, just one block from one another (Dorris & Ted Bamberg, & Gloria & Jimmy Caulder). It sure was great, to see your former home, & the style of architecture of the homes built in the '50's. They were the best! Do you...(or anyone else?)...happen to have any photos of the Southwest section's homes?? Or of the Cities Service filling station that was (is?) on the corner of S.W. 56th Street & 102nd Avenue? HA! Remember when we called them "filling stations?" Everyone's father, on my block (S.W. 55th Street) was a WWII veteran. I hope that y'all have been watching "The War," by Ken Burns, on PBS this week (a reprisal of last week). Everyone should view this 7-part series. Next month, November 14th, is Veteran's Day. I hope to be able to visit the Veterans' Home, in Augusta, around that time, & maybe, take some fruit for them to enjoy. WWII Vets are dying in record numbers, every day. They are now in their 80's & 90's. We need to thank them, while they are yet with us...& the Vets from the other wars, too...& let them know that they have not been forgotten. My father, uncles, & their friends, & my former Miami neighbors, were all in WWII, & all have since passed on. When we were kids, we were mostly in-the-dark, that there was a war. No one talked about it, back then. That's why this PBS special is so important, for us to learn about it, after all this time, & to fully realize the ultimate sacrifice so very many of them made, for the sake of our freedom. There were German U-Boats, in our coastal waters, & they would sink oil tankers, as soon as they were in the sea lanes. That's why we got that sticky black tar on our feet, wading in the water at Tahiti Beach. It also would come up on the shores of Alabama, & other coastal states as well, all along the Atlantic. It's bone-chilling, to think that the enemy's U-Boats were in such close proximity, to our Homeland. If any of you Posters out there still have a living relative, who was a WWII Vet, give them a hug for me, & tell them I said "Thank you." Be well, dear ones. Roberta

Guest		08-Oct-2007 01:29
Roberta Perry Hughes, Congrats on the good news re: unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis....at least one cylinder is powering the engine!! Hopefully, no O2 therapy is required and you can adapt as you desire!! Especially happy for you that no CA was involved!! Good stuff. I was managing a Pulmonary Rehabilitation unit at South Miami Hospital from 1984 to 1988 and witnessed numerous successes of patients that "re-learned" to breathe close to normalcy after appropriate training and counseling related to their conditions.. Might be worth investigating to see if this is appropriate for your situation; a local American Lung Association unit can direct you. Good hearing from you again and hope for only great outcomes. Be well, Steve Horowitz for you

Guest		07-Oct-2007 23:53
Thanks to whoever started this, and to my brother for forwarding it to me. Miami High '60 graduate, living three blocks from the Big Wheel. Hadn't thought of that place in almost 50 years. Thanks for all the memories these photos brought back. Any other '60 Stings out there?

charlis		07-Oct-2007 22:40
Rick Shaw may be retired but he is still working. I just found out that he was at the Beach Hi 40th reunion this weekend. Now I am sorry that I could not go... but moving this weekend made it impossible. I am sorry to hear about Charlie's passing. Odd thing is that I was just talking to a friend on the phone about Charlie.

Guest		06-Oct-2007 10:35
The Ridge Rats (1962-1964) and the Bird Road Stompers (1962-1964) had real life congruences to The Sharks and The Jets (West Side Story 1963). I "fondly" recall several "after hours" verbal and physical altercations at the athletic fields of Palmetto and Southwest High Schools as well as other nefarious locations such as Hot Shoppes,Howard Johnsons on South Dixie Highway,Venetian Pool, and the Cutler Ridge Bowling Alley. Do any other 60 plus year old former "gang bangers" recall this wonderfull times? Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Ridge Rat Emeritus..Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Guest		06-Oct-2007 03:08
I grew up in Miami. In Miami Springs and Coral Gables. I moved to Miami from Conn. when i was 6 mo. old in 1946. Miami was a WONDERFUL place to grow up ! All the pictures posted here are so fabulous. Thank you for bringing back so many memories. Eileen Fitzgibbons Miami Jackson 1963

Guest		05-Oct-2007 20:58
I meant Miami South Dade, moved to air force base in 8th grade then went to Redland Jr High, and then we were the only whites bus to an all black school, Mays Jr. High.Then on to South Dade. Moved to virginia in 1971, went to 11th and 12th. We visited my grandma often, flew in on Eastern, they had a non stop from Roanoke, $71.00 round trip. I would give anything to be back in those times. We were so free spirited and we really had the run of the wild in us, but we were good kids basically. Don you hit it on the nose about growing up there and what we had and didn't have and what we did and what we didn't do.... AWESOME! i am forwarding you sight to several individuals, they will all agree that this is a trip down memory lane. Our neighbors on Bird Road both worked and retired from Eastern Airlines. My granny retired from Publix My grandfather died on 107th ave and 24th st, is that Coral Way in a head on collison in 1963. He always purchased a new Chevy mpala every year from don Allen chevrolet and went to the Texaco on that corner on Sundays to fill up with gas. My brother was standing next to him in the front seat, he was 18 months old and he was thrown from the car, they thought he was a dollbaby when someone spotted him, but he did not have any real serious injury's You just don't know how good you did my heart today Don to remind me of those days. Thanks My dad is coming over this evening, he is 76 and he will just be overwhelemed, He worked part time at a Farm's Store before we moved to Homestead. I think I might have a piture of it somewhere to share.

Guest		05-Oct-2007 19:26
We had a Royal Castle on the corner of Bird and 107th ave. That root beer and burgers were to die for. I swam in all the canels and rock pits. What a great time, as a matter of fact we are gonna have a get together next year in Destin, all of the Homestead Air Force brats from 1968-1971. Those were some of the best days of my life. When JFK died I was going to Coconut Grove Elem that year we had moved with my mom. Everyone cried and I ran out of school and went down to the Biscayne Bay and went fishing. Thank you Don for this sight, it brought tears to my eyes, I miss my grandmother a lot. We went to Bird Road Baptist when Preacher Lanier was there and we always went to Shorty's after church. I am going to cherish this site always.

Don Boyd		05-Oct-2007 19:17
Billy Small sent me bad news today that Charlie Baxter (M. T. Graves) died this past week in the Nashville area. RIP Charlie, you were a great man and entertainer. Thank you for the memories in the Old South Florida that we fondly remember. Don

dave		05-Oct-2007 19:12
uhhm, that was Dave from Berlin, Germany ;-)

Dave		05-Oct-2007 19:10
Great pics, dude. I ve been visiting the Miami Beach Area 5 times in the 90s and got interested in the History of that place. Great Collection, now saving money to go to Miami next year. Keep up the good work.

Guest		05-Oct-2007 19:06
I went to Royal Palm Elem, Riveria Junior High, Miami South West. Gosh, I loved living there, i live in Virginia now, all my relatives are gone from Miami, all the older ones have passed on. My grandfater worked for Oolite Concrete, my granny worked at Holsum Bakery. I remember when going to the drive in Tropical before it was a swap meet, fea market. We rode ponys on SW 107th and we went to Bird Bowl and skated right next door from bowling alley. WOW.......wait till I show my dad and sisters this!

Guest		05-Oct-2007 18:56
OMG....I grew up at 10740 SW 40th street Bird Road. The only picture i didn't see was of a FARM's Store, gosh, that was an awesome store, how come there arent' anymore. Brings back a lot of memories. Sharon Crumb

charlis		05-Oct-2007 18:21
Larr... welcome to the board. I had left Miami Beach in the 70's, but the 60's were great. This site is great for all of us too young to know the "good old days" of Miami and Miami Beach.

charlis		05-Oct-2007 18:19
Roberta... glad to hear the news. It's hard getting old. I have always felt that we should have all the bad things happened to us when we are young and in better shape to handle them, then we can enjoy our old age.

Larr MB		05-Oct-2007 12:32
This site is very cool. I grew up in Miami Beach in the 1970's so Idon't recognize some of the places but it is so interesting to see how Miami was back then and what a nice place it used to be.

Don Boyd		05-Oct-2007 06:03
Congrats on the mostly good news Roberta. It's so much fun getting older that I don't know if I can stand it - ha! I never thought I'd live this long and I can only wonder what I'll come down with next. This account is paid up for a few years and someone in my family will keep it up if something happens to me so that the memories are preserved. Don

Jedff		05-Oct-2007 05:08
So glad to hear that things are better - so to speak - for you, Roberta... May you enjoy many happy years of postings to this site... and whatever else brings you pleasure in life! Best wishes!

Roberta Perry Hughes		05-Oct-2007 04:50
My test revealed no blocakages, tumors, or cancer...whew! Hooray! Let's have a party!! What I DO have, is, "unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis." Wha'?? My diaphragm, on the right side, is in the "up" position, due to paralysis of the phrenic nerve, that enables it to function. It is THE cause of my pulmonary restriction, & for having only 48% respiratory function. Downside of this is, it isn't "fixable," & it's just something that I'll have to learn to live with...obviously! It is NOT smoking-related. Causes are: scarring from pneumonia, sepsis, deconditioning, & Type II Diabetes...of which I have had/have, all of the above, so, take your pick. But...!! NO "C" word!! Can't tell you what a relief that is for me, & for my family, too! Other than an occasional cough, & a sore throat, I'm no worse for the wear, from this test I had done. It was over before I knew it, & I was "out," during it, thanks to IV Verised, & IM Demerol. ZZZZZ-ZZZZZ-ZZ!!! Although I STILL cannot sign up for the 2008 Triathalon, or take bagpipe lessons, or study the art of glass blowing, or learn how to make little pink poodles, out of long skinny balloons, for kid's parties, (sigh), I CAN still be happily sedentary, at my computer, posting away, now & then, on this wondrous Site, that Don Boyd has so generously provided for us, & revelling in the nostalgia it provides. I feel amazingly light, like a 2000 lb. weight has been lifted from my very soul, & from my heart, & I cherish each breath I am able to take, for the gift that it is. Hugs, to you all, for the well-wishes & warm thoughts you have sent my way, in spirit, & in words, on this Site! I appreciate you, one & all, so very much. Be well, dear ones! 'Til soon...Roberta

Joanne		04-Oct-2007 20:53
They are both back now and that's all that matters... thanks Don!!

Don Boyd		04-Oct-2007 16:40
Joanne, I don't know what happened to your message and the other one you mention. I see a message from you yesterday on there and Roberta's message about Elliott Key. If there were more I don't know what happened. I only delete spam and offensive messages. Don

Guest		03-Oct-2007 16:11
The mention of Elliott Key reminds me of something humerous that happened to me when I was a little boy. My father and some other fathers took us boys on the boats all around out there and a few other places like Stiltsville one weekend. Then we landed ashore on some small island out there somewhere (probably the product of a dredging operation) to pitch a tent for the night and camp. As I was trying to fall asleep in a sleeping bag, the menfolk were listening to a small transitor AM radio and the announcer started to talk about the Hurricanes. I thought a hurricane was coming and had a small fit that we weren't getting off the small island and heading home, only later to learn that there was a Miami Hurricanes team!

Joanne		03-Oct-2007 15:15
Hello Everyone, Reading all the posts from yesterday, a spell of melancholy flowed over me. But it was brief. Time marches on (unfortunately for me right across my face), but I try to look at it from the point of view that time is the experience. And I am so proud to have so many experiences filling up my memory. They've made my body weak, but my mind and my spirit strong. By sharing our stories and thoughts we share our spirit and strength and that keeps us going. God bless all who are facing health issues. The rest of us need to keep sharing in order to give them the additional strength to fight through and stay online with us. OK I'll get off the pulpit now. We used to do the boating thing out past Fowey to Elliot Key as well. Such great snorkeling. Would love to see those pics, Roberta. It has been such a treat to find this website. Thank you all !!!

Jeff		03-Oct-2007 05:01
Thanks for your kind and good wishes for us, Largo!

Guest		03-Oct-2007 03:48
HELLO AND WISHES FOR GOOD HEALTH TO YOU BOTH... ROBERTA AND JEFF...KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN. ROBERTA , I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT THE FOWEY ROCK LIGHT WAS A TREASURED FISHING SPOT (always caught keepers thereas a young kid) WHEN MY FAMILY ALL PACKED FOOD FOR SEVERAL DAYS AND ROAMED THE SMALL ISLANDS AND REEFS IN SEARCH OF TREASURES FROM THE SEA. WE OFTEN TIED UP OFF ELLIOT KEY FOR THE NIGHT AND BUNKED ON THE BOAT. ELLIOT KEY WAS FUN TO EXPLORE...DESERTED BACK THEN...WONDER WHAT IT'S LIKE NOW. THE WATER WAS ALWAYS SO VERY CLEAR AROUND FOWEY ROCK...YOU COULD SEE VERY LARGE FISH, SHARKS...HAMMERHEADS WERE HUGE, HANGING ALL AROUND THE LIGHT...I'M GRATEFUL "JAWS" WASN'T EVEN THOUGHT OF THEN OR I WOULD NEVER HAVE DONE ALL THE WATER RECREATION BACK THEN. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE PHOTOS OF YOUR GRANDFATHER AT THE LIGHTHOUSE. BE WELL............. LARGO

Jeff		03-Oct-2007 01:26
Thanks, Roberta... and it goes without saying that I send my best wishes to you as well...

Roberta Perry Hughes		02-Oct-2007 21:00
Joanne, Charlis, Steve, Jeff...thanks, for the well wishes, & I'll keep you posted. Jeff...know how you feel! It's one thing, to lose our looks (hair, teeth, physique, figures) but the INTERNAL aging process is the pits!! So is chronic pain, & compromised mobility, & the decline of our vision & hearing. The human body is comparable to an automobile. Brand new, everything working, at birth (IF we're lucky) but as the years go by, we depreciate, bit-by-bit. So...! Carp diem, everybody!! (or is it carpe?? Does my spelling denote that large fish in the goldfish family?) I am doing all I can, each & every day, to enjoy my life, & stay in touch with my distant (in miles) cousins, & other relatives, & pursue a little family history. WOW! My cousin recently sent me photocopies, of photos, & articles from the Miami Herald, of my paternal grandfather, taken INSIDE the service room of Fowey Rocks lighthouse, & on the deck of its living quarters, & also, INSIDE the Fresnel lens, polishing it!! He was in the USCG, based out of Dinner Key, as my father was, a little later. Grandpa Hamp (Hamilton Sharpe Perry) was a giant-of-a-man, at least 6' 6" tall. His parents, & his grandparents, brother, aunt, nephew, & his infant fraternal twins, are all interred in Cocoplum Cemetery, now known as Pinewood Cemetery. When I can figure out how to do it, will send these images to Don Boyd, so he can, maybe, post them in the galleries, for all to see. (Inside Fowey Rocks lighthouse). If you research Fowey Rocks lighthouse, you'll see where the Fresnel lens was removed, & is now in the USCG Museum, in Virginia. That's "our" lighthouse (Miami's) & I am so proud that my grandfather was once its Keep! It is unlike ANY lighthouse you have ever seen! Search it, & you will see!! Jeff...my best to your aunt; Charlis, hope your friend Evie, is doing better. Be well, dear friends.

Jeff		02-Oct-2007 19:22
I went down to the Florida Heart Research Institute this morning for a free EKG, blood test [for cholesterol, glucose and triglycerides] and blood pressure check. The doctor told me that my EKG showed some blockage in the electrical conductive system of the heart... it takes a bit longer for electrical energy to get from one side of the body to another. After I got home [per her request], I faxed my past EKG results to the doctor at the research institute and she called back to go over them with me. She told me that what I have is not unusual, for it happens from aging and I shouldn't panic - just to consult a physician. This cannot be corrected [in and of itself] by surgery or exercise. A physician must determine the cause of this blockage and see if there's any serious medical complication that's causing it; then they proceed along that course. Equally, it could be nothing more than a slight hardening of the arteries from age. Further tests will see. Of course, I hope it's nothing... but as stressful as it is to learn this, NOT knowing would cause bigger problems down the line...

Jeff		02-Oct-2007 12:52
Charlis... I'm fine... just haven't had much to say because most of the talk has been about South Dade and people/places I know nothing about. Please send my best to Evie... Roberta: Sure hope you're doing better soon... I recently found out that an aunt (my late uncle's wife) just went through BC surgery and had a double mastectomy... pretty rough for a person in their senior years... but she's doing well [all things considered]... My best to everyone here... When I have something interesting to post, rest assured I will!

Guest		02-Oct-2007 01:05
Roberta Perry Hughes, Thanks for the reminder of October & BC Awareness. Hope all turns out better than you expect on Thursday during and after the bronch. Keep smiling and if you're awake for the procedure, think often of the content on this webiste...I know that you've had some awesome memories of Miami. Let us know how it all turned out. Be well!! miatwr (Steve Horowitz)

charlis		01-Oct-2007 20:31
Jeff... you have been missing in action. Hope you are okay. Just wanted to let you know that I think I found the box with the old stencils. I also found some old "rub on" font sheets from the 70's and 80's. After I get settled into the new place, I'll email you for your mailing address. Evie is not doing well, health wise. I will be also sending some photos of Viscaya, the promised Parrot Jungle, and the new "Bleau".... not making the reunion because of the move. Lichter and RamRam are supposed to be there.

charlis		01-Oct-2007 20:26
Roberta... My thoughts will be with you on Thursday.

Joanne		01-Oct-2007 14:38
Roberta...I'm a BC survivor as well. Please do listen to what Roberta said. Mine was found at my annual checkup and caught early thus I had no radiation or chemotherapy to worry about. Over the weekend I thought of two more bands that were popular in our area and wanted to see if anyone else remembered these names "Doppelganger" and "Spatz". I believe one of them did our Christmas party in 73 and the other in 74.

Roberta Perry Hughes		01-Oct-2007 04:21
Just a reminder, for everyone out there, that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As a breast cancer survivor, I urge you to do regular self-exams...(you MEN, too, as men ALSO get breast cancer!)...& have your regular mamograms, yearly. There were 3 men, on the surgical floor, when I had my surgery, & they were all post-op mastectomy. It is more common than you think. Just look around you, at all of the "man boobs" you see...even Tiger Woods jiggles, when he crosses the green! You haven't seen me "post" in a while, as I'm having having health woes, again. I ask y'all to think about me, this Thursday a.m., as I will undergo a bronchoscopy at that time. Many thanks, in advance. Be well.

Guest		30-Sep-2007 16:31
North Miami Senior High - Class of 1981 When I was a little kid, I loved the "kiddie rides" at 163rd Street Shopping Center. There are so many great memories and posts on this site. Sure wish Miami was like it used to be. It's so different now. I hung out at Haulover most of the time and went fishing all over "Dade" county. RB

Guest		30-Sep-2007 11:32
Hey there- Am new to the sit and haven't had time to see it all, but does anyone else remember going to Milan Dairy for ice cream and pony rides? Also, what about Dixie the elephant who used to live at a private residence on 107th Avenue and Bird? My family was into "no money fun" and these were two great excursions that cost little!\ Colleen

Guest		29-Sep-2007 20:14
Manocarz, That Chesapeake has been gone for a long time. I last ate there in 1974 and, if memory serves me right, it was closed not too many years after. It was a fine restaurant in it's day.....like so much of older MIami.

Guest		29-Sep-2007 18:17
Does anyone remember the "Chesapeake" Restaurant near the Miami Jai Alai? If so, is it still there? I always wanted to eat there while growing up just because it looked like a real neat place to eat. A few days before we moved away, my mother took me there for lunch and it was great! I was 13 years old then.

KK. Blanton		29-Sep-2007 06:31
Our family moved to Malibu Homes in 1960 when I was 4. That was the subdivision at S.W. 92nd ave. & Miller Road. Went to Blue Lakes Elem., Glades Jr. High & Southwest. This website is awsome !! I left Miami in '78 because I just couldn't stand it anymore. But it sure was paradise growing up there. Anyone remember University Bowl on the corner of S. Dixie & Sunset Dr. ? Or The Grove where all the Hippies were ? I used to go to Bowl-O-Mat off Dixie Hwy. at about 128th st. And the Goony Golf on the Highway at 136th. In fact my ex-wife's Mother was the bartender there for years. How about the outdoor skating rink at the Crandon Park Zoo or the free concerts and the riots at Virginia Key ? My Dad was a Judge in Dade County for 25 years & if you got a hunting, fishing, marriage OR drivers liscence in Dade County from 1920 to 1960 my Grandfather's name was on the back of it. W. F. Blanton.

Lon		28-Sep-2007 20:06
Lon Nancy "Hurst".....Hello! I read your message with real interest. I also attended St. Theresa's and want to ask if you ever knew the "collins" family? They lived near you and had several kids at St. Theresa's about your age..they were at S.W. 59th Ave. & about S.W. 33rd St. I was particularly interested to know if you ever knew the oldest child...her name is Ann-Marie Collins. She has a brother and three sisters. Her high school class was 1966 from then Immaculatta-La Salle HIgh. Also, I knew some good friends from Palmetto High class of '65...I graduated Southwest that same year. Remember Cental Stadium on Coral Way down from West Miami Junior HIgh? Lot of good games played at Central :) I'm in Boca Raton, Florida now. My company has caused me to have lived in several places; Atlanta GA, Scottsdale AZ, San Clemente CA, Houston TX, Orlando FL... but I have never forgotten MIAMI...I remember the magic moments and great times that our youth in Miami created. P.S. anyone remember Hot Shoppes at Dixie & Bird? (now a U.S. Postal annex site)

Guest		26-Sep-2007 00:54
Nancy: Hello..are you any relation to David Hurst? He graduated from Palmetto High the sane year that I did in 1964. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., RIdge Rat Emeritus. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Joanne		25-Sep-2007 16:24
More Palmetto Bugs!!! Nancy...You may know my sister Lee Copp, she was Palmetto 66 and you need to hook up with Arizona Al, he's Palmetto 64. Send this website on to others from Miami, we need more friends to join in. Al...my sister (above) is with the Pitt County Hosp. She's also a big fan of East Carolina Univ. whose main campus is in Greenville.

Nancy "Hurst" Kirkwood		25-Sep-2007 15:08
Hi fellow Floridians and former Floridians (as I am at the moment). Dave Fleck, now of Orlando, sent these pictures to me and it put me right back in my childhood and teen years. I went to Palmetto 1963-65 before my dad moved us to California. When I was younger we lived in Coral Gables and I went to St. Teresa's. In high school we practically lived at Dadeland---mom always took us to Shorty's and I spent many a weekend date night at the Dixie Drive In. I was a surfer and hung out at south beach during the summer months and every weekend in the school year. If anyone wants to connect, my name was Nancy Hurst then and my current email is plumstr@aol.com. The picture of Sylvia Hitchcock brought back memories, she was a really nice person and a grade or two ahead of me at Palmetto. I miss Miami but I don't think living there now would be anything like it was when we lived there. Uh by the way, we LOVED it! Great place to grow up!

Joanne		24-Sep-2007 16:04
Karen...Welcome Southie!! All of us Palmetto/Killian/Southwest people are the "southies". You and I are in the same time frame. I went to Howard Drive Elem., Palmetto Jr. and Palmetto Sr. (class of 75). I've been trying for the last several months to remember the name of that pizza place next to Carvel as well. Loved their food. Did you ever attend the summertime movies at the Suniland theater on Wednesday mornings? Great creature features with Bella Lugosi, Vincent Price, etc. You brought up Critereon, thanks for jogging my memory. What a beautiful place that was. Did you ever frequent the A&W root beer stand in Naranja? The 60's and 70's were so much fun in Miami.

Guest		21-Sep-2007 19:17
Karen, Great to read of some of your memories of the now known as Pinecrest area, where I currently reside. Your mention of the Sword and Marlin lounge brought back some memories of mine; do you remember those steak tidbit appetizers? Those tasty treats actually lured me into buying a "lifetime" membership there. My family and I "gooney golfed" several times at their place located on SW 136 Street and US 1. I do recall the Mr. Donut serving my favorite at the time, crushed peanut chunks on a glazed donut...good stuff!! I graduated from SouthWest High School back in 1975 and have lived in SW Miami since being born here in 1957. Anyway, thanks for your post and it sounds like you'll be recalling more good times and keeping us readers up to date. Steve Horowitz

Don Boyd		20-Sep-2007 23:02
Welcome Karen and thank you for finding us and posting your numerous memories of life down here. If anything this site will help a lot of us remember what was where when, which is a good thing as we get older. And it will help the younger generations appreciate that there was a large vibrant community here long before they were born or moved here. Don

charlis		20-Sep-2007 22:09
Victoria Station.... a long time ago we had one up here in Tampa.... actually located on a train track... well, next to one.

charlis		20-Sep-2007 22:06
jeff... hope you got some rain... one of my "other duties" at work is tracking storms... they predicted rain all day yesterday and today... heavy rain. All we got were a few drops. Now a few areas are getting some heavy rain, but north of where I live. Looks like "the lake" did not get the rain it needs.

Guest		20-Sep-2007 20:43
Hi everyone!!! It's taken me nearly 3 days in my off-time to browse this site and read all the comments. Don, your site is wonderful and I'm soooo glad someone sent me this link. So many of us sit with friends and reminisce about the old Miami. I moved here in 1962 and started 1st grade at Vineland Elementary, went on to Palmetto Jr. and graduated from Killian in 1974. We lived off SW 124 Street, just west of the US1. My husband's family came here in 1954 ~ he was 6 months old. They originally settled just off Bird Road and 57th Ave. The kids started out at St. Theresa and when the family moved to the now "Pinecrest" area(SW 124 Street, just east of US1), the kids moved to the Palmetto schools. So yeah, we both remember so many of the places that have been pictured and talked about on this site. We met at Publix in Sunniland and every Saturday ate lunch together at the little Italian restaurant in the other side of Sunniland (where Grand Union was), can't recall the name at the moment, but it was next door to Carvel. At that time, Publix was open from 9am to 9pm and was closed on Sunday, as well as every holiday. My honey took me to the Rusty Pelican for my 17th birthday and then again for my 18th (since 18 was the legal age that year we even ordered a bottle of Mateus - rember that one?) Also, does anyone remember how before the waiters served your salad, they told you everything that was in the salad (including the tiny bay shrimp) and in the salad dressing as well??? Got married in August of '75. I was the assistant manager for S&H Green Stamps and he had just begun his employment as a Miami-Dade Police Officer at Station 4, located on Fern Street in Perrine in between the north and southbound lanes of US1. Although at that time it was the Dade County Public Safety Department. Subsequently, they rebuilt the station next to the Cutler Ridge Government Center and the old station became the Harley-Davidson motorcycle showroom. Any of you who remember that but have not been here in awhile, now the Harley-Davidson showroom is just south of Marlin (SW 107 Ave) on the east side of the highway where Circuit City was. The old building on Fern Street is becoming a Goodwill Superstore. I could go on and on but, since this is my first time posting... Here are a few things that I remember that I don't remember reading in any of the posts. I also visited the Flick a few times, but the one time that sticks out in my mind was on Dec 31, 1972. Uncle Dirty was headlining, but his opening act was Jimmy Buffet!!! Although until a couple of years later I didn't connect that act with Jimmy until a group of us went to see him in concert at the Coconut Grove Theater. It only took his singing "Who's Gonna Steal the Peanut Butter" and it definately took me back to that New Year's Eve. Which, by the way was the first time I kissed my husband. Also, I don't believe anyone has mentioned the Sword and Marlin (south end) one of our old hangouts, Whale and Sale (north end), the Playboy clubs (Miami Beach and Biscayne Boulevard), Palmetto Hardware (still doing a great business) originally located on SW 124 St, just east of US1 in the shopping center with A&P and Al's News Stand, Criterion Restaurant (a steak house that was there before Sword & Marlin took over the site), Colonial Palm Golf Course and the Gooney Golf at SW 136 St & US1, Mr. Doughnut, The Flame, The Dixie Bell (which is now a strip mall without the Dixie Bell restaurant), Dixie National Bank, U-tote-em's (sp), Snowdens or Centurian's dam (depending where you went to school)...... I could go on and on but that's it for now. Hope I brought back some memories for those of you who lived in that area!!! Karen

Dave		20-Sep-2007 02:51
Hey Largo... How bout sending some of that rain up here to W. N Carolina!!! We are in such a drought here, I may have to ask "AZ.Al" what kind of cactus I should be planting for my landscaping....???

Jeff		20-Sep-2007 02:20
See??? I got so enthused over that old stuff that I started mistyping (as usual)... That sentence [with all of the fluffs] should have read: I collect old lettering stencils and office suppies from the 50's and 60's... [but you knew what I meant!] I type at least 60 mistakes per minute! Hehehehe.....

Jeff		20-Sep-2007 02:03
See??? I got so enthused over that old stuff that I started mistyping (as usual)... That sentence [with all of the fluffs] should have read: I collect old lettering stencils and office suppies from the 50's and 60's... [but you knew what I meant!] I type at least 60 mistakes per minute! Hehehehe.....

Jeff		20-Sep-2007 01:59
Thanks for the kind words, Largo... I try... in my own little way. My late father said I was vaccinated with a phonograph needle, so I guess I'll always have the gift for gab... in person or in cyberspace... LOL! We've had a sunny, hot day down here in Miami, but storms are headed this way thanks to all of the tropical weather converging around the state... They say that one system might become a depression. If it does, I hope it meanders over the lake... we are so low in Lake Okeechobee's water table that it's getting to be dire... After all, that's our emergency back-up water supply! Now for an old-tired subject.... Doesn't ANYONE have agarage full of old junk lying around? I collect old lettering stewncils and office suplpies from the 50;s and 60's. I'm glad to PAY for them if the price is right... and I'll always reimburse for postage... Old art and graphic arts supplies are of interest as well... C'mon folks... help this old guy out... or I swear, I'll start buggin' you for old 45's (for my record collector/dealer buddy)... and that's more of a pain! LOL!

lARGO		20-Sep-2007 01:51
sorry...THAT'S "MY" DOWN TIME...starting to talk like a damn pirate!

LARGO		20-Sep-2007 01:47
HEY JEFF... YOU ARE SUCH A ROMANTIC...LOVE YOUR VIRTUAL STROLLS DOWN MEMORY LANE...YOU REALLY BRING THINGS TO LIFE.....YOU HAVE A GIFT OF WORDSMITHING...THIS SITE IS LUCKY TO HAVE YOU..."OUR MAN IN MIAMI"...THERE IS ALSO A GREENEVILLE, TN...(different spelling)....NEAR JONESBOROUGH, TN (THE OLDEST TOWN IN TN.).....THE RAIN HAS REALLY BEEN GIVING US A TIME HERE IN ST.AUGUSTINE...FLOODING HERE AND IN JAX'VLLE...WE ARE INTO DAY 5 OF THE NOREASTER...how is it in the miami area??.... ME DOWN TIME....TO CHECK IN........LARGO

Arizona Al		19-Sep-2007 23:07
Joanne and Dave: I have a sister that currently lives in Greenville. She works for the University of North Carolina at Greenville. I have 2 brothers living in Knightdale and Wendell (Raleigh area) respectively. All of us came to North Carolina from Miami between 38 and 40 years ago. I am the only one of the siblings that left North Carolina (1995) and relocated to Arizona. Alan Ogus, Ph.D.

Dave		19-Sep-2007 19:58
Joanne, You really threw me a curve when you mention that your sister lived in Winterville, NC and worked in Greenville.. Since we live in Western NC, I assumed you meant Greenville SC.. Had never heard of Winterville and couldn't find it on any of my local maps, so I did a google search, and there it was. Only one problem though, it was to the South of Greenville. Now wait a minute!! How could a city in NC be South of Greenville SC.. Upon further review, I finally found out, there was also a Greenville, NC on the other side of the state.. Had me worried for awhile.. Oh well!! Least I had my geography lesson for the day............ Thank you!!

Jeff		19-Sep-2007 19:57
Joanna - what WAS as good as it was 30-40 years ago??? Everything's changed... it's just our collective memories that freeze certain places and events in time for our happiest recollections, in order for us to override the unpleasant ones. In our memories, loved ones who've passed on are still alive... old flames still stir passionate moments... things were cheaper... times were slower... people were calmer... life was better... You can still hear that special song playing over a pocket transistor radio... You think of your first car... your first kiss... What was...was! All we can do now, as we move along our path in life, is reminisce and rejoice in what we had (and what we sometimes took for granted) and feel for those who will never share such special memories... You know, these posts are a double-edged sword. First they can warm you to read everyone's joyful recollections... then it can sadden you a bit to think of all that has gone... and how many years have gone along with those memories... but George Bernard Shaw put it succintly: "Youth is wasted on the young"... So, in this virtual realm, lift a glass of wine to each other... toast the privilege we have in being able to share our thoughts as a group... and hold dear each moment of life, for each one is truly a blessing... This brings to mind the lyrics of Johnny Carson's favorite song... done so well in the 50's and 60's by the Skyliners and Five Satins, respectively... I'll be seeing you in all the old familiar places That this heart of mine embraces all day through In that small cafe... the park across the way The children's carousel... the chestnut tree... the wishing well Yes, I'll be seeing you in every bright and summer's day When everything was light and gay, I'll always think of you that way I'll find you in the morning sun, and when the night is new... I'll be looking at the moon, but I'll be seeing you........................... To all of us who remember "the good old days".... a toast, from yours truly!

Joanne		19-Sep-2007 18:05
Al and Dave...My sister is in that area, lives in Winterville and works in Greenville. I've heard many folks from South Fla. have gone to N. Carolina so Dave you must have some company.

Dave		19-Sep-2007 17:14
Az Al, I'm very familiar with the Boone and Marion area.. Never been to Ralieh though. We're near Mills River, living atop Long John Mtn. at about 3,000' and have been here 10+ years. Quite a 180 change from the flat and tropical land of Miami, where I grew up and spent a good 50+ years... Don, I can't thank you enough for all the hard work you put into this site enabling us to re-live all those wonderful memories of "OUR MIAMI".......

Joanne		19-Sep-2007 15:06
Jeff...You never know?!?! Maybe I was the one..... We never gor there early enough for the food. But it definitely was the same time frame. What amazes me is you remember the drink prices? Boy howdy!! I can't remember what I had for dinner last night! We also used to go to the airport terminal to people watch. Miami Beach as well. In high school we had a fundraiser selling Krispy Kremes and had to pick up the boxes from a store somewhere on Miami Beach. The last time I was on Miami Beach was 1995 and there was still a Lums. Wasn't anywhere near as good as 30-40 years ago.

Guest		19-Sep-2007 05:17
Dave: I Lived in Raleigh most of the time with a few excursions to Boone, Marion,Morganton, and Wilmington. Alan Ogus, Ph.D.

Jeff		18-Sep-2007 21:25
Hey, Joanne... Maybe YOU were one of the ones who turned me down for a dance????? LOL! I hung out there circa 1975-76... Wolfgang was the main band for a long time... I made up for all of the rejection by induging in the free meatballs and other hors d'oeuvres and buying an early-bird sloe gin fizz or tequila surnrise [or two] for 50 cents each... I was always fairly broke... but somehow I was able to weasel my way into a good time. My only regret was that I never "scored" from all of those experiences. Some guys had all the luck... I had all the BAD luck... How I even found the place was through a girl I used to date... then after we broke up, we both would go there on our own terms and peacefully [?] coexist...

Joanne		18-Sep-2007 21:17
Jeff...That the one! I used to go there myself though it was in the mid-'70's. Great place to dance. You weren't the only one in polyester, I had a full 3 piece white pantsuit and a white wool pimp hat with a feather in the brim. Good Lord, I thought I was fine until the night one of my friends had too much to drink and "ooops" all over my hat. We were pulled over by some police on the Palmetto Ex-way who told us to get that same girl to a donut shop (do you have the directions???) and fill her tummy up. The things you do when you're 18 and indestructible.

Dave		18-Sep-2007 20:16
AA, Where in N.Carolina did you live??

Guest		18-Sep-2007 16:34
And now for a brief recap of my life and times in Miami. Family relocated from Orlando to Miami in 1954. Originally lived in Naranja in a subdivision named Naranja Heights. Attended Redlands Elementary School 1954-1955. Moved to Cutler Ridge in 1955. Attended Cutler Ridge Elementary 1955-1958, Redlands Jr, High 1959-1960, Miami Military Academy 1961-1963, Palmetto High 1963-1964. U.S. Army 1964-1967. Miami Dade Communiry College 1967-1969. Relocated to North Carolina 1969-1995 and subsequently to Arizona in 1995. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Ridge Rat Emeritus.

Jeff		17-Sep-2007 20:25
Joanne--- Yes, the Brasserie was right off of LeJeune Road and 36th Street... across from the Winn Dixie and adjacent to the Holiday Inn... Dave, you're also right on the mark about the Robin Hood Inn. It had changed names by the early 1970's, and I had an appointment to meet Soupy Sales there in 1972. We only got to speak for a moment until the jerk-of-a-club-manager put a stop to our chat. There's a gas station on that corner now...

Dave		17-Sep-2007 19:21
Does anyone remember the Robin Hood Inn on the corner of NE 36th St and Bisc, Blvd.? The actual building looked like an old Medieval Fort... If I remember correctly it stayed at that location until they reconfigured 36 st. for the Julia Tuttle Causeway.. Not sure of the years!! OK Jeff, Get to work!!!

Joanne		17-Sep-2007 17:10
Jeff...Where was the Brasserie? Was it on NW36th not far from the airport? That was the name of a club I frequented but I'm not sure of the location.

Don Boyd		17-Sep-2007 03:50
Bill, you are correct on the Victoria Station at Dadeland. It was on the north side near the west end, and due north of the large drug store that used to be there on the south side. You could access it from the north parking lot even if it was after the mall's operating hours. The Lum's in Davie is great. We've been there four times in the past few months and it really brings back the memories. One time I pigged out on hot dogs steamed in beer, one with chili, one with sauerkraut and I think my wife got the Ollieburger which she loved. The location is mentioned in the commentary gallery. Don

Bill Parks		17-Sep-2007 02:58
Dace, The welded together rail cars of the 36th street Victoria Station are still there. I believe the property is for sale. I'm pretty sure there was a Victoria's Station located in the Dadeland Mall as well. There is a restaurant called Lum's Family Restaurant in Davie Florida that still sells Hot Dogs Steamed in Beer and Ollie Burgers. I may have to make a pilgrimage.

Sofia		16-Sep-2007 20:16
Dace -- I remember Victoria Station on 36th Street quite well. Great ribs. Does anyone remember the name of an Italian restaurant in Miami Springs, the Circle area? I think it was Pepi's, but I'm not sure. The owner/chef used to personally come out and say hello to the guests and ask if we enjoyed his food. What a great little place that was.

Jeff		16-Sep-2007 19:15
What would a post from Jeff be without a typo, right? The band I started to mention from the Brasserie was Wolfgang, not Wolfgand! Charles DeChant, their sax player, later scored a big gig by becoming the sax player in the road band of Hall and Oates! I was friendly with the drummer, Tony L'Abbatte... and we picked up a couple of chicks from the loung one night and went back to their place. If you haven't guessed my kind of luck by now... Tony and his chick went out, mine was too drunk, and slept the night away, despite my best efforts to coax her into some action... It was a LONG set of bus rides back to Miami Beach the next morning... and my mom was not too thrilled with me staying out all night... Oh, those good old days of testosterone... where are you now that I need you????? LOL!

Jeff		16-Sep-2007 19:08
You're right, Dace...! I do remember, thanks to you jogging my memory a bit. There WERE two locations of Victoria Station... and one was located near the Skylake Mall in North Miami Beach... I'm thinking it was on NE 15th Avenue [where the current Walgreen is located]... but I could be wrong. Another thing came back to me... an old hangout of mine in the 1970's... the Brasserie Discotheque... owned by Jimmy James (who also owned Bus Benches, Inc. and the Chesapeake Motel). He looked like a double for Danny Kaye! I used to bus out there from Miami Beach just before opening and hitchhike home from the club late night (dummy that I was) because I didn't have a car... I was quite the dancer of The Bump (remember THAT??????) in my beige polyester leisure suit purchased from J.C. Penney at the Biscayne Shopping Plaza, my big, curly brown hair [now shorter and much greyer] and my long sideburns... Music was supplied by bands such Wolfgand and Statue of Liberty... The worst part of it it all... I just wanted to go out and dance, and 9 out of 10 times the girls would refuse me... waiting for "Mr. Right"... and if he didn't come along, they'd dance with each other rather than the guys they'd previously rejected! At least I had fun one night... playing the Astroflight pinball machine in the back pool room... I turned the machine over twice (rolled the score over to OOOOO two consecutive times) and won about 30 games on points... not matches. What a way for a single guy to spend an evening! LOL! Nothing much has changed... I'm stil single... still having a hard time meeting quality women of my preference down here... and I'm now busy on the computer instead of hammering away at a pinball machine. The more things change.........

Dace		16-Sep-2007 17:01
Does anyone remember the restaurant chain, if memory serves me right, Victoria Station?? They were many authentic RR box cars grouped together so you could move from one to another.. Quite a novel idea at the time... The two I remember were located in N. Miami Beach and on NW36th st. a little west of MIA.. I'll bet Jeff remembers!!!

Guest		16-Sep-2007 16:01
In a waxing nostalgic mood today and inquire if any of the usual bloggers recall the wrestling matches held at the Miami Beach Convention Center circa 1967-1969. These were well ahead of the "WWF", "WWW", Smackdown, "TNT" of today's genre. I recall watching The Great Malenko, Dory Funk, Louis Tillette, Beautiful Brutus, Cyclone Negros, Georgeous George and Andre the Giant to name a few. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

charlis		16-Sep-2007 14:05
Jeff, thanks for the other Lums locations. He lived across the street from my uncle... one house spread out over 2-3 lots on the canal on Normandy Isle. The landscaping was beautiful. Restaurant memories, thanks to my packing for the move... Gallaghers on US1 and 125th MOL. Best steaks in town, grilled at the front of the place behind huge windows. And the famous Tubby potatoes. Knew the owners and when the place burned down we all went to the warehouse and came out with glass ware, and those plastic cups used for the potato fillings! I just gave away the last of the stemware! Little known fact.... Alex Trebek's mom worked at Gallaghers as a hostess... used to watch over my daughter while hubby and I ate.

Jeff		16-Sep-2007 04:19
Roberta... The few (if any) Lums that remain are privately owned. The corporation went bankrupt in the late 80's or early 90's. Dog House Restaurants started with their first one on 37th Avenue and Flagler Street in the late 50's, then grew into a small chain. They've been gone for about 30 years or more...

Roberta Perry Hughes		16-Sep-2007 03:49
Ted...thanks for the info re: Burns Bar and Grill. My aunt, Gloria Caulder, later Rarrick, worked there for years. I also worked there, allbeit briefly, when I lived with her, after high school (in Georgia). After that, I worked @ The Dog House Restaurant, nearby, when it was brand new, in 1967, if memory serves me correctly. Burns Bar and Grill was owned & operated by Charlie & Kay Burns, & I believe his brother, Harold Burns, was a partner. They had very good food, & employed a pastry chef, who had his own bakery, right next door to the restaurant. On the other side of the restaurant was a funeral home, or maybe it was a couple of doors down...? The Dog House Restaurant served so-called "International" hot dogs. My favorite was the German dog, which was, quite simply, sauerkraut & mustard, though they had many others that were also good. Meanwhile, back in GA, in Albany, a Dog House Restaurant...& a Lum's, too...were built on Slappey Drive. Both were short-lived. Have no idea what is in their place, now, but it was a shame to see them go under. Are there any Lum's still in Miami? What about the Dog House Restaurants, especially the one near where Burns Bar and Grill were...Ted? Do you know? Around 1960, a Burger King was built up on Bird Road...is that the one in the photo, in the Galleries, Don? The one I'm thinking about was somewhere near (?) the Pizza place...or was it??? Does anyone remember the Tastee Freeze, up on Bird Road, that was off to itself, but adjacent to the strip of stores that ended in Pearl Furniture, which was right @ it? The far end was Bird Drugs, & the bus stop was on the same side of the road, across from a street perpendicular to Bird, on the corner there. Is that strip of stores, pictured in the Galleries, part of what was left of the strip I'm remembering? The Food Fair, Goodys Shoes, and a Five and Dime, were across the street, & on the very end from them, was Bird Bowl, & Sunland Skating Rink. (?) There are sa lot of stores & eateries pictured, that I don't remember, as they must have been built after 1961, which is the year we moved back to Georgia. I cannot relate to the Posters who lived in Our Town long enough to become of legal drinking age, as far as the establishments they frequented, in which they had their first beer. I was only 4 years old, when we moved to Miami, in 1951, & was not quite 14 years old when we left, so, my particular memories, when I lived in our family home, are from when I was a child. Still played with dolls...(still DO, or rather, I collect them...antiques, & ones from my childhood days). Even so, makes me (almost) wish I had grown to maturity, in Miami, & had gone to Southwest High School, like my sister, Audrey did. No regrets, however. But I enjoy the memories of others, posted on here, & yarns of where they used to hang out, as college kids. (sigh).

Stephen LeQuier		16-Sep-2007 03:15
Lum’s Ollieburger http://asnailpace.com/blog/archives/507

Guest		16-Sep-2007 01:51
Found site that says Ollie Burgers still available at a Lum's in Elmira, NY. Also says receipe for Ollie Burgers available at www.columbustour.com/rest-history/oll.

Ted		15-Sep-2007 14:54
Roberta -- Burns Bar & Grill is long gone. The building is still there...not sure what it currently is, but I'll check it out next time I'm down in the vicinity.

Arizona Al		15-Sep-2007 01:52
What I fondly recall about Big Daddys circa 1967-1969 was the price of drinks which was 38 cents! Boy Howdy how times have changed!!! As far as indegeneous restaurants, I recall Gigi's Itialian in North Miami had to die for garlic rolls and Edith and Fritz's in Central Miami had all you could eat lobster for a reasonable price. I am inclined to interject the Dalah Horse and Painted Horse all you could eat smorgasboards for 99 cents including beverage were favorites of mine during my starving student times. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive abd well in Phoenix, Arizona

Jeff		15-Sep-2007 00:03
For those of you who do not know it, Big Daddy's Lounges and Restaurants were founded by Joe (Big Daddy) Flanagan. He passed away about a year or so back... Originally under the umbrella of his Castlewood International Corporation, the chain survived bankruptcy and reorganzation, and scaled back its operations (that also included liquor stores). Many of the Big Daddy's locations that did survive the changing times were renamed Flanagan's, and focused on their food specialties (such as the baby back ribs). Speaking of places to go around town... let me once again throw around a few of the fast-food chain names that were in-and-out of the Miami area over the years for the jogging of your collective memories... Wuv's, Wag's (div. of Walgreen's), Tacos Ole, Taco Viva, Godfather's Pizza, Little Caesar's Pizza, Champburger (named for Muhammad Ali), Broadway Joe's (named for Joe Namath), Jackie Gleason Restaurants, Uncle John's Pancake House, Bojangles Chicken, Scott's Fried Chicken, Chicken Unlimited, Key Wester Restaurant (div. of Lums), Copper Penny Restaurants, Neba Roast Beef (local chain), Abner's Roast Beef (div. of Lums), Hum-Dinger Hamburgers, Hamburger Giant, Circus Wagon Restaurants, Beefsteak Charlie's, Burger Castle, Arthur Treacher's, Gulliver's, The Dog House Restaurants (local chain), Simon the Pieman (possible local chain), Blimpie's, Junior's (local chain), Sambo's, Dean Martin's Restaurant, Rudy's (local chain)... Of course, there were many others - and hundreds more of locally favorite eateries and watering holes that did not survive the years... A few of the non-chain places to eat around town that have gone bye-bye are: Miami Beach-Normandy Isle-Surfside area: Fu Manchu, Gatti's, Picciolo's, Neil's Sandwich Shop, Embers, Bonfire, Nick and Arthur's, The Place for Steak, Gallagher's, Tony's Fish Market, Danny's, Broadway Steak House, Concord Cafeteria, Governor Cafeteria, Curry's, Patti & Sandy's, Eberhardt's House of Steaks... Miami area... 7 Seas, Mike Gordon's, St. Clair's Cafeterias, Polly Davis Cafeterias, M&M Cafeterias, Arthur Maisel's, Red Coach Grill, Mansene's, Toby's Cafeterias, Tyler's Restaurants, Les Violins, Grace's Italian Restaurant... North Miami/North Miami Beach area... Gallagher's, Hurricane Harbor, The Cattleman (previously known as Pierre's and The Shadows), Randy's Seafood House (formerly on Lincon Road), Mary's Italian Restaurant, Marty's Italian Restaurant, Corky's... You South Dade posters can probably run up quite a list of your own... ...and on and on and on...

lmartin		14-Sep-2007 23:09
Big Daddy's were a great place to hang out and there were plenty around. Seemed like there was one on every corner. The ones at Tamiami Trail/SW 58th Ave and Bird/82nd Ave were full almost all weekend once the drinking age was reduced to 18.

Joanne		14-Sep-2007 21:03
Me too Al, Big Daddy's was our preference as well. Trysting Place, one in the Gables near Miracle Mile, one near the airport. That reminds me of seeing the Rhodes Brothers at the Merchandise Mart and the night we visited was the clubs first experience with a streaker. What we weren't aware of was the streaker was a member of our party. The nightclub brought bottles of champagne to the table when he returned, they were thrilled to have something so funny happen in the middle of the show. Anybody else have any great streaker stories? Love to hear 'em....

Guest		14-Sep-2007 20:06
I also have a faint recollection of an Ale House on South Dixie but can not recall ever frequenting the location. After my service obligation (1964-1967) I frequented Big Daddy's Lounges, Trader Johns (near Miami Dade Jr. College), The Par-Tee Lounge (South Dixie Highway), and Tony's Country Palace (also near Miami Dade Jr. College). After my "drinking my way through Dade County tour," I relocated to North Carolina and eventually Arizona. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Palmetto High Class of 1964, Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Joanne		14-Sep-2007 14:32
I have a faint recollection of some sort of alehouse on S. Dixie just south of U of M. But not a clue on it's name. I do remember the Lums on S. Dixie at Kendall, and a wonderful steak place called Bodega on S. Dixie just north of SW104th. Somebody earlier mentioned Black Ceasar's Forge, I went there for a pre-dance dinner in '73. My favorite place to eat though was Sub King in Perrine. I have not found a sub sandwich since that can match what they did. From what I've heard Sub King was destroyed by Andrew. What a shame.

LARGO		14-Sep-2007 14:04
HEY DAVE!...THANKS FOR SETTING ME STRAIGHT REGARDING THE OUTDOOR BOWLING ALLEY.......WHEN YOU GUYS START TALKING FOOD...YOU FLIP THE ((((((HUNGRY))))))...SWITCH...now where did i put that sausage & beer??........DOES ANYONE MEREMBER... (UMM GOOD BEER..KIDDING!!).......THE ALEHOUSE IN THE LATE 60'S DOWN S. MIAMI..I'M THINKING OFF S. DIXIE HWY....THAT WAS FOR A TIME..A FUN COLLEGE HANGOUT...ANY SOUTHIES RECALL??? ALAN...JOANNE???

Jeff		14-Sep-2007 06:01
For those of you who might be interested... part of my annotations under one of the Lums pictures in the gallery contains some tidbits about Ollie Gluckenhaus and his "Ollie Burger"... long a staple for Miami Beach Senior High students, and briefly part of the Lums menu...

Bill Parks		14-Sep-2007 04:43
I have been enjoying this site for several months now. I think Lums is second only to Royal Castle in our common memories of Miami. I had my first legal beer in the Lums on the corner of US1 and Kendall Drive. The beer was Amstel, not Amstel Light. The waitress was Margie. She made a great show of "carding" me. The group I hung out with used to eat at the Lums in Coconut Grove. Margie was our waitress. When she moved to the Lums at US1 and Kendall, we followed. It wasn't the steamed in beer hot dogs I liked but the Ollie Burgers.

Jeff		13-Sep-2007 22:51
Check out my short history of Lums under one of the photos in the gallery. Charlis forgot that there was also one on Lincoln Road and Jefferson Avenue and another on Collins Ave. and Espanola Way...

charlis		13-Sep-2007 21:31
Jeff.... I remember going to drive in on 7th. And the chinese restaurant was the best around... better than the one on the Miami Beach side of 79th. Anyone remember Lums? Best hot dogs in the world! 1st one was on 41st St aka Arthur Godfrey Rd. They expanded with one on Collins near Beach High, then one on 79th St. I moved here, Tampa, in 1974 and found one up here!

jeff		13-Sep-2007 20:33
OK, Don... thanks... that's a new one for me... Anyone out there go to that drive-in as well as?

Don Boyd		13-Sep-2007 19:46
No Jeff, the ones you mentioned are not where it was. The drive-in where I saw the Bardot flicks was a block or two on the east side of 27th Avenue, such as 25th or 26th Avenue, and south of where Northside is (about NW 69th - 70th Street?) and in the vicinity of the giant Sears warehouse that used to supply all of the Sears retail stores in Dade County at the time. People used to have to go to the warehouse to pickup large appliances, TV's, etc. unless they were in stock at the stores, and they had a decent employee cafeteria which was open to the public. This was before they built a new warehouse at the Palmetto and NW 25th Street and closed the old one. I can't remember when the drive-in closed but I went there in the late 50s/early 60s. Don

Jeff		13-Sep-2007 19:06
That should have been... E.M. Loew's...

Jeff		13-Sep-2007 19:01
Don... The drive-in movie you're thinking of was the E.M. Low's Miami Drive-In, located on NW 7th Avenue and 81 Street... The only other drive-in movie in that area was the Boulevard Drive-In located at about NE 143rd Street and Biscayne in North Miami... the current site of Costco... There was another drive in on NW 27th Avenue itself, just North of Northside called... (duh!) the 27th Avenue Drive-In...

Don Boyd		13-Sep-2007 16:09
General Development Corp was founded by the Mackle Brothers and famous for buying tens of thousands of acres dirt cheap and then selling small home lots for $10 down and $10 a month for 10 years or whatever. There's an interesting tidbit about what they did in Sarasota county athttp://scg.co.sarasota.fl.us/Historical_Resources/Dreamers/dreamer_gdc.asp and a Wikipedia article that includes other developments athttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Development_Corporation . I remember putting up hurricane shutters on the GDC building in the late summer of 1965 when I worked part-time for a family friend's hurricane shutter company (Jones Shutter Products) which had service contracts with many large hotels, buildings, homes, condos etc. and we had two hurricanes pass close that year. By the time we got to the GDC building after other jobs the winds were really kicking up and it was tough handling the shutters in the wind but we got it done. The scariest of the jobs we did that day was a high up condo on the ocean in the Seacoast Towers (?) just south of Haulover Inlet but the lady tipped us very well. Speaking of the NE area, does anyone remember a barber shop just east of Biscayne on NE 85th Street called "Joe's Clip Joint?" It was there for decades and I used to get my hair cut there as a kid because we lived further east on that street in the mid-fifties. I'm sure every guy in a certain age range remembers Bridgette Bardot and her movies at the time. I saw a few as a kid at a drive-in east of NW 27th Avenue and south of 79th Street (maybe near 69th Street?) - the young neighborhood couple who took me with their kids loved her movies and my eyes were wide open because she was beautiful and her attire, or lack thereof, was scandalous at the time. Don

Jeff		13-Sep-2007 14:34
One more thing, Dave.. The Larry's Soda Shopyou mention might very well be the Hamburger Palace I'd noted, based on an old photo... In fact, a couple of years ago they tore down the theater, and an old sign was on the hidden wall for (if I recall) Hamburgers - 10 cents, Root Beer - 5 cents! I can just imagine the look on your face seeing the sleek, sultry Bridgette Bardot at the time... she was SO much sexier than Brittany, Jessica, J-Lo, Lindsey and every other "flavor of the moment" from today rolled into one!

Jeff		13-Sep-2007 14:27
Dave... Thanks for the kind words. From 1984 to 1997 I was a collector of local photo memorabilia. I used to scour old Bresser's Cross-Index editions to pinpoint locations in photos by obvious businesses shown. I also spotted familiar places with different names and noted the changes. Some of these things I actually can remember from 44 years in South Florida, but much of my trivia was from playing "photo detective". My colletion is now part of the larger library of images owned by author/historian/speaker Seth Bramson. I left out a few Little River factoids because I couldn't recall the exact names of the places I had in mind... For example: the pharmacy and soda shop around 84th Street and NE 2nd Ave. [across from the phone company branch office] that was in the same building as the bank (in the building that had an arcade-type front entrance)... There was Lang's TV store on the SE corner of NE 81st Street and NE 2nd Avenue for years, but that building eventually was vacant for a long time... Plus... I left out some Biscayne Boulevard trivia... like the Boulevard Theater, the Bank of Miami (now turned into a lofts building for renters)... Biscayne Shopping Plaza (the first shopping center in Dade) with Neisner's, Walgreen's, Belk's, J.C. Penney, Three Sisters, W.T. Grant's, National Shirt Shops and Arthur Maisel's Restaurant (later Junior's) amongs the tenants... The small Lindsley Lumber by the canal on NE 79th Street? Do you remember the tall building constructed on the SW corner of 79th and Biscayne for General Development Corp.? The were property developers. The building had a wrap-around "headline" sign [such as in Times Square] and a heliport on the roof... It's now the INS building! There's a Chinese retaurant that was there for over 50 years just North of 79th and the Boulevard... one of the first KFC franchises (Paley's Kentucky Fried Chicken) was just south at about 73rd and Biscayne... Then there was the Little Farmer's Market and "Washeteria" up around 86th and Biscayne, the Food Fair... and... should you ever venture into the South end of Miami Shores, there was the Shores Drive-In...with it's automated conveyor belt. In the early 50's it was Pickin' Chicken! Just North of that was Uncle John's Pancake House and a Kwik Check (built around 1961)...

Dave		13-Sep-2007 04:29
Hey Largo!! The NE 79th st. bowling alley was open air and you bowled with the shoes you brung... The lanes were, as i've said before, not wood but some kind of terrazo finish... Largo, You haven't bowled till you bowled in the rain!!!! Talk about changin lane conditions........

Dave		13-Sep-2007 04:01
Jeff.... Amazed at all your knowledge of the LR area... You must have access to some historical info... Or a fantastic memory... Yes, I remember the 79th Art theater.. We fake Id'd ourselves into that theater one night and saw, And God Created Woman with B. Bardow(??).., We left wondering how they could show that kind of movie.... Today?? You did forget about Larrys Soda Shop, unofficial home of the Little River Rats!! They wrere located next to the theater and across the street from the auto inspection station.... Keep up the good work!!!!! We need you!!!

Jeff		13-Sep-2007 02:36
If I'm not mistaken, the open air theater you have been referring to eventually got a roof... and was the later home of Nationwide Photo Studios and Newgay Table Tennis Company (two businesses sharing that one location)... Everyone's been talking about theaters in Little River... so here's some trivia... The Little River Theater on 79th Street just West of NE 2nd Ave. - later to be called the Bard, and even later the 79th Street Art Theater (adult fare)... How about the Rosetta on NE 2nd Avenue proper... later to be known as the King, then the Rex... just across the way from the first Royal Castle location... Then there was the Woolworth's Store (later Salvation Army), the phone company office... Watson's Restaurant, Little River Stationers... and how about this: The Bell Hop Drive-In Restaurant next to the dry cleaners on NE 2nd Avenue... Little River Bank and Trust Company... Flip's Drive-In on Miami Ave. and NE 79th Street... The Majorette Drive-In on NW 5th Avenue... Jumbo's on 75th Street and NW 7th Avenue... I think there was a "walk-in" place called Hamburger Palace next to the Little River Theater as well... (Boy, have I been doing my homework!)

Guest		13-Sep-2007 00:13
I remember the Little River Auditorium circa 1963-1964. My father would drive me and my brother from Cutler Ridge to see the weekly boxing matches. There were mostly local club fighters on the card but occasionally we got to see a ranked fighter. Does anyone remember this venue? Alan Ogus, Ph.D.

LARGO		12-Sep-2007 23:53
HEY "BERTIE"...(you probably hate that nicker)....WE HAVE A FAN....JOANNE JUMP IN ...THIS JUMP ROPE DOES DOUBLE DUTCH!!!...........LARGO .............QUERY.......openair bowling alley...please draw me a picture......SOMEBODY???........was it covered?....would'nt the rental shoes get moldy???

charlis		12-Sep-2007 21:23
Roberta... no, haven't moved yet. Last weekend of September or first weekend of October looks to be the days (will miss my 40th reunion at Beach Hi...)

DaveMESH60		12-Sep-2007 20:43
PPPPKK, Thank you , thank you!! I've been trying for months to find someone who also remembered that open air bowling alley on 79th st. east of NE 2nd Ave. I also remember Sykes Hardware.. Those were the days you received one on one help and advice on your project.. The open air theater was on NE 2nd ave and around 75th St( don't remember the name). Scroll up to the top of this page and check out " For those born in the 30's--70's".. That site is more geared to us who lived and went to school in NE Dade during that time period,..

ppppkk		12-Sep-2007 17:16
there was an outdoor bowling ally in little river , on 79th st. across from sykes hardware. i went to edison with johnny sykes . Also an open air theater in L. River on ne 2nd ave,

Joanne		12-Sep-2007 13:30
Roberta / Largo...Love listening to you two. Could sit here for hours. I have a question for any posters who are currently in Miami. How is the far south end of the county around Naranja to Homestead as far as living conditions? Crime rate? Anyone with current knowledge? Thanks!!

Roberta		12-Sep-2007 02:42
Largo...Glad you love the rods, stock cars, etc....as for myself, I love classic cars, the way some preservationists have kept them "Show Room new." Now, THAT's an art, in an of itself, to restore to that "all original" look & feel, factory fresh! Never cared for the "Frankenstein" movies, either...nor any of the (past, or present-day) horror flicks. But, hey!...that's just how I feel, you know? I prefer Norman Rockwell to Picasso...I prefer realism to surrealism...but, hey! Again, that's just me, & what I like. Our preferences are what makes us who we are, but...!...whatever our preferences, I can't see where that "defines" a "real" woman, from...what?? an "unreal" woman?? Truce, already...! And...good to hear from you, again. Peace.

LARGO		12-Sep-2007 00:06
SORRY ROBERTA......I HAVE A BUSY LIFE...I TEACH...AND I WOULD ((((LOVE)))) TO SLEEP MORE...POST MORE....I HAVE..."EOI"...EARLY ONSET INSOMNIA.............AND...WORD UP... I 'M HELPING INSTALL A GALLERY SHOW....ITS A JUNGLE OUT HERE...LOVE THE JUNGLE...KEEPS ME BUSY MOST DAYS.....AND SOME NIGHTS........ALAN..JOANNE.........GO PANTHERS"63.......S.A. LARGO....... LOVES THE RODS!!!

LARGO		11-Sep-2007 23:52
SO SORRY......IT IS NOT JUST A "GUY THING".......JUST VISIT A "CLASSIC ROD" SHOW...(MORE OF A NATION....A FOLLOWING....LIKE THE GRATEFUL DEAD)...CHECK OUT HOW MANY ...AHEMMM!! "REAL WOMEN"...LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!...THE RODS!!!!....IT IS A CRAFT OF EXTREME TALENT AND ENGINEERING ...AN ART FORM....THE VERY OLD MORPHING & EVOLVING INTO THE EXTREMELY...."FAR OUT!!!!!!!!".............. LARGO LIKES IT!!!

Roberta		11-Sep-2007 23:48
AZALAN..."Ain't" gonna shoot you, for the video link. I just love my Oldsmobiles, most especially the 1955 & 1958 models, which were the cars my father owned. I never have cared for rods, stock cars, drag racing, NASCAR, or Formula One racing. But, hey! That's just me, & I hate waste...(burning oil, rubber on tires, & fuel)...when the cost of same is so forking high, you know? Charlis...looking forward to the memories & stories of your friend. Largo...you asleep? Charlis...(again)...did you get all moved & settled in?

charlis		11-Sep-2007 21:49
gang, hopefully we will be enjoying some posts from a friend of mine. When I told him of this site, he got very interested. He has some great stories to share with us as a Cuban immigrant in the early 60's, living in Hialeah. He tells of his father and he walking miles to see if they could get a job... I am talking about walking from the Orange Bowl area to northern Hialeah! He did tell one story today about when he had returned to Miami in the early 70's. He was working near the Opolacka Airport when a plane, a small Cessna crashed into the building he was working in... like the wing hit just above his cubicle!

Joanne		11-Sep-2007 14:22
Al...loved the hot rods. My Dad bought an old Metropolitan around 1969 for my sister and brother to share. My other brother had a rag top Bug that was a blast to cruise around in. In fact I learned how to drive a standard tranny in a Bug. What great liitle cars. (from the other Panther poster)

Arizona Al		11-Sep-2007 14:05
Roberta: Please don't shoot me! I am only the messenger:) Alan Ogus, Ph.D.

Roberta		11-Sep-2007 04:01
Meant to say...I don't care what CAR they do it to...just so they leave my Oldsmobiles alone. Shoot. Rod-up a Lexus, BMW, or whatever, but vintage 1950s Oldsmobiles...?? That's flat-out criminal!!!

Roberta		11-Sep-2007 03:57
Arizona Alan...Well...must be a "guy thing," those "rods," & I was o.k. with them, until I saw how someone put an insulting "Continental kit" on my favorite car, the 1958 Oldsmobile. I have seen many, on eBay auction sites, especially the 2-door models, where some jackanape converted a once-fabulous family car into a so-called "rod." UGH!! I don't care what care they do it to...just leave my Oldsmobiles alone.

Guest		11-Sep-2007 02:11
Are there any Ridge Rats out there in cyber space? In 1962 a group of assorted quasi and certified delinquents actually formed the "gang" and called ourselves the Ridge Rats. We all lived in Cutler Ridge and Whispering Heights and attended Palmetto High School. Original Members included; Alan Ogus, Roy Ronnie Valentine, Butch Childers, David Congdon (deceased), Paul Atwood( deceased), Jerry Arnold, Nathan Levy, Terry Stewart, , Danny Funk, Ron Parano, Tom Kelley, Bo Kelley, Emilo Mazza, Tom Garrett and John Buckley. Alan Ogus, Ph.D.

Guest		11-Sep-2007 01:55
And here is another link that will take you all to the music we listened to in the 50's and 60's..Enjoy!! Arizona Al:http://www.bobforrest.com/JukeBox.htm

Guest		11-Sep-2007 01:51
For some reason I can not seem to post the website for the cars of the 1950's and 1960's we love. Am endeavoring to post one more time Arizona Al http://objflicks.com/CarsWeDrove.htm

Roberta Perry Hughes		11-Sep-2007 01:35
Arizona Alan...welcome back...but...What link ?? Come back on here, with that link for us to click on & enjoy, please!! I LOVE the cars from our era!! Thanks!!

Guest		10-Sep-2007 15:34
Yooo Arizona Alan, I think you forgot something??

Arizona Alan		10-Sep-2007 14:30
Here is a great video link for the cars we drove in the 1950's and 1960's..Enjoy

Jeff		10-Sep-2007 01:31
My late friend (Al Eckhardt) of Allied Signs worked with his father at Tropicalites [later Bengis Associates] after relocating from New York in late 1947 until 1959 when he struck out on his own. While at Tropicalites, Al was a pattern maker - he created the original paper designs used as guides to form neon signs and their respective metal housings. The Bird Bowl sign, along with the AMF "robot" were drawn by Al Eckhardt for the project. Al was an extremely talented sign man who is sorely missed by his friends and family... but he left a legacy of quality work that spanned over 50 years. But sadly, as we keep tearing down older, familiar buildings and replacing them, many of Al's sign layouts have disappeared. Do you remember the old "king on a bun" pole signs for Burger King? How about the unusually "modernistic" script of the name "International City Building" on 36th Street by the airport? Al made those patterns as well...

Roberta Perry Hughes		09-Sep-2007 22:01
Thanks, so much, Don, for the photo of Bird Bowl!! You must know how I hunger for any photos from S.W. Miami, where I grew up, & I certainly do appreciate it. You're the greatest!! This one, & the one of Tropicaire Drive-in, just leave me teary-eyed with nostalgia, for..."my Old Miami home, far away." "Thank you" seems to be so inadequate. God bless you, for this awesome Site!!

Jeff		09-Sep-2007 01:34
OK, DaveMESH60... I added my 2 cents worth in on the other post page... and for those of you who didn't get there as of yet, here's the trivia I noted from both posts... You know, come to think of it... there WAS another bowling alley on 79th Street... around NE 10th Avenue on the Southwest side of the Street... I remember it being there in the 70's, and it later became a roller disco rink... I used to catch a bus there when I went over from the Beach to Little River to shop... It was East of Flora's Pizza [previously know as either the T&D or Steak King Drive In] and West of the Burger King (that later became the Twin Dixie Convenience Store)... The zoo that Mary Metzger was referring to was on NE 131st Street and NE 7th Avenue - currently the site of North Miami Middle School. Capt. Roman Proske purchased the zoo (which was originally located in Opa-Locka) and moved it to North Miami after the war. It was the winter home of Clyde Beatty's tigers... In 1955, as Edward L. Constance Jr./Sr. High School (built as a high school in 1951) became overcrowded, the school board purchased the zoo property from Proske to build North Miami Junior High (Middle School). Upon the completion of the junior high, the residents of North Miami petitioned to rename E. L. Constance to North Miami Senior High. With the blessing of Constance's widow, the school board did as such. Sadly, I've never been able to locate photos of the zoo... By the way, LOVE your name Teekeela Robertson Williams ... it reminds me of one of the first 45 RPM records I ever owned... "Tequila" by The Champs... Michael M. Tobin: What a WONDERFUL array of memories you've shared with us... Sadly, Fu Manchu (71st Street on Miami BEach) just closed this year. The 163rd Street Shopping was originally planned for construction in 1955 on NE 125th Street and NE 9th Ave. by Zegarra Construction... but North Miami, in it's ever-present (even 'way back then) "head-up-your-ass" wisdom, put a stop to that plan (and another one as well)...

DaveMESH60		08-Sep-2007 21:54
Hey, all you folks from NE Dade Co. and Miami Beach, how about visiting and posting at the link, For those born in the 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's.... I know there's a bunch of us still around... Besides, that "IS" where Miami was born...

charlis		08-Sep-2007 19:12
Roberta... I have been busy packing for my move next month. Hope all is going well with you and yours.

Roberta Perry Hughes		08-Sep-2007 18:39
omjewelry...Wow. You lived not far from my neighborhood! I remember some of the places you mentioned. You & I are truly some of the "old school" Posters, aren't we? Did you know artist Marshall E. Smith, when you lived in Coconut Grove? Does ANYONE remember "Florida sores?" I think(?) they came from playing in water (mud puddles) whose base was lime soil (?) Anyway, they felt like someone had stuck a lit cigarette to your skin...(& looked like it, too)... & they left scars, all up & down your legs, or on your forearms. To kids who played outdoors, they were as prevalent as childhood warts were...(which, we learned, years later, were caused by a virus, & NOT from having a frog pee on your hand). Florida sores, like warts, are very much a part of my childhood memories, of living in Our Town, in the 1950s, & I'm just curious, as to whether or not other Posters out there, recall this "childhood plague?" Hi, Jeff! Hi, Charlis! Largo, where are you? Hi, Everyone else, who loves this Site, & loves the memories evoked by Don's amazing photo galleries!

Jeff		08-Sep-2007 18:04
The Flamingo Shopping Plaza was built in 1955... just before the 163rd Street Shopping Center was constructed. Original tenants included Kwik Chek (still there as Winn Dixie), Woolworth's, W.T. Grant, HFC Finance, The Glass House, Western Auto, Sareze Sportswear, J. C. Penney, National Shirt Shops, and an ice cream shop... among the many other merchants. When the shopping center lost its anchor store (J.C. Penney) to Palm Springs Mile, it was the beginning of the end for the plaza. It languished for years until it turned into "thrift store city"...

JD		08-Sep-2007 16:59
Leslie click on the Hialeah image at the top of this page, all photos and comments about Hialeah. It's great :) I also hung out at Bright park and also Babcock park during the summer. I use to hang out at Flamingo Plaza all the time, that was our mall back in the day :) It's still there but it's mostly thrift stores now. I graduated at Miami Springs High in 75. I would have went to Hialeah High but they changed the boundary. I also went to Filer Jr. and Hialeah Elementary.

Guest		08-Sep-2007 14:07
Roberta, I used to live off Miller & Galloway in what was 'Sunkist Estates' (the neighborhood which is runs mostly on S.W. 58th Street) There is a fire station on Galloway (well, it was there in '95) down close to the water works. I can remember when it was a jail (or prison) and we'd drive by in my mom's station wagon and wave at the prisoners who we could see behind the barred windows. They'd stick their hands through the bars and wave back. As children, we played in the white mud behind the waterworks (past the chain-link fence and the No Trespassing signs) then rinse off in the rock pit behind the Potter's Field next door.

Leslie		08-Sep-2007 13:29
Hialeah class of 67 signing in! What a great place this is, with others who remember our days of growing up in the original "Happy Days". I have been looking for the land of OZ and here it is. Beem me up Scottie, I want to go home. I am so glad everyone remembers how great it was to grow up in such a wonderful place. I remember so many of the places pictured and mentioned. Milander Park and the dances, I saw Dee Dee Sharpe there. But went into the auditorium before the dance and she was practicing. Got a free concert and hardly any distractions. I also saw Sonny & Cher at Hialeah Race Track. Wondered how they could stand and sing in the sun so long. Specially with those vests on. I lived near Bright Park also, and that was the greatest place any kid could hang out at. We had everything, great programs that babysat us in the summers. A pool and all the attendants knew all our names. Lee Brihm who over saw the park activites and watched over all of us. We watched Charlie Hough play ball, and turn into a pro. He married one of my neighbors, Sharon O'brien. Loved the dances there too. We also had great ones at the old fireman's hall. Just so much to take in, just glad we have all found our way here. Maybe in someway we wish it was still there for us to go back to. Reality is...it isn't there anymore, not like we remember anyway. I prefer to remember it the way it is here on the board. The great pictures full of history, that touch all of us in the place we need to reconnect. That is in the heart. I believe we all came from different neighborhoods but share so many of the same experiences. Anyone remember the old Flamingo shopping center? There was always this really big and tall policeman working there. He watched out for all the kids when we hung out. Made sure we were safe. It just seemed no matter where you were there was always someone you knew, or who knew your parents. Hope there are some Hialeah people out there. But I feel like we are all "family", we came from a special place & at a special time. How lucky we all are to have that to remember. I later moved to west 54th st. in Hialeah, and later to east 61st. Even though they weren't big moves, like to another city all our neighborhoods had their own "flavor". My grandparents lived near Essex Theater, Dairy Queen & the bowling alley, and Babcock Park. My family lived in Linden Gardens (east 34th st.) Hialeah. I went to Elementary School at Flamingo, Jr. High at Filer, then to Palm Springs Jr. and onto HHS "67", then to Miami Dade North 67& 68.

Jeff		08-Sep-2007 03:34
Hi, everyone! I'm feeling a lot better... I think it was just a quirky, passing thing... Even that bump on the head is virtually gone, thanks to ice packs and Tylenol... it doesn't even hurt as it did yesterday... Of course, I'm going to take things light over the weekend... why pus one's luck, eh? Hey... just to waste space for a minute and get away from the doom-and-gloom of health issues... Since no one (as of late) has unearthed any of the old lettering stencils and/or vintage office supplies I collect... I'm also in the market for buying up some old CD's [if you're sick of them, and if they're in good condition... and CHEAP]! How's that for a thoroughly meaningless subject on an "Miami Memories" blog? (Jeff MUST be feeling better.....LOL!)

jeff		07-Sep-2007 22:34
Hi again! I most appreciate the good wishes, and Charlis... I'm suspecting that I also have bit of a "bug" in me. I've done some napping this afternoon and still feel a bit lethargic. At one point I "thought" I was having another dizzy spell, but as soon as I lay down it dissipated... Perhaps some of this after-effect is psychosomatic, but I'm drinking water, just preparing some dinner (as I write) and taking it easy. If I get any more feelings like that, I most certainly will go to a doctor ASAP... I many be dumb, but I'm not a fool! (smile)... Thanks again!

charlis		07-Sep-2007 22:06
Jeff... glad you are feeling better. The stress you have been under might explain things but I'd suggest seeing an ENT! For the past few months I have felt like fainting. My doctor, who I have known for 33 years, had all sorts of tests run. Except for getting old, he found nothing wrong. Sent me to an ENT and found out that I had fluid in my ear canal. Several times a day I have to hold my nose and try to pop my ears. It has helped with the dizziness... and my hearing. I have worn hearing aids for the past ten years... comes from my stage position when working with Wayne Cochran, The Shades, and other bands at the old 2nd Floor. Got to a point that I couldn't hear the aids turn on. Now I can hear the cats purr without wearing the hearing aids. Give it a try.

Joanne		07-Sep-2007 15:47
Welcome back Jeff. I remember being able to drive out this one street that dead ended at Biscayne Bay. It was just south of Gables by the Sea. We'd wade into the water only about 3 ft deep and catch bunches of small lobster. That was some good eating!! Also, a time when you could drive down to the smaller bridges in the keys and fish or snorkel, and taking the boat out to Elliot Key to spend the day swimming. Anyone do that now?

Jeff		07-Sep-2007 14:48
Hi, Everyone! Thanks, Roberta and Joanne for your kind wishes... I'd hoped to get a good night's sleep last night, but I didn't fall out until after 3-ish and pretty much slept until 10 AM. Believe me, I'm going to monitor myself for the next couple of days and take things S-L-O-W... this was a first for me... and hopefully the last. Regrettably, I don't have a "regular" doctor right now... he passed away in 2001, and I've been going to different practitioners over the past few years. Another current problem in South Florida is finding competent physicians. A couple of years ago, after a first-time visit to a neighborhood doctor, he decided I was Type 2 diabetic after one blood test - without ordering any follow-up work. I went to another physician who ran a more thorough test and I was NOT diabetic... in fact other bloods tests in subsequent health checks have shown no problem with diabetes. (I liked the second doctor, but she relocated her practice to Broward...) Another clinic I went to did nothing but test-retest and test the tests when they questioned something. They wouldn't let me speak to the doctor again without making a paying appointment... and I felt I knew the cause of my problem. When they insisted on a hepatitis test - and I knew I didn't have hepatitis, because I'm a regular bood donor - I went and got the test at a local public clinic and sent the other clinic a letter essentially "firing" them... By the way... the test results? NO hepatitis. The only doctor I've trusted in recent times is my urologist... HE put me on a predominately vegetarian diet and both my PSA level and my cholestrol went WAY down...

Joanne		07-Sep-2007 14:08
Jefff...Take good care of yourself. I bumped my head about three weeks ago, not any fun!!! We'll be standing by, waiting for your latest quips and quotes. Be cool.

Roberta		07-Sep-2007 05:25
omjewelry...I clicked on, & saw your incredible creations! You are very much the artisan! While you lived in the Grove, did you ever know an artist named Marshall E. Smith? He was my half brother. He passed away in 1998, in GA. I keenly remember the Civil Defense place, as my former neighborhood was just a block from Miller Road. (I lived on SW 55th St. & 99th PL, one block over from SW 56th St. & two blocks from Miller Road. Lived there from 1952 to 1961). Don't be a stranger...let us read more of your memories of the Grove, & other places in the area, back when you lived there. Looking forward to it.

Guest		07-Sep-2007 04:26
I worked at Om Jewelry on Grand Ave. in Coconut Grove from Oct. '78 to '95 when I left Miami for good. I've created an Om Jewelry website http://Omjewelry.net) and am searching for some pictures of Wayne Brehm. If anyone has any, can you send them? (email on the site) I saw no mention of the Octopus's Garden in Coconut Grove next to sLUMS. Was it just a dream? And what of the concerts on Virginia Beach & the nudity at Sewer Beach? Was I the only kid to explore the HUGE bomb shelter under the Civil Defence on Miller & Galloway? And what ever happened to Robert Wynn?

Roberta		07-Sep-2007 03:15
Jeff...hope you are no worse for the wear! In hot, humid weather, you have to stay hydrated.Gatorade (or even Pedialyte) is good to replace lost electrolytes (sodium & potassium). Dehydration can...(& does)...kill, via electrolyte imbalance. No time to eat a proper sit-down meal? Keep a "power bar," or granola bar, on you, when you're out & about, or even snack crackers of some sort, to raise your blood sugar levels, until you CAN have a regular meal. I strongly urge you to go get "checked out," by your regular doctor, & tell him/her what happened to you. He/she may want to do some lab work, to rule out any underlying causes. At "our age," we need to have a handle, on such as this, & not make the mistake of ignoring an incident, such as you had. Take care, friend, & fellow Poster! We all want to keep you around! (fer shure!) Let us know how you are doing, o.k.?

Jeff		07-Sep-2007 02:11
Hi everyone... I just wanted to acknowledge your posts to me... but please forgive me if I'm not very chatty tonight... I had a weird thing happen - and not because of any medical condition... I walked into a store around 8:15 this evening, then all of a sudden felt lightheaded and dizzy - the next thing I knew, I'm on the floor staring at the shelves and felt a dull pain where I must have bumped my head... (Perhaps I knocked some sense into it!).... I'm not diabetic or hypoglycemic... I have no heart condition... It's possible that somehow I was a bit dehydrated or lacking enough food intake today - after all, I've been through a stressful two days; what with the car and all (By the way, the door is fixed, the trunk will be done soon - and I need to replace my small tool box and spare tire - the two items taken)... Whatever it was, it's passed and I'm fine now (except for a bit of a nervous trepidation after that event)... So have a good evening - count your blessings - and thank God for every little one of them... No matter whether we agree or disagree on here... life is nshort and we must all appreciate what the good Lord gave us... Peace!

charlis		06-Sep-2007 21:59
guest... RE: Charlie Murdock.... just do a google on him. He is now in OH and has a very successful realty website. Some of the old DJ pics are posted.

charlis		06-Sep-2007 21:56
gang... my, and Jeff's, friend Evie will attest to what Jeff says.... Miami makes NYC look like the Garden of Eden. I live in a nice 2/1 with pool and pay about what Evie is paying for a one room "hole in the wall" slum building in what used to be the nice area of Miami Beach. We all lived in Miami when it was nice... this website helps us remember those days. I am not even halfway through viewing all the pics! But the memories sometimes bring tears to my eyes... Beach High did not really have home coming events when I was there. Our team only won 1 game in the 3 years I was there! We put on a play instead called Crown 'n' Capers. I envied my friends at other schools with good football teams. My last few trips to Miami were horrible. No one spoke English! Or pretended not to. My first view of Miami in 1962 as we drove from the airport to Miami Beach... the Jetson's came to mind... clean, white and bright, fast expressways... My last trip? Well, I can not put it into words that could be posted.

Joanne		06-Sep-2007 21:03
Jeff...OK, Point taken. Do the high schools have the same rivalries as in the 60's and 70's? I was Palmetto 75 and our 2 most anticipated games were Killian and South Dade. South Dade game was always held in Homestead, it was Homecoming for us and was on Thanksgiving morning. I adored that tradition. Plus gave my mother the opportunity to do all her cooking undisturbed.

Roberta		06-Sep-2007 19:56
Jeff...check out the 1950 aerial photo of SW Miami...my former neighborhood had yet to even be built!! (located between Bird Road, SW 102nd Ave., & Miller Road). Click on to the 1950-1959 photo, in the Galleries, & there will be a 1957 or 1959 aerial view, in which you CAN see my former neighborhood! WOW! So good to see that area again, even if from sky-high, where our rooftops are little white dots! This shot was taken before the lower section of Westwood Lakes was built, & you can see the undeveloped land, between SW 56th St. & Sunset Dr., out where people still had small farms (so-called "truck farms") & the area was also rife with natural tropical foliage, known as "hammacks." LONG time ago! Wish you had been there with us, back in the day! You'd know why us "Boomers" wax nostalgic, for those happier times, when life was seemingly more simple & laid back, in Our Town. In your defense, however, I have heard on the National news that, Miami has the worst drivers, & worst road rage, in the Nation...even worse than N.Y. City! Wow. That's pretty bad. Oh, well..."when life gives you lemons"...let 'em rot, & throw 'em @ people! HA!!! Sounds like something George Carlin would say, but, I only just now made it up!! (Tee! Hee!)

Jeff		06-Sep-2007 15:48
That's very sweet of you, Joanne... However I want to make note of an honest and unbiased fact that was proven by researchers - not jby folks like me with too many opinions... The Miami area is the most expensive place to live in Florida. How I get by day-to-day still amazes me. There are other reasons why I'd like to relocate besides the crime statistics... most of my friends have left the area or passed away... it's getting harder to afford the daily living down here... the roads are over-crowded with cars - most driven by people with poor-to-no driving skills... I'm not all about railing on Miami... we still have tons of great things to attract tourists... there are more poeple who love this place than don't... It's just one man and his [unsolicited] opinion... As I said to Roberta in a previous post... let's forget about my whinings... things were exacerbated that day by the vandalism to my car... This is a place to post memories of happier times in "old" Miami, not a soapbox for me and my issues with the area... Back to fun stuff!

Joanne		06-Sep-2007 14:00
Jeff...You mentioned other cities in Florida have better living conditions than Miami, I would disagree. I'm currently in Tallahassee and am counting the days until I can get out. People here are very nice to your face but do not welcome you into their community. I've also lived in central Florida, Kissimmee, Orlando, Winter Springs and people there would just as soon run you off the road as look at you. Unfortunately, every municipality has problems. I plan to move back to Miami as soon as I can get through with some medical issues I'm dealing with. Maybe I could be your neighbor and show you the good people that still are out there.

Don Boyd		06-Sep-2007 04:25
Guest, I have some Charlie Murdock pics from the 80's at a reunion of the QAM jocks at Biscayne Baby in the Grove. Unfortunately they're in boxes somewhere and it may be a while before I find them, scan them and post them. Don

Guest		06-Sep-2007 03:38
Does anyone have any Charlie Murdock pictures or stories. He was the big DJ of the 50-60's , WQAM and held Armory dances every Friday night in Homestead. Rock and Roll South Dade High, Home of the Rebels!!! or was......once a long time ago.

Jeff		06-Sep-2007 03:38
I can't argue with your perspective, Bill... Change IS inevitable... But for me, it seems that too much has changed too fast. South Florida seems to thrive on tearing things down for high-rise buildings rather than preserving what we had. Too much has been lost... People tend to forget that what made the Miami area famous was that it was an ESCAPE from the big city during winter... Now we've built the big city here... and only rich folks can enjoy a view of the Beach...

Bill Parks		06-Sep-2007 03:02
Jeff, I afraid the old Gables Bus Station is gone. It was torn down some years ago and replaced by a multi use building with offices and retail. There is a Ruth's Chris Steak House in it also. The old Coral Gables Fire Station across the street from the bus station has been preserved. I think they are going to put a Coral Gables History Museum in it. We're all lamenting the loss of so many things here that we forget there are good things happening also. The Miami River and Biscayne Bay are much cleaner than they were in the sixties and seventies. There are a lot more manatees, aligators and crocodiles now. The Historical Museum of South Florida is doing a wonderful job of preserving memories of old Florida. We'll always miss what we grew up with. Every generation does. But we should also look for the positive changes, it's just too depressing otherwise.

Jeff		05-Sep-2007 14:20
Roberta-- No offense taken at all! We all have a right to our opinions and perspective... that's what COMMUNICATION is all about! Sorry to say there's no more chimes from the Dade County Courthouse... also, no more Coral Gables Bus System. That was absorbed into Metrobus years ago, although I do believe the bus station is still there... You can still get a transfer, but it's now for a surcharge... The theaters on Flagler Street were: Town (old Miami Theater)---gone Paramount---gone Olympia (now Gusman Cultural Center) Miami (new one-built in 1947)---gone On a side street (I think NE 2 Ave.) was the Dixie--later Rio---gone In the late 50's (before I moved here) were the twin theaters of the Embassy and Royal on SE 1st St.----LONG gone... What became of the Richard's building I can't say.... I avoid downtown like the plague... it's crowded, gaudy and useless to me nowadays... Jordan Marsh gave way to the Omni hotel and shopping complex (which later went bankrupt). Long before there was a Jordan Marsh there were pony rides on that corner... The old Sears building is now the site for the new Cultural Arts Center - which, as with any project the government touches is full of cost overruns and other issues... Also long-gone from downtown are Drug City, Grable's Bakery, M&M Cafeteria, Woolworth's, McCrory's, Grant's, Burdine's (because the parent company dropped our local Burdine's name in favor of Macy's), Long's Office Supplies, and dozens of small businesses you'd recall from your youth... As Dylan said... "These times, they are a-changin'..."

Roberta		05-Sep-2007 13:27
Dear, dear Jeff...I didn't mean to preach, nor get on my soap box, & I truly apologize, if I offended you, in any manner of speaking. I love our comraderie, on this Forum, along with the other Posters out there. I do so regret that Miami, as I remember it, is non-existent, & had we remained down there, instead of moving away, our family, too, may have become disgusted, & moved away, but @ a later date. In a way, it's a good thing we left when we did, long before I was grown, & on my own. Even so, it broke my heart, to be leaving my neighborhood, & the familiar, forever, & I will always treasure that time, forever, in my heart of hearts. Like my "Miami pioneer" family, my father & I were born in GA., but I STILL claim Miami, as my "home town," & always will. Now...(historian that you are)...what is now in the building that was Richards Department Store, downtown Miami? Also, the building that was Jordan Marsh? Shopping downtown, in the stores on & near Flagler Street, was made more memorable, by the chiming of the Dade County Court House clock. Please tell me that it STILL chimes the hours, & once on the half hour. You really didn't need a watch, if you were withing hearing distance of the Court House. What was the name of the walk-in theater, downtown? I THINK it was on Flagler? My mother took me & my cousin, Libby, via city bus, to see "Journey to the Center of the Earth," & later, we went to see "Tom Thumb," & a couple of other movies. We caught the bus, up on Bird Road, & into downtown. Coral Gables was the bus terminal, then. Does this transit system still exist? (The city buses)? And is the Gables still the bus terminal? We loved riding those buses, & I remember getting a transfer slip, if you had to get off, & take another bus, going in a different direction. That way, you didn't have to pay the fare again, to get to where you were going. Do they still do that? The bus driver would always ask you where you were going, & if needed, he'd tell you to get off @ a certain stop, & wait for another bus, & he'd give you the transfer, after you paid your fare. I hate to hear about the corruption within law enforcement. The brother-in-law of my Aunt Gloria, @ the time, Bill Caulder, was on the Force, in Miami Beach. He gave my Aunt Dorris his (vintage) night stick, which I now have. They don't make them like this, anymore. It had a rawhide strap, which is deteriorating, unfortunately. My cousin, Jennifer Resko, is on the Force, in Dade County. (I THINK(?). Not sure). Anyway, Jeff, dear friend, I have lots of memories, & you're right: we DO need to keep this sight less opinionated, non-partisan, & totally nostalgic. Peace!

Jeff		05-Sep-2007 05:13
Roberta... Did you miss my sardonic point of view within my writing? I most definitely DID NOT pick on any specific color, ethnicity or culture when I griped about my car vandalism... I have no idea who was the actual culprit... When I said I was a "racist of sorts... I despise the HUMAN race", I was commenting on the overall decline and fall of a social structure that has abused our gifts of freedom, natural resources and all that our Creator [no matter how you perceive such] gave us... Additionally, my perspective about "modern" Miami has not changed. Your points are well-taken, thoughtful, sincere and earnest... but I've seen too many changes in about 44 years that have left me empty and disgusted. True, you cannot outrun crime, bad behavior, evil intent or what have you... but there are other parts of Florida than are more tolerable. Please don't delude yourself. The Miami that I remember when arriving here in late 1963, and the memories that you've shared from times that preceeded me just don't exist any more. The City of Miami's current police chief is under investigation for driving a luxury car for more than a year, violating the city's "gift" rules. Broward Sheriff Ken Jenne just resigned rather that face a federal indictment. He will face charges that include tax evasion... I can run a litany of what's transpired since you've left, but it would be of no viable use. My point is simple: When a lifestyle that you have grown accustomed to ceases to exist in a particular area, it's time to move on. Yes, the degeneration of the family is part of the problem, but not all of it. We keep voting the same jerks back in office... our politics are divided along ethnic and racial lines... No one down here wants to work "for the common good of all the people"... I enjoy my friends... I enjoy many of the people I do meet during my day... I most certainly enjoy the people in this forum... but I am not bound by any law to accept en mass a population of "modern-day Miamians" who [in bulk] are rude, arrogant, self-involved, etc. Geez... by no means did I intend this place to be a political forum... I just wanted to vent my frustration over my car's vandalization through some sarcasm mixed in with memorabilia... If anybody out there has misinterpreted my words or intent... I apologize... Let's get back to reminiscing about the things we ALL remember and love about the Miami of our past...

Fastback		05-Sep-2007 03:27
Thanks all for sharing your memories and recollections of a part of my childhood and adolescence that was excluded from my ganzfield (visual/cultural sphere) due to the laws and zeitgeist of the 1950's and 1960's. I never had an opportunity to meet, socialize, interact, attend school and experience the wonderful and enriched culture of people of color until much later in my life when the archaic attitudes and the Jim Crow mentality dissapated somewhat (although not completely)from my lovely city of Miami

Roberta		05-Sep-2007 03:04
Jeff, dear...we have no idea, who vandalized your car. Could have been one of any number, of ethnicity, from which to choose...including Caucasian. Bad folk come in all sizes, shapes, colors, religions, & ages. Moving away from Our Town does not put you in a "safer," more "acceptable," or "harmonious" atmosphere, or arena. As "Dear Abby" once said, "No matter where you go, there YOU are." And if "you" are a bad person, you merely relocate that "badness" to another area. Among the youth, Anywhere, U.S.A., there are gangs, most of whom are hate groups, who hate any & everbody who isn't who they are, or who don't feel like they do, about certain issues, & they breed contempt, & intolerance, & are generally, a lost group, trying to "fit in" by NOT "fitting in," if that makes sense. Prejudiceness is an inherited trait, for the most part, unless some sort of reasonable adult guidance changes the cycle, to turn it around. One of the main reasons there are gangs, & hate groups, is due to the breakdown of the family unit. Remember when we always sat down to supper together, as a family, when we were kids? That happens only in the rarest of homes, now. Kids today have their noses buried in their text messagers, or cell phones, or MySpace, & on their computers, shutting out any parental guidance or contact, & parents, who used to use TVs for babysitters, now use these modern devices for the same purpose. There's no parenting, anymore, no family unity. Young people are (mostly) uninterested in church, & disillusioned, with "that ol' time religion," of any creed or denomination. They're probably the second generation, or even third, who feels this way. Lawlessness, vandalism, hatred, drug abuse, & intolerance...It comes in all races, ages, & forms, & seems to escalate, with each new generation, somehow. Bad folk are here, in the "peaceful" countryside, in GA. You cannot "move away" from it. There's no such place as "Utopia." Not in thuis lifetime. There are still many, who have chosen to remain in Our Town, for whatever reason. Miami is still "home" to them, & I respect that. They hang on, & have not let anyone, or anything, run them out. My first cousin, Mary, is one of them, & the siblings of one of my neighbors, here in Wadley. We moved back to GA., because my father wanted to retire, & he had some land here, on which to build a home. He was born here, as was I, & he wanted to plant a garden, & breathe the country air, once again. Nothing wrong with that. P.S....I renewed my friendship with the Jones family, & am still in contact with Delorn, the daughter nearest my own age.

Jeff		05-Sep-2007 02:08
There were the "true" Black neighborhoods such as Overtown, Brownsville, Liberty City and parts of Coconut Grove, but other neighborhoods became "black neighborhoods" when paranoic Whites exited en masse as soon as "one of them" moved in - which is an embarrassment to those of us with common sense... Allapattah, Carol City and Opa-Locka soon became know as being "Black" neighborhoods - and everyone was quick to blame the demise of Opa-Locka on the influx of residents of color... Yet, I maintain that it was the closing of the Marine base in 1962 which left too many vacancies, forcing the "cracker" landowners to submit to integration. This didn't sit well with other Southern bigots who began their "White flight" out of the city... so eventually the demographics changed. I can live, work, date and socialize with ANY color, culture, religion or group... so long as they act like educated human beings... However, you couldn't prove that there's ANY intellegent life left in Miami by me... I came downstairs this morning to go to a teeth cleaning appointment - only to find my car (a 1979 Olds that isn't much to look at) was vandalized overnight... The driver's side door luck had been busted out. Since there's a club still intact on the car, they probably weren't looking to steal it - just to vandalize it. After I came home from my appointment and a trip to a body shop, I went to get something out of the trunk. It was then that I found the vandals had also damaged that lock as well! So, now it's back to the body shop tomorrow to spend money I can't really spare on a problem I didn't really need, all because we've lowered our social standards in South Florida. Anyone who leaves this area has made a move for the better! Keep reminiscing, for the memories are sweet, and they are of a Miami so long ago that (regretfully] no longer exists! I wish I was more financially secure... I'd be LONG gone as well... Since we're discussing culture and race, I'll admit I'm a "racist" of sorts... I despise the HUMAN race in general... It's the nice people that I meet along the way that are the wonderful exceptions... (Gee, Jeff...have a bad day????) Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...................

Roberta		05-Sep-2007 01:09
I remember that Virginia Beach was the "colored" beach, in the 1950's. We passed by it on the way to Crandon Park. It was on the left...I think(?)...after you passed by the Seaquarium, if memory serves me correctly(?). We would look over, in their direction, & we saw many folks, & their children, all having a great time, just as we did, on our beaches. No difference, there! We lived in GA, before moving to Miami, & lived out in the country, where black families also lived. We used to walk down to the Jones' house, & play with their children, & knew all of them by name, of course, & how old each one was. We considered them our friends. Their father made homemade cane syrup, & we always went there, to watch the mule going 'round & 'round, to move the grinding apparatus that squeezed the juice out of the sugarcane stalks. After the old mule died, they used their tractor, which didn't seem the same. After we moved to "the city," we missed our former country playmates, in GA, & we learned, quickly, that things were a lot different, toward "people of color," in those days, in Miami...& Everywhere, U.S.A., for that matter, which made us somber. There are many good memories, behind all the photos in this Gallery, from our (segregated) youth, to be sure. But the reality of it is the fact that, those "fabulous fifties" were fun for us, but they were a completely different world, for others.

charlis		04-Sep-2007 21:31
fast... Liberty City was the area I knew of. Put my daughter on a plane to visit her grandparents, only to get home from the airport to find out a riot had broken out! There was an area near Coral Gables back in the early 60's. My uncle's housekeeper lived there... a nice expensive house. That was in the day when they were not allowed on Miami Beach after dark. We often had to drive the housekeeper "over to the other side of the Bay" if she missed her bus. Those were horrible days that I, having come for a visit from Ohio, could not understand.

Guest		04-Sep-2007 19:35
There was an area west of NW 7th Ave. roughly between 54 and 79th St. which was called Liberty City...

Fastback		04-Sep-2007 16:32
Are there any readers out there in cyberspace who remember the African-American neighborhoods in the 1960's? I recall several by name and location including Allapattah..(South Dade County), Richmond Heights..(South Dade County) Brownsville Suburban ..(North Dade County)..Central Negro District (CND)..Central Miami. These neighborhoods existed since the late 40's-early 50's due to the segregation laws during the cited time period. If any of you out there remember or better lived in there please post a reply.

Jeff		04-Sep-2007 01:15
You know your four corners by the Coconuts, Dave! I used to have a photo of it, but it's part of a large collection I sold to a friend and historian for pretty much my costs of collecting when I moved on from photo memorabilia... I was able to make a copy thanks to the son of the man who originally owned the drive-in... and it went back to the late 20's or early 30's and lasted until the early 60's when the property was sold to an oil company. I think an Exxon station is there now...

Dave		03-Sep-2007 19:35
You are right Jeff... The Coconut was on the SE corner of NE61st and Biscayne with a liquor store on the SW, Royal Castle (aka the RC Steakhouse) on the NW and a year round fruit stand on the NE corner. Wouldn't it be great to add a pic of the Coconuts to this great web site. If you went west on 61 st. just before the FEC tracks on the left was the Lemon City Library which had a historical designation of some kind. Do any of you Miami historians know?? We kids would place pennies on the tracks there, run inside the library, then go back after the train went by and look all over for our flattened out penny. Don't really know why we would take a good penny, when a penny was worth something, and end up with pockets of worthless money..... A Policeman put and end to all that when he informed us we could actually de-rail a train placing objects on the tracks.. Yep!! We believed him...........

Jeff		03-Sep-2007 07:11
Interesting thing about that Dairy Queen on 53rd and Biscayne... you could enter it from Biscayne Blvd. or from Old Dixie Highway... It was right down the street from the Coconuts Drive-In...

Dave		03-Sep-2007 01:29
Thanks Roberta for the lead on the Dairy Queen pic... I noticed the Olds right away and my guess is she's a 56, 2 dr coupe, rocket V8 and white with a red insert insert?? Hey, if your going to guess???? There was a DQ on Biscayne and NE 53rd st. that all us Red Raiders would go to when we weren't at Billys... I remember an icee cold citrus drink they called a Rymers Blend(??). Not sure what the blend was made with but it really hit the spot on a steamy summer evening.....

Jeff		02-Sep-2007 06:34
Mimeograph machines with the wax stencil sheets and messy ink gave way to spirit duplicators with their chemical smell and purple copies... brown paper towels still abound... and recess... is what I'll be doing shortly afetr a late night of various tasks...

S.A. LARGO		02-Sep-2007 05:26
THANKS DON...THAT CLEARS THAT UP...I THINK TIME SOMETIMES "CAN" BE MEAN ..........NO MATTER WHAT COLOR IT IS! ......LARGO

Don Boyd		02-Sep-2007 05:03
PBase is using UT (Universal Time, also known as Greenwich Mean Time) since folks posting comments can be posting from any worldwide time zone. <http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/UT.html Don

Roberta		02-Sep-2007 02:41
Hey! Does anyone remember the following: Muck farms? Sod farms? Gravel pits, with those itty-bitty pea rocks? Lime soil? "Florida sores?" (ouch) When kids in your class contracted Polio? Salk vaccine? School vaccinations & "booster" shots? When it would rain those cute itty-bitty frogs? Watching tadpoles in mud puddles? Those little black spiders that had a miniature crown on their backs? Dog catchers? Truant officers? Recess? Tincture of green soap? Brown paper towels? Mimeograph machines?

S.A. LARGO		02-Sep-2007 01:42
HEY DON...WHY DOES IT SAY SEPT 2nd ON OUR SEPT 1 st POSTINGS...HAVE I BEEN THRU A TIME WARP??....YOU DO KNOW THAT TIME ALREADY GOES TO DARN FAST!!!.....THIS MUST BE SOME TECHNICAL TIME ?...CURIOUS LARGO IN ST. AUGUSTINE *<\|(;-}

S.A. LARGO		02-Sep-2007 01:34
HAVE A SAFE LABOR DAY Y'ALL....YEAH ROBERTA...WAS'NT THAT RAIN GRAND ??...WE RECEIVED A BIT HERE IN N.E. FL....ENOUGH TO MAKE THE FROGGIES TWITTER AND CROAK...LOVED IT! HOPE YOU HAD A HAPPY BIRTHDAY WITH YOUR SIS...TAKE CARE. S.A. LARGO

Roberta		02-Sep-2007 01:08
Dave...I thought about the possibility of mysterious "Drew" being the "ro*ck polisher", but...! Those things appeared on here LONG before "Drew" posted his terse & critical .02 cents worth. Don said that he gets on here & deletes them, daily, but that the ro*ck-er puts them on as fast as Don deletes them, sometimes. All we can do is ignore them, like they just aren't even there. BTW...did you see the Oldsmobile sighting on the gallery photo of the old Dairy Queen? Check it out! Hope you are having a good holiday weekend. We got rained on, on our trip to Ft. Valley (GA) & it was sort of treacherous motoring, there, but it cleared up, for the return trip. Sure did need the rainfall, & it has cooled down the temperatures...hooray!! Later, y'all...Oh...! WELCOME to "our" favorite Site, Passportt! Can hardly wait to read your memories of "Our Town!"

Dave		01-Sep-2007 23:15
Hey everyone!!! Could those ro###cks possibly be postings from Drew????

Guest		01-Sep-2007 13:26
Hi - I was raised in Miami in the 60's into the 70's I have a lot to say & ask & remember & I will do it in my next post - I just want to write to the person who mentioned Broadway Park ( the band ) I would like to connect with any of the remaining members as I used to know them & went out with one of the members . I am very new to the site & dont know if my contact mail address will show up next to this comment - if it doesnt show up check this passporttt at net zero dot com remove the spaces & use the CAPITAL NUMBER 2 before the net zero . I went to Miami Springs Jr High - Lengalls school - a short time in Miami Springs Senior High Then Adelphi in Coral Gables. I practically lived in Coconut Grove Park & Lums Then became a vocalist before graduating from Adelphi age 15 later actually went on the road singing. would be great to find others I knew from those days . I lived in Miami Springs, South Miami, Sweetwater, Coral gables, Coconut Grove, North Bay Village & Then I went on the road my mother stayed in the Village for quite a while then she moved to Pembroke Pines area- Now I am in washington State & Mom is North of Santa Barbara California. This is an amazing blast from the past web site - I cannot wait to get back & read more. Melody

Roberta		01-Sep-2007 03:37
Don...thanks so much, for clarifying that little mystery for me, as I hesitated to ask about it, lest it made me appear to be "computer illiterate"...! HA!! I, at first, thought that, maybe, it was some kind of "link," to click on to, or something similar. It must be a real pain, to have to delete them on a daily basis. Why do people have to do such things as that? Oh, well...just relieved that it isn't some sort of harmful "spam."

Don Boyd		01-Sep-2007 03:29
Roberta, I suspect it's some deranged fool who gets his jollies putting stuff that doesn't make sense onto other people's comments sections. I delete them daily, almost as fast as he puts them up. His e-mail addresses are obviously phonies. There's more than one weirdo out there but he's the most prolific. Don

Roberta		01-Sep-2007 02:00
Hi, Posters! Here's wishing everyone a very safe & most enjoyable Labor Day Weekend! We're going to visit my sister, Audrey Perry Lane, Southwest High, Class of 1960, in Ft. Valley, GA., for a day trip. Will someone please explain to me what the postings that show only...ro269ck...or "whatever" numbers that appear, between the "ro" & "ck"??? I've been wondering about that for a while, now. Can anyone enlighten me?

Bill Parks		31-Aug-2007 03:24
It's great to see the old Tropicaire Drive In. Have you noticed that you can just make out the movie screen in the photo labeled "1963 - Palmetto Expressway at Bird". It's just across Bird Road from the race track.

Roberta		31-Aug-2007 02:53
Oooops!! That's Reap the Wild Wind!! Got a bit excited, over the photo!

Roberta		31-Aug-2007 02:51
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Larry Martin & Don Boyd!!! LOVE the daytime photo of the wonderful Tropicaire Drive-In!! Such a flood of memories, when our father took us to see a re-showing of both Gone with the Wind, & The Wizard of Oz there, & we saw The Naked Jungle, with Charlton Heston, Bombers B-52, & many others, like Reap the Wild Wild, with John Wayne & Ray Milland...!! Our neighbor, Mr. David Leslie, would round up a bunch of us kids & take us there. He had 1 son, Mike Leslie, Southwest High, Class of 1965. One movie I remember that he took us to see was To Hell and Back, with Audie Murphy. We're talking early 1950's. Anyway! Thanks, so very much, for this wonderful memory!!!

Guest		31-Aug-2007 01:13
Does any one remember a children's show called The Hot Fudge Show? It had live actors and puppets. One in particular (Seymour) would sing a song at the end with one of the actors named Larry Santos. It was produced in Detroit from '76 to '80. It dealt with kid's problems and emotions. It had a Hot Fudge, Holy Moley song. Youtube has a snippet, but I can't remember years it aired in South Florida. My children don't remember it, so probably before '82 or 83.

mindy		30-Aug-2007 22:53
This sure brought back tthoughts of the good old days, growing up in the 70's ,hitchhicking all evening along A1A meeting new people, oh were those the days my friends......No worries.... :>)

Don Boyd		30-Aug-2007 06:17
Thanks to Larry Martin we now have a photo of the Tropicaire Drive-In, along with an early Burger King on SW 8 Street. He also sent three others that will be in older galleries by tomorrow. Don

Jeff		29-Aug-2007 19:19
A "HEADS-UP" TO THOSE WHO SHOP ON EBAY ABOUT A RUDE MERCHANT: Some of the visiotrs here (including Roberta and I) shop ebay for nostalgic items. One seller - CTOTOY is rude and condescending, so this is a warnign to anyone who might be a potential customer of his: Vendors encourage you to ask questions. I asked about a more economical shipping rate for an item... which was an vintage set of gummed sign making letters and numbers. He responded ONCE with an offer to put the contents into a flat rate box without the original packaging because it was too big for the Flat Rate package... I wrote back asking him what other alternatives there were, and what would be the lowest range he's be willing to accept on his "Make an Offer" (because I wanted to work within his preferences)... While waiting for a final reply (that never came), the item sold. This is what the jerk writes in response: Re: Question for item #320143129194 - Vintage Fru-Serv-Co Sho Card System Lettering Set someone made an offer and I accepted you could have done the same instead of trying to beat me down on shipping What makes this even more hypocritical is that he's got a "Christian message" plastered on the auction page... so where's the Christian kindness? He considers ASKING about the best rate to ship a package "beating him down"... yet, he didn't even have the manners to reply back and say "I'm sorry, but I can't do any better"...

Roberta		29-Aug-2007 05:05
Miatwr...thanks, for having let me know what became of the site where "our" drive-in used to be. BTW, did you call up that site, & see the black & white photo of the Tropicaire Drive-In at night?? Does anyone out there have a photo of this drive-in, taken in the daytime? Perhaps an old ad, that appeared in the Miami Herald? I once saw a vintage postcard that featured it, on eBay, but it was a bidding frenzy, & it went higher than I was willing to pay. Also, a vintage blue & white Dade County courthouse commemorative plate, that had sold only @ Burdine's. Lost that bid by a mere .50 cents, which broke my heart. If anyone out there has a vintage glass McArthur Dairies milk bottle, let me know. Or, a photo of Tropicaire Drive-In, in daylight. Seems like nothing stays the same, does it? I would imagine that drive-ins would be dangerous places, in today's world. Some walk-in theaters are. When did people turn so criminal, & wicked? We seemed so safe, in the '50's. It could have been an illusion. (?) Was it? Anyway, thanks, Steve, for having answered my question. Take care.

Guest		29-Aug-2007 02:05
Roberta, Re: your comment about the Tropicaire drive-in theatre and then "swap-meet" on Bird and the Palmetto expressway, it is occupied by a Target department store and a Best Buy along with a Taco Bell...so much for the memories...I used to work at the swap-meet on weekends when in high school. My oh my how it has changed. Hope all is well up in GA. Steve Horowitz, a.k.a. miatwr.

Jeff		29-Aug-2007 00:05
I remember Mama ViVi's in Normandy Isle on the South (Eastbound) side of 71st Street... back in m y high school days I used to spend occasional weekends over a friend's house on Treasure Island, and we used to get a pizza from there and watch the Creature Features on Channel 10... This brings up some of the Normandy Isle/Treasure Isle/71st Street Icons... Eberhardt's House of Steaks, Polly Davis Cafeteria, Normandy Record Shop, Normandy News, Royal Castle, Fu Manchu Restaurant, the Pampered Pup, Nathan's, Fun Fair, Food Fair, Jilly's, Dean Martin's Restaurant, Nick and Arthur's, The Luau, The Place for Steak, Tony's Fish Market, Causeway Bait and Tackle, Runaway Bay Club, The Peppermint Lounge/Barn/Mix II, Crab House, The Bonfire... and others I've either forgotten or ran out of steam to mention...

charlis		28-Aug-2007 21:43
jeff, thanks. Mama V??? was on 71st st. I lived in the Towers. Great place. The pics I will be sending you are pics of the Parrot Jungle, circa 1962, the old 2nd Floor groups/bands, Viscaya, etc.

Jeff		28-Aug-2007 05:50
Can't help you on that one, Roberta... but I suspect that with the usual practices down here, it became either commercial warehouse property, a shopping center or a residential development...

Roberta		28-Aug-2007 01:36
Hey, Poster Club...! Type in..."Drive-In Movie Memories"...then, click on the one that says, (under that header)..."vintage photographs of drive-in theaters in the state"...then, on the left, click..."Florida"...& scroll down, to see a black & white photo of Tropicaire Drive-In, at night. This is THE only photo I have found, of this drive-in, which was closed, & then, became a flea market, 'til that, too, was closed, & the building was demolished. Have no clue, as to what is there, now, where it used to be, up on Bird Road...Jeff?? Do you know what's there, now?

Jeff		27-Aug-2007 22:10
No problem on the photos, Charlis... and you were thinking of Marcella's on the West side of West Dixie Hwy. and NE 139th Street... right across from what orignally were the pony rides, but is now the site of the West Dixie Towers apartments... But you forgot about the great garlic rolls from Mario the Baker on the East side of NE 137th and West Dixie Hwy.!

charlis		27-Aug-2007 21:16
Jeff... I will get those photos to you soon. Just signed contract on the condo so I'll be packing and will find the others and email them to you to post here.

charlis		27-Aug-2007 21:15
Garlic rolls/knots. The best place was on West Dixie Hwy and 135th MOL... Mama something or other. When pregnant with my daughter (we lived across the street from the place and the aromas were wonderful!), the minute I gave my name and address they knew the order... large double topping pepperoni, cheese and onions, and a dozen garlic knots! My hubby was lucky if he got to eat 2 of the knots!

charlis		27-Aug-2007 21:11
what happened to Pomerantz? Never answered my questions of the other day. If he was brother to Candy... he was a brat... I mean that in the nicest way. ;-)

Jeff		27-Aug-2007 02:29
Hmmm.... I just logged in and found compliments from two different posters...! THANK YOU! I'm glad my "penchant for useless information", along with my invariable typographical goofs bring a smile to some folks... {:cP Now, I must be truthful... I won't always be johnny-on-the-spot in here. I've been a little slow lately at my real job of typographic design, and soon I must concentrate more seriously on working on new stuff - for right now, it's my ONLY source of income - meager as it is may be right now. "What the heck is typographic design?" you asked... Actually, you didn't - that was a metaphor... I make decorative fonts for the computer... reviving forgotten or "lost" typefaces, hand-lettered designs and using inspiration from various other sources (including my own imagination) to put into nice little digital files nifty letters, numbers and punctuation for designers and creative people to purchase and utilize. "Let's see! Let's see!" OK, kids... calm down or I'm gonna turn this car around right now and we're going home... To see my creative (?) work... go directly to my foundry sales page at MyFonts.com by visiting: www.myfonts.com/foundry/jnlevine Once there, click on the link that says "Browse all Jeff Levine fonts" and if you think my work REALLY stinks... I don't wanna know... {:cP (Hey, I felt like braggin' a bit! At my age, no one else will brag for me... LOL!

Alan Ogus, Ph.D.		27-Aug-2007 02:25
S.A. Largo : Indeed, Roy (Ronnie) Valentine had/has an older brother named Mac Donald (Donnie) Valentine who graduated from Palmetto High in 1962 or 1963. Will definately resume postings the week of 9/10/07. Arizona Alan (kudos to Roberta for the moniker)

S.A. LARGO		27-Aug-2007 02:21
WHY....AS YOU CAN ALREADY SEE...I FALLING APART AND "DOUBLE POSTING"....KINDA LIKE FINGER STUTTERING.........ONE WAY TO GET A POINT ACROSS EY?...............ROBERTA....... I SURE HOPE YOU GET TO PARTY WITH YOUR SISTER ON HER 65th!!!........MY LITTLE SIS AND I HAD SO MUCH FUN IN TENNESSEE....SHE FOLLOWED ME BACK TO FLORIDA...AND WE CONTINUED TO CARRY ON LIKE IT WAS ...AT LEAST 1966.....ALL OVER AGAIN...........AND WHY THE HECK NOT???......HAVE A GREAT WEEK TO YOU ALL....LARGO

Alan Ogus, Ph.D.		27-Aug-2007 02:20
Steven:Thank you for the validation. So it was 125th street and 7th ave not 100th or so street. I do remember the fountain!! If my occluded memory serves me correctly there was a Lindsey Lumber establishment in the same vicinity. I remain steadfast that Gigi's had the best buttered garlic rolls of the era. Alan Ogus, Ph.D.

S.A. LARGO		27-Aug-2007 02:13
HEY ALAN...THATS OK...BUT BE AWARE..."BOYDS IRREGULARS"...WILL BE SENDING A POSSEE OUT AFTER YOU ON OR ABOUT THE 11th/12th OF SEPT.....THAT SHOULD GIVE YOU TIME TO UNPACK...SAY YOUR HELLOS.. GET BACK ON THAT KEYBOARD AND PLAY CATCHUP WITH THE GANG. IT'LL BE TOUGH...BUT WE WILL TRY OUR BEST TO BUCKUP AND KEEP THINGS FLOWING ALONG IN YOUR ABSENCE...I KNOW IT'S HARD ON THE OTHERS...WHEN WE HAVE TO "VACATE"...ACTUALLY I FEEL QUITE HOPEFUL THAT WITH ROBERTA AND JEFF'S VAST HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE AND ASSISTANCE..THINGS WILL GET INTERESTING!!!..(I KNOW IT WILL! )....AND... AS USUAL THE WITTY BANTER OF THOSE OF US THAT YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO LEAVE BEHIND...WILL MOST CERTAINLY...MOVE FORWARD. BY THE WAY...DID ROY VALENTINE HAVE A BROTHER NAMED "DON VALENTINE" PALMETTO '63??? ALAN...HAVE A SAFE TRIP!................S.A. LARGO

Stephen LeQuier		27-Aug-2007 01:29
GiGi's was a real place. It was on the east side of 7th Ave, and I think it was north of 125th St. They had a fountain inside if I recall and the best garlic rolls.

Don Boyd		27-Aug-2007 00:37
MIATWR said "in the mid-1960's named Mary's.....located on the west side of nw 7 .They had absolutely the best buttered garlic rolls in town. ...my aunt lived within 2 miles of that general stretch of nw 7 avenue and I recall after visiting her on weekends going there and eating the great food and making a big deal of those rolls." Someone else mentioned Mary's, in a much older post, about how good Mary's was, specifically the garlic rolls. I asked my wife, who grew up in Biscayne Park, if she knew of Mary's back in the 60's and she said her family dined there at least once a week and that "the garlic rolls were to die for." She says it was on NW 7th Avenue around 135th Street. Don

Alan Ogus, Ph.D.		27-Aug-2007 00:16
To the "regulars": I am away on business in North Carolina 8/27-9/10/07 and will have little time to play. If I do not post within the identified time period it will not be due to attrition or disinterest but simply due to the infernal vicissitudes of earning a living in later adult life. Alan Ogus, Ph.D.(aka Arizona Alan), Ridge Rat Emeritus, Palmetto High Class of 1964, Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Guest		27-Aug-2007 00:11
To Miatwr: My memory probably is occluded from both age and living hard in the 1960's but the name GiGi's has really stuck in my mind. I am more likely in error regarding the address/location but am certain it was somewhere in N.W. Miami because that is where I lived circa 1967-1969 and my only mode of transport was a somewhat unreliable Honda CB77 motorcycle so I did not venture too far from home. Arizona Alan alive and well in Phoenix

Roberta		26-Aug-2007 23:29
LARGO...welcome back, Chicky! And, a very very HAPPY (belated) BIRTHDAY to your Dad, too! Wow. To still have him, to visit! I lost my father in 1975. He was only 65. It's difficult to get my brain around the fact that my sister will be 65, on the 29th of this month, & to realize my father was relatively young, when he passed. We seem to have no concept of time, when we're young. I know what you mean, about the fresh veggies! I live in the country, in GA, & there's a Farmer's Market nearby, where you can buy the home grown produce from folk's gardens. There's nothing like it! I'm jealous of your car, & I admire your wisdom, to get rid of the SUV, for this amazingly economical car! Wow! It's so good to hear from you, again, on this Site! I always miss the "regular Posters" when they're on hiatus! Just beginning to get used to Arizona Alan, & I greatly admire Stephen, who has a link to click, to see his photos...which are amazing, BTW! LOVE Jeff's input, on the history of Our Town, & Charlis', too! Just wish we could get some of our former schoolmates & neighborhood kids on here, from every area that we all remember, & hold so dear. Hoping to see this Site grow, with more & more people, & a flood of all of THEIR memories, too! Got my fingers crossed! "Til soon...y'all take care,now, ya heah?

LARGO		26-Aug-2007 21:39
LARGO HERE!!! ALIVE & WELL IN OLE ST. AUGGIE...THANKS ROBERTA...IT IS REALLY NICE THAT YOU NOTICED I WAS AWOL......I ACTUALLY WAS UP IN THE E. TN. MOUNTAINS...VISITING MY 91 YR. OLD DAD...WE HAD A BIG BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION FOR HIM...LOTS OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY...AND GREAT SUMMER GRILLIN' FARE..MANY GOOD YUMMIES!!! ...FRESH GARDEN EVERYTHING...CORN, TOMATOES, GREENBEANS, SQUASH......NO CANNED OR FROZEN ( since the subject of food comes up so often here )...SURE WAS A GREAT TRIP...GAVE ME A CHANCE TO ROAD TEST MY NEW TOYOTA PRIUS...NOT TO BE BRAGGING TO YOU ALL...BUT !!!...I ENJOY BEING GREEN....I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT IT HAS TRULY BEEN THE SMARTEST PURCHASE THAT THIS OLE CHICKY HAS MADE IN AWHILE !!!...MY DESTINATION WAS APPX. 545 MILES FROM HERE IN ST. AUGUSTINE... TO JONESBOROUGH, TN....AND HERE'S THE KICKER...I FILLED UP JUST ONCE WHEN I LEFT FLORIDA...AND STILL HAD FUEL TO TOOT AROUND WITH UNTIL I LEFT!!!...HOWEVER I'LL ADMIT, I HITCHED A FEW RIDES AROUND WITH OTHERS...AND THAT I WAS ON FUMES AT ABOUT 632 MILES..ON REFILL..BUT YOU KNOW ...I REALLY WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THE LITTLE CRITTER COULD DO...AND I WAS IMPRESSED. I WILL TELL YOU THIS...IT'S AN OK LITTLE VEHICLE...NOT MUCH TO LOOK AT...KINDA FLIES UNDER THE RADAR...I MISS MY SUV (GASAHOLIC)...I COULD CARRY MORE STUFF...AND DRIVE ON THE BEACH AND NOT GET STUCK.............BUT EVERYTIME I FILLED THAT THING UP...IT WAS LIKE $45.00...AND WOULD TRAVEL 250 MILES ON A "REGULAR" FILL...AND BE STARVIN' AGAIN...SO I STOPPED TRAVELING AS MUCH....AND YOU JUST HAVE TO VISIT THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE...( of course they love to visit me here at the beach)....BUT EVEN THO ITS GREAT HERE...I LOVE THE COOLER MOUNTAINS DURING OUR FLORIDA SUMMERS....SO NOW!!!... YOU MISS ROBERTA...AND THE "GANG OF REGULARS" KNOW.... FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH...WHAT...( IN PART ) I'VE BEEN UP TO...(SNOOORE..RIGHT?? ).....BY THE WAY GREAT SHOTS OF SEAQUARIUM...I SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME THERE AS A KID, AS MY DAD...CLIFFORD H. POLAND ASC. (the 91 yr.old...remembers everything!! bless him) DAD WAS THE CINEMATOGRAPHER or DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY.... ON THE ORIGINAL "FLIPPER" TV SERIES...( oh my dog I could tell ya stories....) I HAD A TEEN CRUSH..( like a thousand other teens)... ON LUKE..(played the eldest son).SIGHHHHHH..IT WAS A FUN TIME...DADS YOUNG ASSISTANT WAS, JAMES PERGOLA...WHO, ON DADS ADVICE, MOVED TO CALIFORNIA...AND EVENTUALLY BECAME A PRODUCER ON " BABE...ER.. UH... BAY WATCH " AND SEVERAL OTHER PROJECTS...GOOD ADVICE HUH?....SORRY! COULD NOT RESIST THAT ONE.............P.S. aren't ya glad you don't hear from me too often?....I kinda take this site in..BIG BITES...every now and then...anyhow no one ever answers my questions...and I have an inquiring mind...( I'll be the one on the garden eating worms )....................LATER YA'LL............S.A.LARGO

Guest		26-Aug-2007 16:13
To: Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Ridge Rat Emeritus............Re: your post about fantastic buttered garlic rolls at a place calle d GiGi's on NW 7th avenue and approximately 100 to 105 street, are you sure of the name?? It sounds like a restaurant that my parents took my family to when I was a kid in the mid-1960's named Mary's.....located on the west side of nw 7 .They had absolutely the best buttered garlic rolls in town. ...my aunt lived within 2 miles of that general stretch of nw 7 avenue and I recall after visiting her on weekends going there and eating the great food and making a big deal of those rolls. Now it's places like the Big Cheese on SW 67 avenue just north of US 1 that have awesome garlic rolls with freshly chopped garlic that is to die for!!! Ask some of your remaining local buddies and they'll testify to it. Hope al is well out in AZ. Steve Horowitz, a.k.a. miatwr.

Roberta		26-Aug-2007 02:48
Stephen...went to your Galleries...LOVE the photos of the Oldsmobile! We had a 2-tone green 1955 4-door, then, a salmon pink & ecru 1958 4-door; both models were 88s. LOVED those cars!! Hey!...I also liked the recent photo of yourself. You remind me of my late half-brother, Marshall Smith, who was an artist. Your photos are absolutely gorgeous!! (Trimoon). Especially love the tropical flowers! You are very talented, to be sure.

Roberta		26-Aug-2007 02:26
Alan...thanks, for having spread the word! Now, maybe, we'll get some new Posters...! How exciting...!!! Ted...thanks, for the address of where Burns Bar & Grill was...IS??? Is it gone? Name change? Torn down? What's the story there? Charlis...Hey! How are you? Jeff...wake up!!! Largo...are you out-of-town?? Dave...you've been mighty quiet, lately! miatwr...where'd you go???

charlis		25-Aug-2007 22:00
Alan... good job!

Alan.Ogus, Ph.D.		25-Aug-2007 15:09
Roberta,Charlis, Largo and Dave: FYI..I have forwarded a link to this website to Ron Lieberman who is the "official" keeper of the flame of Palmetto High Class of 1964 alumni and requested that he include the link in the next mail merge. He responded in the affirmative so as soon as the next PHS64 alumni email is sent there should be a link to this website included. This should expand a knowledge of this site to approximately 200 or so current and former South Florida individuals. Alan Ogus, Ph.D.,Ridge Rat Emeritus, Palmetto High Class of 1964. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Ted		25-Aug-2007 13:26
There was a Burns Bar & Grill on NW 17th Avenue, just south of 20th Street.

Roberta		25-Aug-2007 05:51
geesh...unaccountable?? Uh, don't I mean Unaccount-ED?? (for?) Oh, the perils of insomnia!

Roberta		25-Aug-2007 05:46
Jeff...re: Drew...I still can't figure out why he hasn't posted a memory of his own, on here, you know? I've all but begged him to do so, & I feel that I asked him all the right questions, to encourage him into doing so. You, too, have encouraged others to post, including ethnic groups, & folk of all ages, & from every part & parcel of Our Town, to post, as has Charlis, Largo, Dave, & Arizona Alan. My cousin, Joe, & I have asked where the S.W. Miami folk are, & we are beginning to wonder if any of them, still in the area, even know about Don's Site, you know? I mean, how on earth do we get the word out? So many folk have moved away, including our 1950's TV personalities, who are still living. Charlis told me that Charlie Murdock, of WQAM, moved back to Ohio, & we know where Charlie Baxter & Jack O'Brien are, & even Bill Haast. But, Jiminy Crickets, Toto! Look @ all of Kansas that's UNaccountable!! Has everyone gone over the rainbow? Tell you what let's do...let's drive 'em wild, with our e-mail-like "conversations" & flush 'em out...! Think it'll work?? Har! Har! Hey, Drew!! Jeff & I are yakking again!! Say what?? Coral Gables...y'all out there? Cutler Ridge? Allapattah? Hialeah? Opa Locka? Miami Springs? Miami Beach? Liberty City? Little Havana? West Wood Lakes? Kendall? Feel free to jump in, if I've slighted anyone? Hel-lo? Knock! Knock? WAKE UP!! POST, already!!!

Jeff		25-Aug-2007 05:19
Can't help you with Burn's Bar & Grill or Alabama Barbecue... those two I'm not familar with... but I do envy you for living in Miami in those "good old days"... Hey... have you noticed...??? Not another peep from "Drew"... I still maintain that his post was a ploy to get us back into yakking about old memories rather than my asking folks out there to dig around for 1950's-60's era office supplies and lettering stencils for my collection (hint, hint)... LOL! Meanwhile, it seems our repeat posters have been dwindling to you, me, Charlis and Alan [for the most part]...

Roberta		25-Aug-2007 04:44
Jeff...in my old neighborhood, in the S.W. section, there WERE cows, & cow pasture...& cow pies, etc....across from 102nd Avenue. Not sure, but THINK they belonged to McArthur Dairies (?) If I remember correctly, they were Holsteins...? However, the best dairy cows are the Jerseys or the Guernseys, from what I've been told. Anyway, we thought it was neat, to move to Miami, from Georgia, & find cows in our neighborhood! And there were the "truck farms," between Miller Road & Sunset Drive, where produce was grown, & it looked like the countryside in Georgia! I understand there also was a hog farm, somewhere outside of Miami, as well. So, long before Miami became so wall-to-wall houses, schools, etc., Our Town was "a little bit country!" Wow. No telling what this posting looks like...spent most of the day @ the doctor's office (sigh). Father Time isn't kind to anyone, it seems. Did you ever find out where Burn's Bar & Grill was, or is? Or, Alabama Barbecue? And, are they still standing??

Jeff		25-Aug-2007 04:26
I KNEW IT! An "almost" perfect post.. with the exception of one misplaced comma before the dash in this part of the text: - and eventually phased out their home delivery, -

Jeff		25-Aug-2007 04:23
Well, Roberta... I shopped at "Fram Stores" and you were "daigramming" sentences... LOL! No offense taken... As I've said before, I think faster than I can type... especially with the old "four finger method"! I'm glad you've enjoyed much of the information that I've posted... it's what I had accumulated over the years from when I was a serious collector of local photographic memorabilia. I spent tons of hours leafing through old Polk's City Directories in the Florida Collection of the Miami Public Library... they were the predecessors to the Bresser's Cross-Index... a reverse-look up book of addresses for contact information. I also met a number of professional photographers and business folks who filled me in with a lot of that trivia... Here's a funny story from my own past... When I was still a kid and a fairly new resident to Miami Beach in the early 60's, I was playing with some kids in an abandoned building on 1st Street and Alton Road. One of the kids told me there used to be a dairy there. Like an idiot, I thought to myself "Where did they keep the cows?"... Years later, I learned it was the original Dade office for Land O' Sun Dairies. I'll presume that when they formed Farm Stores in 1960 - and eventually phased out their home delivery, - that building was vacated for newer offices... Now, Roberta... I've proof-read and corrected my typing... but I can almost guarantee that something, somehow will have slipped by... and we'll all be laughing at another one of my "Fram Stores" faux pas... {:cP

Roberta		25-Aug-2007 02:10
Jeff...I LOVE your typos...! Especially how the..."Fram Stores stared out..." tee! hee! Reminds me of how I would LOL, in English class, when we had to correct those misplaced modifiers, & dangling participles, as in..."I saw the library looking through my living room window...", & ..."The locket belonged to Grandma with the secret compartment..", or..."Hanging on a hook in my closet, I found my necktie...", or..."Take a teaspoonful of honey before going to bed in a glass of milk..." !! If you take them literally, they're hilarious! Jay Leno's Headlines are based on typos, in ad copy, as anyone who watches "The Tonight Show" on Mondays knows! They put me on the floor! This is just good-natured ribbing...you jab yourself, @ your own typos!..so, all in good fun...& too, a memory of high school days gone by, when Grammar & punctuation could actually be entertaining, & fun! I think I am one of few, who actually enjoyed daigramming sentences, & conjugating the verb "to be," in all of the voices, tenses, & moods, & creative writing. Math?...it was Greek to me, except when I was in the 7th grade, @ Riviera Jr. High, & Mr. Tekerman was my math teacher...! (see earlier posts, for special memories of Mr. T.) I am guilty of typos on here, too! My "secret"? I edit my copy, with careful corrections, before I post! LOVE the wealth of information that you pass on to us, Jeff! You add so much to this Site, & I, for one, truly do appreciate it. Many thanks, pal!

Alan Ogus, Ph.D.		25-Aug-2007 01:47
When I was attending Miami Dade Jr. College 1967-1969 I reacll a fantastic Italian Restaurant in North Miami named GiGi's. My memory is somewhat occluded but I think it was on N.W. 7th avenue around 100 or 103rd Street. Does anyone recall this establishment? The buttered garlic rolls were to die for. Then again, I may be totally wrong regarding the location but my recall of the name and the garlic rolls remains inviolate. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Az.

JD		25-Aug-2007 01:10
There's still a few Farmstores around. I go to the one on Hialeah Drive every year around Christmas to buy their eggnog which is great.

Jeff		25-Aug-2007 00:41
Fram Stores stared out as Land O' Sun Daries - but in 1960 the owners took a revolutionary new approach: Drive-through kiosks to sell their and others' products. Farm Stores is still around - barely... and they are NOT the same as in the old days... Years back, their only serious competitors were Pic-A-PAc Stores... and they disappeared over 30 years ago...

Guest		25-Aug-2007 00:15
Does anyone have a photo of the old "Farm Stores" with the old men who looked 100 years old or more filling the orders and bringing them to the car windows? I thought that other than Dressel's Dairy (probably not spelled right) Dairy Queen or Dipper Dan that you couldn't get ice cream anywhere else. Are they still in business? A few years ago we passed one in St. Peteersburg, Fl and I had to stop and get some ice cream. My wife, born and raised in Connecticut, admitted that in 30 years of marriage she thought I was just making it all up about how great "Farm Stores" ice cream was (I have complainingly compared it to whatever ice cream I'm usually eating for many years). Now she knew for herself how great it was and understands why I miss it so much. By the way, thanks to this site and all the memories shared, she also understands why she has had to hear about how great Miami/Hialeah was many years ago. Thanks to all of you for helping to bail me out in this regard.

Jeff		24-Aug-2007 23:10
First of all, Steve.... you're more than welcome! Did you notice your "Freudian slip" in the typo "I loved on the 9th floor and she lived on the 3rd..."? Pehaps this is why you can always do what she wants! LOL! I have an unusual "six degrees of seperation" to Jumbo's... The owners (for most of the restaurant's 50+ year history) are relatives of my late mother's childhood friend. Mom and her friend Ann grew up in Rochester, NY and knew each other since the age of 5... they both left Rochester after marriage... mom to Brooklyn, NY and Ann to Youngstown, Ohio. They kept in touch until Mom's passing - and now Ann has passed along as well... Ironically, Jumbo's was one of the countles restaurants in Miami forced to serve black clientele of the 1950's from a service window (where they lined up outside), but now black clientele are the bulk of their business and probably what keeps them open... How things come full circle!

Stephen LeQuier		24-Aug-2007 22:43
First of all, thank you Jeff. My mom, dad and I moved to Miami in '56. Then my mother and father separated, and my mother and I moved around Miami quite a lot. I lived in the projects for most of the time, across the street from Little River Elementary School. I went to school at Little River, Miami Edison, Miami Central and MacArthur. Before my dad left, he worked at Richard's Department Store at 163rd Street. Every Christmas we would go and get my picture taken with Santa. One year Santa was in the little amusement park and had a booth set up. My first job was as a shoeshine boy at Carl's Barbershop in North Miami Beach. Then I worked for my new stepfather delivering kerosene throughout Dade (Chandler's Fuel Oil) as well as his service station on NW 7th Avenue and the railroad tracks pumping gas. The one thing I remember the most is the ability to ride my bike anywhere, even at a young age, with no fear. I guess you can't do that anymore. Some of the places I remember vividly are Lighthouse Pizza on 7th Avenue and Jumbos. You couldn't get near the place on a Friday night. I also spent a lot of time in Hialeah and remember seeing Goldfinger at the Essex. Of course, everyone's mentioned Lums. I once drove from Winston-Salem, NC to Gatlinburg, TN because I heard there was a Lums there. When I got there, you would have thought I'd been on a pilgramage to Mecca or some other holy quest. My wife, she just couldn't understand my passion but she let me go anyway. Speaking of my wife, I met her in Cutler Ridge at the Towers. I loved on the 9th floor and she lived on the 3rd. We met on the elevator. We've been married 35 years now. She still lets me do whatever she wants. I used to buy all my records at the Record Shack in Cutler Ridge and there was also one in North Miami. My best man at my wedding was Joe Holderness who worked at the Record Shack in Cutler Ridge. Of course, my memories are not in chronological order. When I first left home, I lived at the Lombardy Hotel on Collins Avenue. I worked as a bellhop and switchboard operator and still went to school. I also worked at the Publix there on Collins Avenue as an apprentice meat cutter. My boss was Seymore Goldberg, a great guy who put up with a lot, I must say. A couple of more things. I remember the Doors concert at Dinner Key. I was there. I learned how to sail at the Yacht Club at Dinner Key. I don't recall exactly the name. Matheson Hammock was one of my favorite places and the concerts at Grenolds Park. I once fell off the castle and ended up with not a single scratch. Well, enough for now. Thanks for letting me carry on and thanks for the memories. Steve

Jeff		24-Aug-2007 05:27
Uncle Tom's Bar-B-Q started out as Colonel Jim's. Jim was in the plumbing business, then one day decided he'd had enough and closed the shop down, reopening the building as a drive-in Bar-B-Q place. Tommy Efantis bought the business a few years afterward. A bit farther along, Tommy took on a partner and opened a second location on the 79th Street Causeway. Sometimes business relationships just don't work out, and Tommy sold out to his partner, eventually opening Tommy's Bar-B-Q on LeJeune Road near the airport. It wasn't too far after this divestiture that his ex-partner - now over-extended financially - begged Tommy to buy the restaurants back from him. Tom did so, shut down the 79th Street location (and his own Tommy's Bar-B-Q) and consolodated his efforts into the original location. To divest himself from any ill-will possibly left behind by his ex-partner's operation of the restaurant, he renamed it Uncle Tom's - no doubt in part to save some money on redoing the neon letters spelling out "Colonel Jim's" on the building. It stayed a drive-in until around 1959 when a tragic accident severed one of the car hop's legs. It was then that Tommy converted the restaurant to an enclosed, sit-down facility. A few years ago, Tommy retired. His brother Johnny (who used to work at the Daisy Mae Bar-B-Q) used to assist him. Johnny passed away a while back. Johnny's wife "Chickie" also worked at Colonel Jim's/Uncle Tom's as a car hop in the 1950's.

Bill Parks		24-Aug-2007 04:49
Stephen, Thanks for the link to your pictures. I had forgotten the little boats at Crandon Park. There is still an Uncle Tom's Barbeque on SW 8th Street about a block east of LeJune Road. It has changed hands several times but the food is still pretty good. Next time I eat there, I'll try the hot dog. Does anyone remember the Old Hickory BBQ? It was on Coral Way near 32 Ave. It moved to Bird Road by the Palmetto and then went away. It's old location on Coral Way became the New Hickory. The New Hickory recently went away also to be replaced by a condo building. I thought we had lost another good barbeque but while confirming the address of the Uncle Tom BBQ I found New Hickory! It seems to have moved east on Coral Way near 12th Avenue. I'll have to check it out.

Stephen LeQuier		24-Aug-2007 04:17
You might find some of these images interesting. If you find anything, feel free to use them. http://www.pbase.com/trimoon/gallery/old_miami_florida Question; does anyone know if Uncle Tom's barbecue still around? I used to love their foot-long hot dogs. My mom and I started going there in 1956. The last time I was there. I believe was the mid-80s. The same two waitresses still work there from 1956. In the above link there is a photograph of a North Miami Beach address this house was torn down so that they could build the Lums restaurant that faced 167th St. Does anyone remember chandlers Atlantic service station on nw 7th ave and 73rd st? This was my pops service station and where I used to work after school. Steve

Richard		24-Aug-2007 03:39
Prior to WTVJ moving to their new studio on Miami Avenue, I was a regular visitor to their, then, store-front studio. I came to know Bob Weaver, Alec Gibson, Joe Villella, and Jackie Pierce. And yes it was Weavy the Weather bird that Bob used in his weather reports. During one segment, he tied a noose around the birds neck, gave it to me to hold, then, with the camera on the bird, he began his report by saying – “I see that Weavy is hanging around today to check the weather.”

Jeff		22-Aug-2007 23:52
Charlis - Are you referring to "Weavy the Weather Bird"?

charlis		22-Aug-2007 23:34
roberta... message on Rick Shaw's page....

charlis		22-Aug-2007 22:40
Jeff.... typing class? I had Coach Green as my typing teacher! In spite of that, I am a pretty darned good typist. Only have problems with numbers... but, then again, I haven't used a typewriter in years! I'll get the pic of Kope to you over the weekend.

charlis		22-Aug-2007 22:37
Weaver the Weather man with his crazy side kick! A while back I was talking to someone at work and he remembered Weaver but we couldn't remember the name of the "side kick".... cartoon of him in a rain coat, boots, etc. Channel 6 was the first "extra" channel... and the reception was terrible.

charlis		22-Aug-2007 22:27
Robin... Pomerantz? As in Candy? If Candy... can't remember her brother's name... depends on your age... but if related to Candy... I have a great story about your grandmother (if the same as Candy's) or your great grandmother if Candy's brother was your father.

Guest		22-Aug-2007 16:01
From My Youth AM radio jingles :1.High Tide..Low Tide..Waterski..Surfside..WFUN YoHo Radio. 2. 560 WQAM-Miami 3.Happy WCKR

Jeff		22-Aug-2007 14:55
Augghh!!! Quick (and bad) typing strike again! Did I say my hair was "still THEIR"!!! Yeesh! Of course, it's t-h-e-r-e, but I have hands and a brain that are way out of sync when it comes to using a keyboard... Maybe I "shoulda taken" a typing class in high school after all.... {:cP

Jeff		22-Aug-2007 14:53
Roberta - Virginia Graham's "Girl Talk" was a syndicated show. It was probably best described as an even more gossipy version of today's "The View" and I hated it (but I think my mom used to watch it). With one black and white TV in the house and me being the child, there was no arguing over who-watched-what... LOL! I would suspect that Bill Wyler either moved on to other work, or was replaced due to the growing popularity of Rick Shaw with teens as a local Top-40 deejay on WQAM. As for Don Barber, I suspect that he may no longer be with us... When I met him about 25-30 years ago, he was in his late 50's or early 60's. A very kind and compassionate man; my youthful interest in broadcasting was encouraged by him, and I was welcomed as a guest into his home. He lived near 79th Street and Biscayne... and if he's still alive, I can best believe that he's relocated to a different locale... Yes, Ralph Renick DID have a great head of hair... it made guys like me with wiry, curly hair all the more envious, because no matter what I do with this stuff, it never looked good from one side or another... so I just gave up and gave in... at least - as grey as it's getting - it's still their. Like David Letterman used to joke "I have the worst hair in show business!" - LOL! -

Roberta		22-Aug-2007 08:26
Jeff...HA! What about...W-F-U-N, the fun spot! and ...Hap-py W-C-K-R! You STILL haven't told me whatever happened to Charlie Murdock, of WQAM...!! Thanks, for supplying Bill Wyler's name! Why was he replaced, with Rick Shaw, & the name of the show, changed? Was "Girl Talk," with Virginia Graham, a local show, like Jackie Pierce had, or was it syndicated? Whatever became of Don Barber? He was very handsome, we all thought. We also loved Ralph Rennick. Don...do you have any photos of these former TV personalities? I would love to see their faces again, after all these years...& hey! how about posting one of yourself, so I can put a face to the name? I think everyone would like to see our Host...!! We once saw Ralph Rennick, downtown, leaning against a building, & talking to a couple of people. My father wouldn't let us approach him, & made us respect his space. He (R.R.) had the most gorgeous head of hair I've ever seen on a man! I purentee HATE the "slept in"-looking hairstyles, that today's males wear! It looks so untidy, & flat-out nasty! What happened to a neat sidepart & cowlick, or a crewcut? We all swooned over Tony Curtis' hairstyle, & of course, Elvis'. I've seen some young "entertainers" wearing their hair in a "Gerber baby" style! What's with THAT? Bald, I respect. Disheveled, no way! Wish the Ralph Rennick hairstyle for men would make a comeback. (sigh) Guess that's like wishing Our Town was the way it used to be, huh? Well, shoot fire, folks! It still IS, here on this Site!! Thanks, Don Boyd!! We all love you for it!!

Jeff		22-Aug-2007 05:55
I've got it! The host of Ten's Bandstand was......Bill Wyler!!!!!

Jeff		22-Aug-2007 05:35
Roberta- Channel 4 did a whole series of those scenic commercials. I remembered the one with the jet, you remembered the Venetian Pool... Don just saved me the typing on all of the "musical chairs" our local stations have done as of late... Ten's Bandstand had a host whom I cannot name... but it evolved into Saturday Hop with Rick Shaw. Bob Clayton's last job [before he passed away] was the announcer on Concentration with Hugh Downs. Here in Miami, he was also partnered with Don Barber for the Don and Bob Show on Channel 7 (I met Don years ago), and Bob also played the Bell Captain in Jerry Lewis' 1960 movie "The Bellboy" - filmed at the Fontainebleau Hotel. What I miss most was the professionalism and "authoritarian voice" of Ralph Renick on the Channel 4 news... his nightly editorial [which he pioneered] and his closing salutation "Good night, and may the good news be yours..." Right before his newscast was "It's 5:55 and time for Weaver the Weatherman". We all thought Bob Weaver could actually write backward on that glass panel [by the way, I can!], but he confessed years later that it was a camera trick... Do you recall "Wayne Fariss and the News" on Channel 7? His "news theme" was a bit of the soundtrack from "Bridge on the River Kwai"! Some trivia: In the old days, before high-end and expensive news "production theme packages", local stations used to thumb through their record libraries for interesting theme material... Channel 10 (during the Glenn Rinker-Ann Bishop days) used [for a time] "The Getaway" by Lalo Shiffrin, from his "More Music from Mission Impossible" LP... their closing theme (showing a montage including a parent happily swinging around a little girl) was part of Neil Diamond's "African Suite"... Channel 6 used the end-fanfare/flourish from Peggy Lee's "Love Song"... and even NBC dipped WAY back into existing music for the Huntly-Brinkley Report's close... Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Second Movement... Geez...and I sounding anal-retentive or what? LOL! What I l,oved were the old radio station jingles.... (Doo-doo-doo-WON-DER-FUL..W...Q...A...MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!)

Don Boyd		22-Aug-2007 05:17
I'm doing okay, Roberta. Thanks for asking. I added 50 new photos of the Rick Shaw retirement party today - it only took 3 months, haha. Trust me, all of your comments are helping me to remember things too. Regarding your TV stations, Channel 10 was always ABC - it was the others that did the big switcharoos. Channel 4 was WTVJ and CBS. It changed to WFOR and is still CBS. Channel 6 was WCIX and independent with a poor signal. It is now WTVJ (NBC6) and NBC and has a better signal. Channel 7 was WCKT and NBC. It changed to WSVN and is independent but they carry a lot of Fox programming but also a lot of news. Don

Roberta		22-Aug-2007 04:45
Jeff...that scenic WTVJ station break that featured a few bars of, "And I Love Her," showed scenes from the Venetian Pool. Saw it on Aunt's TV, when I was down there living with her, after high school. LOVED that station break!! Do I recall correctly, or was WTVJ, Channel 4, the CBS station? Remember they touted it as..."the Wometco Theatre of the air..."? Think it's NBC, now (?). Wasn't WCKT, Channel 7, where Bob (Oh, sugar! His surname just fell out of my 59 year old brain!) hosted "Movie Seven," & isn't that where "The Dungeon" aired, with Charlie Baxter?? Bob (??) went on to New York, & took over as host for a few years, on "Concentration." He was born in Atlanta, GA. CLAYTON!!! EUREKA!! THAT was his surname!! The rival station did "Midday Movie," hosts name was Don, & he was a looker!! THINK it aired on Channel 10(?). I THINK Channel 10 was NBC, then, & that's where "Ten's Bandstand" aired. Who was the host? Anyone remember? Steve Howe took my sister, Audrey (Perry) to the show, & we watched them dance on TV. Both were Class of 1960, Southwest High. Did EVERYONE move away from the S.W. section of Miami, to parts unknown? C'mon! If our Beachites, esp. from AZ, can find this Site, surely, the rest of you folk out there can!!?? Charlis...recalling what we ate, "back in the day," is our long term memory, which seems to get keener, the older we get. It's the short term memory that is so maddeningly elusive for us...& being able to state the name of objects in our home. Reminiscing is a very good mental exercise, & we need to sharpen our short term recall, as well. One way to do so, is to read...not just novels, but DATED periodicals, that are current. I make a practice of referring to my calendar, everyday, down on the desktop, above the time, on my computer, & also, my daily log book (for glucose monitoring) is helpful, to know the current date, & day of the week. I even "x" out the days, on my daily planner, to help. Elementary school teachers did the same, for us, remember? With Alzheimer's a very real threat to our generation, it's a good idea, to exercise these mental cues, ASAP. Cherish your abilities, dear ones, to have this gift, to recall our younger days! Embrace it! Enjoy it to the max! This wonderful Site encourages us all, to THINK, to reflect, & oh, my! How happy it all makes me!! Love "talking" to you guys..! Oh, & Hey, Don!! How are you, today?

Jeff		22-Aug-2007 02:53
Robin, I remember that corner well... where your grandmother's house is/was! Dave Weinkler passed away about ten years ago... he was a bit of a character, but a nice fellow. He first opened up shop as a Ben Franklin 5&10 franchise... Are you related to former Police Chied Rocky Pomerantz?

Robin Pomerantz		22-Aug-2007 01:02
Banjo Billy? The Crandon Park Zoo? The train ride there? Food Fair in Westchester? Dixie Cream near West Miami Junior High? Royal Castle across the street from West Miami Junior High? Split sessions at Coral Park? Dipper Dan's? Harper's Hardware? Westward Ho? Jeff, my grandmother lived on Lenox Avenue on Miami Beach on the corner of Lenox and 17th Street. Near Weinkle's 5 & 10. There is a Cuban Hebrew Synagogue there now, exactly where her house was.

Guest		22-Aug-2007 00:50
Does anyone remember Gracie's Italian Restaurant? They used to give every kid a Hershey Bar after dinner. I was born in Miami, live in the Palmetto area now, but went to Coral Park Class of '76. Remember Glorified Deli on the Trail? Anthony's? I remember Santacroce's and what about Tastee Inn?

Jeff		22-Aug-2007 00:23
Thanks, Charlis... Bob was such a great guy... it's a shame how things ended for him...

charlis		22-Aug-2007 00:12
jeff.... I'll email you from the other computer tomorrow night... have a cute pic of Mr. Kope at my wedding and will send it to you. I agree with you... ANY OTHER BEACHITES OUT THERE????

Jeff		21-Aug-2007 23:25
I've been thinking... I'm alone and adrift here... Miami Beach Senior High... Class of 1970 - well.......Summer School Clas of 1970........ I had some issues during my senior year.... Grew up on South Beach.... first moved here from Brooklyn, NY around October, 1963... residing at 1446 Lenox Avenue - around the corner from the Everglades Soda Shop... Attended the old Central Beach (later Feinberg) Elementary and Ida M. Fisher Junior High Schools... Shopped at the A&P at 14th and Alton... went to Paul's Barber Shop... filled my bicycle tires with air at the Standard Station on 15th and Alton... Hung around Miami Beach Radio Company (for records), Winkler's 5&10 (for stencils and other goodies)... ...ate at Neil's Restaurant, Mayfield's Cafeteria, Hotel Pharmacy lunch counter, Wolfie's, Flame Steak, Concord Cafeteria, Governor Cafeteria, Hoffman's Cafeteria, Gino's Pizza from the shop next door to the Cameo Theater... bought ice cream sandwiches for 9 cents at Woolworth's as a kid... went to the Cameo, Cinema, Colony, Beach, Flamingo, Carib, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Sheridan, Surf Theaters... Any former Beachites besides CHarlis and I out there???????

Jeff		21-Aug-2007 23:14
CHarlis... I've been waiting for you to email me so we can stay in touch if you find the lettering stuff... drop me a line at jnl1952 @ juno.com... (just remove the spaces)

charlis		21-Aug-2007 22:00
Roberta, RE: Florida Room.. when we bought the house on MB it had a huge florida room... jalosied windows all around... all the rooms in the house had the windows. When Cleo hit they rattled so much you could not hear yourself think! But they were a lot safer that the big "paned glass" windows we had in OH.

charlis		21-Aug-2007 21:50
Jeff and Dave... it's not memory pills... it's old age. Can't remember what we ate last night for dinner but can remember what we ate, and how much we paid, at Royal Castle after the dance at school in 1965!

Alan Ogus, Ph.D.		21-Aug-2007 20:08
Joanne: Butch Childers has a younger sister named Sharon. She graduated from Palmetto in 1966. Yes, I was at the Doors concert. I beleive it was at the Dinner Key Auditorium. The police arrested Jim Morrison for alleged indecent exposure by exposing himself to the audience. I do remember I was somewhat less than enchanted that the concert was abbreviated. Alan Ogus, Ph.D.

Joanne		21-Aug-2007 18:18
Alan... I seem to recognize the Congdon and Childers names. Did either of them have younger brothers or sisters? In an earlier post you said you went to a pop festival in '68, did you see Jim Morrison/The Doors when they came? My brother went to that one. I remember the big deal the police made over Jim Morrison, arrested him for indecent exposure or something like that....

Alan Ogus, Ph.D.		21-Aug-2007 17:46
Joanne: Yes, I am in contact with several of the Original Ridge Rats. Terry Stewart, Nathan Levy, Roy Ronnie Valentine, Butch Childers, Emilio Mazza and Vaughn Stinson. We formed the Ridge Rats during our respective freshman and sophomore year (1962) while attending Palmetto High. David Congdon (deceased) and David Paul Atwood(deceased) were also original founding members. Alan Ogus, Ph.D.,Ridge Rat Emeritus, Palmetto High Class of 1964. Alive and well in Phoeniz, Arizona

Joanne		21-Aug-2007 15:12
Alan... I'm trying to get a friend and former panther to get on this site with us. She's a ridge rat as well (lived on Memorial Rd) and moved back to Miami last week after a few years in Pa. I'm also trying to get my sister (Palmetto class of '66) to join in. Have you heard from any of your 'Rat' buddies?

Alan Ogus, Ph>D.		21-Aug-2007 14:57
Joanne: I am a quasi regular poster here. Cutler Ridge resident -9435 Nassau Drive 1955-1964. Founding member of the Ridge Rats 1962. Palmetto High Class of 1964. U.S. Army 1964-1967. Miami Dade Junior College 1967-1969. Left Florida in 1969. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Joanne		21-Aug-2007 13:34
Charlis....Glad to see that someone remembers that OB game. Too bad about the video, I would have loved to see it. Maybe someone else out there might have photos??? Anyone else love to eat at the Rusty Pelican? Had my 'sweet 16' party there. Miss the boat races next door. Love the new pics of Seaquarium, etc. that were just added. Way to go Brad King!!! Need some more folks from the Pinecrest, Cutler Ridge, Palmetto Bay area to join in. We need you former Panthers!!!!!!!!

Roberta		21-Aug-2007 05:12
Dave...! Hey, Buddy! Where ya been? Good to hear from you, on "our" Site again!! Left a message for you, on the photo site of the old Dairy Queen...check it out! I'm enjoying Charlis, & getting to know her, like we did Largo, miatwr, & many others, who are frequent Posters...! Hey, "Drew what's-your-name"...where'd ya go? We all are waiting to hear from YOU, & to read YOUR memories! Won't you please join us? This goes for all of you other "silent Tads" out there! Best way for anyone to keep this from becoming a narrow field, is to W-I-D-E-N it, with open arms, & allow us all to grow, & learn, from one another!! I'm STILL anxious to hear from Miss Alberta, & any others out there, who remember when Our Town was wooden buildings & dirt roads, & men wore celluloid collars, & many lived in a Boarding House, during the week, & went to wherever home was, on the weekends. Any stories on the birth of the Miami Herald? The very first car dealership? When the railroad was KING, for travel, & transporting goods to Our Town? Hey! Y'all remember when hotdog was king, & a "cookout" meant a "weinie roast?" They were sold in pkgs of 24...so were the buns! As kids, we thought, a sure sign that someone was "coming up in the world," & were "well-off," was when their father built a brick chimney barbecue pit in their back yard, or, when you saw "building permit," on a stick in their yard, & a load of sand, cement, & gravel, because he'd bought the plans to build-on to his home, & add a "Florida Room!" WOW! A FLORIDA ROOM!! Half the walls were jalousied windows!! How novel!! Oh, don't forget the PATIO, & the Car port!! Oh, boy! Remember the first ones on your block to install a window air-conditioner, or have big wooden awnings? Ours were "monogrammed," in Olde English lettering, with the letter "P," for Perry. Made it easy, during hurricane season, to just lower them, & hook them securely. No boarding-up needed. Oh, & everyone stood up & took notice, remember, if a neighbor installed an in-ground swimming pool! Jumping Jehosophat!! A POOL!! No envy, there, as we all had access to the Venetian Pool, & Crandon Park, Tahiti, & Matheson Hammack Beaches. It meant we could get in the car, & GO!!! Who wanted to stay @ home, just to swim?? Nostalgia is what it's all about. The photos of our old haunts, & stores, etc., trigger so many OTHER memories...& on here, we sometimes get the privilege to declare, excitedly..."Hey! I remember YOU!!"

Jeff		21-Aug-2007 04:52
Here's a new topic for memory jogging... (from the keeper of forgotten facts and useless information)... Did you have a UHF converter in the early-to-mid 1950's on your TV set? If you did, you got to tune into WITV (the original Channel 17) and watched the musical review sponsored by "Alabama Bill" Lehman... or the news program hosted by Bill Bayer... Perhaps (if they ever REALLY got on the air), you witnessed the limited station life of WGBS-TV... Or maybe you recall WCKT signing on in 1955 (shortly before the FCC forced a sale because two competing publishers - Cox and Knight - went into partnership with a former NBC executive to start the station.) Did you watch Conni Gordon's art lessons on the old Channel 10 (WPST) before National Airlines was forced to sell the station to Lewis B. Wilson (WLBW) because of some stock manipulation issues? Do you recall Guy Aylward as "The White Baron" on the fledgling Channel 6 (WCIX)? What about boorish Dave Dixon hosting the all-night show on Channel 23... or was it on Channel 51? Remember "Creature Feature" - the all-night spooky movie show on Channel 10? How about "The Big Show" on Channel 4 which opened with a percussionist playing a set of tympani to "There's No Business Like Show Business"? Then there were the award-winning "scenic" station breaks on Channel 4 which featured such pastoral scenes as a jet in flight over some palm trees, and a few bars of "And I Love Her" from the soundtrack of the Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" LP and a simple voice-over: "Channel 4...serving South Florida"... Remember those great local TV-commercials? "Let's-go-to-Roy-al...Castle" "Johnnie and Mack by the railroad track - the world's largest, and that's a fact!" "One Hundred Sixty Third Street - the giant shopping center...giant choice and value - from the time you enter - One Hundred Sixty Third Street Shopping Center!" "Look for the sign of the king on the bun - where the prices are low and the eatin' is fun - Burger King, a real NICE place to eat!" "The Wreck Bar at the Castaways - America's most FUNderful resort motel!"

Jeff		21-Aug-2007 04:19
Thanks, Dave... No memory pills here... just this simple recipe: Take 1 part transplanted Northerner (I arrived here in 1963) add 1 part penchant for [seemingly] useless facts Mix in with being middle-aged and having no life (LOL!) Stir thoroughly and let season with nearly 44 years of residing in South Florida and... Voila! An explanation of why I post so much trivia...

Dave		21-Aug-2007 04:02
Hey Roberta and Jeff... Please give me the name of the memory pills you guys are takin... What memories you guys have, which in turn bring back many mems of mine. Forget Drew, you guys keep on keepin on with your postings... I grew up in NE Miami and have tried to get some reponse from others from that neck of the woods,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Not much luck so far!!!! So I'll re-live the best and most unforgetable days of my life with you guys... After all.... we all are Miamians and no one can take that away from us!!! Dave........MEHS Class of 1960!!

Jeff		21-Aug-2007 02:04
However, what used to scare the dickens out of me was any time that a TV station would "interrupt this program for a special bulletin"... What WAS that bulletin??? No matter whether the news item was great or small, the interruption itself was eerie! Remember the old Channel 4 hurricane advisory interruption? The slide came on the screen along with the ping-ping-ping of sonar (used for dramatic effect), and then the announcer would advise us that hurricane information would shortly follow...

Jeff		21-Aug-2007 01:54
Those old air raid drills were definitely part of Civil Defense, as we had those back in Brooklyn (where I spent my first eleven years). Comedians love to joke about the fact that if you crawled under a desk with your hands over your head and your butt in the air, you'd be sure to survive a nuclear attack... What uninformed individuals we were in those days! I also well remember those TV interruptions... originally part of the CONELRAD defense program... What I hated the most was that ear-splitting high-frequency tone they used for a signal during those TV tests. We also had air raid sirens on Miami Beach... located at 17th Street on the top of the Miami Beach Auditorium. If my memory is correct, they tested the sirens on Sundays at 1 PM. Lord help anyone walking nearby... but what was cool was hearing the sirens wind down to an audible stop...

Roberta		21-Aug-2007 00:38
Mano, Charlis...I recall those air raid sirens, as far back as the 1st grade! (1952). Teacher, Mrs. Cordelia Brockway, made us put our heads down, & cover the back of our neck with our clasped hands. Many little children cried, in terror. We were only 5 or 6 years old, & all of us wanted our Mommy, to be sure! I THINK they were a drill for a tornado warning, by the time we came along, as I don't think Miami ever had to do the "blackouts," like London did during the Blitz(?). However, I could be wrong, & it COULD have been a carryover, from WWII, & Civil Defense was behind it. Remember, they had a segment on TV, showing you what to do, during an air raid, in case of a nuclear attack, & they had those "we interrupt this broadcast for a special message," or, "this is a test of the emergency broadcast system"...stints, too, which interrupted our kiddie shows, & scared us all over again. Our 2nd grade teacher, Florence Drinkwater, had us get on the floor, UNDER our desks, & go into the "air raid position," to protect us from flying glass, or debris. Does anyone recall getting tar on your feet, @ Tahiti Beach, which was from sunken tankers, out in the Atlantic? All those years later, it would come in with the tide, to where you were wading, when it was originally beyond the sea lanes, where the ships were sunk by subs...& yes, they were out there. Wow. Long time ago. I'll bet Miss Alberta could shed some light on these pre-&post-war memories for us. Hope she will post some more comments, soon.

Jeff		20-Aug-2007 23:33
Make that "courteous". I'm typing-challenged!

Jeff		20-Aug-2007 23:32
Hmmmm.... Drew never posted any follow-up messages. Do you think it's possible that he made that comment on purpose in order to stimulate the people in here into responding - thereby waking up a quiet message board? If so, it worked. If not, we're still waiting for a courtous and thoughtful reply, Drew...

charlis		20-Aug-2007 21:28
mano... I remember the sirens. Scared the heck out of my sister and mother. She would flash back to her youth in Germany and France during WWII. Remember the air raid drills in the early 60's?

charlis		20-Aug-2007 21:25
Roberta and Jeff... I agree with you... this site will bring back memories and old friends. Talking about them makes this board a great place without having to sign up with Classmates. When I get finished with packing for the move, unpacking after the move, I will submit a few photos that I have... Parrot Jungle in the early 60's, Crandon Park, etc.

charlis		20-Aug-2007 21:22
Joanne... I was at the game that night. Best half time ever! Hubby took film of it, but alas, the film has gone into that mysterious zone... the zone where if you put a pair of socks in the washer, only one comes out! When we converted all our films to video we looked all over for it and could not find it.

Joanne		20-Aug-2007 17:28
How about the Orange Bowl? I was a participant in the first halftime show designed by Disney (1973). My high school, along with many others in the area was recruited to send dancers, singers, bands, etc. to perform. I was a chimney sweep during the 'Mary Poppins' set. Anyone else out there in this show as well?

Jeff		20-Aug-2007 14:50
Roberta: I couldn't have said it any better! Alan: Believe it or not, thanks to a friend in the music industry, I have the surviving 20 minutes of Hendrix's performance at the festival on CD-R... the set includes Foxy Lady, Stand in Your Fire and three other songs... Hard to believe that was almost 40 years ago!!!!!

Alan Ogus, Ph.D.		20-Aug-2007 14:20
Jeff: I was at the Miami Pop Festival in 1968 or at least that is what I was told by my friends and associates. I do recall Hendrix but not any other performers. Probably due to ingestion of a plethora of mind altering substances during the event. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Ridge Rat Emeritus, Palmetto High Class of 1964. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Guest		20-Aug-2007 13:30
I just remembered that in the 50's and 60's every Saturday at around 12 noon or 1pm the civil defense siren sounded off as a test, and we could hear it in Hialeah. Does anyone know if the siren still sounds off on Saturday's? It came in handy when we were playing outside because we knew that if we hadn't had lunch yet, it was time to get hungry and go in fro lunch.

Roberta Perry Hughes		20-Aug-2007 06:26
To: Mrs. Alberta Pallot, first baby born @ Miami Jackson Memorial Hospital, in 1919... A very, very, wonderful & joyous HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU...!!! Whenever it may be, & may all of your future birthdays be celebrations in good health, & all of the comforts of life, & with many, many friends, & family, there with you, to seize the day on your behalf, & celebrate your special day, & who you are!! I have meant to post these wishes to you, long before this moment, but I got sidetracked. Please forgive my slight! My goodness! I cannot BEGIN to imagine the memories you have, of Our Town, back in its infancy! Do you have any photos, especially of yourself, and/or your family, in front of one of our landmarks? Where did you live? Go to school? Where did your father work? Did your family have a car? Was your father a WWI veteran? Do you remember anyone talking about how the Influenza epidemic affected Miami? Oh, I DO so want to hear from you, & if you are up to it, please, e-mail me! And please, Miss Alberta, share your memories, of the Miami of your youth, with all of us, on this Site! Be well, dear friend! robertah47@aol.com

Roberta		20-Aug-2007 06:03
Jeff...! Hey...! Good to know that you agree with what I said, to the mysterious "Drew." It's just that, I truly LOVE this Site!! I am, more or less, housebound, save for clinics, labs, hospitals, etc., & my computer, a most generous GIFT, from the Class of 1966 (CCHS, Edison, GA), has opened a whole new world to me. And this Site is my favorite haunt, to be sure! When my family left S.W. Miami, in 1961, I never really got over it, & I missed the area, & my former neighborhood, & schoolmates,& neighbors, & the cars of the 1950's, the stores, & the places to go, see, & do, & all of the eateries, beaches, pools, T.V. shows, etc., & of course, wonderful downtown Miami, back when the Dade County courthouse was the tallest building, & was our landmark, that helped guide us back to Flagler Street, if we got "lost." To see these amazing photos is to be a child again, or a teenager, & to recall a time when our parents were young & healthy, & our teachers were, too. It is like our visual Time Machine, where we can return, any time we want to do so, & revel in it. Like you said, some of us have made contact, with former neighbors, or our former schoolmates, & this Site is the perfect place for us to, literally, flush them out of hiding, & we learn that they now live in N.C., or the North GA mountains, in a real log cabin, or that they moved further up the state of FL, or even Arizona or California. We write little mini-journals, or diary entries, of sorts, but they are overflowing with our memories, & nostalgia, & our longing to connect, to a happier place & time. Drew...please join us, whoever you are, wherever you now live, & share YOUR memories with us! Where did you go to school? Tell us, so that we may find that common thread, that binds us all together. I think Jeff will agree...& Largo, & Dave, & most of the other regular "Post A Comment" Clubbers, that we have become like a "family", of sorts, with many members, scattered hither & yon, & this Site is where we hold an ongoing Reunion! So, please! Don't just read the comments! Post your own! We're all eager to hear from ALL of you "silent" folk out there!

Jeff		20-Aug-2007 02:40
I concur with you, Roberta... and Drew, did you ever stop to realize that people who haven't heard from each other in years have reconnected through this very site? If you exercise a bit of logic, you'll understand that many people who do make a connection here then progress to private email to continue their renewed ties. As for myself - aside for asking for assistance in a parallel hobby that preserves some tangible old memories of items we used in the 50's and 60's, I've spent a good while personally annotating historical information about many of the images on this page, as well as tried to stir others' memories by opening up topics of conversation. If the fact that the bulk of the visitors/posters are friendly and casual bothers you, please feel free to start your own blog site with specific rules and regulations. We'll all honor that (and probably not even post there)... Personally, I don't understand what the gripe is... and like Roberta said... where are YOUR memory postings. So, its best to either join in or opt out... remember "judge not lest ye be judged by others". We don't really want to sit in judgement of you, but equally, you have no right to judge us...

Roberta Perry Hughes		19-Aug-2007 23:31
Drew...absolutely no one, who posts a comment, ties the hands of any others out there, who are reading our comments, & prevents them from posting a memory, of any sort. Instead of having put your petty .02 cents worth in, via a criticism, might I ask of you...(as I'm sure, the rest of the posters out there would also want to know)...WHERE is YOUR posted memory??? What section of Miami are you from? Many of us have pleaded with those from the S.W. section to make themselves known, while still others expressed a desire to hear from the Hialeah crowd, or Gables kids, Miami Springs, etc., etc....so...! Where are YOU from?? I remember a "Drew", who went to Riviera Jr. High, same grade as my brother. This particular Drew lived in West Wood Lakes, & if I recall correctly, he had a water-skiing squirrel, who appeared on a T.V. Summer fill-in show called, "That's Incredible," or that show's rival, whose name eludes me, but was on a rival network. Of course, many, who are named "Andrew," could be nicknamed "Drew," so, it's possible that you are someone else, & NOT the "Drew" I am remembering. Oh, the Drew I recall, also, could walk on his hands, which he did do that very stunt, all up & down the inclined aisles of the auditorium of Riviera Jr. High, @ the "Third Annual Riviera Review." How do I know? I was a soloist, in that same show. So...! Tell us all who you are, & where you are from...& PLEASE...! Share YOUR memories with us! I just shared several of my own, of Drew Keyes.

Guest		19-Aug-2007 16:58
When did Don retire and give control of this forum to Drew?

Drew		19-Aug-2007 16:21
People, this is a place for old memories, not personal conversation. Please conduct private communication via e-mail.

Leighton		19-Aug-2007 16:11
Still looking for any photos or advertising for the old Forum Cafeteria at dadeland. Please contact at leightonchapman@hotmail.com.

Jeff		19-Aug-2007 03:05
Back in 1968 the Miami Pop Festival was held - of all things - in Hallandale, Florida at Gulfstream Park. Some of the performers you would have seen during that landmark event were Jimi Hendrix, The Chambers Brothers and The Crazy World of Arthur Brown... Were you there... or were you too stoned to remember? Many of us never had the chance to attend that concert, so why not post your memories here - and if you have any pictures... send them along as well!

Jeff		18-Aug-2007 02:36
Charlis... I don't have your email on hand... drop me a line at jnl1952 @ juno.com [remove the spaces]... Hey everyone out there: I'm still looking for old lettering stencils and office supplies from the 1950's and 1960's... drop me a line for further details...

charlis		17-Aug-2007 23:16
Jeff... made the decision today on the condo... the price is right, away from the water, exept the lake it is on, no flooding ever recorded, out of any hurricane evacuation zone. Evie says "Hi". She is very depressed with the way living on the Beach has become... she lives in a "hole in the wall" near the Publix on Collins... raised her rent but her roof leaks and they haven't made repairs! Please email me so that I can save you address.

Jeff		17-Aug-2007 00:27
to Stephen LeQuier: That's a GREAT picture of the Ranch House Drive-In (later the site for Burger King... I'm going to print a copy for my buddy Charlie Rodriguez, who owns the great Charlie's Bar-B-Q in the 1300 block of S. Federal Hwy. (just North of Sheridan Street) He'll get a real kick out of the "1/2 Bar-B-Q Chicken - 99 cents"! By the way, this drive-in was NOT connected with the Ranch House chain of restaurants that were here in South Florida...

Joanne		16-Aug-2007 21:09
Jeane Robinson! Santacroces Restaurant was excellent. My sister was Palmetto class of '66, did you know Lee Copp? The Flame was where I had my first "grown up " dinner. Here's a few other things: Tao-Ti, Silver Knight Awards, take the bus to Dadeland, Matheson Hammock, boating out to Elliot Key. Great fun!!

Stephen LeQuier		16-Aug-2007 19:35
Ranch House NW 54 st and 7th Ave Miami, Florida Aug 1960 http://www.pbase.com/trimoon/image/83997274

Jeff		16-Aug-2007 05:43
Roberta - glad I brought back more pleasant memories for you... Charlis - good luck with your condo search... Try to get off the Beach and maybe you can find something semi-affordable...! The North Miami Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) had an exhibit about a year or so back all about Morris Lapidus, including part of his bow tie collection!! Thanks for remembering about the lettering stuff... drop me an email when you can...

charlis		15-Aug-2007 22:31
Jeff, haven't been on line much because I have been looking to buy a condo. They raised my rent $140! Anyways, some info on the Fountainbleau... Evie's uncle Morris was the architect, as well as the architect for many famous places on the Beach. He is the one responsible for making Lincoln Rd into a "pedestrian only" place to shop. He has to be spinning in his grave with what they have done to the Bleau! As to the font plates I promised... since I now have to start packing for the move, and cleaning out drawers and boxes, if I find them, I will send them to you.

charlis		15-Aug-2007 22:25
Guest... Wayne Cochran... worked with him in the mid to late 60's at a club on Miami Beach. Great guy... he was working as a garbage collector while waiting to hit the big time.

Roberta		15-Aug-2007 05:35
Jeff...you evoked many memories, with your list of defunct stores/businesses! I keenly remember the small Christmas catalogs that Western Auto mailed out, for all of the kids in the neighborhood to covet each & every new toy pictured! If our parents got the mail first, they'd hide these little catalogs from us, but..! Not to worry, as there would be another kid, who would bring their copy out to the street, & soon, we'd all be on the grassy area, on the side of S.W. 55th Street, crowding in & looking over each other's shoulders, to see the dolls & bicycles & wagons, etc., that were in full color. BOY! How we loved that toy catalog, & dreaming of Christmas morning to come! I think it's where our father bought our new Schwinn Spitfire bicycles, & our Rollfast (street) skates! I have a bunch of old skate keys; kids today don't know what they are! Of course, Richards Department Store is where we always shopped, as our father delivered packages for them. But...! We went to Burdines, to see Santa! One kid took that Western Auto Christmas catalog with him, to show Santa exactly what he wanted. It nearly caused a scene, as the other kids want to borrow the catalog, so Santa could see their picks, too! Santa assured them that, all of the toys he left for them, were made by the elves, @ the North Pole! That settled that little issue! He quickly added that, his "excess stock" was on the shelves @ Burdines!

Jeff		14-Aug-2007 04:48
Connie Soto happened to mention Western Auto. Does anyone recall that what later was the Jefferson chain of department stores got its humble start on NW 7th Avenue at around 62nd Street as the Jefferson Home and Auto Supply? The Mufson family started out emulating Western Auto - eventually expanding into numerous location as Jefferson Stores... including Biscayne Boulvard, NE 167th Street, South Dade and U.S. 1 in Fort Lauderdale... In later years they were famous - or infamous - for having at least two to three "sales" per week... until undercover investigators proved they were marking up prices in-between sales to put them "on sale" at their REGULAR prices during these "sales events"... The Mufson family unloaded these stores with Montgomery Ward, but the operational burden became too much, and Jefferson/Ward closed for good. Ironically, Montgomery Ward (along with Western Auto and a number of old-time chains) also disappeared. Other long-gone stores from this area (both local, regional and national chains): Richards Jordan Marsh Big M Zayre F.W. Woolworth/Woolco W.T. Grant S. & H. Kress S.S. Kresge (because they evoilved into Kmart in 1960!) Neisner Brothers Mangurian's Furniture Classic House Furniture Levitz Furniture Modernage Furniture (recently demised) A&P Grand Union/Grand Way Food Fair/Pantry Pride/Sun Stores/Wooley's/malone & Hyde B-Thrifty Markets Margaret Ann Food Stores Stevens Markets Carl's Foods/Weinkle's Liquors Foremost Liquors Royal Castle Dog House Restaurants Lums Sambo's Burger Giant Godfather's Pizza Beefsteak Charlie's ... and I could continue and fill an entire blog with the businesses no longer around...

Jeff		14-Aug-2007 04:34
Connie you are far from crazy... The site went under two different names - most popular and recognizable was "The Musa Isle Indian Village" name - and I visited there in the early 60's... Similar to the "sham island" that the Jungle Queen visits during it's trip down the Intracoastal Waterway (in reality, just a piece of property off of Riverland Road in Fort Lauderdale), the "isle" was just an enclave with an authentic indian village (although privately owned and operated as a business location)...

Connie Soto		14-Aug-2007 00:03
I have lived in Miami since 1960, found this site looking for a picture to "prove" that there was s Seminole Indian Village on 27th Avenue. When I say it everyone looks at me like I am crazy. Began thinking I was crazy until I found this site. Although I didn't find rgw photo, I was amazed at this collection of pictures. I was rememebering the JP Stevens grocery and Western Auto.

Roberta Perry Hughes		13-Aug-2007 04:06
Anonymous52...Re: Mr. Tekerman...don't remember his given name, just his title, & that he taught Math, @ Riviera Jr. High, & liked to bean unruly students with chalk-laden erasers...including myself. I had a lot of respect for him. I learned the hard way, how to avoid getting in trouble in class...don't talk when the teacher is talking, don't pass notes when the teacher is talking, etc., etc. Is this unforgettable character still among us? I truly wish him well. I cannot remember the name of the band teacher @ Riviera, but I should, as my brother, Willie, was in the band. (Classmates probably knew him as Bill). He played the French horn, around 1960. Some of his bandmates were: Jinx Holland, flute; Peter Davis, drums; John Shaw, trumpet; John Fordham, baritone, just to name a few. Does anyone remember any of these kids? They would have been in the Class of 1964, from Southwest High, as Willie graduated in ' 64, from Edison High, in Edison, GA, when we left Miami, in 1961. He was in the 9th grade, then. Willie lives in Burton, MI, & I live in Wadley, GA. Sister Audrey (Perry) Lane, Class of 1960, from Southwest High, lives in Ft. Valley, GA. Through this Site, I am in contact with a girl who was in Willie's 5th grade class, with Mr. Fistel, & his 6th grade class, with Mrs. Bratz...(no, not the popular doll). (LOL) @ Tropical Elementary. I remember her, but she doesn't remember me, as I was a year younger. Speaking of that school...anyone remember the unforgettable Miss Nancy Renniger, who taught 4th grade @ Tropical? She made learning a lot of fun, encouraged reading, & taught every class the "Junior Birdman" song, "Do Your Ears Hang Low," & many others, & introduced the books by Beverly Cleary to us, about Beezus & Ramona, Henry Higgins, Otis Spofford, & Ellen Tebbits. Miss Renniger made us so eager to rush to the library, & check out these books, that she would read aloud to us, just enough to make us want to continue the book, on our own. Now, THAT'S a good teacher!! She was THE BEST! Because of her influence in my formative years, I am an avid reader.

Alan Ogus, Ph.D.		13-Aug-2007 03:24
After graduatimg from Palmetto High 1964 and 3 years with Uncle Sam, I returned to Miami amd attended Miami Dade Jr. College 1967-1969. I remember there were two clubs close to the campus: Trader Johns which featured a rock-n-roll theme and Tony's Lounge which featured a country-western theme. I recall the house bands at Tony's; Bill Calvert and the Reserves. His wife also had an all female band named Reba and the Westernaires. This was during the 1967-1969 time frame. Does anyone recall these venues? I drank many a beer and chased (infrequently apprehended) many a country girl at Tony's. I left Miami in 1969 prior to the apocalypse. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Anonymous52		12-Aug-2007 17:03
Ref Mr Tekerman....If this is in regards to Joe Tekerman, he became principal of Miami Jackson Sr HS in 1970 or 71 and then was principal of Southridge Sr HS in the early 80's. I communicate with my former band teacher who knew Joe, and I believe he became a top admin person at the Dade Cty public schools offices.

Stephen LeQuier		12-Aug-2007 05:46
Cliff I remember the Republican National Convention, I was 18 years old and in the Florida National Guard. I tossed a lot of tear gas.

Diana		12-Aug-2007 02:10
What a trip down memory lane! This site is fantastic! Pat, I graduated from SW Miami High in it's first graduating class (1959) I married Colonel Duke from your class of 1960. I fondly remember Paley's big wheel, for that's where I got engaged! Miami was a great place to grow up in and all of these photos bring back so many good times.

S.A. LARGO		12-Aug-2007 00:17
JEANE ROBINSON....PALMETTO HIGH '66...DID YOU KNOW... LINDA POLAND ...SAME GRADUATING CLASS???............AND YOU ARE THE FIRST TO MENTION SANTACROCES RESTAURANT....ONE OF MY FAMILY'S REGULAR FAVORITES...LINDA AND I ALWAYS HAD THEIR SPAGHETTI & WHITE CLAM SAUCE, GARLIC BREAD STICKS AND THE FAMILY SIZE ANTIPASTO...OVER THE YEARS SHE AND I HAVE TRIED TO DUPLICATE THAT CLAMSAUCE...SHE HAS COME THE CLOSEST.........................SHEILA (POLAND) LARGO

JJeane		11-Aug-2007 05:52
Palmetto '66 I remember the term 'Ridge Rats! Moved to the Sunniland area in '52 left in'82. Some memories of the area... Thrill hill in the Grove The Flame Resturant in Sunniland had Prom night dinner there Gym suits Putt Putt minature golf around 144th St Pete's Barber Shop Stiltsville Bob's Westernwear in So. Miami The B-Thrifty with the Scotish guy in a kilt as a logo or Reddy Kilo Watt Holsom Bakery's Skater scene at Christmas time The two auto dealer's homes in the Gables that would try to out do each other with lights at Christmas Land crab invasions 'Misquito' trucks that did nothing to the 'no seeums' Big Sister Day before you started at Palmetto high The ice cream man Does anyone remember Santacroces Resturant? My family always went there on Sunday after a day of boating. Now I always want an Italian dinner after I've been on the water. Does anyone remember the pony rides at about 136th St in the '50s The Dixie Belle Inn had my first raw oysters there, I was 6. My husband Don graduated from N. Miami '64. We met at UF and on our first visit home he took me to Marcella's for the garlic rolls. He used to collect bottles from the 163rd St mall constuction site to get enough money to buy a bag of a dozen garlic rolls, They'd always give him 13, he would eat them all still warm. His mother says he smelled like garlic for two days. Thanks Don for the site! Jeane Reisinger Robinson

Jeff		11-Aug-2007 04:47
Alberta - Are you releated to the Pallot family that owned the Norton Tire stores? There was one on 15th and Alton, right around the corner from where I first lived on Miami Beach...

Alberta Pallot		11-Aug-2007 01:17
I was the first baby born in Jackson Memorial Hospital in 1919. Your photo trip through the past was delightful...even though I was already a grown woman. I can remember how Miami looked with dirt roads, before the buildings in your photos. I wish that I had pictures to share with you of THOSE TIMES... Thanks For The Memories! Alberta M. P.

Guest		10-Aug-2007 23:02
Really enjoyed these pictures ! Would have been a 57 Coral Gables Grad had I not married before I should have! I would love to send a picture of the Big Wheel Drive in my dad took should you want a copy ask at IMHIZZ@webtv.net MaryAnn(wallace)

Alan Ogus, Ph.D.		09-Aug-2007 23:32
Joanne: It is heartwarming and comforting that we left a "legacy" well into the 1980s. The original Ridge Rats had no inkling or notion that what we started in 1962 would actually last past our collective graduations from Palmetto High between 1964 and 1965. If there are any former (or current) Ridge Rats in existance please hit me at alan.ogus@ahccms.org. Long Live the Rockin Ramrods!! Alan Ogus, Ph.D, Cutler Ridge Resident 1955-1964, Ridge Rat Emeritus 1962-1964, Palmetto High Graduate 1964. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Joanne		09-Aug-2007 18:13
The name "ridge rats" continued well into the 80's (to my knowledge) but was used as an all inclusive term for anyone who lived in Cutler Ridge. I still refer to some of my friends who grew up there as "rats" and there's never any question about it. I'm just glad to know the origin of the term. Joanne - Palmetto class of '75

Alan Ogus, Ph.D.		08-Aug-2007 03:18
And now a moment to remember those of us who "grew up" in Cutler Ridge circa 1955-1965. Several of us "hoodlums" formed a group called the Ridge Rats and were involved in much flotsam and frolic. Members included Alan Ogus, Nathan Levy, Roy Ronnie Valentine, Paul Atwood (Deceased), Emilo Mazza, Butch Childers, David Congdon (Deceased), Terry Stewart, Tom Kelley, Bo Kelley, Vaughn Stinson, Dan Funk, Jerry Arnold. and John Parano. We were the boys that the girls' parents forbade them to associate with. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Palmetto High School Class of 1964. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Mario Cano		07-Aug-2007 21:36
But does anyone remember the BBQ Hamburgers at Miami Stadium in the early '60s during the Baltimore Orioles spring training games???

Guest		07-Aug-2007 14:56
Helen E.... Are you out there?

Larry Cothron		07-Aug-2007 01:44
The Bays sold the store to Fred and Sandy Pierce who named the store Pierce's. Sandy later died from a brain tumer and Fred and his family moved to Alanta.My sister Tina worked for them for awhile . They were good people.

Guest		06-Aug-2007 06:26
JD before Kens it was know as Bays supermarket,and down the road at Payne and Ludlum was the Superette supermarket (now a monasori school).

miamigrl		06-Aug-2007 00:04
Thanks Don for the pics of the Dixie Drive In -- yes we fell in lust there, got married in '66 and still married - 41 years later!! Miamigrl

Roberta		05-Aug-2007 02:06
Larry Cothron...Rex Caulder had to be either Jimmy Caulder's brother, or his nephew. My cousin, Leroy, went by Caulder, @ the time, but Jimmy never legally adopted him; so, when he went into the Army, he went by the name of his birth father, Tauer; & by his teens, he dropped half of his given name, & was simply known as "Roy." I remember there were a set of twin boys, in Roy's neighborhood. Wish I had the snapshot of Roy's birthday party, taken in his home, on Whitethorn Drive. I'm sure there are some out there who would recognize either themselves, or kids they knew, all those years ago. Does anyone out there remember Samuel J. McBurney, the Minister of Bird Road Baptist Church, & his 2 daughters, Ruthie, & Lois? Or, Rev. Rittenhouse, of Olympia Baptist Church, & his 2 sons, Raymond (Ray), & Ralph? I think they had a little sister? Does Olympia Baptist Church still exist? The older kids went to Southwest High, & the younger ones went to Rockway Jr. High, & (probably) Olympia Heights Elementary. Anyone remember Dr. David Burley, who had an office up on Bird Road? Or have any news about any of these good people? Dr. Weiss, Optometrist? Dr. Denker, Dentist? Or, Dr. Circey, Family Practice? All were up on Bird Road, when I was a child. Anyone know anything about faculty members from Riviera Jr. High? Like, Ralph Woodmansee, Art; Janie Rowlands, Music; Mr. Stamos, math; Mr. Porter, English; Mr. Allen, Drafting; Mr. Papalardo, Science; Mr. Wazenhoffer; Miss Fairchild, & Miss Archibald, P.E.; Mr. Davis, Dean of Boys; Mr Tekerman, math??? Oh, & the Band teacher, Mr. ?...RATS!...his name just fell out of my head! I hope there are some of you who remember these dear folk, besides myself. They deserve to be remembered...every one of our teachers, from whatever grade, & from whatever school, back in the day! Gotta close this out for now. Still not well. Take care, y'all!

JD		04-Aug-2007 16:41
I grajitated in 1975 lol :) Those who went to Miami Springs Sr. High will enjoy this site. www.goldenhawks.net

larry cothron		04-Aug-2007 14:33
Roberta ,I remember a Rex Caulder who lived on Whitethorn. My family lived on carlisle Dr .

JD		03-Aug-2007 03:10
ludlam drive in miami springs use to have a mom and pop store called kens market, they made the best sub sandwiches. I had a couple of pals that lived on whitethorn drive.

Guest		02-Aug-2007 17:42
For those of you Miami High graduates, that remember Ralph Davis [1957-1982] longtime baseball coach and P.E. teacher that passed away in July at the age at 93.Coach Davis endured many changes in his tenure at MHS, as times and cultural changes took place at this historical learning institution, but I know there are many lessons learned from a lot of different persons from this great coach and teacher.

Roberta		02-Aug-2007 07:10
Finally! Someone who went to Riviera Jr. High! To me, the most memorable teacher there was the math teacher, Mr. Tekerman. He had eyes in the back of his head, & he hated for anyone to sleep, pass notes, or talk in his class, or otherwise, not pay attention to him. He was quite adept @ throwing a chalk-laden eraser, @ a dozer, or talker, or note-passer, & when it would hit its target, the person's hair would fly, & get mussed, & chalk would be on their face, like clown white/stage make-up! Some of the boys thought it was cool, to get targeted, & they would actually feign napping, just so Mr. Tekerman would zero in on them with what they called a "flying chalk bomb." The majority of the targets were no worse for the wear, & yessir, he'd just as soon bean a girl's head as one of the boys. Most girls didn't take it too well. He zapped me, once. I was a talker & note-passer. Didn't take but one beaning to cure me of my bad habits, believe me. For a girl, it was humiliating. For the boys, it seemed to be fun. Don't think a teacher could do anything like that, today. But, hey!! No one stalked home, nursing a grudge, & brought their father's, or their grandfather's loaded firearm to school, next day, with revenge of the worst kind on their fevered brain. Anyone out there, (besides me), appalled, @ the violence in schools today, & in the colleges? What in the "H" happened? Metal detectors? Security guards, in a "middle" school, or even the elementary schools? And, to warrant the gravely serious NEED, for same? What's with that? We were all so lucky, that school, (for most of us), was fun, & a socializing venue. I wish schools today were like they were for us, "back in the day"...even in a large place like Greater Miami, & her surrounding bergs. We had our occasional disruptions, of course, but they were infrequent. If only it were like that today, for the kids' sakes. Angelo, most of us can remember when there was nothing but the Everglades, the Seminole Indian Reservation & turf, between Miami & Lake Okechobee. They drained it, & once again, Native peoples got the shaft, in favor of the Snow Birds with deep pockets, & the greed of developers. It's all about money, any more. Saw on PBS where the Gulf coast is fighting to keep their rivers & marshes au naturale, where the river bottoms reveal the tusks of mastadons, & the large spear points, of Florida's TRUE pioneers, & very first inhabitants. Like our favorite haunts, that are pictured in the galleries, they, too, are gone. But...! We have our precious memories, don't we? Try to focus on that, Angelo, as hate will only eat you up. Life's too short for that! Mr. Tekerman, if you're still out there, know that I had...HAVE...only respect for you, & in the long run, you were a very good teacher. Your disciplinary tactics, however, were a bit over-the-top. Still, countless former students still remember your name! Wherever you may be, & wish you well, Sir!

Guest		02-Aug-2007 02:17
You guys are making me very hateful of the Miami now....people think they're living in heaven and it's a cesspool..oh well.....Durhan, NC or something here I come

Guest		02-Aug-2007 01:53
Was it Whitethorn by the Ludlam Canal...when you'd enter that street there was a US Post office mailbox but they got rid of that What really pisses me off is the selling of acres in Homestead The corner of Quail Roost and Naranja may be altered forever..it really gets me pissed off and fired up...thank God most people are getting the sense to move out of here..we used to have tightly knit communities that looked out for each other but now you have transients and immigrants who pool their government assistance together..and voila..you can have a house in Kendale Lakes. I know the neighborhood you speak of..I used to go to Riviera and am fond of it..but there's no hidden elements anymore Love the limestone archways, though..I just backroad down 54 ave as opposed to Red Rd..love the Gardners market...I talk to the man who is in charge of the wine dept all the time...anything South Miami, Palmetto Bay, Redlands..I love

Dave		01-Aug-2007 21:11
HelenE: The Red Cross Drug store, facing on Flagler Street in downtown Miami was destroyed by fire in 1945 or 1946. I have never found a picture of it on the internet but some of the readers here may have a photo of it.

Jeff		01-Aug-2007 03:39
Hmmmm..... I KNOW that somebody, somewhere out there has some old 1950's-60's era office supplies and/or lettering stencils squirreled away...!!! Just as Don preserves the visual past, I collect and preserve a bit of the tangible past. Please drop me a line at jnl1952@juno.com if you unearth ANYTHING... I can either reimburse postage or offer you one [or more] of my original decorative computer typefaces in trade... Thanks----Jeff

Guest		01-Aug-2007 02:45
Helen E, Email me at Lindabernat@embarqmail.com I will fill you in. I wrote to you on the PM link, but I don't think it went through Linda

Roberta Perry Hughes		01-Aug-2007 00:40
Martha Pierson...I absolutely LOVED Aunt Gloria's house on White Thorn Drive! I remember the multicolored pastels brick sidewalk that led to her door. I loved spending a few weekends with her, while Leroy would be @ my house, to spend time with my brother. I have Leroy's Duncan yo-yo championship emblems, that used to be on a jacket, his Satellite yo-yo that he won, & what was left of his marbles. He now lives in CA. Aunt Gloria & Jimmy Caulder divorced a few years after they moved to Hialeah. I remember he worked for Land O' Sun Dairies, delivering milk door-to-door. They both remarried, & both have since passed on, as has my mother, & her other 2 sisters, Dorris Bamberg & Maurine Williams. I was especially close to Aunt Gloria, & lived with her several times, after I got out of high school. Her last job, before health forced her on S.S.D., was @ Burn's Bar and Grill, somewhere in N. Miami, or Allapattah. She was a very efficient waitress, & made good money, in tips, & had a lot of friends. I miss her, very very much. Jimmy Caulder's brother lived 2 doors down from him, on White Thorn Drive. BTW, Leroy gave me his childhood mementos, after my Aunt Dorris moved to Arkansas, fleeing the hurricanes headed for GA. I DID send him his childhood photos, school pictures, & what was left in the house, after Aunt Gloria had passed away, & had been in Aunt Dorris' possession, that had belonged to her...including snapshots of that wonderful house on White Thorn Drive, before they even had a lawn, & in the years that followed. Aunt Gloria is buried in GA., next to my mother, Pauline Perry. Their parents, & their aunts, are buried in Miami Memorial Park. The Perry side of my family are buried in Cocoplum Cemetery (click on the photo, it's worth a visit), & of course, in GA. I really hated parting with some of the snapshots I sent to Roy, like the ones of the beautiful cardboard Santa Clauses she would make...& sell...& one of Roy in his prize-winning Halloween costumes, where she made a little fishing boat that was strapped over his shoulders, & she had him made up like a sea captain! Darling! We're talking about a time when most Mothers were stay-@-home moms, & if you were lucky...(as we all were)...your mother was talented & creative, & all the kids on your block envied your one-of-a-kind toys. Do let me hear from you again. E-mail me at robertah47@aol.com. Take care.

Don Boyd		31-Jul-2007 07:57
Gloria, there is a photo of Jimmy's Hurricane in the gallery above these comments, along with another photo taken there during a movie filming. Don

Gloria Ruiz		31-Jul-2007 05:15
Thanks. Great site. Any pictures of Jimmy's Hurricane in Coral Gables or Hot Shoppes on Dixie and Bird Rd? I remember when... downtown Miami... in what was until recently the Dupont Plaza on the River... was fair grounds. There were the siamese twins who sold hot dogs, and the astrologer among other stands. Seminoles shopping in downtown Miami. Walgreen's cafeteria on the second floor overlooking the store. I too remember Burdines at Christmas...none other like it!

Jeff		31-Jul-2007 04:00
Martha: For what it's worth, you're the ONLY person who responded to my request for old lettering stencils and/or office supplies from the 1950's... and I can't thank you enough! What you dropped off were perfect additions to my collection... Thanks again!

Guest		31-Jul-2007 02:34
Roberta, I grew up on Whitethorn Dr . My parents house was in the 2nd block and my mother knew your cousin and family. My parents were one of the orignal residents on Whitethorn in 1950. My mother moved in 2001.

Jeff		31-Jul-2007 01:21
WOW Does anyone even REMEMBER Travis and Bob? As an oldies buff, I can tell you they had a #8 records with "Tell Him No" on the Sandy label in 1959... and Jimmy Clanton.. certainly one of the teen idols of his time... "Just A Dream", "Go, Jimmy, Go". "Venus in Blue Jeans"...

Peggy		31-Jul-2007 00:36
I lived in Carol City, went to Golden Glades Elem., Carol City Jr High and graduated from Norland in '64. The best pizza ever was Nick's in the back of the Farmer's Market on 27th Ave and 167th St. We all hung out at Carol City Bowling Lanes and spend some time at "Beat's Walkin Path" just west of the city. I remember standing in line at the Farmer's Market to get Jimmy Clanton's autograph. Also got Travis and Bob's autograph at the 163rd St shopping center. Don, Thanks for the memories. Too bad Miami has changed so much. I moved away and don't go back unless I have to attend a funeral.

Jeff		31-Jul-2007 00:02
Geez... I typed out a whole thing and nothing posted... I think that's because I accidentally clicked on "private comment"... anyhoo... Roberta - glad you're back home! The town of Sweetwater in the movie was as fictitious as the sandwich shop - which was constructed inside a vacant store on Harrison Street in Downtown Hollywood. My friend [John Miller] - the former owner of the Record Museum (also in Hollywood) leased Keith Allison his 1950's era dining room set for the apartment scenes with Richard Harris (that were shot in a unit by Hollywood Beach). Keith Allison - if the name sounds familiar - was a former member of Paul Revere and the Raiders!

Roberta		30-Jul-2007 23:31
My cousin, Leroy E. Tauer, aka Caulder, lived on White Thorn Drive, in Miami Springs, & we would go to West End Pool, whenever we visited him. He would go to the Ventetian Pool, whenever he visited us. In the movie, "Wrestling Ernest Hemmingway," with Richard Harris, Robert Duvall, Shirley MacLaine, & Sandra Bullock, the setting is a small town in Florida called "Sweetwater". Bullock's character, a waitress, worked @ the Sweetwater Sandwich Shop. Same place we're talking about, or, Hollywood fiction?? It's great to be back on-line again, & visiting my favorite Site. Just got out of the hospital, yesterday, Jeff, in case you were wondering why I've been so quiet...? Did y'all miss l'il ol' me? I sure have missed all of YOU, "Post-A-Comment Clubbers"..!! BTW,,,I emailed Jack O'Brien, & had a reply from him waiting for me upon my return home! I didn't really expect to hear from him, so, it was such a welcomed surprise! Email him! He really will reply! He'll be 80 in February, he said.

Guest		30-Jul-2007 00:53
Linda - that's right - I am Gail's older sister. Do you remember your address? We did live in that house. I really can't believe that I'm writing to someone who lived in the neighborhood I grew up in. Gail is now living in Marietta Georgia. She has 3 children who are all grown and either working or going to college. I know she would love to hear from you. She keeps in touch with absolutely everyone she ever knew, including old boyfriends. Click on the yellow pm reply and let me know how she can reach you. Helen

Guest		30-Jul-2007 00:47
Does anyone have a picture or pictures of the Red Cross Pharmacy downtown? My husband's grandfather started that store and we are trying to find any old pics that may be around. His name was Byron Freeland and he helped to develop Miami in the 20's and 30's. The store was later to become Jackson Byron's and then just Byron's. Thank you Don Boyd for this web site - I just found it and can tell you that I will probably spend way too much time looking at pics and reading comments but I will forever be grateful to you.

Linda		30-Jul-2007 00:20
Helen, I went to Sylvania Heights, West Miami and Miami Coral Park. I beleive I know you! You're the older sister of Gail who I grew up with one house down. You lived in the two story house. Am I right? If so WOW what a small world. If am wrong I probaly know you anyway. Hummmm

Helen		30-Jul-2007 00:09
Linda, did you go to high school in Miami? Cant believe you lived right on the next block

Helen		30-Jul-2007 00:05
The cafeteria was actually on the corner of Sylvania Boulevard and SW 8 st. Great place to eat - I lived on 59 Ave and 11 St in all the years of my youth and ate at that cafeteria many, many times

Linda		29-Jul-2007 23:14
Helen, Your right it was Sylvania Cafeteria. I grew up on 10th Street and 59th Ave. Do you remember Dankers Motel? Food fair was my second job, my first was the Coral theather in Coral gables I made 80 cents an hour. I also worked at Regal 5 and 10 next to Grand Union and Gold Star deli on 62 Ave and 8th St. I lived ather from 1962-1972

Helen		29-Jul-2007 22:37
Actually it was the Sylvania Cafeteria - corner of 59 ave and 8 st. I lived right down the street from there on 11th st for many years. Looking at these pics sure does bring back memories - also reminds me of how old I've gotten

Jeff		29-Jul-2007 18:00
Linda... Are you thinking of ST. CLAIR'S Cafeteria - formerly Polly Davis (and later David's)? They were a fixture around town for many years...

Linda		29-Jul-2007 17:24
Does anyone remember Sylvania Cafe/ Sinclair cafe/ corner of SW 59th/ 60th Ave. or West end pool?

Gene Cochran		29-Jul-2007 11:57
Wasn't Sweetwater where you could get your car inspection sticker by slipping the guy a few bucks?

Peggy Cage		28-Jul-2007 15:25
I remember the little town of Sweetwater. Slo went camping at Mineral Springs _ does that even exist anymore??????? Use to take Tamiami Trail over to Marco Island. Visited Everglades National Park many times. Loves the keys rember when the old Popeyes existed there. Wow I go on this sit all the time and revisit my childhood days.

Jeff		28-Jul-2007 04:05
Wayne Cochran's first hit was actually written by him in 1957... but it didn't become a hit until 1964 when recorded by J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers. Believe it or not - wild, crazy Wayne Cochran wrote the teen tragedy song "Last Kiss"! He first recorded it for the tiny Gala label, and then re-recorded it for King Records - but it was the 1964 version by Wilson that took off right up the charts. Supposedly, Cochran wrote that song after seeing the aftermath of an accident near his Georgia home... "Goin' Back to Miami" - althought not a big hit - WAS a "Miami Anthem"...

Guest		28-Jul-2007 01:55
Jeff, thanks! Yep, of course, it's Wayne. I wonder if i could find it in one of the music download sites. Joe

Jeff		27-Jul-2007 23:56
Guest: That would be Wayne Cochran - now a preacher - with "Goin' Back to Miami"...

Guest		27-Jul-2007 23:24
There was a local musician, back in the 70's or so, a bit quirky, who had a song about Miami. He would appear on local access talk shows and things like that. I just can't remember his name, but I know it'll click the moment someone says it. Any ideas?

Jeff		27-Jul-2007 21:47
Something happened to that last post that cut out part of my writing... I tried to say that after sleeping on the ground, it lowered my resistance a bit... and all I had for a souvenir of my experience was a cold that I'd caught...

Jeff		27-Jul-2007 21:44
Cliff: We're pretty much the same age, and I well recall the 1972 conventions on Miami Beach. While our Miami Beach apartment was being tented for termites and my folks spent the night at a local hotel, I decided to spend the night in Flamingo Park with the hippies, gay community, potheads and what-have-you... I was hoping for a night full of the "free love" I'd heard so much about, but as my luck would have it... I couldn't get laid for trying... and believe me, I DID try... I couldn't even tell you how many women I tried to hit on as a horny, carefree 20-year-old... I slept on the ground in the park [which evidentally lowered my resistance a bit] and actually was 35 years ago this year!

joe perry		27-Jul-2007 21:35
guest cr re:your comments sweetwater. don't remember the midget little people? my sister mary perry johnson,husband mickey and family lived there for many years circa 1960-1970. maybe she remembers them. it was a sweet little town and i too was an underager who frequented one of the local bars. joe perry joda@nbtx.com

Cliff Bourgeois		27-Jul-2007 20:23
I was born and raised in North Miami Beach 1952-1974 in a little then remote subdivision called Ives Estates. Madie Ives Elementary was next door to a chicken farm and a 1/2 mile from a hog farm. Who remembers the 1972 Republican National Convention at the Miame Beach Convention Center. I got arrested the night Nixon was nominated for his second term along with about 600 other people sitting in the center of Collins Avenue in fron t of the Doral Hotel to protest the war in Vietnam.

Guest		27-Jul-2007 16:22
Does anyone remember Sweetwater? This little community was on the south end of the Tamiami Trail and peopled by the midgets who retired from the B &B Circus? Sometimes, thoses of us who were under age, use to go there to a bar. No one was ever carded there!! CR

Jeff		26-Jul-2007 23:08
Aha! Gene... even us "newcomers" to the Miami area (1963) know that the Harvey Firestone estate became the site for Ben Novak's Fontainebleau Hotel. Do you recall that the DuPont estate (at 28th and Collins) was the site for the Seville Hotel?

Gene Cochran		26-Jul-2007 17:29
I just found the web site. I was born and raised in Miami. 1939 at Jackson. Both grandparents moved to Miami around 1920. My mother's father had an uncle who homesteaded in Miami in the late 1890s. He had a banana plantation that he used to become a minority partner in the Coral Gables development. My grandfather became general sales manager. There was a real estate crash in Miami in '25-'26 and a lot of people lost everything. My other grandfather was a city of Miami policeman until he retired. Never drew in gun in the line of duty. I grew up in the area of NW 5 ave and 42 St. Went to Robert E. Lee jr high and then to Miami Edison for two years. My last year '56-'57 I went to the new North Miami high school. Starting in the '30s my mother's parents had a restaurant on Biscayne Blvd and 23 st. It was the Cottage Inn and they served what they called the "Chicken in the Rough" basket of chicken, biscuits, etc. A high rise of "Lofts" now sit on the site. Somethings I remember: My dad taking flying lessons prior to going into the service at US 1 and 79th st. The night after the Orange Bowl game were the fireworkers display at the stadium. Riding my bike to South Beach and walking the jetties out to the end. The Firestone estate on Miami Beach--can anyone tell me where it was and what is there now?? Wolfies and their "Victory Cake" I would ride my bike to Miami Stadium (NW 7 Ave and 17th St, I think) to watch our Miami Sun Sox, a class B baseball team. I was a member of the "Knot Hole Gang". You got in free and sat far down the left field line. After high school I attended the University of Florida (class of '61). After college the US Army grabbed me for a tour in Europe. After a long career in sales I have retired to Houston, TX. My mother, almost 91 is in a nursing home in Kendall, so I get back occassionally. More after I have a chance to review the entire web site.

Jeff		26-Jul-2007 17:28
Did you know that Paley's Big Wheel had two locations? The original one, and then the one on 57th Avenue and West Flagler. [The Paley's purchased the old Car Hop Drive-In and renamed it.] In the early 1960's, Bernie Paley became the first Miami franchisee of Kentucky Fried Chicken, and in addition to changing his two drive-ins over to that format, he opened about eight or nine other locations. He also managed to piss off Colonel Sanders, for each location had "Paley's" as the biggest name on its sign, with "Kentucky Fried Chicken" in much smaller letters underneath. People started referring to his locations as "Paley's Fried Chicken"... Meanwhile, Seymour Paley (who had a falling out with Bernie) went into partnership with the late Ruby Hess in a built-from-the-ground-up North Miami Beach drive-in called the Deep South Bar-B-Q. After six months, Hess sold out to Paley, and Paley was going to rename his restaurant Corey's until he discovered there was a Corey's Coffee Shop in Coral Gables. Ultimately, he changed the name to Corky's, eventually doing away with the drive-in portion of the restaurant. He ran a successful business there on NE 167th Street for nearly 40 years until he relocated it to Broward County.

Roberta		26-Jul-2007 07:13
How about Alabama Barbecue? BEST cheeseburger baskets in town? Anyone remember Burn's Bar & Grill, in or near Allapattah? My aunt worked there for years. Are these 2 eateries still there, & in business? Can anyone out there, maybe, post a photo of these places? What about a photo of Paley's Big Wheel, where they had the roller skating car hops? Would LOVE to see a photo! I visit this Site often, & always read the comments. I realize that many of the old haunts of our memories are long gone, now. But they live on, in our hearts, & through shared memories & photos! Thank you! Thank you! Thank You, Don Boyd, for this awesome & nostalgic trip down memory lane!

LARGO		26-Jul-2007 00:37
DOES ANYONE REMEMBER "SANTECROCE'S ITALIAN RESTAURANT "....S.A. LARGO ON US 1...???....THEY MADE THE BEST ANTIPASTO'S.....AND SPAGHETTI AND WHITE CLAM SAUCE.... I HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE IT...NOR HAVE I FELT THE SAME ATMOSPHERE THEY HAD SINCE...........AND WHAT ABOUT THE " FORMOSA RESTAURANT "...IN S. MIAMI...????? S.A. LARGO

Jeff		25-Jul-2007 22:10
Special thanks to Martha who was the first (and right now only) person to take me up on my offer of trading type fonts fle old stencils and office suplies for my collection. She dug up a Stenso and an E-Z Letter lettering stencil from the 1950's- each in their original package, plus a 15 inch ruler from Skagseth Office Supplies [with a 5 digit phone number] and a metal numbering machine! Way to go, Martha! Remember, friends - if you do any scrapbooking, desktop publishing or hobbycraft - you can earn some original type fonts (normally selling for $21 each at MyFonts.com) in trade for old lettering stencils and office supplies. Picture your Miami Memorabilia titled with fancy captions! Drop me a line at jnl1952@juno.com for more details!

Dave		25-Jul-2007 21:17
Guest: Allen's Drugs is still there and looks exactly the same! I live pretty close to that location so I will try to get a picture of it and send it to Don. The soda counter and restaurant has changed hands a few times since you and I went to UM. I seem to remember a great sandwich there called the "Steve Special" but I have no recollection what was in it. Old age I suppose.....!

DJ		24-Jul-2007 22:46
I just love this site! I've spent hours reminiscing about the "good ol' days." I was born in Miami in '52 and graduated from Southwest Miami High in '70. These photos bring back many wonderful memories, including some I was so grateful my parents never found out about! Does anyone remember "Pizza Patio" on Bird Road? Wish you had some photos of this place.

guest		24-Jul-2007 21:44
I used to visit my grandparents in Miami Beach every year in the mid 60's, then later lived in Biscayne Park. I remember so much there as it all seemed so special. They owned an apartment house on Carlisle and NE 79th Street and remember spending my days at Tatum Waterway Park. I remember all the major competitions at Flamingo Park and swimming at Normandy Isle. I remember watching Banjo Billy and Skipper Chuck and much later The Purple Grotto. I recall the restaurants, The Luau, Dean Martin's, Wolfie's, Junior's, The Rascal House, The Ranch House, Watsons, Marcella's, and later the A&W for ice cream. I remember that Mrs. Ritchie at Biscayne Park Elementary School was the meanest teacher (with the best ears) I ever had! And I remember that Biscayne Point Elementary was the only school I've ever attended that served steak in the school cafeteria. Looking at the old pictures of Burger King and Royal Castle and Lums has sure brought back some memories.

Patsy Wheeler Sledge		24-Jul-2007 15:50
I attended Hialeah School in 1935 and maybe 1936 (memory is bad), and again in 1937. The teachers that I remember are Mrs. Keith and Mrs. High (sp?). I remember some of the pupils names that I went to school with and would like to contact them, if possible.

Jeff		24-Jul-2007 03:10
If Don won't mind - I have a friendly little proposition for anyone of our friends and neighbors who are or were Miamians "back in the day" and who are into scrapbooking, memory books or crafts... I design decorative typefaces (fonts) for a modest living and they usually sell through MyFonts.com for $21.00 each. I collect old lettering stencils and office supplies from the 1940's and 1950's (and even some from the early 1960's). I'm prepared to offer my friends here a horse-trade: Your old junk for my fonts. The more you have, the more you can earn in fonts... Just remember, it's not a straight 1-for-1 deal... it's an assortment of your small office items [sent to me] that will earn a font that sells for $21.00 online... Here's what you do: Check out my type offerings at MyFonts by going to this link: www.myfonts.com/foundry/jnlevine Pick out the fonts you like. Then, drop me an email at jnl1952@juno.com and let me know what you have... The IS one catch... These fonts are not only copyrighted, they are [when sold] my ONLY source of income... So, just because I'll share fonts with you DOES NOT allow you to share copies of them with others, Please honor me by NOT passing them around if we do trade... I'm looking for the following 1950's (or OLDER) items: Boxes of dip pen nibs and/or the pen holders Boxes of gummed labels, stars, notorial seals, reinforcements (or other Dennison items such as mending tape, key rings, index tabs, etc.) Packages of gummed letters or holiday seals Boxes of old pencils: regular, drawing, colored, china marker, specialty Boxes of marking crayons [industrial type] Old fountain pens or mechanical pencils, Miami-related advertising pencils A 1952 calendar - intact and in good shape Boxes of paper clips [regular and specialty], boxes of thumb tacks, paper fasteners Stenso or E-Z Letter Lettering Stencils Old "stock" office rubber stamps such as "Paid", "Received", "Billed", etc. Old print shop type specimen books ---and other things of similar nature--- Think of how neat your scrapbooks would be with my "retro" font designs as you showcase your high school and Miami memories... and the best part of it is... we're sharing with each other! Start digging through your attics, garages and closets, and let me know what you come up with...

Guest		23-Jul-2007 19:10
I ATTENDED THE U. OF MIAM IN 1963. I WAS THE QUARTERBACK FOR THE CANES IN 1964 AND 1965. ALL OF THESE PICTURES BRING BACK SOME FOND MEMORIES OF MIAMI AND CORAL GABLES. WE ATE AT SHORTY'S MANY TIMES AND FLYNN'S BARBECUE FURTHER SOUTH ON US 1. I HOPE YOU CAN POST ANOTHER LANDMARK. I AM REFERING TO ALLEN'S DRUGS ON THE CORNER OF RED AND BIRD. ALLEN'S WAS A MEETING PLACE FOR MANY MANY PEOPLE. I LEFT MIAMI IN 1976 TO MOVE TO NORTHWEST FLORIDA.

Roberta		21-Jul-2007 20:17
Don...Again, thank you, so very much, for adding the memorial marker of Cocoplum Cemetery to the Photo Gallery, & the links to click on, so that the overview of the cemetery can be seen, as well as some of the tombstones & markers, including those of my own family. The fact that Cocoplum Cemetery is a surviving hammack, of tropical foliage, where once, in similar "vacant lots," we had our forts & tree houses, or just enjoyed the novelty of having "woods" to explore, is worth calling up this site, to see all of that again. The hammacks across from Miller Road, in the S.W. section where we lived, in the Mackle Housing Project, have long been excoriated, & built over, & the canals, & the rock pits filled in, & also built over, like they were never there. The Post-A-Comment Club should definitely go there, & see this historic place. It is, indeed, a treasure! My heartfelt thanks, Mr. Boyd! robertah47@aol.com

Don Boyd		21-Jul-2007 16:05
Thank you to all the folks leaving comments with their memories. Special thanks to Jeff for his corrections and his detailed comments on various folks and companies. To Roberta, I added a photo of the Pinewood (Cocoplum) Cemetery and under the photo are the links to the cemetery websites. To Sharon, good luck with your teaching career - my wife just retired at age 54 after 32 years with DCPS and she is ecstatic. Don

D.M. Lindabury		20-Jul-2007 23:18
Anybody remember when the Youth Fair was on Kendall Drive and Kendall ended at 97 ave? we used to hold drag races on Kendall 1964-66. Met my wife at Foram Cafeteria in Dadeland, still married today.

Sharon (Sonchik) Colon		20-Jul-2007 22:04
Sharon Thank you so much for all of the pictures and commentary about "old Miami". I am a Miami native, born in 1950 at Doctor's Hospital, and still live here. I loved seeing some of the old haunts I visited as a child. In your photo section I saw the old Grand Union grocery store that I used to walk to all of the time. I went to Fairlawn Elem., Kinloch Jr. High, Coral Park High School (68), and North and South Campuses of Miami Dade Jr. College. After college I became a teacher at Dunbar Elem. and Sunset Elementary Schools. At present I teach in the "teacherage" at Sunset. This was the house where the teacher of the one-room schoolhouse lived. Our school was founded in 1896, although it had other names: Larkins, Cocoplum and South Miami before it was changed to Sunset Elementary. I remember many happy times at the many locations listed in the comments made by other former Miamians. It is a shame to see how the city has changed, but there have been good changes along with the bad. I recall how Kendall ended at Baptist Hospital and the Youth Fair was held at K-Land. Those were the good old days. Thanks for allowing me to revisit my youth.

Dave		20-Jul-2007 15:46
Roberta: I used to live about one block west of Pinewood Cementary on SW 47 Court off Sunset. When I first got there, I used to walk my little girl there almost every day. She called it the "enchanted forrest" because it was overgrown but very pretty. She had no idea it was a cementary! I spent many hours cleaning it up and disposing of beer cans and soft drink bottles people, mostly teenagers, left behind. The City of Coral Gables that is responsible for the site never bothered to clean or maintain it.. Finally, we got the boy scouts to come in and do a big clean up, cut back the overgrown plants and reset many of the headstones that had been knocked over and neglected for years. If any of you live in Coral Gables, you should call your commisioners and urge them to maintain the site.

Roberta		20-Jul-2007 09:24
I encourage all you posters, who have lived in the area all your lives, & your parents before you...type in Cocoplum Cemetery, Miami, FL, & click search. Scroll down, to about the 3rd choice, where it says it has photos of the gravestones, & see if you have ancestors buried there. My father's grandparents are buried there, & his great-grandparents, as well. One of the pages...(I think the first one, or second one)... has a listing of all who are known to be buried there, whose tombstones are not pictured...including my father's infant twin siblings, who have a marble headstone, & for some reason, it lists 4 names, like they were quadruplets, when in reality, 2 of the names are their middle names. Anyway...! Check it out, & see if you are a descendant of the Old Miami Pioneers! There are Civil War Veterans, including my great-great grandfather, as well as Veterans of the Spanish-American War, buried there. I remember going there with my family, & my father's siblings, for "clean-up day," when I was 8 years old. It was very overgrown, & neglected, @ that time, & in the years since, I feared that this historic cemetery, now known as Pinewood Cemetery, had been excoriated, & a shopping center put up in its place. On impulse, I did a search, & was very moved, that it has been preserved, & protected. There is a memorial marker, dedicated to an Eagle Scout, praising his efforts to preserve & protect this final resting place for over 200 early settlers of Miami. The City Council took up the cause as well, & they, too, are honored in granite. The write-up about it, on the first or second page for you to click on, mentions that, over the years, Cocoplum Cemetery was a victim, @ times, of vandalism, by college students, & other uncouth people, with less than 2 brain cells in their craniums, who were never taught to respect a cemetery. It seems that that problem is widespread, & not limited to any particular era, or geographical location. When caught, in my opinion, these idiots are not dealt with severely enough. To me, vandalism of property, especially a cemetery, is like rape. But...I digress, here. Sorry about that! Even if you have no ancestors there, In Cocoplum Cemetery, please visit that site, for it is a treasure.

Jeff		19-Jul-2007 01:44
EGAD! If I could only type cohesively...

Jeff		19-Jul-2007 01:43
Amen to your comments, ROberta... we definitely live in different times. I have two small, boxes that I've filled and sealed up with various and sundry 1950's and 1960's office supply items... kind of like having some time capsules to the past... Hey! If anyone's doing any "cleaning out" of accumulated old office, art or drafting/graphics supplies from the 1950's or 1960's- I gracious accept donation! Drop me a line at jnl1952@juno.com and let me know what you've got... ESPECIALLY old lettering stencils!

Roberta		18-Jul-2007 18:33
OOOPS! He didn't "vanish" his notebook...he VARNISHED it!

Roberta		18-Jul-2007 18:29
Jeff...you forgot Montag's Blue Horse notebook paper, with coupons that you could redeem for prizes/gifts. I have a vintage glass bottle of never-used Mucilage glue that my sister found in an antique shop. They still make it, only it's in plastic bottles. We used to squeeze it out into our hand, let it dry, then, fold our hand inward, so it would crackle. Mama got all over us, like white-on-rice, for wasting it. Our parents lived through WWII rationing, & the Great Depression, & they never ever tolerated waste, of any sort...not like the kids of today, who don't know the value of a dollar, nor appreciate anything that is purchased for them, unless their parents teach them better. Many kids today are spoiled. When they are finally on their own, & have to make their own way, they will learn the hard way, not to waste a thing, I'm sure. I am lucky to still have some vintage fountain pens & cartridge pens. The ink bladders of the fountain pens have rotted, so are not usable, but can still use the cartridge pens. We've seen so many products come & go, haven't we? Remember the vinyl covered cardboard top loading notebook, with notebook filler paper that had 2 holes @ the top? Try finding one of those, today, complete with paper! I had 2 notebooks, in my youth, that I wish I still had. One was a large vinyl notebook, with a map of the world on it, & it zipped closed, so any loose papers never fell out. The other one was a vinyl covered cardboard 3-ring binder, white, with a photo of the Beatles on it, in their Edwardian suits. I was in the 10th grade. When my brother was in high school, (in GA) he made himself a notebook, in Shop class, made out of plywood, onto which he woodburned his name, in Olde English lettering (stencils) & then, vanished it. He used the 3-ring metal binder from his old notebook, & hinged the covers to the back. It was the envy of the other students. Of course, he got an A+ grade, for that project. Do they even teach Shop, any more? I know they deleted Home Ec, but they shouldn't have done. Everyone, including boys, needs to know how to cook from scratch, & learn all they can about nutrition, & learn how to create a working household budget, & how to economize, with grocery buying, & to learn about family living & relationships. I understand that some schools have deleted Art, & Music Appreciation, & that really sucks. We were so lucky, to have had these subjects when we were in school.

Jeff		18-Jul-2007 14:36
As Homer Simpson might say.... "Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.......paste!" I remember well the school supply store... or the stationery section of varity stores... purchasing a Schaeffer cartridge fountain pen for a dollar which included 10 refill cartridges (by the way, Skrip Ink was a Schaeffer brand)... packages of scratch pads from Woolworth when then still applied a layer of gauze over the adhesive to keep the pages intact... Nifty or Write-Rite filler paper in 5 cent or 10 cent wrappers... making my own book covers out of brown kraft grocery bags,,, red or green rubber book straps... LePage's Mucilage, Scotch CELLOPHANE tape... my Tot 50 stapler with the tiny box of refill staples... blue canvas three-ring binders... DuoTang folders (with or without pockets) that were nice, thick paper [not like today]... poster board ("oak tag") that was REAL poster board, not today's cheap poster paper...red-and-blue double-ended pencils...

Roberta		18-Jul-2007 05:48
Dave...yeah, & in the commericial for the boxed pizza kit, he talked just like the character he played, & would go..."Ooooo! Ooooo!" I knew he played Toody, to Fred Gwynne's Muldoon. But, thanks for the memory jog, of the actor's name! Drives me cra-zee, when I can't recall a name! And I'm like a dog with a bone, wracking my brain, going through the alphabet, trying to conjure that elusive name!! Anybody else do that? It's an obsession! Jeff...Scripto ink was made in Atlanta, GA. Before ballpoint pens...Parker T-Ball Jotter, Bic, & Papermate...everyone had an Esterbrook fountain pen, or a Schaffer, or a Waterson, or some other brand. You can find them on eBay, reconditioned, & full page magazine ads, that feature them, in color. The pens don't go cheap! I went to an auto auction site, not to bid, but to search for our family cars. Took me 6 months, but in one night, I found my father's Oldsmobiles, & his Chevrolet Apache pickup. I printed out copies of the pictures, as once the auction ends, they're gone. Also, found my red & white Schwinn Spitfire bicycle! Can't tell you how good it was, to see these old friends again, in color & with their original paint, too! WOW. Just type in the year & model of car, hit enter, then look for an eBay auction site, & click on. Seems like the Oldsmobiles are THE most restored & beautiful vintage cars out there. I looked to see if I could find my neighbor's mother's Chevrolet Bel Air station wagon. Saw a couple, but they were both rust buckets. It was sad. RE: paper reinforcements...we called 'em "paper a--holes." Laff! Laff! Remember the school store, where you could buy school supplies, including book covers with your school's mascot on them? I loved the Pink Pearl erasers, & the Rainbow tablet, which we used for passing notes in class. At Riviera Jr. High, the school store was located underneath a stairwell. Makes us all want to be a kid again...wanna come over to my house & eat paste?

Dave Mesh60		18-Jul-2007 03:02
Roberta, I believe the other officer on car 54 was officer Toody played by Joe Ross..... Please dont ask me how I remembered that!!

Jeff		18-Jul-2007 01:02
What's even funnier is to see a product introduced as "NEW" for a new generation, and then to leaf through an old magazine from the 50's and see the same thing for sale way-back-then... Two examples come to mind... A tooth brush with irregular bristles for different tooth surfaces and a bake-in-the-box cake mix... both introduced in the 50's, and later in the 70's... I remember some of those old items you mentioned, such as the Alka-Seltzer glass bottle and the aspirin in tins... How about Skrip Ink, metal ballpoint pen refills, Dennison Gummed Reinforcements for loose-leaf pages, Scotch Holiday Packaging Tape in red or green... Duz detergent... Bosco Chocolate Syrup, Bonomo Turkish Taffy, Imperial Margerine (Does anyone recall when margerine went by the first half of its proper name...OLEO? ... the full name being "oleomargerine")... Syfo seltzer in the blue "spritz" bottles... when potato chips came in wax bags... If we did a "remember" listing of everyone's favorite products from the old days, we could have enough things listed to restock a Gardner's By-Rite, B-Thrifty, Margaret-Ann, A&P, Food Fair, Carl's, Publix, Stevens, Shell's City, Grand Union or Frederich's...

Roberta		17-Jul-2007 04:57
Frozen dough was one thing...remember when Chef Boyardee came out with a BOXED pizza kit? The commercials featured the actor who was Fred Gwynne's partner on "Car 54, Where Are You?". Can't remember his name, but I remember those boxed pizza kits, & later, Pizza Quick Sauce, which, I think, is still around? 1950's TV commercials convinced the viewing public to run out & buy a product, to see what it's like. Remember Borden's Starlac powdered milk? It was godawful stuff. So was Ovaltine...& STILL is. Remember your mama buying a BOX of Niagara starch, which had to have water added to it, & it had to be cooked, on the stove top? Remember the plactic device with holes in it & a cork stopper that your mom put on top of an empty clean Family Size Coke bottle, so she could sprinkle the clothes before ironing them? Remember when Carnation came out with powdered CHOCOLATE milk, that all you had to do was to add cold water to it, & like magic, you had chocolate milk? Remember Fizzies? Blue Waltz cologne, up @ the Five & Dime, or Hoyt's cologne? Lustre Creme shampoo? Vitalis, & Wildroot Creme Oil hair tonics/pommades? Suave hair dressing? Snowdrift shortening? Asprin tablets in a tin box? Alka Seltzer in a tall glass bottle, that was inside of a tall box? Carter's Little Liver Pills? Vicks inhalers? Chap Stick, before it was flavored? Syrup of Black Draught? Scrapple? Delaware Punch? Even our memories of groceries, health & beauty supplies, & OTC meds, no longer around, or in newer packaging, can trigger nostalgia in us Boomers! We've all seen many products, quietly come & go, & once in a while, we'll get a "trigger", that will conjure up those items that are no longer around, things we haven't thought about in decades! It's such fun, to remember those things, because we were so young, when they were on the store shelves. Just as we were young when all of these old haunts of ours were new-on-the-scene. And we love to recall our salad days! You betcha! To find re-creations, & even still being made, retro products, go to The Vermont Country Store.com. There, you can find re-created bars of Sweetheart soap!

Jeff		17-Jul-2007 04:07
Funny thing, the word "pizza" means pie in Italian, so we Americans redundantly were asking for "pie pie"...! One teensy correction, Roberta. Of all I've read, the original price of the Whopper was 39 cents... so your memory was pretty close... just 4 cents off! {:cP Just before I moved down here with my folks in 1963, I remember getting a slice of pizza in Brooklyn for 15 cents! The BEST pizza I ever ate in these parts was from a fellow named Gino who sub-leased a portion of the old Cameo Sundries next to the Camero Theater on SOuth Beach. By the time Marty sub-leased to Gino, there wer no more sundries or drugs or stationery... just a lunch counter run by Marty and his wife. Gino was from Sicily, and I used to joke that his accent was thicker than his crust... He used to greet me with "Hey Jeff, you like-a a slice of pitz?"... For 25 cents per slice or $1.75 per pie, you received a truly large slice of mouth-watering, hand-tossed pizza - cooked to perfection. After he and Marty had a falling out, Gino and his wife moved their operation to a tiny spot on Collins Avenue near First Street, but the small shop didn't have enough room for a true pizza oven and other equipment, so Gino was relegated to using frozen dough for his [smaller] pizzas... It was never the same...

Roberta		17-Jul-2007 03:53
Went to Dixie Drive-in once, with my family. I was elementary school age. But Tropicaire Drive-in was the main one that we patronized, due to its location. We LOVED that place, & the JuJu Bees, corn dogs, hot pistachios in the vending machine, malted milk balls, milk duds, & the aroma of freshly popped popcorn, that sold itself. Did anything taste as good? I vividly recall the mosquito fogger, & hated to get caught by it, going to the concession stand to beat the queue waiting to go to the bathroom. Remember when the film broke, & everyone in the whole place would just lay down on their horns, in agitated protest? One of our nighbors, Mr. Bean (NOT Rowan Atkinson!) was a roving mechanic, who would repair wonky speakers @ Tropicaire. He had a daughter named Bunny, who went to Southwest with my sister, Audrey. I, too, remember the Pizza place, up on Bird Road. They called them pizza pies, in those days, & the only pizza was tomato sauce & cheese...which, BTW, is how they eat it in Italy. All of the toppings that we are familiar with, today, are American add-ons. Pizza, @ first, was an aquired taste. It smelled like barf, to us kids! But...! Once we got past that, & took a tentative bite, we were hooked! I remember when they built a Burger King, up on Bird Road, & a Whopper with cheese was only .35 cents! Gathered up the pop bottles, all week long, in the neighborhood, to cash in @ the Food Fair, @ .02 cents per bottle, & by Satuday, we had our Whopper money! Those were soooooo yummy, weren't they? Today, fast food is expensive. Here in GA, we have wonderful Home Cookin' style restaurants, & you can get generous servings of meat, 3 vegetables, hot bread, & tea...(they bring an iced pitcher full to your table)...for about the same price as a burger, fries, & a Coke would run you! Y'all come see us now, ya heah??

Jeff		17-Jul-2007 03:30
Ah... the Boulevard Drive-In... from first-run fare to it's last years with adult movies and then demolition... Currently the site of Cosco...

Guest		17-Jul-2007 03:26
I can relate Don... Being from NE Miami we had the Boulevard D.I. where we would have to burn those mosquito thingys before we(?) fogged all the windows up......... Oh! How I wish I knew then............................... Thanks for all you do Don!!!

Jeff		17-Jul-2007 00:49
For what it's worth, I've gone through a number of the photos on this site that were either from my own collection (provided by Gary Licko) or subjects I was familiar with and added some comments, corrections, historical facts, trivia and what-have-you. ...Not trying to be a "know-it-all"... just sharing some of the information I acquired when I used to collect local memorabilia... I hope something that I've posted might be interesting or informative!

Guest		17-Jul-2007 00:40
to carol y finally some one remembers pizza patio out on bird road! yes, i have tons of memories there. i will also fogive you that you were a gableite(coral gable high). we old southwest people were kinda looked down on by the upper crust of the gables????

Don Boyd		16-Jul-2007 21:13
Ref Dixie Drive-In tender moments: being a Hialeah guy myself, I didn't since we had a few favorite drive-ins in the north end of the county (why waste time driving cross-county on a hot date?) but I figured lots of other folks had many tender memories at the Dixie. Who knows how many kids were brewed there over many years of nightly movies on the big screen? Don

guest		16-Jul-2007 15:32
Wow!!! 9 sraight pics of the Dixie Drive-in...... Someone had some tender memories there???

Jeff		16-Jul-2007 03:47
Just take me back to B.C. (before cholesterol) and give me a sack of Royal Castle hamburgers and a birch beer, then drop me off at a Florida State Theater for the Summer Fun Shows... Afterward, take me on the bus to Fun Fair and I'll end the day by watching Jumpin' Jack's Four O'Clock Club... Reality bites!

Guest		16-Jul-2007 02:41
Anyone remember collecting bottle caps for admission to rides at Funland Park on 27th Ave? This would have been 1956-59.

Guest		16-Jul-2007 02:30
Anyone remember collecting bottle caps for admission to rides at Funland Park on 27th Ave? This would have been 1956-59.

Roberta		16-Jul-2007 02:26
Largo...no offense taken...I'm just an old biddy! And a dumb-cluck, to boot. To add to my family's FL history, my father's father, Hamilton Sharpe Perry, was once the Keep for Fowey Rock Lighthouse. Ancestral roots are in the Auld Sod, Erin, so, many were old salts, & seafarers. You could really see the Irish in my father, as he looked a lot like the late Richard Harris. I still remember the sails on a ship, as taught by my father: fore, main, mizzen, jigger, spanker, pusher, & driver. Speaking of the sea...remember that roaring sound your tires made whenever you went from pavement to bridge? Too, as kids, when the street would crack in two, so a sailing vessel could pass under the bridge, it scared the beejesus out of us! Didn't help matters any, when The Miami Herald printed a photo of a car that got caught, just as the bridge began to open, & the front tires were over the end, & as the bridge raised, those tires held that car, & kept it from sliding back downward. It was a scary photo, to be sure, to see that car, just hanging there! We also had a fear that the escalator would swallow us, down below the 1st floor of the Department Store! Elevators were even MORE of a source of fear! Odd, how children can be so easily spooked, isn't it? At Funland Park, the ride called The Bullet scared me so badly, that when I finally got off of it, I literally ran up my uncle's leg, & into his arms, pale as a ghost, & in hysterics. I stuck to the merry-go-round, after that, believe me! Here lately, I've seen on AOL News that there have been some amusement park rides that ended in tragedy. Reading about them rekindled the old memory of The Bullet. No more amusement parks for me, thank you!

Carol y		16-Jul-2007 02:14
Carol y I was born and raised in Miami and went to Gables high! Do you all remember the Tropacaire Movie Drive Inn, Longhorn Drive Inn,Pizza Patio,Bob's Hamburger Place near West Miami Jr. High? My Sister remembers the Caves and rides at Coral Lakes off of 72 Ave. and Bird Rd. Your Web Site is really wonderful and it really brings back all the good memories of MIAMI!!!

Jeff		16-Jul-2007 01:49
Thanks, Largo! The easiest thing to do is to send you to the article and image galleries a friend hosts for me: www.larabiefonts.com/stencil Don't spend too much on them if you can find them, and (of course) I'll reimburse your costs including postage. Needless to say, as long as they're not torn, creased, damaged or in horrible shape, I can use even duplicates. It's always a "plus" when the original packaging accompanies them... Once you've read my article "A Brief History of the Stenso Lettering Company" and viewed the pictures, do let me know what you think of my efforts. If you double click on the thumbnail images (just like here) you'll get larger views of the packages...

LARGO		16-Jul-2007 01:17
OOPS....MY SIDEWAYS SMILE WAS SPLIT ! *<{(;~)X::::D====B LARGO

LARGO		16-Jul-2007 00:58
.....SOOOOOOO SORRY ROBERTA...DID NOT MEAN TO IMPLY... A DIRECT REFERENCE IN A BIT OF SUBTLE CHIDING......DON'T GET YOUR FEATHERS RUFFLED...harking back to previous chicken bantie...er...banter...I REALISE THAT AS A DIRECT DESENDANT OF FLORIDA PIONEERS THAT YOU HAVE MUCH VALUABLE HISTORICAL INFORMATION TO SHARE....SO SOUTHERN LADY...that being said...IT'S ALL GOOD...ALL IN FUN......* })...smiles.....................HEY JEFF!.......I SHALL BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR "STENCILS OF THE PAST" IN COMBING THE HAUNTS OF THIS ANCIENT CITIES MOLDY OLD YARD & GARAGE SALES...HOW FAR BACK??? S.A. LARGO

Jeff		15-Jul-2007 20:08
Charlis... LOL! It seems that no matter the school year, some things continued onward... We used to call Joe Marmar "Ramram" as well.... but I'll tell you this about him... he's a first class person all-around! Years ago, I contacted him and told him how I had never bought a 1967-68 yearbood [the only one I appear in]... He was willing to let me have me his, and refused to accept a cent for it... so when I went over to his house to pick up the book, I brought he and his wife a cake... I still have the book in my possession...

Jeff		15-Jul-2007 20:03
Largo, thanks for the kind words of encouragement... It seems that every time I get a dollar ahead, the prices on things go up $2.00... Anyway - as you've probably read before, another quest of mine is to locate those old Stenso and E-Z Letter stencils for my archive/collection. I'm hoping that somone who reads my posts might have a box of junk in their garage and that some old those old goodies might possibly show up... Kind of a one-track mind, eh? (I confess... right now I have no new posts about nostalgia until I jog my own, old memory...

charlis		15-Jul-2007 20:00
guest/jeff... ms manze... I had study hall with her... for about 2 days. I was seated at a desk that was not adjusted right for me. I had long legs and had to sit sideways. She came up to me one day and slapped my knees! Told me to turn forward. I couldn't! She hit my knees again. I stood up, towering over her, told her not to touch me. I then walked out of the library and went directly to Ramram's office and told him what happened. I was assigned to Kiibler as a "student assistant".

Roberta		15-Jul-2007 19:05
OOOOPS, again! Just can't seem to make my "drawings" come out right when I post them, so, I give up, I promise. Shoot fire & save matches, anyway! Can't y'all tell, Largo, that I'm a Southern girl? Our family left Miami in 1961, & moved back to Georgia, where my paternal grandmother was from. I already established that the Perrys were among the "pioneers" of FL, & are interred in Cocoplum Cemetery.

Roberta		15-Jul-2007 18:58
Largo, RE: "hogging" space on this Site: I'm sure that the folk, who read this, & WANT to post a comment, can do so, without getting a brain hemhorrage. ALL they have to do, is click the post a comment link, @ the bottom of the Main Photo Gallery, OR, click on to ANY photo, & click the post a comment there, & follow the simple instructions, once the screen comes up. I'm assuming that those who have found this Site are computer literate, & know the mechanations of how to go about doing this task, & that they can type. By posting my numerous comments, I do not feel that I am "hogging" this comment site. It does not, in any way, tie the hands of others, thereby, preventing THEM to comment...now does it?? They can post ANYTIME they so desire! But, rest assured, I WILL NOT STOP POSTING, as long as this Site is up & running, unless Don Boyd himself sends me an email, & requests...(or insists)...that I cease & desist. oooo0 ( ) ( ( (___) "Oh, Foot!" by Roberta

S.A. LARGO		15-Jul-2007 17:19
SO JEFF... THAT MEANS YOU ARE STILL IN THE MIAMI AREA...THERE ARE STILL A FEW NICE PLACES IN FLORIDA....ANYTHING OVERLOOKING THE BEACH IS HIGH COST WISE....BUT THEY DO HAVE HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS HERE ALONG THE ST. AUGUSTINE COASTLINE...GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR QUEST. LARGO

Jeff		15-Jul-2007 17:03
Largo, so much has changed in South Florida that even living here, it's hard to recognize it. "Air space" is worth more than "ground space", so we continue to build upward - 20, 30, 40 story buildings. Only the rich have the right to an ocean view - and the tropical escape that the snowbirds came for in the 20's through the '60's is all but a memory. It's now New York on the bay - a mass of steel and concrete that is cold and devoid - and creates excess traffic, more exhaust pollution and overcrowding. The bulk of the local hangouts, theaters, recreational spots, stores, etc. are all gone. Strip malls and shopping centers have replaced neighborhoods, and the overall persona of people has gone from surly to sucky! If I can ever get it financially together, I'm out of here as well. 43 years is more than enough to have such a beautiful area decimated. As for the graphics side of me... I concentrate of typographic design, not mathematical. Letters and numbers - lettering - that's my thing!

S.A. LARGO		15-Jul-2007 16:26
ROBERTA.......THAT IS INTERESTING...I SUPPORT MYSELF IN THE CREATIVITY "ETHERS"...AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING THERE IS...ALMOST MATHMATICAL. I HAVE A MAC...WITH THE BUILT IN ARTSY STUFF THAT I HAVE BARELY GOTTEN INTO (impatience & low techiness I fear)....I'LL BET OUR VERY "GRAPHIC" BUDDIE JEFF IS WORKING ON ..."A PROJECT" OF SORTS...THE MONA LISA...OR SOMETHING CHALLENGING??? ....ARE THE 2 OF YOU ...ROBERTA & JEFF STILL IN FLORIDA???......DO YOU SUPPOSE WE ARE ALL "HOGGING" SPACE HERE....OR PROVIDING ENTERTAINMENT???.......I KNOW THERE ARE SOME MORE "NATIVE FLORIDIANS"...OR FORMER RESIDENTS...OUT THERE WITH INTERESTING INPUT.......!??.......'COM ON NOW...HOW 'BOUT A CHAT ON........HOW OVERDEVELOPMENT HAS IMPAIRED THE DELICATE ECOSYSTEMS OF THE ONCE "NATURALLY" THRIVING FLORIDA EVERGLADES (is there another Everglades on this planet...."EVER"...GLADES??) ...IN THE PAST... 40'/ 50ish YEARS.....AND THE AFTER EFFECTS...AS A RESULT...IMPACTING SOME OF YOU INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE STILL OUT THERE?...I CAN REMEMBER WHEN I LIVED IN FT. LAUDERDALE IN THE EARLY 70'S AND VOLUNTEERING TO FIGHT THE GLADES FIRES (which you could smell burning clear to Palm Beach)...MANY CAUSED BY money hungry DEVELOPERS DRAINING THE BOGS AND HAMMOCKS FOR NEW "NEIGHBORHOODS"........IT REALLY WAS HEARTBREAKING TO SEE THE DEATH AND DEVASTATION OF THE WILDLIFE BACK THEN....WHAT HAS CHANGED??? LARGO

Roberta		15-Jul-2007 07:50
OOOOPS!! I made corrections, as I "drew" this picture, & when I posted, it got off-line, somehow, even though whenever I do corrections on print, they don't get off-kilter! Shoot fire! If anyone wants to see my computer line "drawings," email me @ robertah47.com, & I'll send you some that are in proportion, to where you can tell what they are! (however, they print out off-kilter!). My "drawings" include a cowboy, a sewing machine, a wishing well, prelude to a kiss, a fat cat, a great horned owl, & foot prints, as well as this one, entitled "The Kiss". Trust me, when I do them in my email, they come out right. Sorry I couldn't get it to work on this Site. Boo Hoo!

Roberta		15-Jul-2007 07:38
A little romance, for all of the Post-A-Comment Club, from me to you! This is another thing that I do with my time. See what YOU can come up with! DRAW! ~~~~~vvvvvv//\| (((( u)(u \| (((( C L- ? \| ((((\ -<>- \| (((((oooo/ \ \| ( \%=====\ \| ( ) ) \| \| \| \| / ( ) \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|_\|__\|_\|___\ \ \| (=\\___________\ ( \|__\| \| \| \ ((((^) \| ) \| \| / \| \| \| "The Kiss" by Roberta

Jeff		15-Jul-2007 06:58
I'm a late-nighter tonight as well... but only for another couple of minutes... Roberta, if you want to hear a GREAT version of "I'll Be Seeing You", try to find it by the Skyliners or the Five Satins... Etta James did her version of "A Sunday Kind of Love"... but it was the Harptones that made it a 50's classic... The song was co-written by the "wild man of Las Vegas", Louis Prima! Speaking of wild, there was even an up-tempo doo-wop version of the song as well! My two favorite Steve Alaimo songs are "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" and "Mais Oui" - which was a "B" side that was Bobby Darin-ish in styling... Anyone remember Gerry Granahan's "No Chemise, Please" about the sack dress craze? Gerry is a buddy of mine... and just turned 75! Gerry also was the man behind the studio "group" Dickie Doo and the Don't s ("Leave Me Alone Let Me Cry", "Click Clack", "NeNeNaNaNaNaNuNu") and he produced Jay and the Americans' "Cara Mia"...

Roberta		15-Jul-2007 06:56
Largo! Jeff! I did! I did! I DID see Steve Alaimo perform "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying," when he was the host of Dick Clark's "Where The Action Is"...! Jeff...! You said he was your boss, so, I assume you still are in contact with him, so...ASK HIM!! Better yet, turn him on to the Web Site, & let the man himself tell you!! I have a memory like a steel trap...(hope to God it lasts me my lifetime)...& I NEVER MISSED "Where The Action Is," & I'll bet you that my memory of Steve Alaimo singing the song in question, on that TV show, is 100% true! So he didn't record it, I still liked HIS rendition the best! When he sang it, he did a little "hide-and-seek" thing, with some sort of cement pillar, that was part of the setting, where he sang. They were on the beach a lot, so, it could have been like a bridge support, or a pier (?). ANYWAY! Jeff...!!! ASK the man IF, indeed, he performed this song on that show!

Roberta		15-Jul-2007 06:24
Largo...Jeff...I concede! But...perhaps I saw Steve Alaimo perform the song, live?? Largo...glad to see I'm not the only insomniac on the planet! Many times, I'm up all night long. Was on 11-7, then 7P-7A, when I was a nurse, for...too many years...& it's hard to shake it off! Too, I usually stay up to keep from disturbing hubby's slumber, due to the "Tossing & Turning" routine, born out of aches & pains. Before my generous former classmates...(1966, Calhoun County High, Edison, GA)...presented me with this Dell computer & hp 3-way, plus 2 years IAP to boot, I would read all night long. I still read, but when the weather is bad, & I have to shut 'er down, due to lightning, & when late night TV sucks. This amazing gift has really opened my limited world, & this Web Site is quite a source of enjoyment in itself. Thank you! Mr. Don Boyd!

LARGO		15-Jul-2007 05:38
5 GUYS NAMED MOE..."DON'T LET THE SUN CATCH YOU CRYIN'...CRYIN' 'ROUND MY FRONT DOOR...YOU DONE YOUR BABY SOOO DIRTY..THATS WHY SHE DON'T WANT YOU NO MORE..." AND YADA, YADA, YADA........THE OTHER "DON'T LET THE SUN........" GERRY & THE PACEMAKERS..

Roberta		15-Jul-2007 05:06
Jeff..NO!...I meant..."Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying"..."crying on my front door," was the next line, which, the opening line was the song's title! Anyone out there remember this song, to confirm? Largo...I, too, LOVE Ella, Miles Davis, & ADORE Nina Simone...have many CDs by her, my favorite of which is titled "Bittersweet". Love "I Put a Spell on You," "I want a Little Sugar in My Bowl," & her tragic-voiced "Ne Me Quitte Pas," ("If You Go Away", only in French). Too, there's the amazing Diana Krall. Her CD, "The Look of Love" is a winner! Love Sinatra's early years, as well as the '60's, & duets with Nancy. Remember Vikki Carr? Margaret Whiting? John Gary? I ADORE "I Want a Sunday Kind of Love," by Etta James...or was it Dinah Washington? Both are grand ladies of song! Favorite song, of ALL TIME, is "I'll Be Seeing You," & have it by Sinatra, Johnny Mathis, Kate Smith, & Mario Lanza, but...believe it or not, TO ME, the BEST version was by Liberace. He had an amazing, very caressing voice, & I adored him, & always will. Bet you like Stan Getz, Dave Brubeck, & all of the many other Jazz greats, too! I love the blues, too...Muddy Waters, B.B. King, etc. Heck! I love it ALL, except for ear-splitting heavy metal guitar riffs, & rap/hip-hop. Just can't get into it, somehow, but...to each his own! Hey! I even love Spanish guitars, & a good Mariachi Band!Remember Herb Alpert & the TJB? Brazil 66? The Baja Marimba Band? Mr. Acker Bilk? Oh! What wonderful memories, of all of the amazing music we have all heard, & loved, in our lives!

Jeff		15-Jul-2007 03:23
Did I forget to sign my post? 'Tis I... Jeff... and the preceding post was mine!

Guest		15-Jul-2007 03:11
Roberta - Perhaps did you mean "Every Day I Have to Cry" by Steve Alaimo? S.A. - John Lee Hooker....Yes! AND Jimmy Reed.... I love the "sound" of Chicago's Vee-Jay Records. I won't list my favorites, because they're in the THOUSANDS.... I'm a music buff, and my collection of CD's spans the 30's through the 80's... From Big Band to Blues... from Doo Wop to Soul... R&B, Country, Pop, Easy Listening, Rock and Roll, Guitar Rock, some Jazz... I even enjoy classical and disco... There's some good in most all music genres...

S.A. LARGO		15-Jul-2007 00:48
JEFF...GREAT IDEA...MUSIC!......I GREWUP LISTENING TO CHARLIE PARKER, ELLA, JOHN COLTRAIN..."THE"LONIOUS MONK, NINA SIMONE, BRUBECK, HERBIE MANN, MILES DAVIS'S ("BITCHES BREW"), ART TATUM, JOHN LEE HOOKER............MEL TORME, NANCY WILSON.....DUANE EDDIE (LATER...ZZ TOP)...LOVE THAT GUITAR EVOLVEMENT....RIGHTEOUS BRO'S, EVERLY BRO'S, THE "NEILS"...SEDAKA...DIAMOND....YOUNG.......KENNY RANKIN, DYLAN,.....STILL LOVE ALL THAT....AND ALSO EVOLVED INTO DAVE MATTHEWS & TRIPPY ELECTRONIC GROUPS LIKE "ENIGMA"...SOME "RAVE THUMP" SOUNDS GREAT FOR IPOD EXERCISE...NO NEED FOR CAFFEINE!!!....PAUL SIMON........"STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS" AND SO ON.... *;>}) LARGO

Roberta		14-Jul-2007 22:45
Jeff...P.S....favorite DJ was Charlie Murdock, of WQAM.

Roberta		14-Jul-2007 22:43
Jeff...my favorite Steve Alaimo song was "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying." Loved the silly songs, like "Please, Mr. Custer", "Flying Purple People Eater", "he Witch Doctor", "The Monster Mash", & "Alley Oop." ANYTHING by The Platters; Instumentals, like "Lisbon Antigua", "Theme from 'A Summer Place'", "Wonderland by Night", "The Synchopated Clock", & "Patricia", which was played @ Sunland Skating Rink. Loved "El Paso", by Marty Robbins, & "Only Make Believe", by Conway Twitty, before he had to turn to country, to survive. Any & all Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, Brian Hyland, Bobby Rydell, Bobby Vinton, & Bobby Vee music, or by Ricky Nelson, Paul Anka, & the other teen idols.

Jeff		14-Jul-2007 21:13
Here's a DIFFERENT spin on the memories postings... To those of you who are a tad older than I and attended sock hops, proms and other dances of the 1950's and early 60's... What was your favorite song...??? Was it one of the follow, or something else...?.... There's A Moon Out Tonight - Capris Goodnite Sweetheart Goodnite - Spaniels Earth Angel - Penguins The Twist - Chubby Checker Home by Eleven [by my old boss] Steve Alaimo Tequila - The Champs My Prayer - Platters Come on... think back to that one SPECIAL dance... was it a "slow grind"? A jump tune? Did you bop or chalypso? Did you do the walk or stroll? Was it your first kiss or your next miss?

Roberta Perry Hughes		14-Jul-2007 20:46
Eureka! As a child of 8, our family, & my father's siblings, went to Cocoplum Cemetery, for a "clean up day," on the overgrown & neglected final resting place of my father's grandparents, great-grandfather, uncles, & his infant fraternal twins siblings. I have thought about that old cemetery, over-the-years, & feared that it had, long ago, been excoriated, for the dastardly purpose of "imminent domain," & that a shopping center had been erected over where it had been. Out of curiosity, I typed it in, & hit search, &...there it was! Complete with color photos, of overviews of the cemetery itself, as well as color photos of the headstones, & there they were: George LaFayette Perry & wife Mollie E. McWilliams Perry, who were the parents of my paternal grandfather, & George W. (Washington) Perry, a former Civil War Confederate soldier, who was the grandfather of MY grandfather! WOW! In addition to these ancestors are my great-uncles, a great-aunt by marriage, & my grandfather's nephew, who would be my father's 1st cousin. There is a granite dedication marker..."In memory of over two hundred Miami pioneers, many unidentified, who were buried in Pinewood (Cocoplum) Cemetery in the late 1800's and early 1900's." This commentator, & my cousin, Joe, have ancestors, who were among these "pioneers" of old Miami. What a find...!! I am so VERY grateful, that this old cemetery has been restored, & protected, & did not fall to the greed of real estate developers, as so many, many areas have done, in our former childhood neighborhoods. Thank you! Thank You! Thank you! To those who worked so hard to make this possible! It is a treasure, for me & my family, to have this wonderful pictorial record of our ancestors!!

52Guest		14-Jul-2007 16:41
Here are some memories I offer up for discussion: Smith Bros Lounge: 36st at N Miami Ave (?) Ross Tasty Freeze and Muggies NW36 + 19ave Jumbos Shrimp Taylors Good Food NW36 st and 33ave Mother Butlers Pies; Shortlived at 36st near Biscayne Blvd Georgia Pan Fried Chicken Nw 95st @ 27ave Bahama Steakhouse and Chesapeake Seafood on 36st at N River Dr Pinland Bowling Alley (later Orange Blossom Hobbies NW 36st @ 19ave Paradise Lanes --8 lanes downstairs and 8 lanes upstairs NW 36st @ 26ave Goffs Automotive on NW 36st @ 33ave next to Taylors (16 specialized svcs) Jackson Byrons + Allapattah 5 + 10 across from Jackson HS Cock Robin (bow + arrow place shooting balloons off targets) Trampolines + putt putt off 36st + N River Dr Georges Barber Shop on NW 36st @ 22ave: George had a pink cadillac Em's CoffeeShop at NW 21st and 27ave near CR Berry Rolls-Royce Al Martin Boats...best boats ever built Randle-Eastern Ambulances....NOT Metro Dade Fire-Rescue...ruled the roads Nolans + Trio were probably the only towing companies then Bill Austin Ford-Deel Ford-Tally Embry Ford-Chuck Johnson Ford- Ed Morse too! REA (Rail Express Agency) and NOT UPS delivered packages Eastern + Natl- Pan Am were big...Northeast Yellowbirds were a player too. Ah Yes...these WERE the days

Guest		14-Jul-2007 05:18
GADS...THINGS HAVE REALLY SNOWBALLED ON THE "JEFF & ROBERTA SHOW" SINCE I LAST LOGGED IN.....CHICKENS AROUND THE GLOBE ARE PICKETING AS I TYPE...ER UH..HUNT & PECK. ACTUALLY I HAVE GREAT MEMORIES OF LAUGHING AND SILLINESS IN OLDE MIAMI...OLDE SOUTH FLORIDA....AND PRESENTLY IN VERY OLDE ST. AUGUSTINE, FL.,......NORTH COUNTRY!...PIRATE GHOST COUNTRY...ARRRARAGH!!!..... I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING IN THE OPENING PARAGRAPH ABOVE THAT RULED OUT HUMOR...ON THE WALKS DOWN MEMORY LANE....STENCILS AND VISCAYA AND GRAPHIC WAS MENTIONED....THAT TOOK, AT THE VERY LEAST, MY FRONTAL LOBES BACK TO THE OLDE MANGO MILE...LARGO

Jeff		14-Jul-2007 02:55
This is for Burl Grey, should he check back into this site... You noted (on the page with the Burdines Christmas photo) that your father had a sign shop in Downtown Miami... I'm a graphic artist who designs decorative computer fonts. Do you possibly have any of your dad's old lettering books and/or related items? If so, please drop me a line at jnl1952 at juno.com (replacing "at" with "@")... Thanks!

Jeff		14-Jul-2007 02:38
This is for Burl Grey, should he check back into this site... You noted (on the page with the Burdines Christmas photo) that your father had a sign shop in Downtown Miami... I'm a graphic artist who designs decorative computer fonts. Do you possibly have any of your dad's old lettering books and/or related items? If so, please drop me a line at jnl1952 at juno.com (replacing "at" with "@")... Thanks!

Jeff		14-Jul-2007 01:28
Oh, I was just ruminating, Roberta... I missed the stuff I had actually collected, but those postcards aren't a priority anymore... We always tend to miss the stuff we had to part with... but if we kept it all, who knows how big of a warehouse we'd need... Thankfully, my stencil archive doesn't talk up an abundant amount of space. When I used to collect 45's...well, now THAT was overwhelming... Thank God for CD's!

Roberta		14-Jul-2007 01:18
Jeff...type in vintage Florida & click search, or enter. There you will find most of your "missing" postcards...& THEN some!

Jeff		14-Jul-2007 00:36
I defer to the queen of the puns... you've bested my best, Roberta... and I sincerely appreciate that spirited go 'round... Back to trivia and such... I wonder if anyone actually went to view my article about the old Stenso Lettering Guides (www.larabiefonts.com/stencil)... Not only is it a nod to the past, but a collecting passion for me. Those simple little devices were the beginning of my career in graphic arts... Anyway, more of my reminiscences... collecting postcards from the various hotels on Miami Beach [sure wish I still had them!]... sitting on the rock jetty on South Beach at Government Cut watching the ocean... riding the tram for ten cents on Lincoln Road Mall... attending the World Premier of the "Flipper" movie on Lincoln Road, and the 50th Anniversary celebration by the Convention Center for Miami Beach in 1965... The summer free concerts by the Miami Beach Auditorium featuring Allan & Rossi, Dion, Alive 'n' Kicking...

Roberta		14-Jul-2007 00:22
Wonder if any of those who appreciate our brand of humor relocated to Pun-ta Gorda? You reckon? Keep on, you & I...(& Largo?)...will turn this Site into Punland Park! Just hope that most everyone out there has an o-pun mind, is all!

Jeff		13-Jul-2007 23:52
Roberta... Don't apologize for having a sense of humor... It's takes a real sport to banter around good/bad puns as you did... Of course we'll continue the memories about old Miami - but we shouldn't take ourselves so seriously that we forget how to laugh! I can take some additional responsibility for any offense if you wish... but I suspect most of the readers (even if not responding) are laughing with delight, remembering how they used to be "pun-gent" as well...

Roberta		13-Jul-2007 22:59
Please forgive me, folks, if I offended anyone out there, with the below comment. It's been a long time since I bantered puns about with anyone, & I got carried away. I want you all to know that that double entendre is old as the hills, & I did not originate it. Again, forgive me, for having let this get a bit off-color. I promise that my future comments will only be about our mutual memories of Old Miami.

Roberta Perry Hughes		13-Jul-2007 18:16
Persoanlly, I LOVE "dead chicken," a la KFC, or the meat counter, made into chicken & dumplings...but! have you noticed that they don't "bleed" them, like they USED to, & the result is nasty cooked blood, in the chicken stock, or "bleeders", actually out & into the meat, even from KFC! What happened?? Remember when you learned how to recognize the cuts of meat, in your Home Ec. textbook? NOW, you have to take their word for it, that that's a chuck roast, or whatever, as they ALL look like the butcher took a chain saw to the side of beef, & chopped out square chunks of meat that are all clones of one another! I showed my son my vintage 1957 Home Ec. textbook, @ the cuts of meat, & he was amazed @ the difference of "then" & "now." So you see, this Web Site of nostalgia reminds me that, even food was seemingly better, in those days, back when you had milk, juice, eggs, & butter delivered to your doorstep by McArthur's, Foremost, or Land O' Sun Dairies, depending on where you lived. McArthur's delivered to our doorstep, & our milkman was Sterling Bunker. Mr. Lanington was our Gulf Life Insurance man. Anyone remember chinch bugs, that ate grass roots & left many yards with dead dry grass in their wake? I remember my father sprayed to kill them out of our yard, & they moved next door, to the neighbor's yard, who then sprayed HIS yard, & they hopped over to the yard next to his, 'til they ran out of places to go...or so it seemed! The vintage 2-arm sprinklers most folk had in those days are now collector's items, as are vintage Florida souvenirs, which is what I've gotten into, lately. In fact, I just received 11 vintage FL road maps, before the Interstates were built. Plan to have my son come over, to haul out FL in his Trucker's atlas, so he can see the FL roads, routes, & HWYs our family traveled. Daddy always took HWY 27, because it was a truck route, & every town had motels, & out-of-town were the truck stops themselves. It was like the Route 66 of FL, & was travel friendly, for families. Those truck stops had the best cheese burgers! There will be towns on my vintage maps that are not on his FL maps, as they got swallowed up, into obscurity...Andytown comes to mind. You'd better have a full tank of gas, when you left Miami, headed north, on 27, as there was absolutely NOTHING, between Miami & Andytown, but the once-vast Everglades, & you'd best have made sure everyone in the car had a "bathroom break," too, as relief was a long way off. I remember Mama made sure we didn't have any sodas, 'til after we passed out of the Everglades, for obvious reasons! I DO remember the dyed Easter chicks, & how some were killed by family pets, or neighbor's pets. It was odd, indeed, to hear a rooster crow! Y'all remember taking home a "permission slip" from school, for your parents to sign, so you could go on a "field trip," to somewhere like the Parrot Jungle, the Sea Aquarium, the Sepentarium, or wherever, along with notice of the admission fees for the child to bring with them, and/or a bagged lunch? We even visited McArthur Dairy, the Coca-Cola bottling plant, & other factories, but I was absent the day they went to Vizcaya. I never did get to see that awesome place, except in photos & postcards. (sigh). I'll ask again...where are the S.W. Miamians? Can't this Web Site be made known, via the radio or TV stations, or in the Miami Herald? More folk need to know, so we can hear from them! robertah47@aol.com

Guest		13-Jul-2007 16:57
P.S....(S.A.LARGO) JUST BEFORE THE LEFT TURN INTO S. MIAMI THERE WAS THE "OK FEED STORE"...ON THE LEFT....AT EASTERTIME THEY ALWAYS HAD MULTI-COLORED BABY CHICKS IN THEIR DISPLAY WINDOW.....IRRESISTIBLE..TO MY LITTLE SISTER & MYSELF AS KIDS...MOM AND DAD ALWAYS GAVE IN... AND WE EACH GOT A FLUFFY LITTLE COLORFUL CHICK...THAT ALWAYS GREW UP TO BE A HARD WORKING, BUG EATING FRIENDLY LITTLE PET.....THAT CHICK DYEING PRACTICE WAS BANNED AS CRUEL....NOW TELL ME..IF YOU WERE "HYPOTHETICALLY" A CHICK... AND HAD A CHOICE...WOULD YOU RATHER BE COLORFUL AND DEARLY LOVED AND WELL CARED FOR BY A CHILD....OR RAISED STACKED 6 CROWDED CAGES DEEP...AND EVENTUALLY AND INHUMANELY BEHEADED FOR SOMEONES DIN DIN???.....GUESS IT DEPENDS ON HOW WE LOOK AT THINGS...THAT MIGHT BE GALLOWS HUMOR?? LARGO

Guest		13-Jul-2007 16:29
THANKS "JEFF"...RE: THE OLYMPIA THEATER....WHEN I FIRST GOT MY COMPUTER...MY KIDS TOLD ME THAT WRITING IN "ALL CAPS" MEANT THAT I WAS YELLING ! !?...ACTUALLY FOR ME , IT JUST MEANS THAT I CAN "SEE" WHAT I WRITE EASIER...AND THAT I DON'T HAVE TO USE THE SHIFT AS OFTEN...I NEVER LEARNED TO TYPE...FORMALLY...SO FOR ME IT IS MORE ABOUT THE "COMMUNICATION & COLLECTIVE MEMORIES" SO HOPEFULLY I HAVE NOT INADVERTANTLY "YELLED" AT ANYONE..IN MY ATTEMPTS TO SEE... AND SHARE...OH! AND JOE PERRY....I SECOND THE SUBTLE CHIDING AND HUMOR THAT SOME GUEST EXHIBIT.....LAUGHING IS ALWAYS GOOD FOR THE SOUL WHEN IT'S INTERWOVEN INTO STORIES OF PAST EXPERIENCES. I HAVE'NT HEARD MUCH FROM THOSE WHO MAY HAVE GROWN UP IN S. MIAMI...??. I REMEMBER TURNING OFF US 1 INTO THE LITTLE TOWN OF SOUTH MIAMI...JUST NORTH OF HOLSUM ( YUMM ) BAKERY...SNAPPER CREEK TO THE LEFT AS I HEADED HOME..GUESS I WAS ON RED ROAD??...AND TURNED RIGHT BETWEEN PINECREST ELEMENTARY (PROUD ATTENDEE)..AND PINECREST PRESBYTARIAN CHURCH...MY HOME WAS ON S.W. 106 ST...ANYONE OUT THERE FAMILIAR WITH THAT AREA IN THE 50'S & 60'S.....I WENT TO PALMETTO H.S....GRADUATED IN '63......????...S.A. LARGO

joe perry		13-Jul-2007 07:26
it's been a week now since i learned of this fantastic web site. i did not realize i had so many memories in this old gray hair head of mine! scanning the list of comments i find it quite amusing and interesting of the things which we might recall.i loved the friendly ribbing regarding our typing abilities and memory loss. it's fun to know that there are still some of us who can laugh at ourselves and each other and not be offended! it is so difficult theses days not to say the wrong word or letter and insult some one over something so trivial.thank god i've maintained my sense of humor. keep it up old people, or should i say senior citizens of good ole miami! joe perry joda@nbtx.com

Jeff		13-Jul-2007 04:47
Almost time for this old fella to call it a night... but I was reading some of the earlier posts... Vikki Ricciardelli-McGowan - are you the daughter of the late "Rick" Ricciardelli, former North Miami City Councilman? Forgotten places of the past: Drago School Supplies, Long's Office Supplies, Biscayne Cafeteria, Musa Isle Indian Village, Woolco Shopping Center, Beefsteak Charlie's, the Goodyear blimp base on Watson Island, the Walgreen store on Flagler Street with its Art Deco facade and upstairs lunch counter, Dean Martin's Restaurant, the Luau, Nick and Arthur's, Hy Uchitel's Place for Steak, Tony's Fish Market, Danny's Restaurant in Surfside, the Pampered Pup on 71st Street (Miami Beach), Mama Vivi's in Normandy Isle, M&M Restaurant, Bell Art Supply and Rex Art Supply in Coral Gables, Associated Artist Supply and The Palette in Miami, Uncle John's Pancake House, Packer Pontiac, Venetian Rambler, Dick Fincher Oldsmobile, Vic Potamkin Chevrolet, Belcher Oil Company, Dade Federal Savings, Miami National Bank, Little River Bank and Trust, General Development Corporation, Billup's Gas, Shamrock Gas, Pure GAs, Phillips 66, Union 76, Cities Service, Sinclair, Gulf.............

Jeff		13-Jul-2007 03:50
An interesting thought just occured to me... We've has postings from many people of White and Latin lineage, but there's also an interesting (if not bittersweet) story from the Black community of Miami... I'd love to hear about their favorite hangouts, despite the fact that "old" Miami was so restricted back in those days... Sure, there was the Carver Theater in North Central Miami, and the Ace Theater in Cocnut Grove... even the Harlem/Capitol Theater on NW 14th Street... but what about the restaurants, the corner shops? Even though the scourge of segregation was rampant down here until around 1963, their stories are still a part of the history of Miami... good or bad... So, my friends and neighbors of color who visit this site... please don't hesitate to posts your memories as well... they will not only expand our knowledge of the past, but open a door toward the future...

Jeff		13-Jul-2007 03:23
The Olympia Theater was turned into the Gusman Cultural Arts Center in the late 70's or early 80's. It was located just West of NE 3rd Avenue on Flagler Street, and was considered Florida's most beautiful theater. It opened in 1926 [?] and for years had stage shows. The Les Rohde orchestra was the "house band", and Elvis made an appearance there in 1956.

Jeff		13-Jul-2007 03:10
No, Martha... I didn't forget... I just hadn't "moved on up the road", so to speak... Beside the Sheridan (where I used to attend the Florida State Theaters' Sumemrtime Fun Shows), there was the Roosevelt - that doubled as a "legitimate" playhouse... Those summer fun shows were a 15 cent admission, or free with six RC cola bottle caps... and you received a complimentary box of candy with prize raffle tickets inside. Movie-going kids could win more candy or other prizes with the "Reels of Fun" relay race films, and if I saw "Jason and the Argonauts" once, I saw it at least a half-dozen times... While we're "on" 41st Street, there was the S&H Green Stamps and Plaid Stamps redemption centers, A&P, Food Fair, The Forge, WQAM.... and here's one to REALLY get your memory going... Just over the bridge [over the canal] past WQAM was a small storefront with nothing but a man's face on the sign... It was "Jimmy's Just a Hobby"... No, not a hobby shop - but a restaurant run as a hobby by the owner... he opened and closed when he wanted to! Let's not forget the National Airlines Building, Howard Johnson's, Central Hardware and the dozens of small mom-and-pop shops... plus the original Lums....

Guest		13-Jul-2007 03:07
MARTHA OR JEFF.......WHATEVER BECAME OF THE BEAUTIFUL "OLYMPIA" THEATER?...WAS IT RESTORED LIKE MANY OF THE OLD GRAND THEATERS AROUND THE COUNTRY...OR TORN DOWN? ...YOU SPOKE OF THE "CARIB" MARTHA...I CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE IT WAS LOCATED....THE OLYMPIA WAS SUCH A MYSTERIOUS PLACE TO ME AS A CHILD...I THINK I WAS 6 OR 7 WHEN PATTI PAGE SANG ON THE STAGE THERE...THERE WERE REALLY A LOT OF MOVIE THEATERS AROUND MIAMI IN THE DAY..NOW THERE ARE MOVIE WEARHOUSES WITH MULTI THEATERS WITHEN THEM...S.A. LARGO

Guest		13-Jul-2007 02:45
Jeff, You forgot the Sheridan Theater that was at 41st & Sheridan Av. It's now the purple glass medical bldg in Miami Beach. The Carib was one of the most beautiful theater's in Miami.

Jeff		13-Jul-2007 02:26
Why take life seriously? You're not gonna make it through it alive, anyhow! You might as well enjoy a few laughs... as long as it's not at the expense of someone else or in a cruel way... so, welcome to the less-serious, fun-loving world of the Over-40 and loving it set! Now, where did I leave my GeritoL.......??????????????????

Guest		13-Jul-2007 01:38
GADS!!!..........AM I ACTUALLY SENSING SOME PLAYFUL HUMOR COMING FROM SOME OF YOU OLE 60'S JUNKIES???....PLEASE KEEP IT COMING...IT GIVES ME HOPE THAT THERE ARE STILL SOME "KIDS"..DISGUISED AS "BOOMERS" OUT THERE...I WAS BEGINNING TO THINK I WAS PART OF A DIMINISHING BREED...KEEP IT COMING...LOVE IT !!...S.A. LARGO

Jeff		12-Jul-2007 22:56
Guest? I forgot to sign my post! Arrrggghhhh!!!!!

Guest		12-Jul-2007 22:48
Beatrice Manze... or S-Sargeant Manze (as I used to call her)... the only way you could possibly get her to smile was with a crowbar! Do you remember a band called "Larry Stang's Method" (a/k/a "Broadway Park") that used to do the Beach High dances? Larry is a good buddy of mine for nearly 35 years... I'd love to get some Gallagher's memorabilia donated to the North Miami Historical Association... they're always looking for things from the recent past... I used to do a spoof of Dr. Solomon Lichter's morning remarks over the PA system.. It went kind of like this: "Good morning... and why I say good morning reminds me of a morning a very long time ago that was a very good morning and since it is a good morning, Beach is dynamite!"

charlis		12-Jul-2007 22:13
jeff... study hall for typos.... yes, you deserve it... with Ms. Manze (sic)... rumor had it that she was a former prison warden...

charlis		12-Jul-2007 22:08
OH! The memories... keep them coming! That period of my life, the 60's, was so wonderful! this site is definately worthy of mention in the Herald.

charlis		12-Jul-2007 22:06
Jeff... yes, the first Lums was on 41st St.... my parents took me and my sister there often. On my 21st b-day they gave me a beer... on the house. The drinking age was still 21 at that time. During the run of Funny Girl, at the Lincoln, Evie was hired to walk around outside dressed in a fake leopard skin coat and act like Barbra... which, as you know, came naturally to her.

Jeff		12-Jul-2007 21:25
THIS AND THAT: Regarding a previous post from Jessica Siskind - 27-May-2007 17:55: How do I get the book "Boulevard of Dreams" about Miami Shores, Bicayne Gardens, etc.? It was written by my friend Seth Bramson, and will be on sale Aug. 19th. Contact North Miami Councilman Scott Galvin by sending an email to: scott at scott-galvin.com (replacing the word "AT" with the "@" symbol) - he can possibly supply you with more details. For Jean: The owner of Shell's City was N.T. Shell. He also owned the Shell Lumber Company. Here's a list of old drive-in restaurants from my research days (when I collected old photos of Miami - now part of Seth Bramson's historical archive) to stir your memories: Paley's Big Wheel (SW 22 Ave) The Car Hop (later Paley's Big Wheel #2) (57th and Flagler) The Great Gable (Coral Way) Colonel Jim's (later Uncle Tom's) Colonel Jim's #2 (79th Street Causeway) Hot Shoppes (US 1) Daisy May ((West Flager or SW 8th St.) Jimmy's Hurricane (Coral Gables) Ranch House (not to be confused with the restaurant Chain) (NW 54th St. & 7th Ave.) Pizza Palace (SW 8th Street) Pizza Tower Pizio's (Bird Road) Tommy's (LeJeune Road) Waxie's (LeJeune Rd.) Flip's (Miami Ave. and NW 79th St.) Food 'n' Fun (across from the Coliseum in Coral Gables) Kelly's (LeJeune Road) Kelly's #2 (NE 79th ST. and the Bay) - later Billy's, Sip 'n' Sup Scotty's (Sunny Isles) Wagon Wheel (Miami Beach) - late Gibby's Pitchfork (Miami Beach) Miami Shores (later Pickin' Chicken) - it has a conveyor belt system Kwicky (West Dixie Hwy.) Deep South Bar-B-Q - renamed Corky's (N. Miami Beach) Majorette (NW 5th Ave. & 79th St.) Frank 'n' Bun (NW 27th Ave. & 79th St.) The Cocoanuts (Bisc. Blvd. and 62nd St.) Henry's (27th Avenue and Hialeah) TRIVIA: The FIRST "Burger King" was NOT on NW 36th Street... it was the "Insta-Burger King" that James McLemore visited [and subsequently purchased] near downtown Miami. The 36th Street location was the first corporate restaurant... The first two McDonald's restaurants in Miami were on NW 7th Street and on Biscayne Blvd. in North Miami... Fun Fair was NOT a drive-in restaurant, but an amusements and food location... The first Lum's was omn 41st Street in Miami Becah... the first Royal Castle was in Little River... DO YOU REMEMBER these "chain" names from the past four decades...? Some lasted longer than others in the Miami area... Burger Giant Burger Castle Jackie Gleason Restaurants Broadway Joe's Carnival Burger Hum-Dinger The Dog House Sambo's Key Wester (part of Royal Castle) Lums Godfather's Pizza Rally's Yumbrella White Castle Champ Burger Rudy's Sonic

Jeff		12-Jul-2007 20:38
Case in point: There's no apostrophy in "gets"

Jeff		12-Jul-2007 20:37
Please forgive the horribly idiotic misspellings on some of my posts... Believe it or not, I DO have a command of the English language and CAN spell... but I'm no typist, and my big fingers inadvertantly hit the wrong keys at times... I try to proofread as I go, but invariably, stuff get's by me... So, if you're grading me on my posts: Warmth and friendliness: A+ Knowledge of subject matter: A to A+ Typing ability: C- to D I geuss it's detention and study hall for me......

Jeff		12-Jul-2007 20:32
Notes on the Cameo and Cinema theaters (and others): Wometco originally owned the Cameo. It was opened as a first-run theater [I believe] around 1947. By the early 1960's, if was a "past run" theater, offerind doubel features of older movies for 35 cents before 6 PM, and 50 cents after 6. A box of Jordan Almonds used to sell there for a quarter! The theater was fairly small for its day, but it did have a balcony, and was in the heart of what became the Beach's "retirement district" just slightly north of Espanola Way and Washington Avenue. It's "sister" theater - although NOT owned by Wometco - was the Cinema, in the middle of the block of Washington Avenue between 12th and 13th Streets, just south of Jackson's/Byron's and North of the Kress store. Tiny little Rita's Photo Studio was located nearby, as well as the Governor Cafeteria, an open-air fruit market and other tiny shops. During the winter season, the Cinema was the home of Leon Schecter's Yiddish-American Vaudeville [which I was dragged to by my parents - never understanding ANY of the jokes, for they were all in Yiddish!]... Did you know that in the 1920's the Cinema was originally a gambling Casino? Many folks remember to Paris Theater on 6th and Washington as an "adult theater", but it was originally opened post WWII as the VAriety Theater. Ed CLaughton (whose family owned a number of theaters in South Florida) told me it was nicklamed "Claughton's Folly", as it was in a poor location with little business traffic... The Carib (on the East end of Lincoln Road) was the most beautiful theater of it's day. After purchasing your ticket at the outside ticket booth, you entered through glass goors into an atrium compete with skylight, tropical plants - and at one time - a live parrot chained to a perch... then a second set of doors took you into the theater. Above the marquee was a giant three-dimenional mural of the Caribbean Sea and its islands... The Flamingo was just West of the Carib, and was unusual in the fact that is didn't have a standard marquee for hanging movie titles, but wast Art Deco in design - stainless steel with rows of neon. The sign marquee was flush with the building underneat the marquee itself. In the 50's, they had live stage shows there... The Beach opened in 1947, and on the opening bill stage show was Tommy Trent (Gustave Goldberg) - an architect by trade, but a puppeteer by desire... he was a local favorite for many years... The Colony and Lincoln are still with us, botht he home of cultural entertainment in the vast wasteland that's become South Beach... but I remember seeing movies at ALL of those theaters (except for the Paris) in the 60's and 70's...

Jeff		12-Jul-2007 20:07
Yes, Roberta.... I DO remember most all of the things you mentioned. I check in here as time permits... and I also remember little boxes of Dennison Gummed Labels that looked like minature books, index tabs you licked at stuck on pages to make your own dividers, plastic pencil pouches for your ring binder... STURDY three-ring binders made with a blue canvas out cover (which we ALL doodled on during the course of the school year)... the ORIGINAL "Magic Marker" with the short, stubby glass bottle barrel... water-applied decals for your bicycle... at this rate, we could re-stock the school supply room! I'm serious about acquiring those old stencils. If anyone wants a trip down memory lane, they should check out the article I previously mentioned, hosted at www.larabiefonts.com/stencil... LOTS of images of the old packages there... and the prices of them will really take you back!

Shirley Rom		12-Jul-2007 18:45
Oops! Inadvertently hit Enter key before I added my name and e-mail address. The previous comment re: The Sun was from me. My e-mail address is srom@panhandle.rr.com and I would love to hear from other Edisonites.

Guest		12-Jul-2007 18:41
To Carol who asked the name of the hangout directly across the street from Miami Edison: (question was posted in comment 5/22/07.) You must be thinking of the Land of Sun, better known simply as "The Sun". They had the best french fries in the world!

Shirley Rom		12-Jul-2007 07:00
I grew up in Miami and went to school at Wm Jennings Bryan Elementary School and Junior High. Then went to Miami Edison, graduating in 1950. Lived there until 1985 when I moved to Kissimmee. In Nov. 2006, I moved to a small town (population about 2000) in Alabama. Loved all the old memories this site brought back. Thank you Don Boyd. You obviously spent a lot of time and research on this.

Roberta Perry Hughes		12-Jul-2007 06:01
O.K., Jeff...I'll go back further than the letter stencils: remember Duotang folders? Montage's Blue Horse notebook paper? Write Right notebook paper? Plastic pencil boxes with a slide open cover that was a 6" ruler? Slide rules? Wall-mounted Boston pencil sharpeners in your classroom, & everyone lining up to sharpen their pencils @ a specified time? Large metal globes in the back of your classroom, with countries that no longer exist, pictured on them? Having to learn the capitals of the States AND the countries of the world, in Geography class? The hand-cranked mimeograph machine, & the scent of the developing fluid that printed out the purple ink on all of our tests" Learning to type on a Standard upright Royal typewriter? Gregg's Shorthand? In Elementary school, Health class? The Weekly Reader? Black background black boards? The long fiberglass "pointer" that the teachers used? Sweeping compound & push brooms used by the janitors? And most of all, loving just being allowed to be a kid, in the "good old days," when Miami, & her surrounding towns, were such wonderful places in which to grow up, & to hold dear all of these wonderfully nostalgic memories? We ALL owe a debt of heartfelt gratitude to the caring man who installed this amazing Web Site for us, Mr. Don Boyd. I visit here @ least every other day! It's difficult to close it out & shut down the computer for the night, to be sure! robertah47@aol.com

Jeff		12-Jul-2007 04:19
This isn't so much Miami trivia as general nostalgia... Remember the lettering stencils we used to use in school to make our report covers, notebook covers, science fair projects and posters? They were very influential in my youth in guiding me toward eventual work in the graphic arts field... I currently design digital type fonts for the computer (www.myfonts.com/foundry/jnlevine). A while back I assembled an article about the history of the Stenso Lettering Company - the pioneer of the "lettering guide" type of stencils, and a friend hosts my article along with a large image gallery. You'll find it located at www.larabiefonts.com/stencil. When viewing the image gallery, just double-click on any thumbnail to view a larger package image... By the way - if you happen to have packed away any of those old stencils, do let me know... I'd be interested in making arrangements to acquire them from you - even duplicates! You can reach me at jnl1952 at juno.com (replacing the word "at" in this post with the "@" symbol)... I hope you'll enjoy the article! -----Jeff

Guest		12-Jul-2007 02:28
sorry..I'm one of the later-born posters..and I have to take issue with the new development that went on in the country walk/ redland (like sw 154 ave and 232 st, near anderson's)/ homestead area near palm dr and villages the past 10 years. I have a lot of respect for the old-timers like the Lindgren's, Ingram's, Mindermahn's, etc..that are holding on to their houses and not backing down to the developers. I make it a point to travel down 137 ave to Vihlen (192 st), to Naranja, down to Hainlin Mill, to 154 ave, to Silver Palm..near Anderson's Corner and 157 ave the rest of the way whenever I have to go down there for work. The people there I try to cherish the memories because I know eventually one day development will raise this precious part of Miami to the ground. I went to some of the convenience stores in preserved buildings and thought I was going to find some authentic Redland folk..and instead I get a cafeteria cubana. I was born too late, I'm sure. I drive down the open road blasting Skynrd, Johnny Winter, or Blue Oyster Cult reminding everyone what this town was like BEFORE the development sapped away all its integrity.

Roberta Perry Hughes		12-Jul-2007 01:01
To Joe Perry (my 1st cousin): As soon as I could, I called you, & told you about this Site! All we can do, to hear from OTHER former Mackle project dwellers & former schoolmates, is to either call them, or email them, or, get your siblings, who still live in either Miami, or SOMEWHERE, in FL, & make THEM aware of this site, & to tell THEM to pass it on to others, with whom THEY are still in contact! Word of mouth has usually been an effective form of advertisement. Wish that WQAM, WFUN, & WCKR would mention this nostalgic Web Site, or, that the Miami Herald would, MAYBE?, print an article about it...? How about the local TV station's local noon-hour programs? How about it, Don? Do you have any former connections, that would air this info, so that the people who still live in the area can learn about it? I found this site quite by accident, when I was searching for information about the late Ralph Rennick. I am in contact with a lady who saw one of my comments, & she emailed me, & she was in my brother's 6th grade class @ Tropical Elem.! Another email came from a close friend & schoolmate of my cousin, Joe. Joe & I both want to hear from more folk who lived in S.W. Miami. Please email me, robertah47@aol.com. Many thanks!

joe perry		11-Jul-2007 22:48
don the favorite years of my growing up years were spent while living in the southwest section of miami. i attended olympia heights elementary,ponce de leon, west miami jr hi and graduated from southwest miami high in 1960.the majority of comments i've noted does not seem to include that area of miami.it's a shame that more people from that area are not aware of your endeavor of this web site.i would love to hear from those people or read about them in the comments section. hopefully they would remember the growth of the first drug store,restaurant,shoe store,and the food fair supermarket at the intersection of bird road and 99th avenue. later the building of bird bowl and of course the pizza patio! lest we forget the skating rink too.i patronized all those business's and wonder how many of them are left standing? it sure would be nice to hear from some of the southwest gang, so how about it people? get on line and let's enjoy an electronic reunion! joe perry joda@nbtx.com

charlis		11-Jul-2007 22:02
Jeff...Steve Alaimo! My goodness! I forgot that I had know him back then! I forgot that it was called the Barn. I moved to the Beach in '62 from Ohio.

charlis		11-Jul-2007 21:44
jeff...oh! the memories. Yes, it was Evie Kapp. I'll email you in a bit. The Cameo, where my dad would give me 2 bucks to take my sister to the Saturday matinee... that $ covered bus fare from 41st st, entrance to the movie, a hot dog, coke, popcorn for both me and my sister! Nu art Signs... my first real job in 1965. Gallaghers... knew the owners and got a case of their famous blue cheese dressing and a box of the tubby potato extra's glasses when they burned down.

Guest		11-Jul-2007 06:01
Neal's Restraunt that was in the 1600 blk of Alton Rd is now a supermarket. Winkles 5 & 10 is now the Burger King at 1695 Alton Rd.

Jeff		11-Jul-2007 05:51
TO CHARLIS: The girl who looked a bit like Streisand and did a dead-on impression of Jerry Lewis was Evye Kapp, and I knew her back in 1972 when I was volunteering at WMYQ and she worked in the Traffic department... Gallagher's was on Biscayne Boulevard in North Miami and burned down in the 80's... TO ROBIN GARMAN STEINMETZ: The sitre of the Peppermint Loung was formerly a second location for Col. Jim's Bar-B-Q, and later was The Barn, The Mix II and the Crab House... My old boss - Steve Alaimo - used to hang around there way back when! TO 305DISCO.COM: Mr. Coney Island (if it's where I think it was on the West Side of Normandy Isle, facing the bridge) was later called Nathan's but was sued by the original Nathan's, and became Nay-Ton's Chinese Take-Out... To PATTY GIAMONGO WOOD: Steak King is now Admiral Limousine Service (before that is was a plant nursery, then vacant)... The North Miami Armory, pool, old police station (community center) and Cagni Park have just been demolished to make way for a new North Miami Sr. High - which will replace the old one next year. They've already started to build a new elementary and middle school on the current high schol's old field, and when compeleted will tear down the old middle school...

Jeff		11-Jul-2007 05:21
By the way... if there's any former Miami Beach folks who were Beach High Class of 1970 or thereabouts... you can drop me a line at jnl1952 at juno.com. (Replace the word "at" with the @ symbol - this wards off internet web crawlers that scour sites for email addresses to spam)...

Jeff		11-Jul-2007 05:09
By the way... if there's any former Miami Beach folks who were Beach High Class of 1970 or thereabouts... you can drop me a line at jnl1952 at juno.com. (Replace the word "at" with the @ symbol - this wards off internet web crawlers that scour sites for email addresses to spam)...

Jeff		11-Jul-2007 05:06
Geez, the memories are flowing... The Palm Terrace Motel on 15th and Lenox... the phone company offices at 16th and Lenox... Firestone on 16th and Alton... The Dinghy [clothes] ... Dorwin's Clothing Shop... Hum Dinger Hamburgers (in the location of a former deli on 16th and Washington)... Shelly's Fruit Shippers... Beach Bagel Bakeries on 1st and Collins [great bialy rolls!]... Suzanne Foods (on 6th Street in the 70's - makers of the BEST potato knishes!!!!)... and this was all just the South BEach area.....

Jeff		11-Jul-2007 04:49
Aside from mis-spelling "Butterflake" Bakery and accidently posting the same thread twice [sheesh!]... I completely forgot to mention dear LaVern Lewis Durant and her Miami Beach Radio Company on the side of Lincoln Road just West of Alton Road - where I used to buy records... She was just East of Kim's Chinese Restaurant, which was on the corner of Lincoln Road and West Avenue... and the branch post office was right around the corner on West Avenue... Also coming to mind were the Miami Beach Lumber Company, Mark's Dry Cleaners, Alton TV, Alton News, the Mayflower Bar, the Miami Beach Sun, Heaven (the 70's night club located in the old Copa City building on Dade Boulevard), Crown Kosher Meat Market (on 15th Street; nearby Lamb's Laundromat run by Harry Ostrow)... Lundy's Market, the Concord Cafeteria, the Governor Cafeteria... Food Lane (Kosher Food Fair)...

Jeff		11-Jul-2007 04:37
I moved from Brooklyn, NY to Miami Beach in the fall of 1963... Does anyone remember Neil's Restaurant with all of the celebrity pictures on the wall? How about Winker's 5&10 at 17th and Alton... the A&P on 14th and Alton... The Miami Beach Times [run by Jim Wendler]? Paul's Barber Shop? Food Fair on both 10th and 19th and Alton... Adler's Typewriter... Foremost Liquors... Weinkle's Liquor's... Alfie's News... Epicure Market... NuArt Signs... Norton Tire Company... Adae & Hooper Insurance... Shorty & Fred's... Mike's Prime Meats... Basin Street (bar)... Happy Harry's Irish House (bar)... Hopkins Photo... Royal Castle... How about the great stores and locations on Lincoln Road... Wilma's of New York, Doubleday Books, Adrian Thal Furrier, Flamingo Shops, Three Sisters, Saks Fifth Avenue, A.S. Beck Shoes, the Colony, Lincoln, Beach, Flamingo and Carib theaters...F.W. Woolworth, Tropix Ties, Zelick's Tobacco, Wolfie's, New Dubrow's, Flame Steak, Lane bryant, The Miami Beach First National Bank, Hotel Pharmacy, Miami Beach Federal (with the clock on the roof)... Chase Federal, Gunn TV, Cobbs Fruit Shippers, Richards... More memories... the Cameo and Cinema theaters... Picciolo's Restaurant, Lee's Fruit Juice, Harvey's News, Whelan Drugs, Beach Office Supply, Barnett Office Supply, Exotic Gardens, Tescott Tiles, Thrifty Market, Kress, McCrory's, Neisner's... Buttrerflake Bakery... Friedman's Bakery... Carnival Fruit Market... Gibby's Restaurant... the Famous (restaurant), the Embers (restaurant), House of Moy Lee (restaurant), Everglades Soda Shop, Medical Arts Phramacy, Silver Paint Company, Hoffman's Cafeteria, Lums, Williams Fruit Shippers, Ollie's... There's so many Miami Beach places that I could fill an entire blog with them! I'm now residing in North Dade... and the old Miami Beach is a sadly forgotten relic of the past... but it's still alive in my memories. I just heard that they tore down the "new" Bech High (built in 1960) for a newer school... I was in the class of 1970...

Guest		09-Jul-2007 12:50
Does anyone remember the drive in in Coral Gables? You could pay an extra 25 or 50 cents to get a hose to put in your window to have airconditiong. How about the A &W in Homestead, the Miami Marine Stadium (enjoying concerts from your boat), the Bodega Steak House with the very first salad bar, Balck Caesars Forge and the Top of the Everglades for Prom night dinners, driving down Old Cutler and trying to avoid the blue crabs when they were on the move and one of my favorite memories was hearing only English being spoken and not feeling like a foreigner in your own town. Ahhh those were the days.

joe perry		09-Jul-2007 02:23
don really enjoy the photo gallery of the serpentarium.in 1953-1954 my friend tommy and i would catch snakes of all sorts out in the glades and bring back to bill haast and he would buy everyone we ever caught.oh yes, did i fail to mention that we did all our hunting/catching and transporting on his motorcycle! i have some great memories of us trying to keep a red bellied mudsnake from getting out of my leather jacket while tooling along the old tamiami trail. it's a miracle we weren't killed trying to control those snakes. thanks for reviving those old memories. joe perry joda@nbtx.com

Scott		08-Jul-2007 02:51
I was lucky enough to live in Ft. Lauderdale between '62 and '67. It is really a thrill to see some of these images! THANK YOU FOR SHARING! (ScottMa)

Roberta Perry Hughes		06-Jul-2007 08:24
After high school (in GA) I returned to Miami to live with my Aunt Gloria, who worked @ Burn's Bar & Grill, owned by Harold & Kay Burns. It was in N. Miami, or was it Alapatah? Anyway, the food was terrific. Is it still there? I got a job @ a factory called Detroit Hardware and Die Casting Company. They made handles & cogs for window cranks, & also made the handles for fishing rods. My aunt would pick me up after work & take me to the Alabama Barbecue to eat. They had amazing cheese burger baskets there, with big French fries. Does anyone know if the factory where I worked, & Alabama Barbecue are still there? My 2nd job was @ a brand new Dog House restaurant, where they served "International" hot dogs. Don't know which job was the hardest: factory work or waitressing. Both paid low wages, of course. I ended up returning home, went to Vocational School & became an L.P.N., after having dropped out of the local Junior College for the R.N. program, so I could finish earlier & go to work. While I lived with my aunt, I would take the bus to my old neighborhood & visit with former neighors on S.W. 55th Street. In 1967, it still looked the same, & all of the stores were still up on Bird Road: Food Fair; Goodys Shoes; Bird Drugs; etc. Everything seemed smaller than I remembered: the streets; the houses; the yards. I was close to tears to see my former home, 9985 S.W. 55th Street, because I knew that if I rang the doorbell, Mama wouldn't open the door, & no one else in my family would be inside. It choked me up. I could see & hear the ghosts of the children we were, skating on the street, or drawing a hopscotch with a piece of lime rock, which was like chalk, or riding our bicycles. The mirthful laughter of those days @ play rang in my ears, as I stood in front of my former home. It broke my heart to move away, in May 1961. I married a good man, who was born in Ohio, but his family move to Fulford, which today is N. Miami Beach. He went to Fulford Elementary. Later, his family moved to Lady Lake, & he graduated from Leesburg High in 1957. His family had come & gone from NMB when my family moved to Miami, in 1951. We live 65 miles from Augusta, & have 3 horses. He is in awe of this Web Site, too, & has memories of life in Miami in the '50's.

joe perry		06-Jul-2007 03:30
don after taking time to review your web site i am really impressed and appreciative of the effort you are putting into this. i was made aware of your work by a cousin who lives in southern georgia and i think it's great that we former (& current) folk who grew up in and around the great city of miami florida have a place where we can go and communicate with each other and relive some good old memories! thank you! the first 12 years of my life i lived in the north west part of miami.our home was on 22 nd court between 38 th and 41st streets. there were no 39th & 40th streets! i attended school at earlington heights elementary.i went thru the 1st thru the 5th grades and we moved to the southwest section of miami just after starting the 6th grade in october of 1952. i would love to hear from anyone who attended earlington heights during the years 1946-1952! one of my earliest and most memorable memories is that of the paper drives we use to have at school! i can still recall the boys (me too!) pulling their radio flyer wagons loaded to the brim with newspapers! also the day when the hurricaine of 1946 hit and most of us would seek strong shelter from the coral rock building of the school. i vividly remember the light in the dark night sky from the fire at richmond field almost 20 miles away! what a sight! lastly but not finally i remember each and every teacher i had thru those 6 years; they were:mrs. shouldice, mrs.anchorman,mrs. roberts, mrs. kepner,mrs. gibbons and mrs. pogue. if anyone else out there had either of these fine ladies, i am sure you too, have fond memories of them as i do.please email me either direct or thru this great web site joe perry joda@nbtx.com

Guest		06-Jul-2007 02:28
To: robertah47@aol.com, Looks like I inadvertently cut myself off prior to finishing... I was about to say that about 6 years ago, I found a local coin shop that did in fact have a 1957 proof coin set, my birth year, and believe it or not was surprisingly affordable. Check into it if you're still interested. I suspect that the larger cities in GA would have them or at least access to them. Happy Hunting. I'm certain that "supplies are limited" as the commercials used to say. It sure is rewarding to check this site every few days and see what has been posted from our fellow South Floridians and their memories. In the meantime, be well and do have fun up there in the countryside. Steve Horowitz

Guest		06-Jul-2007 02:18
To: robertah47@aol.com a.k.a. Roberta Perry Hughes...Yes, unfortunately the Miami as you and I grew up in has radically changed (deteriorated) from the wonderful and rather peaceful place it once was. Everybody looked out for everybody and their children as well....akin to the CPR performed on the child whom you described as a near-drowning victim that a stranger resuscitated as noted in your previous e-mail. As a former respiratory therapist, I've been involved in well over 300 resuscitations professionally and one recently in a friend's home (yes, she was successfully brought back and it did feel fantastic to give someone a second chance with a positive outcome), but I truly wonder just how many of our population here today would get involved without hesitating as they did when you saw what you did back then. I honestly doubt taht many would "get involved." I truly despise having to report the news as it exists here, but it breaks my heart to see how our "community" has become so fragmented into ethnocentric cliques versus the way it used to be. Be glad and appreciative of where you're located currently. I hope that you still witness some of "old Miami" in the people where you live. With mixed feelings, I plan to move further north from Miami soon, but the stress of the daily living here is becoming closer towards aggravating instead of just inconvenient. At least we have fond memories of growing up in a fun and relatively safe environment with so many who really cared and showed it often. Sadly, I don't see that "One nation, under God" spirit down here anymore and it really stinks. I do see loads of problems with the immigration issues locally and wonder what the worsening political landscape will appear like in 3 to 5 years from now. Re: your observation of all of the older coins that we used to frequently see as pocket change....bye bye to that. The new 50 States Quarters series from the U.S. Mint are very impressive and maybe our next generation will revere them as we do the coins that you mentioned. T

jojejoe perryj		05-Jul-2007 23:02
hi don my name is joe perry and i was born at the old kendall hospital west of south miami. i lived off 102nd ave and 50th terrace in what was known as the mackle bros project. we moved there in october of 1952. i have a ton of memories of that old area and look forward to communicating via email with any one who is willing. i now reside near san antonio texas and have not been back to miami since june of 1993. oops, sorry but i am no computer genius and i forgot to include my email info, it is joda@nbtx.com

Guest		05-Jul-2007 21:37
As a transplant from Boston, Massachusetts, I lived in the Miami Area from 1951 to 1958. While there I went to Kinloch Park Middle School then to Miami Senior High School graduating in 1956. I lived in Miami, Coral Gable, and Hialeah. During that period, we went to the Saturday Sock Hops at Bayfront Park Auditorium sponsored by a local Rock and Roll station and hosted by disk jockey Jerry Wichner. When I skipped school I would head down to Pier 5 to watch the deep sea fishing boats come and go. On Sundays we would attend the drag races held at Amelia Airheart Airfield in Opa Locka. Being that my folks had a business at Miami Avenue and Flagler Street, I could be found at WTVJ’s TV station which, at the time, was nothing more than store front on a side street. Being that I went there often after school, I came to know Jackie Pierce, Alec Gibson, Joe Velella, and Bob Weaver. I have more great memories of living in Miami, but space doesn’t permit. There can be no doubt, though, that growing up in Miami in the 50’s was the highlight of my life. Richard F. Miles rmilesis@yahoo.com

Roberta Perry Hughes		05-Jul-2007 18:31
To Steve: I AM glad to be living in Georgia, in the countryside, but the Miami I miss was the one that existed when I was a child. I think it would break my heart, to see it now, where condos & office buildings dwarfed the Court House, & ruined the Miami skyline. I cannot believe the atrocity of "imminent domain." What good is it to own property, & hold a deed to it, if a county can FORCE it away from you? Also, when did the practice come about called "hostile corporate takeover?" And when did they change the game of baseball to where they will not allow a pitcher to execute the art of a feint, & zap the ball into the pocket of the 1st baseman & put the guy out who was trying to steal 2nd base, or 3rd base? And how rude is it to have those deliberate "walks?" That's telling the pitcher he's not good enough to strike out that batter, & it cheats the batter out of getting a home run under his belt. I don't watch major league baseball anymore because of these ridiculous changes. The game was so much better, when Dizzy Dean & PeeWee Reese were the narrators, in the 1950's. Going back to memories of Miami: Olympia Heights Elementary, in the portables, we learned the Pledge of Allegiance, when I was a 1st grader, Mrs. Cordelia Brockway, teacher. Second grade, in the new bldg., Miss Drinkwater, teacher, we had to re-learn it, as President Eisenhower added "under God," behind the words "one Nation." Blue Lakes Elementary, 1959, Mrs. Farris, teacher, on Jan. 3, 1959, Alaska became our 49th state...but...the stars on the flag remained @ 48, as that Summer, Aug. 21, 1959, Hawaii became our 50th state, so, the flag was changed, & the 2 new states' stars were added to the blue field, to join the other 48 stars, totalling 50. We were there, when these historical changes were made, just as we were there, in 1953, to line up for the Salk vaccine polio shots. (ow.) Remember lining up to get you "booster" shots? (ow. ow. ow.). Some people still have a light scar on their deltoid (upper arm muscle) from the "vaccinations". Remember the coins of the day? The big thick Ben Franklin half dollar, the Lincoln wheat penny? The "Mercury" dime (actually, Liberty dime)? The buffalo or Indian head nickel? Older still, the walking or standing Liberty half dollar & quarter, & the Barber nickel, all of which were well-worn? Boy! How many bubblegum machines & drink machines did we feed these old coins in? I miss the Ben Franklin half dollar. We felt "rich," to have one of those, & sometimes, it was hard to part with it. What's fun is to try & collect one of every coin minted from your birth year, or year you graduated. The "old" money, from our youth is yet another childhood memory. Best regards. roberth47@aol.com

Guest		05-Jul-2007 02:36
To: robertah47@aol.com a.k.a. Roberta Perry Hughes, Sounds as if you have much more experience with the good ol' canal on Miller Road tha I ever would have. I'm not far behind you (50 as of 2/16/57) but it's refreshing to see how you and so many others have such fantastic memories of growing up here in South Dade. Re: Bernard Horowitz, I'm no relation to him, however and quite ironically my father's name is Bennie, but he's the only son in his family. Thanks for the great Fourth of July wishes and please realize how fortunate you are to be in a much more peaceful location now than in what

Guest		05-Jul-2007 02:36
To: robertah47@aol.com a.k.a. Roberta Perry Hughes, Sounds as if you have much more experience with the good ol' canal on Miller Road tha I ever would have. I'm not far behind you (50 as of 2/16/57) but it's refreshing to see how you and so many others have such fantastic memories of growing up here in South Dade. Re: Bernard Horowitz, I'm no relation to him, however and quite ironically my father's name is Bennie, but he's the only son in his family. Thanks for the great Fourth of July wishes and please realize how fortunate you are to be in a much more peaceful location now than in what

Guest		04-Jul-2007 23:49
HEY!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA...FOURTH OF JULY!!! AND THANKS TO ALL YOU VETS OUT THERE....MY DAD IS A WW 2 VET AND AT '91......STILL CELEBRATING TODAY!!! GOD BLESS HIM...AND I REMEMBER HE AND (MOM..PASSED 2-06)...PILING MY SISTERS AND I AND THE DOG INTO OUR BIG BLUE 50's SOMETHING BUICK....SHHHHHH!! NO SEATBELTS...LOTS OF FOOD AND ENOUGH WOOD FOR A BONFIRE ON CRANDON BEACH....BEACH BLANKETS WERE ALWAYS OLD MOTHY ARMY ISSUE BROWN...SEEMED A MORE INNOCENT, LOVING TIME...FAMILIES DIDN'T FLOP IN FRONT OF THE TV'S FOR HOURS ON END AND IGNORE EACH OTHER...WE KIDS MADE UP OUR GAMES...TODAY THEY SIT IN FRONT OF GAMES...HAVE A SAFE ONE....S.A.LARGO

Guest		04-Jul-2007 20:57
I remember the Pub too, but the date place for that SPECIAL occasion OR GIRL was called Les Violins. It was beautiful and had strolling violin players all over the place.

Roberta Perry Hughes		04-Jul-2007 18:23
Charlis: great to know that Augusta's favorite son is so remembered by you, breaking into his famous moves to the accompaniment of elevator music! You should see how Augusta has honored the hardest working man in show business! I grew up in 1950's Miami, & I LOVE this web site! I visit here @ least every other day, in case there are new photos, & I always read the comments. I've received several e-mails from people, including a "girl" who was in my brother's 6th grade class @ Tropical Elementary, ca. 1957, & a man who graduated Southwest High in 1959, a year before my sister, Audrey. I am truly grateful to Don Boyd for having this awesome & nostalgic web site for all of us "Boomers" to visit & reminesce. Take care of your precious self, & have a terrific & safe holiday! robertah47@aol.com

charlis		04-Jul-2007 12:31
Robin...Peppermint Lounge and Wayne Cochron... that brought back memories, good ones. I co managed the "2nd Floor", a teen club on Lincoln Rd. Wayne performed there, taught my co-manager (known for her Jerry Lewis impersonations and looked like Barbra Streisand) and I how to do the James Brown moves. (We were also the stage dancers aka go-go girls for the club.) To this day, when a James Brown or Cochron song comes on in the elevator at work, I have been caught doing the old routine!

Guest		03-Jul-2007 21:48
How about the "Pub" restaurant on Coral Way. It was a place that we only went to on special occasions...but I still remember it fondly! Any others remember it?

Dave		03-Jul-2007 20:55
Robin: I sure do! The Peppermint Lounge featured Wayne Cochran & the C.C. Riders. He had a very funky hairdoo. He was called the White Knight of Soul and he was a very good Blues singer. In 1967 Miami he was an oddity, a big white guy from Georgia that sang Blues. I really liked the Blues and in that same year I saw Aretha Franklin in Dinner Key auditorium and James Brown at a concert at Miami Dade Junior College. If you remember, that was "the summer of love" and the music was just great!

robin garman steinmetz		03-Jul-2007 19:14
Does anyone remember the old Peppermint Lounge on the 79th Street Causeway during the early 60's?My stepfather,Harold Rosenthal owned that and i spent a great many fabulous nights there.

Dave		03-Jul-2007 11:00
Absolutely! It was Cooper Oldsmobile! You have an increidible memory Roberta!

Roberta Perry Hughes		03-Jul-2007 01:30
To Dave: Unless I'm mistaken, that would have been Cooper Oldsmobile...@ least, that was the dealer that my father bought his cars from. First was a two-tone green 4-door ' 55 88 sedan...LOVED that car! So did my mother, & Daddy said he'd let her pick the color of the ' 58...so...! she chose a salmon pink & eggshell 4-door 88 sedan, & his co-workers ribbed him about his pink & white "ladies" car...not very macho for a WWII vet...! You'd be pea green with envy over my mint-condition 1955 Oldsmobile dealership brochure that I won off of eBay! robertah47@aol.com

Dave		02-Jul-2007 23:50
Roberta: This is too funny! My family was an Oldsmobile family too! See my comment under the Jimmy's Hurricane picture I posted a few days ago. My grandmother had a 1956 Rocket 88 she painted hot pink. She must of owned 6-7 more that I can remember over the years. Always bought from the Olds Dealer on Ponce in Coral Gables (can't remember his name!). Her last car was a beautiful 1972 Olds Cutlass Supreme in the most wonderful shade of deep wine red! My dad liked it's looks so much he kept it for years after she passed away. Its a small world!~

Roberta Perry Hughes		02-Jul-2007 23:11
To Dave: Type in vintage Schwinn Panther boy's bicycle, ca. 1959 & click enter. I saw my bike up for auction, down to its red & white color! I don't got there to bid...I go there to print out the image, while it's there, as once sold, it's gone forever! Took me a few months to find my particular bike, but...worth the wait! Also, I've typed in 1955 Oldsmobile 88, & 1958 Oldsmobile 88, 'til I found my father's cars, up for auction, & printed them out, too. Got myself quite a loose leaf scrap book! There's an auction site where I got magnetized rubber magnets of vintage Oldsmobiles, too! God, how I loved those cars! The cars of the ' 50's were awesome, & easily identifyable. Today's cars look like space ships, & they all generally look the same. Schwinns were the greatest, weren't they? So were the Columbia Built. This is my favorite place on the internet, & I am truly thankful for Don Boyd. I have received several e-mails from people who lived in or around my former neighborhood, & share the same fond memories of that better place & time. Don's photo gallery takes us all back, to our salad days, to be sure, when we were mere children. When did we grow old? The years go by in a blink, don't they? But...! Here, we can bid time return!!! Oh, yeah!! Take care of your precious self...(you, too, Don!) robertah47@aol.com

Dave		02-Jul-2007 18:47
Roberta: Wow! Your reference to your Schwinn Spitfire sure took me back! My first grown up bike was a 1959 Schwinn Panther with the faux "gas tank" that housed an electric horn and twin headlights! Heady stuff in the low tech days of the late 50's. I got this bike for Christmas that year and it was the greatest day of my young life. I fawned over it for many years thereafter.

Roberta Perry Hughes		02-Jul-2007 03:17
To: miatwr: I guess I DO remember the canals! One separated S.W. 56th Street from Miller Road, & I was towing a younger playmate, Carol Miller, sister of my classmate, Ronald, on the back of my red & white Schwinn Spitfire bicycle, & I made too wide a turn, &...down the embankment of the canal we went, almost in front of her house! A neighbor child from my street saw us when we went in, & went running to my house withe the news, & the whole street, it seemed, was on-the-scene in-a-flash! Carol tiptoed out of the water that was almost to her chin, but I was slightly injured, & shook up, too, & after I saw that Carol was safe, I worried that my bike would "drown!" A man up on Miller Road saw us when we went down-the-bank, & stopped, got out, & entered the canal & lifted me out to the other side, & then, he went back in after my bike. They should have had a fence up, on the 56th Street side of the canal, but they didn't. A few years later, another child from that street was floating face down, & was rescued by the Good Humour ice cream man, Cecil "Rags" Ragsdale, who did mouth-to-mouth on the boy. He survived, but it was very scary, as everyone thought he was a goner. He was a lot younger than Carol & me. So sorry to learn that Mr. Borkowski is gone, now. He was super-nice, as was Miss Nesmith, @ Tropical Elementary. Everyone liked him very much. Across from Miller Road was a large vacant lot. The boys from my block built a tree house in one of the big Royal Poinciana trees, or was it a Ficus? You signed your name @ the bottome of Steve Horowitz. There was a Bernard Horowitz in my 7th grade home room. Mr. Allen was the teacher, who also taught Drafting, which was a subject I didn't care for too much. Are you by any chance related to Bernard? Bernard hung around with Eli Lewis & Mark Glaser, who were also in my home room. Our family moved to Georgia, in 1961. I live about 65 miles south of Augusta, off of U.S. 1. I have many fond memories of growing up in S.W. Miami, all those years ago, & I can remember kids as far back as 1st grade, & beyond, like it was only yesterday. I hope my penchant for total recall remains acute, as I age. I'm 59 years old, now, & this awesome site helps me to remember being young & innocent again. I visit here everyday, as I've noticed that Don changes the photos, once in a while, & I don't want to miss anything! Have a terrific 4th of July celebration, but...do comment again, before then! robertah47@aol.com

Guest		01-Jul-2007 23:53
Mr. Grey, thanks. How can I forget the sign? I know I was young, sunburned and all, but I can never forget that funny looking billboard. My brothers and I sitting in the back seat of the '68 Plymouth Roadrunner used to play the game 'I spy' and I'm sure I answered an obvious I spy question from one of them as we approached it. Meanwhile we'd be cruising to the tunes from an 8-track of Sergio Mendez And Brasil '66. Ahhh, good memories. -Sven

Guest		01-Jul-2007 20:12
This may not be of much interest now but I designed, constructed and painted a billboard for the Green Turtle in the keys about 1966. It had a plywood disk(circle) with many feet painted around it and all was concealed by the billboard except the bottom which showed a turtle's feet walking down the beach as the motor turned the plywood disc. I would never have remembered that without your comment about Islamorada!

Guest		01-Jul-2007 17:18
Awesome site! I was born here Jan. 18, 1959 at North Shore Hospital, raised in Hialeah and then down south in a corner house on sw 97th and 104th back when 104 was a dirt road and Killian High was yet to be built. Did Vineland elementary, Olympia Heights, Rockway, Shennandoah, and then Adelphi in Coral Gables. Moved to the Grove back in 1980 and have been there on and off since. Lived out in AZ for two years but got homesick. I saw one of the posters resting comfortabaly in Phoenix, but hey dude, the lakes don't match the ocean. It's true too that offshore fishing has pretty much become a joke as another poster mentioned. My mom, dad, two older brothers and I used to head to Islamorada back when I was a kid every weekend where the fishing was great. Bud and Mary's always had live bait, The Green Turtle sold the best root beer and clam strips, and Lums was just a hop further south on the highway for a dog. Dad worked for Eastern Airlines back then, late 60's as a purchasing agent. Mom was in advertising and that's when I got a kick out of the Santa Burdines disply that was posted. The Pan Am pic also gave me a kick as I'm right in the middle of it all at Scotty's Landing in the Grove. Been there 15 years now and I still marvel at how Coconut Grove has changed from when I first moved there in 1980. I also marvel at how steadily we've expanded west, raped the Everglades, and cheapened city and county governing at the loss of our natural resources. -Sven Bystrom

Dave		01-Jul-2007 12:45
Long's Cycles is still at that site. The original Long's was on Flagler Street somewhere in the teens. I remember they sold Ducati and some other brands. John Long, Mr. Long's son now runs the shop.

Guest		01-Jul-2007 10:06
I grew up all over Miami, from the Gables to Hialeah and back and have nothing but fond memories of Miami before Hip-Hop took over the scene. Remember the Lums just before the NW 12th Ave bridge before getting to the courthouse across Long Cycles, or the Dairy Queen just a few blocks away from the Lums? Mr. Coney Island Subs in Normandy on 79st? I went to school ( Vanguard ) with Kevin Aoki, the son of the founder of Benihana's, I still remember going to the Gables where they had one of the first Benihana's,just across was a bowling alley/arcade. I loved being a young adult growing up in Miami in the 80's, was a much better time then it is now, especially the club scene! Please don't get me started on the Miami nightclub scene! lol Great site,my favorite of all!

Don Boyd		01-Jul-2007 02:55
Thanks Bob, and everyone else who has commented. Old memories are always welcome here. I've noticed that Google is picking up comments that have been made when searches are made using certain key words such as names of places, people, etc. That's good for everyone doing searches on the web trying to find some information. Don

Guest		01-Jul-2007 02:54
to: Roberta Perry Hughes Thanks for the Mr. Borkowski sighting from circa 1957...that was the year I was born, but since Ed was in his 40's when I was "Phys. Ed." in the early 70's at SouthWest High School, I assume it's probably him. Thanks again!! Actually, I ran into his son who's an FHP trooper and he informed me that good ol' Ed recently passed away. Re: your remembering the skull and crossbones warning signs that were posted at the local rockpits in the area of SW 87 ave and Miller Road, yes there were several of those there at the time and I do in fact recall the opaque aqua-colored water which as you noted did look appear to be enticing in those hot summer months. And I also recall the occasinal reports of some unfortunate soul who became submerged one final time in those "lakes" and wasn't going to be going home. Scary reminders of just how fragile life can be. The portables were in fact at Blue Lakes Elementary and Riviera Junior High Schools, yet I guess that I never had the good fortune of being assigned to one of them. And oh yes, you're correct; the flag did have only 48 stars. Good memory!! Perhaps you'll recall that Miller Road was a bit different that it is today...there was actually a canal approximately 10 feet across at the road surface separating the eastbound and westbound travel lanes and it ran from SW 92 ave to at least 97 ave and possibly even further west. All, of that has been filled in for decades. Thanks for the memories info and do be well wherever you are currently located. Steve Horowitz

Don Boyd		01-Jul-2007 01:55
Thanks Bob, and everyone else who has commented. Old memories are always welcome here. I've noticed that Google is picking up comments that have been made when searches are made using certain key words such as names of places, people, etc. That's good for everyone doing searches on the web trying to find some information. Don

Guest		01-Jul-2007 00:33
Don, You have collected a historical album that will be treasured for years by many. Thanks, Bob

charlis		30-Jun-2007 21:02
Anyone remember Gallaghers? They were famous for their opening grilling and "Tubby Potato". Anyone from Miami Beach?

charlis		30-Jun-2007 20:47
My parents shanhaied me to Miami Beach in 1962. Viewing these pics has brought back many good memories. I left Miami in 1974 and have only been back a few times since the 80's. Last time, after 10 years, I could not believe the changes, especially Miami Beach! They were going to tear down the famous wall at the Fountainbleau! They dug up the old pool at the Bleau... famous for being able to see swimmers from under the pool. 40th reunion coming up and I am not going... it's not the same Miami Beach! And the improvements were not for the best.

Andrea (Lusk) Perini		30-Jun-2007 20:28
I was also born and raised in Miami. Born in Opa-Locka (AFB) in 1951. Went to West Little River, Madison, Miami Central and N Miami. To Rod/Jay, my husband, Dario Perini also went to Orchard Villa Elem. I twirled baton with the Miami Allstars (Bill Allen) and was the solo baton twirler for NMH. We were the first Dolphin Dolls (Dick Wood was the Quarter Back) and I was always in the Orange Bowl parades and Half-time shows. I went to the World and worked there. Rick Shaw used to let me and my girlfriend in (we did not have enough money) and then we got the job there selling cokes and hot dogs. I met my first husband there, Lee Tiger (His Band-the 7 of us, The Bangles, Sun Country, and then Tiger-Tiger). I worked at Pirate's World (Baton Twirler in the band). Danced in the Miami Ballet taking lessons from Thomas Armour and Robert Pike at the Miami Conservatory in S. Miami. I grew up in NW Miami near the old Humane Society. I am still friends with people that worked at Funland Park on 27th Ave and 79th St. We used to hang out at Palm Lake Trailer Park after school-there was always something going on. Went to the beach at Haulover and the 27th ave theater drive-in! Loved Royal Castle and Burger King and the "new" McDonalds for their French fries at lunch. This site has been great. Also liked to go to the Place and Municipal Auditorium.

Dave		30-Jun-2007 13:43
I was born in Miami in 1950 and went to school at Shenendoah Elementary in the mid to late 50's. Mrs. Hatfield was the principal. I remember we all hung out at the Brentwood Diner on SW 8 St. and 19th Avenue. A little farther east on that block was Parodi's 5&10 and across the street there was a large Food Fair. Most of us went to either the Tower Theater or the Trail Theater, both on 8th Street, for the Saturday matinee. Right near the Tower Theater was a Royal Castle where we had belly bombers and birch beer. I would love to hear from anyone else that lived and went to school in the area at that time. Contact me at rokkoinmiami@hotmail.com. Thanks again to Don for all the great memories!!!

Roberta Perry Hughes		29-Jun-2007 04:46
To miatwr: There was a Mr. Borkowski who was the boy's P.E. teacher @ Tropical Elementary, ca. 1957. Girl's P.E. teacher was Miss Nesmith. We called it Phys. Ed., then. Ihave received a couple of e-mails from people who attended the same schools I did.(see 2 earlier posts, this page, & on photo of the Publix Market on S.W. 56th St.). I am still hoping someone will remember the "portables," which were moved all over the place, to sites where new schools were to be built. You went to school in these little village-like buildings 'til the new bldg. was completed. Whatever became of the "rock pits," with their skull & crossbones signs, warning you of the danger lurking in their depths? Once in a while, it would be on the news that a child ventured too far, wading, & dropped down into the bottomless depths & drowned. These rock pits were very dangerous, & our mother's always warned us not to go around them. I think they dug up sand & limestone, for construction sites. Early a.m., you could hear their heavy equipment starting up. There were rocks pits down S.W. 56th Street. The water was turquoise blue, which looked very inviting, especially in hot weather. If they filled these in, & built over them, wouldn't that pre-dispose the area to be a hazardous lime sink, like the sort that just will swallow a house? I've always been a bit curious about that, in recent years, as I know how virtually every square inch of that area was developed into houses, & places of business, & I know that those pits were "bottomless." Does anyone out there know if they were safely filled in? Still hoping to hear from former school mates, & Brownie Scout Troop 580, from the 1950's. Will welcome any e-mails from former Miamians, who like to remember a simpler, happier time, when there were but 48 stars on Old Glory! May the weather be kind, wherever you may be! robertah47@aol.com

Bonnie Disbro		28-Jun-2007 18:00
We moved to Florida because of Arthur Godfrey's TV broadcasts from the Kenilworth Hotel on Miami Beach in late spring of 1953. My parents were tired of the cold Indiana winters - Dad was an Indianapolis Water Meter Reader - and I cried all the way to Daytona Beach where we drove the beach. I decided I might like Florida after all. We arrived in Miami in August and rented a small spanish style house at the corner of NW 7th Ave and 101st St. Started 6th grade at Van E. Blanton Elementary on 103rd St. and after we moved to a new subdivision called Norwood - north of NW 183rd St and west of 444, I attended North Miami Jr/Sr High from 7th to 12th grade - graduated 1960. When we moved to Norwood in 1954, there were still cattle grazing in the fields one block west of our house on 6th Court and 193rd St. My husbands family migrated from Ohio before WW II when he was 2 or 3. Lived at 953 on NW 127th St until he married me in 1962. Schools: Wm Jennings Bryan and NorMiHigh. Things I remember that I haven't seen mention: Fishing under the 79th, and later the 125th Street, Causeways for red snapper with my Dad. Oyster hunting under the old wooden swing bridge over the intercoastal in Hallendale with mom, dad and my kid brother. Of course, we had to shuck the oysters when we got home and then Mom would make the best fried oysters dipped in egg and Ritz cracker crumbs!! Playing tag football with the neighborhood kids in the cow pastures behind our home. My first kiss when we played Spin the Bottle at another 12 year olds birthday party. The NW 125th StreetSunkist Youth Center for teens and chaperoned hayrides from the stables on NE 6th Ave about 150th St. (bonfire, roasted weiners and marshmellows incuded) AND unchaperoned late evening cookouts and beach blanket parties at Haulover Beach because some of the teens were 16 and could drive!! I could go on, but you would probably get bored. Thanks, Don and gallery visitors, for the memories....

Jeanne		28-Jun-2007 03:21
Thanks for the memories. I was born at Jackson Memorial hospital and lived in Miami until 1973. These pictures are exactly what I remember our home town to be. So sorry it had to change. Jeanne

Don Boyd		27-Jun-2007 04:05
Sofia, thanks for your memories. That was a heck of a walk from E 4th to Westland Mall that y'all endured. FYI, the Denny's that you speak of used to be the location of the Hialeah Pizza Palace at W. 10th Avenue and 49th Street. It also had an Arnold Palmer miniature golf place next to it. The next thing we knew was 'poof', they were both gone and Denny's came in later. Don

Sofia Borges-Chediak		27-Jun-2007 01:37
Again, thank you for the wonderful memories. I moved to Hialeah in '68, graduated from Hialeah High Class of '81. I enjoyed reading the references to stores like Jackson Byron, Richards, Zayre, Jordan Marsh, Burdines, Diamonds, McCrory's . . . my family and I shopped at all of them, but they're ALL GONE, unfortunately. I spent a lot of time at Milander Pool and I loved going to Venetian Pool in Coral Gables. Venetian Pool is still there, still as beautiful and the water is still as cold. I take my small cousins ages 10 and 14 during the summers. In fact, they've been begging me to take them this week. The Carvel Ice Cream store on 49th Street and East 4th Avenue in Hialeah is also still there, as is Coky's (phonetic) Barbeque on 12th Avenue off of 49th Street and Denny's on 49th Street. . . you could find all your friends from school there after the football games. Hialeah High School's big field, where the marching band used to practice, has now been used for a multi-level parking garage. I used to live right across the street from the field on East 4th Avenue, and as a child I would sit in my front yard and watch the band practice. Does anyone remember the Palm Springs movie theatre on West 49th Street and West 4th Avenue? Now those were comfortable seats. Wow, this site has really brought back some sweet memories. Mollylu1@aol.com.

Charles		26-Jun-2007 20:23
Wow, What a "Flash to the Past this is. I moved to Miami from Aruba and went to Miami Shores elementary then to Horace Mann. After that to Miami Edison and then to points beyond. As I look at these pictures, they give me such a nice sense of history. Thank you so very much for sharing and making it possible. By the way, I worked at WTVJ for a while and did back camera work on the "Skipper Chuck" Show. Hong on to your hats - he just wasn't the nice guy he was cracked up to be. Charles - "Chuck"

Guest		24-Jun-2007 03:43
patty giamongo wood Hi great site...can't wait till you start to do broward..north miami high class of 64 a&w rootbeer on biscayne and 131st..now woody's...steak king on dixie highway in north miami, LOVED THE RHODES BROTHERS...went to see them every weekend.. bought their album...they were sooo good..trader johns...dances at north miami armory and at the school after foodball games...sooooo much fun...love all the old emories...getting pretty forgetful now so i love reading this...thanks don for doing this...

Eddie Turman		24-Jun-2007 00:21
Born in Miami at Jackson Memorial Hospital and grew up in Pinewood Park N.W. 98th St. and N.W. 7th Ave where my Dad had a grocery store from 1937 to 1949. Attended Miami Edison High and graduated in 1950. Last lived in Davie and was transfered to Atlanta in 1983 with Southern Bell Tel. Retired in 1987 and still live in Atlanta. Your site brought back many memories from my life in Miami.

Guest		23-Jun-2007 03:51
What a fantastic journey into my youth after visiting this website late last night. Born @ JMH in '57, my family shortly thereafter moved to the Blue Lakes area (SW 92 ave and 48 St) where we lived for over 16 years. Some of the numerous historic photos just turned my clock back to being a kid with what seems like never-ending smiles. Remember a liitle dairy farm named Dressler's located near NW 25 st and Milam Dairy Road with the pony rides for little kids, and goats from the petting zoo coming at you from everywhere attempting to swipe the ice cream cone that your parents just bought for you and your siblings. And then driving over to nearby Perimeter Road on either the south side of Miami International Airport or at 57 avenue on the north to park for hours to watch the planes land and takeoff. I recall how big the full moon appeared on the cold nights and the scent of jet exhaust from nearby taxiing aircraft. If we were still hungry, mom and dad would bring us kids into one of the (what seemed like one located on every other corner) Royal Castle restaurants for a Birch Beer in a frosted mug to wash down one of those great tasting honeybuns or small hamburgers with the grilled onions. As we got older, Frankie's Pizza, the Donut Shoppe across Bird Road from Frankie's and Arbetter's down the street became frequent places to eat out at. Good food and many good times!! How about getting up early for school and in reality awaking early in order to be watching Skipper Chuck on WTVJ until Captain Kangaroo came on next, but it was already time for school. Load the baskets on the bicycle with school books, oh yeah and get lunch money from your mom and ride (fast!!) barely getting into your seat just as the school bell rang. I think back then how many available bike racks there were to lock your bike up and now I don't think too many kids ride bikes anymore. Do you recall the numerous different department stores we grew up with?? Richards, JByrons on Coral Way and 85th ave, Zayre's across the way at 87 ave, Jefferson's on US 1 and SW 104 st, Gold Triangle opposite the Dadeland Shopping Center (not "mall") and the anchor stores there: Burdine's and Jordan Marsh. And who could forget the head shop known as the Barefoot Mailman and S.S Kresge's. Flashbacks to food keep popping up here so let's not forget the Lum's restaurants located almost everywhere like Royal Castles, Sweden House on US 1 and SW 150 st where you could go back as many times as you wanted to (were allowed by your parents) and many times probably ate until you were ill. Back to Dadeland....remember when you weren't yet old enough to drive, but still wanted to go to Dadeland anyway, you could ride the Coral Gables ("City Beautiful") shiny grey, blue and white bus there for only a dime. I really enjoyed going to the Orange Bowl with my family as a kid to watch the Miami Dolphins play there. See if you recall this... that famous dolphin Flipper used to jump up in his tank located behind the east end zone each time the Dolphins scored a touchdown there and if I remember, he'd "throw" a football through a floating goalpost in the tank afterwards. Many times we couldn't hear the game announcer's comments due to the overflying aircraft departing MIA. How many of you ever went downtown to Pier 5 to buy fresh fish from the fleet that just pulled up to their docks on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon? Speaking of fishing, my dad used to take me out to the Forty Mile Bend on the Tamiami Trail to go bass fishing and it seemed like an eternity just to get out there. It was the very first time I witnessed an alligator swimming in the wild...now they're in people's swimming pools this time of year. July 4th was always fun going to the Orange Bowl or Miami Beach to see an awesome display of color against the Miami sky...the real fun part was scouting around throughout your neighborhood the next morning to find as many "duds" as you could and create your own big one from all of the parts of those that failed the previous evening. Hey do you remember the AM radio stations, WQAM and WFUN? I remember waiting and waiting to hear a DJ, especially Don Wright from WFUN announce that caller (pick a number) would be the winner of what seemed like a life altering prize, usually a gift certicate for a gallon of Breyer's ice cream or 2 tickets to the next Miami Dolphins next home game. I actually won quite a few and remember the look on my mom and dad's faces as if to say, "Great, here we go again!" It would have been less effort for them to drive me to Publix for the ice cream and they were already Dolphin's season ticket holders, but I also saw the look they expressed of how it was important to me and I'll never forget that!! The different grocery stores ("supermarkets") like Publix, fairly new at the time, Quik Chek, Food Fair, A & P, and their S & H Green Stamps given with every purchase, sorry, make that order of ten dollars or more. I recall helping my mom one afternoon after school licking and sticking those little pain in the rear end green rectangles into I don't know how many stamp books just so we could redeem them for some item that they wouldn't have likely been able to afford that month like a toaster or some other small appliance. Speaking of affording, do you guys remember a neighborhood S & L named Coral Gables Federal Savings and Loan located on SW 97 ave and Bird Road....and the spokesperson Ranger Bob, actually Bob Hildreth. It was advertised on the Skipper Chuck show daily. Started my first passbook saving account there like probably many of you did. Took my funds out as I got a few years older and went to Mack Cycle in South Miami on Sunset Drive to buy a metallic brown Schwinn Varsity 10 speed bike...many miles and many memories. Blue Lakes Elementary, Glades and then Riviera Junior High Schools came next and then onto SouthWest Miami High School. For those of you that attended SWMHS, anyone remember Colonel Barnes, Chemistry teacher?? See if this helps..."Now, put that rattlesnake down!"" Translation...Please lay that graduated cylinder down on its side or else it may fall over and break. Super polite and such a nice guy, but you knew he didn't play when it came to keeping the lab and of course, us students safe from accidents. May have even been a precursor to what's considered today as cost containment and risk management. Teachers from 1973 through 1975 like Mr. Rayfield, John Christie, Mr. Fay, Ed Borkowski and Tony Berry just to name a few. And oh yes, Mr. Biology and Physics, Ted Boydston. Seemed like an eternity then for 3 years, but 3 years today is but a blink. I really miss those great times from growing up in Miami and it certainly has changed. Hope the current and following generations have some enjoyable experiences to recall from here as they too get older. If anyone reading this is reminded of fun memories growing up here, excellent!!....mission accomplished. If you'd like to contact me to share your experiences or perhaps we may even know each other from the past locally, contact me via e-mail @ Steveck6@aol.com In the meantime, enjoy Miami!! Steve Horowitz

Guest		22-Jun-2007 16:34
To the previous guest poster that now live in the High Pines/Sunset Rd area..you'd probably appreciate these old photos of Miller Rd in 1947....with the rural mailbox cluster just south of it on the east side of Ludlum...and I know the High Pines area and I drive down that way as much as I can....and sitting at the Barnacle with my Ipod playing old timey jazz music I can almost imagine how tranquil things might have been looking at Ralph Munroe's old pier on Biscayne Bay. Beautiful Post. I only wish I could have been a product of that era...Miami was truly heaven back then Here are the photoshttp://pzimage.miamidade.gov/images/PZHEAR06041201/026-ZHRG-BB-ACS-20051228007/Z1947000467/PS.pdf

Leighton		20-Jun-2007 18:42
Yes, I was obviously "RIP"-ing the NAME "Parrot" missing from Jungle Island. Again, if anybody has any photos of Forum Cafeteria, please contact me at leightonchapman@hotmail.com Also, in the 60s, my mom used to buy a green punch mix at some South Miami or Kendall location. Does that ring a bell with anyone?

Wally Bray		20-Jun-2007 16:58
Sandy, I thought I remember it being a Lindsey Lumber but you may right. I remember a Martin's Hardware on N.W. 17th Avenue and 28th Street. Do you remember the Seminole Hotel and Lounge and the newstand next door on Hialeah Drive?

Jim		20-Jun-2007 02:26
The restaurant at 119th St and NW 7 Ave was called Latta's...... Not Lotts.... Was great for breakfast.... Anyone remember Lo-Dee's Italian Grocery and Meats on Nw 7 Ave and 131 St.?

Sandy		19-Jun-2007 20:46
Hello...I'm looking for anyone who can remember a lumber company in downtown Hialeah. I believe it was called Martin's Lumber, but I'm not certain. There was also a corner restaurant just across and west of the lumber company. If anyone can remember it's name I would appreciate it.

Roberta Perry Hughes		19-Jun-2007 05:23
Ooops! Forgot to leave my e-mail address! If you were a member of Brownie Troop 580, & you 1st attended elementary school in the "portables" before moving in to the new buildings (Olympia Heights, Tropical, & Blue Lakes), & you lived anywhere near S.W. 55th Street & 99th Place, I would love to hear from you!! Read my earlier comments on this same page, or click on to the photo of the Publix Market on S.W. 56th Street (it was built after we moved away). Perhaps you remember my sister, Audrey, Southwest High, Class of 1960? Or my brother, Willie (Bill) who played French horn as a 9th grader @ Riviera Jr. High, in 1961? Let's share our memories! E-mail me!! robertah47@aol.com Thanks!

Guest		19-Jun-2007 00:52
119 st and 7ave the place was Lotts. Cooked in sight must be right!! Ate there many times and also the BBQ place on the other side of 119 st. BBQ Barn. Mary's Italian on 7 ave across from the skating rink had the best garlic sticks. Myers subs...yum! Still good eats in Miami.

Linda Lindsey (Keenan)		19-Jun-2007 00:25
Jahn's ice cream was a very popular hangout as well as Haulover (sp?) beach. My father had a furniture shop in Opa Locka. Bill and I had our wedding reception at Miami Lakes Cuntry Club..1969. You listen to WQAM or WFUN radio stations. Lindsley lumber also on 7th Ave. in North Miami across from one of the first Burger Kings. Whoppers 39 cents. A lot of good memories. Moved to Orlando in 1975 and never looked back. New memories in a new place. Thanks for the memories!!

Mary Anderson		19-Jun-2007 00:20
My parents drug me from wonderful snowy Chicago to Hialeah in the early 1950's. My hard working folks owned and operated Barrett School Bus until 1974 when my Dad passed away. I went to Miami Springs Elem. Palm Springs Jr and wonderful Hialeah High (class of '66). Married the REAL boy across the street and had 2 great boys. Got divorced and moved to West Palm Beach....got remarried and moved to Charlotte NC which is were I GOT OLD. Maybe if I move back to Hialeah I'll get young again. Thanks for the wonderful memories.

Debbie Livesey		18-Jun-2007 19:43
this is wonderful. I remember all of this - especially picking strawberries in the summer. Also Diamonds was a treasure trove. We would go there and get stuff for projects etc... and a great place to spend our allowance. Class of HHS 70 rocks!

Guest		18-Jun-2007 18:16
My parents settled here in the early Fifties b/c my father, a flight instructor during WWII, had been hired by National Airlines. The contributions that National, Eastern and Pan American airlines made to our community were significant. In fact, the airline industry's founding pioneers did much to build Miami into an international gateway city. Before deregulation (circa late 70s during the Carter administration), the airlines were truly in their heyday here and it was wonderful to grow up as part of a very proud and fraternal extended airline family. (Remember The Airliner and the Rhodes Brothers Club?) One of three girls, I was born at Doctor's Hospital in Coral Gables in 1957 and grew up a mile west of the UM campus off Miller Drive (anyone who has not seen the metamorphosis that UM has undergone post-Hurricane Andrew would be amazed). In the 1960s, there were tomato and strawberry patches only a bike ride from our house and people still kept horses EAST of the Palmetto. We built Tom Sawyer-inspired rafts and swam in natural spring-fed ponds, caught crawfish, turtles and minnows, rode our bikes to Matheson Hammock on Saturdays and played volleyball there with friends from South Miami Junior High (one can still do this); today there is a wonderful restaurant out at Matheson (Red Fish Grill) where the old hot dog stand has been tastefully and subtly transformed into a charming dining room and the outdoor patio is beautifully lit for al fresco meals. My husband (an Iowa transplant who attended UM) and I love to take out-of-town visitors there; it's a tiny slice of Old Miami -- albeit polished up a bit. I now live in the High Pines area just east of Red Road and south of Sunset; it, too, is a blast from the past. Other than a few monstrosity McMansions marring the landscape, most of the modest homes remain faithful to there 1940s designs, the tree canopy is high and dense, children play outdoors, neighbors are neighborly even when there is no hurricane that forces them to talk to each other. By sheer coincidence, a handful of my fellow SM Jr and SM Sr classmates also live within blocks. For these reasons and more we have all remained in Miami. Many of those who still reside here enjoy meeting at The Barnacle in Coconut Grove for full moon concerts on the lawn (Oct-May); it's truly the best $5 one can spend. Everyone brings a picnic dinner, kids romp and run, adults chat, candles and lanterns create a gentle glow, the music (good or bad, it really doesn't matter) floats across the water, a balmy breeze stirs palm fronds, the moon rises silver over Biscayne Bay and we are all reminded of why we still live here. If those who left because things had changed too much for them had done the same, they would have helped to keep the nature of our town closer to the ideal that they sought elsewhere. Ironically many friends who moved as close as Boca or Ft Lauderdale would now like to move back because they miss this sense of community, but they can no longer afford it. As much as Miami has changed, its enduring sub-tropical allure remains and embracing the new with the old keeps us all young -- at the very least, young at heart.

Guest		18-Jun-2007 04:06
Sorry Cathy L, it looks like Diamonds is gone. It's original location is now an on ramp to 836 at 27th ave. It's second location at the SE corner of NW 7th Street and Red Road is a Walgreens. I went by it's last location in the shopping center on the NW corner of Red and 7th the other day. It was vacant and no "We've Moved" sign.

Cathy L		18-Jun-2007 01:03
What an amazing site - I stumbled upon it by accident trying to find out if Fabulous Diamonds is still in existence (Is it?) It was a huge treat for my mom to drive us kids to that wonderland known as Diamonds. I could stay there all day, just mesmerized by all the STUFF. I was born in Broward General in 1956 - Now living in Boston and I remember the concerts at Pirates World and almost getting crushed to death at the Sportatorium (what a fire trap that place was). Anyone from Ft. Lauderdale remember concerts at the Armory or the beautiful gardens at Patricia Murphy's restaurant down by Bahia Mar? Or the Piggly Wiggly on Sunrise Boulevard- think it became a Peaches record store. And I do remember that rotating shark at Crandon Park. Thanks so much for bringing back all the memories.

Debi Carbine Porter		18-Jun-2007 00:20
A friend sent me an e-mail about this site...Fabulous! Memories...many, many wonderful memories came rushing to the forefront of my mind! Venetian Pool, swimming in the caves...a stolen kiss with a young beau, diving from the rocks. Royal Castle and lots of laughter with friends. Muscle cars at the Pizza Palace. Dairy Queen on Saturday afternoon as a child with my parents. Bird Bowl...hanging out. Coral Way Drive-In...whew! The memories from there! Cranden Park Zoo, the Serpentarium, the big Shark that circled as you entered the beach...the Seaquarium. Heaven...a place that I spent quite a few nights at during my senior year in high school @ Coral Park. Skating with friends at the OpaLocka skating rink. "Watching the planes" near the airport. Working on my '32 Ford Coupe and '55 Chevy with my Dad @ his gas station on the corner of 67th Avenue and 22nd Street...Phillips 66. Drag racing with him and the boys from the station. Football games...dances...wonderful memories. Thanks!!! Debi Carbine Porter

PETE CIOLFI		17-Jun-2007 20:27
To Martha Pierson: Myriad thanks for the fabulous recall of Quinty's Restaurant. My brother--Ed, mother & I were impressed and pleased. ciolfiq@brevardcc.edu

betty brock		16-Jun-2007 19:01
guest Came to Miami at age 17 right after high school. rented a room on nw 6ave off 79th st. ate at Holimuns (spelling) Resturant. next door to Turf Double Decker and another resturant in the middle of the two , I cant rember the name of it.Rode number7 bus to the Telephone company downtown , those were dream years never to happen again and Miami was my dream town coming fromwva at that time.

S.A. LARGO		16-Jun-2007 16:00
YEAAA!...... THANK !!! YOU BILL PARKS RE: THE PARROT JUNGLE...SOMEBODY REALLY IS OUT THERE. I GREW UP IN S. MIAMI FROM '55 ON.......ON S.W. 106 ST..went to Pinecrest Elementary...PALMETTO H.S.....IT WAS CONSIDERED "THE BOONIES"...WITH STILL BEAUTIFUL PINE & PALMETTO WOODS ALL AROUND TO PLAY IN AND ENJOY. WE AWOKE IN THE MORNING TO THE SOUNDS OF BEAUTIFUL MULTICOLORED PARROTS CHATTING IT UP IN THE PINES OVER OUR HOME...back then they let them fly free in the morning...they always returned home...( I heard someone {IDIOT} started shooting them..and they stopped letting them fly free) . AGAIN THANKS...GREAT TO KNOW THE OLD PARROT JUNGLE WAS REINCARNATED AS A PARK....RODE MY BIKE DOWN THERE MANY TIMES FOR FRESH OJ ON THE WAY TO MATHESON HAMMOCK with my little gang. I RESIDE IN ST. AUGUSTINE NOW ...it reminds me of old Miami...MAYBE I'LL GET DOWN TO CHECK OUT THE PARK...and Fairchild Gardens...............YA THINK "LINDA" EVER GOT "DAVES" MESSAGE..S ... REGARDING MARCELLA'S RESTAURANT ?????...OPEN FOR DISCUSSION....

Dave		16-Jun-2007 13:53
Linda, it was Marcella's Cucina Mia Restaurant you remember. It was owned by Marcella Aiken who also owned a restaurant in Freeport, Bahamas. They had the best italian food in Miami at that time, including garlic rolls that were the best I have ever had. Anyone know what happened to her?

Tyler Penny		16-Jun-2007 12:48
I've posted a few comments at individual sites, but ran out of time for this round. A & W's are starting to make a comeback, mostly paired with Long John's. There's one on Miami Garden's and, I believe, Douglas Rd. Haven't been to it but hit one in North Carolina and another in Tennessee, and the Birch Beer on draft is as good as ever and the Papa Burger was bigger than this Papa needed to eat, but great. Great site! I'll be back.

Dave		16-Jun-2007 12:23
Linda, it was Marcella's Cucina Mia Restaurant you remember. It was owned by Marcella Aiken who also owned a restaurant in Freeport, Bahamas. They had the best italian food in Miami at that time, including garlic rolls that were the best I have ever had. Anyone know what happened to her?

Bill Parks		16-Jun-2007 03:42
Don't worry S.A. Largo, the parrots are still there. They just changed the name. They are trying to let people know there is more than just parrots on Watson Island. I've been to the new place. They should never have moved. Thank goodness that the City of Pinecrest preserved the old location as a park. No parrots at the old location but it's still a beautiful jungle.

S.A. LARGO		16-Jun-2007 03:16
ATTN: LEIGHTON/OR SOMEONE...ANYONE..... RE: PARROT JUNGLE. I HAD HEARD THAT IT WAS RELOCATED AFTER "ANDREW"...BUT YOU MENTIONED .."AS OF THIS MONTH RIP PARROTS"...WHAT HAPPENED???

Linda Bess Andrew		15-Jun-2007 23:36
I moved to Miami in 1950...attended Wm Jennings Bryan Elem, North Miami Jr and graduated Palmetto Sr in 1964. Currently live in Key Largo. Remember Marcella's Italian on W. Dixie Hwy in North Miami...what great pizza; Hot Shoppes on US1 where you drove around until running out of gas? A&W Drive-in for that rootbeer float? What fun...Thanks for the wonderful memories!

Leighton		15-Jun-2007 21:00
Dadeland Horse........I called about eight years ago, to track it down. Mall folks told me that it was put in storage during one of the many rehabs of the mall, and unfortunately, thieves broke in and stole half of it - they thought it might have ended up in a nearby canal. I lived in Miami from 67 - 73. Forum Cafeteria (If anybody has any photos of that place, please contact me at leightonchapman@hotmail.com)....Diamond's....Toby's (on 8th Street)...... Saturday movies at the Miracle Mile Theater......Farrell's Ice Cream (with tiny plastic animals IN THE ICE CREAM - yikes)....Sambo's in Coral Gables...the old Coral Gables Twin Theater....Andalusia Bakery with killer cheesecakes....the amusement park on Key Biscayne that was run down even then...Rusty Pelican...Skipper Chuck (went on at some point)...Bozo (went on that, too)....the STONE animals in the open-air Dadeland period, that kids could crack a rib playing on....Parrot Jungle (moved to Watson Island, called Parrot Jungle Island, and as of this month, only Jungle Island - RIP Parrots...any Publix store....Dixie Highway.....the Planetarium....when Viscaya was a crumbling mansion...watching them film "Flipper" at the Seaquarium....Dadeland Wometco Theater...Dadeland Resort...the "new" Midway Mall...cool 50s/60s motels off Dixie and around Palmetto Expressway...Coral Theater (watched them tear it down in the 80s, when I returned to attend UM)...Green Stamps Store in Coral Gables...I'll stop rambling. But seriously, if anybody has shots of the Forum Cafeteria, please contact me - we went every Friday after school (and then I snuck to the "dirty" section of Bairfoot Mailman. Oh, and the Orange Bowl Parade - usually with Anita Bryant in tow.....

tom		15-Jun-2007 02:37
anyone attend david fairchild elementary during the mid-'60's?

Guest		14-Jun-2007 21:39
Correction:Actually that was not Bird Rd. that Kentucky Beef was on but Dixie Hwy. It's been a long time ago.

Guest		14-Jun-2007 21:16
This site is great! I was born in '54, but my mom moved from Miami in '71. I was in my senior year at Gables. I lived near Douglas Park. Went to school at Dade Elem., Pnce de Leon, and then Gables. I worked at the first and only Kentucky Beef (which went out of business not too long after it was established), on Bird Rd. next to the Kentucky Fried Chicken. I lived on 34th ave. and 28th street. I also would ride my bike all over without any worry about being bothered. Douglas Park had summer programs, tennis, badminton, tetherball, and ping pong oh yea, and knok hockey. My first ever concert was at Biscayne Park, Grand Funk Railroad. Every Sunday the best place for music was at Crandon Park on the beach. In fact I remember Santana, before they were famous, played there. Thanks for the deja vu....

Guest		13-Jun-2007 00:13
I was born in mercy hospital in 1953. I grew up in West Hialeah, attended S. Hialeah Elem. Filer Jr High, and Miami Springs High. I remember Mae and Daves on plam ave, dallas barber shop-just go in and sit down. He knew how to cut my hair. Then there was the Royal Castle factory on W 8 ave, Red Road/W 4 ave was still called Death Alley. You could fish in the canals on red road and along okeechobee road, the water was so clear then. We had the YMCA at W. 16 st and W. 6 ave. All the motels along okeechobee road on the water side, my grandparents would stay there for the summer. My first job was at stephens rest. on w 4 ave. My family grew up on w. 16 street between w. 4 ave and w. 8 ave. I always want to go back and buy my grandmothers house at 493 W. 16 st. I got married to Deborah Austin in 1972- She graduated from Hialeah High in 1972. We have been married for 35 years now. I love this site and hope it gets out..bobby..

BexB007		12-Jun-2007 01:20
Do you have any photos of Sambo's? I was born in 1967 and I remember passing one every so often but my parents never went there. The photos are cool and I can't believe how much Miami has changed over time! Thanks for taking the time to share some fabulous history with us. I was born and raised here so it's great to see!

Roberta (Perry)Hughes		11-Jun-2007 05:32
Lived on S.W. 55th St. '51-61. Everyone's father was a WWII Vet. Schools were Olympia Heights Elem., Tropical Elem., Blue Lakes Elem., & finally, Riviera Junior High. Sister, Audrey (Perry) Lane went to Southwest, as did our 1st cousins Mary & Joe, & of course, kids on our block went to these schools. Was in Brownie Troop 580, meetings held On 102nd Ave. @ Eleanor Jones' house, as Mrs. Jones was our Den Mother. We were on Popeye's Playhouse, & I wiggled my nose like LeRoy the lion while the camera zoomed in on my nose. Sister & her date, Steve Howe, were on Ten's Bandstand. Brother, Willie, was a member of the Grave Diggers Club. We all had Rollfast skates, & Schwinn Spitfire bicycles. We skated @ Sunland Skating Rink, next to Bird Bowl, & went bowling, too. Shared soda fountain cherry Cokes @ Bird Drugs, shopped @ the Food Fair, & Goodys Shoes, & frequented the Five & Dime, & the toy store in the same strip as the drugsstore. Dr. Burly's offic used to be in that strip, as was Dr. Denker's, our dentist, & Dr. Weiss, an optometrist. It ended with Pearl Furniture, & somewhere in-between was a hardware store. On the end, but separate, was a Tasty Freeze. They had an outside cold water fountain & we stopped by for a drink on the way home from school. All of that strip is gone now. A truck garden farmer would cruise thru our neighborhood crying out "Vegetable Man! Vegetable Man!" in-between tooting his horn, & he sold fresh produce. The first ice cream vendors pedaled the 3-wheeled trikes with the big box filled with dry ice & ice cream & popsicles. Next came the ice cream truck, & he had a buzzer to announce his presence. Then came the Good Humor Man, & my favorite, Mr. Frosty, which had a lovely music box melody, & they had the soft custard icecream & sugar cones. Matheson hammack Beach was the best because it was filtered on each end to screen out harmful marine life such as Man-O-Wars & jellyfish--& sharks. Our neighbor, Eleanor Leslie, was an exercise instructor there. Tahiti Beach had the thatched cabanas, but you could get gooey tar on your feet from the ocean floor sometimes. Daddy said it was from battleships that were sunk during the War. Anyone remember the air raid drills they used to have, & the Civil Defense instructions on TV? I very clearly recall the Salk polio shots, & having to line up to take them. A few kids I went to school with were victims of polio. I remeber the Cerebral Palsy Telethons they used to have, & Marvin Fields was the poster child one year. His sister Diane was a schoolmate, & his father taught @ Southwest High, if I remember correctly. Speaking of Southwest, I remember going to one of their football games with my sister, & how I admired the expert baton twirler, Joy Headland. I have a large (29") 1953 hard plastic "Rita Majorette" doll, that I renamed "Joy" in honor of her. In my own peer group, & member of my Brownie Troop, was the super-talented Ellen Atkerson. She was also a doll collector, & I got to see them, on shelves, all around her bedroom. I wonder if she kept her childhood dolls? Can you print a picture of Ralph Rennick, Jackie Pierce, the host of Ten's Bandstand, & Richard's Department Store? My father delivered packages for Richard's, as did his brother. When I was a child, all my relatives live in the Greater Miami area, or neighboring bergs such as Opa Locka, Hialeah, Hollywood, & North Miami. Everyone moved away including the 55th St. neighbors. My 1st cousin still lives down there, & is a member of a bowling league @ Bird Bowl. Three of her 4 kids are still there, too. I fondly remember the "portables" where we always went to school 'til the new buildings were completed. I'd rather have kept the portables, which were like a village. Does anyone have photos taken of those portables?? Would love to hear from my former school mates & Brownie Troop 580. Thanks, Don, for a truly wonderful & nostalgic site. I visit here often. God bless!

Pat		11-Jun-2007 01:45
Don, thanks for the memories. An old highschool class mate sent me your web page. I went to Southwest Miami High and graduated in 1960. My memories of Miami are;U-Pick fields on Kendall Drive, all the fried fish you can eat at Howard Johnsons, Skipper Chuck, Venetian Pool, Carvel ice cream pies, Shorty's Bar-B-Q, where the greatest cold slaw I have eaten was,the great smell of Holsum Bakery on Dixie Highway, Madison Hammock and Tahati Beach. Does anyone remember the beer and pinapple drink they had there? The best pizza was the square pan at Frankies, on Bird Road. I have heard that the Pizza Patio is still there. I always think of the Tropic Aire Drive Inn when I hear their theme song, Moon Light Serenade. Remember the fishing boats comming in at Bayfront park and selling the fish, that was where Bayside was built. And yes to one of your readers I remember the Seminole Indiana camp on the Trail.

Guest		10-Jun-2007 20:46
Don, What a ride down memory lane!! I came to Miami in 1958 We lived off of 27 Ave & 12 St (NW) Does anyone remember that Seminole Indian Village on 27 Ave?? Also the original Diamonds Store was on 27 Ave. & 13 or 14th St (NW). Then Diamonds moved to the sourthern part of miami by the airport. Is it still there?? I went to Kensington park Elem. then Citrus Groove Jr. High. and on to Miami High. ( Go STINGS) When I was at Miami High we were the undefeated football team for a few years. My husband was born at Mercy Hospital, I believe that closed years ago. I also remember a Drug store off of N.W. 30th Ave called Budget Drugs. We went there after school almost every day for Cherry cokes or Chocolate cokes. Thanks again for this websire and I will visit it again to see if anymore places show up that I remember. We have moved to the N. Georgia mountains to a small town that reminds me alot of Miami in "those" days. Ted & Gay Crownover was good to see your post!!! Glad your doing well. Ethel (Hinky) & Lanny Wilcher

Gale Dozier		10-Jun-2007 19:46
I would like to be a user but do not have any photos. I grew up in Hialeah and was born in Jackson Memorial Hospital. How do I go about this? My maiden name was Gale Elliott and we lived on 322 West 14th Street. I went fo So Hialeah Elementary ,Filer Jr. High and Hialeah High, graduated in 1971. Born in 1953. Awesome site

Parks Masterson		10-Jun-2007 03:13
Hi Susie Carter. You and I must have been at Gables High about the same time. I see you worked at K.C. Cagney's. How the heck did they make those wonderful Onion Bunions? I never could figure out if they had a coating or were just thinly sliced onions fried crisp. K.C. Cagney's moved all over South Dade. At one time it was located in the Coconut Grove Playhouse building. It's last location was on SW 137 Ave, just north of the Tamiami airport. The same family opened a new restaurant on Miller Road but with more healthy food and less fried food, darn!

Suzanne (Susie) Carter		09-Jun-2007 12:55
wow - I'm sure I'm having the same reaction as everyone else, reading the comments about old, familiar places. Just had to add mine....I was born in 1951, my family had history in Coral Gables area since the 20s, my grandmother owned one of the City French Village homes and I lived there when I was little. We lived in Westwood Lakes, then in that little section around LeJeune and 13th called Antilla Park that was bit of unincorporated Dade County right in middle of Gables. Went to Merrick Demonstration, Ponce and Gables High. Acting was my thing for years,from 8 -18, was in plays with Ester Brezo at Gallery Playhouse, Ivan Kivitt at the Merry-go-Round Playhouse and later worked with Lawrence Tobin at Studio M and the Upstage over the post office in Coconut Grove. I well remember the Flick Coffeehouse (and I even worked at K.C. Cagney's in the same spot in the 80s) and the Gaslight Cafe South on Grand Avenue. I was one of those flower-child hippies that wandered the Grove, hung out at Peacock Park. Other groovy Grove places of which I have fond memories: Mary Grabill's Sandpiper shop (pottery), Serendipity, the Head Shop, Oak Feed Store, Adam Turtle's woodworking studio, the laundromat with the mangle iron, and the incomparable Recorder Workshop owned by Arnie Grayson at 27th and Bird. I lived in one of the apartments behind it for years. Bought records and books at Bookworm on Miracle Mile. Other places in no particular order: Seymour's Drugstore on Ponce the trails across from the entrance to Matheson Hammock Adolf's (?) newsstand Coliseum (bowled there, worked in the coffee shop, then in the 80s when it became Sportrooms, worked in the restaurant.) I could go on and on, but I won't. Transplanted to Indiana the year before Andrew, saw my first snow at age 40... Thanks for the fun memories!

Anna		09-Jun-2007 00:25
Born and raised in Miami 1960. Wow, what memories... trips shopping downtown with Mom at Burdines was the best - stop at their bakery on the way home for some potatoe bread. Three Sisters, etc. Growing up as a teenager with the famous OPEN HOUSES - local bands and the girls with chaperones... dancing all night long to bands like Miami Sound Machine at the spanish clubs, Heaven, Galaxy, and The Antiques at the Everglades Hotel and Dupont Plaza to mention a few. Music sure had passion .. it's great to see some of the songs come back again. Oh, and I have to put this thought in readers mind: SAMBOS... remember the one on Miracle Mile? It was the hangout of a few of our Vietnam Vet's.. remember their mugs with the American Flag. I remember there was one near Miami Senior High School also. Hey.. how about the Clog shop in Coconut Grove? Thatnks you to those that initiated this... it was awesome!

Patti		06-Jun-2007 21:12
This was so much fun to look at. Growing up, in what is now Pinecrest, I remember so many of places shown in the pictures. I'm for sure going to share this site with other old time Miamians. Both side of my family have been here since the 20's.

Guest		06-Jun-2007 14:56
For those who remember Vince Martin at the Flick - you might like to see his vince martin . net website- he moved to NY and sure misses Coconut Grove

Don Boyd		06-Jun-2007 14:48
Again, thanks to everyone for their comments. To the last guest, yes, Broward is on the horizon as I accumulate more photos and items to add. Don

Susan		06-Jun-2007 14:32
This is such an amazing and fun website...any chance you could "cross the line into Broward County"? Having been born in Hollywood in the late 40's and growing up there...it would be super to see and hear about some of our old haunts...

BIKE ER CHICK		05-Jun-2007 05:14
TO ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE THOSE MEMORIES.. '50'S & 60'S....RIDING BIKES TO MATHESON HAMMOCK, THE GROVE, THE PARROT JUNGLE, SNAPPER CREEK....JUICY MANGOS, (we made mango icecream with the old hand cranker & rock salt...fussed over who's turn it was to crank next..to bad they made the electric ones...too modern too fast! ).........................................................

wanita		05-Jun-2007 04:28
I feel like I just took a dose of "memory stimulant", my brain is happy! Thanks. Remembering Miami when it was safe enought to walk home alone from a girlfriends house at 9:00 pm and riding to Matheson Hammock on my bike is sweet indeed! Remember Coconut Grove and watching all the hippies from Lums? The beaches, the summer rains, all the mangos and avocados we could eat, lover's lane at the airport, desserts at the Trio Diner on Flagler, Venetian Pool, horror movies on Saturday at the Coral theatre,eating onion rings at The Wheel...it was a beautiful childhood, even if the roaches flew at us and the mosquitos and sand fleas were pesky...Ah...those were the days.

Guest		04-Jun-2007 22:06
If you do know how to get in touch with Joseph Miranda, please contact A. Faircloth at silvrliner2@yahoo.com, or have him contact me. Thanks again.

Guest		04-Jun-2007 22:04
This isn't exactly just about Hialeah, and I ask your forgiveness for using this site this way... but would apapreciate ANY help anyone might be able to offer. Looking for a good friend of my son's to invite him to a huge surprise birthday party and can't seem to locate him. ANYONE KNOW JOSPEH MIRANDA, of Hialeah, lived around 68th street, and attended Hialeah high school in the late 70's, early 80's and how to get in touch with him? Would appreciate any hlep you might be able to offer. Thanks. AND, Don... thanks for this great site and all the time you put into it. It is teriffic and brings back so many great memories of times spent with my kids growing up in Hialeah. THANKS.

JODI		04-Jun-2007 21:51
I AM A NATIVE OF MIAMI .BORN 1927 IN OUR HOME IN LITTLE RIVER, IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE AND GO TO SCHOOL. LITTLE RIVER AND EDISON HIGH SCHOOL. MY FATHER CAME UP TO MIAMI,FROM KEY WEST WHEN THE ALL THERE WAS, WAS TENTS ON FLAGER STREET TO LIVE IN. HE HELPED DREDGE GOV.CUT BISCANE, KEY FISHER ISLAND.ECT YOU CAN ALWAYS TELL AN OLD NATIVE ON HOW THEY PRONOUNCE MIAMI. IT WAS( MY AM UH,)THAT WAS PURE SOUTHERN .

Harold Cobb		04-Jun-2007 21:12
Since I am also a native, born at 2:30am on the front porch of 426 Euclid Avenue on Miami Beach, the photos and comments are very interesting. I also collect photos and have written Historical Sketches and designed medallions for the Miami Yacht Club, for the Miami Key Largo Race. By the way, the first recorded European here was Giovanni Caboti, (John Cabot), on May 1497 at the Cape at the End of May, (Cape Florida). Recently I did a structural inspection of Helen Mar Apartments , (vintage 1920), were my mother stayed in 1928, when she first came to Miami Beach.

Guest		04-Jun-2007 19:14
I am saving this site for my history class. What a wonderful tool for the classroom. Linda Carol City

J0hn T.		04-Jun-2007 16:55
Margie: I was also born in 1936 at JMH and went to Miami Jackson. I still live in Dade CO. Of corse I remember most all of the places mentioned on this site. Thanks Don. John T.

Diana		04-Jun-2007 16:09
Do you remember the Drive-in Theatre on 27th Avenue and Shoney's Big Boy rigt down the street from there. I grew up in Norwood attending Norland Elementery, NorlandJunior High and Norland Senior High. These pictures sure brng back a lot of memories. There was also a Pizza Palace on NW 183rd Street and I think NW 27th Avenue. This was in the 60's

Guest		04-Jun-2007 14:33
Dave, You are probably thinking of Jim Dooley who did the sports on The Ralph Renick Report on WTVJ Ch 4. Bob Weaver "Weaver the Weatherman" did the weather. Jim Dooley was also famous for his TV commercials for National Airlines (based in Miami) where he said "Come on down." You could only see the commercials up North.

Guest		04-Jun-2007 10:06
A guest mentioned growing up on SW 24 Terr near Al's Sundries on SW 27 Ave. I'm wondering if that guest might be Larry Wind, or Jerry Rosen? These were two of the boys on my street that were about five years older than me. My uncle and aunt Ruth and Watson Bolles lived on SW 24 Terr on the west side of 27th ave. They've both passed away. When I was a kid I used to travel regularly five or six blocks to visit with my friends. Not many parents today would let their kids roam so freely! One time my brother and I (at age 13) rode our bikes all the way to NW 36 st with the plan to sneak into the Ringling Bros Circus. But, as we were going over the old 36 street bridge we heard sirens and bells and thought it was a fire truck or something - but I felt a big bump as I was riding off the bridge and when I looked behind me to see what caused the bump, I saw the bridge was opening straight up for a boat. It so unnerved us we didn't mess around at the circus for too long! I remember standing on SW 27th avenue watching Eisenhower's motorcade going by.

Russell Winn		04-Jun-2007 04:27
Born and raised in Miami 1942,went to school here. Graduated from Lindsey Hopkins Vocational School 1960, Aviation program, downtown 14th street and final year on LeJune Road. Still remember Saturday Sock Hops with Jerry Winchner at channel 10 on Biscane about 20th street across from Cadillac dealer in the 50's. Shell City on 7th ave near 62nd street. World famous Bottle Cap Inn on 27th ave and 119th street, the end of paved roads just north of there. Copper Kettle on 7th ave near 54th street best Strawberry shortcake in town if you were able to budgit your money.

Guest		03-Jun-2007 21:49
What a great site! This grand city (nope, not the small town we loved and cherished anymore - but becoming grander) welcomed my folks in 1950 from Cuba, 9 years before you-know-whom, and never let us go, providing my sister, niece and I with a great education and a wonderful growing up. My sister, Iris, was MHS class of '55, while I was La Salle '71 and my niece, Eileen, La Salle '75. One phase - DRESSLER'S DAIRY FARM just west of MIA. Another phrase, BURDINE'S COMBO CASTLE, hosting rock bands in the mid '60s (remember "The Invaders") most shows being presented by THE man - Rick Shaw. Yes, it's quite different now, a polyglot, really. Those who have moved away and not been back for awhile, c'mon home! Mario

Jo-Ann Moffitt		03-Jun-2007 18:34
Grew up in Miami since 1946 - lived Northwest to Southwest. Most fun was friends and I walking downtown and taking the jetney from Biscayne Blvd. to South Beach for 10 cents carrying bag loads od sandwhiches and goodies for a full day at the beach at 11& 12 yrs. old without a worry or fear in the world. We knew help was always close if we needed it. Riding bikes from s.w. 5th street area to Venetian Pool in Coral Gables for a really different day of swimming for 25 cents was good fun too. Remember the caves?/////////////////////thanks for the memories.

Jo-Ann Moffitt		03-Jun-2007 18:27
Grew up in Miami since 1946 - lived Northwest to Southwest. Most fun was friends and I walking downtown and taking the jetney from Biscayne Blvd. to South Beach for 10 cents carrying bag loads od sandwhiches and goodies for a full day at the beach at 11& 12 yrs. old without a worry or fear in the world. We knew help was always close if we needed it. Riding bikes from s.w. 5th street area to Venetian Pool in Coral Gables for a really different day of swimming for 25 cents was good fun too. Remember the caves?/////////////////////thanks for the memories.

Guest		03-Jun-2007 02:30
hi went to columbus 64 played for miami canes and dolphins dont miss the heat but memories are great jim cox

Dave		02-Jun-2007 15:50
Thanks Don. Since the area is close by, I went looking for the houses this morning and found two still standing that haven't been changed too much. I posted a comment under the picture of where they are located in case anyone is interested. Wasn't George Dooley a comentator or weatherman on Channel 2? His name sure sounds familiar to me too!

Don Boyd		02-Jun-2007 14:57
Dave: the Marjohn homes are now in the 40's gallery. I had to move a few decades into separate galleries (at the top of this gallery) because one huge gallery was killing people still on dial-up connections. George: your name is surely familiar and probably the only name I can remember when I think of Channel 2. Thank you for your comments and letting us know where you are now. And thanks for all your good work at Channel 2 for almost 50 years. Don

George Dooley		02-Jun-2007 14:43
My wife and I came to Miami in the 1940's. We went to Miami Beach High and then Tech High (Lindsey Hopkins Building 1410 NE 2nd Ave) were we met. Married in 1953. I helped put Channel 2 on the air in 1955 and was with them until 2004 when I retired. Prior to that I worked at radio stations around Miami. We lived in NW & SW sections of Miami then 34 years on Key Biscayne. We now live in Vero Beach. It was just great looking at all the old memories of Miami. Thanks to all who amde it possible. George Dooley

Dave		02-Jun-2007 14:03
What happened to the pics of the Marjohn homes?

Frank		02-Jun-2007 11:28
Born and raised here .

GJeanGuestuest		02-Jun-2007 03:16
Anyone remember Shell City Liquors? Any one can remember the owners name in the late fifties early sixties???? How about the Sugar Shack across from Drugstore which became Carvel at HHS? it later became Caesar's roman steak.

GGuestuest		02-Jun-2007 03:13
Anyone remember Shell City Liquors? Any one can remember the owners name in the late fifties early sixties????

Nancy McDonald		02-Jun-2007 00:10
Bruce and I moved to Coral Gables after a few years on Key Biscayne and our 2 childern grew up there, went to Gables High and played in the band. The photos are great with lots of great memories. Miami still is a great city.

Lanette		01-Jun-2007 06:35
This site was sent to me by a friend and it has been a most pleasant journey thru the memories. I moved to Miami in 1962. My Dad was a troubleshooter for Dunkin Donuts (he revived failing stores) and worked at the Dunkin Donuts on 79th and Biscayne until 1964 when he went to work for a donut shop on Bird Road. I sometimes attended Little River Baptist Church where a woman in the choir was the spitting image to my Mom. I could not tell them apart and evidently neither could other people as she was always being called by another woman's name! We still have fond memories of that! We moved to Hialeah on 53rd terrace in the fall of 1962 and I went to school at Palm Springs Jr. High (I adored my history teacher, Mr. Krenz) and got thru most of the 10th grade at Hialeah High before we moved to Leesburg, Fl. to start our own donut shop. I loved the Friday night dances. We would go to the VFW (just for teens that night). I remember listening to Rick Shaw and even going to the Sat. dance on TV once. I remember a place we used to have lunch at called the Sugar Shack close to the HHS. Ted Hendricks was the star football player. Wonderful memories. I can honestly say, the 3 years I spent in the Miami-Hialeah area were the some of the best of my life. To Marilyn Treihart--you can find your song at www.musicstack.com/records-cds/myrna+march. But it cost!!

Charles Esher		01-Jun-2007 00:46
What great shots, thanks, the house shown built by Marjohn, mr Harrison, was my Mother & Dads, 501 N.E. 110 ter. stillthere with the additionsa I built on to it. These were pre-fabed slated for Panama by the US Government but the war ended, they were stacked for several years, MR purchased and assembled them, 54 on 110 Ter and about the same amont just NE of Red and Blue Rds. Any pics of the old GreaterMiami Boys Drum & Bugle Corps? I was a member 43to50 layed under the reknown Cesar LaMonica. Charles Esher, born and raised in Miami, now of Tallahassee due to grandchildren Thanks again for some great memories. for any future pics or stories, please forward or if I can be of help please contact me.

Marie		31-May-2007 23:05
Does anyone remember Opa Locka's Arabian Nights facades and Opa Locka Roller Rink. My father was in the service, and we lived in Opa Locka for a lot of years.

Guest		31-May-2007 22:28
Guest, I love this site, I read a posting about Al's on SW 27th Ave, I lived on 24th Terrace and remember Al's where all the neighborhood dads use to stop for a beer. Right next door was a grocery store where you could turn in bottle caps for candy and cokes. I made that trip many times. I went to Silver Bluff Elememtary ,Shenandoah Jr. High, graduated MHS in '52. We had a great reunion in May. I can't remember the name of the skating rink on 27th right by the railroad tracks. Skated there myself. Love Miami and the good old days. Now in Ca.

SHEILA (POLAND) LARGO		31-May-2007 15:47
HEY DON ..or ANYONE who knows PLEASE!!....I MISTAKENLY POSTED A QUERY UNDER THE BEAUTIFUL " RONEY PLAZA" SITE IMAGE # 77165931...INSTEAD OF THIS SORT OF MAIN MESSAGE BOARD..I HAD ASKED IF IT WAS "STILL STANDING" ALONG WITH HENRY FLAGLERS HOTEL AND SOME OF THE NUMEROUS "OTHER" OUTSTANDING STRUCTURES WITH THAT OLD WORLD FLAVOR THAT DOTTED THE MIAMI AREA AND ENHANCED ITS ROMANTIC CHARM & BEAUTY. ALSO THEY LOOK LIKE THEY WERE BUILT "BEFORE" THE '26 HURRICANE...IF THEY ARE STILL STANDING..HOW DID THEY HOLD UP AT THAT TIME??. I WOULD IMAGINE( not sure ) THAT MANY WERE BUILT BY EUROPEAN OLD WORLD ARTISANS (when things were built to last hundreds of years) ...BECAUSE OF THE AMAZING ATTENTION TO DETAILS and that sort of Mediterranian feel. THAT IS ONE REASON I COME TO ST. AUGUSTINE WHEN I RETURNED TO LIVE IN FLORIDA...BECAUSE IT REMINDED ME SO MUCH OF THE "OLD MIAMI" THAT I GREW UP IN. SO IF THERE ARE ANY OF YOU OUT THERE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN PRESERVATION/ARCHITECTURE...TALK TO ME!.....WHAT ABOUT BEAUTIFUL VIZCAYA AND VENETIAN POOL...WAS ANDREW "KIND" TO THEM?... SHEILA (Poland) LARGO...PALMETTO HI CLASS OF '63 AND BEYOND.....

Don Boyd		31-May-2007 14:25
Thanks Mike for the correction on Rustic Roller Rink, and name of Hialeah Roller Rink on W. 29th Street. I changed the commentary. Don

Mike		31-May-2007 13:42
Rustic roller rink was located in Hialeah around south east 11 ave and close Dixie Lillie Grit manufacturing company. The other rink was Hialeah Roller Rink on west 29th street across the street from Filer Jr.

MIke		31-May-2007 12:45
I too grew up in Hialeah and went to Hialeah El. and remember the Candy Store you could by 10cent grab bags and all kinds of candy from that store. How about the go-cart track just down the street and the bowling alley. What a time! My mother worked at the skating rink and we were there what seemed like every friday and saturday night. I was at Hialeah Speedway all the time until my earlie thirties. Met my wife of 32 years at Miami Springs High. I would not trade my home town for any other place. Oh I can't forget Hunter's Lounge in Miami Springs WOW now that was a crazy place to meet friends.

Dave		31-May-2007 11:18
Leigh: The San Sebastian residence is still there but no longer part of the "Cardboard College" (ie UM). It's now a private apartment building but looks exactly the same. My mom's cousin lived there as a student in the late 50's. I was born in Miami in 1950 at St. Francis Hosp. on the beach. Raised in (little havana) Shenendoah area when it was still mostly jewish neighborhood.Our neighborhood had a Food Fair on the NE corner of SW 19th Ave and 8 Street, Brentwood Diner and Parodi's 5&10 cent store just across the street on the SE corner. Also had the first Volkswagen dealership on that same block. I attended Shenendoah Elementary when Mrs. Hatfield was the Principal and I was in the first class at St. Stephens in Coconut Grove when it opened in 1959. These fotos sure take me back! Thanks Don

Leigh		31-May-2007 02:53
Leigh - I was at U of Miami in 1944-45- lived in converted hotel, San Sebastian.Wonder if it is still there? Loved swimming at Venetian pool and Matheson Hammock. Met several Pan Am pilots in 45- would like to hear from anyone there in that year.Originallly a Marylander, now live in FLorida. Was a Delta Zeta- would like to hear from them or Chi Omega- Mary May of Chicago. Had a great time in school there but finished elsewhere. Write to me.

georgina castro stevens		31-May-2007 01:39
guest we moved to Hialeah in 1957 from New York, I attended Filer Jr high.than we moved to 51 st .walking distance from Hialeah High graduated 64. I love going over to that little corner drug store/dinner across from school, can't remember the name,it was a 4way stop light there was another resturante across the street also.does anyone remeber the name of the small soda shop. from there we moved to west 71st.place in Hialeah. that area has changed alot, i remember they had a large area,several acres were they had the racing greyhounds,pens, tracks. they would let them run every morning at 6am. thats all housing now. i flew for National Airlines from 1968-76, than relocated to St Louis,Mo with my husband and family. i've lived in many places and other countries, but i still remember Hialeah the best. still go back and visit family there and its strange driving thru the old places and how much its all changed. love the fotos you all have sent in. i also remember the roller rink and the ice skating ring. and i believe the Cobra that bit Hass during one of his shows is stuff in on display there, he died of stress, i guess people kept taping his glass and got him all upset after that famous show.

richard		30-May-2007 22:55
Wow...what a great site. I was born in Miami in 1950 and lived in West Miami during childhood. Moved away after college but do get back occasionally....how it has changed. Wonderful memories of downtown Burdines at Christmas (I recall there were amusement rides on the roof)?? Great old time restaurants like Tyler's (we ate at the one on Ponce in the Gables).....I remember fried chicken for .99 with great banana bread too....Jahns for ice cream, I even remember the "orginial" Arbetters hot dogs next to the Dairy Queen on Tamiami Trail. There was always Shorty's too....but how about George's Subs also on the trail..the BEST onion rings ever. Such great memories with Skipper Chuck and MT Graves on TV. Thanks for the site....it's wonderful to think back to my growing up years...now very far away!

Sandra		30-May-2007 16:36
I moved to Hialeah in 1952 and graduated from Hialeah High in 1964. To JUDY.searching for the RHODES BROS, they moved to Ormond Beach/Daytona and played in many clubs here over the last 15 years. I think Eddie and John returned to Miami a few years ago. They still were performing the same kind of show, with tons of fans following them, including me.

Peggy C.		30-May-2007 13:32
Any of you Saturday Hop fans out there??? Rick Shaw use to host that show on Saturdays and you would wait in line hoping you would get in. I watched the American Dreams show when it was on and brought back so many memories of American Bandstand as well. I miss HIALEAH and MIAMI SPRINGS!!!!

Guest		30-May-2007 11:05
So glad I stumbled on to this site! I moved to Coral Gables in '66, went to Sunset Elementary, then moved out to 98th terrace across the canal from Red Rd and went to Pinecrest. Then on to Palmetto Jr. High and Palmetto High School, class of '76. Go Panthers! Anyone remember Red Sunset 5 &10 and Sunset Drug Store in South Miami? The best grilled cheese and chocolate milk shakes on the planet. I worked at Gardiner's Market when I was a Sr. How about Crandon Park Beach, parking lot #2? I got zillions of sun burns at that beach. Also, glad to hear Shorty's BBQ is still there. If you could ignore the roaches that shared your table the food was great! I went to Camp Keystone in Ocala for 4 summers, too. I could go on and on. Glad to hear others have good memories of old Miami.

Linda in Calif		30-May-2007 04:28
This site REALLY took me back to my childhood. Was born in 1952 at Edgewater Hospital. Went to Mae M. Walters Elem., Filer Jr. High and Miami Springs (Class of 1970 - Go Golden Hawks!!!) Do you remember climbing down the canal banks to catch minnows and if you were lucky caught a black and white spotted one? How about going to where they raised the grayhounds to pet them? Counting the railroad cars as they went by while you were stuck in traffic? Throwing the "beebee's" from the fichus trees at your friends? How the car seat would burn your butt when you first got in the car? No air-conditioning!!!!! The colorful wooden bridge that was in Crandon Park Zoo? Catching Brim in the Miami River with a fishing pool you made from bamboo you cut from beside the river? The Wild Hog Bar-B-Q and swamp buggy rides.....

Alan Ogus, Ph.D.		30-May-2007 02:21
Just returned from a visit to Miami/South Miami that I left in 1968. Everything is different and changed. The only familiar edifice was Shorty's Bar-B-Q on Highway 1. I felt as if I was a stranger in a strange land. I will always cherish the memories of growing up in Cutler Ridge, attending Cutler Ridge Elementary, Redlands Jr. High, Miami Military Academy, and finally graduating from Palmetto High School in 1964. Long live Big Daddy's Lounges and Trader Johns! Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive and Well in Phoenix Arizona

Dik W		29-May-2007 21:28
Have had quite a few responses to my e-mail looking for friends. Many thanks to you all. Don this was a great work of art and many of us are most appreciative. One other "do you remember". There was a gal who waitressed at Jimmy's Hurricane, her name was Gerri Sandstrom.....any one remember her? If so I'd like to hear from you.

Guest		29-May-2007 19:37
Good web site. My brother (Jay) and I (Rod) grew up in Miami during the 50s and 60s. We were raised on 31st avenue with the Learys, Oliveras, Nelsons, Doyles boys. Our dad owned several sundry stores called Britt's Corners around Miami. Jay went to Orchard Villa, Morningside and Jackson. I went to Kensington Park, Citrus and Miami High.. Of course Miami High beat Jackson every year. A lot of good memories such as the Regency Theater, Live and Let Live Drugstore, Funland Park, Mansenes restaurant, Tylers, Paradise bowling lanes, the Wheel, Hot Shoppes, the Place, South Beach and bagels, MHS- X Club. My wife went to Hialeah and was the daughter of the infamous George Dolan who taught government and history for over 35 years. Jay and I both now live in Auburn Alabama.

Scott S		29-May-2007 15:27
Born in Miami Shores (105 St/Miami Ave, 106 was last St) in 1942 and moved to Coral Gables in 1946 and am still here. What a wonderful time to have lived in Paradise. I have begun collecting old Miami, Coral Gables memorabilia but Mr. Boyd, your website is wonderful. Thanks for the memories.

Guest		29-May-2007 14:34
Great site, Miami-born, South Miami Hospital 62. Graduated Miami High 81, raised near downtown, Roberts drug store, Miami River Inn, Henderson tennis park, Sewell park,the library at bayfront, pier 5, does anyone remember drug store on sw 8th st and 17 ave?

Peggy C		29-May-2007 13:55
Don, your are quite welcome. I was a true native Hialeah girl and remberm it quite well. I also was a real WAXY fan and traveled on many of their cruises. Are there any of the COMBUSTIBLES out there. What ever happened to Joe Perez????? We had a large group who use to go on those cruisies - they were the best. I am now close to Daytona Beach and I miss the hot spots. I rembmer Biscayne Babies, Ma Grundy, Widow McCrow, Coconut Grove Playhouse, Tropical Park Christmas lights - just too many places and Miami and Hialeah were the best! I loved it and proud of growing up there.

Don Boyd		29-May-2007 00:33
Again, thank you everyone for your comments and your memories. I keep reading of places that I had forgotten about and I'm sure that others are getting reminded of other places they've forgotten about over time. Peggy, thanks for your comment about the A&P on 49th Street - I had forgotten that there was one there. It was just east of the Thom McAn on the NE corner of W. 8th Ave, correct? Don

Peggy C.		28-May-2007 19:59
I think the name of the seafood restaurant on 49th street someone was looking for was the New England Oyster House not far from the Black Angus. I lived across the street from the Black Angus at Les Montelier apartments, was a really nice place then. I don't even know if it is still there. Rembmer the Richard's store at Palm Springs Mile shopping center. It became Jefferson's then Montgomery Ward. How about the Hialeah Bowling Alley?? I worked at the A&P food store on 49th street when Mickey Ronney came in and did the WEO commerical for the food store. I hope this site helps me get in contact with old friends.

Jessica Siskind		27-May-2007 17:55
How do I get the book "Boulevard of Dreams" about Miami Shores, Bicayne Gardens, etc.?

Terrence		27-May-2007 13:49
Terrence W. Grant Gables Grad 1956 This is a great site..Any pictures of our hangouts? Sara's Nook Beer Bar in the Gables: Sir John Hotel & Lounge; View of Biscayne Bay from Paradise Point. My parents lived on Fisher Island (Government Island Section) when I was born...any pictures of the Island in the late 30's...While in High School I was a member of Tau Delta Tau (STAGS) and I would consider that association in the top 20 highlites of my life.

Guest		26-May-2007 13:31
Thanks SOOOO much for saving my sanity. the Flick it was! My brother saw Gabe Kaplan there.

SHEILA (POLAND) LARGO		25-May-2007 19:59
O! M! G!.....THERE WENT HALF MY DAY . FIRST OFF (LINDA ROVIN COOPER)...WERE YOU A SPANISH TEACHER AT PALMETTO HIGH IN '63???...(THE YEAR I GRADUATED) AND AS IF THAT WAS NOT ENOUGH ...DID YOU DO SOME "LITTLE THEATER" ACTING AT WHAT WAS (I think) THE PIED PIPER PLAYHOUSE???...JUST CURIOUS. AND SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIMILAR GOOD MEMORIES OF A BEAUTIFUL...SAFER MIAMI. I MEAN AS KIDS(I WAS IN N.MIAMI FROM"48 TO '55...6th ST. NEAR LEJEUNE) WE RODE OUR BIKES TO COCONUT GROVE, MATHESON HAMMOCK...SNUCK IN THE BACK FENCE OF FAIRCHILD GARDENS AND PLAYED "TARZEN" !!!...HAD FRESH SQUEEZED OJ AT THE FRONT JUICE AND SNACKBAR AT THE PARROT JUNGLE...REMEMBER THAT BEAUTIFUL ENTRANCE ??...WE WERE NEVER FAT KIDS!!! HECK WE WOKE UP TO THE SOUND OF PARROTS SQUAWKING IN OUR PINETREES ON S.W. 106 ST... BUILT FORTS IN THE PINE AND PALMETTO WOODS ALL AROUND US.(NOW MILLION DOLLAR REALESTATE I'M SURE) SWIPED THE NEIGHBORS MANGOS, GRAPEFRUITS, ORANGES TO SELL OFF SNAPPER CREEK...THE COPS NEVER YELLED AT US, OR CHASED US AWAY...THAT WAS ABOUT THE WORST THING WE DID AS KIDS...HECK WE WERE ALWAYS BUSY TRYING TO EARN MONEY TO GO TO THE MOVIES OR THE SKATING RINK & BOWLING ALLEY OFF S. DIXIE HWY.NOT TRYING TO SCORE DRUGS! I HAVE MEMORIES OF BOTH ENDS OF MIAMI. I MARRIED AWAY FROM FLORIDA AND LIVED IN N.CAROLINA & E. TN. FOR ...TOO LONG. I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED FLORIDA AND I RETURNED AS A SINGLE GAL ONCE AGAIN TO LIVE IN BEAUTIFUL ST. AUGUSTINE IN 2004...I COULD GO ON...BUT ANOTHER TIME...I WANT TO SEE WHAT EVERYONE'S BEEN UP TO..........THIS IS FUN...THANK YOU DON BOYD....SHEILA

vinyl avenger		25-May-2007 15:50
I see others have mentioned "The Flick". Uncle Dirty did perform there. I used to smoke recreationairly with him. My ex-wife's best friend worked there and met and married Chuck Mitchel (Joni's ex) there. Gabe Caplin was there a lot. It was a great place.

vinyl avenger		25-May-2007 15:44
Hi Jim The Loft Montana was North of The U of M on ponce next to the Arthur Murry Dance Studio. Don'r temember any comedians performing there.

vinyl avenger		25-May-2007 15:39
That folk club south of UM might have been "The Flick" Howard

miamijim		25-May-2007 14:30
Dear Guest looking for a coffeehouse on Ponce S. of UM. I remember a place like that called the Laf Montona, not sure of the spelling.

miamijim		25-May-2007 13:05
Great site. Really brings back memories. I was born on Miami Beach in '44, grew up in the SW section, went to Southwest Miami High, MDJC, and UM, left for the Army in '67, but returned briefly to teach at UM from '84 to '88. My wife is a Miami High graduate. Still live in Fla and return to Miami once in a while for Dolphin games. Its gratifying to hear from other Miamians who also believe it was a great place to grow up. We were truely blessed.

Tom Burr		25-May-2007 11:49
Amazing pictures. I lived in Hialeah in 57 and Key Biscayne from late 57 to 60. Listened to WQAM evry night when I went to bed. Thanks for the great memories.

Guest		25-May-2007 04:35
The club on Ponce where the Titanic is now was called the Flick. I remember seeing a comic called "Uncle Dirty" there. As you can guess he told dirty jokes. Several restaurants have been in that location since it was the Flick. My favorite was K.C. Cagney's. They served the best fried onions. They called them Onion Bunions.

Don Boyd		25-May-2007 03:48
Now you're going to drive us crazy too? Ha. It wasn't the Flick was it? Somehow that doesn't sound right. I was never there but knew people who did go to it when it was a coffee house. Don

Guest		25-May-2007 01:51
Name that club! I am driving myself crazy trying to remember the name of a club that was on Ponce, just south of UM. The location is now a restaurant named Titanic. When I was in high school at gables, it was a club, or coffee house. Poets, comedians, folk singers and the like performed there. I recall it as small with black walls, small round tables. Can anyone save my sanity?

Guest		25-May-2007 00:12
Wow, what a site. Brings back so many memories. I remember the old Rustic Roller Rink near Okeechobee Road. There was 2 rink and the one inside was a wooden one. In my dancing days there was Municipal auditorium, The Place, The World, Heaven on Miami Beach. Attended Hialeah Elem loved that candy store on the corner, Miami Springs Jr, enjoyed those burgers from Royal Castle on Okeechobee Road, hung out at Triangle Park and would visit Mayor Milander for that candy bar, Miami Springs High, crossed that bridge over Okeechobee Road many times. I know many of these places posted. How about those concert halls Hollywood Sporatorium, Pirate's World, the beaches - Matheson Hammock, Tahiti Beach and lets don't forget South Beach oh where oh where has Holy Joe gone???

Ted		24-May-2007 16:03
We love your web site and look at it all the time. We were born and raised in Miami......THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES! Coached football with Ed Davis at DCS. We are retired and living in Hobe Sound.....it is like Miami was in the 50's. Ted & Gay Crownover

Burl Grey		23-May-2007 23:49
I posted a request for anyone who may know or remember a girl names Dois Weiner from 1946 and thought my email was easy to find but just now could not find it without logging in. I am Burl Grey, see post just below. burl@pobox.com And webpage is www.burlgrey.com

Guest		23-May-2007 19:29
Does anyone remember a drugstore a block or so from Miami Edison called Jenelles? We used to go there for lunch.

Southern Yankee		23-May-2007 15:42
What memories! I wish there had been photos of Jimmy's Hurricane drive-in on Bird and Douglas Rd. Also, the Big Wheel on SW 32 Av. and 25th St. Great place to get a foot-long hotdog and fountain rootbeer. Thanks for the walk down memory lane. Been a Miamian since 1944. Sure has changed a lot. I miss the good old days!!

JoAnn Coffman		23-May-2007 15:05
I moved to Miami in '46 when I was 10 and went to Miami Jackson High School but had to move in '53 to Orlando where I graduated from Boone High the following year. This is such an interesting site and the pictures are wonderful. It all brings back lots of great memories. Thanks so much.

Cheryl Anderson McLain		23-May-2007 02:27
I graduated from Coral Gables High in 1966, 6-6-66. Anyone remember the Cavaliettes? I remember marching in the Orange Bowl Parade when they announced our National Championship in Football. This was a wonderful trip down memory lane. Do you remember the Big Wheel Drive In on 32nd Ave? I think that was the first KFC in Miami. Shopping = Burdine's. The best (and only) Santa was at downtown Burdine's.

Guest		22-May-2007 23:47
Carol, I think the hang out you mentioned might have been, Fifi and Paul's...

Carol		22-May-2007 20:32
My family moved to Miami Shores when I was 9 - went to St, Mary's, Horace Mann and graduated '57 from the greatest school "Miami Edison". Does anyone remember the hangout directly across the street to the north? Have really enjoyed the pictures and the postings. Moved away in'81 and now enjoying life in Central Fla.

burl grey		22-May-2007 18:10
Today I was thrilled to read Martha's story about Earlington Height's elementary school. And Jackson high and "Live and Let Live" in Allapatah.... etc. I was born about ten years earlier than her, 1924 in Jackson Memorial Hospital. I have a photo of the $50.00 check my Dad wrote for that. In 1930 we lived at 2123 NW 44th St. I also attended Earlington Heights school on NW 22nd Ave.(1931) Then to Jackson High where I quit in 1940 on my 16th birthday with no diploma. I spent most of my life in Miami. In 1943 I was a hamburger flipper at the downtown Royal Castle on NE 1 st. street. I was drafted from that job in 1943 for my 31 months in the army including front line combat in the 4th armored division under Patton across western Europe. My webpage has some pictures and my military history. Everyone who drove around Miami between 1946 and about 1970 has seen many of the pictures I painted on the billboards around town. I have a picture of my first pictorial (1946) on a billboard just over the Miami River downtown. My biggest picture of a woman was on the Smithers 8 story warehouse just south of Flagler visible from just West of the county courthouse. She was 56 feet long and in a swimsuit advertisement for Silver Springs. And how many thousands of people saw that plastic shark slowly turning at the entrance to the causeway to Crandon Park beach. My Dad designed and built that. Somewhere there is or was a girl I took to the 79th Street Drive In - in 1946. I had met her at Matheson Hammock and asked for a date which she granted. She said her name was Doris Weiner and she was/is a redhead. I thought she was the most beautiful girl in the universe. I believe she was 19 and I was 21. I still have the address where I picked her up and returned her later that evening. That house with a screen front porch was just a block or so North of Flagler and what was then far to the West. If this rings anyone's bells please contact me because there is a very deep story there. My webpage is in my profile.

ed davis		22-May-2007 18:08
I lived all the memories. Carol City Jr., Parkway Jr. and Norland class of l965. Football games on Fri or Sat. and Marcella's on 183 st.& 8 ave or Pizza Palace on 27 ave and 176 st. Jan's ice cream on collins or pool hopping in the motel pools. Haulover beach with my now wife and senior skip day. As a cop with Metro for 26 yrs. I witnessed the fall of our Miami. It is now a third world city thanks to all the politicians allowing unchecked growth and taxes. Tenn. here i come. Ed Davis

Ggg		22-May-2007 16:12
Having been gone from my beloved Florida since 1961, I really appreaciate this site.

Don Boyd		22-May-2007 15:07
Thank you everyone for continuing to add your memories. I'm loving it. Bea, in regards to Quinty's, Quentin's widow Agnes is still alive and living in Titusville. A photo of her at her oldest son's wedding last year is at <http://www.pbase.com/donboyd/image/58282653 Don

Judy		22-May-2007 07:16
I stumbled upon your website after doing a google search for the "Rhodes Brothers". This was brought about by my going through an old box of photos tonite, and finding pictures of the Rhodes Bros and wondering what ever happened to them. Your site is fantastic. I too was born in Miami in the late 40's, and lived there and in Broward County until 2000. What a trip down memory lane looking at your photos!! The list of all the old businesses were unbelievable. My first job was with the GrandWay store on 167 st and NE 6th in North Miami Beach, while attending North Miami High. My memories also krept back to roller skating at the rink in Hialeah.........WOW...that was a long time ago.

Bea Heath		22-May-2007 01:35
Hey Don Boyd.......I worked for Quinty when he first opened in Miami Springs. His wife was a pharmicist. Quinty and Marge, the lady who owned a dress shop next to the restaurant, stood up for me and my then husband when we married because our best man and his wife never made it to the wedding. The man worked day and night and used to put two chairs together in the kitchen to "nap" on. I was 16 when I went to work for him and he treated me like a daughter. Nice Man.

sandra		21-May-2007 05:10
I finally found the name of the roller rink on 27th avenue: Venetian Roller Rink! Remember Eddie Stephen's Clothing Store? They lived right down the street from me. And my best friend between the ages of 5 and 10 was Judge C. Clyde Atkins daughter. They also lived on S.W. 24 Terrace one block down from my house. Silver Bluff Elementary had the hugest banyan trees you'll ever see. In the 60's to mid 70's I lived on W. 18th and 80th in a new Lovell Brothers subdivision - only one other house on the block. Had two hurricanes the first two months we lived there! I miss the soft moist breezes - I know, I know, the humidity can be a horror- but the low desert is a dry as it gets here in the States with absolutely No moisture so Miami feels great when I go to visit :)

Margie		20-May-2007 16:53
I was born in Miami in 1936. My Great grandmother, grandmother, and father preceeded me....starting in the mid-1880's. Attended Earlington Hgts. Elementary, and Miami Jackson....and much later Miami Dade College and FIU. I remember going downtown on the bus every Saturday to meet friends and visit upstairs Kress for a great hamburger and milk shake....sometimes Walgreens for a great hot fudge sundae....then to the movies...Remember Quizdown at the Olympia? Allapattah had Ross', Live and Let Drug Store, White Castle, Dade and Regent theaters, and the old Bowling Alley....it's all completely changed....even Miami Jackson High....but the memories are still there and are wonderful.

Margie		20-May-2007 16:45
Sharon...hope you will see this....really enjoyed your comments about Craft's store...It's actually on 124th St and US 1....I live on 92nd ave and 124th St., moved in the neighborhood in 1964 and enjoyed Crafts for many years...They kept a tab for all the kids in the neighborhood...and moms and dads took care of it once a week...Senn's dime store was in Sunniland Shopping Center...now has become Pinecrest Village or something like that...sad......no dime stores!! Thanks for your comments....Margie (JAX graduate 1954)

alvin_lederer		19-May-2007 21:32
Hello Don, my name is Alvin and i'm a South Florida Historian. I lived in Miami for 40 years and have seen many changes. Please e-mail me if there is an image that you are looking for. I enjoyed looking at your website and would like to thank you for sharing the images with us. tight lines and good fishing Alvin

J.S.		19-May-2007 13:24
I was born and raised on Miami Beach in the 1950's and still have many contacts there. Even though I no longer live in South Florida, I just can't seem to stay away. I remember those teenage days at Fun Fair and Nayton's. And who could forget the teen dances at the World and Place? Trying to explain to my daughter and grandchild how good life was back then is like speaking a foreign language. Let's talk about that. How about the Marielle boat lift? Life certainly changed quickly. The thing I admire most about the "baby boomers" who grew up in the Miami area is their continued love and dedication to South Florida and all the fond memories we can share. Keep passing down those memories and we made history happen.

Richard T		18-May-2007 13:56
LeJune Road was two lane. Rationing.....sugar stamps, gas stamps, A, B & C stickers on cars. We didn't even own a car until 1948. Our phone number was 4-0511 Most people had "party lines". I was there !

Alan Ogus, Ph.D.		18-May-2007 03:24
Big Daddys Lounge circa 1967-1969.. Drinks were 38 cents..Trader Johns on N.W. 27th Avenue across from Dade Jr. College..Green Onion Lounge in South Miami.. Paleys Big Wheel Drive in in South Miami..Hot Shoppes...Shorty's Bar-B-Q..Cutler Ridge Bowling Alley..Serpentarium..Monkey Jungle..Parrot Jungle..Coral Castle in Homestead..Roller Skating Rink in Perrine..Matheson Hammock..ad infanitum Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Palmetto High Class of 1964 Alive and Well in Phoenix, Arizona

Fred Swick		17-May-2007 21:05
I came to Miami in 1949 at age 6. We lived at 2323 N.W.15th. St. At age 8 I had a job picking up empty pop bottles at the Policeman's Park (PBA) on 14th. St. As I got older I moved to other job's running the different rides. My last one was the train, a real steam engine. I started the fire, filled the boiler and water tender and collected the tickets. In 1958 we moved to Hialeah, and I went to Palm Springs Jr. High and Hialeah Sr. High. I was at the Pizza Palace on opening night. I still have the menu I stole. I spent a lot of time at Hialeah Speedway. I was in the stands watching,by 1962 I worked as asst. starter, also on the firecrew, and on a wecker. I also drove a few races, and put one in the lake. I met my wife there in 1965, we are still together living in Ohio. We came up here in 1970. I worked for Northeast Airlines and they were folding up. I have a great many memories some bad but 98% are great. And this site kicked up a lot of dust and it has been a pleasure. THANK YOU for taking the time Don!!!

Guest		17-May-2007 16:50
My mom and dad arrived in miami in 1929 via Model T Ford across the Tamiami Trail. At one time dad owned a Sinclair service station on N.E. 2nd avenue and about 26th street, in what is now called Overtown. He serviced Ryder Trucking Company's first two trucks; and, as they say, the rest is history. Jimmy Ryder went to our beloved Miami Edison High School and is in the Over The Hill Gang Hall of Fame.

Paulette Wilbar Ward		16-May-2007 22:47
What a wonderful trip down memory lane! My husband M. Glen Ward and myself both grew up in Miami and went to Miami Edison-61&65! My parents both came in the 1920's-pioneers. My Dad recalled swimming in the Miami River when it was crystal clear. My maternal grandfather came to work for the Florida East Coast Railroad in 1923, unfortunately his roof blew off his house in the 1926 hurricane! Miami has always been a wonderful city, we moved in 2000 but our heart is still there! Thank you for sharing the great photos of Miami, they are priceless! And yes we have to agree with you regarding people thinking Miami was a sleepy little town before they came, not true !! Miami always had such a special feeling growing up, we always knew we were lucky! I especially felt this way when I was a flight attendant for National Air-Lines in the 1960"s, when leaving northern cities the Atlantic Ocean always looked dark (especially in the winter) as we approached Miami that beautiful aqua blue water told me I lived in a special place!! Thanks for letting me share just a few of my thoughts on my beloved birth place!!

Jim Borgmann		16-May-2007 12:58
Truly a labor of love! I see my brother posted below so I won't repeat his comments, but certainly echo them all. I still live and work in Miami Springs (currently the city manager) and was happy to see the photo of Miami Springs Pharmacy. We recently lost the founder, John Stadnik, but his family still operates the business. In fact, we recently re-named the portion of Curtiss Parkway as you come in from Hialeah "John Stadnik Way" to honor him. Thanks for the post about Rick Shaw. I had the pleasure of being in the studio with him the Wednesday before he signed off. He is a great guy! He and Donna will be hosting the Junior Orange Bowl Parade in Coral Gables on December 29. As President-Elect, I invite all your visitors to this site to join us. The tradition is over 50 years old, so it is still part of the fabric that makes up your site! Best of luck with the site and I hope more people post their memories. Jim Borgmann

Guest		16-May-2007 06:02
I also went to St Theresa for a few years and got to go to Salvatore park on walking field trips and then we would eat ham and cheese sandwiches after running around the park all day! I heart Coral Gables- I always wanted to live on Alhambra at the house with the pool fountain that has two jets that cross over each other at the middle of the pool.

Guest		16-May-2007 05:53
I miss Miami so much! I was born at Baptist in 76, was taken to Burdine's before I even went home- according to my mom. David Fairchild Elem, SMJH dance program, SMSH honors grad. I remember a roller rink by Tropical Park and going to the Mayfair in Coconut Grove when it was beautiful. There was also a rink on NE 79th st. My mom 's 1st job in Miami was at the Lum's in N. Miami. I grew up by the intersection of Red and Bird roads. I have a peculiar attachment to fountains and would love to see pictures of Miami ones. I loved exploring the city as a child in the car with my mom, and swimming in the ocean and camping in the bay- we would take the boat out from the Japanese park and go to an island off the bay that was once covered by Christos on the same week we planned out camping! Miami will always be home to me.

Don Boyd		16-May-2007 03:36
Quite alright Martha and I'm glad you confirmed it. I'm still in touch with his sons, Pete and Ed, and they'll be pleased to see your memory of their dad's restaurant. Don

Guest		16-May-2007 02:32
Don, sorry about the spelling it was Quinty's in Hook Square

Don Boyd		16-May-2007 02:15
Martha: was that Quincy's or Quinty's at Hook Square? If Quinty's it was owned by Quentin Ciolfi, father of two friends of mine from west Hialeah. He also owned an Italian restaurant on NW 7th Avenue in north Dade. Don

Guest		15-May-2007 22:17
Ed-Mark'em-Down Lane was at the corner of 36th st and Curtiss Parkway in Virgina Gardens. He never had the car he just advertised, my parents neighbor went to see the car 2 min after the ad aired and the "car" was just sold. Does anyone remember Quincy's Italian Rest in Miami Springs? It was located in Hook Square.

Guest		15-May-2007 21:25
Graduated from Palmetto High School 1964. Fond memories of the Hot Shoppes and the Friday Night Dances at the Cutler Ridge Auditorium. The Rockin Ramrods were the house band and they could ROCK-N-ROLL!! Have not lived in Miami since I969 and these memories are fantastic. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Carl Borgmann		15-May-2007 15:12
I've seen the pics and read the posts here and boy do they bring back memories! I grew up in the Miami Springs-Hialeah area. Does anyone remember the Pizza Palace on west 49th st in Hialeah? That was built in the late 50's before there was any development in that area. I wondered at the time why anyone would build a restaurant in the middle of nowhere. Remember Waxie's drive in on Lejeune road across from the airport? Or Ed "Mark-em-Down" Lane and his TV commercials for used cars? And Ralph Rennick on channel 4? Or the Mau-Mau Lounge at the Green Mansions Hotel in Miami Springs? That place was always full of Eastern Airlines stewardesses-in-training. How about the Traveler's Lounge on NW 36 street across from the old Eastern Airlines terminal? Anyone remember the Phone Booth Lounge on NW 36th St? You could phone other tables right from your table or booth. Quite a "meat-market"! Does anyone remember the bearded guy in the red Pontiac convertible who would drive down Miracle Mile in Coral gables and toss silver dollars to people on the sidewalks? This was in the late 50's or early 60's. We called him "Silver Dollar Pete", but that was just a name we gave him.

Guest		15-May-2007 03:32
Hello everyone! I am new to this forum and hope that someone can help. I have been looking for an image of the Animated neon Billboard that featured "Otto" the Orkin character which was located on 27th Avenue and North River Drive, just before going over the bridge. Does anyone have an image of this billboard? I remember it as a little boy. The bugs would crawl and Otto would spay them and they would die. Great neon sign. Any one remember/

Guest		12-May-2007 17:31
Wow, this site is great! A friend emailed me with the link to this site and glad he did. Talk about bringing back found memories of South Florida when it was the greatest place on earth to live. My grandparents immigrated to Miami from Austria in '26, just after the hurricane. They struggled as sharecroppers with my grandfather working at night washing dishes in the hotels on Miami Beach until he saved enough to buy 5 acres and start a hog farm on NW 19th ave/ 100th street behind St. Vincent De Paul on 103rd. St. They owned the farm until the State of Florida pulled eminent domain on them in the early 60's. They were on the proposed site for Miami Dade CC but it ended up being built on 27th ave. north of 103rd St. I was born in 55, St. Francis Hospital on Miami Beach, and we moved from Miami to Miramar in '60 until my mom sold the house and retired in '94. My aunts, uncles, and cousins were scattered all over Dade County from Coral Way near the Palmetto to Miami Gardens. I remember, growing up, when you couldn't drop a line in the water off any bridge/causeway over Biscayne Bay without catching plenty fish, crabs, and crawfish for the table. You didn't need a boat back then. I won't even start to mention all the great people and places I remember in South Florida back in the '60's and 70's. You seemingly have most all of them mentioned here on this site. It's a shame what South Florida has turned into with the over population and crime. It will never be the same again, but thanks for sharing all the great pics and memories of South Florida back in it's heydays. If I can dig out some old pics I think might be of interest here I will email them to you. Thanks Don for creating this site. PS That old Royal Castle is still there on 79th and 27th Ave. Although they come close, they just aren't exactly the same. The Royal Castle on 125th and 7th Ave caught fire. I think they have plans to re-open it. Their burgers are just like the old RCs I remember.

E		12-May-2007 01:41
1939-1942 and again 1948-1955 Miami was like ShangriLa. Went to SilverBluff Elementary, Shenandoah jr. Hi. I do remember Fader's drugstore, the Parkway Theater with Saturday double features. During the second period I lived in Virginia Gardens near the airport where planes would "rev up" their engines and play havoc with our new TV. My husband graduated U of Miami, worked at Resort Airlines, and later died at Pratt General Hospital (the Biltmore Hotel).

Vikki Ricciardell-McGowan		11-May-2007 15:24
Love this! When I was born, May of 1951, we lived in Nichols Height, NW 5th Ct, 140 Street and then in 1953, we moved to NW 10th and 127 St. My sisters and I went to WJ Bryant Elem, Ben Franklin Elem, Westview Jr High, N. Miami Jr and N. Miami Sr. Spent a lot of time at the A&W on Dixie Hwy, Jumbo's on NW 7th Ave. Does any one remember the name of the resturant on the corner of 119th St and 7th Ave--across from the shopping center that had the KFC that was a location used in the James Bond movie, Goldfinger.

Guest		11-May-2007 08:32
Rustic Roller Rink in Hialeah was across the street from Henry Filer Junior High School. By the way, thanks for this web-site. I thought I was in a minority of people who loved growing up in Hialeah. It now seems to me, appropriately so, that most likely anyone who ever lived there knew they lived in a great place. Thanks again.

Don Boyd		11-May-2007 03:43
I remember the name of Rustic Roller Rink in Hialeah but can't remember where it was - can you tell us? Don

Guest		11-May-2007 03:32
Great site!! Does anyone remember the old Rustic Roller Rink in Hialeah? There was a Kellys Drive-In across from the old LeJune Drive-In(where the Marriott Hotel) is now located.

Don Boyd		11-May-2007 02:58
That's correct on the Funland name for the amusement park at 79th Street and 27th Avenue to the southwest of the Frank n Bun Drive-In which was closer to the intersection. The only ride I remember was the Wild Mouse which was a scary roller coaster that I rode many times. Don

Guest		10-May-2007 21:07
The only FunFair was on the 79th St Causeway. The amusement park on 79th and 27th ave. was called Funland.......

Anita (Fraller) Kindman		10-May-2007 17:38
Anita Fraller Kindman class of 1965 Gable High remembers Pat Zanger and the many people who made that time of our lives memorable. Gables High national champs in just about everything the years we were there. I grew up on SW 15th street in Miami before moving to The Gables and The Grove. I remember when SW 27th avenue was a dirt road and there were a few sundries (small stores) there. I remember walking to elementary school sun or rain (Auburndale and Shenandoah) before the bussing started. Then Shenandoah Jr. High and the Shenandoah Pool over there where I learned to swim and dive before competing for years. Gables High was a great place with all my swim buddies and pals I used to go surfing with on South Beach. I remember Eva and Charlotte Nagymahaly and charging around in that beautiful mint green Cadillac convertible with the surf boards in the back! I left the Miami area in 1981 kicking and screaming, which was difficult as I was the last of the family to leave. I was transferred to Los Angeles with Western Airlines. My family was one of the Miami Pioneer families. My great grandfather, Walter Sumner Graham, came down with Henry Flagler many years ago and established what would become Miami. So leaving was not easy. Now I live in Montana selling ski vacations. Beautiful place, but good memories never die. The Gables Sr. High class of '65 RULES!

Loretta (Clemons-Bryant) Garber		10-May-2007 04:59
Great sight. Thank you. Does anyone remember Little River Elementary and Little River Junior High? I enjoyed playing all sports, and being a Cheer leader. I also took dancing lessons at the Youth Center ( I beleive at 79th street area), Did baton with Bill Allen and we twirled at every Orange Bowl parade and the big game. Can't remember what they called it now. Do remember thinking we were something special with our batons, white boots and shorts. Use to ride the transit bus from NW section all the way to the beach when it had water on both sides of the bridge.

Lindy		10-May-2007 04:30
Wow, this was wonderful...................spent 30 years in Miami from age 5 on....Bill Haast Serpentarium a favorite family visit.................Lindsley Lumber....was there many times. I don't see Holsum {spelling} Bakery....................when they were baking bread the whole area smelled wonderful. I think Shorty's Barbeque is still there................favorite family dinner. Old Scandia.....................a swedish buffet restaurant was also a favorite. Well and how about the Parrot Jungle...........assume it is still there. Have been away from Miami for 30 yrs but many memories there. My dad was chief pilot for PAA based out of Miami.

Guest		10-May-2007 03:48
Than YOU Don Boyd! I grew up in Miami (southwest section) and graduated from Gables High in 1957. Do you remember Fader's Drug Store and the White Castle Hamburger place across the street? The Pied Piper lounge (too young to go inside tho'). I lived down the street from Al's on 27th Avenue and about 24th street. For the life of me I can't remember the name of the roller rink on the corner of 27th avenue and about 26th street - even though I went skating SIX nights a week when I was 15 and 16! So many places are pictured and mentioned in your comment section it really is going down memory lane! Thanks again. Oh, remember the Parklane Cafeteria on Coral Way? I worked there when I was 16 (just long enough to get the money to buy my own shoe skates :)

Don Boyd		10-May-2007 03:08
Again, many thanks to everyone for their comments and their memories. I am really enjoying reading of places that I've forgotten over the years and I'm sure that the many visitors are having the same enjoyment. Thanks to WBH from Edison 57 for the corrections and comments on Billy's, formerly Kelly's. Thanks to Grace for remembering the New England Oyster House next to the Black Angus on W 49th in Hialeah - I couldn't remember that one to save my soul. Thanks to Bob Hall for some awesome memories before my time and others that I do remember. To Patti, where was the Woolworth's on Palm Springs Mile? I don't remember them. I remember G. C. Murphy and Neisner's in the PS shopping center but not a Woolworth's. Perhaps someone has a photo of the Hot Shoppes since that has been requested? I don't have one (yet). Thanks again everyone. Don Boyd

Guest		10-May-2007 03:08
Is there any one around that remembers the Ramblers car club in Coral GAbles and the fun that we had at the drag races at Amelia Aerhart on Sundays. Would like to catch up with a contact or two. Wonder what happened to Chas. "Pinkey" Naylor, Chuck Mincer and so many others. Dik Wesson TBird955@aol.com

Guest		10-May-2007 02:27
Do you have any photos - or does anyone at least remember the name of the roller skating rink on SW 27th avenue in the '50s?

robby robert		10-May-2007 02:23
How about some of the old Hialeah Speedway Crowd, where are you? Nokie Mallory, Bobby Brack, Robert Hampke, Billy Barnwell? What has become of Car 84 Garage? Ninth street Garage? The photo guy 5X5?

Guest		10-May-2007 00:16
Fun Fare was on 79th Street Causeway in North Bay Village next to Colonel Jim's Drive In which later became The Peppermint Lounge which later . . Oh, who knows? The Playboy Club became an auto parts store. What became of us?

Guest		10-May-2007 00:08
They got it backwards. Billy's Drive In (Not Billie's) was Kelly's long before it became Billy's. Take another look at the picture and you'll notice the cars at Kelly's are '30's or'40's vintage. When I was real young (Mid to late 1940's) my aunt would bring me to Miami Beach on vacations. There wasn't a heck of a lot north of Lincoln Road back then so the old hotels in what is now trendy South Beach were about all there was. That was it before it became "It". One of the highlights used to be a trip or two to Kelly's for some nibbles and a big chocolate soda or malted. My aunt moved to Miami in, . . 1951? and in the summer of 1952 my mother brought me down on another vacation and I'm still on it, never went back. By then it was Billy's. Mike was one of the owners, Pearl one of the carhops and Papo, the Cuban cook, made wonderful BBQ sandwiches. For a couple of years I lived in the apartment building across the vacant lot just west of Billy's so Billy's virtually became my second home. I could be found there at almost any time of the day or night. The North Bay Marina building became Billy's "Dining Room" and Billy's was a major hangout for lots of kids from Edison. My God! Those years were so exiting and so much fun, always somethin' goin' on. How sweet it was. WBH MEHS 57

Marcel "robby" Robert		09-May-2007 23:20
Hey Suzzanne, My first concert was also Sonny & Cher at the Horse track. We collected monies for Jerry Lewis I thought. I was very young and do not remember the dates or even year. Can you help? Cher farewell was also the last concert I went to. I was born in 54, went to Immaculate, Hialeah jr & Hialeah High. My Dad owned the Gulf station on the corner of east 4 ave and 32nd street. From the early sixties until the Gas crunch took him out. He later owned Blue and White Cab Company and was partners in City Cab. I have many fond memories of growing up 141 east 56th street. We spent lots of time hanging out around Food Fair. I often wonder what happened to all the Americans? Anybody from the old neighborhood out there? Falco's?,Petty's, Potvins, Hess?

Grace Barell		09-May-2007 19:34
The Restaraunt next to Black Angus was The New England Oyster House. My Mom was the Hostess there for years, we ate there every week! Grace (Carralero) Barella

Guest		09-May-2007 17:26
And don't forget the Miami Edison hangout of the late 50's -- Pickin' Chicken at about 89th street and Biscayne Blvd -- where we routinely added laundry detergent to the waterfall, but rarely ever ordered anything but limeade while visiting from car to car.

bob hall		09-May-2007 12:36
Bob -- born 1939 JMH. Graduated Miami Edison 1957. Miami was magic. There were three pizza restaurants that stood out in my mind: The Bottlecap Inn near Opa Locka MCAS; Valenti's on 7th avenue near 11th street, and the very best garlic rolls in the world at Marcella's on Old Dixie Highway in No, Miami. No one mentioned the Pig and Whistle drive-in on 7th avenue that always emanated delightful fried smells as we drove by for downtown shopping. Shorty's was a favorite bbq spot while at UM, and on Fridays we stayed with our beer till they ran us out to bleach the benches. (Before it burned, Shorty had failed to clean the grease from his pollution-reducing afterburner unit on the smokestack. Peter Baljet, the City of Miami environmental director at the time, had to leave town for three days to avoid obscene phone calls). Dr. James A. Vaughn, Jr. saved Bill Haast's life when he was bitten by the Krait, a neurotoxin for which he had not developed immunity. Because he was alergic to horse serum, antivenin was flown in from India via AF jet, but was held in NY customs for five days. Haast was in teetering in a coma till the anitvenin arrived, and is now somewhere on the west coast of Florida still doing his snake thing. There were two Funfairs on 79th street, but the one I liked was on the causeway. Loved those dogs with all the relishes. Royal Castles were to die for, and we always had two or three and a birch beer while awaiting the bus downtown on Miami Avenue after a movie. What about Jahn the Magic Man and Sloppy Joe's pinacoladas? Our Million dollar marble library was torn down to accommodate a Japanese garden. How did that happen? The Vagabonds were a singing/comedy group on Biscayne Blvd near McArthur Causeway, across the street from the Copacabana, and near the original Sears store. The Olympia theater was always a treat on Saturdays with its stage show featuring Les Rhode's orchestra and famous acts, including the Harmonicats. It was all fun, fun, fun, till Uncle Sam took Bobby away in 1963.

Butch		08-May-2007 22:09
I will try not to repeat anything that I have already read on this GREAT WEBSITE! So do you remember? Powerboat races at Pelican harbour years before the Marine stadium. Hialeah speedway. Hurricane Donna. Racial tension at South Dade high school when integration started. South Dade's school flag was the Rebel flag and their football team was the Rebels. The ice rink on 36th street was The Polar Palace. Jumping the fence of loop road, (West end of MIA) to lie down on the end of the runway while jetliners roared over head. Michigan walking man. Alligators everywhere. Mosquitos everywhere. Beautifull Indigo snakes everywhere. No Dadeland, Palmetto expressway, or Dade Jr. College. US1 or "Old Dixie Highway" was only two lanes and never crowded with traffic. Abundant pure clean water. Palmetto High school beating Miami High for the state championship. These are just a few of many fine memories!

Guest		08-May-2007 16:15
Ray B Moved to Hialeah 1959 from Medicne Bow, Wy. Attended N. and S. Hialeah Elem, Filer Jr. High, Hialeah High. Worked for both Eastern Airlines, Ryder Systems and FDOT in Miami. Finally settled in Cutler Ridge. Due to Hurricane Andrew, moved north and finished my career as a state police officer. Loved Miami during the 50-60 as it was a tropical paradise. Married my high school sweet heart and loved my years in South Florida. All my children were born in Hialeah Hospital. Enjoyed Hialeah Race Track and its beauty.

Guest		08-May-2007 02:51
I remember the Black Angus.. wasn't there a seafood restaurant next to it with a wild display? I remember they served Frog Legs there but I can't recall the name of the restaurant. Anyone remember this?

Patti		08-May-2007 02:46
What great memories. I was born and raised in Hialeah, where I still reside some 35 + years later, in the same house. I remember Hialeah Race Track in it's glory days. My parents used to take me there some Sunday's for brunch. I remember THE CHAMP being filmed there and my dad took me down to be an extra in the film. We spent weekends @ Crandon Park when the Zoo used to be there and you could ride the train through it. The water was clear and clean back then and you could pick starfish skeletons right off the beach. I remember Palm Springs Mile and the Woolworths, Fabulous Diamonds and the old movie theatre that was on the corner. I went to HHS (C/O 87) and we all went to Figaro's on 49th Street to celebrate after big games. I have fond memories of dinners with my parents there as well. They used to show old black and white movies of the Three Stooges etc.

Paul T Caple		07-May-2007 19:40
Came to Miami 1943, It was heaven on earth, very safe, Bus sevice was very good fare was 10 tokens for 55cents, eight minute ride to down town. Came Home to Home Stead AFB 1965 after serving in Viet Nam and retired 1966, Went to work for the best air line world over, The great Silver Fleet, EASTERN.

Chick Terrell		07-May-2007 19:00
Chick Terrell- We moved to Miami in 1956. My husband, George, was stationed at Homestead AFB flying B-47's and we lived first in Leisure City and then Cutler Ridge. After the service we stayed there, and George worked for First National Bank of Miami for several years. It was a great place to raise kids in that time. Our son captured snakes with his friends and sold them to the Serpentarium. We picked strawberries and vegetables at the U-Pick fields in Homestead. We later built a home in the Coral Reef area, and were there until Hurricane Andrew hit in 1992. We loved the old days in Miami and clowned in the Orange Bowl Parade every year!

Suzanne		07-May-2007 18:30
Oops, forgot to ask. Anyone remember the Sonny and Cher concert at Hialeah where they came in from a helicopter? I went door to door collecting money for Unicef to get a free ticket for this. It was my first concert ever!

Suzanne Childers		07-May-2007 17:25
I remember being on the Teen Board at Burdine's when I was going to Cutler Ridge Junior High School and having to take the bus downtown by myself. I was 13 or 14 years old and would feel very self conscience walking through the two blocks where the first influx of Cuban immigrants lived. The signs in the windows said, "We Speak Spanish". Our Dad was stationed at Homestead AFB. We got transfered to Kansas in 1960. In 1961, Dad retired and we moved back to Miami. I tell everyone I know what a great place it was to grow up in. This is a wonderful site. Thanks for the memories.

Butch childers		07-May-2007 14:41
This site is great! I agree with others about posting photo's and stories about Hot Shoppes. I met my wife Marlene 38 years ago there on a Friday night. Also does anyone have photo's or stories about the South Beach scene, 1962 through 1965. The pier, the parking lot, holy joe, surfboard house, 5th street gym and so on. On the music scene what about "The Rockin Ramrods" or the Tigers Den South at the Cutler Ridge shopping center. How about drag racing on US1 using both lanes in North Key Largo. I could go on and on and on. Enjoy to all!

Jackie		07-May-2007 14:38
I was born in JMH in 1941, live at 57CT and 3St in my younger years attended Fairlawn Elem. School, then Kinlock and West Miami Jr. High, them moved to Bird Road when it was just a dirt road, many fawn memories of Pizza Palace, Bird Bowl and Sunland Skating Rink. Remember Mr. Bates owned the skating rink, lots of good times. Graduated from Southwest in the first graduating class (59). Love your website, brings back many memories for me and I'm sure lots of other also. Thanks.

carol Hutchens		06-May-2007 20:57
carol - don't forget Frankie's pizza on Bird Rd....best pizza in miami and always put a sample on top of the box to eat on the way home

Guest		04-May-2007 03:31
Guest, what great memories. Born in 1929 and you use to be able to wade from Miami to Miami Beach across Biscayne Bay. Across the bridge at the Miami River in downtown Miami use to be Indian Territory. When the first school was built on the other side of the Miami River, my Mother use to have to take a boat across to get to the school. Does anybody remember the name of the singing group who had the nightclub on Biscayne Blvd uptown. It wasn't the Ink Spots, but I think it was a Black singing group. It was in the late 40's or early 50's./

Rick G		04-May-2007 02:25
Wow -- great site! Now in Oregon. Went to Sunset Elem; Ponce; Gable '67. For Rick Shaw audio see: http://www.reelradio.com/jay/index.html I second the comment about George's Super Subs (especially the U of M). Also College Inn at U of M (George Tatakis). What about the Red Diamond on LeJeune? That was pretty good at its height!

stuart		03-May-2007 11:00
Some of the old haunts still exist,Arbetters hot dogs on bird,Frankies pizza on bird,and the old dinner at allens drug store on bird moved up the street to 65th ave its called picnics

Bea Heath		02-May-2007 22:17
We lived in Hialeah 40's and 50's.We moved from 3rd street to way out in the "boonies" Palm Ave and 37th street. A bus came every hour to take is into town. One of the drivers was named Art and the other was Red. On Thurs night we all went rollar skating until 10 when it closed and Red would wait for us kids to get to the bus stop so he could get us home on the last run. Went to the only school there at the time and after the 9th grade we all scattered to go to high school. I went to Lindsey Hopkins, a block off of Biscayne Blvd, it was also known as Miami Tech.Graduated in 1955. I worked at the Pizza Palace as a car hop in the late 50's before moving away from Miami for good. No one's mentioned the "Frank and Bun" drive in on 79th street so I'll add that to the many others that were posted. It was a great time to be growing up. Thanks for the memories.

VisVis		02-May-2007 21:36
I met Bill Hast in the mid-70s. He used to live in a house at the back of the Serpentarium. His wife claimed to be an Aztec. His daughter upset him because she would drive her Ford GT at 140-150 mph. He tried to sell me the car one day when I was visiting. There was a huge crocodile at the Serpentarium that got loose a couple of times. Check the Herald! There was also the tragic case where it finally killed a little boy who fell over the wall inside where it was housed. There was a big hubbub in the paper but I do not recall any resolution. People were calling for heads on both sides of the aisle.

Cinda (HAYS) Steiner		02-May-2007 21:12
I was raised during the 50s in Coconut Grove, pre Civil Rights. I vividly remember riding the bus to downtown Miami to go to shopping, the blacks were expected to ride in the back of the bus. OH how times have changed! The 60s we moved further west to South Miami, the edge of civilization. Fidsel Castro was in power and the first immigrants were arriving. No Dadeland, no Baptist Hospital, the Falls weren't even a concept yet. Middle school was at South Miami Junior High (now they call them Middle schools). The day John F. Kennedy was killed I was in eighth grade Spanish class. We were all horified and cried like he was our long lost relative. It was at So. Miami Junior that I feel in love, with Herb Stebbins, my first love. He was a muscular guy that was very popular. We dated, platonically, from eigth grade through to our days at Coral Gables Sr. High. So many fond memories of Venetian Pool, Stags parties (fraternity), Saturdays at Jan's Ice Cream Parlor on Miracle Mile, football games at the Orange Bowl. Gables football team was National Champions 2 of the three years, '65-'68, that we went there. Herb went on to be a pilot for Pan Am and later United Airlines. We saw each other at the 20th reunion, briefly, and then again at the age of 48. We caught up on all of the who, where, whats, etc.. Herb, thanks for the great memories! The early 60s they built the Palmetto Expresswat and in the late 60s was Miami Dade Community College, in newly developed Kendall. I met my husband sitting on the sidewalk at Dade. Florida International was built just after that, Primera Casa, on the property that used to be Tamiami Airport. My son just graduated from FIU, now a very reputable University. My parents moved to Kendall in '70s. After graduating from University of Florida, '74, the Florida Turnpike now existed. I was shocked when we, my husband Mel and I, discovered Kendall Lakes. We are married 32 yrs. now and still live west of the turnpike were we work and raised our son, Ansen. Now downtown Miami is going through a MAJOR facelift. I'm thrilled to be part of it, we bought a condo right on Biscayne Blvd. at Marina Blue. I feel like I've seen and done it all, completing a full circle. I'm now 57 yrs. old and have seen Miami change dramatically.

Samy Chabbi		01-May-2007 22:46
The photos are great! I am a realtor in Miami, lived in Miami from 1980 to 82 then 89 till now...I have witness the changes happen to this great melting pot of people and communities...It is great to see how these landmarks evolved. Thank you for sharing! Samy

Paul S Boggs		28-Apr-2007 21:35
Ruth, If I remember correctly the name of the snack stand was Ross Frosty Freeze

Mary		28-Apr-2007 02:46
Thanks for this great site! What a great collection of pix with memories to match! I have held on to those memories and feel I was a very lucky girl to have had Miami High as my alma mater in l963. It was the best of times, and I could never be able to list even a small percentage of them here. Our class of 1000 has about 250 that get together for reunions and we celebrated our 60th bdays together in 2005...we are building more memories now like those that formed the foundation for all of us at MHS. Paley's Big Wheel, Mr. Gallagher's geometry, fountains in court yards throughout MHS, all in a mix that will forever be dear to our Stingaree hearts. "Royal palms stand proudly" indeed. Winning teams, intimidating others even out-of-state. Twice national football champs in our high school years. Brag, brag, brag. Key Biscayne forays, wrapping houses everywhere, Thrill Hill in the Grove. South Beach in those days, too cool on Sunday afternoons. KNOWING we were lucky to be at MHS or to live in such a neat town, pretty area. We were blessed. Hard to duplicate those years for our own kids now but still Miami and its surrounding areas is still one special place. Our spouses may not fully understand the mystique, but we are the people we all are because MHS and Miami was a heaven and haven for us all. Go Stings!

Ruth		26-Apr-2007 15:53
Thanks for the memories! I was born in Miami and after graduating from Miami Jackson/1968 I left for college in Tallahassee and never returned. I was a cheerleader at Miami Jackson and remember the Byron's Dept. store across the street from the school as well as a snack stand which was a very popular hangout for us Generals. Does anybody remember its name? Thanks, again.

Bob and Mary Anne Lee		25-Apr-2007 18:16
Thanks for the photos. We left Miami in 1955 when Bobby joined the Air Force, he retired in 1976 in Hendersonville, N.C. What fun memories we have of growing up there....Edison, St. Mary's. Little River Youth Center, 71st Beach,Col. Jims. Boulevard theater, drag strip near the rock pits, "parking" on the bay, on and on. We have been married 52 years now, come see us. Bobby and Mary Anne "Thornbury" Lee

stuart		25-Apr-2007 10:49
How about photos of the Biltmore Hotel in its heyday and presently And lets not forget Merrychristmas park on lejune and hardee rd and schenley park on Red and devonaire down the street from variety childrens

Guest		25-Apr-2007 01:53
I think the serpent ended up as a mascot at South Miami High School....on miller and sw 67 ave? I think is was storm damaged. Also, many of the concrete sculptures that were scattered around the Dadeland Mall I think are in a park on 57th ave and 88th street. What about the drive-in on south dixie highway south of 120th (where Publix is??) Or the drive-in on coral way at the train tracks?

Guest		24-Apr-2007 19:52
Dear friends: Great site! And as the author of the histories of MIAMI BEACH, CORAL GABLES, MIAMI: The Magic City, SUNNY ISLES BEACH and BOULEVARD OF DREAMS: El Portal, Biscayne Park, Miami Shores and North Miami I was delighted to learn about the site. If any of you have any Miami memorabilia for sale please get in touch as I am now working on the histories of NMB, Ojus and Aventura; Bal Harbour, Bay Harbor Islands, Indian Creek Village and Surfside; and The Curtiss--Bright Cities: Hialeah, Miami Springs. I am in the Miami phone book and would be delighted to hear from any of you. Seth Bramson, "Mr. Miami Memorabilia"

Debbie Rowan		24-Apr-2007 01:10
I was born in Miami in 1953 and went to Kennsington Park Elem then moved to Hialeah around 1965 we lived at 885 W 68 St. Across the canal from Debbie and Pam Robinson. My sister and I both went to PS jr and graduated from HHS. I graduated in 71 and Sandy Withrow in 72. Left FL in 78 to move to St. Louis, I have only been back to visit Miami a twice. Remember the open fields and the missle silo's. My brother in law Danny Noblitt and Sandy now live in Columbia, AL. They used to drive half tracks in the everglades and camp out there. I remembe the "Brick Oven" pizza place by the high school where you could go for lunch.

David Bujold		23-Apr-2007 21:51
Susan said, "Remember eating at the Florida Highway Patrol across the street from Miami Sr. High- great hot dogs". That was my grandmother's place, Sue Short. She was also known for her tasty 'snarl burgers'.

Guest		23-Apr-2007 13:57
The Guy's name at the Serpentarium was Bill Hass.(sp?) My mom, who was a nurse at Variety Childrens Hospital, helped take care of Bill when he would get bitten. I think he was at Variety because of there Iron Lungs used to treat patients.

Guest		22-Apr-2007 01:59
Somebody said the serpent was at Dadeland... actusally, the serpent was at the Serpentarium... run by that guy who would give his blood topeople bitten by snakes as an anti-venom. Smack dab in the middle of the openair Dadeland Mall was a giant mosaic horse fountain. They built the enclosed mall around it. Is it still there?

Guest		22-Apr-2007 01:53
Great job! How about adding a picture of the Shorty's BBQ fire? That was a sad day when that screened place went up in flames... So glad it was rebuilt and still inhabits the samespace in South Miami! Shiver's was awesome too!

Guest		21-Apr-2007 20:36
Forgot about "The Flick", seeing Vince Martin and Dion. If the jasmine dont get you, you know the baybreeze will.

Guest		21-Apr-2007 20:34
How bout Black Caesar's Forge where I believe Westminster is now! Central Stadium where Gables always beat Southwest. I remember when Dadeland was built...it was so far away from everything. I loved the George's Sub shop menu. Best sub I've EVER had!! President, Coral Gables High 1971

Pat Zanger		21-Apr-2007 15:00
How could I have forgotten Jahn's ice cream parlor on Miracle Mile!?! (And their infamous "kitchen sink"!) Or Lile's Pharmacy (with dynamite sodas and real old-fashioned milk shakes)! Going to (and working at) horse shows at the Dinner Key Auditorium. Ye Little Wood and sculptor Al Vrana's studio. Matheson Hammock. Crandon Park. South Beach. All those beach and boating parties! Whoa! You've opened floodgates for my Miami memories! (Been living in Belgium since 1979, way too far from and on the wrong side of the Atlantic Ocean!)

Pat Zanger		21-Apr-2007 14:51
Don Boyd! Thank you so much for posting these (and thanks too, Chris Roberts, for sending them to me!)! I was born in Miami (1947) and lived in Coconut Grove (Royal Palm Ave., very chi-chi now and NOT to my taste!) until I left the U.S. in 1968. Went to Grove Elem., Ponce Jr. and Gables Sr. high schools (class of '65). Used to swim off Dinner Key docks with Sue Vrana (and Chris). Great to see Jimmy's Hurricane but Hot Shoppes on So. Dixie Hwy. was where we "cruised". Get back every few years to visit sister Debbie (class of '67) and mom, now 86, who still live in south Fla. Really miss the old Grove before ("gentrification"). Pat Zanger

Guest		21-Apr-2007 04:19
Fun Fare was on Broward Blvd about the NW 27 th Avenue--Miniture golf was also there.

Don Boyd		21-Apr-2007 03:02
Y'all are posting some really terrific memories of places and activities, places I've forgotten even though I've been there. The memories are as valuable as the photos in my opinion, so please keep them coming. Thanks! Where was the Fun Fare? I remember it but not where it was. Don

Guest		21-Apr-2007 01:06
John Norland High Remember Matheson Hammock or Greynolds Park? War Memorial Auditorium dances, Ace Music in Miami for guitars, Dad's Old Fashioned Rootbeer Plant in Hialeah, Venetian Pool with the caves, Dexters Roller Rink or Skateland on 7th Ave in N. Miami, Joey Dee and the Starlighters on the Causeway, Haulover Beach, 6 cent Royal Crown Cola and a nickel bag of Spanish Peanuts, The Ramblers local band in N. Miami.

linda rovin cooper		20-Apr-2007 22:54
Class of 58...I loved Miami.....it was truly "American Graffiti" at its finest. I remember "borrowing" my parents' convertible when they were out of town and filling it with 10 of my best girlfriends. We would cruise around on Miami Beach flirting with guys, hang out at Fun Fare for hot dogs and burgers. And how about as younger kids...Saturday matinees at the Tower and Parkway theaters where we would watch the serials every week. Do we all remember the hurricane parties bunking in with several close families? How about May Day festivals at Coral Way elementary and in first grade when we would all lie down in the grassy courtyard for our afternoon naps. Remember when the Redlands was a whole day trip away to the country. And of course one of the most nostalgic was Venetian Pool. There are so many wonderful memories, but let's not forget to make new ones as well.

David		20-Apr-2007 21:36
Miami Senior High '51. My Gold Standard for Prime Rib has been the old King Arthur's Court on NW 36th Street across from MIA. Have found nothing to come near it anywhere in the country.

Tom Briggs		19-Apr-2007 17:30
Great gallery, Don ... and altho not from Miami, many of the photos take me back a lonnnnnngggggg way .. particularly the songs from the mid-'50's ... thanx for sharing.

rtis Whitney		18-Apr-2007 21:20
Curtis Whitney Miami Edison '59, Horace Mann Jr., and Miami Shores Elem. Thanks for the memories. Yeah, Kaare, Kellie's was Billie's all the time I was around, and we spent a lot of Friday and Saturday nights cruising through. Memories - Great football games between the big four at the Orange Bowl, esp. Edison vs Miami High on Thanksgiving, water skiing on N. Biscayne Bay, beaching at 83rd st, and Haulover Park, sailing at Coconut grove sailing school, Peckers Point across from Pelican harbor on 79th Causeway, El Portel dances on Sat. night, Rosetta, Boulevard, Miami Shores, and Little River Theaters, 79th st Drive-In, and listening to WQAM. (BTW the link should be changed, just go to 560.com). My best to every oldie ... too bad we can't go back!

Guest		18-Apr-2007 20:55
I was born and raised in Miami and was lucky enough to live there when it was one of the greatest cities in the United States. The memories are endless. Someone mentioned Senn's 5 and 10. Used to go there as a little girl. And old Coconut Grove. Remember everyone gathering at Slums? (Lums) You'd go there and eat french fries after walking around the park and checking out all the hippies. I lived near Old Cutler Road and Coral Reef Drive. Great neighborhood. I love Miami and always will. Too bad it's so different now. But the memories are always there. How about Jahns on Miracle Mile in Coral Gables. The old bus station in the Gables. And yes the big serpent in Dadeland Mall. I'll come back with more memories as I think of them. Thanks for putting this wonderful page together. I will share with other "Miamians". I'm in Naples now, but still go back whenever I can.

Jerry Ford		16-Apr-2007 20:19
I was born in Coconut Grove,, 3238 Virginia St.,, 1946__ Grew up there,, CGSC was our meeting and hangout point. Sailing, swimming, diving, football, the park for all kinds of sports,, Dinner Key,, Gordon's Bait and Tackle, Santana Marine,, fishing off the sea wall where Scotty's is now,, lots of friends are still in the Grove,, including me. I knew/know Christian Roberts,, but Cai Svendsen, Peter Branning, and myself are all still here (I just moved back from living in Italy for the past 30 years). We all hang out at the CastleHarbor Boating School that has moved to Matheson Hammock Park Marina................... come on down and sail with us.

Guest		16-Apr-2007 19:36
These old Miami photos are wonderful. I especially like the photo of Jimmy's Hurricane. If anyone has a photo of Hot Shoppes on Dixie Highway as it was in the 60's & 70's I will pay cash money for a copy or a scan. Chevys Rule! Frank Smathers Santa Clarita, CA Gables High '61-64

Christian Roberts		16-Apr-2007 17:01
We grew up living on a large sailboat(Calypso Queen) down in Coconut Grove's, Dinner Key Marina. Went to Coconut Grove Elem., Ponce Jr and graduated from Gables Hight in 65. After school all the kids who lived at the Marina would race home, jump into their bathing suits and hit the water or go sailing. Some weekend's our parents would take the ships and sail down to Elliots Key. We'd drop anchor and go look for Florida lobsters, or grouper for dinner. My best friend Pete and I would skin dive till we were prunes. Thanks for taking me down memory lane with these great photos.

Phyllis Eadie Leone		16-Apr-2007 15:58
It certainly is a small world. Like Bill Eades, I went to Highland Park Elementary and Robert E. Lee Jr. High. From there, however, I went to Miami Jackson -- Class of 1965. I recall Bill's last name because it is so similar to my maiden name -- Eadie. Thanks for this site. It brings back lots of wonderful Miami memories.

Bill Eades		16-Apr-2007 05:57
Enjoyed your sight, I moved Miami in 1949. I went to Highland Park Elem, Robert E. Lee Jr, and Miami High where I played Football, after the Military I became a Police Officer in Miami. If anyone has contact with Linda McFerson Miami Jackson High Class of "62" have her contact me. Thanks, Bill Eades

Kaare		15-Apr-2007 19:26
Fantastic! I grew up in Miami after coming here from Denmark as a kid. Went to Ediso, class of '55. Wonderful pictures. But, that picture of Kelly's Drive In, I have a picture of that when it was Billie's. Kaare

Carol Dring Squitieri		15-Apr-2007 16:30
From Carol, 1952 graduate, MSH Yes, I remember the Olmphia Theater, Flagler St. Downtown Miami. My father played in the orchestra (the theater offered films and live entertainment) The price of admission on Sat. am was one Pepsi bottle cap. Looking forward to the reunion on May 3-6 God bless you all for all the hard work putting this together.

Guest		15-Apr-2007 00:48
Anyone remember the Big Wheel drive in off Coral Way? How about the "fill in" down in Coconut Grove. Going to the Olymphia Theater downtown Miami to see the stage shows? Born in Miami, now in CA.

Guest		14-Apr-2007 15:20
Hi...I'm Rhonda's sister and I also grew up in Miami...the one place I'd like to mention in addition to Rhonda's memories was my favorite hangout place -- Hot Shoppes. It was THE place to be on Friday nights...cruising around and around and around looking for the cutest guys!! And, their steak and cheese sandwiches and hot fudge cake were the absolute best ever!!! Wendi.

Guest		14-Apr-2007 04:24
I moved away from Miami ten years ago to Lake Mary, Florida. I still think about Miami a lot. In my younger days, I worked for Dade County. My family lived in Westchester, but I hung out all over Miami. When my family first moved to Miami from Cleveland in 1964, their biggest thrill was taking a ride to Miami Beach just to ride down Collins Avenue and then maybe stop at Dubrow's or Wolfie's for a piece of cheesecake. I loved going to see shows at the Fountainbleau, Eden Rock, Deauville or hang out at the Castaways. Another great area to hang out was around the airport. Miami Springs was the hottest area when Eastern Airlines was based there and the best bars were around there. My family used to dine at such great places such as The Dahla Horse, Tylers, Bertram's, Corky's on Miracle Mile, but the best chinese food was China Maid on Bird Road. Boy, those were the days!! Rhonda

Susan		12-Apr-2007 19:16
Susan 1970 Remember eating at the Florida Highway Patrol across the street from Miami Sr. High- great hot dogs. Sonny's had great hamburgers. What about the free concerts outside Miami Beach Auditorium. Stoned Cowboy and Jerry Jeff Walker concerts.

Bill Parks		12-Apr-2007 03:09
Myrna from Miami High Class of 1970! Flagettes? I remember you. You were a real looker, bet you still are. I think Policeman's Park (PBA) is still on NW 14 Street

Myrna		12-Apr-2007 01:52
MHS'70, Marietta GA now...forever a city/beach mouse! How about policeman's park kiddie rides. Bicycling to Kensington Park ES, watching manatees in canal on way. Deck tennis at Citrus Grove MS. Santana at UofM. Coral Castle! Sailing. Flying piper from homestead avocado grove. Great site, thanks.

Guest		13-Mar-2007 22:49
Marilyn, try speaking to Bob Perry at the Blue Note Records on ne 15 ave and 163 st..across from the "new and improved" 163 st mall. Bob Perry, the owner, was a record promoter and knows a great deal about jazz and soul albums. He even has a jazz vinyls annex in a warehouse down ne 164 st and by the tracks. Awesome, albeit downsized, store, if you've never been over there. Love that place!

Marilyn Treihart		07-Mar-2007 01:24
I have been trying to find a copy of a song by Myrna March titled "I Can't Say No" and I am having no luck. It was recorded in 1963 on Roulette Label and produced by Leiber and Stoller. Can anybody help me?

Alfred		06-Mar-2007 21:14
We came here in 1960 from Cuba. After we got a little settled, we would go to Toby's on Mother's Day. There was Woolworth's in the Mile and the Army/Navy on 8th Street, and Zayre and Jefferson's and Richard's where we could shop for ugly brown and tan 70's stuff. Wayne Farris and Ralph Renick competed for the local news audience. Toby the Robot and the Sunday Funnies, Scrubby and Skipper Chuck, and Bozo were our Nickelodium. From the bus terminal in Coral Gables we could go anywhere -- from Venetian pool to Parkway Drugs on Coral Way (official Duncan YoYo outlet). The arch on Tamiami Trail was ideal for target practice and pinging. The Franklin 3-7 phone line was dialed from clunky black phones. Later we would go to Chippy's on Miracle Mile and get the new Nik Nik's at ChessKing or Noname and platform shoes at Eppy & Eppy.

Guest		06-Mar-2007 05:35
I was born at JMH in 1957 and grew up in Hialeah near Palm Springs Elementary, I remember all the troops going through our neighborhood during the Cuban Missle Crisis on their way to Amelia Earheart Field, we used to play in the area south of Opa Locka Field where the military had bunkers, I remember all the Hawk missle bases around the area. I went to pre school in Miami springs at Beavers Kiddie College, the 2 bridges into Miami Springs were the coolest bridges, one swiveled and the other raised the road up. As a kid we used to play at O'Quinn park, there was a burger joint on Red Road called Burger Boy, I remember the only shopping center on 49th St. was at the corner of Red Road and 49th. St., and everything west of that was cow pasture, my parents owned a restaurant across the street from Hialeah Race track next to the railroad tracks and Stanley Penn & sons feed warehouse, I used to play with the owners son in there climbing on the bales of hay for the racetrack, Carl F slade funeral home ran the ambulance service with there dark purple ambulances. I remember when they built the Palmetto Expressway and it was 2 lanes in each direction. Some other things people didn't bring up, like the Seashore pickle factory, there used to be a White Castle on 163rd. St.west of the 163st. mall, The Youth Fair used to be held on Kendall Drive, there was a boy scout camp next to the dog track at the end of south beach right near the jetty and government cut. We used to go camping when I was a boy scout at Turkey Point Nuclear plant, there was a boys and girls camp, we used to canoe over the the girls camp site, I too grew up on Royal Castle burgers, I remember getting a box of 6 burgers and a root beer, (my grandfather used to call it the RC steakhouse). My grandfather owned 2 hardware store on SW 8th St. (West Miami Hardware), he used to take me to St. Clairs Cafeteria for lunch and I had the Banjo Billy special, Banjo Billy had a show on Channel 10, Skipper Chuck was on 4, and Charlie Folds and Toby the Robot was on channel 7, every kid in south florida probably got on those shows like me, I used to love watching MT Graves on Saturdays on Channel 7, he would show horror films. When I was going into 5th. grade my family moved to south miami, There was nothing on Kendall Drive after 97th. Ave. except for U-pick farms, there was a county cemetary off 97th. Ave north of Kendall, and the juvenile detention place and a school for handicapped kids. I'll post more next time.

Angie Tamburino		22-Feb-2007 14:46
I've got tears in my eyes. I left Miami right after Hurricane Andrew. I lived there for 30 years. I remember ALL of this. The one that got me was the smell from the Holsom Bakery. Every Saturday, Mom took us to the beach. I couldn't wait to drive by the bakery. I had a birthday party at the amusement park at Crandon. I saw Van Halen in the Hollywood Spoto about 10 times! Jimmy Buffet at the Marine Stadium. I could go on. THANKS!

Sharon		09-Aug-2006 03:28
The Hungry Hound resturant. I just thought of it.

Sharon		09-Aug-2006 02:28
How many people remember Ron Mahan's Fish Camp in Tavenier, FL (My Dad's) How about Craft's Store on Dixie Hwy and around 120th St (I worked there) Or the Hound Dog (I think that's the name) hot dog resturant across the street from Craft's? Or Senn's 5 and 10 store in the South Dixie Shopping Center (I think that's the name) ( worked there too) How about the serpent fountain int he middle of Dadeland mall? Great Fun

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