Older Comments Gallery - August 1 thru December 31, 2008 - closed to new comments - click on image to view Photo Gallery by Don Boyd at pbase.com

Older Comments Gallery - August 1 thru December 31, 2008 - closed to new comments - click on image to view

This gallery contains all the comments that were made from August 1st, 2008 through December 31st, 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 after 12/31/08 because they will be deleted. Please add your new comments to the NEW Comments gallery starting on 1/1/09. Thank you.

Comments 8/1/08 through 12/31/08

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jackie cipriano		09-Mar-2012 02:08
i am one of brad bradford's daughter who was the animal dealer way back then, we grew up in miami, and hialeah, yes this was the best times of our lives way back in miami, it was really great, 27th ave going to howard johnson for a clam sandwich, going to allapha. for the movies and jackson high, going to miami springs bike riding these were the best times, going downtown miami to see the parades these were go great. never forget them.

Don Boyd		01-Jan-2009 03:00
This comment gallery is NOW CLOSED to all new comments. It is now 2009 in Universal Time which is what PBase uses to timestamp the comments. New comments posted here will be deleted. Please post all new comments in the NEW comments gallery for 2009. Thanks, and Happy New Year! Don

Leighton		01-Jan-2009 01:31
If I travel to France, I'm going to speak English, because A), I know most people in France speak it, and B), I don't speak French. I hate the Ugly American syndrome as much as anybody, but as long as people can communicate, I don't care what language they're speaking. I haven't lived in Miami since 1985, but even then, people were yowling about the language issue, although I never had a problem. I now live in San Antonio, with a large number of Mexican Nationals visiting/moving in (not that many immigrants, however, believe it or not). Nationals tend to speak Spanish, but I really don't care. SA is 70% Hispanic, but the majority are American born, so language usually isn't an issue, ultimately. Considering that so many Americans have zero command of the English language themselves, I don't mind the Spanish sometimes...I don't have to listen to the horrendous grammar mistakes (and I'm referring to the NATIVE Americans).

charlis		31-Dec-2008 22:46
Ray, when the early Cubans arrived... late 50's-early 60's, from my experience... the "rule" was to learn English... as respect for the country that adopted you. At the Cuban Club the rule was that if a non-spanish speaking person was present... you had to speak English... out of respect and politeness. When I was in Miami in the late 80's and again a few years ago... if you did not speak Spanish... "expletive deleted". A good friend/coworker was one of the children in the "Angel Flights". He can not stand what Miami has become... his words "American unfriendly". Many friends, who were the original arrivals have moved away a long time ago... Even they were not being "respected" by the newer arrivals. I was born in France but have lived all but the first 9 months of my life in the USA. I finally got back to France in the late 80's. Almost all of the French people speak English... part of their schooling since WWII... on that trip the other American adults thought the French were rude to them. They, the Americans, were actually the rude ones. They got mad because I was treated with respect. I used what French I could remember. In the other countries we visited, I used the language of the country to ask for certain things. I was respected because I repected them. Here is something really funny... the other day I was listening to someone at work. He was talking to someone about making our webpage bi-lingual. I heard the guy say something about BabalFish. I did a translation of the page, using Babal... you could not believe the mistakes!

Arizona Al		31-Dec-2008 15:05
Ray Fernandez: Aprendi el Espanol cuando era un joven en Miami (1960-1964). Mis amigos Cubanos me aprendi la lengua y la recuerdo a dia hoy. Asi no era problema por mio porque tuvi amigos Cubanos y aprendi su lengua y ellos aprendien la lengua mio cuando eran joventudes. Excusa me por favor porque se me olvidio un poco como conjugar los verbos..LOL Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Con vida y bien en Phoenix, Arizona

Ray Fernandez		31-Dec-2008 13:43
As one of the Cubans who live now in Miami, I think that the comments about being an outcast if you don't speak Spanish are balderdash --"basura" in Spanish, by the way. Although some people do admittedly struggle to speak English due to a lack of tact and/or education, an extremely high percentage of younger Cubans such as myself (I'm 58) do speak English fluently and in fact use English as their main language (except when cursing, which always sounds more dramatic in Spanish.) Miami is a vibrant and energetic community and the current inhabitants are indeed lucky to have settled here, no matter where they came from, be it from the North or South, and no matter either if they came 5, 10, or 100 years ago. Ray

Don Boyd		31-Dec-2008 04:52
Not a problem Charles, I'm having those moments too, but if I left your comment there then my comment about not posting in there would get pushed down out of view. Someone else would comment on top of yours and so it goes and we'd end up with a bunch of comments in there eventually and there's already comments all over the place. Plus, not many people would have seen your comment under the image instead of in here. Don

Charles Knight		30-Dec-2008 21:50
Ahh...Aother senior moment...

Don Boyd		30-Dec-2008 15:57
You posted it under the image where it says not to post at least two times instead of here in this gallery where the comments go. Sorry. Don

Charles Knight		30-Dec-2008 15:41
HiDon, my last comment is gone...What's up?

LARGO		26-Dec-2008 05:37
OOPS!...I JUST MISSED...ANYWAY...MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL...ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL DAY IN ST. AUGUSTINE...ESPECIALLY WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND YUMMY FOOD...UMMMMM!.......AND TO GET A JUMP ON THE FOLLOWING GREETING....HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009!...........LARGO

Arizona Al		26-Dec-2008 00:58
Don: He came and gave me exactly what I wanted!! I got a Daisy Red Ryder Carbine BB Gun! Of course my wife hollared "You will shoot your eye out!!" Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and looking for unattended neighborhood cats and dogs in Phoenix, Arizona

Don Boyd		25-Dec-2008 23:34
Thanks Parks, it was a very good day and I hope that you and everyone else had the same. After church last night we drove down US 1 from Miami Shores to SE 26th Street to show my visiting mother-in-law how many high rises there are now, particularly east of the Boulevard from 36th Street south. Now that a lot of them are lit up at night it was pretty amazing to see. We also saw the relocated lit up Coppertone girl and dog sign facing northbound on Biscayne and 73rd Street - gorgeous! Alan, did Santa come and you're still playing with your new toys? Or did he skip your place this year because of your Ridge Rat antics continuing? : ) Santa didn't bring Jo-Anne K's pictures as anticipated. What a bummer! Don

Arizona Al		25-Dec-2008 12:31
Merry Christmas to All from Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and waiting for Santa's arrival in Phoenix, Arizona

Parks		25-Dec-2008 06:45
Merry Christmas everyone. Don, thanks for all your hard work.

Don Boyd		25-Dec-2008 06:23
Merry Christmas to everyone! Thanks for visiting the site throughout the year and for posting your memories here and all over the place in numerous galleries and under countless images. A new comments gallery should appear on January 1st so we can archive this one while the size is still reasonable. Don

Leighton		25-Dec-2008 02:33
Thanks - I am quite aware that it was up for a while - I just needed the short cut. That's why I asked. Thanks. And none of the homes in the Gables compared to the extreme that was the Abraham home, believe me.

Miami River Rat		25-Dec-2008 00:23
Christmas in Miami: I remember as a small child, my grandmother would get me and my sister up to go to midnight church. It was usually cold, to us creatures of the tropics at least, and the stars always seemed to be extra bright on Christmas Eve night. Maybe because we were seldom up that late? Anyway, it's a fond memory of earlier years in Miami. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

charlis		24-Dec-2008 23:40
Happy Holidays to everyone. here is a great link for your kids, your grand kid, or the 'kid in you".... to track Santa on his route. http://www.noradsanta.org/en/home.html

Roberta Perry Hughes		24-Dec-2008 09:44
Most of the homes in the Gables were decorated for the holidays. All were just beautiful!! For those who celebrate this particular season, MERRY CHRISTMAS & ALL GOOD WISHES FOR THE COMING YEAR...!!!

Jackie		24-Dec-2008 05:08
No Christmas light expedition was complete without a trip to the Abraham house and the Holsum Bakery display.

Don Boyd		24-Dec-2008 05:01
Anthony Abraham's massive Christmas lights display is mentioned in the "Steve McDonald's memories of old Coral Gables" gallery which has been up on this site for a year now: "Steve McDonald's memories of Christmas lights in the Gables and auto dealerships in Dade County" "The massive (overpowering) Christmas lighted homes were on South Alhambra just west of Granada. Anthony Abraham, the Chevrolet dealer, started it with his "$100,000" lights on his house and in his yard for Christmas." "Across South Alhambra from Abraham was Jim Cerniglia who decided that a little competition was good for the neighborhood, so he did his own thing with extraordinary Christmas lights. Cerniglia also had a small gauge train that would ride small kids around his yard." Don

Miami Girl		23-Dec-2008 21:59
Leighton: Yes, I think you're correct - according to my memory it was the house of Anthony Abraham (the Chevrolet Dealership man).

Don Boyd		23-Dec-2008 17:09
Photos added recently: a couple of old Tyler restaurant images from postcards (restaurants gallery), several old Hialeah and Miami Springs photos from old Home News editions contributed by Fred Swick (Hialeah gallery), and several photos of the Historical Flight Foundation's restored Eastern Air Lines DC-7B at the Open House last Sunday at Opa-locka Executive Airport (Aviation gallery, Eastern sub-gallery). Don

Leighton		23-Dec-2008 16:14
Folks, to save me some time...I'm visiting my parents in TN, and we started talking about that huge home "holiday" display in the Gables in the 60s/70s. Was it the Abraham family, or something? I know it was discussed last year, but I'm too crazed to look. Thanks. (I imagine that the neighbors HATED it - we once walked three blocks after parking.)

Arizona Al		21-Dec-2008 16:12
Roberta: Shalom Alachem. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive and well but not Jewish in Phoenix, Arizona

Roberta Perry Hughes		21-Dec-2008 08:21
Wishing a heartfelt Happy Hannukah, to all of our Posters who celebrate this wonderful holiday!! (Wish I were celebrating with you, to partake of the delicious food!! I LOVE knishes, latkes, & mahtzoh, & the pastries, too!!) L'Chaim!!

Arizona Al		19-Dec-2008 00:06
Jo-Anne K: It has allready moved out (4:30pm 12/18/08) and none predicted through the weekend. You should be fine..Alan Ogus, Ph.D.

Jo-Anne K		18-Dec-2008 20:01
AZ Al I was worried about that storm coming in. I have a flight to Phoenix early Saturday morning (6AM from Durango) and then on to Charlotte, NC and finally home. The NWS has missed all of their predictions for the last four days!

Arizona Al		18-Dec-2008 13:52
Jo-Anne K: Intermittant rain due to a Pacific storm from California. Temps in the mid to high 50s. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and marveling at the liquid 2H20 molecules as they uncharistically fall from the sky in Phoenix, Arizona

Jo-Anne K		17-Dec-2008 19:03
Arizona Al..... Just wondering how the weather is in Phoenix today?

Arizona Al		16-Dec-2008 03:04
Roberta: I am certain that I experienced a "rain out night" at the Dixie Drive In circa 1962-1964 but the truth be known I was too inebreiated to remember. I had my spell of antisocial and delinquent behavior between the age of 14 and 18 but 3 years with my good old Uncle Sam at age 18 cured me of my affliction. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and remembering the good old days of chugging a six pack of Colt 45 Malt Likker in the back seat of a 1953 Buick at the Dixie Drive In

Miami Girl		15-Dec-2008 23:25
Roberta: To be honest, as a teenager at the drive-in, if it was raining I either don't remember or didn't notice because who of us actually watched the whole movie anyway with the windows all steamed up! I do remember those coils that were suppose to smoke out the mosquitoes!

Miami River Rat		15-Dec-2008 20:16
Ok, Roberta. Maybe this Spring for the horse riding and dinner. Rainouts: For long years I kept a paper napkin that had all sorts of girlie makeup smeared on it. I'd written "The night we got rained on at Hialeah Speedway" on the bottom of it. One day my first wife came across that little bit of memorabilia and got rid of it for me. There followed a typical round of uh, GRIPING from her. I remember one time a bunch of us boys and girls were sitting on the wooden benches in front of the concession stand at the Tropicaire drive-in. Came a downpour and about 10 of us had to pile into a '52 Ford. The experience wasn't all bad. (heh)

Roberta Perry Hughes		15-Dec-2008 19:28
Miami River Rat...Sorry about the confusion, with MiamiGirl...the hour was late...! Anyway...! The invitation is extended to you & yours...perhaps this Spring, or Summer, weather permitting...? Meanwhile, y'all...! Tell me all about your rained-out Drive-In movie night...! I know it must have happened to at least one of you Posters on here...! So, dish...!

Miami Girl		15-Dec-2008 17:30
Roberta: It wasMiami River Rat who lives close to you. Wish I could make it down there, I'd be as big as a barn. Meanwhile I'll have to sit here and eat salad!

Roberta Perry Hughes		15-Dec-2008 02:49
MiamiGirl...Shoulda been here for supper, tonight! I seasoned a pork roast, & did a slow-roast in my buffet oven, had squash & Vidalia onions, green beans, pork dressing, with au jus gravy on top, & chilled sliced cranberry sauce. No time to make up the biscuits, however. We figured the dressing was "bread" enough! Email me your address, & we'll plan for y'all to come for a weekend, when the weather is nicer, & y'all can go riding, & I'll have dinner ready by the time you get back. Lewis would love to have some riders, believe me! Anyone going to come back at me, with memories of a rained-out night at the Drive-In movie...?? C.mon!! It had to have happened to you, at one time or another??

whitebelt		15-Dec-2008 02:48
Speaking of chicken. Anyone remember the Georgia Pan Fried chicken place on NW 27 ave and 95 St across from Stephen's Van Terminal? That was good chicken.

Miami River Rat		15-Dec-2008 01:49
Roberta! Dang, Girl! She wrote; "Southern fried chicken (NOT KFC's!), mashed (real) potatoes, with chicken gravy, green beans, squash & onions, broccoli & cheese casserole, & big, hot fluffy buttermilk biscuits, with real butter, washed down with a tall glass of iced sugar-sweetened tea, & for dessert, a big ol' slice of Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese icing...!! Or, Red Velvet Cake..." When are you serving? I'm not all that far away, just about 40 miles west of Columbus, Georgia, in East Alabama. I didn't know y'all had horses too. I could trailer a couple of horses over there and the rest of us could take a trail ride while you cook up that dinner you typed above. Just ring a big "dinnuh bell" when you've got it ready and we'll come a-gallopin' to the dinner table..

Arizona Al		14-Dec-2008 21:40
Roberta: If you are interested in a fantastic publication covering Arizona I suggest you explore Arizona Highways. It is a monthly periodical that contains stories and magnificent photograps of the beauty and splendor of the State of Arizona...Curses I sound like clean cut a P.R. executive..nothing could be further from the truth:) Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and extolling the virtues of his adoptive State of Arizona

Arizona Al		14-Dec-2008 21:32
Miami Girl: You knew most all of the Ridge Rats circa 1960-1964.We got our arses kicked a few times for our misbehavior but came out on top most of the time. We had an ongoing rivalry with some guys from Southwest High (we all went to Palmetto) called the BRS (Bird Road Stompers) and had more than one "interaction" usually at Hot Shoppes, Pizza Palace or Paley's Big Wheel. Ah how I pine for the days of my delinquent youth. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well despite the inequeties and vicissitudes of his youth currently age 63 and residing in Phoenix, Arizona

Miami Girl		14-Dec-2008 21:16
Roberta: Did you HAVE to talk about all that wonderful artery clogging food? I think eating it once a week is a good thing - we all have to die of something.

Miami Girl		14-Dec-2008 21:14
AZ Al: I cannot believe AXEL GREASE in a condom!!! You all are so lucky you didn't get the s*** kicked out of you. But I guess it wouldn't have been the first time. I've always heard "what goes around, comes around" - I can remember walking the streets of the Ridge with about 5 or 6 of us stretched out across the road then giving the finger to those drivers who had the nerve to honk at us! I've been paid back more than once. A time or two I've rolled up right behind them and laid on the horn with hopes of scaring them -- they barely move!! I don't know what's going to become of the kids these days -- OMG I sound like an old fart. Remember our mantra: NEVER TRUST ANYONE OVER THIRTY??

Roberta Perry Hughes		14-Dec-2008 20:05
whitebelt...We used to subscribe to New Mexico magazine, because we were in awe of how beautiful it is there. I miss that periodical, too! Found the ad for the magazine in one of Lewis' Western Horseman magazines. We subscribed for 2 or 3 years. I was impressed with the Navajo's hogan dwellings, the way the rooms radiate around the perimeter of the dwelling, from a central heat source/great room. Just looked so very cozy! You live in a gorgeous state, to be sure, as does Alan. The Southwest area is an artist's playground, to be sure! Did Dixie Drive-In have a section of outdoor seats, near their concessions area, where you could opt to watch the movie in a theater-type area? They had one at Tropicaire Drive-In, & we tried sitting there, once, but it wasn't comfortable, & it could be noisy, from those who streamed in & out of the concessions area on a regular basis, taking kids to the restroom, mostly, & chattering all the while. The night air made us shiver, & those seats were hard, & uncushioned, due to being exposed to the elements. But it was supposed to have been a convenience, for a carload of folks to be able to see the screen, & too, to have a closer access to the restrooms, & the refreshments. Y'all remember ever going to the Drive-In, & a dense downpour would come over, that you knew wasn't going to let up, & it obscured the screen? The many rows of cars all cranked up, in unison, to leave, en masse, their family night/date night ruined. It was a traffic jam, & a cacophony, of disappointedly cranky crying kids, & impatiently honking horns, at the hands of ticked-off teenage boys, whose night of steaming-up-the-windows with his girlfriend was rudely interrupted, & also, from the hands of the head-of-the-household, whose much looked forward to family night out, ended so abruptly, his admission money for a carload being all for naught. We were entertained, however, by the various makes & models of cars, & by recognizing the entire families of school mates, or neighbors. It was interesting to note, that, there, on the very back row, would be a car or two that wasn't a part of the mass exodus from the parking lot. We kids were totally clueless, as to why the occupants of those cars were in no hurry to leave, though it was raining cats & dogs. How very innocent we were!

Charles Knight		14-Dec-2008 20:01
Don, you're correct about the location of the LeJeune Drive In. The last movie I saw there as a kid was a re run of Easy Rider.

whitebelt		14-Dec-2008 19:22
The LeJuene drive in was on the east side of LeJeune. I think it was Luby or some other dealer just south of it. That was a long time ago. Remember that dealer or one next to it had an old 1935 Chevy with leather interior for $950 back in the mid 60's. Bunch of wimps whining about the cold. We are having a late starting winter. Snowed the first time a few days ago. Has been in the 20's at night for a month or so. But the air is dry here and MUCH more comfortable than down south in the winter. The sun is warm. The best kept secret about New Mexico is its mild weather.

Arizona Al		14-Dec-2008 16:26
Roberta: Actually we are having a serious cold spell and it is getting down to the high 60s during the day and into the 50s at night..BRRRRR!:) Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and getting out the arctic parka, ear muffs, and wool gloves in Phoenix, Arizona

Arizona Al		14-Dec-2008 16:22
I recall many a hot summer night circa 1962-1964 at the Dixie Drive In watching a movie until we Ridge Rats drank enough beer to get too drunk to watch let alone remember what was showing. A fellow Ridge Rat had a 1953 Buick and we could fit 6 Ridge Rats in the massive trunk and sneak in for a freebee show. We never got busted as I recall. One night, however, we all got bounced out for a water baloon fight with a car parked next to us. We "cheated" by using Trojan Condoms and filling them up with water. Our ace in the hole was a fellow Ridge Rat named Steve Wetzel whose father ran Shorty Wetzel's Service Station on Old Cutler Road and we filled up a few condoms with 90 weight axle grease. That is how we got busted and kicked out:) Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well and looking for a Drive-In Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona

Roberta Perry Hughes		14-Dec-2008 06:40
MiamiGirl..."Getting old...???" I have "done got...!" LOL. If "you're only as old as you feel" is true, I'm most certainly ancient, to be sure!! They had an operating Drive-In theater, in Swainsboro, GA, a few years back, but by the time I expressed an interest in going there, it had closed, dontcha know...! Swainsboro is about 24 miles from here. It's where the nearest..."Chinese Grocery, Hardware, Dry Goods, & Garden Center" is located...(aka, "Super Wal-Mart.") Eating "healthy" is all well & good, but I think that, at least once-a-month (or, once-a-week, if you are "healthy" enough) one should be allowed to, say, eat "Paula Deen" food...e.g., Southern fried chicken (NOT KFC's!), mashed (real) potatoes, with chicken gravy, green beans, squash & onions, broccoli & cheese casserole, & big, hot fluffy buttermilk biscuits, with real butter, washed down with a tall glass of iced sugar-sweetened tea, & for dessert, a big ol' slice of Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese icing...!! Or, Red Velvet Cake...or a slice of Chess Pie...!!! OR...! Indulge in a fresh hot cheese burger, from Hardee's, with hot, salted French fries, swirled in ketchup, washed down with a thick chocolate shake...!!! OR...! How about a large hot, fresh pizza, from a good Pizza Parlor, topped with pepperoni, ground beef, bell peppers, Italian sausage, & mushrooms, served with an ice cold frosted pitcher of beer, such as Ice House, or Bud Ice...??? If not a full meal, then at least, once-in-a-blue-moon, allow yourself that Movie Popcorn, you know? Or, just a cheeseburger & a Diet Coke, or a personal pan pizza & a salad...!!! Shoot fire, folks!! Life's too short NOT to indulge yourself, in moderation, of course, for a (hopefully!) guilt-free treat. I don't see where the harm would be, if you reserved it for a special occasion, you know?? It's cold-as-a-witch's-tit-in-a-brass-bra, tonight. In the 20's. Overhead central heat kicks in, at intervals, & we've got the faucets a-drippin', in-house, & got spigots wrapped outside. I'm sure Lewis will have to bust the ice from the horses' water troughs, come break-up. (Alright, Alan...! I can feel you smirkin' from where I sit!) Stay comfortable, y'all. Be well. Hugs to all...!!

Fran		14-Dec-2008 06:19
We celebrated our wedding rehearsal dinner at the Marriott. Our's was the first to be held there, July of 1972. The dinner was beautiful, good food, just picked the wrong guy. :)

Don Boyd		14-Dec-2008 03:48
And didn't they build the airport Marriott where the LeJeune Drive-In used to be located? Don

whitebelt		14-Dec-2008 00:49
I have fond memories of the Lejeune Drive-in by the airport. They had these long swings we swung on before the movies started. Mosquito foggers and repellant were necessary items back then.

Miami Girl		13-Dec-2008 22:48
Roberta, my Dad bought a blue Ford Galaxie, don't remember the year but think it was around '57. Before that we had a '54 Lincoln - totally cool because it had power windows! Those days a car rarely lasted more than 5 years, if they did they looked totally outdated. Remember how we could tell the make, model and year of a car in a second? Since we lived in Cutler Ridge The Dixie Drive-in was where we went most of the time but occasionally went to the Tropicaire as teenagers . Before my teen years my Mom took girlfriends and I to see her favorite movie "Gone With the Wind" when I was about 12, I then read it about 7 times (totally had it "up to here" after that and the movie is so "dated"). But it instilled in me a fascination with Civil War history. Always thought I wanted to live in Atlanta -- I've since changed my mind, it's way too big. I'll leave my teen years experiences at the drive-in to another day -- maybe never. We actually still have a drive-in up here in Rome, NY (this area is like a time capsule), the problem is it's only open in the summer and the movies don't start till 9:30!! Unless it's a very special occasion, I'm not going out anywhere that late so have never been there! Our son takes the grandkids there when they visit - nostalgic for him too. God, I'm gettin' old!

Parks		13-Dec-2008 22:17
Hi Roberta, I too have fond memories of the Tropicare Drive In. My best memorie of a drive in took place at one a little further south on US1. I took my girl friend there. I remember it was a double feature, To Sir With Love and Gorgie Girl. Funny I don't remember much about the movies. My Dad usually bought Plymouths. Once he bought a Mini Cooper Delivery Van for our store. I remember it had little arms that stuck out to the side when you signaled for a turn. Remember hand signals for turning? When was the last time you did that? The secret to movie theater pop corn is to use coconut oil to pop it in. Unfortunately according to the food nazi's it's very bad for you so my wife won't let me have any.

whitebelt		13-Dec-2008 19:34
No, Alan, I live a little ways north of Santa Fe, NM. I was stationed at Ft Huachuca for a couple of years 30 years ago. Not sure if this will post. They seem not to go through sometimes.

Arizona Al		13-Dec-2008 19:24
Whitebelt: Are you in Arizona? Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well and living in Phoenix, Arizona since 1995.

Roberta Perry Hughes		13-Dec-2008 10:53
Parks...! Daddy took us to see "Strategic Air Command" at Tropicaire Drive-In, up on Bird Road! I was around 8 years old, at the time, but I remember the movie, & everything about the Drive-In: hot pistachios; fresh hot corn dogs; jujubes; & the best popcorn in the world, scooped into a large box. Wow! Wish I had some, right now!! We were in our brand new 1955 two-tone green Oldsmobile 88, a 4-door hardtop, or sedan. Gorgeous car!! But later, it was surpassed by our 1958 Olds, in salmon pink & eggshell. Daddy bought his cars at Cooper Oldsmobile, in Miami. Ours was the only Oldsmobile on our block. How I loved those 2 cars!! What was y'alls family car?? We also went to see "Bombers B-52," & "The Purple Plain," at Tropicaire. First movie I ever saw there was "To Hell and Back," with Audie Murphy. That huge outdoor screen really made the action in the films an awesome sight! Sometimes, even frightening, for young children. (like I was). I miss Drive-Ins, don't y'all? Beats an indoor theater, to be sure! It was such an invigorating experience, for the senses, to go to the Drive-In...! (this memory is from a young child's point of view, not that of a teenager's). One of my favorite war movies is "A Guy Named Joe." I also liked the movie about Pappy Boyington's squadron (forgot the title), & of course, "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo." We watched a lot of "old" movies on TV, in Miami, either on "Movie Seven," or on "Midday Movie." One was on Channel 7, & the other was on WTVJ, Channel 4. Loved the "Gable-Tracy Theater," & saw just about every film those two amazing actors starred in. Also, most of John Wayne's films. I know the TV stations have changed, over-the-years, but I always hold WTVJ dear to my heart, as a big part of my personal Old Miami Memories, & also, Channel 7's "The Dungeon." Who didn't just adore M.T. Graves???

Parks		13-Dec-2008 08:23
Don, Thanks for the link to the Airline call signs. Some of those are pretty strange. Ray, Wow! is right. If you zoom in you can easily identify aircraft types. Some of those should be in museums not the scrap yard. It was sad to see all those busted up B-52's. I remember seeing them fly out of Homestead Airbase when it was a SAC base. My vote for the best aviation film, Strategic Air Command with Jimmy Stewart.

Ray		13-Dec-2008 02:41
I looked up Davis-Monthan AFB in AZ using google maps. WOW. Just scroll around and see a LOT of history. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Davis-Monthan+AFB&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=34.945679,79.101563&ie=UTF8&ll=32.155505,-110.830851&spn=0.009119,0.019312&t=h&z=16

whitebelt		12-Dec-2008 20:59
I believe Davis-Monthan AFB in AZ was the scrap heap of old military planes. Lot to be said for the desert air. Lots of old cars out here that aren't rusted.

Roberta Perry Hughes		12-Dec-2008 20:13
P.S., Dr. Ogus...I'm totally jealous, of your weather.

Roberta Perry Hughes		12-Dec-2008 20:11
Arizona Alan...Here's a thought...take some photos of that sight that you mention below, send it to Don, maybe, & perhaps, he would add it to the Aviation Gallery, so we Posters can see it for ourselves...? I, for one, would like to see it, as I'm the one who raised the question on here about what becomes of the unwanted planes. I did know about a scrapyard in NC, however, that also chopped up our wonderful no-longer-needed (?) battleships & aircraft carriers. Saw that on PBS, when the Gov't. de-commissioned a former WWII battleship, that had been resurrected for use in the Gulf War. It was very emotional, & I cried, watching it.

whitebelt		12-Dec-2008 14:28
I seem to recall the northeast part of the airport was the scrap capital of Super Constellations and other prop planes for a while.

Arizona Al		12-Dec-2008 10:37
Don: I have taken several cyclerides to Tucson and frequently stop at the Pinal Air Park off of I-10 and am always awestruk by the literal miles and miles of old aircraft parked and sitting in the desert sun waiting for demolition. It is truly a mind boggling surreal visual panaroma. If any of the usual or casual bloggers ever come to Arizona I recommend a visit to the Pinal Air Park. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive well and enjoying the mid 70s temperature in Phoenix, Arizona

Don Boyd		12-Dec-2008 04:11
Thanks Roberta, I appreciate your comments. To answer your previous question, all of Pan Am's aircraft were sold off to other airlines or returned to their leasing company owners. When an aircraft runs out of airframe time, or if it is uneconomical to spend a fortune giving it a D-check due to it being a fuel guzzler, they are retired and either sit in the desert (Marana, Goodyear, Pinal Air Park and others out west) or they are flown somewhere to be scrapped and chopped. MIA used to see a lot of aircraft chopped for a time in the 80's. Opa-locka Airport still has an outfit or two scrapping aircraft and has seen quite a few chopped there after every salable item is removed from from the aircraft. There are a few other scrapyards in the US that do it, one notably at Greenwood, MS, and another in North Carolina. Parks - sorry for the delay but there is a list of airline radio call signs at http://www.airodyssey.net/reference/airlines.html - after the name of the airline is their call sign and they can't be duplicated. Pan Am did use "Clipper", Air Florida used "Palm", British uses "Speedbird" and there are others in the past I can't remember right now and I can't seem to locate an old list on the net. Of the major US pax carriers, US Airways uses "Cactus" (which was America West's callsign prior to buying US and keeping the US name) and the others simply use their airline name. Don

Leighton		12-Dec-2008 00:13
I don't think anyone was questioning that.

Roberta Perry Hughes		11-Dec-2008 08:22
Hi ya, Don!! Great to see that we're up 'n runnin' again!! Thanks, for the heads up!! Will check out the Galleries, come break-up, to view your changes there. Many thanks, for all you do on here! I absolutely adore this Site, & read it everyday, & I truly respect & appreciate you, & stand by you, a million-gazillion per cent! Looking forward to posting some more memories on here, in the future!

Parks		10-Dec-2008 03:49
Don, Thank you for posting Capt. Pyle's story of the last Pan Am flight. It's still hard to beleive Pan Am is gone. On the subject of airlines, air traffic controllers used to call Pan Am's planes "Clipper" followed by their flight number. I think they called the Concord "Speedbird"and Air Florida flights "Palm". How did that get started? Do you remember any of the others? Do they still do that?

Charles Knight		09-Dec-2008 12:54
Leighton...Perhaps we too feel a bit put out by the parameters recently incorporated. That has certainly slowed my involvement (in either section).

Leighton		09-Dec-2008 02:28
Thanks, Jeff, AGAIN, I was using a current example, and applying it to the past, as a possible explanation. I fully understand the intention of this site, as I've added plenty of memories/thoughts, myself. My comment was NOT exclusively about contemporary advertising. Good grief. It's not as if people don't speak often about their current, personal lives in here, and I wasn't even intending to do that. People discuss contemporary Florida authors, for example. I was not alive in the 1950s, but have experienced a similar advertising situation, as arose with the Coppertone discussion. It was a totally legitimate observation. I'm not a person who posts in here with abandon. I hate rambling. The past leads to the present, and current experiences/subjects can be applied to nostalgia in a productive manner, at times. Anyway, I'm think I'll stick to that new room that Don created, even though my age group isn't talking yet. YIKES!

Miami River Rat		09-Dec-2008 01:01
I think the coolest animated neon sign was the one Roberta mentioned below, for the Screwball Bar. I'm pretty sure it was located on NW 27th avenue, somewhere north of 20th street. That one got shot out by a girl with a BB gun one night around 1957. She hit that sign from all the way across the four-lane road. But that would be a complete new story, for another time....

Jeff		08-Dec-2008 21:09
Leighton... I think you misread what Don wrote... He wasn't saying that he didn't give two hoots about YOU... he was referring to not caring about current or "modern" advertising, graphics, etc. He's just trying to keep this site focused on Miami Memorabilia. Please don't take a personal offense to his words! For example: If I said I just went to a concert held at "X" location to see the current version of the Temptations, it would be useless fodder and small talk. A true "Miami Memory" would be saying I saw the original Temptations at the Harlem Square Club in 1964, or such like that. I hope you haven't yet signed off, for everyone is welcome on here... even when Don occasionally disagrees with something posted. Regarding the Johnnie Walker billboard: I'm glad Miami had one... I vividly remember the one in Times Square in New York... and loved to watch the mechanical cutout of Johnnie "stroll in place" on the billboard...

Roberta Perry Hughes		08-Dec-2008 20:36
Is Fisk Tires still in business? If so, I sure would like to see that billboard restored, like they've done with the Coppertone sign. I think it (Fisk Tires) was my favorite billboard, & favorite neon signs were the one for the Fox Tavern, & the one for the Screwball Lounge.

Roberta Perry Hughes		08-Dec-2008 20:33
Don...What becomes of all of the planes (trains, large sea-going vessels, etc.) whenever they are retired, or out-of-business, or whatever? How are they removed from (wherever) their "last hurrah" occured? Just curious.

Leighton		08-Dec-2008 18:10
By "new," I was referring to the late 50s, when it was said that the sign was made. As opposed to the original ad campaign, from the early 50s. I was using my situation as an example, to show how the industry standard can involve more than one talent. It was merely a supposition, as suppositions seem rampant in here. I'm sorry to hear that you don't give two hoots about your visitors. And, yes, items are often discussed in an extended fashion, as more people come on the site. The girl's name,as the model, had been discussed days ago. Anyway, apparently only a selected few are allowed to state definitives in here. Sorry to have intruded on the party. It was nice, for eighteen months, while it lasted. Thanks.

whitebelt		08-Dec-2008 14:04
I have vague memories of the Coppertone billboard being around the airport, as well as the Johnny Walker. I seem to remember a change in the look of the little girl in the late 60's.

Don Boyd		08-Dec-2008 09:11
Leighton - if the Coppertone girl issue had been cleared up as you say we sure wouldn't be discussing it again. I believe that most people are interested in the original model for a product, especially if the newly relocated Coppertone sign was based on that model and that sign was on display years before the ad was re-created by another artist and model. I personally couldn't give two hoots about new artists, new talent and subsequent models for a product, especially on a site dedicated to old Miami memories. If this were a site for current graphic design firms then the majority of the audience would be interested in that "new" stuff. New photo added: an image of mine from 1991 showing the last Pan Am flight in the world arriving at MIA (aviation gallery, Pan Am sub-gallery). It also has an interesting article below the photo written by Captain Mark S. Pyle, the captain of the last flight. Parks - I remember that Johnny Walker animated billboard that you mention but can't remember exactly where it was. Those animated billboards surely caught the eyes of many, especially kids. Don

Leighton		07-Dec-2008 22:35
And, as I mentioned, ad campaigns are often spruced up, and new artists can bring in new talent. Our small graphic design company is reworking/updating a fifty-year-old logo for a regional restaurant. We have a new model for the female "iconic" image. It will look very similar (per the client's request), but another person can now claim she modeled for it. The original died recently at 80+. Anyway, a few had cleared up the Coppertone confusion, I thought, a while back.

Parks		06-Dec-2008 06:23
On the subject of animated signs, does anyone remember the Johnnie Walker sign that was on the side of a building near where the Coppertone Girl was? Johnnie would walk with his top hat, cane and boots.

Jeff		06-Dec-2008 04:56
Sorry for taking so long to respond as I've been a bit busy... Don, I stand corrected on the "late 50's" gaff of mine. In truth, I couldn't recall which part of the decade the Tally Embry Advertising Agency did the campaign so I "erred on the side of caution"... Thanks to all who pointed this out - for this is how I learn as well! However, one thing is for certain... it all comes back to the Tally Embry Advertising Agency, as I said it was the child of one of its employees... and since Don wrote "Tally's daughter confirming that Pete Porter was Tally's in-house artist, I'm leaning towards Robin Porter being the original model at this point" backs up what I told you. My good friend, the late Al Eckhardt of Allied Signs did a lot of work for Tally Embry Ford, and he was familiar with the agency as well. It was he who told me of their connection to the Coppertone Girl. So... in a way, Don... we have put the subject to rest... at least for a while!

Roberta Perry Hughes		06-Dec-2008 00:40
Vic Damone sang the jingle, on an ad on TV... "Tan, don't burn! Get a Coppertone tan!"

Miami River Rat		05-Dec-2008 23:22
I can contribute but a little to the Coppertone question. I dropped out of high school and joined the military in 1959. The ad with the girl and dog was up long before 1959, but exactly where it was and when it was first put up is beyond my recollection.

charlis		05-Dec-2008 23:03
Don and Al... thank you for confirming that the age of the Brand baby, claimed to have been 3 at the time in 1959, could not be true as she was 5-6. If the early 50's date is true, then the story and pics that I was shown would put the age of the child that I knew, as a teen... would be correct. As I said, I have seen the original artwork. The mother of the child was a teacher at Beach High... but that was over 40 years ago.

Don Boyd		05-Dec-2008 22:39
Thanks Al for confirming that you saw it too long before 1959. We moved to west Hialeah from NE Miami in 1957 at age 9, almost 10, and I know that billboard was there before then, especially because of the traffic circle on Biscayne which was kind of unique for Miami at the time. Someday a photo of that traffic circle and the billboard may show up on this site. There is a photo of the Sears tower and the traffic circle athttp://www.pbase.com/donboyd/image/80794422 but it's facing the wrong direction and was probably taken from where the billboard was in the next decade. Don

Arizona Al		05-Dec-2008 22:25
Don, Jeff ,et. alli: I do not know the validated history of the Coppertone Girl and Dog ad but I can validate that the billboard that Don mentions was on Biscayne Boulevard in 1955. I know the date because I recall my age (10 years old) in 1955 and several family trips along Biscayne Boulevard when I was 10 and was "mesmerized" by the dog pulling down the girl's bathing suit bottom to expose her white skin. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona and fondly recalling the Coppertone Ad from 53 years ago

Guest		05-Dec-2008 21:49
After viewing the link of the aging beauties, it seems like the only one who has allowed herself to just age naturally is Brigitte Bardot

Roberta Perry Hughes		05-Dec-2008 21:24
Re: the Gerber baby...I read where it was a composite work done by an artist, who used the photos of several babies, & took the best features from each one. In my state, many have claimed to be the model for Little Miss Sunbeam, & though, years after her debut on bread wrappers, there was a talented child actress, who was chosen to represent Little Miss Sunbeam for publicity purposes. The actual painting was done by an artist who observed a beautiful blond little girl, with big blue eyes, with her hair done up in curls, as she was playing in the Park. (See Quality Bakers of America, or, type in Little Miss Sunbeam, for the history of this advertising icon). The images appeared on billboards across the U.S., & the original paintings hang in the main offices of Quality Bakers of America.

Don Boyd		05-Dec-2008 20:33
I don't think it's settled at all, Jeff. You state that the girl and dog ad campaign was created by Tally Embry in the late 1950's. The problem with your statement is that others say it was in the early 50's, 1953 specifically, and I tend to go along with that because of the Coppertone billboard with the girl and motorized dog that faced northwest at the traffic circle on Biscayne Boulevard that was just south of the Sears on Biscayne. I think (but I'm not 100% positive) that billboard with the girl and dog was there years before 1959 because I used to look at it every time we went to downtown from either the El Portal or Hialeah area. Apparently the traffic circle on Biscayne was removed in 1959 and the Coppertone girl and dog were moved to the side of the Parkleigh House at that time where they remained until the hotel was torn down in 1992. The girl and dog were relocated to Flagler Street until the recent move to 73rd and Biscayne as described in the Herald story that I posted the link to a couple of days ago. Tally Embry's daughter confirmed in her comment that they did the ad (but not when) and that Pete Porter was Tally's artist. Robin Porter is four years younger than me and would have been 2 or 3 in 1953 when the ORIGINAL ad was created, not the Joyce Ballentyne Brand RE-creation of the ad in 1959, long after the Coppertone girl and dog were being displayed on billboards. With all the unrelated posters writing in to say that they saw the original artwork in the Porter home, and with Tally's daughter confirming that Pete Porter was Tally's in-house artist, I'm leaning towards Robin Porter being the original model at this point. And if the girl and dog displayed at the new location are the original girl and dog (created years before 1959) then the girl was Robin Porter and not Joyce Ballentyne Brand's re-creation with her daughter as the model in 1959. But who knows what additional information is out there that none of us are privy to? Wikipedia is only as good as what people post on there and I don't trust it because of previous problems with historical inaccuracies regarding airports in this county. Don

Leighton		05-Dec-2008 19:32
Advertising being what it is, there were probably several revisions of the logo over the years, resulting in additional claims by artists, who possibly used "stand-ins" for redesigns? This sort of thing does, indeed, happen all the time. There are some great graphic design sites out there, which some interesting histories of popular logos. It's amazing how muddled things get...well, maybe not so surprising, being that everyone wants to grab a piece of the pie. Anyway, I had always heard that stupid Jodie Foster rumor growing up, as to her being the model. The Internet just ads to the confusion, as usual. Unfortunately, there are some really lazy media reporters who propagate a lot of this mess. (The origin of the MLB-National League logo is interesting - the wrong designer received credit officially for over thirty years. Great online story about that. Also, it took years to get the "smiley face" creation settled.)

Jeff		05-Dec-2008 16:29
Once again, I hope to settle the "Coppertone Girl Debate". The ad campaign was created by the Tally Embry Advertisting Agency in the late 1950's. This is the same Tally Embry who also had Embry-Riddle Aviation and Tally Embry Ford (a/k/a J.D. Ball Ford/Aldo Ford/Metro Ford). Reasonable sources lead me to believe that it was the daughter of one of the agency's personnel that was used as the model for the "Coppertone Girl". This ad campaign replaced the former logo for Plough's Coppertone line: A side portrait of an Indian chief decked out in feathered headdress and the phrase "Don't Be A Paleface". The tag line was kept, but the Indian made way for the little girl and her dog. However, people being as they are... MANY will claim to be, have been or "personally know" that little girl... because obscured history is harder to prove than detailed history. Look at the "Gerber Baby"... Urban rumors had everyone and their uncle [including Humphrey Bogart as the child who modeled for the portrait, but a number of years ago, the woman (now a senior) was introduced to the world on a TV show. She'd actually shunned the limelight all of those years...

Don Boyd		05-Dec-2008 05:16
Ray, thehttp://www.560.com site has been touted galore and hot-linked under the WQAM images in the radio stations gallery for over two years now, since September 2006, when I added the images to this site. Charlis, there are numerous claims and opinions as to exactly who the Coppertone lass is, with a lot of folks saying it was Robin Porter from Hialeah. See the comments in these galleries:http://www.pbase.com/donboyd/memories_ads_old2 andhttp://www.pbase.com/donboyd/image/77098090 There's an interesting site athttp://photos.tmz.com/galleries/more_old_school_babes#21865 that has old photos of female movie stars back in the good old days immediately followed by current photos of them and what their age is now. I would say most of those ladies have spent a fortune to look as young as they do now and be in their 60's, 70's and 80's. Don

Ray		05-Dec-2008 02:16
charlis, about WQAM and Ronnie Grant, I found a great WQAM site. Awesome domain name too... 560.com. His picture is here: http://www.560.com/dj_group_photos.htm Also, for equal time, check out Pat Appleson's web site with pictures of the 2007 WFUN Reunion: http://www.appleson.com/WFUN%20Reunion%20Main.htm Trivia question I'll make up on the spot... what sound followed the name 'Bwanna Johnny'? Another subject... a few years ago there was a place on NW 27 Ave at 92 St. that sold lots of used 'stuff'. Like a big junk yard, but maybe a bit better. It was in what looked like an old car dealership building from the 1960s. It had lots of Miami memorabilia, but on the large side. I think they also bought out stuff from hotels. I remember some old neon signs, things like that. Some prop people would go there to get stuff for movies. But I went by one day and it was empty. Anyone know where all that stuff went?

charlis		05-Dec-2008 00:15
Don, thanks for the link... I have ties to the Coppertone baby. A teacher a Beach showed me pics....someone in her family was the baby in the ads. Claims of a Cheri Brand say that she was the baby, but if you do the math, it is impossible... this person, and her mother, claim the pic used was of a 3 year old at the time... Cheri is now 52... 2008 minus 1959 comes out to 47... Cheri was 5 years old at the time... not 3. Also, the teacher knew the creator of Coppertone.

Don Boyd		04-Dec-2008 08:03
Wednesday's Herald had an article about the 35-foot tall Coppertone girl and dog sign being restored and reinstalled on the side of a building at Biscayne Boulevard and 73rd Street. The sign was previously on the side of a building on Flagler Street and from 1959 until 1992 it was on the side of the Parkleigh building. The new sign has LED lights inside it instead of neon tubes. The link to the story is at:http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/796876.html Hooray, they finally saved something historical in this town. Jo-Anne K: I can't wait..... Don

Charles Knight		04-Dec-2008 06:22
Hi Fred, do you know my step-father Art Sidelinker? He's living on the Suwanee river now. Yes he did work at Bertram's then Norseman, and ultimately, Tamiami marine. He's still got an old Chris Craft docked next to his house. If you know him then you know he raced Ski Class at the Marine Stadium, man that was fun!

Parks		04-Dec-2008 03:49
Hi Fred, I don't know why I didn't think to ask you about the Disco Volante. If the movie makers were working with Allied Marine that explains how the little submarines from the movie ended up there. Do you know what happened to them or to the Disco?

Fred D.		04-Dec-2008 01:24
Parks, River Rat and other aquatic readers, In the early days of Offshore Powerboat Racing Allied Marine, as well as Bertram's, Forest Johnson's Prowler (where Art Sidelinker worked), and Atlantic Marine Boatyard were still building with wood. One of Allied's raceboats, powered by aluminiun 6-71 turbo-charged Detroit Diesels, was named Allied GX. This was one of the camera boats for the filming of PT-109. Disco Volante was brought to the yard to be mated with the cocoon, which was built of plywood. Fairing was added to the hull of the hydrofoil to give the illusion of one vessel when coupled together. Sure was a great time to be selling boat supplies. PT-109 was filmed at what was then called 'Sheriff's Island', after it's owner back then. Now it is Little Palm Island. In the 60's it was fun to go bottle hunting on Sheriff's and crawl around the remains of the movie set.

charlis		03-Dec-2008 00:36
Don, thank you for the post about WQAM. It got me thinking about another DJ there, Ronnie Grant. I did a google and was led back to your site which showed soe posts about an old band that people confused the name. A member of the band posted the correction and a link to another great site about the old bands in Miami... I knew the poster... worked with him and the band. Thanks again.

Jo-Anne K		02-Dec-2008 14:30
I've already decided what old pic I'm going to send.....it was taken at Flamingo Groves in Davie in 68 or 69 and then there is one taken at the Seminole Indian Village in Hollywood in 72 before the casino, both are So FL landmarks. As for the new pic I've got the scarf picked out.

Don Boyd		02-Dec-2008 06:02
New photos added. Fred Swick, formerly of Miami and Hialeah, sent me a mid-1960's WQAM Oldies but Goodies 33 1/3 record album as a contribution and I scanned the album cover front and back. I also cropped out the photos and bios for disc jockeys Lee Sherwood, Ted Clark, Jim Dunlap, Charlie Murdock, Rick Shaw and Jack Sorbi and make individual images for each (Music, Radio Stations, Music Groups gallery). Jo-Anne K: thanks! Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		02-Dec-2008 05:18
Leighton...One of my many faults--(besides getting my exercise jumping to conclusions)--is going on-the-defensive. Been guilty of it all my life. Old habits are hard to break. I've found that it is magnified whenever I'm not feeling well. Please...just overlook me.

Leighton		01-Dec-2008 23:48
I wasn't arguing - I was commenting. I wasn't making a big deal, just letting you know the online "standard."

Roberta Perry Hughes		01-Dec-2008 23:33
Well...!! Ex-squeeze me...!! Was unaware of the FYI you pointed out to me, but...! At least, I didn't reveal the whys & wherefors, of the plot, nor did I reveal the culprit. As I stated previously, there is still a lot more to the plot than I "let slip" on my earlier posting. Rent it, y'all...or...not...! No big deal, either way. 'Tis much ado about nothing, to argue the point, for either side. Stay warm, folks; be well. I'm nursing a very vicious case of otis media, aka: ear ache. Hope you-all are well, & feeling good. I sure "ain't"...!!

Leighton		01-Dec-2008 15:17
I've learned never to read reviews, or the back of DVD covers. My biggest gripe is the reveal of a twist ending. It's no longer a surprise, if I know about it coming. I worked in the industry (and still do, sometimes), but there are a lot of recent films I haven't had the chance to see.

Leighton		01-Dec-2008 15:09
It's just an online courtesy - practiced on most sites. FYI

Jo-Anne K		01-Dec-2008 14:52
I'm flying home for the holidays on 12/20, I can't promise an old pic with a scarf but I will send a before and 35 years after.

Roberta Perry Hughes		01-Dec-2008 05:21
Leighton...I issued no "spoiler alert," as the movie premiered in 2005, & I figure, anyone who wanted to go see it, in the theater, did, & those who wanted to rent it, either did, or didn't, & that Posters on here would probably want to rent it, now, due to the Miami link, via that hotel...or else they are a fan of one of the actors in it. I bought it because Colin Firth is in it, & he turned in a fine performance...but then, he's a classically trained actor, & is very good at his craft, & I collect his movies. If I "spoiled" the movie for anyone, it was not my intent. Folks were listing movies on here that were filmed in Miami, or nearby, & I figured, no one knew about this Colin Firth/Kevin Bacon film, or they'd have listed it, surely. The movie is based on a novel by the multi-talented Rupert Holmes, of the "Pina Colada" song, aka, "Escape," for a bit of added trivia. I think he also wrote the screen play. (?) It's worth checking it out, as there's a lot more to the plot, of this intriguing "whodunnit" than I've revealed.

Parks		01-Dec-2008 04:02
Hi Rat, Don't hold me to the statement that the S. River Drive bridge was the original 27 ave bridge but I'm prety sure it was. Our expert historical researcher Jeff will find out for us I'm sure. Do you remember that to open the bridge the tender used to have to walk out onto the bridge? He would throw a big lever on each side of the bridge and then control the opening from out on the bridge. They have it fixed now so he can do everything from inside the tenders house now.

Miami River Rat		01-Dec-2008 01:55
Parks: Thanks for the info on that bridge. It was about a 10 minute bicycle ride from my boyhood home. As kids, we called it "The Swivel Bridge". One bridge tender that ran it was a friendly guy. Sometimes when there was no car or truck traffic he'd let us sit on our bikes, on the bridge, and give us rides. Yep, he'd open and close the bridge for us even when no boat traffic was coming! The canal under the bridge was narrow, and at certain times the water flow under it was very fast. It was a challenge for a row boat, canoe or underpowered small craft to go through there without mis-hap. This was at the South River Drive location. I didn't know this bridge used to be at 27th avenue, that was before my memory.

Leighton		30-Nov-2008 16:30
I'm glad I've already seen "Where the Truth Lies," being that there was no "spoiler alert." I found it interesting, but weak...particularly Alison Lohman' s performance. One of the map sites - Google - has the "street view" option. You can explore many streets at eye level, and the shots are recent. I can see my childhood home - wow, have they ruined it. Took down EVERY tree - mangos, palms, key lime, etc. Some areas are almost exactly the same, though, forty years later. One of the other sites has sky views, but they are several years old.

Parks		29-Nov-2008 23:57
A little piece of Miami history of about to become history, sort of. The swinging bridge on South River Drive will soon be replaced by a more modern bridge. If I remember correctly, this was the original 27th Avenue bridge and it was moved to South River Drive when a newer bridge was built at 27 ave. That second 27th Avenue bridge has now been replaced with a third and higher bridge. The beautiful Art Deco bridge tenders house from the second bridge was moved to the sidewalk in front of the Wolfsonian Museum on Miami Beach. The little swing bridge still soldiers on. The Dept. of Transportation had public hearings about this bridge and they said it would be moved to a park near the river and 22 avenue. I don't think it will still swing but it's nice to know they will save it.

Roberta Perry Hughes		29-Nov-2008 22:24
Hey, y'all!! It rained where I was, in Ft. Valley. GA, & we had a wet trip home. No place like home, your own bed, pillow, etc. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...!! Will sleep good tonight, I'm sure! A recent movie, "Where the Truth Lies," starring Colin Firth & Kevin Bacon, was supposed to be in a Miami hotel, at one point in the film, where they were entertainers ina Martin/Lewis type act, for a telethon held there, & a female employee of the hotel was murdered in their room, but her body was shipped to a hotel in N.J. inside a case of iced lobsters, in order to cover up the crime. The Miami hotel was supposedly The Royal Palm, I think, to which one of the characters returned, to commit suicide, when he knew the truth was going to be revealed. It is a well-acted movie. Character actor, Maury Chaykin, portrays a N.J. hotel owning mobster in it. Be careful, everyone, out & about shopping for the upcoming holiday season. Protect yourselves from identity theft, & from pick-pockets.

LARGO		29-Nov-2008 17:44
OOPS!!!!....I MEANT 'IMDb SITE'.........STILL FEELING VERY FULL...IN ST. AUGUSTINE...LARGO

LARGO		29-Nov-2008 17:39
WITH SOME OF YOU POSTERS TRIPPING DOWN MEMORY LANE IN THE OLD TV/MOVIES ISLES...I WENT INTO THE 'IMBd' SITE TYPED IN MY DADS NAME (curiosity) : CLIFFORD H. POLAND JR....AND INTERESTLY ENOUGH THEY HAVE LISTED, OFF TO THE LEFT...UNDER 'AMAZON' [PRODUCTS BY CLIFFORD H. POLAND JR.]...WITH DVD LISTINGS OF SOME OF THE SERIES/MOVIES HE WORKED ON. THIS HAS BEEN RECENT...SINCE HE PASSED THIS PAST APRIL......S.A.(POLAND) LARGO

Don Boyd		29-Nov-2008 08:04
Not exactly, it all depends on JoAnne-K's wishes which I will abide by. : ) Don

Miami River Rat		29-Nov-2008 01:40
By Don Boyd: "Jo-Anne K, that's great news - send me a pic for my Christmas present will ya? My imagination is running wild now." Um, yes! And Don, when you get that pic you're going to post it and tell us where to look, right? RIGHT??

charlis		28-Nov-2008 21:02
Don... I have gotten to the age where the only thing that gets exercised is the right hand to write out the check for my daughter to go do the shopping for my grandsons... she likes to shop! I have a suggestion that everyone will have fun with... a Christmas in Miami site where you can post pics of how the area was decorated for the holiday, and we can share memories... like my first xmas there. Very few decorations on Miami Beach as it was also Channuka! All the decs were blue and white, and I had no idea what Channuka was! How Coral Gables was so decorated that the lines of cars were miles longs to see a certain area.

Don Boyd		28-Nov-2008 18:07
I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving feast and are now walking off the calories at the huge sales in the stores. Alvin Lederer contributed a large 1930's image of the Miami Air Guide depicting the airports in Dade County at the time, including the Hialeah Airport (54th Street Flying Field), Coral Gables Flying Field, etc. (aviation gallery, Opa-locka Airport sub-gallery, other airports sub-gallery and Miami Municipal/Master's Field sub-gallery). Don

Arizona Al		27-Nov-2008 14:31
HAPPY THANKSGIVINGTO ALL BLOGGERS AND READERS. Alan ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and enjoying an uncharateristic rain shower on Thanksgiving Day in Phoenix, Arizona

Don Boyd		27-Nov-2008 02:14
Jo-Anne K, that's great news - send me a pic for my Christmas present will ya? My imagination is running wild now. Don

Jackie		27-Nov-2008 01:58
Ditto that, Charlis!! We are living ina Fall/Christmas limbo up here, and I find it most comfusing. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

charlis		26-Nov-2008 22:12
Happy thanksgiving to all... and remember, NO xmas decorations until Santa is seen on 5th Av. ;-)

charlis		26-Nov-2008 22:11
leighton... thanks for the correction. I meant video taping.

Jo-Anne K		26-Nov-2008 19:05
I was just checking out the link that Ray provided for the pics of the Golden Sands on N. Surf Rd., Hollywood Beach and was reminded of Las Brisas at 600 N. Surf Road.......totally amazing food. I had heard that they might be moving and I have no idea where but if anyone gets the chance and likes food with an Argentinian flair you need to check it out. I'm always thinking about good food since I haven't had any here in Colorado yet. Happy Thanksgiving to All!!!! Hey Don......just for giggles the scarf still works.....no tablecloth yet.

Leighton		26-Nov-2008 03:11
The behind-the-scenes, "making of" documentation by studios goes back to the 40s, if not 30s. However, as mentioned on IMDB, "The Bellboy" did introduce (to an extent), the video assist technique, meant as a tool for filmmakers on the set. Wikipedia states: "During production, Lewis developed the technique of using video cameras and multiple closed circuit monitors, allowing him to view scenes while he was filming them, which allowed him to review his performance instantly. Later, he incorporated videotape, and as more portable and affordable equipment became available, this technique would become an industry standard known as video assist." This is not to be confused with "behind-the-scenes" footage.

charlis		25-Nov-2008 23:51
TCM and "Hole in the Head"... dang it! missed it. Hope they show it again soon.

charlis		25-Nov-2008 23:49
"The Bell Boy"... the filming of that movie created something that is still used today... Jerry filmed the filming of the film. Now we know were all the "out takes" and other scenes come from when "getting the inside info" on old and new movies.

Leighton		25-Nov-2008 05:47
MRR, I've always wanted to see "Wind" - not sure if TCM has it on the playlist.

Miami River Rat		25-Nov-2008 03:54
South Florida movies: Did any of you see "Wind Across the Everglades"? Released in 1959, it was filmed in and around Everglades City. The story was about the famous outlaw of the Ten Thousand Islands, E.J. "Ed" Watson. I supplied the snakes they used in several of the scenes. Brad Bradford, an animal dealer from Miami got that deal for me, and Brad had a small part in the movie. Totch Brown, the lady from Smallwood's store, and the indian Corey Osceola were some other local people I knew that had something to do with that movie. I got to see in person, if not actually meet, Burl Ives, Gypsy Rose Lee and the clown Emmett Kelly. My grandpa and I went to see the movie when it opened in Miami. I thought it was kinda' cool, but he said they should re-name it "Stink Across the Everglades". Anyway, I see IMDb has a link, so here it is:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052395/ As far as the questions about yacht repair businesses on the Miami River, I was gone from there by the 1970's, and 80's when those movies were made. Certainly, Merrill-Stevens along with some of the other ship yards mentioned could do just about anything that needed doing along the yacht/boat building lines. It seems like for about two miles downriver from the 27th avenue bridge it was one yard after another. Big dry-docks and facilities to do it all. Anyone remember the Friday night dances they used to have for teenagers at Policeman' Park, in the PBA lodge there? That was on NW River Drive, about 25th avenue. The park was right across the street from the river. I bet I'm the only guy who ever took a girl to that dance in a rowboat! So, yeah, we could have walked the six blocks to the dance, but Susan thought going in my rowboat would be more fun and who was I to argue?

Parks		25-Nov-2008 03:34
Charles, I don't think that the Disco Volante was built in Miami but I'd bet the back end, refered to as the "cacoon" was. One reference I found says the Disco was brought to Miami from Puerto Rico to be modified. Another reference says the cocoon was built "on set". I bet they mean a Miami boat yard. I still can't find reference to it after it left Watson Island.

Ray		25-Nov-2008 02:18
I thought I would start a list of movies that were filmed in Miami or at least South Florida. Maybe this could be the start of a new page here. I've included links to IMDB so you can read more about the movie. Here are some mentioned below: The Bellboy 1960http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053644/ Porky's 1982http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084522/ Thunderball 1965http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059800/ Where the Boys Are 1960http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054469/ The Wild Women of Wongo 1958http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052394/ Birds Do It 1966http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060169/ But for a REALLY long list of movies and TV done here, try this link: http://www.imdb.com/List?endings=on&&locations=Miami,%20Florida,%20USA&&heading=18;with+locations+including;Miami,%20Florida,%20USA Also, when we were talking about night life, someone mentioned Fire and Ice. If you remember that, you might also remember The Kitchen Club, which started in the 1980s at the Seagull hotel at I think 21st on the Beach. Believe it or not, it's still going on. Many many buildings later, the group is still alive and I still go sometimes. Look them up on MySpace if you're interested. Ray

Pokey		24-Nov-2008 12:56
Leighton As of 2003, the African Queen was still there.

Leighton		23-Nov-2008 15:14
OK, am I imagining this, or did the Key Largo Holiday Inn have one of the "African Queen" prop boats on display, around 1983?? I only made it down to Key West, once, during my Mid-80s Miami sojourn. I'll never forget it, because I lost my grandfather's gold watch at the Key Lime Motel. High school friends, twin sisters, came to visit me, and we made our way down there. The place was full of roaches, and a rabid squirrel (I assume), spent the night screeching at us, from atop the air conditioning unit.

Jeff		23-Nov-2008 06:29
Parks... this time Charles Knight will have proven to be more knowledgable than I on that subject od underwater scooters, boats, etc.

Charles Knight		23-Nov-2008 04:58
Parks...Try Googling "Silver Springs" , I believe I read something about Thunderball being partially filmed there and something or other about underwater scooters and props. I was told that the "Disco Volante" was built by Art Sidelinker at Norseman shipyard on the Miami River between 22nd and 17th aves. I do know for a fact that he built custom boats for Ringo Starr, and two of the Bee Gee's so it is concievable...

Charles Knight		23-Nov-2008 04:51
In the seventies we did a few School concerts at Shenandoah ( not school bands but R ock and Roll) Rudy Sarzo went to Miami High as well, he's a world class bass player, Ozzy Ozbourne, Whitesnake, Dio, Quiet Riot to name a few. We were on the same music circuit and competed for paying gigs during the seventies.

Parks		23-Nov-2008 04:05
Charlis brought up the movie Thunderball. I've been trying to find out what happened to the boat from that movie, the Disco Volante. I remember it was tied up at Watson Island for a time but I can't find out what happened to it after that. Some of the little underwater scooters used in the movie ended up at Allied Marine on the Miami River but they've disapeared also. Do any of you fine folks know what happened? River Rat, do you remember anything about it? Jeff, your research skills are better than mine, can you find anything?

Leighton		22-Nov-2008 23:24
By the way, there are plans to remake "Porky's"...not sure if they're filming it in Miami. I'm sure it will make the original seem tame.

Leighton		22-Nov-2008 23:06
Kenny - when did your family go to Shenandoah Presbyterian??? Love all the movie talk - especially the stuff "before my time." "A Hole in the Head" is the Sinatra film with "High Hopes" - just caught it again, on TCM recently. Some great period footage.

charlis		22-Nov-2008 21:28
I forgot "Thunderball". .. also filmed in the Miami area. We also can not forget one of the first TV shows filmed there... No, not "Miami Vice"... "Surfside Six", a spin-off of "77 Sunset Strip". I will never forget the sight of seeing the boat half in the water, half on Indian Creek Dr. after a hurricane went through. Went to Wal-Mart today to look for the Porky's movies... figures, now that I want them, I can't find them.

Don Boyd		22-Nov-2008 19:11
Per request I have created a separate comments gallery for the younger pups who grew up in the Miami area during the 80's and 90's, long after a lot of the older dogs moved out. The gallery is displayed on the main memories page and is at: http://www.pbase.com/donboyd/memories_comments_80s90s They too have seen many changes and disappearing acts in the area they grew up in and thus the need for a separate comments section. Hopefully this will entice more comments and memories being posted from the younger viewers of this site. Don't be posting 50's-60's-70's memories in there because they will be deleted. Thanks. Don

charlis		22-Nov-2008 18:46
Sinatra also filmed a lot of movies on Miami Beach and the Miami area. The first one that I remember had the song "High Hopes" in it... filmed in and around the Bleau. One movie had scenes shot in an alley in South Beach in 1967-68. I know that for a fact... I got into a fight with Sinatra because they would not let Evie get to her apartment to change clothes so that we could go to work at the teen club, 2nd Floor. That night we were working with Wayne Cochran! In '64 I was invited to a pool party at a place some friend's father worked at, owners out of town, but let us use the pool at their mansion on Pine Tree Drive and 47th. We all walked over there and were stopped by guards. The owners forgot to tell us that Sinatra was filming there. And... let's not forget that "Goldfinger" was filmed at the Bleau.

charlis		22-Nov-2008 18:34
Ray... Deep Throat... I remember when it was being filmed in Miami Beach... when I missed the "O" bus to Beach Hi, I would walk across the bridge to the Prairie Av stop... which just happened to be in front of a classmate's house... from a well known family beginning with the letter "T". A film crew was there several mornings. Found out from the classmate that they were filming a movie there... "Deep Throat". Didn't mean much to me then, until the movie came out. If memory serves me (I might have to give it a tip.) the male star became a minister.

charlis		22-Nov-2008 18:27
jeff... I deal with asbestos on a daily basis... not physically, but with people wanting to dispose of it. We were hit with disposal permitting after the 2 bad hurricane seasons. We track all acm disposal and people got upset when we made them go extra steps when disposing of any roofing, siding, and insulation... had to get proof that no asbestos was present.

Jeff		22-Nov-2008 04:24
Ray, I mentioned the beach bar. It is (was?) at the very South end of the broadwalk at Hollywood Beach. Why I say was, is because you'll never know when "progress" will rear its ugly head. They tore down the South side of the street's cute little stores directly across from the bandstand a few years ago for a parking area... Sheesh! Charlis... Asbesto in schools from those days were as common as sand... Nobody knew that a "naturally occuring" substance such as asbesto could be linked to lung cancer and other illnesses...

Ray		22-Nov-2008 04:14
charlis, you're thinking of the Herald's Silver Knight awards. My old HS didn't have any students in it this past year and the Alumni board was not happy about it. Another 'film' done in Miami... early 1970s. Something like "Bobby, 1958-1972" Hosted by Chuck Zink. Short version: Kid does pot, dies. I was an A/V geek at Carver Jr. and had to show that movie like 20 times. Ended up memorizing the dialog. Corny as hell but I hope it makes youtube some day just to see it again. Someone mentioned the beach bar in Porkies... every time I see that scene I have a serious "I've been there before" feeling. Maybe when I was very young. Our family vacationed every year at the Golden Sands motel on Hollywood Beach. South of the band stand, North of the huge famous hotel that's a Ram-a-duh now. Any chance the bar was in that area? This page has pics of what the Golden Sands looks like now... not good...http://rayvaughan.com/golden_sands.htm Leighton, don't feel bad, I've done the same thing, even hitting the back button can cause a repeat. Now I close the browser after posting. That sea sand vs. rebar problem has been a huge problem in Miami. An office building my father worked in was able to repair it with super strong cement, but I'm sure the school board thought tearing down a landmark and replacing it with a trailer was cheaper. Does anyone know the story about "Deep Throat" (1970s) being done in a hotel on Biscayne, became nursing home, now Johnson and Wales? Do I have that all right? I actually knew a Mike Hunt. Even after Porky's, he didn't want to be called Michael. Ray

charlis		21-Nov-2008 23:04
Jeff... new Beach High... I was there the December after Charlie ravaged this state. I was supposed to be there the week that the storm hit! I drove by Beach Hi and saw signs all over the place... "Asbestos removal. Do not enter."!!!!! They were, in my mind, not knowing that the school was being rebuilt/remodeled, working on the auditorium. I spent an awful lot of time in the auditorium... in the rafters, the lighting booth, Coleman's office, classes, etc. Oh, why was I in Miami Beach? Attending a Hazardous Materials Disposal conference! What a shame to hear that Beach has turned into a tech school. We always had so many students getting the Knight (?)Award, and going on to the top colleges... better than other schools in Dade County. As to Porky's... weird thing happened at lunch. People with young kids were talking about the new movie, ""Twilight" opening... someone mentioned Porky's as another teen flick. I almost fell off my seat!

Kenny Blanton		21-Nov-2008 18:08
Leighton: Please ask you Dad if he remembers either Judge Blanton from the church he pastered at in Miami.. We went to that church when I was a kid.

Leighton		21-Nov-2008 16:35
OK, I'm learning not to hit the "refresh" button on this site, even if I've been away from my computer for several hours. It apparently reposts my last comment. I'm not one of those idiots who keeps hitting the "add comment" button, I promise.

Charles Knight		21-Nov-2008 07:30
OK some more Miami and Broward based films...Children Shouldn't play with dead things, filmed on Belcher Island in the seventies. Knights of the City...Filmed in the early eighties featuring KC (sunshine band) and a mostly young early Hip Hop cast. And then there was Incident at Channel Q filmed in North Miami and South Broward it was the first foray into feature films by Greenback Films more commonly known as "Hipgnosis" a group of artists known for the design of hundreds of popular album covers. Some of note were...Pink Floyd The Dark Side of the Moon and Led Zepplin's Houses of the Holy. I actually had a large speaking role in "Incident" and was featured in a photo on the back cover LOL!

Leighton		21-Nov-2008 05:18
Would hardly qualify "Porky's" as great, myself. Don't know what kind of high school everyone else went to, but I sure don't relate to it. However, I've seen all three - perhaps, being a UM film school student at the time, I felt the need to see everything I could, especially if it filmed in the vicinity. I got on the set of "The Mean Season," and worked for a day as Don Johnson's assistant on "Miami Vice" - the studio pulled the plug on the job, but I'm sure it was for the best...he was a major jerk. Speaking of the Everglades, I shot a 1984 student film at a truly creepy looking rest stop about an hour west of Miami, on Hwy 41 towards Marco Island. (Typical student film fare - haunted park - every twenty years an unsuspecting visitor must become the resident ghost - period cars - all that stuff. It was fun. But a pain to drag everything out there in a U-Haul. My lead actress was a fashion model at the time, Ely Pouget, who went on to do a few TV/movies. Don't think she puts "Wayside" on her filmography.)

Leighton		21-Nov-2008 03:57
Would hardly qualify "Porky's" as great, myself. Don't know what kind of high school everyone else went to, but I sure don't relate to it. However, I've seen all three - perhaps, being a UM film school student at the time, I felt the need to see everything I could, especially if it filmed in the vicinity. I got on the set of "The Mean Season," and worked for a day as Don Johnson's assistant on "Miami Vice" - the studio pulled the plug on the job, but I'm sure it was for the best...he was a major jerk. Speaking of the Everglades, I shot a 1984 student film at a truly creepy looking rest stop about an hour west of Miami, on Hwy 41 towards Marco Island. (Typical student film fare - haunted park - every twenty years an unsuspecting visitor must become the resident ghost - period cars - all that stuff. It was fun. But a pain to drag everything out there in a U-Haul. My lead actress was a fashion model at the time, Ely Pouget, who went on to do a few TV/movies. Don't think she puts "Wayside" on her filmography.)

Jeff		21-Nov-2008 03:49
Charlis is right about FAU having been located in the South wing of Fisher. The opening parking lot scene of Porky's was filmed where the South wing once stood. It was torn down in the 70's when it was discovered that the sea sand used to build the school in 1926 was rotting away the interior rebar. Fisher then lost its original auditorium and cafeteria (although the cafeteria was later located in a large portable building). Until FAU leased some of the classrooms in the early 1970's, they were abandoned... having been unused since Beach High relocated from that building to Prairie Avenue in 1960. [The "new" Beach High was recently replaced with newer buildings this past year.] When I was at Fisher as a student, only some of the ground floor rooms were used in the South wing... and this was just a handful. There was a small pond with goldfish and greenery in the center of the building. The North wing was the actual Junior High... built in 1936, and named for Carl Fisher's mother... with one typographical error... Her name was Ida Graham Fisher... but somehow an "M" was transplanted for the "G"!

charlis		20-Nov-2008 23:39
Fisher... have to correct myself... it was Florida Atlantic U that had it's south "campus" at Fisher. Does any one know where the sequels were filmed? I still remember the scene in one of them in the Everglades... reminded me of the beer frog commercials!

charlis		20-Nov-2008 23:24
Porkies... great movie... filmed at Ida M Fisher on Miami Beach. Like Jeff, I went to school there... it was the south campus of Fl International Univ in the late 60's... and did some substitute teaching there in '69-'71. Fisher is the original location for the Beach high school. The new campus was built in the early 60's on Prairie (before I moved there)... and named Miami Beach Sr High... while Fisher was the junior high for the south Beach students.

charlis		20-Nov-2008 23:08
Ray... the Bleau... 15 years ago the "family" still had a hand in the business. I do have to admit that 4 years ago the underground was still pretty well kept up.

Charles Knight		20-Nov-2008 16:21
Porky's ...A truly fun filled farce of a film (enough "Fs"?) did have some interiors shot at Miami High but, "The Substitute" with Tom Berringer was almost filmed in it's entirety in and around Miami High.

Don Boyd		20-Nov-2008 16:19
Alvin Lederer contributed a 1943 image of an article about the popularity of bowling in Miami, with the names and addresses of the five bowling alleys in Miami at the time (40's gallery) and a 1943 ad for Royal Castle restaurants, depicting a sidewalk type restaurant, with six locations in Miami at the time (restaurants gallery). Thanks Alvin! Don

Guest		19-Nov-2008 22:52
Yes . . . the call for "Mike Hunt" was one of the funniest scenes in the movie

Jeff		19-Nov-2008 20:15
Only the interior gym scenes for Porky's were filmed at Miami High. The gym exterior, school patio, classroom and parking lot scenes were filmed at Ida M. Fisher Junior High - now part of the Feinberg-Fisher Educational Complex. I know... because I went to Ida Fisher, and also spent a number of years involved in the Community Schoolo Program during and after my attending years. In fact, during the opening scene, the camera angles tried to hide "modern Miami Beach", but in one shot I spotted the condos on Pennsylvania Avenue - obviously NOT built in the 1950's. The drive-in sequence ("call for Michael Hunt") was filmed at a small bar on the South end of the broadwalk in Hollywood Beach.

Guest		19-Nov-2008 19:38
Ray, the high school scenes from Porkey's were filmed at Miami High and Kim Catrall -- who played Samantha in Sex and the City -- played the slutty howling cheerleader in Porky's. You are correct, it is one funny movie that will have anyone rolling on the ground laughing.

Ray		19-Nov-2008 03:07
To tie the "Ocean Breezes" thought to current events, Big 105.9 runs a "You can't win" contest. It goes on for months since the questions are nearly impossible to fine. Question 1 this season: 'Oddly, this didn't happen until the 1990's'. Answer: The Kennedy mansion got central air conditioning. So apparently, Ocean Breezes were so good you don't even want A/C when you could have easily afforded it. About the KB Whitehouse, I remembering hearing there was an FAA no-fly-zone over the Key. About 15 years ago I was helping with a small convention at the Fontainebleau Hotel. I got to see all the back-of-house areas usually off-limits for the public. Unlike any other hotel on Miami Beach I had been in, this place was spotless. Every tunnel and passage way was clean and painted. I wish the other landmarks we have could do the same. Most South Beach hotels are dumps with paint on the places the people can see and some really scary stuff elsewhere. Another type of hotel I miss, the Ft. Lauderdale strip, ala movies like "Where the Boys Are" and many others. Another classic (ok... you might not agree) movie about life in South Florida... Porky's. Not sure if it's been mentioned here before but many of the scenes were done in South Florida. I think the final showdown was done on an old part of Tamiami Trail that had been replaced with the newer road a few hundred feet to the north. If you haven't seen it in a while, give it a try. Leave the volume down if you are easily offended. But really, one of the best suppressed laughter scenes was the one in the principal's office when the gym coach wanted a line-up. Even the portrait of Eisenhower was smiling. Ray

Charles Knight		19-Nov-2008 02:55
Parks, myself and friends had a very wasted night at the Jamaica Inn and English Pub with the band "Badfinger" it was a blast. Noel's father was a surgeon in the Gables, they lived in a beautiful coral home just off Miracle Mile...She went to Carlton in the grove and was drop dead gorgeous! Miami was really a "small town" wasn't it...We would sometimes dive off the helopad behind the Rebozo mansion and steal bugs (lobster) to eat! Don, you've created my new addiction ! I no longer indulge in any of my former vices and this is a great outlet! Thanks!

Leighton		19-Nov-2008 00:32
Yes, know all about Rebozo, etc. He brought Nixon to my dad's church one Sunday in the early 70s (Dad's a minister - still at 78 - but in TN now). Rebozo had friends in our church - the defunct Shenandoah Presbyterian, in the heart of Calle Ocho. The have recently 'redone" the building in Spanish Colonial style, although back then, it was a large, white Federal-styled monster visible up and down 8th. The reason I asked about Nixon, is because I recalled hearing my parents say that Rebozo had mentioned that Jamaica Inn was one of his favorites, and that our family should try to be there on a particular night, to meet Nixon. We didn't make it. Rebozo did deliver a hymnal with a personal note from Nixon - it was dedicated the Sunday he visited our church. It was the ONLY Sunday that our family had missed (my mother had just given birth) in six years - my parents were very upset. That's when Rebozo came up with the hymnal idea. My mother was having a special church dinner around that time - at the Swedish Smorgasbord on South Dixie, no less - and Rebozo tried to get Nixon to drop by as a surprise. Obviously, just a bit of a logistical nightmare. Didn't happen.

Sofia		18-Nov-2008 23:47
Leighton -- If Nixon liked to go anywhere in Key Biscayne it was because he was friends with and spent a lot of time with Bebe Rebozo. Rebozo owned a waterfront house in Key Biscayne and was very involved in Nixon's campaigns. Nixon used his home in Key Biscayne as a get-away destination.

charlis		18-Nov-2008 23:17
Leighton... Evie was known for her looking like Barbra Streisand (couldn't sing a note though), but her desire to meet Jerry Lewis, of whom she did a terriffic impersonation of... The DJ's at WQAM and the local Beach paper arranged for her to meet Jerry. If you thought you heard Jerry talking on WQAM in the late 60's, it was Evie. She had his permission, or his agent's permission, to "do" him, as long as it was known that it was not Jerry. She got to meet him, perform with him... She was so good that Jerry had his agent tell her not to impersonate him again... when they were casting the sequel to Jerry's movie... the agent wanted Evie... Jerry refused. He did a similar thing to Charlie Callas.

Leighton		18-Nov-2008 20:03
Didn't Nixon like to go there?? My family never went - we were kids, and that was a bit too exotic for us. Lots of photos, menus, etc. on eBay, in the past. Google brings up some other shots.

Don Boyd		18-Nov-2008 15:55
The Jamaica Inn was on the west side of Crandon Boulevard south of the town center on Key Biscayne. http://www.pbase.com/donboyd/image/94683710 Don

Guest		18-Nov-2008 13:19
Where was the Jamaica Inn?

Parks		18-Nov-2008 04:41
Charles, The Jamacia Inn was one of my favorites also. I once took a girl there in the late sixties. She still remembers that date! Do you remember the flying squirrels in the glassed in rain forest in the middle of the restaurant? I don't remember Noel the hostess. Sounds like she made an impression on you though. Do you remember the English Pub that was next door in the same building? I still have a mug from there. It has an English Half Penny glued to the bottom. The story I heard was that the owner bought a barrel full of them in the Bahamas when the Bahamas switched from the Pound to their own Dollar.

Charles Knight		18-Nov-2008 02:55
The Jamaica Inn...Noel the hostess ahhh...Such fond memories!

Sofia		18-Nov-2008 02:03
Leighton -- Rusty Pelican was popular around '79 and '80 as a nice place to sit out in the back by the water and enjoy some drinks. It was by no means a dance and club destination. Sundays on the Bay did have good calipso and reggae-type music. The tiki bar behind the Sonesta Beach Hotel in Key Biscayne was also a great hangout in the late 70s early 80s.

Leighton		18-Nov-2008 01:10
I have no idea who this icon is. Is there some article, or something? I Googled, with no success. The FB make-over appears better than the last, but I can't find many photos online. $500 million?!! Everything changes, but perhaps this update will keep the building standing for another twenty years.

charlis		17-Nov-2008 23:52
update on Miami Icon Evie... news not good. C5-6 needs titanium with no guaantees. Jeff, Evie says "thanks for the housing offer", but she wants out of there. She'll let me know if she needs your help. She also said to thank everyone here for their kind thoughts and wishes.

charlis		17-Nov-2008 23:49
Don, thanks for the Bleau info... I was there in 2004 and was not happy with the last changes... Morris Lapidus is rolling over in his grave... according to Evie. The huge pool, as seen in "Goldfinger" was gone... replaced by a small adult wading pool with a bar!

Don Boyd		17-Nov-2008 19:11
The Fontainebleau Hotel had a regal grand reopening this past weekend after a massive $1 billion overhaul for the past few years by their new owners. There is a very nice article about the reopening at:http://www.mercurynews.com/travel/ci_11005762?nclick_check=1 Jeffrey Soffer is from the family that built the massive beautiful Aventura Mall that is now the best mall in South Florida. Don

charlis		14-Nov-2008 23:28
As to the topic of this board... I was in the elevator the other day and a few of us were talking about the weird weather. We were talking about the "ocean breezes" and turning off our AC units when ever it got cool. One of the guys said that he was from Miami and remembered the ocean breezes. I said that we got the breezes from both sides on Miami Beach... that was why many homes did not get AC until well into the 70's! Then they built all those tall hotels and condo... there went the breezes.

charlis		14-Nov-2008 23:24
Roberta and Jeff... thanks for your thought about Evie, a Beach icon. Jeff, I will tell her to return your calls. She was without phone service for about 3 weeks... something that is not supposed to happen for registered handicapped people! Cal her, let the phone ring 3 times, hang up, then call back. I will tell her that you are using the "secret signal" since you can help her.

Jeff		14-Nov-2008 05:32
Charlis... Thanks for the kind wishes for Bob, and my best to Evie... Every time I've tried to call her, she's just not picked up. Aside from her family, I think you're the only person she takes calls from. I once offered to look around for her for an affordable place to move to, and she was negative and refused. In truth, I can't help someone who doesn't want help. Still, I wish her my best. I was at an event tonight where an elderly gentleman had a medical event. Paramedics were called, and I heard later that he didn't make it. All I can say is be thankful for the time, friends and family you do have. It's not about the stuff you own... it's about the life you live. Good wishes to all for the best of health and spirits...

Roberta Perry Hughes		14-Nov-2008 02:24
Charlis...Love & prayers go out to your pal, Evie. Though we've not met, give her my best wishes, & tell her that I am thinking about her, just the same.

charlis		14-Nov-2008 00:22
Burger place across from Fun Fair... talked to the ex who lived there... he has no memory of such a place.

charlis		14-Nov-2008 00:20
Jeff and Roberta... and anyone else eho might rember the Jerry Lewis/Barbra Streisand look a like, oft featrued by the local Beach paper and the Herald... she is not doing well. One doctor wants to perform an operation... and the doctor scares Evie...not the diagnosis, the manner. Seems that if Evie sneezes, or the bus makes a sudden stop... she could be paralyized! The mold invested place she lives in... the owner wants to increase the rent! Jeff... I had not heard from Evie in a few weeks, was going to ask you to go by and see her... she finally called... no phone until a relative gave her some money... of course she gets no help from Dade County... she is not Espanic...

Leighton		14-Nov-2008 00:15
I don't remember Key Biscayne being a popular night hot-spot in the mid-80s. While I didn't go out much, I did hang out with a few spoiled rich kids, who had their own condos on Key Biscayne. (Back then it was unique, before the build-up.) They were always headed North, or to private Gables parties. We did hang out at the beach bar, at the Silver Sands Motel, but it was always empty. I never knew a single soul who went to the Rusty Pelican - was that more of a late 70s thing? Their web site doesn't say when it was built.

charlis		14-Nov-2008 00:07
Jeff... sorry to hear about your friend. thanks to Ms Lowry at Nautilus, I got into photography. I wish I had met your friend.

Arizona Al		13-Nov-2008 14:34
I took a group of clients to the Phoenix Veteran's Day Parade and what a blast we all had. I can best describe it as being at a parade with a circus going on around you constantly. I do this every year and continue to suffer the same abuse ( I am just kidding you all..I really do enjoy it). I served from 1964-1967 and did a year tour 1966-1976 in Chu Lai, Viet Nam as a Combat Support Specialist with the 103 Combat Support Group. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well in Phoenix, Arizona and in perpetual

Jeff		13-Nov-2008 07:20
Sofia, that is the one and the same Aristotle Ares! Roberta - I wish I could tell Bob that. He's in home hospice care and not expecting to survive too much longer. Thank you for your kind words about him...

Sofia		13-Nov-2008 07:09
First of all, I would like to extend my belated salute to all veterans who frequent this post. Jenibabez, Charles Knight is correct that Miami Beach was not in vogue as a clubbing destination in the 70s and 80s in Miami, but rather Coconut Grove and Key Biscaye were. I went to Cats a few times, and it was located in the Mayfair in Coconut Grove. Rusty Pelican was a great hangout for the late teens/early twenties crowd on Saturday nights for drinks. Back then, the legal drinking age was 18. Most of the popular dance clubs were located in Fort Lauderdale (Pete & Lenny's, Limelight, etc.) There is a DJ named Mike at a local radio station 92.5 FM who you may want to contact regarding info about that era. Jeff, you mentioned Aristotle Ares . . . does he have a daughter named Adrian? If so, I worked with her at a Venezuelan bank in the early 80s. She lived with her parents on Hibiscus Island

Roberta Perry Hughes		13-Nov-2008 01:41
Belatedly...I hope that all of our Veterans, of any war or conflict, had a good day, yesterday. I love you, one & all, for your service to our country, in whatever capacity. Everyone's father, in my old neighborhood of S.W. 55th Street, was a WWII Veteran, & every branch of the Armed Services was represented. My father, however, was the only Coastie. (Don Boyd, our host was a Coastie, too). Jeff...If your friend, Robert Kelly, is still with us, tell him, for me, that I appreciate his service to our country, in WWII. I have a soft spot for Veterans, most especially, the fathers of us Boomers, who are still around. Hope you had a great day, yesterday, Alan...& all of you other Vets, of the Viet Nam war. Up here, they have a free steak dinner, at Golden Corral, for all Veterans, of any war. I hope that they observe such an honor, in all of our states, in many cities, across the Nation. I salute you, one & all. God bless you, & again, my heartfelt thanks.

Charles Knight		12-Nov-2008 14:20
Jenibabez, Honeyfor the Bears, Mutiny,and Faces, were all in the Grove. When we were involved in the Import business we frequented them. David Letterman did an episode of the Late Show from Faces, there wasn't a sober person there! The Forge still exists. I seem to recall Cats but don't know why...The G.M. from Sundays (Key Biscayne) now lives in Satellite Beach near me...I proposed to my first wife there (just say no!). The Rusty Pelican wasn't really a nightclub per say, it is (still there?) a family oriented restaurant. Check out Leighton's post...He's right, in the eighties Miami Beach was NOT in vogue, as a matter of fact it was mostly in a state of disrepair. Most people with money avoided it thus the rise of the Grove and Key Biscayne. As far as logos ads etc. have you tried the Miami Heralds archives?

Jeff		12-Nov-2008 05:07
Glenn... Not a problem at all. I try to help when I can... I spoke with a good friend of mine - Aristotle Ares - an 85 year-old lifelong resident of Miami Beach and the city's civil engineer for nearly 50 years... Neither he nor his wife can recall any "family style" or "hamburger take-out" restaurant on the South side of the 79th Street Causeway across from Fun Fair... so I politely think you might be transposing places and locations... On a somewhat sadder note, another good friend of mine - 82 year old Robert M. Kelley - is in home hospice after valiently battling cancer for the past few years and recently suffering a bad fall. His prognosis is not good and the end could come at any time. Who is Bob Kelley? He had Kelley Photography in Coral Gables (182 Madeira Avenue) for decades, was a life director of the Professional Photographer's Guild of Florida, and a few of his photos were provided to Don by me for posting in various galleries on this site. Bob was a veteran of WWII. Bob was always a good hearted, jovial and generous kind of fellow... he was a great help to me when I was collecting old photo negatives of South Florida; providing hundreds of images to my files (now part of Seth Bramson's collection)... To know that his days are few is quite a sad thing to accept. Even though we'd not seen each other in years, I kept in touch with him as much as possible after his retirement. We spent many a weekend lunch at Uncle Tom's Bar-BQ on SW 8th Street... I hung around the studio quite a lot, and we always managed to share a story, laugh or some trivia. In fact, I could never forget his birthday... it was the same date as my late parents' anniversary... Feb. 7th. One of his famous remarks [poking fun of his Irish lineage and that he used to be quite the drinker back in the 50's and 60's] was that he knew of location of every bar and tavern in Miami! God bless him... he was quite a photographer in his day, a genuinely nice human being and someone who will be sadly missed..........................

Leighton		12-Nov-2008 05:05
Rusty Pelican grouped in with 80s clubs? I was at UM 82 - 85, but avoided the club scene. I know Fire & Ice was big on the Beach around 85. But that was all Pre-Resurgence - only a few Decos had been refurbished. (I know, because I made a student film in one. Plus, "Scarface" managed a few exteriors, before being asked to leave, basically.) Most of the UM film students were too busy hanging out at the campus "film shack," making movies, to get into crazy nightlife prevalent at the time. The city was so different from the period I had spent there, as a child - '67 - '73. It's fascinating how all of these generations come together, in here. I would have loved to know the Miami of the 30s/40s/50s that you all discuss - talk about a great movie script!! (How about a DOZEN scripts.)

Glenn		11-Nov-2008 20:25
Jeff (and others) Thanks anyway for your brain efforts to come up with another restaurant. I appreciate your time.

jenibabez		11-Nov-2008 17:27
Hi! I work at a Miami Beach-based production company and am working on a coffee-table photo book of the 1970s/80s in Miami Beach. I want to capture the culture and style of that era and am lacking in nightclub photographs. I am having pretty bad luck finding anything. Does anyone have any logos/ads OR real photographs? IF SO PLEASE contact me! So far I know I am interested in including: Faces, Cats, Honey For the Bears, The Forge, The Mutiny, Menage, My Place, Sammy's, Stefano's, Sunday's on the Bay and Rusty Pelican

Charles Knight		11-Nov-2008 13:52
I don't remember the Homestead fair but some friends and I would catch a Greyhound at the Coral Gables bus Terminal and head down to Homestead or "The Great Buzzard" as we jokingly called it...To hang out with a couple of sisters (not Nuns!) that we'd met somewhere previously. After some time had passed we'd "Thumb" back. Such innocent times filled with wicked plans, you didn't think we made this arduous journey in order to play Scrabble did you? Hardly! Ah the raging hormones of a teenage boy...I sure am glad that's over!

Arizona Al		11-Nov-2008 13:43
Miami River Rat: Thanks for the validation on the 1957 State Fair in Homestead. I was 12 years old at the time and still recall the awsome spectacle and entertainment of a first time fair attendee. My dad dropped me and my brother (age 10) at the gate and said "be back here at 6:00pm." I can't recall if we made our curfew but knowing the delinquent ways of my youth I suspect not. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and longing for a return of hisdelinquent youth in Phoenix, Arizona

Guest		11-Nov-2008 13:43
Miami River Rat: Thanks for the validation on the 1957 State Fair in Homestead. I was12 years old at the time and still recall the awsome spectacle and entertainment of a first time fair attendee. My dad dropped me and my brother (age 10) at the gate and said "be back here at 6:00pm." I can't recall if we made our curfew but knowing the delinquent ways of my youth I suspect not. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and longing for a return of hisdelinquent youth in Phoenix, Arizona

Miami River Rat		11-Nov-2008 02:14
Arizona Al: I think the state fair came to Homestead every year, in the fall. However, I can state with 100% certainty that it was there in 1957. I was almost 15 at the time, and had a girlfriend of the same age. We hit it lucky and got a ride with a friend of hers whose boyfriend was an older guy with a truck. Transportation! Yes!!! I'll never forget that fair. I took about $20 and eventually spent it all, which was ok. The guy with the truck started playing games, trying to beat them, and lost $103. Do you know how much $103 sounded like in 1957? I couldn't imagine losing that kind of money. His girl broke out crying, begging him to stop playing, but he kept on until it was all gone. Helluva fair, that one at Homestead in '57. Maybe you and your brother played your prank on me and my girl. I seem to remember riding through the house of horrors thing, and it being pretty scary.

Jeff		11-Nov-2008 00:13
Wish I could be of more help, Glenn... but Charlis and I are both tapped out of restaurant ideas... However, since you mentioned burgers, are you SURE it wasn't Col. Jim's Bar B-Q, which was just West of Fun Fair? Perhaps Billy's Drive-In, which was just over the bridge on NE 12th Avenue and 79th Street? On another topic, there was a great program on Channel 17 (PBS in South Florida) last night - all about the music scene in Miami in the 50's and 60's. Some of those interviewed were [my old boss] Steve Alaimo, his mentor (music mogul) Henry Stone, John Sebastian, Vince Martin, Rick Shaw, Joey Ace (he had the group Joey Ace and the Heads of State), Dick Cami (his family owned the Peppermint Lounge) and a number of others... All types of music and entertainment were discussed... from the hotels to the clubs to the sock hops from WQAM and WINZ... Gee, what Miami WAS..............................................................

Glenn		10-Nov-2008 20:33
Jeff - I just keep drawing a blank. I recall this restaurant being across the street from Fun Fair. My sister says it was a burger place -- maybe self-service (i.e., no waitress service). Thanks for your interest.

Jeff		10-Nov-2008 15:14
Not a rise at all, Charles... I knew you were kidding around... I just wanted to note the fact that those emoticons are more universally accepted in Cyberspace that in a cute girly note. Obviously, if some guy sent an inter-office memorandum with "smilies" he'd be laughed out of the office - sexists that we are... LOL! {:cP

Charles Knight		10-Nov-2008 05:22
Jeff, I stand corrected...Guess I got the rise out ofthe wrong person!

Miami Girl		10-Nov-2008 00:50
A friend just forwarded this web site you all might want to check out: www.thefiftiesandsixties.com/CarsWeDrove.htm - hope it works for you.

Jeff		09-Nov-2008 23:58
Alan... I'm afraid I know nothing about the Homestead Fair, having arrived in Florida in late 1963 and not even finding my way down to Homestead until the 1970's...

Arizona Al		09-Nov-2008 20:52
Hello All: Speaking of haunted houses and the house of horror attractions. I believe the Florida State Fair came to Homestead in 1957 or 1958. Jeff, does this sound correct? In any event, my brother and I took flashlights and went on the house of horror ride where you were in little shuttles that went on a track though the house. Anyways, my brother amd I got out of the shuttles and walked around and grabbed and spooked the other customers until the attendant apprended us and kicked us out. Ah the halcyon days of my delinquent youth. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive, well and looking for a horror house attraction in Phoenix, Arizona

Jeff		08-Nov-2008 20:06
I beg to politely differ, Charles... The smiley face is a universaly accepted web emoticon which I use from time to time in communication, depending on whom I'm writing to. It helps distinguish parts of my text that might be misconstrued as serious when I'm actually being humorous... I think in this context, it's gender neutral - unless you find little hearts dotting the "i's"... LOL! In fact, I have other male-as-you-can-get corrspondents who also throw in an occassional {:c) from time to time, as well as the sad emoticon, wink emoticon and a few choice others...

Joanne		08-Nov-2008 19:40
Charles...You mentioned the Campus Life Haunted House, I thought it was such great entertainment for Halloween. Different levels of freaky rooms and corridors. Especially if you had a particularly squeemish person in your group and could tip a creature off ahead of time. I think it was better than Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios. We usually stopped at the carnival on the grounds for a bit after the haunted house. I'd love to know what it took to set the haunted house up every year, how many people volunteered for it.

Charles Knight		08-Nov-2008 18:04
Dear Guest...Little smiley face punctuation...Now we at least know your gender (oh sexist me) .

Guest		07-Nov-2008 22:15
"My half sister was a server at the Ranch House in Miami Springs and if she were still alive she'd kick yout butt for saying that! LOL! But then I guess you really wouldn't have to worry about it since you're hiding behind "Guest"!" That was the one I frequented the most often. Probably knew her. :-)

Don Boyd		07-Nov-2008 17:28
Charles, what are you referring to? You haven't been censored, I thought it was funny. Don

Charles Knight		07-Nov-2008 17:05
It's called "Humor"...Have I been censored?

Charles Knight		07-Nov-2008 04:54
My half sister was a server at the Ranch House in Miami Springs and if she were still alive she'd kick yout butt for saying that! LOL! But then I guess you really wouldn't have to worry about it since you're hiding behind "Guest"!

Guest		07-Nov-2008 02:22
Ranch House and Neighbors had some tough waitresses working in them. Some hardnosed women. Always wondered what some of them did before getting older and becoming waitresses.

Jeff		07-Nov-2008 02:09
Charlis, you've confirmed what I wrote... I do believe I've covered most all of the restaurants and attractions in that area... with the possible exception of the Burger King that was diagonally across from the Sip 'n' Sup (Kelly's/Billy's)... Mike Gordon's Seafood Restaurant... and in the 70's there was a Joe Namath Restaurant on 79th Street just before Biscayne Blvd. On the corner of 79th Street and Biscayne was a Jackie Gleason Restaurant on the NE Corner and Junior's on the NW Corner in the Biscayne Shopping Plaza. That particular Junior's was formerly Arthur Maisel's Restaurant... If Glen is certain of that restaurant being across from Fun Fair, then it had to be in the late 50's or early 60's... and one that didn't last very long. I can't think of anything else on the South Side of the street... Was there a coffee shop in the bowling alley that is [perhaps] what he had in mind? Could it be he was thinking of the Pampered Pup restaurant on the North side of 71st Street, just before Collins Avenue but mistakenly though it was across fdrom Fun Fair?

charlis		07-Nov-2008 00:33
Jeff and Glen... the only restuarants I remember that were in the area of Fun Fair were all the ones mentioned... and they were all on the north side of the street, except for the Bonfire. There was another one near Tony's Fish Market, but that was a few blocks north where the place is mentioned to be.

charlis		07-Nov-2008 00:28
A, it was a said day when we heard about Gallaghers burning down... it took me yeas to use the Blue Cheese dressing that was stored in the warehouse!

Jeff		06-Nov-2008 21:30
I forget the name of one of the founders of Ranch House, but his daughter (Nikki) stayed on with the company after it was sold and they became Neighbors Restaurants. Her father had also built the Sherwood Court Motel in North Miami Beach (now known as Sunny Isles Beach in that area). The Biscayne Boulevard and (appx.) 118th Street location and the one on NE 125th Street just West of West Dixie Hwy. were later owned by Jimmy's Restaurant. Jimmy also owned a location on NW 7th Avenue and 119th Street that was originally the second Latta's. After his divorce, the restaurants were either divided up or closed. For trivia buffs: The 125th Street Ranch House/Neighbor's/Jimmy's stands on the site where Harty's Pharmacy was in the 1940's and 1950's. To add even more trivia: The Burger King on NW 7th Avenue and 54th Street was the site of the Ranch House Drive-In, which was NOT part of the familiar restaurant chain...

Pokey		06-Nov-2008 17:32
Carol forgot to mention 5th grade teacher was Mrs Dobson

Don Boyd		06-Nov-2008 17:28
Jo-Anne K, glad to hear you're still alive and kickin'. I've added some new aerial photos in the Hialeah gallery and the aviation galleries (main aviation gallery plus Opa-locka and Miami Municipal sub-galleries) but failed to mention it here in the comments section. Guest: Ranch House restaurants were all over the place as I recall. We still have an original one in operation on W. 84th Street in Hialeah behind the Palm Lakes post office. For those still in the South Florida area: Antolin Carbonell will be offering his monthly Biscayne Boulevard / Belle Meade Historical Walking Tour this Saturday, November 8 at 10:30AM. Meet at the Vagabond Market 7300 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami. $10.00 donation, no credit cards. I worked with Antolin at MIA for many years and we are both retired from there. For more information his e-mail address is antolingarciacarbonell@gmail.com . Don

Pokey		06-Nov-2008 16:25
Carol Bishop I sent you my e-mail address, I would love to have a list of people from that area, I attended Broadmoor Elememtary ( 56 - 62 ), Madison Jr High ( 62 - 65 ) and Miami Central High ( 65 - 68 ), lived in the Bell Haven Trailer Park from 53 - 69, when I ended up in the military, my parents stayed in the park until 1980. I also spent many jFri and Sat nights at the 27 ave drive-in and also the turnpike drive-in, from 66 til 69, I use to go to the Frank n Bun with friends of mine, because I wasn't old enough to drive at that time, and it was gone after I started to drive. Did you attend Broadmoor, my teachers were 1st-Mrs Swicegood, 2nd-Mrs Joyce, (they were the same person, she had gotten married over that sumer), 3rd-Mrs Rolands, 4th-Mrs Burns, 5th - was made up of both 5th and 6th grade students, because they were short a 5th grade teacher that year, and 6th-was Mr Flanagan, I don't recall any of the Jr High teachers that I had, and for High School, I only remember Mrs Farabe, Mr Thornton, and Mr Hedgecock. I do remember Dr. Shaw very well, she was the principle at Broadmoor

Guest		06-Nov-2008 16:19
What about the old Ranch House restaurants? I spent a lot of time in those.

Jeff		06-Nov-2008 03:39
I should note than in the mid-1950's the block starting with the shopping center (and heading East toward the beach) had the White Star Shopping Center, the Sun and Sea Motel (or apartments), Jilly's and a small group of stores... An old Polk's City Directory (a reverse-lookup directory) once showed a pizza drive-in, but I could never substantiate it... perhaps that location was slated to open, but never did. Are you sure it was across from Fun Fair? Billy's/Sip 'n' Sup Drive-In at 1200 NE 79th Street had [for most of its years of operation] a bayside dining room... Then again, if you're talking about the early to mid 1960's, something may have been there that I've overlooked. For example, in the mid-to-late '60's, on the Western end of the shopping center was a tiny take-out a place called Belly Buster subs... and in Normandy Isle there was an Italian Restaurant called Mama ViVi's. There was also Nathan's, which - upon being sued by the original Nathan's - changed its name (and menu to Nay-Ton's Chinese take-out... Also in Normandy Isle was the Polly Davis Cafeteria and Eberhardt's House of Steaks...

Jeff		06-Nov-2008 03:31
Glenn... Was the place you were thinking of in the same shopping plaza (White Star) as the Bonfire? In my old research, I don't recall anything other than a bowling alley there... The other restaurants in the area were the House of Prime Ribs (later Tony's Fish Market), Nick and Arthur's, the Place for Steak, the Luau, Dean Martin's Restaurant (later Club Top Draw)... and Colonel Jim's Bar-B-Q - which was on the same side of the street as Fun Fair. Where Colonel Jim's once stood later came the Peppermint Lounge, The Barn, The Crab House and the Mix II...

Glenn		05-Nov-2008 23:35
I've read many restaurant names in this wonderful column, but they don't seem to ring THE bell that I am searching for. There was a casual family restaurant across from Fun Fair on the 79th Street Causeway. I remember booths, formica top tables and music of the day being piped in. I even remember one of the songs being "Love and Marriage" made more famous in later years by Married with Children. Anyone remember the restaurant name? (It wasn't the Bonfire.)

Carol Bishop		05-Nov-2008 22:22
Bell Haven Trailer Park! I have many friends that lived there in the 50's and 60's. We have a Madison Junior High Reunion every year in Ocala, Fl. for classes 55-64. Did you know Carolyn Phiefer, Robert Knapp, or Eddie Perfumo? Good times at Frank N Bun, Funland Park and 27th Ave Drive-in. I can send you a contact list of all the people that we have found in that area. Email me at hand1576@bellsouth.net Carol Bishop

Pokey		05-Nov-2008 21:34
Bell Haven Trailer Park'''''''''''''''''located at 3200 nw 79th st''''''''''''''''looking for anyone from the old park from the 50's and 60's.

Arizona Al		05-Nov-2008 14:48
Hello All: I fondly recall the Lums on 27th Ave and the Lums in the "Grove". Ate at both regularly circa 1967-1969. Speaking of Gallaghers, my family ate there on June 17, 1964 and I know this for a fact because it was a celebration of my graduation from Palmetto High School on that date. I do recall the Tubby Baked Potato filled to the hilt with butter, sour cream and chives. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and wishing he could afford to eat the carbs in a big baked potato in Phooenix, Arizona

Jeff		05-Nov-2008 03:22
Charlis... I think it closed sometime in the 1980's...

charlis		04-Nov-2008 23:43
Jeff... when did Ollie's on 23rd close... if it did? I remember going to a "disco" place on that block for my 20th reunion... 1987. Place was owned by a fellow classmate's family... ,I want to say the Turchins.

Jo-Anne K		04-Nov-2008 22:18
Hi Don & All.... I've been dropping in to read the posts pretty regular and see new pics but haven't had much to say. Glad to see everyone is still kickin' .

Jeff		03-Nov-2008 22:24
I just spotted on ebay an auction for a matchbook cover from the Trocadero Restaurant, which I'd just mention in the previous post... The actual address is 301-23rd Street, and its early-50's phone number was 5-0551. The owners called it the "Aristocrat of Kosher Restaurants". It's sister Restaurant was called Harfenist - a dairy, vegetarian and sea food restaurant located on Washington Avenue at 14th Street. Their phone number was 58-2058!

Jeff		03-Nov-2008 21:46
Parks... Ollie's Restaurant was actually located on the North side of 23rd Street, just West of Liberty Avenue and just before you reached the Sunoco Station bordering the Dade Canal. Take a look at that 1950's picture of the Trocadero Restaurant on Liberty Avenue in Don's restaurant gallery... You're looking West. Walk about 2/3 of the way down the block and you were at Ollie's - the favorite hangout of most Beach High students... Ollie Gluckenhaus spent over 20 years perfecting his spice blend, and the running joke was that it was actually his cigar ashes falling on the grill that added "that special flavor". He made a million dollar deal with Governor John Brown of Kentucky to market his uniquely seasoned burgers. Brown was brought to Ollie's by a friend, and he immediately fell in love with the Ollie Burger. Already the owner of Lum's, Abner's Roast Beef, some Laugh-In restaurant franchises and KFC, Brown wanted to put the Ollie Burger into every Lums restaurant (which he subsequently did). Ollie told me that he never made the full million dollars from his recipe, but he had the time of his life traveling around the country promoting the burger for Brown. The only Ollie's Trolley I remember was on SE 3rd Avenue and 1st Street in Downtown Miami. I used to love to stop in there and get some seasoned fries before catching my bus back home to Miami Beach. Ollie sold his restaurant shortly after making the deal with Brown. I remeber him walking his dog on 11th Street in Miami Beach. Years later, he moved to the apartments just North of the old Zayre Department Store on NE 15th Avenue in North Miami Beach (across from the 163rd Street Shopping Center). This was the time I got in touch with him. Ollie was a friendly and outgoing person, and when he passed away we lost a colorful part of Miami Beach's legacy. In a way, my own personal spice blend was a "valentine" to his innovation...

charlis		03-Nov-2008 21:23
Parks... Ollies was located around the corner from the Lums around 21st St, near the Roney Plaza, near the library and the Bass Art Museum.

charlis		03-Nov-2008 21:21
jeff... Gallaghers... can't say that I remember the sign. I just remember the inside, helped with the redesign of the "back room", initiated the new bathroom when I was preggars... loved the rock shrimp, but it didn't love me that one time. And the main entrance to where Kope lived was on the same corner. I do have 2 other funny stories about the place... One time my hubby, Ed, called from work for me to meet him there. I got there and he was no where to be seen. An hour later the bartender, who made special Sloe Gin Fizzes for me, handed me the knife he used to slice lemons and limes. Another long time patron, an attorney, said he would represent me, as I was justified! The other memory includes Alex Trebek's mom, who would always take my daughter to the front desk so that my hubby and I could enjoy our dinner.

Parks		03-Nov-2008 03:35
Hi Jeff, Thanks for the tip on the Worcestershire sauce. The spices didn't come with instructions. The cashier mentioned mixing them with water to make a loose paste and spreading it on the burger. I bet the Worcestershire sauce is the secret. What's the story on Ollie Burgers? I heard they originated on Miami Beach. Is there anywhere else you can buy them? Any Ollie's Trollys Left?

Jeff		03-Nov-2008 03:07
Parks, I know a number of the things Ollie Gluckenhaus used in his seasoning, but it's not what's in it - it's the BLEND of those ingredients. You can have a chemical assayer or food lab dissect it - but the cost to do so would not be worth the results... especiaqlly when you add onto that the cost the the various herbs and spices you need to buy in bulk to tray and dulpicate that particular mixture. I, too, came up with my own blend of herbs and spices over 20 years ago and kind of traded notes with Ollie... Of course, neither of us would divulge the EXACT blends... but his needs to be seared into the meat with Worcestershire sauce...mine doesn't! My recipe IS for sale... for a high six figures (before the decimal point)... LOL!

Parks		03-Nov-2008 00:23
Hi Gang, I drove up to Davie today and had lunch at Lums. It was great. The Ollie Burger was spicy and the steamed in beer dog was wonderful with kraut and mustard. I also bought a jar of Ollie burger spice. Anyone know where I can have it analized?

jeff		02-Nov-2008 01:01
Charlis... If I remember correctly, the "logo" for Gallagher's (on their pole sign) was a steer with his arm around a guy...or vice versa, and the name "Gallagher's" in a broad script... Am I right? Funny... no one ever talks about Char Hut on Miami Gardens Drive - they sold hot dogs and hamburgers for ages until a few years ago. That location is gone, but there might be one or two left in Broward that they opened in the '80's...

charlis		01-Nov-2008 18:29
Yummy... Gallaghers in N Miami... famous for its Tubby Potato... the softest baked potato with 4 cups of cheese, sour cream, chives, and bacon to add (I still have a few of the plastic cups... knew the owner and got a lot of stuff from the warehouse when the place burned down). The grill was in the front, glassed in for everyone to see the cooking going on. Best service in town... Alex Trebek's mom was the Hostest in the late '60's and early 70's. All the long time regulars were treated as family.

charlis		01-Nov-2008 18:23
Jeff... thanks for the info. All I know is that my family discovered the Lums on 41st in '62 and we ate there once a week... family night out. The info I posted was from Wikepedia... Fancy dinner out was at the Forge, semi-casual was at Gallaghers.

Jackie		01-Nov-2008 14:01
By the time Lum's opened, I was out of Miami, but was introduced to them in West Palm. I was newly married and struggling financially, so my girlfriend got me a job with Wackenhut Security as a "shopper". Our job was to visit businesses from Fort Pierce to Broward County and check on the way they operated. We had a checklist of things to look for in each store. We served accounts with Lindlsey Lumber, Halsey & Griffith (a business supply store), Fields Department store (a discount store), and LUMS. I think they were all in Palm Beach and south. We had to eat at each Lums (I know... such a sacrifice), so we would stagger our meals throughout the day. Once in a while we were allowed to take our guys, so we had a free night out... which was just about what we could afford at the time! We continued to enjoy Lums as the family and the bank account grew, and were really disappointed when the last of them in our area closed. I didn't know that there were any left. Thanks, Don, Charlis, and Jeff, for bringing me up to date.

Jeff		01-Nov-2008 03:13
That is, Perlman and his brother...

Jeff		01-Nov-2008 03:10
Charlis... No, baby... those Lums restaurants are LONG gone, as well as the one on Lincoln Road and Jefferson Avenue... and just one correction to your notes... Perlman BOUGHT the 41st Street Lums from the founder... then expanded the chain over the years until he and his sold it to Gov. John Brown of Kentucky in the 1970's so they could purchase Caesar's Palace...

charlis		31-Oct-2008 22:03
only 2 left... but I still steam my dogs in beer! LUMS was a family restaurant chain in the United States. Although there are a few LUMS restaurants (like one in Davie, Florida) remaining in the U.S., they are not connected anymore as an official chain. LUMS was founded by Stuart Perlman[1] as a hot dog stand in 1957, growing to over 400 restaurants, before its bankruptcy in the early 1980's. [2] For a time, the company's commercial spokesman was Milton Berle. Remaining Lums restaurants: - 511 N. Fort Crook Road, Bellevue, Nebraska. - 4125 SW 64th Avenue, Davie, Florida

charlis		31-Oct-2008 22:00
Jeff... Lums... are our 2 locations still around... the one on 41st and the one near Beach?

charlis		31-Oct-2008 21:58
Don...Lums... please, they can not be going by the wayside! the first one was on Arthur Godfrey Rd (41st St) in Miami Beach. We, Beach Hi students, also hung out at the one on Collins Av. The manager could never get over the fact that everyone was drinking coffee at breakfast, but I always had to have Pepsi. I have such fond memories... they bought me my first legal beer on my b-day. The owner bought the lots across the street from my great uncle and put in a huge pool, a tennis court and beautiful landscaping. They filmed a lot of the Miami Vice shows there. Please... say it isn't so.

Charles Knight		31-Oct-2008 19:50
Ervin Rouse had as much (legal) money as anyone I've ever met yet, he lived in a tent with several hound dogs. One day in the seventies he bought a brand new Airboat but no one would go out on it with him. Being a naive kid...I did, we got six or seven miles out in the swamp with it before he got it stuck in a very thick stand of sawgrass. After trying unsuccessfully to free it for quite some time he suggested that I stand behind the boat and push on the propeller cage while he gunned the motor and tried to get it out...Well I was naive but not stupid and wasn't about to get anywhere close to that prop, especially with an intoxicated driver at the stick. It took me about three hours to walk back to the bar and I had to swim across the canal as well. After that I used a little more caution as to whom I would go Airboating with!

Charles Knight		31-Oct-2008 19:37
Anyone remember the "Campus Life" Haunted House at Tropical Race Track? BOO! It later moved to the old Railroad Depot near Metrzoo.

Charles Knight		31-Oct-2008 06:26
Mr. Boyd, I unfortunately, will not be able to visit Lum's one last time but I do have fond memories of the lum's on Flagler and twenty seventh Ave. And also the Lum's in the Grove. When I got a little older I went to live with my mother on NW seventh St. and thirty fourth Ave. Prior to that I went to school in Everglades City but the school itself left a lot to be desired (academic-wise). My mates and I spent many a morning at Lum's checking out the girls and acting cool...LOL! The Grove Lum's was another story altogether! (We'll not into that at this juncture!) I will always remember the hot dogs cooked in beer (yum). I have attempted on several occassions to reproduce them, although unsuccessfully...Ain't it a shame! Also for those of you that may be interested...Check out National Geographic August 1977, there's a good story about the Glades and Loop Road AND Gator Hook Lodge, the writer stayed in our home while writing the article.

Don Boyd		31-Oct-2008 02:54
I visited the last Lums restaurant for lunch in Davie last week and noticed that the building is for sale. On a previous visit I noticed that they dropped their evening hours and are now only open for lunch. The owners were a couple who have privately owned the restaurant since 1981 and the husband recently died and the wife can no longer run the restaurant so she has it up for sale. Another lady is in the process of buying the restaurant and if it goes through she will convert it to a different type of restaurant. So my lady friends and I pigged out on hot dogs with kraut, chili dogs and we shared an Ollie burger, along with some good beers. If any local folks have a desire to have that one last visit to a Lums I suggest that you do it soon because it won't be long before it closes. The address is 4125 SW 64th Avenue (Davie Road), Davie, just south of the Broward Community College/FAU/etc. educational complex. Telephone number: 954-583-6872 Also, check outhttp://www.theRADIO.com to listen to a song or songs you haven't heard in a long long time - just type the title in the box and seconds later it will be playing or you can do a search by artist if you can't remember the song title. And, finally, a video for Roberta so she can continue watching Poker after Dark in 2009: http://www.hulu.com/watch/36608/talkshow-with-spike-feresten-cable-psa#s-p1-st-i1 Don

Miami River Rat		31-Oct-2008 02:41
Peter Matthiessen's novel, "Lost Man's River" a follow-up to "Killing Mister Watson", mentions the Gator Hook bar several times, if my memory serves.(I suggest not reading Lost Man's River without reading Killing Mister Watson First. The second book wouldn't make any sense if you didn't "know" the people and storyline of the first book) For my own experience, I know where Gator Hook was located, but I never went there while the bar was operating. I left Miami in 1959 for military service. I returned and spent 1964 and '65 back in Dade County and went to Miami-Dade Junior College those two years, but for a number of reasons I pretty much had to avoid the Glades and old friends and acquaintances. By the time the '80's rolled around, the Gumment had seized most everything out there and my old friends were scattered to the four corners of the world. So Charles, I missed seeing your brother again at Gator Hook, and also missed meeting you there! My loss. I'm sure I would have enjoyed the place.

Don Boyd		31-Oct-2008 02:25
I visited the last Lums restaurant for lunch in Davie last week and noticed that the building is for sale. On a previous visit I noticed that they dropped their evening hours and are now only open for lunch. The owners were a couple who have privately owned the restaurant since 1981 and the husband recently died and the wife can no longer run the restaurant so she has it up for sale. Another lady is in the process of buying the restaurant and if it goes through she will convert it to a different type of restaurant. So my lady friends and I pigged out on hot dogs with kraut, chili dogs and we shared an Ollie burger, along with some good beers. If any local folks have a desire to have that one last visit to a Lums I suggest that you do it soon because it won't be long before it closes. The address is 4125 SW 64th Avenue (Davie Road), Davie, just south of the Broward Community College/FAU/etc. educational complex. Telephone number: 954-583-6872 Also, check outhttp://www.theRADIO.com to listen to a song or songs you haven't heard in a long long time - just type the title in the box and seconds later it will be playing or you can do a search by artist if you can't remember the song title. Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		31-Oct-2008 00:21
Talk about writing a book on Florida Memories!!! Charles...your memories of Gator Hook, & of your brother, Jack, & tending bar at age 15...!!! Wow!!! YOU are the poster on here who should write a book...!!! I'd buy it, to be sure, as these postings are a side of South Florida many of us are totally unaware of having existed.

Charles Knight		30-Oct-2008 17:44
Hi Parks, I have that book and Mr. White signed it for me. It's one of my most cherished possessions.

Parks		30-Oct-2008 14:23
Rat, Thanks for the history lesson! That's why we're here. Charles, Evin Rouse and the Gator Hook are mentioned in one of Randy Wayne White's books, "The Man Who Invented Florida". Largo, I think some of the old oil wells are still producing. No new ones are being drilled. Google "Florida Oil Wells" a bunch of interesting stuff comes up.

LARGO		30-Oct-2008 07:10
IN AND AROUND THE 70'S THERE WERE WORKING OIL WELLS IN AND AROUND IMMOKALEE, FL...ALONG WITH WHAT THEY CALLED "TRUCK FARMS"...FARMERS GREW TOMATOES, BEANS, PEPPERS, SQUASH...ETC...SOME OF THEM WERE "U-PICK" FIELDS...BUT NOT AROUND THE WELLS...IT WAS SURREAL TO SEE THEM BOBBING SLOWLY IN THE THEN RURAL SOUTH FLORIDA LANDSCAPE

Charles Knight		30-Oct-2008 03:35
There was an old Oil pad about two and one half miles west of Gator Hook just east of Pinecrest, some friends of mine discovered two bodies there in the seventies, the law said it was a mob hit!

Charles Knight		30-Oct-2008 03:31
Gator Hook was built in the late fifties by my brother Jack , the building itself was the original Boy Scout meeting hall in Sweetwater. Jack bought it for one dollar and trailored it to the Loop where he waited for the dry season and built block piers to set it on. It remained there until 1978 after the Federal land grab. Jack's passed on now so I guess I can tell the truth...He was a very sensitive tough guy and burned it down so that the vandals couldn't desicrate it. Ervin Rouse was a regular on most weekends and we always kept extra cash on hand in order to cash the royalty checks he recieved for penning the song "The Orange Blossom Special". Charlie Daniels used to frequent Gator Hook and "jammed" ther many times. There are so many stories I could tell about the weekend warriors, dopers, poachers...I was tending bar there at the tender age of fifteen. The closest police statio was 90 miles away and with only one way in or out...Well you can see what I mean, it was a different world and a rich childhood.More later.

charlis		29-Oct-2008 22:44
Jeff, and gang... let's all vote on Tuesday to keep the tax breaks for people who own land that is environmental sensitive and help them keep it that way. Otherwise this state is going to sink into the gulf and ocean.

Jeff		29-Oct-2008 14:55
Back in the 1950's, it was not uncommon to see oil wells in the Everglades. No one at the time (perhaps with the exception of Marjory Stoneman Douglas) knew about - or appreciated - the delicate balance in the ecosystem of the "River of Grass". Fortunately, those wells went bust... for if not, most of these posts would be lamenting and reminiscing about an Everglades that used to exist. We've lost enough of this precious resource to "civilization's" encroachment... let's hope future generations will do even more to preserve Florida's natural wonder!

Miami River Rat		29-Oct-2008 13:26
Parks: In May a year ago, (2007) Loop Road was in the best condition I've ever seen it. It's still a rock/gravel road, but it was smooth with no big pot-holes. Just be ready for some dust and enjoy the trip. It's 26 miles from end to end. When you come out at the west end of it, stop and look at the old Monroe Station building. In it's day, it was the premier beer joint/swamper's/smuggler's/poacher's hangout in the Everglades. Now the Government has Keep Out signs hanging all over it. Maybe they'll open it as a museum or something. When Grossman's Hammock was a commercial venture called Mineral Springs, the owners liked to tell the tale that the artesian well was a natural thing, but it was indeed an attempt to drill for oil and all that came up was a great stream of fresh water. The State calls it Chekika Park because that's where Colonel Harney and his soldiers captured and hung the indian leader of that name. Harney and his men left from Cape Florida on Key Biscayne traveling in indian canoes. The indians at Grossman's were caught off guard because they didn't think the whites could get there. After leaving Grossman's, Harney and his men continued south and west, down what is now known as Harney river to Florida Bay. This is thought to be the first east-to-west coast crossing of South Florida by white people. So, I got carried away.End of history lesson!

Parks		29-Oct-2008 03:20
Hi Rat, Glad you enjoyed the book. That's really neat that your granddad was mentioned. I just learned that Glen Simmons has written a second book. I'll try to get a copy this week and give you a review. I've lived in Miami all my life and have never driven Loop Road. I've really got to do it. What is the condition of the road? I heard that it was pretty rough. Remember the artesian well at Grossman's Hammock? The story I heard was that it was drilled by someone looking for oil but all they got was a strong flow of water. The well has been capped now.

Miami River Rat		29-Oct-2008 02:58
Oh yeah, Charles, I did many trips out the loop road. I used to hang out at Monroe Station quite a bit. That was before y'all built that Gator Hook bar. Back in the day, we called the road to the Shark River fire tower "Ranger's Road". At night it was best to walk in with lights off and hunt going back, so your lights were pointed away from the tower. We imagined that park rangers were always up there, though looking back on it now I'd say probably not. Just two years ago me, my sister and my cousin rode the loop road for old times sake. We came out with a couple of nice orchids. Old habits die hard, as they say. Places on loop road that used to be large ponds are now dry and grown up in trees. Gum Slough looked like a desert. I guess Broward County needs the water to flush toilets with. One thing, there were lots of medium sized gators in the few water holes we saw. I'm in Alabama now and Sis lives in Oregon. We get together in Miami once every year or so, as my nephews and two cousins are still there. My last trip down, in May of this year, there was a helluva fire west of Krome. We were trying to get to Grossman's Hammock (called Chekika Park now) but the road was blocked off because of the fire. We got close enough to see helicopters dropping those big buckets of water on the flames.

Charles Knight		28-Oct-2008 16:46
I was begining to wonder if everyone had gone South for the season...Hey River Rat, ever spend any time on the Loop road in Shark Valley? That's my old neighborhood.

Roberta Perry Hughes		28-Oct-2008 06:35
"Scusi, y'all...I'll clear up the mystery, of my "mystery post." It was regarding the final minutes of "Poker After Dark," when Chris Ferguson moved all in, merely holding an ace/four, off-suit, & Phil Helmuth, aka "Poker Brat," was holding pocket tens, & then, hit a trip', when another ten came up, on the flop. He won $150,000. Don & I were rooting for Chris to beat the Brat. I just posted my reaction on here, rather than in an email, because I was bored, & no one had posted on here in about 3 days. Didn't mean any harm by it.

Roberta Perry Hughes		28-Oct-2008 05:00
Guest...'Zat choo, Timothy?? Parks...Re: "What?", & "I second that, What?" Tee! Hee! Ask Don...I'm sure it makes sense to him...or it should, anyway. I could've posted it in an email to him, but...!!...when you're a chronic night owl/insomniac, & the "flannel board" is empty, as it has been, for a coupla days, or longer...I have a tendency to get a bit mischievous...just to see if anyone's paying attention. I'll give Don a chance to shed light on this matter, first, if he so chooses...which he probably won't. Just rest assured, it's nothing, really. Just a "venting," is all, & something to do, in the wee hours of the morning. Re: My limericks...you would have had to have seen the A&E's 1995 miniseries, based on the novel by Jane Austen, "Pride and Prejudice," which has aired on PBS, more than once, because my subject matter deals with the two main characters, Fitzwilliam Darcy & Elizabeth Bennett. However, I have been known to pen limericks on other subjects, as well...& most are quite naughty. The awkward rhyme & meter of the limerick is a challenge.

Miami River Rat		28-Oct-2008 04:07
Parks: Thanks for the tip on the Glen Simmons book. I ordered it, it came last week and I just finished reading it tonight. Was interested to see that my grandpa was mentioned as one of the gator hide buyers in the 1930's. I really like books that tell about places I'm familiar with, and since much of my early youth was spent rambling around the Glades, this was a great read for me. Thanks again.

Parks		28-Oct-2008 02:53
Roberta, I second that, What? How about one of those limricks as well?

Guest		27-Oct-2008 23:40
What?

Roberta Perry Hughes		27-Oct-2008 04:32
Don...Long about a little before 3:00 a.m., this past Saturday morning (or, should I say "mourning,") did you happen to hear me scream..."Nooooooooooo! Chris...! Don't do it! Don't do it!...", & just seconds later, hear me screeching..."@!!!%^&@!!!~~++@!!!-ing Braaaatt!!" ?? Or, perhaps You didn't hear me, as you were probably screaming the very same words...or, at least, something similar. Just ruined my late night TV. (sigh)

Timothy L. Cromer		24-Oct-2008 14:32
Miss Roberta.......INDEED naughty limericks, hush yo' mouth and say it ain't so.... Well there's your first best seller right there. Keep me posted via Big Don's great website when you unearth that "Round Tuit" Pleased to share the name with your son! Have a great weekend / timothy!!~_~!!

Roberta Perry Hughes		23-Oct-2008 10:35
Timothy...Thanks, for the confidence in my literary abilities. I have several plots in mind, for novels/novellas. Just got to find that elusive "round tuit," is all. Toyed with the usual memoir-type theme but my life has been nothing to write home about. Here's an interesting coincidence: My son's name is Timothy. He just turned 40, in May...Cinco de Mayo, in fact. He likes to think that holiday celebrates his birthday. Actually, just for fun, I love to create multi-versed limericks, which have an awkward rhyme scheme, of AABBA. Most are naughty, of course, & is totally based on my fictional version of..."The Continuing Saga of Lizzy and Fitz"...Elizabeth Bennett and Fitwilliam Darcy, from Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," & no, my former English teacher will never get to read them.

Parks		23-Oct-2008 03:37
Ray, Thanks for the link to Goggle Earth Tahiti Beach. I didn't realize that the Tahiti Beach cove was still there. There's also a nice piece of mangrove shore line next to it. It looks fishy; I think I'll have to do a little shallow water exploring! What a change from the sixties! I remember camping in that area when I was in high school. It was all Australian Pines, now it's all very expensive houses. Did you see the boat wakes in the bay off shore from Tahiti Beach? If you zoom in on them you can actually make out the boat. Welcome Timothy. If you enjoy Totch Brown's book try to find Glen Simon’s book as well. Glen includes plans for his Everglades boat in the book. It’s based on the shape of the canoes that the Seminoles used. You pole it through the saw grass.

Jeff		23-Oct-2008 00:30
The Virginia Key Beach is in the process of a renewal and restoration project. The area has been cleaned and cultivated, and when completed, the carousel and snack bar that were "exclusive to colored folk" will be returned to their original glory... A bit of "black history" for sure, but equally a social commentary on [thankfully] how far we've come since the 1950's. Black residents of Miami have applauded this restoration project - because in its day, it was "their" place to go and enjoy the sun and fun of South Florida - in a time when there were few places a person of color could congregate with friends and family and not suffer the consequences of an ignorant society.

Miami River Rat		22-Oct-2008 20:02
Charles: The beach on the north side of the causeway, (at Bear Cut, AKA Third Bridge,) is Virginia Beach. In the days of segregation it was the "colored beach". If you drove past it, heading north on a dirt road, on your right you came to what we called "Outlaw Beach". All night beach parties, lots of substance abuse and not a few fights were among the activities that were popular there. Of course, I've left the most popular activity to everyone's imagination, this being a family-friendly site and alla that. Anyone else here that used to like to dive off the Bear Cut bridge? As young teenagers, we used to get one of those big rubber knives and pretend to chase my sister (around age 12 at the time) with the knife. She'd scream and put on a great act. Some good Samaritan would always stop his car in traffic and run to help Sis out. Then we'd all laugh, jump off the bridge and let the current take us away downstream. Years later, when my mom found out about Sis going off that bridge, she chewed me out royal, and by then both Sis and I were in our 30's. PS: I remember that you had to count posts. It was the seventh post where the water got deep enough to go off the bridge without hitting bottom after your dive.

Timothy 'O Town' Cromer		22-Oct-2008 13:41
"Guest" Timothy here wanting you (Roberta Perry Huges) that I am an avid reader and would indeed welcome, purchase, and read a book should you ever decide to 'pen one.' I love the works of Carl Hiaisen, Tim Dorsey, AND a book I now have on order THANKS to Don Boyd's wonderful site where I learned of Totch Brown. So rev up your memories and get busy!!! Kindest regards / timothy

Charles Knight		22-Oct-2008 13:08
As kids we went to see Pink Floyd's Dark side of the moon concert at the Sportatorium, then we all went to the beach that I can't name and partied there until the following day. Ahhh, such (nearly) innocent times.

Charles Knight		22-Oct-2008 13:03
Got it...Upscale neighborhood, had a buddy that lived there, he had more money than sense. So what is the beach with the Austrailian Pines on the north side of the causeway? (Rickenbacker). Towards the end of the eighties it got quite dangerous to go there after dark.

LARGO		22-Oct-2008 01:46
HEY GUEST...WE WERE JUST HAZING YA!!!...LOL...............WELCOME ...TELL US MORE OF YOUR MIAMI LIFE.......LARGO

Roberta Perry Hughes		22-Oct-2008 00:15
Guest...Touche! My recent post was, indeed, "book length." I got a bit carried away. Though that day at the unsolicited beach was a miserable one, we had pestered the socks off of our father to take us to the beach, even though the weather was not conducive to such an outing. It, & the others, stand out in my memory, quite keenly, obviously, due to the painful mishaps & encounters with marine life. Though I have yet to "pen a book," I am a professional free-lance writer. I had an excellent English teach, in high school (GA) with whom I am still in touch, & who is still teaching, having recently celebrated her 50th year of non-stop teaching, God bless her! And she doesn't look much different than she did when she taught me! Good to see your comment, on my posting, letting us know you remain with us.

Arizona Al		21-Oct-2008 22:28
Cutler Ridge circa 1959-1964. The Ridge Rats would take a walk down Marlin Road till it intersected with Old Cutler Road. Then about 3/4 of a mile walk heading East through mango groves and tomato fields and we were at the secluded ocean shore which was covered in mangrove trees. We had many a party over the years and only infrequently ventured to the "tourist and local sites" such as Matheson Hammock, Tahiti Beach, and Homestead Bayfront Park. I am certain that all is now covered in homes and condos..Que Lastima! Alan Ogus. Ph.D. Alive, well and wishing he could time warp to Cutler Ridge circa 1963 while trapped in 2008 in Phoenix, Arizona

Ray		21-Oct-2008 17:05
Charles, Tahiti Beach's location? Think Coral Gables, what is now Coco Plum. Go all they way east on Sunset, to the circle, then further east into that area. South side of the waterway. I don't think I ever went to the beach when it was opened, but we got in via boat after it was closed. This is the area today: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=homestead+way,+coral+gables,+FL&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=36.915634,65.214844&safe=moderate&ie=UTF8&ll=25.699565,-80.24781&spn=0.01425,0.027895&t=h&z=16&iwloc=addr This is how it looked in 1952: http://sid.fcla.edu/mrsid/bin/image_jpeg.pl?client=12025&image=12025_1952_4H_25.sid&x=1430&y=3368&level=1&width=1024&height=768

Ray		21-Oct-2008 15:55
I just posted this on a mailing list and I wanted to share it here too. My thoughts on the Coral Gables pictures I gave a link for below: I wish everyone working in Building and Zoning at Coral Gables had to view each of these pictures to see what the Gables used to be like. There's some lessons there. Interesting details on the back of some of the pictures. Like prices, terms, history, features. Some details I've noticed: There was quite a mix of homes across the Gables. Tiny cracker boxes to mansions back then. Seems like that was really forward thinking for the time. Open windows... yep, no A/C back then. Very few fences. But even without them we had good neighbors. Pine Trees. Tons of them. Everywhere! My parent's house still has one left. These need to make a comeback. Attic Ventilating fans were a big selling point. One of my neighbors had one and it really did make a difference. Sucked air in the windows and up to the attic. So cooler air came in and the attic was flushed of hot air. These should make a come back. Solar water heaters. I guess all those years of FPL's "Flameless Electric Living" did a lot to remove most of them. Nice to know what is old is new again. Better electric water heaters were 'automatic' back then. Something we wouldn't even think about today. Jealousy Windows were a selling point, not a weakness. Electrical service. Merritt, you should be looking at these. Transformers above the secondary, no triplex, loop street lights, bare telephone lines on some poles. I'm guessing 4kV primaries. When you zoom in to these old B&W images, the detail is impressive. New sod was done like plugs, about one a foot, not sheets like today. I guess it took longer to fill in but looks like it was less work. Many homes came with Venetian blinds. The real metal ones. With the track in the sides of the window so they wouldn't blow around when the windows were open. Some areas seem to be totally gone now. Look up Homestead Way. A few package stores (Old Thompson Beer, $2.75 a case!). I think a bit of that road is still in front of Ponce Middle, but other than that, it's gone. I'm guessing they eliminated it to make deeper lots for the US1 facing stores. Just saw something funny... 1500-08 Homestead Way, one store looked like they were selling XM RADIO. Actually K&M Radio, but the neon sign looked a bit like XM's current logo. The aerial photos answered something I had always wondered... why are Alhambra Circle and South Alhambra Circle not connected? Turns out they were once. Alhambra used to cross San Amaro and go where the UM practice field and the parking garage are now. There's so much history here. Ray

Charles Knight		21-Oct-2008 15:20
There are probably just as many ways to be injured or worse in a swimmig pool. My goodness, if everyone lived in constant fear of Jellyfish, Barnacles, and Urchins just think how nice our beaches might be today. I no longer reside in our beloved Miami but I will admit that I'm much too sentimental to leave Florida altogether and now live a few hours north of Miami in a beautiful little Barrier Island town. I started over and have a gorgeous six year old daughter. This town resembles (my) old Miami in many ways, it's got a small Zoo, a lot of clubs and restaurants, and beautiful beaches. My kid and walk the five minutes there often. On the downside...The water is very rough here! There's no sorkleing, or scuba from the shore...EVER! Ahhh, how I miss the crystal clear and tranquil waters of Crandon and Matheson! How come I'm not remembering Tahiti Beach's location? I want to place it on the left side (north) of Rickenbacker just east of the Seaquarium with a massive stand of Austrailian Pines...Am I correct?

Ray		21-Oct-2008 14:43
Roberta, your memories really explain why Dade County has so many pools. Northerners always ask why we would want pools with so many beaches. Between the crowds, sand and salt, I'll take a pool any time. I remember being at Eliot Key once when some guy jumped off a boat and right onto a sea urchin. The stingers went right through his foot. Don: If the aerials put you behind, do NOT go to the Coral Gables memories system. You will lose all track of time and put yourself even further behind!

Guest		21-Oct-2008 12:03
Well indeed Miss Roberta Perry Hughes, what eloquent prose albeit about unpleasant beach memories, perhaps you should pen a book on your South Florida memories for us. I am serious!

Roberta Perry Hughes		21-Oct-2008 08:42
A few unpleasant childhood beach memories...One day, my father decided to go to an unsolicited beach, adjacent to the Miami Seaquarium, to "avoid crowds." I remember there was a sign...some sort of warning, I'm sure, because not far from the shore was a coral shelf, which was easy to slip on. I had scrapes on my back & knees, as did my siblings. The waves were choppy, & knocked us down, frequently. I kept feeling a sort of "crunch," as I waded in the surf, like stepping on patches of dried or burnt grass tufts, but I didn't think much about it. Audrey & Willie felt it, too, I'm sure, & we soon grew weary of this nightmare-of-a-beach, & came ashore for lunch, shivering, as it was overcast, windy, & chilly. Just total misery, all the way around. On the way home, in the back of my father's pickup truck, the soles of our feet began to ache & throb. I turned a foot up in my lap, & noticed little black-looking holes, here & there. Audrey & Willie had them, too. Unknown to us, we had been walking over a bed of sea urchins, & that crunching feeling was the spines, as they shot into our feet like porcupine quills. My mother was so mad at my father, for having taken us there, instead of going on down the road, to Crandon Park. She gave him what for, too. Armed with peroxide, Mama held us down, in turn, while Daddy used needle nose pliers, to pull out each painful spine. It's a wonder the neighbors didn't call the law, as it sounded like we were being killed, I'm sure. Mrs. Leslie, from across the street, DID come over, to see what all the fuss was about. I shall never forget the pain, which was far worse than having stepped on a nail. Then there was the time we got into a school of jellyfish...I forgot where, but it was a public beach...Tahiti, I think...& another time, when we went out in the ocean when the tide was out, beyond the filtered protection of Matheson Hump beach, & with reckless fascination, we marveled at an armada of Portuguese Man-O-Wars, coming in toward the shore. We were up-close-and-personal, with these gorgeous lavendar balloon-like creatures, & their tentacles streamed many feet behind their colorful inflated colonies. They would float up, on a sand bar, & sometimes, smaller tentacles came off...& we got stung by them, of course. It was like an acid burn. We also had the occasional encounter, with bare feet, to walk through those unforgettable beach sandspurs. THAT'S a pain you don't forget, too. Even hurt like yell, to pull them out, as they had barbs at the top, too, the little witches. Oh! I forgot to mention the time Audrey, & our neighbor, Linda, were sitting on a wharf, out in Tahiti beach, & as they thrust themselves off of it, into the water, their heels & toes were met by the residential patches of barnacles that covered the wharf, below the surface. I mean to tell you, those barnacles sliced them like razor blades, & these two teens turned the sand red, with every step. A scarey sight to see. Little children ran screaming to their mothers, while others stood stock still, gaping at their profusely bleeding feet. These are all isolated incidents. Most of our trips, for a "day at the beach," were warm & fuzzy "family time" memories, or pleasant excursions with our neighbors. I'm sure some of you can relate (maybe) one unpleasant day at the beach...?

Don Boyd		21-Oct-2008 06:01
New photos added: Larry Martin contributed six 1954 color images of gas stations at LeJeune and US1 and at NW 36th Street and LeJeune Road (gas stations gallery). Ray: thanks for that aerial photos link that you posted below. I spent a day and a half downloading a ton of them. There goes any progress I was making on other photos in the backlog. Don

Miami Girl		21-Oct-2008 00:46
Roberta, one of my favorite possessions is a conch shell, it's wonderful to see the amazement on the grandkids face when they hear the ocean in it! Next to it is my piece of beautiful coral, although I remember cutting my foot on coral rock once at Matheson Hammock and ended up with an extremely painful infection, but if it helps to protect it we humans just have to be careful. Then, also in that room I have a poster celebrating the 10 year anniversary of The Conch Republic - Key Largo to Key West. I think this was when they wanted to secede from the rest of the state. Also other art showing the Miami area -- all in my "Florida Room" I'm never too far from my memories. Last week while on vacation in Bar Harbor we saw a RED Pontiac Trans Am CONVERTIBLE and all I could think of was wishing I could be driving it at night down Collins Ave back in the 60's, of course with the top down. God, how wonderful that was with all the lights reflecting off the water and those tropical breezes blowing our hair! I can just close my eyes and I'm back there. I'll say it again everybody -- thanks for the memories! Miami Girl, Palmetto class of '65

Roberta Perry Hughes		20-Oct-2008 20:12
Ooopsie! There it is! Couldn't see for lookin'! Got "geriatric eyes." Guest...Welcome back...now, dish, with more details, please! We're all waiting to hear your memories. Thanks! Roberta

Roberta Perry Hughes		20-Oct-2008 20:08
Charles...I scrolled down...'way down...& couldn't find a posting from our anonymous Guest where he/she shared, or mentioned, a Miami memory(?). Can you tell me where it is? I surely would like to read it. Thanks in advance. Roberta

Charles Knight		20-Oct-2008 16:11
Allright Guest...You finally mention a Miami Memory. Kudos to you for showing a willingness to become one of the gang. I'm new here myself but already feel at home with my fellow Floridaphiles. It was fun sparring, now tell us more about your memories, I for one welcome them.

Guest		20-Oct-2008 13:16
Good grief, the response was harmless, folks. I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with a beach ball. (Is that even a phrase?) Now, if I could only turn back time, and sit on Crandon Beach, circa 1965, or so.

Ray		20-Oct-2008 02:59
More gold for my fellow history buffs here. If you into Coral Gables, I found a database of pictures of homes. http://digitool.fcla.edu/R/EQAJL22HITVEMFH488TQ5B5RTDB8L43X8VV5YF77T1SNKRT6GR-00574?func=collections-result&collection_id=1192 Dig in and click on the tiny pictures. As you drill down you'll see some images of homes that were being sold by Kerdyk Realty, I think in the 1940s/1950s. Most look newly landscaped so they might be as the homes were sold as new. If I remember right, Kerdyk was a Gables City Commissioner for years. I guess they donated their collection of pictures to the digital archive project. The backs of the pictures have some interesting notes about the home, including prices like $14,000. More ways for me to spend time on the computer!

Roberta Perry Hughes		20-Oct-2008 02:03
Don...I'm fine with it, & I figured as much. I moved on, to a childhood memory. But...! Holy cannoli! Just to think that it ALL started, simply because I referred to Gabe Kaplan as "Gabe"...! Go figure. Like I said before, I didn't mean to cause a "forking" riot at the community dinner table. 'Scusi. Pardon moi.

Don Boyd		20-Oct-2008 01:52
Roberta and Largo: Jeff wrote "He probably stopped reading after the third paragraph because he knew that in a battle of wits he is unarmed." Guest wrote back with "I am well-armed, Jeffey." There is no threat there. His or her response was appropriate as a retort. Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		20-Oct-2008 01:14
Childhood memory...listening to the "roar of the ocean," via a Queen conch...minus its resident, of course! Got to get my cousin to get me one, I guess & send it my way, if they're not too pricey, that is. Always loved those huge shells, with the pearly pink linings! Shiny measled cowries, too...& angel's wings, Chinese alphabets, lion's paw scallops...gosh! remember what a kick it was, to collect seashells? And smooth pieces of colored "sea glass?" Oh, & don't forget your brightly-colored tin pail, & little shovel, to help you form sand castles, or just nondescript forms, using the bucket for a mold. Such fun! That's about the only way I'll get to hear the "ocean" again, is in a conch shell, except on TV, or in a movie, as I could never manage to walk on a sandy beach again. Shucks, folks, it's all I can do to wobble about the house. Got so much hardware in my leg, I'd set off an airport's metal detector. LOL I really & truly miss the beach, & spending most of a day there, nearly any time, the year 'round. We'd gaze out on the sea lanes, & watch the big ships, that seemed to be moving at a snail's pace. They looked so tiny, & were so far from shore. I would give anything, to feel beneath my bare feet the hard-packed wet sand, on the strand, where the waves lap the shoreline, & to hear the sounds of the gulls, once again, & watch the sandpipers, going about their business. I dream about "being there," sometimes, just as I dream about my former home, & my old neighborhood, & the life I left behind, when we moved away.

Jeff		19-Oct-2008 23:10
I'm addressing this reply to Roberta and Largo... Worry not. I threw out a verbal volley and it was countered - although vaguely enough to cause Largo some concern. As I said before, I will no longer respond to anything offered by the anonymous interloper. This is a Miami Memories site, and to expend even one more typewritten character in his direction is to denigrate what Don has intended as the purpose of this blogspace. If any of you care to indulge him whims, that is your right and privilege, but to quote one of Samuel Goldwyn's famous mis-statements: "Include me out!" I'm keeping my comment s direct-to-topic or to you, my fellow regular bloggers.

Jackie		19-Oct-2008 22:45
WOW!! Go away for a couple of days, and see all the excitement you miss! First of all, Happy Birthday, Roberta. May you enjoy many, many more. Second, Guest, lighten up. Third. We don't all share the same memories, but it's fun learning what stands out in the memories of other people. What's really fun is finding out what memories we share. I can't relate to a lot of the postings about bars and such because I didn't party that much in Miami, or to the guys' postings about wildlife in the Everglades, but I certainly remember things like the squishing of crabs, the grandeur of Hialeah rrace track, the theaters downtown, (especially the Olympia), Burdines Princess dessert , and the tantalizing smells of the Holsum Bakery t(just to name a few) that have been mentioned by so many other posters. I love hearing about all the memories, whether I share them or not. Fourth. My favorite plant- the hibiscus (In my part of Georgia it is planted as an annual) and my favorite animal- it has to be the flamingo, with the black snake in second place.(Never had any varmits around when the blacksnake was in residence.)

Roberta Perry Hughes		19-Oct-2008 22:15
LARGO...Oooooooooooooooooooo! How I purentee HATE to come to the defense of "Guest," but!...Jeff said, in reference to "Guest," that..."because he (Guest) knows that in a battle of the wits, he (Guest) is unarmed...". I THINK what Jeff meant is that Jeff is "wit"-less...? LOL Guest's retort..."I'm well-armed, Jeffey," COULD mean that he (Guest) is saying that he DOES possess wit (?) That's just to give him (Guest) the benefit-of-the-doubt, here...unless he (Guest) meant that he has multiple limbs (arms)? I truly don't want to think that he (Guest) meant aggressive "arms." Guest...as Ricky said to Lucy..."You got some 'splainin' to do" Here's your chance to put our minds at ease, if you please, and thank you, in advance to this request.

LARGO		19-Oct-2008 20:40
ATTN HERE!!..DON...JEFF......MAYBE IT'S JUST MY PARANOIA...BUT SANDWICHED IN BETWEEN MY LAST POST "LARGO" AND "MIAMI RIVER RAT"...THERE SEEMS TO BE AN UNVEILED THREAT TOWARDS OUR JEFF...I HAVE CONCERNS AS TO THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS SORT OF UNKIND RANT...AS I THOUGHT WE WERE DONE WITH "THAT ONE"....FEEDBACK???............LARGO

charlis		19-Oct-2008 18:52
thought you would all get a kick out of this. Local newscasters were talking about the arrival of cooler weather today... woke up to 63 degrees. They were talking about the fall weather up north and the changing of the colors. The one person said that he missed the changing of the colors since he had moved here. The other person said... "Yes. But we get spring colors... the yellow and greens that cover our cars and are hard to wash off." (Pollen from the oak trees.)

charlis		19-Oct-2008 18:42
favorite plant and animal... hmmm... animal? Of course it is the dolphin, although I did get to play with a panther once. It was tamed. Favorite plant? None. I am allergic to almost eveything that grows here. Most hated plant... coconut palms. When the Beach maintenance people were slow on the jobs, you get easily get beaned by one of the nuts... the ones from the trees, not the people who lived there in the 60's.

Miami River Rat		19-Oct-2008 16:07
Parks asked: "Rat, I once saw a very shiny black snake about six feet long in my yard. It was very fast. Could that have been an Indigo snake?" Very shiny, deep purple-black would have been an Indigo. More common would be a Black Racer, but despite their name, they are gray in color rather than shiny black. So you probably saw an Indigo. Indigos are very rare these days, that was a lucky sighting.

Guest		19-Oct-2008 14:38
I am well-armed, Jeffey.

LARGO		19-Oct-2008 08:26
FLORIDA ANIMAL...THE ARMADILLO (there is a mamadillo with 2 tiny babies ..kinda pinky grey colored..that live in the palmetto thicket outside my courtyard....they come in thru the gate catdoor and hang out at night...in the court yard...as yet they have not discovered the catdoor into the house...hope they won't)...LOVE THE LIVE OAKS THAT GROW THEIR BRANCHES OUT IN ALL DIRECTIONS...FULL IF EPIPHYTES (airplants)...and the tiny wild orchids farther south...)......LARGO

Parks		19-Oct-2008 05:36
Murray, I like it, He might like it too. Since we're speculating on the nature of God, two movies come to mind, Oh God with George Burns as God and Dogma with Alanis Morissette and Bud Cort as God. Both movies are worth watching. Favorite Florida Critter? The Florida Panther. I've only seen one in the wild but it was magnificent. Rat, I once saw a very shiny black snake about six feet long in my yard. It was very fast. Could that have been an Indigo snake?

Jeff		19-Oct-2008 04:21
Hey... and OLD joke comes to mind... A little boy is asked by his Sunday School teacher "Where does God live?" The little boy replies "In the bathroom!". The teacher, extremely puzzled, asks "Johnny, why do you thing God lives there?" Johnny replies: "Well, teacher... in the morning my dad waits and waits to get in there, then finally calls out "God, when are you going to come out of the bathroom'?"

Jeff		19-Oct-2008 04:16
Roberta - thank you for the kind words and a Happy Birthday to you... and congrats for being "a survivor"...! Parks, can't say for sure what God's true name is... perhaps "Murray"? LOL! It's sure nice to see the good, kind, fun-loving posters all up in here this weekend!

Miami River Rat		19-Oct-2008 03:52
To answer Roberta's poll about our favorite South Florida plant and animal: My favorite plant has to be the Royal Palm. Maybe that sounds like sacrilege from an old orchid collector, but there are few plants anywhere in the world that compare with a Royal Palm. Animal: Indigo Snake. This snake is big, strong, fast, and in all respects a magnificent animal. Besides, if I didn't pick a snake, chances are nobody else would. See Ya'!

Roberta Perry Hughes		19-Oct-2008 02:52
Parks...COULD be...Ms. God??? BTW...was/is His/Her surname "Willing?" (as in "God Willing?") LOL (o.k., so don't massacre me over THAT one, y'all!) Gosh, Miami sounds exciting, ca. 1938! Lots & lots of early history, unknown to many of us...wonder if, one day, someone would make a movie about it? Ya think? I'll bet it would be something else, don't y'all? Thanks, for the Birthday greetings!! Roberta, on a chilly night in Georgia

Parks		19-Oct-2008 02:38
Roberta are you sure that shouldn't be Mr. God? Hi Rat, you mentioned Leslie Quigg, I had the opportunity to meet him in the late sixties. At the time he was the City of Miami Dock Master. He ran Dinner Key and the other Miami marinas. I think it was just a way to keep him on the payroll so he wouldn't tell all he knew about the politics of Miami. I had a nice Florida day today. My wife and I went down to the Redlands and bought fertilizer at Atlantic Florida East Coast Fertilizer and three banana plants at Going Bananas. We rode by the Amish Bakery. God Willing, they will open November 11. Thats what the sign said. Ok Roberta, If the Amish don't have to call Him Mr.God, I guess you don't have to either. I know they are not Amish, but that's what everyone around here calls them. Jeff, what are they really?

Ray		19-Oct-2008 02:26
Just to give an example of what's on the site I just mentioned, here's a link to the U of Miami, 1938. Only the Merrick building is standing. Click on the image to zoom in more and more. You can also see Ponce de Leon Jr. (then Sr. High) in the U shaped area on the east side of US1. I can see the 1000 and 2000 building, maybe the gym is that old. Most of that campus is still empty. The Biltmore Hotel would be just off the top of this image. Most of the area I grew up in, just south of Red and Bird, has streets, but very few homes as of 1938. http://sid.fcla.edu/mrsid/bin/show.pl?client=12025&image=12025_1938_1_08.sid Very cool.

Ray		19-Oct-2008 02:00
Just found what might be a gold mine of historical information about Dade County: http://sid.fcla.edu/mrsid/12025/ Lots and lots of aerial photography of the County. Some seems to be quite old. But it's not well organized. Some don't even appear to have dates. But I've already found some great shots of old airports. If someone organizes this, and puts an interface on it like Google Earth has, this could be great. Zoom in and out and even move forward and backward in time. But for now, have fun digging. There's going to be a lot of shots of 'home' over many years of history. Ray

Miami River Rat		19-Oct-2008 01:57
Happy birthday Roberta! Here's wishing many more happy ones for you. Charles, I remember the land crab migrations across Old Cutler Road. Sometime you had to run over, it seemed like, 40 or 50. The next morning the road would be covered with smashed crabs. One of my great-grandpas dug a cellar under his house near the North Fork of the Miami River. At high tide, sometimes there would be an inch or so of water standing in there. Somehow, land crabs got in there and dug their burrows. As a small child I used to hide and play down there in the dark and those crabs scuttling around made some creepy noises. That cellar was used for wine making during the prohibition years. Legend has it that Leslie Quigg, City of Miami Chief of Police, was one of great-grandpa's best customers. Again, before my time but possibly true. The old casks and some full bottles of wine were still down there when I was a teenager, so the wine-making part, at least, was true.

Charles Knight		18-Oct-2008 21:32
First of all...Let me say that I have become enamored of this site and those who frequent it, secondly...Yes Largo I was reffering to Don Rickles as well (I noted the similarity in the sarcasm), and yes, I have many relatives in and around Tampa, anyone remember the annual migration of Land Crabs at Matheson Hammock? Although we tried to avoid them we would occassionally run one or two over (were we the obnoxious guests?) And finally...Who was that masked man? I am a true Florida lover and hold those with similar likes in high esteem.

Roberta Perry Hughes		18-Oct-2008 21:32
LARGO...Many thanks for your best wishes! I appreciate it so much! Thanks, for the mention of my grandfather, & Fowey Rocks Light, too, a while back. Charlis...Loved the memories of Don Rickles! I always thought he was a real riot, & anyone with any sense knew his "insulting nature" was merely his schtick, & that he wasn't like that, in real life. Jeff...Pow-Pow, Kow-Tow!! I'se fresh outta gold!! If I had some, I'd share! Can't even buy the world a Coke, at today's prices! (sigh). Best I can give you is my wholehearted support, as our resident historian, & our conscience, when needed. Many thanks, for all you do for us! Having a great (early) Happy "Firth" Day, as friends/family...HUBBY...all gave me $$$, so I can add to my Colin Firth DVD collection...YUMMY! (Done turned into a lecherous old woman...LOL!! It's a harmless hobby!) Arizona Al...Never forget, it is I, who named you! (smile). There's no one quite like you! Everyone on here looks forward to your comments, & unique sign-off...many of us have done our own bit, with our sign-offs, having taken a page from your book! Thanks for that! Roberta...reveling in Old Miami Memories every chance she gets, on this Awesome Site, & enjoying cooler weather, in the Central Savannah River Area of the Empire State of the South, aka, the Peach State

charlis		18-Oct-2008 20:19
Charlie... with the "e"... any relation to the Knights up here in the Tampa area? they have been around for generations. Great people... and adventurous... judging by some of the stories they used to tell at the local Elks club. It's been a few years since I've seen any of them.

Jeff		18-Oct-2008 19:34
Charlis - Jay Rickles (Don's nephew) was in my drama class. He was also a bit of a golf pro.

charlis		18-Oct-2008 19:02
Charlie... with the "e"... any relation to the Knights up here in the Tampa area? they have been around for generations. Great people... and adventurous... judging by some of the stories they used to tell at the local Elks club. It's been a few years since I've seen any of them.

charlis		18-Oct-2008 19:00
Don... Rickles was a great guy off the stage. His mother lived in one of the new, late 60's, along Indian Creek Dr. near north of the Bleau. My mother sold her the condo and they became good friends... so I quess I can say that I can call Don by his first name. I liked to tease him that he brought on my labor. He was hosting the Tonight show when my water broke!

charlis		18-Oct-2008 18:55
Monsieur Guest, s'il vous plait... (talk about formality)... This site is called "memories", and we all signed up with our first names. What have you got to hide?

Arizona Al		18-Oct-2008 17:10
To the usual bloggers: Let us be guided by the homily regarding fighting with an idiot such as the unidentified guest. In order to continue to respond to his/her pontifications we have to lower ourselves to his/her level of functioning and then he/she has the upperhand and advantage due to a lifetime of experience! Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and in total agreement that God gave everyone the opportunity to be an idiot and some people continuously abuse the privilege.

Jeff		18-Oct-2008 15:27
"Guest" is obviously a perfect description of how the late Miss Barbara Stanwyck descibed egotism: "A case of mistaken non-entity"! For a person who keeps threating that he is "out of here", he keeps showing up to assert his last word and small digs. If any of you fellow posters HAVE been kowtowing to me, please deliver the sack of gold and other items of tribute to the usual address... Otherwise, I will no longer respond to our anonymous interloper. He probably stopped reading after the third paragraph because he knew that in a battle of wits he is unarmed. 'Nuff said... he lives for the attention. I'm now over this subject.

Guest		18-Oct-2008 14:39
Jeff, you are one humorous person, who continues to lecture oh-so-ironically (although I stopped reading after the third paragraph). Perhaps you need to reread your post. Practice what you preach, man. I'm off, folks, continue with warm hugs and memories. And continue to kowtow to Jeff - he has you covered.

LARGO		18-Oct-2008 14:16
YEAAAAAA!!!! SHE'S BAAAACK!!!.....ROBERTA...NOW SEE THERE HOW YOU EVOKE SUCH RICH & COLORFUL BUNCHES OF NOSTALGIA...HUUUGE BUNCHES...I FEEL LIKE I WAS IN THE SAME SOUTH FLORIDA NEIGHBORHOOD GROWING UP...SO MANY SIMILARITIES...I LIVED ON NW 6th ST....A FEW BLOCKS FROM FLAGLER DOG TRACK...WENT TO KINLOCH PARK ELEMENTARY UP TO 4th gr....THEN WE MOVED TO S. MIAMI & I WENT TO PINECREST ELEMENTARY..IN THOSE COOL 1 ROOM PORTABLES WITH THE OLD WOODEN DESKS THAT WERE JOINED TOGETHER...IT WAS LIKE "LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRE".. ('til they built the new school)...... I FOR ONE...AND I KNOW OUR LITTLE GANG HERE FEELS THE SAME..AM SO GLAD YOU ARE A SURVIVOR...AND I WISH YOU A BLESSED AND HAPPY 61st BIRTHDAY TOMORROW........ROCK ON GIRL!!!..............LARGO

Roberta Perry Hughes		18-Oct-2008 05:23
Golly gee, Beav...I just thought folks would like to see "our friend," GABE, as he appears today, & in his own element: the poker table. Didn't mean to incite a "forking riot" at the community dinner table! (that's my original phrase, BTW...how ya like it??) Guest...I usually am one of the first, on here, to welcome a "newbie." But your comments made me feel like I had to come to my own defense. Golly, Molly...what do you think of this: I actually have the audacity to call God, GOD. Seriously. I do. Now...please identify yourself, & regale us with your own memories of Our Town. We all invite you to join us, if you so choose to do so, and you're welcome. Meanwhile, back to Fannie Mae Flora and Freddie MacFauna...what's ya'll's favorite Florida plant & animal life? I LOVE Sea Grape leaves, hibiscus trees, bouganvillia, & Florida cherry hedges. And I think Florida panthers are sleek & lovely, burrowing owls are precious, & big, bright pink flamingos are the most beautiful birds my friend, God, ever created. I have the fondest of memories of Crandon Park's beaches, & the zoo, when it was there, & Tahiti beach, & Matheson Hammack's filtered-from-the-ocean beach. I remember when it was called Matheson Hump beach. I loved the Venetian Pool, & liked the West End Pool, too, the few times I was there. I absolutely adored downtown Miami, & the courthouse clock, chiming out the hour & half hour; the theaters, & the smell of popcorn popping; the buses from The Gables, that could take you all over Miami, on a little pocket change; the department stores, with their escalators & elevators, & air-conditioning; the drugstores, & Five-and-Dimes; & just being a child, then, when my parents were alive, & so very young; our neighborhood, & schools; the cars of the day, in the early-to-mid 1950's; Hallowe-en carnivals, & going trick-or-treating...just so very many rich & colorful memories, to last the rest of my life...& to relive, here, on this Site. I remember everyone contributing favorite Hallowe-en memories, as recalled from their own youth, & as celebrated in their own former neighborhoods, this time last year. Where has the time gone? What fun that was! I love you guys, one & all. This Site has served this ol' shut-in well, since I first joined it, & I cannot thank all of you, for having made ME welcome on it, back when I first "barged in" like a swarm of gnats on a hot humid Summer day in the South. Many, many thanks. Roberta...celebrating her 8th year as a Survivor (last month), & celebrating her 61st year, this coming Sunday, as a resident of planet earth, while entertaining herself, everyday (& night) here in the Peach State, with my handsome former cowboy husband, Lewis, at my side...Yee-Haw!!

Arizona Al		17-Oct-2008 20:54
Dear Guest: Although I do not speak for the "usual bloggers" on this site, I am taking the liberty to suggest that all of us would be sincerely interested and encourage any information or comments you could interject regarding your experiences growing up in Miami. You could add to the wealth of knowledge that this site contains regarding your memories and recollections which is the prima facie reason for its existance. At almost 63 years old I would be most interested in any knowledge you would be willing to share with the "collective" knowledge base of the past Miami that spawned and reared me from 1945-1969. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and extending the olive branch in Phoenix, Arizona

Jeff		17-Oct-2008 18:40
"Guest"... Let's set the record straight. First of all, I never have in the past, nor do I currently perceive myself as "hall monitor" of this blog. If you'd bothered to read all of the posts, then you well know that I was the LAST to comment on your attempts to impose your social behavior beliefs on we who post here. I only responded after Roberta ruminated about what my feelings were. Second, you evidently have NO CLUE about Arizona Al or his accomplished title. He is a PhD, was one of the original Cutler Ridge "Ridge Rats" and often recounts his years of (as he puts it) juvenile delinquency. When he signs off on a posting, he signs it by his formal title, then adds a lighthearted comment as if to say "remember, PhD is still 'Piled High and Deep'!" He can laugh at and with himself - and us... and no one's worse for the wear... Third, yes... we are all quite aware that this is the internet. You could pick a "nom de plume" such as "Sanctimonious Sam", "Etiquette Ed" or something other than "Guest". If everyone were to sign in as a guest, we'd not be able to direct a response to the proper person - whether formally or informally. Fourth, as for my wry comments. Yes I add mine in... and I make no apologies for doing so... You've succeeded (as I suspect was your mission) to stir up some rancor in here for your own personal amusement. Lastly, you twice alluded to the fact that you usually don't post in here - and have snidely commented on the "buddy system". It's a no-brainer... We wish to welcome EVERYONE to join us... but NOT as arbiter of etiquette or any other personal issue. Groucho Marx once said "I would never join a club that would have someone like me as a member". You [as anyone else] can come and go freely. There are no dues, no rules and no impositions other than to TRY and keep this blog about Old Miami Memories on that subject. Sure, we've all strayed from the topic now and again - but someone always manages to reel us back in. Do we always agree with each other? Of course not! However, we don't try to be divisive nor hide behind a cloak of anonymity. This is what Don Boyd pays pbase for... and this was his intention. A site to reminisce about "Good Old Miami". What I don't understand is this? If our way of writing and referring to individuals on a first name basis rattles you so much, then why return to the blog area and continue to assert your displeasure? That's akin to poking yourself with a needle, knowing that it hurts, but repeatedly doing it. We're not here to offend your sensibilities - but you shouldn't offend ours either. There are those in life who don't take themselves so seriously that they get upset by first-name acquaintance. The first time I met Don for lunch it was "Hello, Don", "Hello, Jeff" although we were never "formally introduced". Look - this has taken up way too much of Don's blog. PLEASE... either join us as a friend in our social community or leave us alone... That's not being a hall monitor - it's just a reality check.

Guest		17-Oct-2008 18:06
And, additionally, don't denigrate the first-name etiquette issue. I don't know a single person who likes to be called by their first name, when the person speaking is a stranger. Again, forced familiarity is a plague of our times. I assume it makes people feel all warm and fuzzy, inside. Or something. Jeff..."he always adds a wry remark to take the edge off of his accomplished title?" Not sure what that means, but you certainly can make some wry remarks, yourself. You have, after all, anointed yourself the room's hall monitor. I never post in here, and rarely read it - till recently. From the reaction, I'll leave the room to its current "personal newsletter"/buddy blog format. Wouldn't dream of "busting up" the party. And, folks, if you want me to make up a name, I will. But this is the INTERNET, and I take precautions when identifying myself to the unknown. Common sense.

Guest		17-Oct-2008 17:42
Debate. Discussion. Something besides diary entries. And these sainted lectures are quite ironic, dontcha think???

Guest		17-Oct-2008 17:32
Mission accomplished!!!!!!

LARGO		17-Oct-2008 17:17
WHOOPS!!...JEFF & CHARLES....PLEASE REWIND BACK A WAYS...AND YOU WILL NOTE THAT THE "DON'..I REFERRED TO WAS.. SO SO NOT!!! THE "DON BOYD" OF OUR "OLD MIAMI MEMORIES" SITE ....BUT ..."DON the insult comic RICKLES"....YOU KNOW...THE CRANKY OLD F..T WITH THE NASTY ATTITUDE , THAT HAS BUILT HIS COMEDY CAREER BLASTING INSULTS TO ANYONE & EVERYONE ???...THIS IS HOW MISTAKES BECOME VIRAL...AND SADLY OF COURSE WOULD ONLY ADD COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF GAS TO FUEL "GUESTS" FIRST NAME BASIS THEORIES......HUUMMMMMMM...A THEORY THAT MIGHT JUST HAVE A GNATS ASS CHANCE.. IN A GOOD OLD FLORIDA HURRICANE...NOT!!! (had to get something in about Florida)...SHALL WE MOVE ON GANG...WE ARE GIVING OUR GUEST WAY TOO MUCH ENERGY....ROBERTA COME ON BACK...I LOVE YOUR GREAT STORIES.........LARGO......as always...contemplating the growth rates & locations of the moss growing on the live oaks out side my door..a weather indicator so i hear..and other earth shaking antics....PEACE OUT !

Jeff		17-Oct-2008 16:31
One more thought for our "Guest": Those of you who THINK you know everything are annoying to us who DO!" Jeff.... Alive and well, going by his first name, and posting long rants, relete with typos, sarcastic asides and a need to defend those who enjoy this "common ground"... (Howzat, Alan?... LOL!)

Jeff		17-Oct-2008 16:26
Hi, regulars... Roberta, yes, I WAS shaking my head in disbelief at the [once again] denigration of this site into a place of admonition and demonstrative behavior... AHEM! Now that I've dipped slightly into my bag of proper descriptives, let me come back to the real world and add my two cents in... While "Guest" may be technically correct about how one should address someone in public, our unsigned 'friend' (and isn't that always the case?) fails to realize (as everyone's pointed out) that this is a casual blog space for local memories... You know darn well that I've gotten on everyone's case [including my own] for drifting into subject matter that clogs up the blog with non-pertinent stuff. In truth, I was beginning to tire of the flora and fauna stretch, but since it was part of our local history, I kept quiet. I don't believe for a minute that this ws Don in disguise. Getting to know him as I have [so far], his only grammatical "rant"is about mis-spelling Opa-locka (and Gof help me if I got it wrong!) LOL! As for our "guest", he became quite defensive when many of you proclaimed your love for the casualness of this site. Even Arizona Al, our resident PhD knows when pomposity and frill is too much. Has no one taken notice that when he signs his comments Alan Ogus, PhD, he always adds a wry remark to take the edge off of his accomplished title? To paraphrase him: "Alan Ogus, PhD, alive and well and regretting my juvenile delinquency in my misspent youth". Let's keep it real, people! To Al, Parks, Roberta, Charlis, Don, River Rat, Largo, Jackie... yes, this site might be guilty of having about four or five "regulars" and a few of us semi-regulars... but love it or hate it... who are they hurting? As others have said in the past to those who come in here to raise the roof... "Guest", you're welcome to find your name and join the community as a regular - OR - you can follow the "Exit" signs located in each corridor and take your leave of absence. This is NOT a classroom, an Emily Post Etiquette Seminar nor anything else that will affect the world. It's simply an informal gathering place for folks to CHAT... and the last time I recall, Robert's Rules of Order were respected, but did not overrule HUMAN diginity. Anyone out there wan't to round up a copy of Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People" for our "Guest"? LOL!!!!!

Guest		17-Oct-2008 14:33
Ah, the indignation is palpable. How appropriate to use the word "pontification"!! Please return to your musings, folks...I'm diving back into the wonderful photographs. I wish more people would post specific information/memories in each gallery.

Arizona Al		17-Oct-2008 13:28
Dear Mr., Mrs., Miiss or Ms. Guest?:Now that we have established the boundaries of your pontificated etiquette please allow me to say to you directly that I prefer to be called "Arizona Al" than refered by by complete identifier; Alan Ogus, Ph.D.. Please take liberty to indulge me in my ideographic proclivities. Thank You Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Charles Knight		17-Oct-2008 12:38
Largo, you could be correct in assuming that " Guest" is Don ( how do you like that Guest?), and...Isn't Don a YANKEE! Sorry about the expletive but the pompous little ^#!! is quite an irritant.

LARGO		17-Oct-2008 07:55
NOW I KNOW WHO GUEST IS..."DON RICKLES"....???...LOL....WHAT DO "YOU" HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS SITE..IN REGARDS TO "OLD MIAMI MEMORIES"...EXACTLY THAT !!

Guest		17-Oct-2008 07:46
Not sure EXACTLY what you're asking. I expressed an opinion. It's not about "things not going my way." Let's all hug, and sing camp songs.

LARGO		17-Oct-2008 07:36
GUEST.....JUST WHAT IS IT YOU HAVE TO ADD TO THE POINT OF THIS SITE ??...IT IS, AFTER ALL ABOUT MEMORIES & THE ACTUAL REMINISCING OF THOSE MEMORIES IN REGARD TO OLD MIAMI & THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES MANY OF US GREW UP IN. WHAT PART OF SOUTH FLORIDA ARE YOU FROM ? WHAT SCHOOLS DID YOU ATTEND? WHAT IS YOUR HISTORY IN REGARDS TO S. FL. ? DO YOU STILL LIVE IN FLORIDA?...COME ON...WHAT IS YOUR STORY?...THERE ARE MILLIONS OF OTHER SITES FOR LIVE CHAT OR NITPICKING...WHERE YOU CAN WORK OUT YOUR OBVIOUS FRUSTRATIONS REGARDING "THINGS" NOT GOING YOUR WAY ON THIS ONE SITE.....AND BY THE BY...BIRDS & STUFF..AND GATOR'S , INDIGENOUS PEOPLE & PLANTS..RIGHT DOWN TO THE OOLITE & MUCK THAT COVERS IT.. ARE A BIG DAMN PART OF FLORIDA'S HISTORY!!...AS ARE THE AIRPLANES & AIRFIELDS...HENRY FLAGLERS RAILROADS...THE MARINER TALES THAT MANY OF US HAVE SHARED REGARDING THE PROTECTION OF OUR COASTLINES...ADD TO THAT, ROBERTA'S GRANDFATHER ..THE "KEEP" OF THE FOWEY ROCK LIGHTHOUSE ...EAST OF THE MIAMI COASTLINE...WHERE MANY OF US HAVE FISHED FOR THE BIG ONES...WHY DON'T YOU START FROM THE BEGINNING ON THE FIRST COMMENTS SECTION...AND RIGHT UP TO THIS PRESENT ONE...AND GET THE JIST OF THE HISTORY THAT HAS BEEN EXPERIENCED BY SO MANY OF US...THAT RELATES DIRECTLY TO SOUTH FLORIDA...SO YOU JUST MIGHT GET IT !!..??.....

Guest		17-Oct-2008 06:42
Thanks for taking my suggestions so seriously. Just what I wanted to accomplish. But, please, go back to talking about birds, and stuff. This is a blog for about five people, anyway. This site used for "BS" ? - NEVER!!!!!

LARGO		17-Oct-2008 06:38
HEY 'BERTA & CHARLIE.....heh heh...I AM WITH YOU ON THIS ONE...THIS SITE IS VERY LAID BACK AND SOME OF US HAVE BEEN ON IT FROM THE START...WE ARE ABOUT THE MEMORIES.....SURE ...OUR BANTER REGARDING OUR COLLECTIVE LOVE OF SOUTH FLORIDA AND ALLLLLLL IT'S RICHNESS...GETS OFF POINT AT TIMES...WE HAVE OUR "IDENTIFIED" IN HOUSE REFS... FURTHERMORE WE ALL THINK AND WRITE ABOUT THESE MEMORIES IN OUR OWN PERSONAL STYLES...IT IS THE SHARING OF THESE PIECES OF OUR PAST THAT UNITES US...NOT THE INSIPID, PETTY DRIVE BY CORRECTIONS OF AN UNIDENTIFIED CYBER GRUMP...WHY DON'T YOU JOIN THE GOOD TIMES..REFLECT..COOL IT....RELAAAAX.....................

Roberta Perry Hughes		17-Oct-2008 06:01
Charles...My Knight in shining armor! Thanks, for having come to my defense, in this (nauseatingly) trivial matter...& by all means, on here, I am merely Roberta. Perry is my maiden name; Hughes (no relation to Howard, unfortunately) is hubby's surname. I'm sure that my pal, Jeff (Levine) is writhing, at the misuse of this beloved Site for such b.s. as this has become...Don (Boyd), our wonderful founder & Host, too...but both know me well enough to know that I don't take attacks lightly. Silence is agreement. I shall continue to refer to my favorite celebrities by their given names...e.g. Colin, as in Colin Firth; Gerry, as in Gerard Butler; & yes, GABE, as in Kaplan! Why??? BECAUSE I CAN!!

Charles Knight		17-Oct-2008 04:36
Hi Roberta (or is it "Ms. Hughes?") I agree with you and have your back on this one. Some people take themselves far too seriously (can you hear me Guest?) Why doesn't Guest pick on me for the occassional misspelled word or incorrect punctuation? Sounds like the bully has singled out his / her prey. And without enough fortitude to identify himself either! Shame on you Guest.

Roberta Perry Hughes		17-Oct-2008 04:13
Guest..."Well! Ex-squeeze me!" as Jar-Jar Binks would put it! I surely didn't realize Emily Post was a Poster on here...or at least, her successor! LOL Frankly, I LOVE my in-my-own-home "familiarities," & am quite comfortable with them. I am confident that the SS won't be breaking down my door, for referring to one of my favorite poker players as "Gabe," for Pete's sake! My sister & I refer to the reigning monarch of the U.K. as "the kow-ween," or "La Liz, the-one-with-the-tiara-AND-the-title," & her eldest, the Prince of Wales, simply as "Charlie," even though we are both Anglophiles...to a limited degree. I only mentioned Gabe, & "Poker After Dark," because I said I would let everyone know the next time he was at the table of six as a player, in Vegas, so they can see what he looks like now, if for no other reason. He is such fun to watch, & so very entertaining, with his yarns. The other players always ask him about his days on the TV series, & sometimes, they call him "Kotter." So...What's the big deal?? Take a chill pill, wontcha?? Oh, while I'm at it, why don't you identify yourself, instead of hiding behind "Guest?"

Guest		17-Oct-2008 00:09
It's a matter of respect, in regards to anyone. Calling people by their first name - celebrities, politicians, whatever - has gotten out of hand. Historically, within the industry, actors or actresses were not addressed so casually - Elvis and Marilyn were perhaps exceptions, but their last names were used more often than one would think today. What does "Mr Kotter" have to do with anything? That was a TV character - of course you don't call him that. I was referring to that being my only exposure to Kaplan. I will track down an article written last year, in which a well-known journalist discusses this very topic. OF COURSE, the commentator can refer to him by his first name, they're on a show together. I don't call my banker "Bob", or my minister "Sam", or my dentist "Bill" (none being close acquaintances). This is about forced familiarity - and etiquette.

Roberta Perry Hughes		16-Oct-2008 03:01
Let me ADD, here, that the commentator of "Poker After Dark" refers to the former actor as "Gabe."

Roberta Perry Hughes		16-Oct-2008 02:57
Guest...GABE hasn't heard me call him "Gabe," & therefore, he takes no offense. I merely referred to him by his given name for the sake of space. That, & the fact that, as a regular viewer of "Poker After Dark," where he is himself, & NOT the character "Mr. Kotter, there is more of a "viewer's familiarity" that, I feel, gives me a sense of liberty, in referring to this multi-talented...& skillful gamer...quite simply as "Gabe." To tie him in with this Site, many Posters on here remember him fondly, when he performed as a stand-up comic, in Miami, & Miami Beach. Perhaps this little repartee will flush them out, to reiterate those memories. BTW...Gabe currently IS this week's chip leader.

Miami River Rat		16-Oct-2008 00:41
Charles: Thanks. Now I can rest easy. When first met your brother Jack, I was poling a dugout canoe up to Osceola's camp, on the trail. I had a pair of boots on that were way too big. My uncle came by them somewhere, and since they were too big for anyone he knew, he just gave them to me. I was 15, and thought those boots were COOL, even if they were huge. Jack's first words to me were: "Damn, kid, what size boot do you wear?". Then he wanted to know where I got the dugout canoe and I told him I swapped the Indian, Chestnut Billie, six bottles of rum for the canoe. One thing led to another, and pretty soon Jack and I were were poling along, looking for snakes, orchids, and what have you. I suppose your brother Jack could be intimidating, but he always was a straight shooter in what dealings we had together. That was limited to division of the profits from the various flora and fauna we brought in from maybe, 5 or 6 trips into the glades. I knew where to sell orchids, and which ones were worth bringing in. Jack knew where to best sell some of the other, uh,,,items we found. As I said, limited to a few trips over, maybe, two years, but he was ok by me.

Jeff		15-Oct-2008 19:50
I haven't had much to add to this post recently, but I have a "six degrees of seperation" moment with myself , Gabe Kaplan and a few others... We attended (in different years) PS 161 in Brooklyn, NY, as did Clive Davis of Arista Records and Rep. Barbara Boxer of California. It's really an insignificant factoid, but having been a Northern transplant down here in 1963, I have nothing to add to the stories currently being told in the blog about the Glades, the flora and fauna, and who-knew-who-when...

Charles Knight		15-Oct-2008 18:30
River Rat, that was my brother.

Charles Knight		15-Oct-2008 17:07
That was my brother, he was an infamous (gator) poacher in his younger years. He built Gator Hook Lodge on the Loop road in the Big Cypress approx. 14 miles west of the forty mile bend. Gator Bill and Darrel Gaye were some of his more well known accomplices. I grew up in Sweetwater, the Glades, the Keys, and Miami as did he and my sisters. He was hired to do a commercial for Camel Cigarettes and then turned down for having a "too intimidating aura" LOL!

Guest		15-Oct-2008 14:55
Since I don't know him personally, I'll refer to him as Gabe Kaplan. Only familiar with him from "Welcome Back, Kotter." LOVED an interview with Bette Davis from the early 80s...some clueless interviewer started to say, "Bette, when...." Her head snapped around, and she correctly proclaimed, "That's Miss Davis to YOU!"

Roberta Perry Hughes		15-Oct-2008 06:56
For those of you who are fans of, and/or have memories of, Gabe Kaplan...tune in this week, at 2:00 a.m., on CBS, to see him in action on "Poker After Dark." Gabe did stand-up comedy in Miami/Miami Beach, "back-in-the-day." It's Cash Game Week, & Gabe is holding his own, with bets, & with chip leading. He has won 2 Poker After Dark championships, & he is also a poker commentator, in case any of you have wondered what became of him. He's been telling tall tales, along with poker legend Doyle Brunson. Howard Lederer, brother of poker lady Annie Dukes, also sits at the table of six. Just thought I'd give y'all a head's up, as I know he has several fans, among Posters on here. I enjoy him as a poker player.

Miami River Rat		15-Oct-2008 04:19
Charles: I'm still a little confused about whether the Jack Knight I knew was your father or brother. Now, I think that you can solve the mystery for me. Unless my memory has completely blown a fuse (not impossible) the guy I hunted with in the glades had a simple tattoo: K N I G H T, in block letters, on his upper arm. Your dad, brother, or have I completely lost it?

Charles Knight		14-Oct-2008 23:45
Hi Folks, I did go to High School in Everglades City for a year and one half.Almost all of my classmates parents were arrested for their parts in the import/export biz. So who hasn't been involved to some degree? I must admit that in the eighties I was, and I paid the price...I've kept my nose clean ever since. But kids, it was one heck of an exciting ride! I do have some regrets about it but...It is what it is.

Parks		14-Oct-2008 12:41
Rat, I can see why that area is a smugglers paradise. It's very easy to get lost in those islands if you haven't spent years learning your way around. One mangrove island looks pretty much like any other. I don't think most visitors see the beauty there. You need to spend time to see the rich diversity of life there, both critters and people!

Miami River Rat		14-Oct-2008 05:00
Parks: "Rat" is fine. You were right about this: "I seem to recall that almost the entire town of Chokoloskee was arrested in one big raid because they were all bringing in "Exotic Plants" from down south." At one point in time, I think in the late '70's, 80% of the population of Everglade City and Chokoloskee was either in jail or on probation for engaging in the "import/export" business. Actually, smuggling is a time-honored profession in the 10,000 islands, going back to long before the civil war. To the best of my knowledge, my grandpa only brought in rare tropical plants, perhaps some that were protected, but not any with chemical properties. He had extensive knowledge of the rare plant business and lots of contacts. There was a good enough living to be made along those lines, without having to take the risks involved with the "other plants" and their products.

Parks		14-Oct-2008 04:11
Sorry Don, lower case L, I'll remember. Roberta, no pix of the Ibis but it's not uncommon to see a herd of them grazing in my yard after a good rain. My wife and I were startled yesterday when an Anhinga burst out of a tree right over our head as we walked the canal bank. We have a small canal behind our house and get all kinds of wildlife including a crocodile an alligator, the occasional manatee and loads of very large iguanas. My wife said to recommend the books by Glynn Marsh Alam. Her main character is a young woman who lives in an old house in the swamp near Wakulla Springs south of Tallahassee. The twist is she works as a diver (scuba) for the police department. Miami River Rat, Can I call you Rat? I'm jealous that you got to meet Totch Brown; he must have really been something. Its guys like that that make the world interesting. I seem to recall that almost the entire town of Chokoloskee was arrested in one big raid because they were all bringing in "Exotic Plants" from down south.

Roberta Perry Hughes		14-Oct-2008 04:03
LARGO...I wasn't sure of the spelling when I posted my comment, hence (sic), but I looked it up, just now, & "anhinga," with an "a," is the ONLY spelling for this water turkey. It is, indeed, an incredible bird, with a wingspan of approx. 43". All birds are awesome, but the water fowl, to me, are amazing! The little burrowing owls, well, they take the prize for one of the most precious ever seen, anywhere, & I am so glad there is a program to help protect them. So...has anyone read the books by FL author Joy Fielding??

Miami River Rat		14-Oct-2008 02:34
Charles: Totch Brown's home was on Chokoloskee island, if that helps any. I don't recall armadillo shells at that place, but there certainly could have been some. After the trade in 'gator hides dried up, T. Brown got into the "import/export" business. My grandfather also got out of the hide trade and started dealing in exotic rare plants and some orchids. I think he and Ol' Totch brought several loads of palms, orchids and so forth up from Costa Rica directly to Chokoloskee. I was a kid at the time. It didn't occur to me until decades later that by going direct to there, the plant materials avoided the quarantine and inspection that would have been necessary if they'd been brought into Miami or some other civilized port. Concerning the Anhinga, or "water turkey": They are quite common in the everglades. There is a boardwalk at Royal Palm Hammock in the national park that is called The Anhinga Trail.

Don Boyd		14-Oct-2008 02:24
I worked on the airfield at Miami International Airport for twenty six years and we had burrowing owl holes all over the field, usually in the widest grassy areas. They don't mind the infrequent grass mowings, they simply watch from a distance and then return to their burrows after the mowers leave. Unlike other birds they were rarely hit by aircraft taking off or landing so they must have been smarter. They seem to prefer to nest in areas where the grass is relatively short, like school fields and airports, rather than tall grassy areas where enemies can approach unseen. We also had scads of non-native jack rabbits all over the field and I'm sure the owls feasted on the young ones or ones who died of old age. Unfortunately the jack rabbits were getting squished by airplanes all too often (it's really fun prying a squished dead one out of the grooves on a runway - not) and their carcasses were attracting turkey vultures which are not good to have around an airport due to their large wingspans. Any jet engine ingesting a turkey vulture or two will shoot out some awesome fireballs and make some serious booming noises until the pilots shut the engine down, which requires a return to the airport after takeoff. Seehttp://www.pbase.com/airlinerphotos/image/91936480 for a photo of an Avianca B757 ingesting a turkey vulture at MIA. After I retired in 2000 the majority of jack rabbits were trapped and shipped to Texas or somewhere and the remainder were exterminated by the USDA. Someday I'll scan some of the closeup shots that I took of the owls over the years. Don

LARGO		14-Oct-2008 01:33
GADS... WILL THIS EVER END ????........... IT IS SPELLED "ANHINGA"...& "INHINGA" ..NOT ANA...(sorry)....HOW DID I GET HERE ??? SOMEBODY STOP MEEEEEE !!! ....LARGO ..SPINNING OUT OF ORBIT ON YET ANOTHER.. FOOL MOON EVE... sigh

LARGO		14-Oct-2008 01:27
ROBERTA...I ALSO GOOGLED "INHINGA".....AND IT IS 2 DIFFERENT SPELLINGS FOR THE SAME BIRD...COOL.....LARGO

LARGO		14-Oct-2008 01:22
ROBERTA...QUERY...DO YOU MEAN "ANAHINGA"....AN INCREDIBLE WATER BIRD THAT IS SEEN QUITE FREQUENTLY ALONG THE WATERS EDGE OR ON ROCKS DRYING THEIR OUTSTRETCHED WINGS...THEY ACTUALLY CHASE THEIR DINNER (USUALLY FISH) UNDERWATER..AND SWIM RATHER FAST..HOWEVER THEIR FEATHERS ..LIKE MOST WATER FOWL..DO NOT REPEL WATER....SO THEY HAVE TO DRY THEMSELVES....NOW IF THERE IS ALSO A BIRD CALLED "INHINGA"...JUST GIVE ME TIME TO LOOK THAT ONE UP....IF YOU TYPE IN ANAHINGA...IT WILL TAKE YOU TO SEVERAL LINKS TO CHOOSE FROM...TO SEE IF THAT IS YOUR BIRD....... ;>) ... LARGO

Charles Knight		14-Oct-2008 00:50
Hey River Rat...Did Mr. Brown have a lot of Armidillo shells around his home in the Glades? I seem to recall a pioneer character that my father used to visit fromtime to time.

Charles Knight		13-Oct-2008 20:27
True, when Mr. King was property hunting he ate dinner where I work, a pretty down to earth guy. I'm presently re-reading the "Gunslinger" series.

Jackie		13-Oct-2008 19:30
I read somewhere that the burrowing owls like open spaces (like airports and school athletic fields),especially if the ground has been somewhat disturbed because it's easier to make their burrows. I don't know if it's true or not, but it makes some sense.

Miami River Rat		13-Oct-2008 19:22
Of owls and authors: Do those burrowing owls like something about airports? There was a colony of them, several burrows, near Miami International Airport. Back long, long, ago I trapped a pair of them and sold them to a wild animal dealer for a pretty nice bit of money. That wouldn't be cool these days but back then, who knew? Totch Brown, of Chokoloskee, was an interesting man. Anyone who hasn't read his "A Life in the Everglades" should give it a try. My grandpa took me with him on several occasions when we stopped to visit Totch Brown. I second Parks's recommendation of Peter Matthiessen's "Killing Mister Watson". I think it's the only book I ever read that I finished, turned back to the front and started reading it again immediately. The House family is mentioned prominently in that book. I still have some letters between my grandfather and D.D. House concerning the buying and selling of alligator hides back in the early 1900's. And yeah, Carl Hiaasen rocks!

Leighton		13-Oct-2008 16:47
I know this doesn't apply, but Stephen King lives part time in Florida now, and his "Duma Key" is a pretty damn good read. He rarely sets his novels outside Maine, so it's a nice change of pace.

Roberta Perry Hughes		13-Oct-2008 08:18
Parks...Would have loved to have seen those 10 (sacred) white Ibis! Wow! What a sight that must have been! Did you happen to have a camera ready? In the pond, next to our house, we see an occasional Inhinga (sic) which is sacred to Native Americans, & is a water fowl, of course, I THINK, in the turkey family (?). Also, we have lovely blue herons here, & white egrets, & what the locals call a "pond gannet." In larger ponds, we've seen ospreys, or fish eagles. I love water birds! Just wish those fantastic big hot pink flamingos would come this way! (sigh). I'm sure the 'Glades has herons, & egrets...maybe even the ospreys. But, are there any Inhingas down that way?

Roberta Perry Hughes		13-Oct-2008 08:06
"Heartstopper," by Joy Fielding, is a murder mystery, set in the (fictitious) picturesque town of Torrance, FL., near the alligator-infested Everglades. The author divides her time between Toronto, & Palm Beach, FL. Her other books include the New York Times bestseller, "Mad River Road," "Puppet," "Lost," & "See Jane Run."

Don Boyd		13-Oct-2008 06:39
Parks, of all people, is about to be banned for using a capital L in Opa-locka despite a gallery dedicated to the correct spelling. : ) Don

Jackie		13-Oct-2008 05:39
My pleasure, Parks. And thanks for adding Rawlings to the list..I meant to, and somehow left her out. Also, Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, Dave Barry

Parks		13-Oct-2008 05:26
Jackie, Thanks for the reading list. How about Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Cross Creek and The Yearling. Peter Matthiessen's novel The Killing of Mr. Watson. Based on a true story of a man so bad the whole town of Chokoloskee shot him to pieces. Non fiction: Gladesman by Glen Simmons and A Life in the Everglades by Totch Brown. If you love the Everglades, you've got to read these two.

Jackie		12-Oct-2008 18:53
Thanks, Charles, for starting the discussion about Florida authors. Yes, Roberta, Hiassen did write Hoot, and the disturbance of their nesting places has been a concern of environmental groups for years. As in the book, many constuction projects have been put on hold until the baby owls can be moved out. Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton has been dealing with this issue for many years. Parks, Carl Hiaasen has been one of my favorites for years. I had the pleasure of meeting him at a book fair in West Palm about the time Double Whammy was published. He must have thought I was too "teacherish" to enjoy his writing, because he suggested I might not like some of his more grphic scenes. Needless to say, I did read the book and became a huge fan. I was captivated by his passion for the South Florida that we all remember, his lunatic characters, and intriguing plot twists. He found a formula that worked, and , I think, continues to work. Some other novelists who have written about Florida are: Patrick Smith, A Land Remembered, Allapattah Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God Susan Carol McCarthy, Lay That Trumpet in Our Hands Edward Bloor, Tangerine ( a young adult novel about the building over of citrus groves in Central Florida)

Parks		12-Oct-2008 05:22
Hi Roberta, I saw burrowing owls at the Opa-Locka and Tamiami airports a few years ago. I saw three of them with a burrow right in the front yard of a house in Punta Gorda last week. They seem to live near people without much fuss. On the subject of birds, there were ten White Ibis in my yard this morning. Very beautiful.

Roberta Perry Hughes		12-Oct-2008 01:54
Carl Hiassen...Didn't he write "Hoot," about the precious little burrowing owls? In Lady Lake, FL, at Uncle Donald's Farm, a petting zoo there, there are still some of them, & their burrows, & the Morris "girls," Donna, Beth, & Jeanette, my husband's nieces, now run the farm, since Donald & Wanda (Hughes) Morris have both passed away. Did Miami, or the surrounding areas in South FL, have burrowing owls?

Parks		12-Oct-2008 00:30
Wow, Florida writers! We've got a bunch of good ones. Right now Tim Dorsey and his lovable serial killer, Serge Storm, is my favorite. Speaking of serial killers, the Dexter TV show and the first two books Dexter are great! Skip the third book, it gets too weird. I think I've read all of Randy Wayne White's, Doc Ford books. Wonderful stuff. Randy Wayne White lives in a house built on a shell mound over looking Charlotte Harbor on Pine Island. Used to be a fishing guide. Edna Buchanan is another great Florida writer. She was the police reporter for the Miami Herald for many years. Carl Hiassen's early books were great. I think he's just been phoning them in lately. Vicky Hendrick, "Miami Purity" is a wonderfully strange book. Be careful, Miami Purity has some very hot sex stuff. Naked Came The Manatee! Each chapter was written by a different great Florida author. John D. McDonald and his Travis McGee series. Travis living on The Busted Flush at Pier 66. James Hall, Les Standiford, Paul Levine and Elmore Leonard. Who else am I forgetting?

Charles Knight		11-Oct-2008 05:50
I'm a moron...That's Tim Dorsey!

Charles Knight		11-Oct-2008 05:49
Hello River Rat, you're correct...It is "White", Thomlinson is an awesome character. Do you read Tim Dordey or Hiaason?

Miami River Rat		11-Oct-2008 04:32
Charles; you mentioned Randy Wayne White (or Wright?) He wrote one of my all-time favorite lines in his novel, "Sanibel Flats". Quoting the character Tomlinson: "You know, if you shoot a border guard, this trip is going to get really weird." Was that a cool understatement or what? Anyway, I agree that RWW is a really great read, even more so if you're familiar with South Florida.

Arizona Al		09-Oct-2008 22:42
Guest..Roberta: I only met and saw the Christmas family at (sic) Christmas Trailer Park in Sweetwater one time. I was with a young lady named Harolyn Locklair and her parents (Jim and Anise) Locklair were friends of the Christmas family. I have no notion or idea what became of them since our only meeting in 1964. The world is flat!Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Charles Knight		09-Oct-2008 15:10
Please forgive the occassional lack of "N". Cheap laptop!

Charles Knight		09-Oct-2008 15:08
Could be...It's ot a very common name.

Roberta Perry Hughes		09-Oct-2008 06:35
DID that Christmas family end up moving to Georgia?? I knew a Christmas family, & they had a daughter named Mary, & I remember one of them was Margie Christmas...perhaps, Mary's mother? Just how much of a coincidence is that?? They lived in Shellman, GA, if I remember correctly, & I THINK they were "transplants," from Miami (?). If these are the same folk, my! my! Small world, indeed!!

Charles Knight		09-Oct-2008 05:12
For those of you out there that may be interested...There is a terrific writer named Randy Wayne Wright, he writes of South Florida quite a bit and oftentimes writes his fiction based on actual people and places in and around Florida I highly recommend him and a book titled "The man who invented Florida" in particular. Check it out . Charles Knight. I can be reached at KNGTRK2@aol.com

Charles Knight		09-Oct-2008 04:55
Sorry folks...The previous post was from me...Charles Knight

Guest		09-Oct-2008 04:54
Yes dad has been known to tell the tale of the sixteen blackjacks (I own one to this day) Sweetwater was a frontier town for sure. Hi River Rat...I think you must be speaking of my older brother Jack Knight Jr. he was an avid amature herpitologist and continued to capture and milk venemous snakes until his death in 2003 (dad died in 1977) .Arizona Al, the trailer park was Christmas park, it was on the western edge of Sweetwater, I went to grade school at Seminole with their daughter her name was (is?) Mary Christmas...Poor girl went through hell with that name if I remember correctly.

Guest		09-Oct-2008 03:43
Al, speaking of enlistments. How many guys remember Aurora St in the Gables? The induction station where you were introduced to the military? To this day I can not remember if the doctor changed his gloves every time he had a guy cough.

Arizona Al		09-Oct-2008 02:29
In 1964 just prior to my enlistment in the Army I went to a pig pickin in Sweetwater. For some reason I remember the names of the hosts; Bill and Mary Christmas. For real that was their names. The pig pickin was at a trailer park whose name I can not recall. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Miami River Rat		09-Oct-2008 01:44
Charles Knight: I knew your dad, Jack, quite well. We used to hunt snakes (and other critters) in the 'glades in the late 1950's. Jack was a few years older than me, but we did hunt together all the same. He once tried to get the snake hunters to organize and get better prices. We had a meeting at Glader Park, on the trail, and several snake hunters showed up, but that never worked out. I left Miami for the Air Force in late '59 and never saw Jack again. I think of those days often, though. Hope you are doing well.

Guest		08-Oct-2008 19:10
Charles, I lived in Sweetwater for a time at Polly and Bill's Trailer Park around 1970. I remember reading the accounts of a police chief there who was pretty well respected. I remember him being quoted as saying he wore out 16 blackjacks trying to bring law and order to the Bilmar Lounge. Was that your father? Was a neat place back then. Kind of a rough neighborhood, but good memories of it.

Charles Knight		08-Oct-2008 17:58
Hello Mr. Boyd! Thank god you're here and working so hard to bring back and preserve all of these wonderful memories. I was born in '57 @ Doctors in the Gables and raised in Sweetwater, My father was the chief of police there forever (it seems). I was also raised on the Loop road off of the forty mile bend, we owned a bar called Gator Hook Lodge (it's actually somewhat famous). Please keep up the great job and know that it is appreciated, sincerely...Charles Knight

Don Boyd		08-Oct-2008 15:34
New photos added: a 1920's postcard image of yachts at the downtown yacht anchorage (downtown gallery), a 1940 image of the FEC's Champion (downtown gallery), a 1940's image of Miami Beach hotels used by the Army Air Corps to house troops (hotels gallery), a 1941 postcard image of Navy bombers flying over downtown (downtown and aviation galleries), a 1960's postcard of the Miami Skyways Motel (hotels gallery), a 1950's postcard image of propliners at the 36th Street Terminal (aviation gallery), an early 1950's postcard image of Boulevard Christian Church (50's gallery), a 1950's image of the Seahorse Lounge and Edith & Fritz restaurant (restaurants gallery), a 1950's image of a Five O'Clock Club postcard (restaurants gallery), and 30+ new photos of the Countyline Dragway (attractions gallery). Linda High Thompson contributed two Lucian Club photos from 1969 and 1970 (schools gallery). Don

marlene		08-Oct-2008 01:14
Don,, I will look forward to the dvd maybe if you do make it you can post where to buy it on here :) as far as photos of old coconut grove, my brother duane and oldest brother mike have my mothers photo albums, and there are alot of photos of even the coconut grove playhouse, my brother patrick helped with the scenery in the HAIR musical they did there, i moved to virginia about 6 years ago and i do miss the way coconut grove used to be, does anyone remember (COCONUT JOE? ) he was like an icon there seen everywhere in the grove,

Don Boyd		07-Oct-2008 23:52
Marlene: thank you much for your comments and thoughts. Unfortunately the vast majority of images on this site are only good for display on a website and not for printing. The resolution is usually 72ppi on these relatively small website images, and larger sizes and 200 to 300dpi are needed for printing photos in a book. In addition, there are already numerous excellent books on the old Miami area by true historians Arva Moore Parks, Seth Bramson, Dr. Paul George and others. A CD or DVD may be in the future as I have been contacted by three different guys who are interested in doing that but I haven't made a decision yet because I want more photos on the site before I get into that. I'm very pleased that so many people have entered their comments and memories all over the site, particularly those under individual photos with additional details that most of us have forgotten. No one can remember everything but a bunch of people can remember just about everything that went on down here. The comments to me are just as valuable as the photos I've put on here and I thank everyone for their contributions, whether it is old images or comments with memories. And I'm happy that numerous people have reconnected through the site after many years of disconnect. It's great hearing from old friends and acquaintances. Don

Leighton		07-Oct-2008 19:52
Actually, the West End Pool I knew, was (and is) just off Flagler, in West End Park. We lived in an area originally called Fairlawn (elementary school has the name), off Flagler, but never went there - Venetian Pool for us. Fairlawn was a neighborhood that never developed as planned. We had a corner house at NW 63rd Court & 2nd, with a huge yard, because original plans called for a traffic circle at the intersection.

marlene		07-Oct-2008 17:10
Don.. have you ever thought to compile a book , or a CD rom? of the old South Florida? i bet it would be a best seller :) i know i would buy one, my husband was raised in NEW YORK and he wanted a book about old NEW YORK for his birthdy so i bought a huge coffee table book ,even had a cd rom with it , he enjoys it daily , you have so much material on this site wow some things even I forgot , I have a book MIAMI then and now but , it is very small compared to what is on this site. and adding the stories of what people remember is like looking at an old school yearbook, maybe even old friends could get back together via e-mails or snail mails . people do love fond memories, thanks for being you,,, :)

Don Boyd		07-Oct-2008 14:26
I am sorry to say that I am now at the point where I probably have three to six months' worth of backlogged images to scan or to work on, and I will no longer accept additional images for this site unless they are something really outstanding and long-desired like an image of a Pizza Palace or Funland Park. I've had Martha Pierson's huge beautiful old Miami/Miami Beach postcard collection to scan for probably six months now and I need to take some time to catch up, plus work on my own old photos and aviation photos which bring in sales from time to time. In short, please don't send me any more images until further notice. Thank you. Don

Don Boyd		07-Oct-2008 14:21
New photos added: Ted and Gay Crownover contributed images from a 1954 Pan American Bank moving booklet which is now in a sub-gallery in the downtown gallery. Ted also contributed a 1958 image of his dad's completed Stinson (aviation gallery). Gary Beck contributed several 1964 images of Glenn H. Curtiss Elementary in Miami Springs (Miami Springs gallery). I added a 1935 aerial image of downtown Miami (downtown gallery. Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		07-Oct-2008 05:13
Anyone out there remember the West End Pool, in Miami Springs? We went there, whenever we visited our cousin, Lee Roy Caulder, who lived on Whitethorn Drive. Later, his family moved to Hialeah. In high school, he preferred to be called "Roy." He had a Honda motorcycle, which he rode to school. He would have graduated from Hialeah High in 1965, but he and his best friend, Spence, aka "Babe," quit school, prior to graduating, & joined the Army. In the Army, he went by the last name of "Tauer," achieved the rank of Sergeant, & served in Viet Nam. He now lives on his boat in California. Any of you folk from Hialeah High remember my cousin, or his friend, Spence?

uhclem		06-Oct-2008 06:25
I remember Mike, Bruce, Wayne, Matt and some weird looking skinny kid with big hair at Om Jewelry.

Don Boyd		05-Oct-2008 21:08
The King Mango Strut Parade is still held every year in Coconut Grove and one of the co-founders of the original parade is Glenn Terry who graduated with me from Hialeah High in 1965. Bill Dobson, the other co-founder, now deceased, was the husband of a friend of mine at the airport. Their website is athttp://www.kingmangostrut.org/ but it needs updating. Don

Guest		05-Oct-2008 17:32
Anybody remember the "King Mango Strut Perade" in the Grove & OM Jewelry on Grand ave.?

Don Boyd		05-Oct-2008 06:33
Guest, did you ever pause to think that maybe you have to register with Pbase to post a link in order to keep fools from posting spam all over the place? I honestly don't know since I've never tried to post as a guest, but if you do not want to register then send the link to me at my e-mail address that is posted above and if appropriate to the site I will put it up for you. New photos added today: a 1908 image of reflections on the Miami River (1883-1919 gallery), an undated image of the clubhouse at Hialeah Race Track (Hialeah Park gallery), a 1935 postcard image of the southern portion of Bayfront park (downtown gallery), a 1935 image of the northern portion of Bayfront Park, the Port of Miami, County Causeway and Venetian Causeway (downtown gallery), a late 30's-early 40's image of Navy trainers over downtown Miami (aviation and downtown galleries) and a 1953 image of Iris Maxwell, Miss Miami Beach (individuals gallery). Don

Guest		05-Oct-2008 06:02
I guess you have to be "special" to post a link here. Oh well, it's y'all that are missing out.

robertbowman		04-Oct-2008 20:58
My sincerest thanks to Don and everyone who has expressed their condolences about the recent passing of my mom "Fish Mary" of Miami Beach and the Florida keys.Don kindly posted some picture of her on the Old Pier last year. She was truly a south Florida Icon and will be missed dearly. If anyone would like to visit her memorial website here is the link. http://memorialwebsites.legacy.com/fishmary/homepage.aspx

LARGO		04-Oct-2008 19:08
ROBERTA...THAT WAS 40 SOMETHIN' YEARS AGO...I WAS A "FLOWER CHILD"...DOING FLOWER CHILD STUFF...FLOWERS...BUDS...;~)..heh heh....AND WINE COOLERS FOR THOSE WHO PURCHASED A PIECE OF ART...PARTIES AFTER THE SHOWS...DO NOT REMEMBER MARSHALL SMITH...BUT I DO REMEMBER A GAL THAT DID LOVELY WATERCOLORS OF SAILBOATS ETC...KITTY LOGAN...SHE SOLD QUITE WELL..AND LIVED ON HER BOAT AS I RECALL...I SOMETIMES WAS SET UP NEAR THE SAME PEOPLE EACH YEAR..AND GOT TO KNOW THEM..THERE WAS A GUY NAMED JIM MATSON FROM CALIFORNIA..THAT DID BEAUTUFUL LANDSCAPES AND PORTRAITS...VERY HANDSOME...HUNG WITH HIM FOR AWHILE...HE HAD A MOTORHOME THAT HE TRAVELED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY IN..AND SOLD HIS PAINTINGS....THERE WERE SO MANY TO REMEMBER THEM ALL...MOST OF US DID THE SAME SHOWS... THE "LAS OLAS SHOW" IN FT. LAUDERDALE...SHOWS IN THE KEYS AND CLEAR UP TO PALM BEACH......LARGO

Guest		04-Oct-2008 03:57
I tried to post a link here but it won't take.

Don Boyd		03-Oct-2008 22:39
New photos added today: a 1940's image of the Urmey Hotel downtown and a 1950's postcard image of two Goodyear blimps and a Navy blimp over downtown (downtown gallery), two 1950's images of the marina at Dinner Key (attractions gallery), and a 1950 image of the Miami Diner restaurant on Biscayne and 83rd (restaurants gallery). Don

Guest		02-Oct-2008 13:12
I have memories as a youngun of the MacArthur Causeway being a wooden bridge where you could see the water through the plentious and large cracks as you drove over. My dad used to tell a story of a truck driver who, accidently it is believed, pulled the wrong lever on the dump truck loaded with Bahamian laborers while returning from a job on Miami Beach on the MacArthur way back when. Dumped them on the road while moving.

Don Boyd		02-Oct-2008 07:21
New photos added today: a 1950's image of a Five O'Clock Club postcard (restaurants gallery), a 1940's aerial postcard image of downtown Miami (downtown gallery), a late 1940's image of MacArthur Causeway with the blimp on the east side of the causeway (40's gallery), a 1950's image of Harvies Restaurant on Biscayne Boulevard (restaurants gallery) and a 1960's image of dancers on the beach at the Castaways (hotels gallery). Don

Don Boyd		02-Oct-2008 03:03
The new Hialeah, Sweet Home Hialeah, is at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwcUFLRum6Y Don

marlene		01-Oct-2008 16:04
Roberta and largo .. i never missed a festivel in the grove but, then i lived just 5 minutes from main street erm very close, so i must of seen Largo,s work and Marshall,s work, i do recall the adams apple. and my brotheres loved sienor frogs , do you recall tom thombs? anyone? the little greasy spoon accross from the winn dixie? during the art festivals i used to love how the mhimes would be in the street acting out, or riding the unicycles, and then they added the bed races , so much fun and people got along , Coconut Grove the freindly village :)

Timothy L. Cromer		01-Oct-2008 12:43
Thank you for the reply Charlis, yes old age indeed, I just turned 56 last week so alot of my 60's, 70's & early 80's are abit fuzzy. A book you might find interesting and a memory refresher for you and those old bands you mention is the book called, The Extraordinary & Tragic Life of Jaco Pastorius by Bill Milkowski. Lots of good interviews, stories by local south Floriday musicians who knew Jaco in the early years. Thanks again!! tlc

Roberta Perry Hughes		01-Oct-2008 05:45
LARGO...Marlene...My half brother, the late Marshall E. Smith, lived in Coconut Grove with his then-wife, Barbara, & her little boy, Douglas Lynn, in a wonderful cream-colored 2-story stucco & wrought iron-gated Spanish-style home. I loved that house! It was about a half of a block from a canal. Can't remember the house number, of the street. Marshall was a member of the artist's society, back then, & he exhibited his works,frequently, in one-man shows, & was featured in the Miami Herald. He did fantastic India ink drawings, drawings in charcoal, as well as water colors & oils. So...did either of you ever see Marshall, in the 1960's? Roberta...computer up & running again, & got a new 3-way printer, today! Hooray! Bein' a night owl, as usual, in the coolin'-off Peach State...& lovin' ALL of the recent postings on here, & NEW folk...! Welcome. y'all...!!!

Don Boyd		01-Oct-2008 05:38
Dave, you're showing your age if you remember the black boxes over the strategic parts. I hated them with a passion. I still have one or two of those mags packed away somewhere. Don

Arizona Al		01-Oct-2008 03:10
Don: Well after 45 years you have busted me and I am guilty as charged. Yes, yes, yes it is true..I admit that my girlfriend at the time had a part in the classic movie "Wild Women From Wongo" as did several girlfriends of the local older Ridge Rats of thecohort time period. Well we all needed money for beer, gas and brilcream hair tonic to keep our D.A. hairstyles in place. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and completely busted after 45 years.

LARGO		01-Oct-2008 00:54
JEFF...SOOOO LOL WITH THE SMOKIN' SOCKS VISUAL...THANKS...IF LAUGHTER IS GOOD MEDICINE...I 'M FEELING CURED !!!....I USED TO BE ONE OF THE FLOWER CHILDREN OF COCONUT GROVE....AND I SHOWED MY PAINTINGS FROM 1969 TO THE EARLY 70'S IN FRONT OF A SHOP NAMED "THE ADAMS APPLE"...I THINK IT WAS ON COMMODORE ??? IN THE GROVE...HAD THE VW BUS WITH THE SLIDE HATCH AND LITTLE WINDOWS ALL AROUND...A WONDERFUL ARTIST COMMUNITY BACK THEN.....LARGO

Dave nelson		30-Sep-2008 23:52
Those strategically placed bars remind me of the old men's magazines, Don. Wild women are the best, no matter where they are from. :-)

Jeff		30-Sep-2008 23:49
You'll have to forgive Don... he's been smoking his socks again... MY all-time favorite movie is Casablanca. I tend to suspect that Don's is "Bedtime for Bonzo"... {:cP Backatcha, old buddy! LOL!

Don Boyd		30-Sep-2008 23:06
New photos posted today: a 1954 image of the Miami Sanitorium in Miami Springs (Miami Springs gallery). Dave Nelson contributed 9 images from the 1958 movie "The Wild Women from Wongo" that was partially filmed at the Coral Castle on US 1 and is Jeff's favorite movie of all time. They're all in the attractions gallery. I suspect that some of the ladies in the film were probably girlfriends of local older Ridge Rats trying to make a few bucks to buy their guys some more beer. I guess Wongo sounded more primitive and exotic than Cutler Ridge? : ) Don

Don Boyd		30-Sep-2008 23:05
New photos posted today: a 1954 image of the Miami Sanitorium in Miami Springs (Miami Springs gallery). Dave Nelson contributed 9 images from the 1958 movie "The Wild Women from Wongo" that was partially filmed at the Coral Castle on US 1 and is Jeff's favorite movie of all time. I suspect that some of the ladies in the film were probably girlfriends of local older Ridge Rats trying to make a few bucks to buy their guys some more beer. I guess Wongo sounded more primitive and exotic than Cutler Ridge? : ) Don

charlis		30-Sep-2008 22:36
Tim... RE: Jaco.... Yes, I knew him, way back when. He was a very great guy. I worked with a lot of bands in the mid and late 60's, and old age is setting in so I can not remember which band he was working with at any given time. An old friend, from one of the bands, and I were talking about Jaco about a year ago. I didn't know that he had passed away until my old friend had told me.

Timothy L.Cromer		30-Sep-2008 18:53
Greeting to the VAST family of Don Boyd ~ Charlis, your post on Sept. 23rd,08 ref. Wayne Cochran & The C.C. Riders, as a drummer my all time favorite bassist came from Wayne's band back in the early 70's the great Jaco Pastorious, did you know of him? Of course he later went on to perform with Peter Graves at the Lions Share & Bachelors III, and MUCH earlier with Tommy Strand and The Upper Hand at The Seven Seas Lounge on Collins Ave. Of course it was his contribution to the already great jazz/fusion band Weather Report that spun him into true stardom. His sad and tragic passing on Sept. 21st, 1987 was a HUGE loss to those of us who clearly recognized his genius gift. Let me know Charlis (or anyone else with stories) And THANKS to Don Boyd for the wonderful and tropical forum!!! (p.s.~ still NO "Ridge Rats" out there knew of my wife Robin Whitney's family ref. my much earlier post months ago? Friends of the 'Greens' the 'Spectors' father was USMC Colonel Robert W. Whitney who later 'owned Overseas Motors and worked @ The Dade County Courthouse back in the 70's. Come on fess up.......

Jo-Anne K		30-Sep-2008 15:38
Don...looked at the Miami photo of the 94th Aero Squadron restaurant, it is the same as the one that was in Lauderdale and I still want to say it was on SR84 near the Ft. Laud airport. That was back in the mid to late 70's, possibly early 80's. In response to a "guest" post on 9/26- Espanola, NM is 180 or so miles from Durango, to drive that distance and not know what I'm getting I guess I'll stick with the eateries here locally. Thanks for the reply though.

Don Boyd		30-Sep-2008 07:50
Marlene, no I was never in the sea cadets, sorry. New photos added: a 1950's image of the interior and staff at the Turf Bar & Grill on Ocean Drive on Miami Beach (restaurants gallery), a 1940's image of the Bank of Coconut Grove (40's gallery), a 1940's image of bathing beauties on Miami Beach (individuals gallery) and a 1940's image of Tahiti Beach (attractions gallery). That's two Coconut Grove images for Marlene who inquired about Coconut Grove images and there's more to come someday. Don

marlene		30-Sep-2008 01:51
Don Boyd,, were you ever in the sea cadets? the one run near monty trainers? my brother Duane said he knew a Boyd in the cadets.

Leighton		29-Sep-2008 23:33
Clewiston Inn has a web site. I'm too young to remember US 27 - by 1967, the Turnpike was the way to go, and I was five. We did go that way to The Singing Tower, once, and I remember the countryside. Spent some time in Coconut Grove in the early 80s - went to Senior Frog's and Monty Trainers. Film screenings at Ransom Everglades, and a friend's wedding at Plymouth Congregational. Rode my bike through there at least once a week.

Don Boyd		29-Sep-2008 22:39
New photos added: a 1960's image of the Gulf American Land Corporation building on the southwest corner of Biscayne Boulevard and 79th Street (60's gallery), a 1950's image of Smitty's Wishing Well restaurant at Miami Avenue and NE 36 Street (restaurants gallery) and a 1957 image of a FEC Railway brochure promoting their new North Miami station (50's gallery). Jeff: you truly missed seeing a million wonderful sights walking around at the Coconut Grove Art Shows during the 70's and early 80's if you never went there. : ) Don

marlene		29-Sep-2008 17:25
thanks Arizona Al , ahhh the hot shoppes always crowded , every time i think of the hot shoppes i remember how my younger brother ALWAYS ordered the fried chicken dinner and it took forever HA HA, but you probably didn,t go for the food, big grin.

marlene		29-Sep-2008 17:22
jeff. i do recall when they had the first art festivals it wasn,t so crowded but then more and more artist came and lived in the grove, so it became the artsy place it is today, i saw alot of beautiful hand painted signs in pennsylvania .

Arizona Al		29-Sep-2008 14:46
Marlene: Welcome to this fabulous site. During my Jr. (1963) and Sr.(1964) years at Palmetto High myself and the Ridge Rats would frequently cruise the Hot Shoppes on Friday and Saturday Night in search of mischief, mayhem and the occasional meet and greet with girls from other local schools (Gables, Southwest etc.). If my memory serves me correctly we obtained much more mischief and mayhem then meeting and greeting the young ladies. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Jeff		29-Sep-2008 14:02
Would you believe I've never been to the Coconut Grove Arts Festival? I'm really not a crowd person... My specialty is lettering - typographic design [fonts] for the computer... but I always loved the old-fashioned, hand painted signs.

marlene		29-Sep-2008 05:49
he cooked at the hurricane harbor on key biscayne . he did own the night owl in coconut grove long before i was born 1930 i think, i do recall something about pixley signs though, sense you enjoy crafts maybe you have been to the coconut grove art festivals. we lived on 27th and tiger tail, of course never missed a festival.

Jeff		29-Sep-2008 05:42
Thanks for the fast reply, Marlene... The name just caught my eye - and since I am a graphic artist with an affinity toward hand-lettering and sign painting craftspeople - I thought there was a connection. I remember Hurricane Harbor in North Miami - it was the victim of fire, as was many of the older restaurants in the area - some by accident, some for insurance...

marlene		29-Sep-2008 05:29
jeff. no not related .. but in a long way around many people on this web site may have known my father, if they have eaten, at the university inn , or hurricane harbor , red diamonds, westward ho, in concord, the wagon wheel sunset drive, the night owl, he was a proffesional cook , everyone loved his cooking, he even cooked for president Nixon at hurricane harbor, ( james holton, )

Jeff		29-Sep-2008 04:50
Marlene... I'm wondering if you're related to the gentleman who ran Pixley signs in the 50's and 60's?

marlene		29-Sep-2008 01:30
i could go on forever just looking at the photos , i sent the link to my 3 brothers, i,m sure they will be surprised how many memories are right here on this site, i could go on and on about coconut grove and downtown miami and coral gables , spent my whole life in coconut grove, does anyone remember the resturant BLUE GROTTO in coral gables? it was ITALIAN,or hot shoppes in coconut grove? and CRANDON PARK ZOO,,,

Don Boyd		28-Sep-2008 23:22
Thank you Marlene for your comments and for the memories you posted under photos in other galleries. I'm glad the site put a smile on your face. Someday we'll get some old Coconut Grove photos but as of yet I don't have any. New photos added today: a 1920's image of Dr. John G. DuPuis's White Belt Dairy (20's gallery), Bill Long sent 4 images of Robert E. Lee Junior High in 1925/26/29 (schools gallery), a 1920's postcard image of 3 Army Air Corps bi-planes over Government Cut, a 1930's image of the B M Diner on Biscayne and NE 52 Street (restaurants gallery), a 1940's image of Flagler Street looking west and an image of Gesu Catholic Church (downtown gallery), a 1940's image of the officers swimming pool at NAS Miami (aviation gallery, Opa-locka sub-gallery), a 1940's image of The Great Gables Drive-in (restaurants gallery), a 1961 aerial image of the Miami Baseball Stadium (attractions gallery), two early 1980's aerial images of Miami Lakes and points north (1970's and later gallery) and a 1983 image of the 94th Aero Squadron restaurant (restaurants gallery). Don

marlene		28-Sep-2008 18:56
this is one AWESOME web page thank you so much. you are wonderful (big smile )

marlene pixley		28-Sep-2008 18:07
do you have some photos of OLD COCONUT GROVE? like the little red school house . or the florida pharmacy? and when Monty Trainers used to be the Niaminds resturant. I even remember , where the mayfair hotel stands now used to be a winn dixie .so many fond memories of coconut grove but there arn,t to many photos of it on line.

Don Boyd		28-Sep-2008 05:33
New photos added: I added a 1940's image of the Belle Hop Drive-in in Little River (restaurants gallery) and several 1983 airport photos (aviation gallery). Linda High Thompson contributed a 1962 image of her and two friends in a skit at Kensington Park Elementary (schools gallery) and several images of her and friends in 1963 (individuals gallery). Don

Jeff		28-Sep-2008 00:55
Thanks, Charlis... But as I'd mentioned, ZabaSearch returned a number of results (some which duplicate). All I can say is that he was in his 20's at the time... but how much so, I don't know. To a 13-14 year old, it's hard to gauge a person's age - unlike those of us who are older and can use better judgement. I simply didn't want to run through a phone card calling all over the state annoying people unecessarily...

charlis		27-Sep-2008 20:36
jeff... I found 2 warrens... go to sunbiz.gov and see if that will help. 1 is a doctor and one is into investments. If I knew his age I can help out better... can go to the driver license data base... I have a few friends that work for the local division and they have helped me in the past in locating people.

Jeff		27-Sep-2008 03:21
Hey, gang... This time around I'm trying to locate someone - perhaps you can help out... Back around 1965-1966 I was a very young teen helping at the Ida M. Fisher Community School on Miami Beach, and eventually got myself involved with the Acorn Civic Theater of Miami Beach (who was putting on a play at the school)... A young actor named Warren Day (who had parts in Flipper, Caribe and the Soupy Sales movie "Birds Do It") befriended me and was like a big brother during the pre-production and performance of the play. It's been over 40 years, I know he's living here in Florida - but there's MANY "Warren Day" listings I've retrieved from ZabaSearch. If anyone has a handle on where the right Warren Day might be found, please let me know!

charlis		26-Sep-2008 21:55
Parks and River Rat... the pic at the Clewiston Inn sounds great. Any chance a pic of it is available on the web?

Don Boyd		26-Sep-2008 21:35
Jo-AnneK: I can't remember if there was a Specialty Restaurants 94th Aero Squadron restaurant on SR 84 or not but that doesn't mean anything, haha. Part of me thinks yes, part of me thinks no. There was one of the Bomb Group restaurants on the north side of Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport but it closed a year or two ago and is now someone else's fancy restaurant. The aviation-theme (can't remember the name) restaurants at Clearwater-St. Pete and Palm Beach International Airports also closed several years ago. David Tallichet, the founder of Specialty Restaurants, was a World War II bomber pilot and a huge aviation buff who bought and preserved a large number of aircraft. His chain of restaurants numbered 100 at the peak and they had considerably more airport restaurants. They're down to 6 aviation-related restaurants now, including the Proud Bird at LAX. He passed away last November and a story about his life is at: http://articles.latimes.com/2007/nov/11/local/me-tallichet11 A full list of their restaurants and locations is at: http://www.specialtyrestaurants.com/banquet_catering_corporate_restaurants.html New photos added: Rick Del Rosal contributed a 1954 image of his 4th grade class at Hialeah Elementary (Hialeah gallery). I added several aviation photos to the aviation gallery. Don

Guest		26-Sep-2008 18:09
Durango had some nice little restaurants downtown when I was there. A little pricey, though. But I guess you will have to drive down to Espanola, NM to get something good to eat. Sorry. :-) Some really good restaurants in this little town. Excellent northern New Mexico cuisine. Funny as can be, with the quality of restaurants here and the low prices so many of the local youth go to Taco Bell, Sonic, and Madonnas.

Roberta Perry Hughes		26-Sep-2008 16:42
Oh, y'all! Thanks for the memories of Old South Barbecue in Clewiston, & all of those Burma Shave-type signs advertising it! On annual trips to & from Georgia, to family reunions, we would stop & eat there, more often than not, mostly, on the return trip to Miami. I remember their barbecue was soooooo good! Trips to Georgia, down HWY 27, were so "family friendly," with all of the motels & eateries, in every town. Had to grab one, however, as soon as you saw a "Vacancy" sign, as, in Summer, they filled up fast! Charlis...I cut out a one-framer cartoon, where 2 women are at a cafe, & one says to the other, "I wish I were as skinny as when I thought I was fat." Sums it up, for me. (sigh) Roberta, thankful for the library's computers, to be able to keep up!

Jo-Anne K		26-Sep-2008 13:55
Ah the good 'ole days, Old South B-B-Q and conch fritters at Alabama Jack's. I have found a very close second to Old South, Dreamland in Tuscaloosa, AL. If anyone knows of any good hole in the wall eateries in the SW Colorado area I'd like to know about them....what I have found here in Durango is pretty mediocre at best. Jeff- Cookies from Laurenzo's should be arriving in NC today for my Mom's B-day. Thanks again.

Miami River Rat		26-Sep-2008 05:12
By Parks: "The Clewiston Inn is a great old Florida place. The bar has a wonderful mural of the everglades. The more you drink, the more animals you see." Oh, Man! I thought I was the only one that had discovered that about the Clewiston Inn's mural. Once, when the fifth Jack & Coke produced a tiger, I knew it was time to call it a night because a tiger isn't an everglades animal. Except for the Indian Tiger family, but then, the Tiger Seminoles aren't the kind of tiger I saw in that mural. I better leave it at that and bid all of you good night!

Parks		26-Sep-2008 03:48
Arizona Al, Yes Old South had Burma Shave style signs all up and down US27. As I recall they were put on structures made from cypress logs. The Clewiston Inn plans to put them back up. The Clewiston Inn is a great old Florida place. The bar has a wonderful mural of the everglades. The more you drink, the more animals you see.

Leighton		26-Sep-2008 01:32
Thanks. In the 80s, I lived on Douglas, and could have sworn that I just walked up the street, and entered La Carreta. I guess I was a block off.

Sofia		26-Sep-2008 00:33
Leighton, La Carreta you're referring to on 8th and about 36th Avenue has been in its present location as far back as I can remember (1970s) and it is the original. There was a service station on the corner of 8th and 37th that is no longer in operation

Leighton		25-Sep-2008 23:02
Could somebody answer my question about La Carreta - when did they move from their 8th & Douglas location? The current web site shows a location a few blocks away. Is it the original? I remember it being on the SE corner of the intersection.

Arizona Al		25-Sep-2008 16:45
Parks: Didn't the Old South Barbeque have signs along the highway similar in design/function to the Burma Shave signs of the same time period (late 1950s on)? I seem to remember them from family trips from Miami to lake Okeechobee in the late 1950s. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Arizona Al		25-Sep-2008 16:39
I saw Wayne Cochran and the CC Riders at the Dinner Key Auditorium in 1967 or 1968 (can not remember exactly). He was a very large blond guy with very tight pants which did not appear to detract from his ability to scoot and jive on the stage. That was the only time I saw him in person. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Parks		25-Sep-2008 04:23
Hi Guys, The Old South Barbeque in Clewiston is coming back, sort of. The wonderful Clewiston Inn has purchased the name and recipes. They have hired the former manager of the Old South to get them going. I had dinner there tonight. It wasn't as good as the old Old South, but they are working on it. They will be putting up signs like the old Old South had.

charlis		24-Sep-2008 21:20
Roberta... our changed figures... I have a Garfield cartoon at my desk at work... the caption is something like this... "No. I am not fat. I have so much knowledge that my head ran out of room!"

charlis		24-Sep-2008 21:16
Jeff... Wayne and "last kiss"... Wayne had so much fun on stage, until he sang that song... the tears in his eyes were real. It was usually the last song of a set.

charlis		24-Sep-2008 20:51
Jeff... thanks for the info on Flipper. The last time I "talked" to Luke he was living in the Orlando area. It's been years since I talked to him. As to Wayne... I will never forget the first time I met him. My mother was at the 2nd Floor that day to watch me and Evie practice our routine with Wayne. She was also helping run the snack bar... Wayne shook her hand... My mother's response to me, in French, was something akin to "he's a fag." But, Wayne did teach me and Evie how to do the James Brown "slide", which, to this day, I can still do... and amazed my boss one day. We were talking about the music of the 60's and he had been in a "group" while in the AF that performed "Soul Music", specializing in James Brown. (the pic of my boss with the Afro is so hysterical that he took it down from his desk pics..) Someone asked him to do the James Brown "slide"... he did a lousy job. I looked up, got up, and did it. I got a standing ovation!

Nan		24-Sep-2008 19:58
To comment to Arizona Al regarding Pirates World. It was located on Sheridan Street in Dania. I spent many a week-end enjoying concerts there, any where from The Jefferson Airplane to Spirit. They were sued when a snake bit someone on the steeple chase and also when the swing ride broke and drug many peoples legs on the ground. It was later burned and there are apartments on the site today.

Roberta Perry Hughes		24-Sep-2008 19:32
Wayne Cochran was a fixture at the annual Telethons held at the City Auditorium in Albany, GA...if I am recalling the right person, that is.! Was he an overweight bleached blond who played drums for his band, as well as being the vocalist?? I may be mistaken, but, if I remeber correctly, this person's name was Wayne Corchran. Re: my post-high school "mature" figure of 42-28-38...I STILL have that same "hour glass" figure...only now, it holds enough sand to fill Matheson Hammack Beach!! ("geriatric spread"). What can I say? I love to cook...& EAT, obviously! LOL Roberta...the Georgia Peach COBBLER, using the local library's computer, as hers is going into the "hospital" today, for a modem transplant.

Jo-Anne K		24-Sep-2008 17:04
charlis - I remember a 94th Aero Squadron in Ft. Lauderdale, I can't remember the exact location though. I want to say it was somewhere on Hwy. 84????

Jeff		24-Sep-2008 00:44
OK - I was both right and wrong at the same time... According to IMDB, the movie "Flipper" was 1963, the TV series 1964-1966... The movie "Flipper's New Adventure" was 1964. I believe that this is the movie premier I was referring to, so sorry for doubting you, Charlis. Tommy Norden now runs an executive recruiting company in New Yorkand will be 56 on Thursday (Sept. 25th)... Luke Halpin is a pilot and marine technician for a film production company [he's 61]... Brian Kelly was paralyzed in his right arm and leg after a 1970 motorcycle accident. He died in 2005 of pneumonia - just two days short of his 74th birthday.

Jeff		24-Sep-2008 00:27
Charlis - good memory! Mitzi was, in fact, the original "Flipper"... however, the movie came AFTER the success of the TVshow... an Ivan Tors production... with many of the back lot shots done right here in North Miami at what is now Greenwich Studios. The building and offices survive, but the actual backlot was sold to become the Greenwich apartment complex - now called Watermark... Other Ivan Tors shows included Sea Hunt, Gentle Ben and Caribe... I didn't mention Wayne Cochran in the concerts on the lawn of the Convention Center because I didn't see him there... but I DID see him at the Newport, where Larry Stang (whose band I's previously mentioned) was working the upstairs "Rhum Room" - and we caught part of Wayne's show after Larry's gig ended! I may have told this story before - but as a youngster in Georgia, Wayne either read of, or saw the aftermath of a terrible car wreck. He wrote a song about a young high school couple who wrecked their car and the boy loses the girl... Wayne recorded it for the tiny Gala label and it went nowhere in 1957. Seven years later, the song became a hit for J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers (probably covering Wayne's new version of the tune on King Records)... It's title? "Last Kiss".

charlis		23-Sep-2008 23:30
sorry about the mis-spells re: dolphin.... I have a problem with this laptop.

charlis		23-Sep-2008 23:24
Jeff... Flipper... I knew both Tommy and Luke. I hung out at the Surfside Community Rec Center... played pool with Luke, who taught me how to snorkel on the reef near the rec center. Tommy was a brat! Here is a bit of trivia for you.... what was the name of the dolpin that played Flipper in the TV show... this is not the dolpin that played Flipper in the original movie... I think her name was Mitzy. Then Flipper was created for the TV show... then got an eye infection and close up shots were performed by another dolphin.. named by the boys.... even though the name was mis-spelled.

charlis		23-Sep-2008 23:15
Jeff.... bands... don't forget Wayne Cochran and the CC Riders. Wayne was a garbage collector, a white James Brown... his words. He is now is "minister". Worked with him at the 2nd Floor.... taught me how to do the James Brown moves. He was such a "wuss"... shook my mother's hand "so softly" that my mother turned to me and said, in French, "Fag"....

charlis		23-Sep-2008 23:06
94th Aero Squadron... does anyone know where the first restaurant in the chain was located? Google searchesdo not ive the info. The one up here, near Tampa, was great.. next to the St Pete airport. They claimed to be the first one, in the early 70's. The food was great!

charlis		23-Sep-2008 23:03
Largo... I agree with you on the heights... I was at least 2 inches taller that my boyfriend/husband... and I loved to wear heels! It was so frustrating being so much taller than all the cute guys!

charlis		23-Sep-2008 22:43
roberta, re: twiggy... thanks for the image. We share a lot in common. To make matters worse... my daughter was able to gamble in Vegas because of her build... she was 14 and looked a lot older when dressed and made up! Jeff might be able to remember the girls at Beach High... I only had one "competitor", Gail Greenburg... Jeff's and my mutual friend used to take me to the horse tracks... I didn't need an ID, but my boyfriend used to use his older brother's. Gee.... you S Miami people had a lot of great places to go to!

Jeff		23-Sep-2008 20:24
Ah! The infamous Pirate's World! I was too young to go there on my own (as my folks didn't drive)... A friend of mine performed there between 1968-1970. His band was originally called Larry Stang's Method; later renamed Broadway Park. It was the concerts [in part] that brought the demise of Pirate's World... surrounding neighbors coimplained about the loud musaic generated by the concerts and the unruly behavior of the young people attending the park...

Arizona Al		23-Sep-2008 14:59
Jeff: I left Miami in 1969 so I missed the free concerts you have identified. I do recall that during the 1967-1969 time frame I saw several "free" concerts at a place called Pirates World in Hallandale. Well the concerts were free, but you had to pay the price of admission to Pirates World. There were also several "spontaneous" free music shows by local hippie/longhair bands that I saw at the park in Coconut Grove during the 1967-1969 time period. Those were proverbial "magic times" for me as a Viet Nam Veteran at age 21 in Miami, Florida. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and sometimes foolishly attempting to recreate/recapture the magic of youth while aging ungraciously in Phoenix, Arizona 1967-1969 time period

LARGO		23-Sep-2008 12:10
PS JEFF...HARRY SCHOLES PASSED RECENTLY...THAT MUCH I KNOW..FROM CLASSMATES...LARGO

LARGO		23-Sep-2008 12:07
JEFF...THANKS...STAN BEACH WOULD BE MORE LIKE 64ish.... ALSO WENT TO PALMETTO H.S....WHICH GIVES NO CLUES.........LARGO

Jeff		23-Sep-2008 02:26
Does anyone remember the summer lawn concerts and shows sponsored by the City of Miami Beach around 1969-70? I saw Alive and Kicking perform "Tighter and Tighter", Dion DiMucci do a number of his hits and Allen and Rossi give a farewell performance as a team... Also... does anyone recall the world premier of the movie "Flipper" (circa 1964-65) at the Carib Theater on Lincoln Road? It's stars (Brian Kelly, Luke Halpin and Tommy Norden) were all there for the premier... Tommy Norden lived in Surfside just a few doors down from a friend of mine. As a youngster, I always wanted to meet him - but the closest I got to meeting "the TV star" was his mother and sister.

Jeff		22-Sep-2008 23:42
Largo... Would Stan Beach be about 73 now? If so, ZabaSearch lists a Stan Beach in Lesburg, FL. Use that search engine for the contact information, as I don't want to post it here. However... I did a Google Search and ended up with this interesting article from Wikipedia: "The Briarwood Singers are a 1960s folk band from Miami, Florida who performed as opening act for the Beatles February 12, 1964 Concert at Carnegie Hall. Members of the group were: Barry Monroe, Stan Beach, Harry Scholes, Bob Hoffman and Dorinda Duncan. The Briarwood Singers had an album out at the time with United Artists called "Well, Well, Well The Briarwood Singers." The producer for the album was Leroy Holmes. They were playing music six nights a week at the Crossway Inn in Miami, Florida. The General Manager of the Crossway Inn was Ray Barbarino who had networking connections and expertise as an entertainment manager and promoter. He brought his friend and colleague, Leroy Holmes of United Artists down from New York to listen to the Briarwood Singers and got them a recording contract with United Artists. The group started playing at the Crossway Inn in July 1963, and recorded the album later that year. Ray Barbarino later sealed the deal for The Beatles opening act while working with Jackie Gleason and the Miami Beach Convention Center management team. Barry Monroe is currently playing music professionally in Southern Colorado. Most recently, from Barry Monroe and Friends, his group is now called Cheap Therapy. Stan Beach lives in Falls Church, Virginia. Over the years several Miami local talents became national celebrities after gigs at the Crossway, namely The Miami Sound Machine whose female singer was Gloria Estefan and Willie Chirino, a popular latin singer. The Crossway Airport Inn lounge became the hot spot to see top celebrities such as Peter, Paul & Mary, The Mama & the Papas, Fats Domino, Guy Lombardo & his Orchestra, to name a few. During the early seventies, another unknown stand-up comedian who held local gigs repeated pestered Barbarino for a job at the Crossway. His name...Gab Kaplan. Once again, Ray Barbarino set Gab up with his contacts in New York and within 8-10 months received a letter from Gab which basically said "Barbarino - watch ABC on Wednesday at 8:00pm. I've got a surprise for you!". We all came to know the macho but stupid Vinnie Barbarino, played by John Travolta, a far cry from the real "Barbarino", but a tribute in some way from Gab. While not an artist himself, but an incredibly sharp, and intuitive business leader, Ray Barbarino truly was an entertainment genius. His eye for talent and ear for crisp music and knowing what the public wanted to hear lead to many long and some short, but prosperous careers. Following the Crossway, Barbarino landed lucrative ventures with United Artists Corp, and as a venture capital group until he retired at age 45. After fourteen years of retirement, Ray Barbarino succumbed to leukemia in May of 1990 in Plantation Florida."

LARGO		22-Sep-2008 23:23
OMG.....ROBERTA...YOU MZ. THANG WERE STACKED A MUNDO....AND SOUND LIKE A BLAST TO HANG WITH...AND JEFF....6' 2"...WHERE WAS YOUR JEWISH HERITAGE FROM ??? ALL T HE (INCREDIBLY INTELLIGENT JEWISH GUYS I DATED IN THE 60'S/70S...WERE OF THE WOODY ALLEN SIZE) SUPER SMART AND ATTACHED TO THERE MOTHERS WITH SUPER GLUE...DO ANY OF F YOU REMEMBER .."THE BRIARWOOD SINGERS"....SANG ALL OVER...AND OUT AT THE LOUNGE @ MIAMI AIRPORT IN THE 60'S/70'S...STAN BEACH WAS ONE OF THE GROUP...WOULD LOVE TO FIND HIM AGAIN............LARGO

Jeff		22-Sep-2008 18:46
There's an interesting South Florida connection to the Scopitone juke boxes... In 1964, a 31-year-old Miami Beach attorney named Alvin I. Malnik snapped up the U.S. rights for the Scopitone for $5.000 and planned [as he did] to open a distribution office in Chicago. The Scopitone was already four years old at this time, being a bit hit in France. It also seems (according to abook written by an Italian author) that the Mafia found $$$$ in it [as they had in other juke boc operations]. These tidbits come from a site called scopitone.com.

Don Boyd		22-Sep-2008 05:43
Here's a good link on the Scopitone juke boxes that used 16mm color film for their video: http://www.thevideobeat.com/scopitone_films.htm and if you Google the word there are plenty of other links to sites with information and old videos, like this masterpiece (haha): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eGnjuCwoW4 Don

Jeff		22-Sep-2008 04:22
Roberta... I'm no help regarding the Scope-A-Tone jukebox, but it was not the first of its kind. In the 1940's, there was a machine that played what was then called "Soundies" - many of which are highly desired film collectables from that era. I don't have any exciting anecdotes about bars and lounges - the most club activity I had in the 70's was taking a bus out to the Brasserie Discotheque in Miami Springs. A then-girlfriend (for a spell) turned me on to the place. It was located across from the Winn Dixie in Don's photo gallery - and right near the Holiday Inn off of LeJeune Road and 36th Street. If I left too late, I'd hitchlike home. Not a brilliant idea, but I had more balls than brains in 1974... The club was owned by Jimmy James - the owner of Bus Benches, Inc. (the bus bench advertising company) and the Chesapeake Motel on Okeechobee Road. He was a dead-ringer for Danny Kaye. Before the band went on, there were early bird specials such as a Tequila Sunrise or Sloe Gin Fizz for 50 cents each... and plenty of Swedish meatballs were passed around as hors d'oeuvres... I was wearing my curly [frizzy?] brown hair about mid-length at the time, so it kind of resembled an Afro. I also had long mutton-chop type sideburns... and for a spell sported a Fu-Manchu styled moustache. (Picture a short goatee with the middle shaved out). In those days I wore the ever-popular polyester long-sleeve dress shirts and for a time owned a tan leisure suit purchased from the J.C. Penny located in the Biscayne Shopping Plaza... I think I paid $19.95 for it... The most ridiculous part of my wardrobe (if it could get any more pathetic) was a pair of metallic slip-on loafers I'd purchased from a warehouse store in Ojus - right off of West Dixie Highway and Miami Gardens Drive. I don't remember why or how I ended up in that area, but the shoes were only $5.00 and had two inch heels! For some idiotic reason I thought they looked cool. (You've got to understand that I'm 6'2" tall, so I needed 2 inches in height like a bull needs tits...) Picture me dancing in those things and what's worse, is that all of my pants - at normal length for normal shoes - came up short when I was wearing those metallic ones... Geez, Louise! My "best night" - to show you what kind of social life I had at that club - was when I spent hours in the back area where there was a pool table and a pinball machine. I won about 30 games on the pinball machine by mostly talent and points -- few, if any score matches - and I'd turned the digits over [the score re-setting to "000000" TWICE! (I think the name of the machine was called Astroflite.) The most popular band to play at the Brasserie was Wolfgang. Their sax player (Charles DeChant) ended up scoring a great gig - he joined Hall and Oates' road band! One night their drummer (Tony Labatte) and I picked up a couple of girls. To give you the summation of this story - he scored, I didn't. So much for the swinging 70's!

Miami River Rat		22-Sep-2008 01:49
Roberta Perry Hughes: I've never even heard of a "Scope-a-Tone" or seen anything like what you described. It sounds unbelievably cool. Can't believe there was some item of club culture in that time frame that I totally missed. Now I wish I'd seen at least ONE of those things!

Miami River Rat		22-Sep-2008 01:43
Craig: Thanks, but I'm talking 1959-'62 for that place out by the airport. I remember that it was on the east side of the road, but now I can't even remember which avenue it was on. 57th? Same time frame for the spot across from MDJC that had Rock & Roll. Arizona Al, I can't remember a name, but I think that place was pretty much directly across 27th ave from the school, unless my memory fails me. (And it just might!) I wasn't a student there at that time, so it could have been before the school was even built. Anybody else ever go out to Monroe Station, sixty miles west of Miami on the Trail? Some good county music and country folks out there, back in the day. If you got too messed up they didn't care if you slept in the parking lot or on one of the swamp buggys parked out back.

Don Boyd		21-Sep-2008 20:33
Craig, he's talking early 60's if I'm reading his post correctly. The 94th Aero Squardron didn't open up until the mid to late 70's as I recall and they carded people because it was part of the Specialty Restaurants chain (Rusty Pelican is another one of theirs) and not a one-location bar. We used to do our under age drinking at a strip bar on NW 119th Street east of 27th Avenue and an oceanfront hotel on the north end of Miami Beach next to a public parking lot next to the beach. We were never carded at either place and 7 & 7's were our favorite drinks then. Don

craig		21-Sep-2008 19:09
miami river rat... i think the place by the airport was the 94th aero squadron.

Arizona Al		21-Sep-2008 15:12
Miami River Rat: Tony's (Country-Western) and Trader Johns (Rock-N-Roll) coexisted in the mid to late 60s. They were a few blocks from each other on N.W. 27th Avenue in the Dade Jr. College area. Both were going strong when I left Miami in 1969. When growing up in Cutler Ridge prior to attaining majority status and with the support of phony I.D., I would frequent Patrick's Partee Lounge on South Dixie Highway, Redlands Tavern in Homestead, and Snowdens off Old Cutler Road where phony I.D. was not necessary. After I returned from the service and was attending Dade Jr. College I frequented, Tony's, Trader Johns and the plethora of Big Daddy's Lounges in North Miami and Hialeah. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona.

Guest		21-Sep-2008 12:33
"at 42-28-38" Sounds very cuddly. :-) Bars, dives, honky-tonkin', and jukin'. Smoke filled rooms, dim lights, neon lights, clinking glass and jukeboxes, and a small dance floor. Gave it up for pot. Was healthier and got laid more. :-) Mother's Lounge on LeJeune was the darkest bar I had ever been in.

Roberta Perry Hughes		21-Sep-2008 06:39
I must add, here, that, when I was 19, I looked of "legal age," with makeup. And when I had my long, thick honey blond hair done up, in a "mature" hairstyle, that added a few MORE "years," along with my manner of dressing, & the fact that I was a smoker, then. I could easily have passed for over 21. Quietly sipping a mixed drink, with eyes averted, helped to add to the illusion. I was always in the company of my aunt, & never ever, went "out" alone. Far too many wolves on-the-prowl. My figure was also quite "mature," at 42-28-38. Not exactly "Twiggy," or Jean Shrimpton. I was more like Dolly Parton, in her early days, & quite frankly, dangerously on-the-verge of being flat-out "fat." In fact, I had the distinction of being THE largest girl among the entire student body, all 4 years of high school. I LOOKED "fat," among the 34-24-34 figured girls, & I literally stood out in the crowd. In any event, my appearance granted me easy access, into the adult world of the bar scene. I was never "carded." Not the first time. Just waltzed right on in, fresh out of high school. Luckily, I didn't get into any trouble, in those days. That came later, in my mid-to-late 30's, back in the Peach State. But! That's another story...! ; )

Leighton		21-Sep-2008 06:29
I was at UM, 82 - 85, but my film school group didn't hit bars very often. We shot a student film at Tobacco Road, but did most of our drinking in friend's apartments/homes. South Beach resurgence hadn't happened, yet. We did enjoy the long-gone beach bar/hut at Key Biscayne's Silver Sands Motel. My first apartment was on Douglas Road, outside Coral Gables, two blocks south of the famous La Carreta. (It's GONE? Did it move?? I just Googled it, and it shows a newer building on 8th - along with eight other locations.)

Roberta Perry Hughes		21-Sep-2008 05:25
Miami River Rat...I remember that "Screwball" neon sign! I'd forgotten about it. Don't remember if I saw it, in passing, as a child, or later on, post (GA) high school, upon my return to Miami, in 1966, but I'm thinking, probably, the latter. I went into bars/dives, once-in-a-while, in those days, in NW Miami/Alapattah(?) area, though I was underage. Legal age was 21, & I was but 19, then. Remember a bar called The Bank Tavern, near Burns Bar & Grill (eatery), & another...(juke box provided the music)...called Sam's Place. I remember, "There Goes My Everything," was a song on the juke box, the Englebert Humperdink version. It was mostly country music, on the Wurlitzer, at Sam's Place...lots of Buck Owens, Eddy Arnold, etc. Both bars served beer, on tap, or in bottles. Nasty stuff. I always drank Coca-Cola. I cannot recall the name of the bar...it was more of a "Lounge," than it was a bar...(could have been The Screwball??)...but they had a "newfangled," or updated-type "juke box," which, I found out later, moved around, from place to place, trying it out, to see if it would "catch on," I guess, as it was more expensive, to play just one song on it. Not the bargain that a regular juke box was. I think, one song selection cost a dollar, maybe more. (Perhaps the club owners leased it, for a time?). This novelty item, about the size of a video game in an arcade, was called a "Scope-a-Tone," & it had a screen, like a TV, & it had built-in stereo speakers, & not only did it play a song, you saw it being performed on the screen, in living color. I guess it was the precursor for the music video (?). I remember seeing beautiful statuesque blond twins perform "Demi Cuando," (sic), & also, Bobby Vee, perform "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes." It was a real eye-popper. Haven't seen anything like it, since, & I haven't thought of it in years, but all of the recent talk of Clubs/dives/bars/Lounges, sparked a distant memory. Does anyone remember the Scope-a-Tone? I wonder what became of them? How many of them were around, who made them, etc.? Jeff?? Can you shed any light on this ca. 1960's Lounge/Club item? Anyone remember The Bank Tavern, or Sam's Place?

Guest		20-Sep-2008 12:53
River Rat, that name is familiar. Memory is hazy, there may have been two bars close to each other, the Paper Doll being one of them. They were just below that little park on the southwest corner of US1 and Biscayne Dr if I remember right. I liked Fox's Sherron Inn in South Miami, though I almost shot a car there one night. Was stumbling back to my car and the one next to it had one of those proximity detectors with the voice that said Stand back!!!. It was set way too sensitive, as I was parked next to it and really pissed me off. But I didn't shoot it. It was a good thing the owner didn't come out there, though. Alcohol is dangerous stuff.

Miami River Rat		20-Sep-2008 04:12
Was that place mentioned on South Dixie Hiway below the Coral Castle "The Paper Doll"? I had some good times there. Across from MDJC on 27th ave was a rock & roll place in the early 60's. It must have gone C & W later. I had several great nights in that place! Snowden's, off Old Cutler, had a band on Friday and Saturday nights in the early 60's as well. If you had the money, they didn't care how old you were at Snowden's. I amazed more than one teen-aged girl by taking her into a "real" bar and spending the evening drinking and dancing without incident at Snowden's. There was another place, out near the airport, that didn't care about ID's. Maybe it was called "The Flying Squadron"? Something weird like that. They always had a great band there, and there were plenty of girls if you didn't bring a date. Anybody remember the Screwball Bar on NW 27th avenue? Somewhere around 20th street, I think. They had a cool neon sign out front with, well, a screwball. Girl I knew shot that sign out one night, but that's another story....

Ray		20-Sep-2008 00:12
If you're into watching videos on-line, here are some YouTube links for some videos that are either historic or about the history of our area. Don, would video links be an idea for a new page maybe? I'm sure everyone could find some more videos around the 'net. Miami airport in 1951 - on the ground and taking off Eastern Air Lineshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6LnCJmIPDQ Eastern Airlines Tributehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiKhh8C9Tf0 War Comes to Miami Beach (trailer)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtMfsV0EITM Dade County Courthouse: 6-1 Groundbreaking http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUSkebrorUk Dade County 1926http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywj8kF4KZLI 1950 Chevrolet Technicolor Ad: Coral Gableshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyb3h0Vqlzo 1950-Winter-Summer-Miami Beachhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lba3ztQ8h48 Coral Gables DAY ONEhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YpY4MvBPvg Florida High Spots 1957http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5dWxjihyGE University of Miami: 1926-2006http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRnVshBfJCE The Savoy Legacyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Dhx8xRnb4M THE GRAND TOUR- MIAMI PT.1http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL6OKqbI898 THE GRAND TOUR PT.2http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlhvP42wPRo THE GRAND TOUR- MIAMI PT.3http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfSHglYufZY Ray

Arizona Al		19-Sep-2008 22:36
Whitebelt: The country-western bar across from Dade Jr. College was called Tony's Lounge. I spent many a Friday and Saturday night at the establishment listening to the 2 house bands; Bill Calvert and the Reserves and the all female group Reba and the Westernaires during my attendance at MDJC 1967-1969. I also frequented Trader Johns which was a few blocks away on N.W. 27 Ave. during the same time period for some contremporary rock music, drinking and dancing. I was 22 years old and single at the time and recall nothing but fun times! Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

whitebelt		19-Sep-2008 19:52
Looking forward to Martha's memories of her favorite dives. I could never stand the taste of beer.

Manocarz		19-Sep-2008 19:22
Mae and Dave's in Hialeah served food too including great pizza.

Don Boyd		19-Sep-2008 17:12
I remember the Phone Booth but never went in there. I thought Mae & Dave's also served alcohol but I could be wrong; I normally only drink beer in bars and that's what I got there. Martha has been out and about during her life and has a still functioning memory so that's why I mentioned her. Don

whitebelt		19-Sep-2008 17:00
I'm the New Mexico guest, Don. Think I got a temporary account or something. I am surprised they don't have registration just for individual galleries. You should have memories of the Phone Booth and a few other places on 36th St. I drove by Mae and Daves all of the time, but never went in. That was just a beer joint if I remember right. Hit the Blue Moon and a couple of others in downtown Hialeah a few times. I take it Martha is an expert on the drinking places? :-)

Don Boyd		19-Sep-2008 16:49
Thanks for posting, Whitebelt. I hope Martha Pierson will pop up and provide the info on names. The open air bar in Hialeah was Mae & Daves at 13th and Palm; there's a photo of it in the Hialeah gallery. Don

whitebelt		19-Sep-2008 15:30
Miami bars and lounges. Anyone remember Mother's I think the name was on LeJeune and Flagler or SW 8th? Can't remember which. Was drunk usually, just knew how to find it. Dark inside. The Phone Booth in Miami Springs. The little dives in downtown Hialeah. The open air bar just north of E 9th street on Palm Ave. The Tomboy Club. That country western place across from Miami Dade Junior College on 27th Ave. There was a lounge that changed hands a few times just south of Coral Castle on the west side of US1 that was pretty popular. Remember driving back home to Sweetwater via Krome way too drunk a time or two. The Big Daddy's lounges around town. Can't remember the name of one that was pretty popular on Biscayne in North Miami on the west side. May have been North Miami Beach. NMB had some dives of its own. I'm sure some of us have some memories of places like that in our misspent youth.

Don Boyd		18-Sep-2008 21:04
A new story on Hialeah Park is at: http://www.pbase.com/image/93856187 New photos added: a couple old images of Eastern Air Lines, in the Eastern sub-gallery of the aviation gallery. Daniel Worth contributed a 1940's image of Bess Funeral Home and Combs Funeral home (both in the 40's gallery), a 1950's image of the McBride-Bennett-Ulm funeral home on NW 7th Avenue (50's gallery), a 1950's image of a flat roof home in Hialeah typical of those in the Sun Tan Village section and a 1950's image of a front bumper Hialeah license plate (both in the Hialeah gallery). Jackson Blake sent a 1950's image of Hialeah Mayor Henry Milander with Bobye Kirtland and Ida Snow of Snow's Jewelers (Hialeah gallery). I also added a 1957 image of a Cities Service station at the Trail and Galloway (gas stations gallery) and a 1966 aerial image of Tamiami Trail and SW 97 Avenue (60's gallery). Don

Don Boyd		18-Sep-2008 05:06
My pleasure Parks - they were long overdue in getting up onto the site. Seeing those photos makes me wonder how many passengers came to Miami over the years on the FEC and how much it impacted Miami's early growth. Dade County Pine is notorious for being so durable over many years - I'm glad to hear that the FEC station's pine was recycled instead of destroyed. Don

Parks		18-Sep-2008 04:41
Don, Thanks for the pictures of the Miami FEC station. That was a great building. When that building was torn down, Hugh Matheson bought the salvaged lumber. He used it to build a cottage on his property in the Redlands. The wood was of course Dade County Pine and rock hard. I know because he gave me a coffee table made from it.

charlis		17-Sep-2008 23:13
Don... thanks for the laugh about Westland... I promise that I will get those Viscaya pic to you... no hurricanes around, no plans for the weekend... I might just get to the other computer.... Roberta loved them, the ones I sent her.

Don Boyd		17-Sep-2008 14:48
New photos added: three aerial 1950's images of Eastern Air Lines' hangars and a Constellation flying over downtown Miami, all in the aviation gallery, Eastern sub-gallery. Don

Don Boyd		17-Sep-2008 06:47
Thanks Charlis. I don't feel like an outcast here and believe it or not you hear far more English than Spanish in Westland Mall than you did 10 to 25 years ago. I know all five gringos who go there too, haha. New photos added: a 1928 aerial image of the Florida East Coast Railway's Buena Vista rail yard (20's gallery), plus five or six images of the Florida East Coast Railway station downtown over various years (downtown gallery). Plus a 1947 image of ballerinas at Shenandoah Elementary School (schools gallery) and a 1945 image of the destruction at Richmond Naval Air Station (other airports subgallery in the aviation gallery). Don

charlis		16-Sep-2008 23:23
leighton.... if you do not speak spanish you are an outcast. Read my posts about a fellow school mate who grew up on Mimai Beach. She can get no public assistance because she is not hispanic, was even told to pronounce her last name with a hispanic accent and she might get help. Have a coworker who was part of the original migration to Miami from Cuba... he can't stand the place. I concur with Roberta and others about Don and this great site...

charlis		16-Sep-2008 23:19
leighton... you would be shocked if you went back to Miami. I was last there in 2004 for a HazMat conference. Prior to that... 1993! I could not believe the changes... and they were not for the good. Don't speak Spanish? Forget a visit.

charlis		16-Sep-2008 23:07
Don & Guest... RE: staying in Miami... depends on how you look in a bathing suit! Seems a new survey found that the most beautiful people in the US are in Miami... the ugliest are in Philly!

Don Boyd		16-Sep-2008 07:10
New photos posted: a 1919 image of the Miami Bank & Trust Company building, and a 1943 image of the Navy Recruiting Cruiser parked a block from the Hopkins-Carter Hardware Company (both in the downtown gallery). I also added a new Opa-locka Airport sub-gallery in the Aviation gallery and it has a bunch of old photos in it. The Miami Municipal/Masters Field sub-gallery in the Aviation gallery has several more photos in it. There are also a couple of new photos in the Individuals/small groups gallery. Don

Leighton		15-Sep-2008 05:37
I haven't visited Miami in 20 years, and I harbor no delusions about it. Although I'd love to see it again, I know I would be shocked. I lived there from 67 - 73, very quiet years for that city (sort of), then again, attending UM from 82 - 85 - a VERY different place. I think Miami mutates more than any other city in this country. I've been in San Antonio for 20 years, and while it is exploding in growth (7th largest city), it somehow maintains the same atmosphere. (And, no, the locals do NOT hang out on the River Walk - sadly enough.) Nothing stays the same, of course, but Miami apparently has too many people attempting to "make it their own." Whatever the case, I'll always be glad that I experienced life in that city.

whitebelt		14-Sep-2008 23:36
I saw most of these being built, but didn't realize there were so many. A few pages worth. Miami hi rise buildings. Came a long ways from the old courthouse. http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/ci/bu/sk/li/?id=101321&bt=2&ht=2&sro=1

Miami Girl		14-Sep-2008 20:54
Guest, WOW what a book your Dad could have written! Maybe you could do it for him with all the memories he told the family. Sometimes you pick things up by osmosis just by being in the room and don't even realize what you remember. Roberta, I concur with all you said. I thank everyone for every posting and most of all Don for without him we would all be thinking we were the only ones with these great memories that no one else would appreciate.

Guest		14-Sep-2008 15:45
Roberta, I am the guest from New Mexico. My father's family moved to Miami in 1922 when he was 12. He was a plowboy and flower deliveryboy for Exotic Gardens. He used to deliver flowers to Al Capone. He said Capone was a nice guy but Frank Nitty was a scary character. He did furniture making, ran apricot brandy from the Bahamas, constructed 7 coral rock houses in Miami, met Ed Leedskalnin of Coral Castle, pulled bodies out of the 26 hurricane, was a foreman for Fred Howland construction until he refused to move to Key west and became the concrete batcher man for Ramsey Brothers, Pafco, MPS concrete company. Working 6 days a week he supported a family of 6 on $60+ a week. He died of lung cancer from the lime in the concrete dust at age 64. My mother was an old Florida Cracker. She met my father in Camp Blandon near Jville during the war where she packed bearing for Army trucks and he was a foreman for Howland doing work for the government. I have 4 sisters, one who went to Jackson and Edison, the others and myself went to Jackson. I grew up as one of the working poor in Miami. It was my father's skills and ingenuity and my mother's money management that got us through. I have memories of Miami, some harder and seamier than what is usually posted on here.

Jeff		14-Sep-2008 15:24
Roberta... As much as I love to share trivia on this site, I'm going to refrain from giving a detailed description of the next lunch meeting Don and I may have. I feel it will serve no real purpose that ties in with the Old Miami Memories format of this blog. Please don't consider this a slight or backhanded insult... for it's not meant to be as such. I do thank you for your kind words about my contributions to Don's site, and I hope that [at times] I'll be able to further offer relevant tidbits about Miami's past.

Arizona Al		14-Sep-2008 13:00
Thank You Roberta (Blush) for your recent comment. FYI..when I left Miami in 1969 I was working in the business office at Mercy Hospital at the grand pay rate of $80.00 a week which, if I recall , kept me in rent , beer and gasoline until the next paycheck. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and never intending to return to Miani to visit or live.

Don Boyd		14-Sep-2008 07:55
Thank you for your comments and offer, Roberta, but the financial cost is minimal; it's the time involved with the site that sometimes kills me because I have a ton of other stuff to do. And thanks to Jeff too for his comments. Jeff has provided valuable infomation numerous times in this comments section and under a good number of photos on the site. To illustrate what I said earlier, just one day of Miami Herald stories was enough to read for a week. These all came from the Saturday paper: - our new schools superintendent, hired Friday, starts off with questions about explicit e-mails with a former female Miami Herald reporter: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/front-page/story/684792.html - tax shock: property tax bills rise in down market: http://www.miamiherald.com/business/story/684714.html - Miami-based Pharmed owners (brothers) confess to defrauding the Kendall Regional Medical Center dating back to the 80's and income tax evasion in federal court: http://www.miamiherald.com/business/story/684577.html - Two Miami doctors confess roles in $84 million Medicare fraud scam in federal court: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/683949.html - a Miami-Dade fireman was sentenced to two years probation for defrauding the county out of $7,235 in tuition reimbursements but then circuit judge Dennis Murphy withheld adjudication meaning his record will not show a conviction. A jury found the fireman guilty of eight counts but the judge dismissed seven of the counts. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/684755.html - last but not least, the wife of City of Miami Police Chief John Timoney had her purse stolen while buying gas. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/684747.html Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		14-Sep-2008 07:32
OOOOPS!! My father's take home pay was $58.00 a WEEK, not $58.00 a month! My mother would, indeed, have been a champion budgeteer, to meet all of the monthly expenses, had it been the latter! Just wanted to set the record straight, & to relate the net pay, for a "blue collar" worker, in the 1950's. I'm interested to learn the salaries of other jobs, too, from that era. Anyone? I mean, for a teacher, preacher, doctor, nurse, stevedore, pilot, city bus driver, cab driver, etc., etc.

Roberta Perry Hughes		14-Sep-2008 07:23
Jeffers...!! Great to hear from you again!! Glad you were awake, to comment on my comment!! Please...! Tell us all about your lunch with Don, o.k.? Like, which restaurant you patronized, & what you each ordered, from the menu. Stuff like that. It would almost be like we were there, with the two of you! Seriously! Please do!! We Boomers can't turn back the hands of time, & make Miami the one that we so fondly recall. But here, via this Site, & its posted memories & images, we can, at least, daydream, of long ago & far away, & in so doing, we are once again in our childhood, or our youthful 'teens, or even on into adulthood, entering the workaday world, or active military duty, & some have even experienced war, firsthand. God bless you, one & all! I love you Vets, & appreciate you, so very much! When I think of my former neighborhood, & of the home I once shared with my family, at 9985 S.W. 55th Street, I am not 61 years old; I am ages 4 through 14, & my mother is a housewife, & my father works for Richards, delivering packages, all over Miami. His take home pay was $58.00 a month...but that was in the 1950's. Even so, it made a house payment, bought clothes for the family, paid a subscription to the Miami Herald, paid the monthly milk bill to MacArthur Dairies, bought groceries at the Food Fair, & took us to Tropicaire Drive-In, once-in-a-while, when we didn't go there with our neighbor, David Leslie, & his family. (My mother was a champion budgeteer, by the way!) I revere the images of Cocoplum Cemetery, where my grandfather's parents, grandparents, brother, sister, nephew, & infant twins are buried. It is one of the last surviving hammocks in Miami. It is a sacred place, as are all cemeteries, & I am so relieved that it is protected, now. I am very proud of the images of Fowey Rocks Light, & of my grandfather, in the 1930's Galleries. He was very much a part of Miami's past history. Many other Posters have deep roots in Miami, & their own families are a part of its history, as well. I love reading about them on here, e.g., Largo's parents, who were involved in the television industry, for example; Parks's memories of his service in the Coast Guard; & the other person (forgive me, for having forgotten your name) who posted his memories of the sub-chasers. Put me in awe, & with a very high regard. (Several family members were Coasties, as was our host, Don Boyd). I have a deep regard for our resident PhD, Dr. Alan Ogus, whose "colorful" youth did not wreck his life, one whit! He did a one-eighty, & turned his life around. I respect his service in Nam. I know it wasn't Disneyland, over there. Alan's postings are hilarious, at times, poignant at other times, but always, a must-read!! EVERYONE loves the wonderful links that Don provides us, to read an article, see a video, or a virtual image, & its just so amazing, what he does for us Posters!! He's just the greatest!! Love Charlis' hurricane forecasts, & her memories, too! And we have you, Jeffrey, to thank, for being our resident Historian Laureate, providing us with names, dates, addresses, & all of the facts that we seek, from time-to-time, regarding a particular business, or edifice, & now, that are just a memory, having been torn down to make way for yet another condo, mini-mall, or thoroughfare. "Old Miami Memories," I absolutely adore you! You have become such a part of my life, that I cannot imagine my (daily) life without you in it. That goes double, for the Post-A-Comment Club!! Inclusive of ALL of the Posters I didn't mention!!

Jeff		14-Sep-2008 04:26
I couldn't agree more with Don and Roberta... Believe me, I'd have been LONG gone if I could have afforded to leave. Here's the odd thing - it's too expensive to stay here, but more expensive to uproot and go! By the way, Roberta... as for paying back Don for his web hosting - I'm trying to arrange another lunch meeting with him and [hopefully] get to treat him if he doesn't put up too much of a fuss... he's good-heartedly stubborn that way!

Roberta Perry Hughes		14-Sep-2008 04:09
Guest...That's why all of us, who have moved away, early on, as children, along with our families, or, later on, as adults, LOVE this amazing Site, that our host, Don Boyd has so generously, & sometimes, thanklessly...(whenever he is wrongfully criticized, & has to go on the defensive)...has financed, himself, & labored over, seemingly, tirelessly, to provide us with all of the sights, via the many photos & other images, in the Galleries, & through the memories of many, via this Comments page, of "Our Town," the way she was, when we all knew & loved her, & so totally enjoyed growing up in, long before the sad state she has found herself in, today. Maintaining this Site would have to be stressful, & very time-consuming...& may even be costly. I am clueless, as to the costs behind such computer projects, as this is, but I have watched it really take off, & grow...& grow, more & more, & all who go on here, take a free ride, really. (I would hope that Don would let us know, if it is getting to be too much on him (the costs) as the majority of us would be more than glad, to pay some sort of "dues," to keep it going). I would just like to take this opportunity, to convey to you the fact that, we all LOVE Don Boyd, & this wonderful trip down memory lane that he has chosen to give us all, & we are fiercely loyal to him. If you are a former Miamian, I look forward to reading your own memories. Where did you go to school? Your favorite hang-outs, etc.? If not, can you relate your father's years in Miami, where he went to school, etc.?

Guest		14-Sep-2008 00:10
So it hasn't changed much? :-) It is one of the most stressing places to get up and go to work in. Goods were cheap, but those parasitic costs you mention more than made up for that. Funny thing is the gold ole boy network that ran things weren't the old timers, it was hustlers from all over the universe. They sure can find each other. The low wages and striving to make a living there keep a lot of people from getting politically active, along with it being a collection of strangers. My father used to tell a story why his family moved to Miami and didn't leave. They came down from Canada to marry off his sisters, which they did, but they never had enough money to leave afterwards. That is true for a large part of the population there. Low wage scale.

Don Boyd		13-Sep-2008 23:19
I'm disappointed maybe but not bitter and like the 1.5 to 2 million folks who have moved out of the county over the years since 1960 I'll be moving someday too. You asked for an opinion and I gave it. My relating facts, not BS, about sky high insurance rates, high property taxes, rampant insurance fraud, a corrupt county commission, shade trees disappearing, the rudest drivers in the country, the lack of job opportunities, etc. is not necessarily a sign of bitterness. All of these issues have been written about in local and national news sources. Nowhere in the USA are folks paying windstorm rates like us and maybe only the New York area has car insurance rates as high as ours. I feel sorry for those who are stuck here due to their jobs and/or families because it is one hell of an expensive area to live. Don

Guest		13-Sep-2008 22:15
Sounds like a lot of other places, as well. I suggest you move, though, if you are that bitter.

Don Boyd		13-Sep-2008 19:57
My opinion: worse, due to more overcrowding and congested highways, much higher homeowners and windstorm insurance rates, higher insurance (health, dental, auto, you name it) rates due to all the fraud down here, higher taxes, more rude idiots driving, depressed housing market, a county commission that is a joke because the incumbents have entrenched themselves with lobbyist and developer bucks and are only elected by their district instead of countywide, a more serious lack of job opportunities for non-Spanish speakers, less tree canopy coverage than ever before due to wackos butchering them or cutting them down because they don't like trees, and on and on and on. Don

Guest		13-Sep-2008 13:38
I have a question for those still living in Miami. How has the quality of life been there for the last decade? Better, worse, or the same?

Don Boyd		12-Sep-2008 20:54
For those of you who have XM satellite radio, on Channel 803 (60's) they're playing old WFUN tapes with station jingles, traffic reports, disk jockey banter and songs from the 60's. It started at 3pm and will go on for several hours. Don

Don Boyd		11-Sep-2008 20:18
For those interested in saving Hialeah Park, I received this message from the Save Hialeah Park organization: "Many have asked about Halsey Minor and his interest in restoring and bringing Hialeah Park back, what better way to get to know him than in his own words. Please take a few minute to see first hand in this video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az1yyzemSrg " Thank you, -Save Hialeah Park http://www.savehialeahpark.com

Don Boyd		11-Sep-2008 06:25
New photos added: Charlie Rice contributed a 1943 image of the Navy's Sub Chaser Training Command (SCTC) located at Miami's port during World War II (40's gallery). I also added a 1940's image of the Hialeah Hotel on Palm Avenue, Hialeah (Hialeah gallery). Don

Don Boyd		11-Sep-2008 05:18
Roberta: all the news articles are posted under the image athttp://www.pbase.com/donboyd/image/93856187 with the newest articles on top. The latest article was on August 22nd. Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		11-Sep-2008 05:15
Hello, to all out there...! Don...Is there any more news, re: the person who was/is interested in buying/restoring Hialeah Park? Any updates would be appreciated. Thanks, in advance.

Don Boyd		11-Sep-2008 04:22
There is an interesting written history of Miami at: http://www.magiccitymedia.com/wp_mcm/?p=19 Don

Arizona Al		11-Sep-2008 02:52
Miami Girl: That was prior to the Ridge Rats discovering CO2 powered BB Pistols and Whammo Sling Shots and Malted Milk Ball Ammo. LOL Alan Ogus, Ph.D.

Jackie		10-Sep-2008 21:58
OUCH!! The video is too close to the truth! Getting older is definitely not for sissies!

Don Boyd		10-Sep-2008 20:46
This about sums it up: http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-walt-babyboomers-blurb,0,1036393.blurb Don

Don Boyd		09-Sep-2008 17:03
New photos added: a 1940's postcard aerial view of downtown, Biscayne Bay and Miami Beach (40's gallery), a great 1959 postcard image of downtown Miami at night with bustling shoppers and movie-goers on the sidewalks (downtown gallery), a 1945 postcard image of Army Air Corps pursuit planes over Miami (aviation gallery) and a 1954 image of Pumpernik's at 67th and Collins, Miami Beach (restaurants gallery). Don

Miami Girl		09-Sep-2008 11:47
AZ Al: It was probably my head that got conked by some of those ju ju bees! I'm pretty sure I was at that opening movie The Birds. What a great place that was, many fond memories. I suppose you could have picked worse things to throw so I thank you!

Arizona Al		09-Sep-2008 09:08
Cutler Ridge Mall Post Script. The Ridge Rats attended the opening day first showing of a movie at the Cutler Ridge Cinema in 1963. The movie was Alfred Hitchcocks' "The Birds". Myself and fellow delinquents got kicked out for throwing ju ju bee candies at the screen and the back of patrons heads. I wonder if being the first ones ejected from a movie theater rates a Guiness Book of World Records entry? Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and surprisingly free of a criminal record in Phoenix, Arizona

Arizona Al		09-Sep-2008 09:02
The Cutler Ridge Mall circa 1959-1964 was the official misbehavior playground for the Ridge Rats. From hanging out at the Walgreens snack bar to getting drunk and gettng into fights on Friday nights at the dances hosted by WQAM D.J. Charlie Murdock to shooting pool at the Bowling Alley, the oppotunities for delinquency were endless. There was a security guard that we euphemistically referred to as "Pops" who made his rounds on a bicycle and made an excellent target for eggs and water bombs. I fondly recall a sales women at Richards Dept. Store who was probably 23 years old and would not give the time of day to the attentions of a 17 year old scofflaw. My memories of the Mall wax poetically over 45 years. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Ridge Rat Emeritus 1959-1964.

Guest		09-Sep-2008 08:49
Friedman, Thomas. "The World is Flat" (2006). New York:Farrar, Stratus and Girous.

Don Boyd		09-Sep-2008 04:23
David, welcome and thank you for posting your memories of Cutler Ridge and the south end of the county. Don

Guest		09-Sep-2008 02:17
I loved Que Pasa USA. That was really a good show. The average thickness of the crust of the earth is something like 1/100 of the radius. A thin film. The forces would tend to keep it relatively flat, but the key word is relatively. It can be a real chore going up 9000 foot mountains.

Ray		09-Sep-2008 01:03
A few comments on the many comments below... About the world being flat.. I'm in telecommunications so I totally agree. My business is making it smaller I guess. But an interesting factoid I remember from my childhood. If you took the Earth and shrank it to the size of a billiard ball, it would be the smoothest one ever. Despite the depths of the oceans and the height of the mountains, the planet is pretty flat. I love Mama Jenny's too. A popular hangout when I went to Barry U. One thing to put in the back of your memory. It's one of the very few restaurants to have a full permanent backup generator. Remember that the next time we have weeks of outage and you want a hot meal. They put it in before Wilma and I bet it paid for itself with just that storm. Miami Beach memories... maybe late 1990's, I was working for a music video network. The power was out due to a weak tropical storm. I spent the evening at a bar, right on Ocean Drive. No man made sounds other than people. You could actually hear the ocean. We sat there and drank by candle light and enjoyed the ocean breeze. I was happy when the power came back on so I could go home, but I have to say it was a most enjoyable way to wait. Thanks for the flashback about the Cutler Ridge Mall. I remember one place well, I don't know why... going between the Richards store and I think a Woolworths.. It was the side entrance of both connected by an open air breeze way. I think I got to go to the Woolworths as my mom shopped at the Richards. So I spent a lot of time between them. For some weird reason that area is etched in my memory. We lived in Green Hills, SW 112 Ave and 178 St, so Cutler Ridge was our closest 'big' mall. Also born in 1960 so we were likely in the same mall at the same time back in the 1960s, early 1970s. Early Spanish memories. Menolo Reyes on WTVJ doing the first Spanish TV broadcast. Way before any dedicated Spanish TV station. He did a few minutes in the Ralph Renick evening news in Spanish. To really get a laugh out of early Miami Spanish/English mixing, you have to watch Que Pasa USA, produced at WPBT in the 1970s. I don't speak a lot of Spanish but that show still cracks me up. I swear the grandmother was the basis for the Estelle Getty character in Golden Girls. I know she had some of the best lines. I'm also very happy the storms have missed us so far. But stay ready. Sooner or later we'll need to prepare and it will pay off with less damage. That is one thing better now. Remember masking tape on jalousie windows? Yeah, like that was going to help anything. But we used to do it. So maybe we are better prepared today. I hope so. Ray

charlis		08-Sep-2008 22:49
earlier post about all the links to TV and Radio stations.... and the weather. Weaver the Weather man was better at predicting hurricanes than anyone I knew, at the time. We didn't have all those fancy satellites they have now... and predictions/paths were better back then. People were better prepared for the storms, less damage then now. Can not figure out why... Got a call from Evie and someone else in the Miami area this weekend. Miami was the center of Ike's attention on Friday. Would you believe that MB was doing nothing in preparation! I checked the EOC site, as part of a project for work on Friday. The EOC was doing nothing! Miami was doing something, MB was not. We were up here in Tampa! Funny to say that my favorite memory of Miami Beach was hurricane Cleo.

charlis		08-Sep-2008 22:39
Don... thanks for the 'cane link. I have been busy with tracking Fay, Gustav, Hanna, and Ike so haven't been able to do much else. (Storm Tracking became my unofficial "official" job at work since I predicted, better than the pro's, the path of Fay... see next post.

David		08-Sep-2008 22:18
Hey Don, Lots of neat memories! I was born Doctors Hospital 1960 and lived in Cutler Ridge for 1960-84. I remember the Old Culter Ridge Strip Mall. It had Food Fair Pantry Pride(Worked there 7yrs) Ate at Stella and Paul's alot. The Strip also had Western Auto(First Bike), Liggett Drugs with its soda fountian, Arcade leading to the Theater which had a Record store, A Library in which Ato the Owner of Dixie Cream Donut Taught Judo in, Gerro Yapremian The Dolphin kicker had A Tie Shop.. Josie, Niesners which had soda fountian, A Toy Store (Burned down one year) ,W. T. Grants, Gorden Jewelers , Richards and there was a strip Shop on the other side of Richards Before the Bowling Alley was torn down and Sears Built. The Little strip had A Bakery and a Smorasborg of Some type. Oh yeah there was Laundry behind W.T. Grants and then the Pony Ring behind it. On the other side of Carribean Blvd. there was the old Westward Ho restuarant, They had the best cole slaw around. There was Grand Union and a little drug store next to it and the royal castle of course. Next to the Royal castle was a 2 story building with a shoe store downstairs and a Hipplie Store upstais with beads, insense, Peace signs and all sorts of stuff. 7-11 had these little drinks called pee wee's in a small bottle and next to it was Eagle Army Navy, The Dinner Maid -My Aunt owned it and one on Kendall Drive near the Old Youth Fair Site, She also Owned the Peter Pan Restuarant in Perrine, and then the good old Dixie Cream(Best donuts ever had) . Dairy Queen was a favorite stop when young and Red Rooster in later years. There was a BBQ place with a Wagon train entrance in Culter Ridge somewhere in the early 60's? maybe by the bowling Alley/? Years later in the 70's there was Kelseys BBQ near Red Rooster, They had the best BBQ sauce! I spent a lot of time fishing on Galloway Road and Matheson Hamock. there was a Little bar at Snodens that had really good smoke fish. Then I remember the Land Crab invasion. Those things would attach to anything. Well thanks for allowing me the Memories!

Guest		08-Sep-2008 13:10
I remember those bells and the deep guttural accents, Largo. Cubans had a tendency to the dramatic and pomposity. A lot of old rock songs take me back, but that is just time and place. Crockett's Theme does kind of catch a certain beat, though. Cruising and prowling the streets there. Miami was a high energy place. The sound I miss the most, though, is of thunderstorms. Loved those long, rolling peals of thunder that would rock the house. Don't hear much of that out here in New Mexico. :-) I also grew up with the sound of airplanes. The planes taking off east from the airport were maybe 2 miles south of us and they would often bank to the north and and would get the noise again. Super Constellations, jets, and everything else. Noisy critters. Funny, I lived all over Miami and never could get away from airplanes passing over, even in the Pinecrest area. A fairly rare noise out here. Thankfully.

LARGO		08-Sep-2008 11:30
GUEST... RE: MUSIC/MIAMI EARLY DAYS...I LOVED THE LATINO MUSIC WAFTING IN THE AIR IN THE EARLY DAYS...AND THE RADIO STATIONS WITH ALL THE SPICY LATIN MUSIC..AND DRAMATIC DEEP VOICED ANNOUNCERS...RINGING A BELL TO DRAW ATTENTION TO NEWS OR WHATEVER...ALL PART OF THE FLAVOR......LARGO

Don Boyd		08-Sep-2008 06:52
New photos added: a 1941 image of Flagler Street with the State Theatre visible (downtown gallery), a 1950's image of Kelly's Seafood House in Sunny Isles, a 1950's image of Parham's restaurant on Miami Beach, and a 1950's image of the Robin Hood Inn and Forest Lounge on Biscayne and 36th, all in the restaurants gallery. Don

Guest		08-Sep-2008 01:08
I was just listening to Crockett's Theme from Miami Vice and wondered what kind of music many of us associate with Miami. To me that did catch a certain essence in the 80's.

Don Boyd		08-Sep-2008 01:03
My pleasure, Jackie and Largo. That site kept me from spending two hot days of trimming palms and an oak tree and putting up hurricane shutters. It felt so good in the A/C watching my nut neighbors putting up shutters and cutting and installing plywood as makeshift shutters. New photos added: a 1907 postcard image of the new ballfields in a downtown park, a 1910's postcard image of Elser Pier with very interesting comments under that photo from the back of the postcard, and a 1920's image of Flagler Street from Bayfront Park, all in the downtown Miami gallery. Also a 1930's image of Capt. Tom's Restaurant, a 1930's image of Hoffman's Cafeteria on Miami Beach, and a 1940's (?) image of Sherrard's Dixie Belle Inn on US 1 twelve miles south of Miami, all in the restaurants gallery. Plus an early 1950's image of Pan American aircraft at the 36th Street terminal in the aviation/Pan American gallery/subgallery. Don

Jackie		07-Sep-2008 20:46
Don -- Thanks for the storm website.. Very informative and easy to read.

Guest		07-Sep-2008 20:02
We are all interconnected is very true, Alan. I thought that flat referred to Miami terrain. To show how interconnected we are. I live between the Jemez Mountains and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, just a few hundred yards from the Rio Grande. If I flush my toilet I can send a message to southern Texas and Mexico, if I go 40 miles west I can flush one and send a message to you in Phoenix, and if I go 30 miles east I can send one to New Orleans via northern Texas. But alas, this is the only way I can send a message to Miami. :-)

Arizona Al		07-Sep-2008 14:56
New Mexico Guest: By interjecting that the world is flat I meant that we are all interconnected. For those of you in South Florida I hope/pray that Ike heads south. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and closely monitoring the events in the Caribbean while sweltering in 110 degree days in Phoenix, Arizona.

LARGO		07-Sep-2008 14:49
DON...THANKS THAT STORM SITE IS A GOOD ONE !.... LARGO

Don Boyd		07-Sep-2008 05:37
Guest - I don't know how to do it either since it's been so long since I signed up. But registering is free unless you want them to host your photos. There is no way that I know of where you can only register to post on this site - it will apply for the entire Pbase site. New photos added today: 1907 Miami telephone directory (1900's gallery) and a 1925 image of the Tea Roof on top of Burdine's downtown (department stores gallery). Since hurricanes and tropical storms are in the news: the best site I have found for viewing and tracking tropical storms and hurricanes is at: http://www.stormpulse.com - click on Hurricane Ike and you'll see what I mean. Not only are the graphics superb (zoom in, zoom out, drag or move the image around) but you can click on a button to see all the track models, click on another button to see various wind probabilities for any location with a dot on the map, click points on the projected path to see what winds will be at that point in time, click on any point on a track and then on a city to see how many miles are between the two, etc. There are numerous other options I haven't even tried but this is the most comprehensive site I've ever seen. Don

Jeff		07-Sep-2008 04:06
Parks... since I'd never been to the bakery myself, all I can say at this time is that Al is probably right. He's beena round the North Miami area longer than I and was probably a patron of theirs. Ironically, I was at Mama Jennie's yesterday - which is right across the road from them but I was oblivious to anything but what I was doing. BTW - Mama Jenny's is in the building formerly housed by Penny Electric... Guest - you don't have to be registered to sign your name... there's a field right under the commenst box for a name, and leaving an email (for Don's use) is optional...

LARGO		06-Sep-2008 21:28
HEY THERE ROBERTA...ET AL...NO NOT SNOOZIN'...BEEN TRAVELING AND VISITING FRIENDS AND FAMILY. THOUGHT I BETTER GET BACK TO SAINT AUGGIE ... AND CHECK AND RECHECK MY EMERGENCY SUPPLIES...AND HUNKER AWHILE...WE'VE BEEN GETTING SLIGHTLY WINGED HERE...BUT ALLS GOOD SO FAR.....HOPING THIS FINDS EVERYONE WELL & SAFE.......LARGO

Parks		06-Sep-2008 19:21
Jeff, Our friend Al Kaplan says that the Ness Konditory bakery is closed. That was my favorite bakery back in the seventies and I just recently started making the treck north for goodies from them again. Can you confirm that they are out of business?

Guest		06-Sep-2008 16:59
Thanks for the welcomes, but I have posted on here several times, but as a guest. Like I said, I haven't figured out how to register yet, as that register form appears to be for pbase at large. Maybe Don can provide better instructions. The world is not flat where I live in New Mexico, Alan. I live in Espanola, about 30 miles north of Santa Fe. You get above I-10 in New Mexico and everything is up or down or going around a curve. I was stationed at Ft. Huachuca for a couple of years and loved that area. I actually prefer AZ over NM, but this is where I am. The pain has faded into the past with the years, Roberta. Something that happens to most of us that remember old Miami. Thank you for the words. Miami was a large place. So many different sections with people from different parts of the universe settling into them. Was truly a cosmopolitan area. I think Miami produced some of the more aware and urbane people in the country, even more so than a New Yorker. Miamians went all over town, others in larger cities stayed on their block. Plus we got to observe New Yorkers. :-) But I will tell you one thing, I do not miss the driving there. Not one tiny bit. The idiots didn't bother me, but the time in the saddle did. Just didn't realize it until I got away from it.

Roberta Perry Hughes		06-Sep-2008 15:41
Dear N. MX Guest...Here's hoping that the pain you mentioned, of having ended up where you now reside, has abated, & that your life is now one of contentment, & maybe even one of happiness. I wish you well, & we all look forward to your memories of Old Miami. Hey, Alan!! How goes it?? How's that "sammich" shop??

Arizona Al		06-Sep-2008 13:09
New Mexico Guest: Well, we are kindered geographical spirits of sorts since the Phoenix Sonoran Desert and the New Mexico Deserts are very similar in geography and topography. I left Miami in 1969 after graduating from Palmetto High in 1964, 3 years with Uncle Sam (64-67) and 2 years at Miami Dade Jr. College (67-69) and relocated to North Carolina (1969-1995) and finally to Arizona in 1995. The world is not only small but it is flat! Welcome Aboard!!!Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Guest		06-Sep-2008 12:08
I've posted before a few times before, Roberta. Haven't figured how to register yet. My father's family moved there in 1922, I was born in 1949. Grew up across the avenue from the White Belt Dairy. Went to Gladeview and Melrose elementaries, Allapattah Junior High, and Miami Jackson. Spent a few years in the Army and came back. Have lived in Edgewater, Sweetwater, Homestead, Pinecrest, Dadeland, North Miami, and North Miami Beach. Worked all over Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. Had a lot of windshield time. Left for good in 1995. How I got here is a long and painful story. All I miss of Miami is the sky and the smell of saltwater. And a few good friends.

Roberta Perry Hughes		06-Sep-2008 04:49
N. MX Guest...Congratulations, on living in a (mostly) disaster-free State! Hope that it will remain so, & I am glad that you are delighted to be living where you are. It makes for a lot less stress in one's life, to be content with their surroundings. Are you a former Miamian? From what section? Where did you go to school? And how did you end up in N. MX? MiamiGirl, where are you?? Largo?? Manocarz?? Y'all are snoozin'...?? Roberta, enjoying rural life, in the Peach State's Central Savannah River Area, & keeping a watchful eye on the 'canes.

Guest		05-Sep-2008 23:28
Well, northern New Mexico doesn't have too much risk. Falling rocks is about the biggest. The weather is usually mild, summer and winter, and lots of sunshine. Warm sun and cool air. Has probably been a few million years since a hurricane, and none are predicted. Tornados are just about as rare. Doesn't snow nearly as bad as in the midwest or northern states. There may be an occasional small earthquake, but very minor. One part of the state is on an oozing magma field, but it will be more than a few lifetimes before it causes any problems. All the other volcanos are pretty much dead. It does get tiresome feeding all the hummingbirds during the summer sometimes. Little buggers can eat a lot. Picking the tomatos, squash, apples, apricots, cherries, and chili peppers out of the garden can also cause a little fatigue. Could be the thinner air, usually 5 to 7 thousand feet. No floods though, unless you get caught in an arroyo. It is such a strain living here. You really don't want to live here.

Roberta Perry Hughes		05-Sep-2008 07:58
Prof. Al...Even "Paradise" can have its warts. Isn't Arizona basically a desert, brought to "life," via irrigation, & by mining water, like W.VA. & PA. mined coal?? Wouldn't want to know what a widespread drying-up, of the underground water table would be like, & the panic that would ensue. Mandatory evacuation, in overheated vehicles, in bumper-to-bumper, snail's pace traffic, would be the stuff of which horror movies are created, methinks. Fact is, no matter where you live, anymore, there's really no State, that is totally immune to a "disaster" of some sort, due to the weather's fickle & unpredictable nature, & the greenhouse effect, aka: global warming. I am on pins & needles, over these upcoming 'canes, & their predicted paths for landfall, as I'm sure everyone else is, too. Seems that we all have family members, who are living far from us, in States all across the Nation. All of us, who moved away, left a piece of our hearts in Old Miami, & we hunger for news from there, & we cannot help but watch & wait, whenever the 'Glades are on fire, or a fire is raging in other part of Florida, or when the water supply is running dangerously low, & of course, during hurricane season. Hope you have a safe trip, to & from the Tar Heel State, my friend, & my thoughts are with you, & are with everyone, who will be affected by these storms. Wouldn't it be great, if that gently authoritative Voice would once again declare, "Peace. Be still," whenever Mother Nature is experiencing PMS??

Arizona Al		05-Sep-2008 03:54
Hello All: Well it appears that Hannah may spank North Carolina and Ike may lambaste Florida from the weather reports to date. Unfortunately, I have to go to North Carolina next week on business but will be located in the center and western part of the State. It is for reasons such as hurricanes and tropical storms that living in Arizona with its 110 plus degree summer days makes some sense. Good fortune to any and all who may be affected by Hannah and Ike. Alan Ogus, Ph.D.

Joanne		04-Sep-2008 23:23
Well my Gustav landfall prediction was off by about 300 miles and a whole catagory. (thank goodness) Seeing as how I'm on the east side of N.Carolina I'll get to experience Hanna firsthand. Not expecting any problems but it isn't fun to have no power (as we all have seen) Hang tight Miamians, that's what I'll be doin' !!!

Don Boyd		03-Sep-2008 15:22
I have already thought of that scenario when typing my previous response and it would be intriguing. : ) New photos added last night: 1907 images of the official city of Miami directory and the county courthouse (1900's gallery) and 1907 images of the Boyd Cottage on Biscayne Bay and the Fort Dallas Hotel (hotels gallery). Don

Jo-Anne K		03-Sep-2008 14:17
If they do come back into fashion I may be in trouble though I have seen some really nice tablecloths at Linens-N-Things :) That may be a little exaggerated but I don't think the scarf will cut it.

Don Boyd		03-Sep-2008 01:19
Ah ha, Jo-Anne, I'm sorry to hear you were inside and not at Flamingo Park or points in between there and the convention center. Those scarves made very lovely tops at the time and I wish they would come back into fashion. : ) Don

Jo-Anne K		02-Sep-2008 18:25
Don, I was actually inside the convention but for the life of me still can't remember which one though I think it was the DNC because it was towards the end of summer. My wardrobe of choice back then was a scarf for a top and hip-hugger bells when I wasn't a Sunny Isles surfing.

Petros Haldoupis		02-Sep-2008 17:35
Hello, I asked this question back in June 2008 & I am just hoping that someone out there may remember this place & maybe did not see my question. Does anyone remember Floyds Fruit Grove which used to be located at 521 sw 42 ave (Le Jeune rd) in Miami? I live on the corner of 40th ave & sw 6 st. My house was built in 1939 & 1/2 of it is on solid ground but the other 1/2 is elevated with an approxamite 2 foot high crawl space underneath. Jackie- Gables 57 showed me where I can see the Dade County property & the names the land parcels are under. Thank you Jackie! Mr. Floyd owned most of the land in this area. My house at one point faced his huge fruit grove. If anyone out there remembers this place I would LOVE to hear about it! Thanks. P.S. The house located on the corner of sw 7 st & 39 ave was bult in 1910. The oldest house in this area.

Don Boyd		02-Sep-2008 07:41
Linda High Thompson contributed a 1920's image of the Santa Clara School's students (schools gallery) and several 1940's images of folks in clubs (individuals/small groups gallery). Don

Jeff		02-Sep-2008 01:51
Al... I had even less options... so I basically stayed within the small group of friends that I did manage to have... and by late 1971-early 1972 had grown enough self-confidence to let the hair grow as well. My previous bold move was the funniest thing you ever saw in your life... During my senior year they finally allowed beards in school. I also wanted to finally wear bell-bottoms. The prpoblem was, all of my shirts were dress shirts... So try to picture this combination: Near-crew-cut curly hair with a wekk's growth of beard, a white short sleeve dress shirt and a pair of bell-bottom pants... Talk about a clash of ideals!

Ray		01-Sep-2008 22:07
Here's a nice bit of Miami history when you have some time to kill. Go tohttp://www.youtube.com , then enter these TV station call signs. You'll see some interesting highlights of our local TV stations like old news anchors, sets and hair styles. Also some great old commercials for local businesses that are long gone but you'll remember them. WCIX WFOR WTVJ WCKT WPLG WPBT WSVN Then try WFUN and WQAM for some audio from those AM radio stations. Enjoy the Miami memories.... Ray

Arizona Al		01-Sep-2008 21:44
Jeff: When I was in High School (1960-1964) the only options were jocks and hoods. Since I could not play exceptional football, basketball or wrestle or run track, by default I migrated to the hoods genre. I got drunk and I got saved and both did me a lot of good! Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well and still engendering vestiges of his High School Hood Days in Phoenix, Arizona

LARGO		01-Sep-2008 21:36
DON ...YOU HAVE A "LOST NEWBY" ON ONE OF YOUR COMMENT PORCHES...WELCOME.... :~) LARGO

Don Boyd		01-Sep-2008 19:17
New photos added: Linda High Thompson contributed five more images from the 1940's, all of folks working at Pan American Airways System (individuals/small groups gallery plus the Pan American Airways sub-gallery in the aviation gallery). Also three images from the 1939 Miami High Superlatives page (schools gallery). Ted and Gay Crownover contributed a 1966-1967 image of the Lucians at Miami High School (schools gallery). Don Fan of "nerd" Jeff who knows his stuff

Jeff		31-Aug-2008 21:30
Thing is, Charlis... I WAS a nerd... dork... dweeb... whatever the appropriate term was for the time. One picture is worth a thousand words. I was what I was then, and I am what I am now... and I don't retreat from those facts... Thankfully, that time of my life at BEach High is decades in the past...

charlis		31-Aug-2008 20:23
Roberta... thanks for your thoughts for Evie. Jeff is correct. She has to get some energy going to "get up and get going", but she has been defeated at every turn. As to Gustav... we have been getting spurts of rain and some winds. My heart goes out to anyone that decided, idiotically, to stay in the Big Easy.

charlis		31-Aug-2008 20:20
Jeff... thanks for the Vicki Lawrence info. I could picture her in my mind but could not come up with a name. As to the "nerd" reference.. I may have graduated in '67 but I spent a lot of time at Beach... ex, the AV guy, and I worked together on "George Washingtion Slept Here". I designed the sets as part of a college project and worked with Jay and Ron. I also did substitute teaching for many of the teachers in 1969 and '70. You were in a few of my classes. When I first saw your name on this blog I recognized it. Just having fun with you as to the nerd thing.

Roberta Perry Hughes		31-Aug-2008 11:42
Charlis...Please convey all my best wishes to Evie, for her to be better, soon. Let me know if there's anything I can do. Thus far, we've gotten a freckling of rainfall, along with some wind, & even some boom-diddy-boom-booms, here in the Empire State of the South. It might change, if Gustav's bands are far-reaching. Our biggest threat is the tornadic conditions, mostly, that seem to go hand-in-hand with 'canes that are making landfall somewhere in the Deep South. My area has been known to flood, from the remnants of 'canes that were downgraded, to so-called tropical depressions. The nearby pond overflowed its banks, more than once, & made a royal mess of it, in our yard, & in the horse lots. The industrious beavers didn't help matters, by building their dams & lodges. I am apprehensive about Gustav, & the other 'canes that are on-the-way, & I know everyone else is, too. Geesh! We cruised along for most of Summer without anything kicking up, 'til Fay came calling. Now it seems that her cohorts are following suit, & so closely, too. I pray for the safety of all who may be in the path of these 'canes, & for the animals, too, both domestic & feral. Roberta, up all night...again...& wishing my former home town all the best, & the entirety of the Sunshine State, too! God, how I miss Old Miami, & traveling through the State, prior to the Interstates & Turnpikes!! How I loved to travel HWY 27, on vacation with my family, in our beautiful new car from Cooper Oldsmobile!! (sigh). Those were the happiest of times from my childhood.

Jeff		31-Aug-2008 00:57
Charlis... We had no more than an overcast day today with some light rain. Later tonight we might get some squally weather from one of Gustav's outer bands. I really feel for the folks in Louisiana - they're in line for another hit from another major hurricane. The name you couldn't recall is Vicki Lawrence. She's the one who played Mama and was a near look-alike of Carol Burnett. By the way, you wrote "A far stretch from the "nerd" I knew!". In truth, isn't your only actual reference to me that image from the 1967-68 yearbook (the nerdy picture)? Yes, we shared some of the same teachers and knew many of the same people... but I don't think we ever met, did we? As for Evie... I'd tried to call her a number of times and she didn't/wouldn't answer the phone. I know she's got a lot of health and residential issues... but if you shut yourself away from the outside world, then how can anyone else offer any help or encouragement? I wish her well.

charlis		30-Aug-2008 18:52
Back to the '68 Convention... When they were thinking of having one of the conventions this year, up here in Tampa, it brought back the horrible memories of the '68 convention in MB. Tampa could not have handled a convention of the size it is. In '68 most of us could not find parking for work anywhere within a 20 block range of the auditorium. It was fun going to the center though, meeting all the news people. I even met a distant cousin... Neil Strawser, a newscaster. He was known for his Viet Nam War coverage.. but I didn't know that at the time... didn't connect the dots. All I know is that I saw a guy with a name tag with "Strawser" on it so I went up to him.

charlis		30-Aug-2008 18:39
Jeff... "a straight guy in a hippie's body"... thanks for that image. A far stretch from the "nerd" I knew! ;-) Stay safe and dry. Looks like you are getting more of Gustav today than we are up here in Tampa... but it looks like you might get Hanna. PS: Evie's not doing well. Wish I could help her.

charlis		30-Aug-2008 18:35
Jo... I didn't think I looked like Trish. Ronnie Grant, WQAM, said I looked like a young Carol Burnette, or the girl (can't think of here name at the moment) that joined her show. I had a short dark strawberry blonde "pixie" cut at the time.

Jeff		30-Aug-2008 03:32
Hey, Jo-Anne! Glad to have been of some help... Back in '72, I was 20 years old, just overcoming a load of insecurities, and had grown my hair from near-crew-cut to shoulder length of a curly mop, along with a fuzzy full beard. Although I was pretty much a "straight kid inside a hippie's body", when our apartment house was being tented for termites, I opted to spend the night in the park with the hippies rather than be put up at the Variety Hotel on 17th and Alton with my folks. What an experience! It was my first exposure to gay couples, clouds of marijuana enmasse and every facet of the counter-culture imaginable. I figured that there was a better than even chance that I could get laid in the park, but I struck out more than a minor-league batter. Dejected, I curned up on the grass for a good night's sleep, and the only souvenir I took home from my experience was a cold I'd picked up along the way... SO much for the free love generation! LOL!

Arizona Al		30-Aug-2008 03:25
I was at the Dinner Key Auditorium in August 1968 when George Wallace gave a campaign speech. I was all of 23 years old and at that time a "defender" of the Southern way of life. Gadzooks have I done a 360 in the subsequent 40 years!! Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive, well and somewhat ashamed of his dixiecrat political views and beliefs of 40 years ago.

Don Boyd		30-Aug-2008 03:20
Jo-Anne, were you inside the convention or one of the scantily clad hippie chicks in Flamingo Park? If the latter I may have photos of you. Don

Jo-Anne K		29-Aug-2008 22:05
Charlis....that was the Republican National Convention held in the MB convention center in 68. So did you really look like Trish Nixon then?

charlis		29-Aug-2008 21:49
Convention in '72... wasn't there a convention in '68 also. I seem to remember life being so disrupted. I remember going to the convention, behind the scenes, as my boyfriend was involved with setting up the AV stuff. Someone came up to me and asked if I was Trish Nixon?!?!?

charlis		29-Aug-2008 21:46
GUSTAV... unfortunately I am in agreement with the professionals... at this moment. Haven't been able to post on this board this week because I am bushed. Fickle FAY played havoc on my arthritus... and Gustav and Hanna are playing havoc on my work! Every few minutes someone is stopping by my desk! Roberta will get her much needed rain, being on the "bad" side of the storm. Not that I want to wish unwell on anyone, but it would be nice if that ridge and front over IN would move south faster and push the storm to the lower populated areas of MX. I love the idea of the storms being pushed back to Africa! Please, everyone in the possible track... make your preps NOW!

Jo-Anne K		29-Aug-2008 20:31
Hey Jeff....thanks again for turning me on to Laurenzo's Italian Center. I am having some cookies and boscotti shipped to my Mom for her 86th birthday (needless to say she is a hard one to buy for) I think it will bring brack a lot of great memories for her. My Dad's dental practice was on NE 18th Ave and 167th St back in the 70's and 80's and since he was VERY italian that was the store of choice and there is no boscotti in the world better than Lorenzo's (and the pine nut cookies are to die for). Hey Don......I was at a convention in 72, at Miami Beach Convention Center and I remember the first name of the guy I went with and that is about it. So I guess I'm paying for sins of the past now huh???

Don Boyd		28-Aug-2008 04:36
There's an accurate article in today's Herald about both political conventions being held on Miami Beach 36 years ago in 1972. Here's the link: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/655772.html I added a 1950's image of the Lighthouse Restaurant at Haulover Park and a 1950's image of Mary's Italian Restaurant on NW 7th Avenue, both in the restaurants gallery, a 1945 image of frolicking beach beauties, in the individuals/small groups gallery, and a 1950's image of Ralph Renick and brief biography, on the main memories page. Don

Jeff		27-Aug-2008 23:44
I discovered an interesting tidbit while leafing through some 1955 Life magazines at the local library... Milt Caniff (the cartoonist/creator of Terry and the Pirates and Steve Canyon) held one of his first jobs [in 1925] at the Miami Daily News! Keep in mind that the famous Miami News Tower (modeled after the Giralda in Spain) wasn't built until 1926... so this is a bit of an EARLY Miami connection...

Bryan Allen		27-Aug-2008 21:39
Born at DRs Hosp lived at Miller RD and 95th CT till JR high then S Miami Heights. Blue Lakes Elem used to go to the quarry at Civil defense 86th and miller Galloway? swimming. They had a line under th water where you could pull yourself through a bunch of cars on the bottom. Lake catalina or caroline had all the pine trees along Miller RD with ropes you could swing and drop- into the lake. LL football at westwood, village green nd Suniland. I used to live across the street from Miller park. Oh the things that went on there after dark. Dope smoke wafting into my bedroom from all the U of M students partying and Metro running em all off a couple time a night. Grandma lived in Pinecrest on Chapman Field drive 124th st? almost to old cutler. Spent a good part of my childhood out there with the rich kids. But eventually ended up in the rougher part of town in S Miami heights. Got layed for the 1st time in a mango grove out on the old blimp base where they built the zoo. Used to have some awesome street drags out there because there was so much runway. Did alot of camping out towards the everglades. Snowdens dam, New years eve show and fireworks at the Orange Bowl, deep sea fishing at Marathon used to stay at the casa manana hotel, Dadeland, JRE Lee Center (alternative school) When my brothers and sister talk about growing up we understand how lucky we were to be in that place at that time.

Don Boyd		27-Aug-2008 14:35
Linda High Thompson contributed an image of a 1939 Miami Daily News story and photo of the Miami High class of 1939 (schools gallery). Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		27-Aug-2008 07:04
Don't know anything about tracking hurricanes. We got some t-storms, & much needed rainfall, from current systems moving overhead, today, & my area, & all surrounding counties, & some in S.C., has been under a tornado watch, all day, only having ended at 2 a.m., this morning. I'm not fond of high winds, & tornados are all about rapid action, & are so very violent, & they can, & do, destroy & kill, in a matter of minutes. You cannot "evacuate" your area, & when the meteorologist says for you to "seek shelter immediately," it's reminiscent of the air raid drills we used to have to do in school, in Miami, back in the early 1950's, that we've discussed on this Site. I hope & pray that "Gustav" will lose power, & be downgraded to just a tropical depression, soon, for the sake of all areas that are in his path. I pray that there will be a minimum loss of property, & no loss of life, because of him. I've always wondered, what it would be like, if the hurricanes that form off of the African coast, reversed their path, & made landfall over the Sahara desert? Would it green it up again? Or would it be an unimaginable catastrophe?

Don Boyd		27-Aug-2008 04:30
Okay, I'm back from two short vacations in Colorado Springs and Nashville. Alvin Lederer contributed a 1940 image of Dr. John G. DuPuis' White Belt Dairy (40's gallery). Linda High Thompson contributed a 1950's image of her dad with a huge display inside Shell's Super Store and a 1960's image of her dad in front of her uncle's Jimmy High's Tires (both in the individuals gallery). Don

Miami Girl		26-Aug-2008 22:45
Let's all join Charlis and Joanne and try to predict Gustav: If I lived in the Keys I think I'd be movin' on out right about now. I haven't seen where the highs and lows are, but I'm thinking maybe he'll visit the Big Easy - although we all have to pray he'll just die first..... Miami Girl -- safe from 'canes in Upstate NY.

Joanne		26-Aug-2008 22:35
OK, Charlis...lets see you work your hurricane prediction magic with Gustav!! Might be fun, I'll join you!! I think it'll head to Houston/Galveston area as a cat 4.

Jackie		26-Aug-2008 13:33
Here, north of Atlanta, we are happy to report 3 inches of much appreciated rain , temps in the 70's, and very little wind. Last week we had wind, but no rain. Even though we are under flood warnings in some areas, (I'm still a So. Fl girl at heart-- 3 inches doesn't sound like a flood, but here, it's a lot ) we are constantly reminded that we are still in drought condition. We haven't lived here long enough for that to sound normal to me! We certainly feel for our family and friends in Miami, West Palm, and Melbourne who were glad to see the last of Fay.

charlis		24-Aug-2008 21:19
I love what one of the weathermen here in Tampa said this morning... FAY was a big question mark from beginning to end... look at the path. Tampa was the only area not effected by Fickle Fay. Okay, some winds and a few sprinkles...usually at lunch time. It is hell being a "human barometer".... every time the system got within 100 miles of Tampa, I was in severe pain.

LARGO		23-Aug-2008 20:36
WOW...GO OFFLINE FOR A FEW DAYS AND WE HAVE CHARTS & GRAPHS...QUITE INFORMATIVE...THANKS RAY...SO YEAH..SEVERAL VERY WET & WINDY DAYS..LOTS OF DOWNED GREENERY..AND UNFORTUNATELY SOME LOSS OF LIFE.....MS. FAY CAME FOR BREAKFAST...AND STAYED FOR LUNCH, DINNER & BREAKFAST AGAIN!!...SHE JUST HUNG AROUND & BROWSED A BIT...FOR ANY OF YOU WATCHING THE WEATHER CHANNEL, YOU KNOW OUR ST. AUGUSTINE BEACHES WERE BADLY CHEWED UP...SEA TURTLE RESCUE WAS ON FULL ALERT !!I RESIDE SMACK IN BETWEEN THE ATLANTIC AND THE MATANZAS RIVER...ONE BLOCK EITHER WAY...ON ANASTASIA ISLAND...THERE WERE NO EVACUATION ORDERS AS IN '04...AS IT WAS "ONLY A TS"...(WE KNOW WHAT THAT STANDS FOR !)....IF IT HAD BEEN A CAT 1....OR MORE...OMG..DIFFERENT SENERIO ALL TOGETHER. THEY DID CLOSE THE HISTORIC "BRIDGE OF LIONS" INTO THE ANCIENT CITY (PRESENTLY UNDERGOING RESTORATION) TO VEHICLE TRAFFIC...BECAUSE THE OLD CITY ALWAYS FLOODS...AND LOOKY LOOS GET THEIR VEHICLES STUCK AND CAUSE PROBLEMS... HOW EVER, THE PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC WAS ALLOWED TO CROSS THE TEMPORARY BRIDGE.....AND TRUE TO A GOOD AND HARTY PIRATE COMMUNITY ...MOST OF THE PUBS & TAVERNS WERE OPEN...YEAAAA !!...NOTHING LIKE HOT CHOWDER AND COLD BEER AFTER RESCUING BABY TURTLES... LOTS OF FOOD & DRINK, & BIG SCREENED TV'S...FOR DAMPENED SPIRITS TO WATCH THE NEWS/WEATHER/OLYMPICS/SPORTS & CHIT CHAT WITH NEIGHBORS ETC....LOVE MY TOWN. FITTINGLY WE JUST HAD A NEW RESTAURANT/PUB OPEN UP JUST NORTH OF ME ON A1A CALLED "THE HURRICANE"...AND I GUESS FAY TOOK THE OPEN HOUSE LITERALLY?... ;~) ..........LARGO

manocarz		23-Aug-2008 15:54
Manocarz checking in from Gainesville, Florida. Nothing more here than what we experience during a heavy afternoon thunderstorm, with one exception.....It was a very long afternoon....lasting for a few days! Much needed rain for which we are grateful, some great days to rest which were sorely (no pun intended - the skeleton sure felt the atmospheric pressure) needed, and a great opportunity to have a trial run on our readiness for something larger should the need arise. For us - it was win-win.

Roberta Perry Hughes		23-Aug-2008 02:50
Ray...Good news, for Lake O.!! We're enjoying cooler temperatures, here in the Central Savannah River Area, & along with it, gentle, cooling rainfall. I only wish that that is all "Fay" did for other parts of the Sunshine State, instead of the flooding. Largo...How goes it in St. Augustine?? Roberta...Thankful to not be running the A.C., for the past couple of days, & getting by on just a stand fan & a floor fan, in the Peach State

Ray		23-Aug-2008 02:18
About all the rain, there IS a silver lining. Take a look a this graph. If you look carefully, you'll see a very sharp spike under the 'today' dashed vertical line. Looks like Miss Fay may get us out of this drought all by herself. On the other hand... this document has some interesting South Florida History related to the Lake when it's a the other end of the level spectrum. But don't panic, we have 4' to go. http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/pao/hotTopics/LO_HHD_files/LakeOandHHDike.pdf Ray

Arizona Al		21-Aug-2008 02:46
Jeff: You are most welcome. FYI..I have a high school buddy who lives in Melbourne and he reports around 24 inches of rain to date. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive, well and thankfull that dust storms (short lived) are the main weather anomaly other than a profusion of 110 plus degree days in Phoenix, Arizona

charlis		20-Aug-2008 21:50
Tampa got zippo... so far. The storm might move west across the state and then who knows where it will go. Hopefully a weak but rainy system will move up to GA and AL and give them much needed rain.

Jeff		19-Aug-2008 22:04
Fortunately for the Miami-Dade County area, Fay was a minor event. Rain amounts varied, and there were some minor bits of damage... but nothing like what could have been. We fared well this time around... Thanks to all ex-Miamians for the safe wishes...

charlis		19-Aug-2008 17:54
I agree with the rest of us down here. Thanks for your thoughts. When the storm first started forming last week people at work kept asking me, hourly, what it would do. I predicted a TS on Friday while all "reliable sources" said otherwise. I said it would continue west over the weekend while most of the spaghetti models had it going to the east of the state. I was asked to monitor the system all weekend. Didn't get paid as it is not my real job, but a hobby with very good accuracy. On Monday, I officially became part of a two man weather monitoring team for our department! People get upset if their garbage is not picked up on their service day. No comments please! Let's just hope that no tornadoes occur as this fickle Fay slowly makes her way out of the state... and does not turn back south over the gulf to get those of us she missed on her first trip through Florida.

Don Boyd		19-Aug-2008 05:56
Thank y'all for your messages regarding TS Fay. We managed to fly in to Ft. Lauderdale at 9:40pm tonight from Denver on Southwest. We had 3 solid days of rain and temps in the 50's (felt great!) in Colorado Springs and one day of sunshine and then we fly back to more rain and wind. Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		19-Aug-2008 04:17
Don...Bless your heart! Sounds like MY kinda luck! Just so y'all are back home, safe 'n sound, & that "Fay" will be a lot milder than anticipated. Here's hoping that she'll just be a welcome relief, in drought-stricken areas. May God grant it to be so. All my best, Roberta

Don Boyd		19-Aug-2008 03:34
Thank y'all for your messages regarding TS Fay. We managed to fly in to Ft. Lauderdale at 9:40pm tonight from Denver on Southwest. We had 3 solid days of rain and temps in the 50's (felt great!) in Colorado Springs and one day of sunshine and then we fly back to more rain and wind. Don

Roberta Perry Hughes		19-Aug-2008 03:00
Hope y'all Floridian Posters, your property, & pets, will be no worse for the wear, from "Fay." They're saying my own State may get some much-needed rainfall from it. I just pray that everyone in the path of this storm will be safe. The weather can be very stressful, anymore. Roberta, like Dr. Ogus, keepin' an eye on the storm, here in the Peach State

Arizona Al		19-Aug-2008 02:01
To all bloggers living in South and Central Florida: Good fortune and good outcome in view of the approaching tropical storm/hurricane. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive, well and keeping posted on the Florida weather reports in Phoenix, Arizona

Jeff		18-Aug-2008 21:40
Thank you, Largo... I'm sure that we'll muddle through another storm as long as people don't take the weather for granted...

LARGO		18-Aug-2008 17:48
GOOD LUCK & PRAYERS WITH FAY...CHARLIS...JEFF..LEIGHTON...& DON AND ANYONE.SOUTH...LARGO

Leighton		17-Aug-2008 05:59
I didn't post that twice...anyway, those UM shots are interesting. I was there from 82 - 85, and it didn't look so great then. However, during President Foote's twenty-year tenure, it was spruced up quite a bit. But those shots of its first years are pretty spectacular. It appears that the current student union replaced a really nice structure. The dorms at the end of the film, were no longer "married dorms" in the 80s - I spent a year in the one pictured on the left.

Ray		16-Aug-2008 01:23
Another great video of old Miami, 1957: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5dWxjihyGE&NR=1

Ray		16-Aug-2008 00:50
This video is such a good time capsule; let’s take it apart, shot by shot. I’m going to list the shots I recognize, second by second in the video. I’m sure many of you know the Key Biscayne shots better than I do. 0:19 North Entrance of Coral Gables 0:28 On UM Campus. So few buildings I can't identify the location. They must be on top of one of the very early tall buildings. Look at all the undeveloped land in Coral Gables. The house I grew up in a mile from here would have been built this year. 0:35 This may be a view north, into the south end of the Merrick Building. We would have been in the entrance of the building that was replaced by the Student Union, where the breeze way and book store is now. 0:38 Looking toward the middle of the Memorial Classroom building from the Ferre Grad School building, or many the Merrick if Ferre wasn't built then. I used to think Memorial was ugly, but from this film I can see it was very cool in its day. Almost Frank Lloyd Wright inspired. 0:43 Not sure which building 0:46 Standing in front of the Beaumont Cinema, center of the Memorial Classroom building, looking southeast onto the east half of the same building. 0:47 The old pier into the lake. The Whitten Student Union replaced MOST of this. But if you know where to look deep in the basement under the patio, you can still see an abandoned staircase from this old building. 0:49 Not sure. Maybe the Music School courtyard? 0:52 I think this is also in from in front of the Beaumont Cinema, but looking NW toward the two story wing, toward the L1 building and Art school ‘shacks’ 0:54 Venetian Pool 1:08 Old Rickenbacker causeway 1:52 Old Parrot Jungle, Red Road, now a Pinecrest park 2:24 One of the married student dorms at UM. They were built after WWII for the many veterans going to UM on the GI Bill. Many have been torn down. Since they all look the same, I can't place where this one was. The two windowless structures should be a give away but I can’t place them. 2:36 Back to the North Coral Gables entrance. If you ever go to the Starbucks on US1 across from UM, they have a great aerial picture of UM, I think from the late 1950s, early 60s. Awesome find for a great history of Miami. Thanks to whoever found this gem. Ray

Don Boyd		15-Aug-2008 00:17
Dave, we're days ahead of your sister and you - I posted the link to the Chevy commercial on the 8th. I'll post it again for those who don't like to read: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyb3h0Vqlzo Don

charlis		14-Aug-2008 21:53
Don, thanks for the link to Martha's post. I thanked her for the info. I remember the Polar Palace... as a newly arrived northerner in the 60's wanting to find a place to pratice my ice skating... in my Sonja Henie (sic) ice skates... they really belonged to her. She gave them to my mother!

Dave		14-Aug-2008 12:27
My sister just sent me this youtube site that has a commercial for the 1950 Chevy called 1950 Chevrolet Technicolor Ad: Coral Gables. It has views of Coral Gables, Venetian Pool, UM, Key Biscayne, the Crandon Park train and the Parrot Jungle. Brought back a lot of memories! The site address is [deleted}. It will also show you some other great Miami videos from the 50s and 60s. One of my favorites was Florida High Spots 1957 that you can see at this address [deleted}. Hope y'all enjoy it as much as I did! Seems the site won't let me post the links, so just go to youtube and do a search undewr the titles I mentioned above

Don Boyd		14-Aug-2008 03:10
Teacher Mrs. Eleanore Irvin Kaney found the photo of her and her 2nd grade class at Citrus Grove in 1957/1958 and left a message under it stating she would love to hear from former students of that class. Don

Don Boyd		14-Aug-2008 03:07
Long-time viewer and photo contributor Martha Pierson has solved the Fairyland location question. See her comments under the image at: http://www.pbase.com/donboyd/image/101500076 (sorry for the wrong URL before) Martha says it was on the north side of NW 36th Street east of 37th Avenue. Thanks Martha!! Guest: tell us more about what you remember about your Fairyland stomping grounds, such as the years you were there, how old you were, etc. Don

Guest		14-Aug-2008 02:52
You have to signin as donboyd to see that image, Don. What's your password? :-) That was my old stomping grounds. The name sounded familiar.

Arizona Al		13-Aug-2008 15:22
Ray: You are indeed correct. The U of Miami website that you linked has a wealth of iconic Miami tourist oriented historical documents and publications. I can actually remember personally seeing some of the pamplets and brochures while living in Miami circa 1955-1969. Thank you!! Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona despite the continuing 110 degree days.

Ray		13-Aug-2008 01:30
About Fairyland... I found this page: http://scholar.library.miami.edu/miamidigital/searchsubjects.php?subject=Tourist%20attractions¤t_page=4 But I think this picture is too old to be the one mentioned below. But this U of Miami web site may be worth a look for even more Miami history. Ray

Ray		13-Aug-2008 01:17
A few comments on recent postings. Kelly Craig is usually on the 11 AM show on WTVJ. She has quite a sense of humor, but sometimes you have to follow closely to get it. She can impromptu better than anyone there. Which to me is the sign of a newscaster and not a trained news reader. Studio Restaurant... yes my parents went there too, but I usually didn't go with them so I don't really have a memory of it. It was a treat for them while I was still in my 'hamburgers are great' phase. I don't have a lot of memories of segregation, but the remnants of it. At the U of Miami, in the IBIS Cafeteria, in the back where the staff worked, had two pairs of bathrooms right next to each other. When I worked there in the late late 1970s, it was unofficially the smokers and non smokers. But it was really from the days of segregation. I remember the old Coral Gables buses, the ones with the metal bars over the windows. Dark blue and white I think. No A/C. In the 1970s they used them for the bus routes to Carver and Ponce for those of us who lived too close for the yellow bus but too far to walk. Above the driver was a sign that said that "Driver trained for Courtesy and professionalism" or something like that. The other half of the this white sign was covered up. That's the part that told people where to sit. I'm glad I (as far as I can remember) never had to ride on a bus that was segregated. In fact, the back was where the 'cool' kids sat. Ralph Renick's sign off "May the good news be yours" for all those many years he was with us. My family grow up with him and Bob Weaver. Renick was also the first person in the US to do an editorial on the air after the ban on that was lifted. I think now only WPLG dares to do an editorial. Garbage is STILL picked up from the back or side yards in Coral Gables. Call me old fashioned, but there's something nice about a street that doesn't have its garbage on display twice a week. Back then there was way less garbage per home. There's a lot more waste these days. I suspect the rations of WWII helped us learn how to conserve way before it was 'green'. About the bins being better on the garbage men... depends on your point of view. That truck of 3 is now run by one person from the drivers seat. So was was it really good for the workers? The new 65 gallon recycling bins are only going to be picked up every other week now. Why not just give us a roll-off dumpster and pick up our garbage yearly? I'm sorry but even recycling bins stink after a week. Who knows what one of these blue bins will smell like after two weeks of fermenting in the sun under a closed cover. Other cities have figured out how to get recycling materials out of the garbage with less labor. Imagine, one can, twice a week, and STILL good for the environment. Intarama... wasn't it mostly shut down by environmentalists? When you're up near FIU North these days, the stink from the rotting mangroves is almost totally covered up by the stink from the sewage 'treatment' plant. And now there are a bunch of new apartments on the road to FIU. I hope they can afford to run the A/C all year. When you look at South Florida in Google Earth, you can see lots of green areas that have the square grids of where roads once were. For example, the southern parts of Coral Gables. A big area of these east of Naples is being reconverted back in to swamp now. You folks bring up so many great memories about Miami... I wish I had more time to comment on them all. Thanks, Ray

charlis		12-Aug-2008 22:20
Don... I am curious about the Fairyland Park thing. I want to say that it may have been part of Crandon Park but the background is similar to Lowry Park when I was there in the early 60's on our family trek to learn our new state, and later in the mid 70's before Lowry park really expanded and took over a lot of land. Now the land is the park and a huge picnic area! I also remember an area in Cutler Ridge that had a small amusment park. And, as you know, a google search shows something in one of the counties north of Dade. Linda... help us out!

Don Boyd		12-Aug-2008 05:47
Charlis: thanks but I know about the one at the old Lowry Park Zoo - I saw that on one of the links after a Google search. I'm thinking it could have been on the bay south of Sunny Isles causeway where the Castaways was later built. There used to be a Fairyland beach somewhere over in that area and maybe an amusement park by that name too. We'll find out as more folks see the photos and the question. New photos added today, thanks to Linda High Thompson: a 1955-56 photo of all the kindergarten classes at Flagler Baptist Church, a 1960 photo of Mrs. Gonzales' 4th grade class at Kensington Park Elementary and a 1962 photo of Mr. Faith's 6th grade class at Kensington Park Elementary, all in the schools gallery. Don

charlis		11-Aug-2008 22:04
Don... I'll have to go look at the pics, but the only Fairyland I remember in Florida was at the Tampa Lowry Park Zoo. It was there before the zoo took it over in 1957.

Don Boyd		11-Aug-2008 17:58
And more Linda High Thompson photos added today: a 1920 image of her uncle James, father Jack and grandmother Ruby in a huge tricycle, a 1935 image of her mom Lutrelle at Hialeah Race Track, a 1935 image of her mom's friend Edna Davies at the Dade County Court House, a 1938 image of her mom and two friends on the Hialeah bridge, and a 1938 image of her mom with a unprotected beach sign on Miami Beach, all in the individuals/small groups gallery. Plus two 1959 images of the front of MIA's terminal, a 1959 image of an Eastern Electra with a Pan Am DC-7 in the background and a 1959 image of two Eastern Constellations at MIA, all in the aviation gallery. Don

Don Boyd		11-Aug-2008 06:28
And continuing along with Linda High Thompson's deluge of great photos that have been added: a 1925 image of the Southern Bell Telephone Book for Miami, Miami Beach, Coral Gables and Coconut Grove (1920's gallery), a 1926 image of her dad and his classmates at Shadowlawn School (schools gallery), a 1938 image of the Frank McCall house - he was the kidnapper of the Cash baby in Princeton which was nationwide news (30's gallery), a 1930's image of her mom at a Tea Dance at the Roney Plaza Hotel, a 1938 image of her mom's friend in front of the Al Capone home on Star Island, and a late 1930's image of her mom and a boyfriend in front of Pier 5 (all in the individuals/small groups gallery). And there are more great ones to come from Linda. Added two 1952 images of Linda High at Fairyland (attractions and where is it? galleries). Does anyone remember exactly where Fairyland was located? Don

charlis		10-Aug-2008 22:52
Don... skinny Kelly... she was here, in Tampa as one of the first female co-anchors of the evening news... only 25 years old... Her hairdo was so bad... out of the 50's. But, she was a good reporter. She was only 25 or so when she started here in Tampa, 1985 until 1990'ish. As to Ralph... he was the best newscaster in the area.

craig		10-Aug-2008 16:17
one of the renick videos was sponsored by the chevy dealer i couldn't remember. Luby Chevrolet.

Don Boyd		10-Aug-2008 05:56
Jackie, my pleasure. It's a great video of Ralph during different stages of his long career. I'm going to create a new separate gallery that lists nothing but hot links to Old Miami-related videos like the Chevy and Renick videos. New photos added: Linda High Thompson is killing me with great shots. I added a 1920's image of the Santa Clara School (schools gallery), a 1939 image of her dad Jack High's report card from Miami High for Printing class (schools gallery), a 1944 image of an article and photo about her dad Jack High receiving a high military award for saving the life of a little boy (individuals/small groups gallery), and a 1966 image of her Lucians pledge class at Miami High (schools gallery). Don

Jackie		10-Aug-2008 04:05
Don.. Thanks for the link to the Renick video. I remember that when he delivered the address at my high school graduation in 1957, we were excited that someone of his stature would be speaking to us. His voice was amazing. Watching the video gave me chills.

Don Boyd		10-Aug-2008 03:03
Thanks Al, I didn't notice it and apparently not too many folks went to the Renick video. It should be: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06U7uhK1YS4 Don

Arizona Al		10-Aug-2008 01:53
Don: It may be my incipient myopia but the websites you post on 8/8 and 8/9 are the same and both lead to the 1950 Chevrolet video. Alan Ogus, Ph.D., Alive and well in Phoenix , Arizona

Don Boyd		09-Aug-2008 23:24
Charlis: I meant skinny compared to now. You didn't think she was thin in that video from 1991 compared to now? Or haven't you seen her since 1985? Don

charlis		09-Aug-2008 20:02
Don... skinny Kelly Craig? I remember her up here in Tampa when she joined the cast of my favorite station in 1985. She is good!

charlis		09-Aug-2008 19:52
Thanks for posting the Surfside pic link. That brought back fond memories of that trip to Fl in 1962... and hurricane Cleo in 64 where the boat was tossed almost onto Indian Creek Dr., of running into the cast and crew in the "underground" of the 'bleau.

Jeff		09-Aug-2008 04:46
OK... I figured I'd better put a short end to the "Iron Eyes Cody" story before it becomes another one of those blog-choking discussions... This should tell it all, end of subject...case closed... From snopes.com (abridged) Espera (or Oscar, as he was called) DeCorti ("Iron Eyes Cody") As teenagers the three DeCorti boys joined their father in Texas. He had since altered his name from Antonio DeCorti to Tony Corti, and the boys apparently followed suit as far as their surname was concerned. In 1924, following their father's death, the boys moved to Hollywood, changed "Corti" to "Cody," and began working in the motion picture industry. It was about this time Iron Eyes began presenting himself to the world as an Indian. Iron Eyes' two brothers, Joseph William and Frank Henry, found work as extras but soon drifted into other lines of work. Iron Eyes went on to achieve a full career as an actor, appearing in well over a hundred movies and dozens of television shows across the span of several decades. Although Iron Eyes was not born an Indian, he lived his adult years as one. He pledged his life to Native American causes, married an Indian woman (Bertha Parker), adopted two Indian boys (Robert and Arthur), and seldom left home without his beaded moccasins, buckskin jacket and braided wig. His was not a short-lived masquerade nor one that was donned and doffed whenever expedient - he maintained his fiction throughout his life and steadfastly denied rumors that he was not an Indian, even after his half-sister surfaced to tell the story in 1996 and to provide pointers to the whereabouts of his birth certificate and other family documents. Cody died on 5 January 1999 at the age of 94.

Jeff		09-Aug-2008 04:34
Leighton... No, I was unaware of the Interama exhibit. You're in graphic design? Drop me a line some time at jnl1952(at)juno.com if you'd care to "talk shop"... Roberta, I tend to suspect Cody wasn't trying to defraud anyone - I think he was enamored of the Native American lifestyle and customs and adopted it as his own, similar to how many European immigrants from the 1880's-1930's became "Americanized". Of course they were Irish, Scotch, Italian, French, etc. in heritage... but they took on the American customs and ways of the time. Truth be told, only "Iron Eyes Cody" knew the real answer... and we can speculate until the cows come home but we'll never know the truth...

Parks		09-Aug-2008 00:53
Fred thanks for sending that link to the Chevy ad. That was great!

Don Boyd		08-Aug-2008 23:53
I added a postcard photo of the Surfside 6 houseboat (60's gallery). And Fred Darwick sent me a link to a great 1950's Chevy commercial filmed in Coral Gables and Key Biscayne - it is at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyb3h0Vqlzo Don

Leighton		08-Aug-2008 17:51
Jeff, did you already post that the Historical Museum of Southern Florida has (had?) a summer exhibit about Interama??? You can see a clip on YouTube - search "Interama." There's also a great Chevy promo from 1951, highlighting a few well-known sites - search "Chevrolet, Coral Gables, 1951."

Roberta Perry Hughes		08-Aug-2008 07:22
Hello, all...re: "Iron Eyes" (Italiano) Cody...he was visually convincing, & he LOOKED like a Hunkpapa Sioux, which was Sitting Bull's tribe, & he bore a strong resemblance to Red Cloud, also a Sioux. He walked the walk, & talked the talk, & was in many movies, among them, "A Man Called Horse." My beef with the man is not merely his faux impersonation of a Native American, but the fact that he created so-called "genuine Native American made" crafts & artifacts, & advertised them for sale as such, to the public (I remember seeing his ads, in "Wesern Horseman" magazine)...which is against the law, & carries a very steep fine, if the person is found out to be fraudulently doing this, at Pow Wows & other such gatherings, & is NOT a true Native American. However, he wasn't exposed, to having done this, & therefore, he never was arrested & fined, due to the fact that his true ethnicity wasn't discovered until his death...& his own sister is the one who "outed" him, soon after he died. He remains, in memory, a respected actor, but what he did, by having masqueraded as a Native American, was an insult, & a mockery, to the People.

Leighton		08-Aug-2008 05:17
I did check my sources. I'm one of those "Internets" folks, as well. "Iron Eyes'" history in film is interesting. (I have worked in the industry quite a while.) Jeff, I now work in marketing and graphic design, myself.

Jeff		08-Aug-2008 04:01
Just goes to show that you can't always trust what you read... that's why they caution about believeing urban rumors spread across the net... Jackie, I stand corrected...

Jackie		08-Aug-2008 03:41
As to Iron Eyes Cody....snopes.com agrees with Leighton that he was indeed Italian born of immigrant parents. The article went on to say that he did actually embrace the Native American culture completely, and pointed out what an impact his crying Indian commercials had.

Jeff (yes, that one!)		07-Aug-2008 22:02
Leighton... From what I've read, Iron Eyes Cody WAS an American Indian, NOT Italian... Either way, that public service announcement made a strong impact on may people...

Don Boyd		07-Aug-2008 20:39
And again, Linda High Thompson contributed a 1942 image of Clark Gable marching with troops in Miami during WW II, a 1940's image of her grandmother Ruth High and a friend on Miami Avenue near downtown, and a 1942 image of her mother and two of her co-workers standing in front of Pan American Airways System where they worked - all in the individuals and small groups gallery. Great shots! Don

Jeff (not that one)		07-Aug-2008 17:17
This is such a great site. I lived originally at 240 LeJeune Rd., right across the street from the Red Diamind Inn and down the street from the Short Snorter (a bar). I also remember segregation in the late 50's and early 60's. I remember drinking out of the "colored" water fountain at Shell City when I was 10 because I wanted to see if the water was any different. It was my own little form of political protest. I also remember my dad taking my sister and I to a beach on Collins and showing us a sign that said "No Dogs or Jews Allowed". My dad told me to never, ever forget that sign (we are Jewish, so it made an indelible impression), and 50 years later, I still remember seeing that sign as if it were yesterday. Favorite memories are still Frankie's Pizza, Marcella's rolls, Shorty's BBQ, and Jahn's on Miracle Mile (Jeez, all food related).

charlis		07-Aug-2008 16:40
Jackie... thanks for the posting about Fran. I believe she graduated Beach in 1965... I was a soph that year and do not have a year book from that year, she and Steve were legends of the debate team. My boyfriend that year talked about them all the time. Although sad to hear of her passing, I was happy to read of her success.

Don Boyd		07-Aug-2008 16:27
Linda High Thompson contributed a 1942 image of her mom, aunt and friend at the beach, a 1942 image of actor Clark Gable in the Army in Miami, a 1944 image of her mom and a friend at Hialeah Race Track (all in the individuals gallery) and a 1920's image of the Santa Clara School that her mom attended (20's gallery). Ted and Gay Crownover contributed a new photo of Miami High Class of 1968's 40-year reunion, a new photo of a group of ladies with Rick Shaw at that reunion and two 1969 images of delinquent Ted and his Triumph motorcycle (all in the individuals/small groups gallery). Don

Leighton		07-Aug-2008 16:09
I had totally forgotten about the garbage "pits" by the road. We shared one with a neighbor, but that was the 60s/70s, and I don't remember loose garbage all over the place. The "Man from Glad" first appeared in the 60s, but I don't recall Hefty being the norm till the 70s. Most often, paper grocery bags were utilized. It IS odd to watch 70s movies set in large cities - there is garbage all over the streets! That was before the famous "Iron Eyes" Cody "Crying Indian" commercial of 1971. (The actor was actually ITALIAN, by the way.)

Jackie		07-Aug-2008 11:45
For the Palmetto High posters...Today's Miami Herald has an article about the passing of Fran Berger, the debate coach from the 1980's & 90's. She sounds like quite a remarkable teacher. I believe she graduated from Miami Beach High.

Roberta Perry Hughes		07-Aug-2008 05:10
Guest...I stand corrected, re: "garbage collector" not having been a "steady" job, for the black folk. I grew up in Miami, ca. 1951-1961, ages 4-14, & my world consisted mostly of a segregated neighborhood, schools, churches, & eateries...& most everywhere you went, it was segregated...as were the black communities, I'm sure. That's just the way it was, then, in Miami, & Everywhere, U.S.A. I returned to Miami in 1966, post-high school, & took factory jobs, or waitressing, for a couple of years, & even though your comments seemingly shed a bad light on Alabama Pit BBQ, I will continue to sing its praises, for their fantastic barbecue, & the best cheese burgers I ever ate. Perhaps your latest comment, however, wasn't TOO "dam"-ming, if, indeed, Alabama Pit BBQ served as a sort of "pick up" station, for "day laborers." Obviously, it must have been an ideal locale, for such, not only for garbage collecting, but for other "day jobs," as well.

craig		06-Aug-2008 23:12
we had to keep our trash in cans, otherwise the possums and raccoons would get into it, lol. i used to like the sloppy people sort of. they'd leave soda bottles every where and that meant candy, movie, and comic money for me. i hated when they went to no deposit, no return. i lost about $2.00-$3.00 a week of basically free money.

Guest		06-Aug-2008 13:52
Right, there was a big uproar, Craig. People don't like change. Plus, people were lot sloppier and lazier back then. Table scraps and grocery bags full of garbage were left out in the garbage pit for the garbageman to pick up, who always had to walk to the backyard to clean it all up and chunk it into those huge bins to tote back up to the truck. Suddenly you had to clean up your own trash and present it nicely on the street. I lived in New Orleans until just before Katrina and it was almost like the old days. People just piled up all sorts of stuff on the street for the garbage collectors to throw into the trucks. We have come a long ways.

craig		06-Aug-2008 12:39
i can remember the big uproar when the garbage cans had to be put out by the street. it seems the garbage guys were getting chased by dogs or something and if you didn't put it by the street, they wouldn't pick it up.

Guest		06-Aug-2008 12:20
Roberta, back in that time garbage collections was not a steady job. Driving the truck was, which was reserved for white men, but the collectors were picked up as day labor from street corners. One of those places was right outside the Alabama Pit BBQ. The numbers racket. They called it Cuba because it was based in Cuba. There was a lot of sleaze available in Miami. There was a market near the Alabama BBQ on 62nd St and 30th Ave called the Tu-Way market. Used to cash in soda bottles there to and from school. An older couple ran it and then sold it to a guy that put an addition on it in the rear. It got raided some time later. The addition was a gambling room. There is a shortage of jobs for high schoolers and those out of high school because of illegal immigration. This will have an effect in the future because a lot of construction jobs that produced tradesmen go to illegals as well as service jobs. Jeff, Burger King is still my favorite fast food place.

Jeff		06-Aug-2008 05:56
Guest... you're "technically" correct about Burger King... that was the first "corporate location. The [lost] history is about the Insta-Burger King restaurant, located in downtown Miami. James McLemore had eaten there and was impressed with their large hamburgers sold on a five inch wide bun. The shop was named after the Insta-Burger" broiler. After McLemore purchased the restaurant and created his corportation, "Insta" was dropped from the Burger King Name... especially since McLemore had developed a better broiling system by that time.

Roberta Perry Hughes		06-Aug-2008 04:23
Guest...I was unaware, of the owner's practice of serving "Colored People" from their outer window, but the Alabama Pit BBQ had terrific cheese burger baskets, & fantastic barbecue, too, & it was one of my favorite places to eat, post-high school, when I returned to Miami, to live with my aunt, & go to work down there. It was where I usually ate supper, after getting off from work at the Detroit Hardware and Die Casting Company, located in that area. There were many, many cases of segregation, back-in-the-day. That's the way it was, & history cannot be erased, no matter how much a person, or group of persons, would like for it to be eradicated. Times change, as do people...& laws. All I know is, I was merely a child, then, & there were many things that we were totally unaware of...such as the numbers racket, & other instances of "underground crime," that went on in broad daylight, as a part of the woven fabric of city life. It rings true in any metropolis. I remember the black "sanitation engineers," or garbage collectors, very well. At least, it was a job, & probably, better paying than most, due to it being a city job. There were many & varied jobs, then, that no longer exist today, like, working in a filling station, or as a bag boy, etc. I read where there have been scarce Summer jobs this year, for high schoolers, looking to earn money for clothing, & entertainment. There was no shame in being a garbage collector. It was steady work, to be sure. Looking back, I think that most eateries were segregated, as were the neighborhoods.

Jo-Anne K		05-Aug-2008 23:34
Thanks Jeff.

Guest		05-Aug-2008 20:37
I don't remember those places, Jeff. But I do remember Shell'sCity(?) and Dixie Chenille on 7th Ave between 36th and 54th streets. There were some neat shops along there. If I recollect right the first Burger King was at 7th Ave and 36 st. I hung out at the one on 30th Ave and 36th st by Municipal Auto Sales. Loved those huge ham and swiss Yumbos for 59 cents. There was a little diner I think was called Tyler's in one from the SW corner of 32nd Ave and 36th St. Breakfast place, mostly. There used to be a used car lot that sold only foreign cars on the north side of 36th street around 25th Ave. They had the neatest cars in there. I remember one year they had 2 Jaguar XK-150s and a Jag XK-120 for sale. About $900 or $950 each. 36th St was big on car lots. Anyone remember the Jungle Club by Riverdrive and 26th St? Was a wild place I heard. Got raided once or twice. The Chesapeake across Riverdrive from it. My favorite restaurant back then. Have hazy memories of the area around the bridge going over the canal on 36th St just east of the airport where S. River Drive and LeJuene crossed before the put in SR112. Got my first haircuts at a barber shop right around there on the north side. Was a lot of businesses and industry right around there.

Jeff		05-Aug-2008 20:02
Jo-Anne K, Laurenzo's is still ther and going strong! Guest... on the SE corner of the intersection of NW 54th Street and NW 7th Avenue was a drive-in restaurant called the Ranch House Bar-B-Q (not affilated with the later Ranch House restaurant chain)... Also on 54th Street was Jack's Hot Dogs (a photo of which I supplies to Don for his galleries), and Allied Signs (owned my my good friend, the late Al Eckhardt - also in seen the galleries). On NE 2nd Avenue and 54th Street was the Sable Palm Shopping Center with Sable Palm Drugs as the anchor store...

Jeff		05-Aug-2008 19:38
Al, I can't take credit for that information. I found it in a Google search...but thank you nonetheless! Regrettably, I never got to eat there, but I've heard many speak of the place...

Arizona Al		05-Aug-2008 18:36
Jeff: Thanks..you are the veritable Sage of Miami Memories. Did you happpen to eat at Edith and Fritz? I am sure it is no longer in existance but it was sure a fine place to eat lobster and assorted other seafood between 1967 and 1969. Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in sweltering Phoenix, Arizona

Jo-Anne K		05-Aug-2008 18:26
Does anyone know if Lorenzo's Italian Market is still around? It was located in NMB like just a block or two west of US1 and a block or two north of 163rd Street back in the late 60's early 70's then I had head they moved to a larger location in North Miami but I'm not sure when.

Guest		05-Aug-2008 15:43
My first job was as a bag boy at that Kwik Chek in the mid-60's when I ws in 10th grade. Was good money for a kid then. Could pull in $40 on a Saturday there. Went to Miami Jackson in the morning, then to George T. Baker in the afternoon and would catch a ride with some of the hoodlums from Central High that went there to the Kwik Check, then work with some hoodlums from Central High at that Kwik Chek. Central had a lot of hoodlums. A bad influence. I pumped gas at that Stephan's Van Terminal a couple of years later. Was owned by Eva Mae Harrington. Her brother Andy worked there. Great people.

craig		05-Aug-2008 15:25
i remember the segregated water fountains at the kwik check at 27th ave and 95th st. across from stephens van terminal. i was 5 or 6 and asked my mom why. she said that some people would never change their ways, and just ignore them because they were stupid. wasn't there a plantation pit bbq over there too? i remember one being there or was it 22nd ave. between 79th and 95th st. anybody remember the name of the chevy dealer on 27th or 22nd ave. between 79 and 95th. streets? i remember going by there on my bike in '70 or '71 and getting camaro handouts to use as book covers.

Guest		05-Aug-2008 15:13
NW 54th St was a lot different in the 50's, too. Anyone remember the old bus barn and rockpit around 22nd Ave? The Dairy Queen on 17th Ave? There were a lot of businesses along 54th St. I was raised in the area, before and after it got blockbusted. I remember a bar by RV Martin Hardware that had a sign saying "No n*****s allowed", that later became a hangout for a black motorcyle club. There was the Alabama Pit BBQ a few blocks north of NW 62 St on 32nd ave, that even into the 70's was segregated and was on the off limits list of Homestead AFB. Even at that time they would serve to blacks only through the takeout window, and the area had changed by then. I remember the garbage pickups. Those poor garbage collectors toting those huge bins and having to walk to the back yards to pick up garbage, which wasn't as neatly put out as today. I remember the White and Colored drinking fountains in Jackson Memorial, and the haze of cigarette smoke in the hallways there. I remember trash all over the streets, beer bottles and soda bottles everywhere. I remember swimming in bug poison because of the bugs. We lived next to a palmetto patch just across the avenue from the White Belt Dairy. I remember Hialeah being mostly southern rednecks before it became Cuban rednecks. Times have changed. For the better in many ways.

Don Boyd		05-Aug-2008 14:12
There are several aerial photos from 1956 or 1957 in the 50's galleries that show Dressel's Dairy, including one that I labeled athttp://www.pbase.com/donboyd/image/84620904 . That was a nice place to go on weekends with your girl and families took their kids there to pet the barnyard animals. Don

Guest		05-Aug-2008 14:00
There was a dairy, I think it was Dressels(?), on 28th street just west of Milam Dairy Road. Seem to remember a rail fence in front. That area used to be the sticks.

craig		05-Aug-2008 12:50
Jeff.. thanks for the info. i'm learning a lot about my hometown on this site.

Don Boyd		05-Aug-2008 06:08
Thank you very much, Jeff. After I typed my question I thought of Milam Elementary but didn't have time to Google it. I saw Milam Elementary being built in the 1960/1961. I remember the ranch and cows out there in the late 50's but I'm fairly sure that there was no dairy there because we explored virtually everything out there as 10 to 14 year old kids. Since the designated portion of Milam Dairy Road is nowhere near the Milam-named school I can only surmise that the Milam dairy tycoon also owned additional property, including his dairy, adjacent to where Milam Dairy Road is, somewhere south of NW 74th Street/Hialeah Expressway and north of where 836 is now. He probably donated some of his land for the road right of way to the county, and thus why they named the road after his dairy. Which is back to my original question: where was the dairy really located? Don

Jeff		05-Aug-2008 04:25
Call me tonight's "History Detective"... Al, Edith and Fritz was located at 3236 North Miami Avenue. Don: I found this bit of information on Wikipedia about Milam Dairy (or so I think): "M.A. Milam K-8 Center is located at 6020 West 16th Avenue Hialeah, Florida 33012 opened in 1961 as an elementary school to serve the area of West Hialeah. The school was built on the grounds of dairy tycoon Marcos A. Milam after whom the school was named." Perhaps that might help a bit. I also found a Wikipedia entry about the road itself: "State Road 969, locally known as Milam Dairy Road (NW/SW 72nd Avenue in the county numbering grid), is a 7.4-mile-long north-south street west of Miami International Airport in western Miami-Dade County, Florida. The southern terminus is currently an intersection with SR 968 (West Flagler Street) in the city of Miami; its northern terminus is presently an intersection with SR 934, near the present western end of the Hialeah Expressway, just south of Medley. Until 2001, signage indicated that SR 969 actually extended southward into the Flagami section of Miami, to Tamiami Boulevard (only southbound traffic saw the SR 969 reassurance sign just south of Flagler Street; there was no END sign posted at the southern terminus, nor is there one today at either end of the state route). Originally the state route included a small portion of Northwest 12th Street prior to the 1980s . In the 1980s the curve around the airport was extended southward with a bridge over the Dolphin Expressway and 12th Street was no longer part of the route . Originally northbound traffic went north on 72nd Ave west on 12th St and north again on the curved 72nd Ave around the airport . The major part of the route parallels the Palmetto Expressway (SR 826), 0.5 mile to the west. Access to SR 826 from Milam Dairy Road is achieved through Flagler Street, Dolphin Expressway (SR 836), Northwest 25th Street, Northwest 36th Street (SR 948), Northwest 54th Street, and Northwest 74th Street (SR 934). North of an extended runway at Miami International Airport, SR 969 passes by and through business parks and industrial parks, including a rail yard operated and maintained by Miami-Dade Transit. In the 1990s and 2000s the Airport West region rapidly increased in commercial importance as Miami's role in international trade (most notably with Central and South America) grew. Milam Dairy Road received its current SR 969 designation in 1983, when FDOT reassigned numbers to a collection of southeastern Florida streets. Prior to the reassignment, Milam Dairy Road/Northwest 72d Avenue was signed State Road 919."

Jeff		05-Aug-2008 04:09
To many people, Interama will always be known as one of the grandest of failed projects of Dade County. The land, originally known as "The Graves Tract", had plans being made for it as far back as 1945 for a "Pan American Exhibition Center" and in the mid- 1960's was also the hopes of luring Walt Disney World to the Miami Area. For whatever reason, it seemed that NO ONE involved with any of these projects ever had a comprehensive plan that made sense, received financial backing and brought forth results. Interama seemed to be the closest one to such a reality, for North Miami Beach auspiciously co-named 163rd Street as "Interama Boulevard", and many businesses also attached "Interama" to their names... The only true successes that came in later decades were the Uleta River State Park and the FIU Campus. The Swerdlow Corporation-backed "Biscayne Landings" has completed two towers on the front acreage off of Biscayne Boulevard before the real estate market tanked - and in a way that was a blessing. More towers were planned... but the economy forced a revision to townhomes and offices - kind of a "mini-city". Also on that site is a complex of new elementary, middler and high schools... This a far cry from the dreams of a theme park that spanned the years of the 1940's through the 1960's, but dreams don't always come to fruition...

Don Boyd		05-Aug-2008 03:06
One more question for the masses: Milam Dairy Road (NW 72nd Avenue) was obviously named after the Milam Dairy, but does anyone know exactly where the Milam Dairy was? Don

Arizona Al		05-Aug-2008 02:47
Do any of you recall an "All You Can Eat" Lobster/Seafood Restaurant named Edith and Fritzs? It was located somewhere in Central Miami in the Mid 1960s. You could order the lobster grilled, broiled or boiled. I recall eating there many times between 1967 and 1969 while I attended MDJC. Alan Ogus, Ph.D.

Leighton		05-Aug-2008 01:08
I still have an Interama book. I need to track down the discussion on that - I'm assuming it has its own page. Did anyone here grow up off Flagler, near Fairlawn? (NW 63rd Court) Did some research, and found out the area was called Fairlawn Estates (or something), when built - we had a corner house at 63rd and 2nd, and always wondered why our front yard was so big. Found out that the developers intended to create a traffic circle at the intersection, but never went beyond the plans. I lived there from 67 - 73. "Midway Mall" was considered a dump from Day One. It was always Dadeland and the Forum Cafeteria for my family. Or, Farrell's at Westland Mall, with the SMALL, PLASTIC ANIMALS BURIED IN THE ICE CREAM. Good grief. I'll ask once more time - does anyone know of the special "green" punch that some South Miami company produced during the 60s - they sold it as a powder, and my mother would buy LOTS of it. And, never tasted any cheesecake better than Andalusia's in the Gables.

charlis		04-Aug-2008 21:44
Don... Picalo's was my favorite restaurant, next to Gallaghers in N Miami. I loved to torture my little sister with the lobsters in the tank by the front door. .. told her that they woud attack her if she didn't eat all of her dinner! She got even with me... at Gallaghers... she was in her teens and ordered the lobster! The fetticini Alfredo was the best in the world.

Don Boyd		04-Aug-2008 21:14
Robert Bowman contributed two images of the Picciolo Italian Restaurant on Miami Beach (restaurants gallery). I had some fine meals there in the mid 70's when our reserve unit met one weekend a month at the nearby CG base and the chow was awful on base so we went to Picciolo's or the Turf Bar and Grill at Biscayne Street and Ocean Drive. Thanks Robert. Don

Miami River Rat		04-Aug-2008 20:53
Parks: Thanks for all the background info on Hayden mangoes! I am familiar with the history of the "Robert Is Here" fruit stand, having picked up a brochure on my last stop there. I also bought some guava jelly there. It's the best I've tasted since my grandpa passed away. When his mom died, my grandfather, usually an outdoors man, took over the annual chore of making the guava jelly. That old family recipe is still the best. Another thing my great-grandma made well was turtle stew. I always loved going to the "old home place" on the Miami River when there was going to be turtle stew. These days it's quite improper to bother the sea turtles when they come up on the beach to nest, but when I was a kid my family still got some turtles that way. I was the fourth generation of us that took part in the turtle harvest on Key Biscayne. The older folks always told stories about going over there to get turtles in boats, before there was a causeway. Deb Coyne: Go back to the old comments page to see several stories about Snowden's. In the early '60's they had a band there on weekend nights, and if you were tall enough to reach the bar and had 35 cents, you'd get served a beer. I took several girls dancing there when we were both underage, (as young as 15 in one girl's case) and never even got asked to show an ID. Later!

Jeff		04-Aug-2008 17:24
Craig... When I used to walk around the downtown and surrounding area, I loved to stop into Long's... they had some items I couldn't find anywhere else. I remember they were right off the railroad tracks on North Miami Avenue and about NE/NW 6th Street... or close to that location...

craig		04-Aug-2008 17:00
Jeff.. i was reading your old comments about places of business and saw long's office supplies. my dad worked there. hestarted working for mr. long in 1966. he ran the wood shop, and when i was 18 (1978) he got me a job there. i still remember their address and phone number. 601 n. miami ave. 377-1551.

craig		04-Aug-2008 14:07
roberta perry hughes.. i was reading the old comments section and you mentioned a teacher named mr. tekerman. i wonder if that was the same joseph tekerman that was the principal of southridge when i went there in 77-78?

Don Boyd		04-Aug-2008 13:48
Reference Jeff's comment on the old Renuart on NE 96 Street: Miami Shores Presbyterian Church and its parking lot occupy the land where the Renuart and a two-story apartment house used to be. I was married in that church 26 years ago, but in 1954-55 I used to stay at the apartment house where my second grade teacher from St. Mary's would keep me until my dad got off from work. Their original church was on the north side at 96th Street and NE 6th Avenue and they expanded to the south side and built a new larger church, pre-school, offices, parking lot, etc.

craig		04-Aug-2008 12:51
Parks, you are right. once you made the right it was 152nd st and ceasars was almost on the corner. i lived in northside until '73 then the family moved to cutler ridge. looking through don's pics brought back many good memories for me, because miami used to be a good place to live. i remember going to the beach, haulover i think, and my brother and i used to watch and wait for the aztec resort sign to come on in the evening. we hated that 'cause once it came on it we had to leave. sometimes though we'd stop at the coney island place on the way home. it was on one of the causeways iirc, but i can't remember which one. i can also remember my dad talking about interama and we didn't know what it was so he took us out there. there was just this big open space with nothing on it. at the northside house when the wind was right we could here the cars at hialeah speedway on sat. nights. that's how quiet it was. i can also remember going through the old dairy on 32nd ave between 54th and 62nd. streets iirc. moving to south dade was an experience. even in '73 it had lots of woods and open space. we used to go target shooting at hole in the wall out by grossman hammock (now chekika) park, the t-pike extension wasn't finished, southridge wasn't even thought of, and once you went south of caribbean bridge on black creek canal you were in the boonies, and there was basically nothing west of 107th ave. i can remember driving to don carters bowling alley on kendall dr. and wondering why he built it out in the sticks. when we were teenagers we used to hang out at the a&w in homestead and sometimes we'd try to watch the adult movies at the breezeway drive in through the trees until the cops came and ran us off,lol. we used to hunt in the fields where homestead speedway is now, and watch the drag races out at loveland. i moved out of miami in '96. i went back to visit the few friends still there in 2004 and was shocked at the changes in just 8 years. it's nothing like the town i grew up in and there's no way i'd move back, but this site brings back good memories of growing up there.

Parks		04-Aug-2008 03:57
Memories of Miami- I think Jeff and I are the only regular posters who still live in Miami. Jeff is in North Miami and I am in South Miami. Craig if my memory serves, to get to Black Cesars from the north, you would drive south on Ludlum, cross Old Cutler Road and when you ran out of Ludlam, you would turn right and go west a short distance to the entrance. Deb I remember a RBC lumber yard on Ponce in the Gables just North of the railroad tracks. Back in the early eighties I knew a Renuart who was a terrific airplane mechanic. I'm sure he was a member of the lumber yard family. I think his name was Steve.

Memories of Miami		04-Aug-2008 02:53
I miss Miami so much that I am trying to move back there. The problem is that it's not the same as it used to be, and I think I'm having a really bad case of nostalgia. I live in Jupiter but it seems like a world away. Has everyone moved from Miami or does anyone still ive there?

craig		04-Aug-2008 02:38
hi deb from another ridge rat. i lived on 103 ave. just off caribbean.

Deb Coyne		04-Aug-2008 02:34
Ah yes Mike I too was an aficionado of the infamous Snowdens bridge, remember how clear the water was and how slippery the pipe was, lol, scared the daylights out of me more that once I was sure I couldn't climb back out up the steep sides, and oh lord do I long for a taste of the smoked fish from Snowdens Bar. As for RBC lumber thanks for everyones input and yes Jeff you're right they had more than one yard, Miami Shores if I am not mistaken was the first yard great grandfather opened but the one I most remember was in the Dadeland area. And kudos for remembering Lindsey was once Westlake I had forgotten all about that one. Parks, I do remember Black Caesars Forge, it was tucked back off Ludlam and if I recall was built with rough cut coral rock. I think your right that they built a Montessori School there, but I can't remember the name of it. Speaking of old restaurants, does anyone remember one called The Studio? I remember Mom and Dad going there from time to time when we lived in Westwood Lakes near St. Timothys so it would have been in the mid to late 60's, before we moved to 99th Ave in "The Ridge" and yes I am a proud "Ridge Rat" from way back!

craig (guest)		04-Aug-2008 02:34
parks, yes i think it was. i always thought it was at the old cutler end of ludlum, but i could be wrong. i know the school. it's (or was) westminster academy. i dated a girl that went there many years ago.

Parks		04-Aug-2008 02:10
Guest- Was Black Cesars Forge in a basement or somehow below ground level? I seem to remember having to go down stairs to get to it. It was just off Ludlam (67 ave) near the Cutler power plant. I think there is a private school on the site now.

Jeff		04-Aug-2008 00:52
I remember the name of the succesor to Lindsley... it was Westlake Hardware!

Jeff		04-Aug-2008 00:09
Al, you're virtually on-target. I believe it was NW 128th Street and NW 7th Avenue. That site has been Javan Lumber ever since the late Victor Posner - infamous corporate raider - bankrupted Lindsley and it's parent company Evans Paint and sold [some say merged] the stores with another company whose name escapes me at the moment. They only lasted a few months before disappearing from the landscape. It's a shame because I liked Lindsley as well, and their chain of stores went back to the 1920's. Two more companies that Posner bought and almost succeeded in ruining were Royal Crown (RC) Cola and Arby's. He moved both of their corporate headquarters to his office on Miami Beach. Fortunately, both brands were able somehow to force a divestiture and they still survive - although meagerly, but independently. Posner also bought the Congress Bowl in North Miami after it was closed due to the "druggies" of the 70's using the place for a hangout. They scared most of the regular customers away. Victor Posner wanted to build a high-rise apartment house on the site, but North Miami would not allow it... so for spite, he sat on the property until his death. His son sold the property to Johnson and Wales University (who made the old North Miami General Hospital their South Florida Campus) and they've slowly been purchasing some of the properties on the surrounding blocks to enlarge their physical campus and student housing. The bowling alley has since been demolished.

Guest		03-Aug-2008 23:24
just found this site, and i'm enjoyng the memories. anybody here remember black caesers forge? ithink it was near ludlum and old cutler but i'm not sure.

Arizona Al		03-Aug-2008 23:17
After discharge from the Army in 1967 I briefly worked at Lindsley Lumber Company. I think the store was on NW 7th Avenue around 125 Street but I may be mistaken. I recall that during my short employment there the Mackle Brothers were developing a subdivision in the vicinity and their crews were there each morning when the store opened to buy building supplies. Jeff, does this location sound close to on target? Alan Ogus, Ph.D. Alive and well in Phoenix, Arizona

Guest		03-Aug-2008 22:34
Just a "whatever happened to" ... When I worked for Oil of Olay in Miami/Medly (7601 NW 66 st) one of my co-workers was Marie Renuart. She was there for about seven years until she, like me, became a victim of corporate UP-sizing. Yes, O of O became too big for the little pond called Medly and was packed up and shipped to South Carolina, putting all those people out of work. Marie moved to Idaho and dropped out of sight as far as I know...Who knows, maybe the Renuart name lives on in Idaho.

Guest		03-Aug-2008 20:58
I loved Lindsley Lumber. Was a DIY dream. Good products and selection. Was much easier going in there than to a Home Depot and getting your stuff. I seem to recall a Bailey's Lumber on the corner of NW 17th Ave and 28 St, around the old Exotic Gardens. Was also a hardware store there, I think Robert's, which may have become an RV Martin's? The old R.V. Martin's on NW 54th St and 30th Ave was another great place with a good selection. My favorite place of all as a youngin' though was the old Army Surplus on NW 27th Ave and 62nd St.

Jeff		03-Aug-2008 19:54
Another Reunart Lumber Yard used to be located in Miami Shores on 96th Street by the railroad tracks - the site now being part of some church property.... and another in North Miami Beach on the Wst side of Biscayne Boulevard, around 157th Street or so... Renuart merged with both Bailey's Lumber Co. ("Home of Sudden Service") and Cheeley's Lumber to form R-B-C Lumber Company, or Renuart-Bailey-Cheeley. They, in turn were purchased by Lindsley Lumber, which then became Lindsley-RBC.

Miami Girl		03-Aug-2008 18:10
Deb, there's a few discussions on Snowdens in the older comments gallery. My parents with friends and neighbors in Cutler Ridge would go there occasionally for a beer or two. River Rat, I so envy your mango experience. I do miss those delicious fruits and they are best when the juice is dripping off your elbows! I bought some in the grocery recently, let them age for a week but they still aren't nearly as good.

mike		03-Aug-2008 14:25
Deb-I remember going to Snowdens after a day of jumping off the bridge on Old Cutler and getting chunks of smoked swordfish at a dollar a piece. I vaguely remember the renuart hardware, I lived in the sunniland area.

Deb Coyne		03-Aug-2008 12:45
I have searched high and low to find a picture of the old RBC (Renuart-Bailey and Cheely) Lumber Yard it was on US1 up towards Dadeland right on the west side of the railroad tracks, my maternal grandfather was Omer G. Renuart and I would love to see a picture of it. Does anyone remember it? Also off Old Cutler Rd near the Cutler Power Plant there was an old rundown little bar called Snowden's, that ring a bell to anyone?

Parks		03-Aug-2008 02:48
First I’d like to say ditto to Jeff’s comments. Miami River Rat, sounds like you had a fun visit. The Hayden was the first of the good mangos. Before that variety they all had a strong turpentine flavor. Luckily we now have a lot of good varieties. Unfortunately they don’t ship well so you have to be in Florida to enjoy them. The Tommy Atkins variety is what gets shipped out of Florida. It’s very pretty and ships well. It tastes ok, but there are better varieties including the Hayden. The story that I’ve been told is that Capt. Hayden grew the first Hayden mango tree from a seed in 1910. All subsequent Hayden Mango trees were grafted from this tree or one of its grafted babies. Mangos don’t grow true from seeds so if you want to duplicate a good one, you have to graft it. There is a wonderful story about how the fruit stand “Robert Is Here” got its name. I won’t bother to type it as you can go to Roberts’ web site and read it there. www.robertishere.com

Miami River Rat		03-Aug-2008 00:37
Mangoes You just can't get good mangoes in grocery stores around the country. Last month I went "home" for a week. My sister, cousin and me stopped at the "Robert Is Here" fruit stand out from Homestead on the way to Everglades National Park. Of course we each got a milkshake there, and what should I spy but a box of Hayden mangoes! Now, Haydens are the old, delicious mangoes that used to be grown throughout Dade County. My grandpa had several Hayden mango trees when I was growing up. I bought two of the Hayden mangoes, we proceeded down to Royal Palm Hammock in the park, and there under a pavillion we ate those mangoes the way they are supposed to be eaten: room temperature and outside so the kitchen doesn't get messed up. They say you can't go home again, but there, for a few minutes, thanks to the taste of those great mangoes, the three of us enjoyed a time-travel trip and it was wonderful!.

Guest		03-Aug-2008 00:33
Don, your register link points to a trial account with pbase. How does one create just an account for posting on here? Jeff, thank you.

Jeff		02-Aug-2008 22:35
Charlis, I politely disagree with you... and thank you, Miami Girl for reiterating what I was trying to get across. Personal memories [in brief] are fine. That's what it's all about here... It's when we get off on a long tangent on particulars (recipes, movies, flora, fauna, TV shows, changing times) not related to Old Miami Memories that gets this thing off track. That's not to say that the subjects are unworthy... I just think that we're doing Don a disservice... You said "IMO.. This blog is not set up what Don wants to do... the "site management" is not set up to do what Don wants to do." That opinion doesn't hold sway for one simple fact: Don Boyd PAYS for this space. We don't! He can do whatever he so chooses with it... whether it's letting it run on forever, shutting it down entirely overnight or selectively editing out anything he doesn't like from our posts. We are all HIS guests, not he ours. Roberta understood what I meant. She knew I wasn't singling anyone out for a verbal assault. I was simply commenting that I miss the original postings which were rich in Miami folklore and short on side-topics. Sure, we can wrap ourselves around "freedom of speech" and other criteria as such, but the truth is that if any of us really want to have a long, detailed chat about personal experiences with a fellow member, it would be most according to directly email that particular member and carry that chat on ad infinitum without filling up blog space. For example: If I had a really neat story about Bob Kope that I knew you would appreciate and that 98% of the visitors would never relate to, I'd want to email it to you for a reply at your convenience. That's all I mean ... with no animosity, no "agenda", no anger... just a friendly little suggestion... Even this post in undoing what I was inferring... The longer the page gets with non-pertinent information, the more frustrating it is for other readers [some who have never yet posted] to read through the quagmire. Even if I did everyone the favor of permanently disappearing from this site, the basic principle of my idea remains the same: Old Miami Memories... NOT "let's meet here and chat over a cup of coffee"... and remember, I most certainly include myself in that assesment. I have been as guilty as anyone else for straying off-topic. More than I care to admit...

Miami Girl		02-Aug-2008 21:54
Charlis: The name is OLD MIAMI MEMORIES, it's as simple as that. I'm sorry but I don't really understand what you were trying to say at the end of your post....

charlis		02-Aug-2008 21:49
As I recall, the "comments" link" was created so that we could make comments "not" related to other links on this site... in order to free up space on the other links.

charlis		02-Aug-2008 21:43
jeff... our personal memories are part of this blog.... personal comments are part of this. Sharing old and new experiences with "friends", new and old, is part of this blog... IMO.. This blog is not set up what Don wants to do... the "site management" is not set up to do what Don wants to do.

Roberta Pery Hughes		02-Aug-2008 10:09
Jeff...Point taken. And I promise to conscientiously do better, myself, & adhere to the criteria of this nostalgic Site. We are truly indebted to Don Boyd for it. Thanks, Don! Meanwhile...does anyone out there remember Dr. Burley, a Family Practice physician, whose first office was a hole-in-the-wall niche, in a so-called "strip mall,"across from the Food Fair, up on Bird Road? That "strip" ended, on the far right in a pharmacy, Bird Drugs, & to the right of it, just across the road that was perpendicular to it, was a bus stop bench. That "strip" also had niche offices for Dr. Denker, DDS, & Dr. Weiss, Optometrist. It had a hardware store, a toy store, a barber shop, & the far end, on the left, was Pearl Furniture. On the other side of Pearl Furniture, by itself, was a Tastee Freeze...or at least, I THINK it was a Tastee Freeze? It was an ice cream place, anyway, that served from the window. They had a water cooler outside of the building, of ice cold water, & we'd stop & get a drink before continuing on the bike ride home, from Olympia Heights Elementary. (HOW did we ever cross that road without getting hit by a car?) Dr. Burley later moved in to his new modern clinic, a bit further down, on the opposite side of Bird Road. It was somewhere between The Veterinary Clinic & Burger King, I think? Dr. Circe moved in to Dr. Burley's vacated office, in the strip mall. Soon after, Dr. Denker, the dentist, moved in to a more modern facility, too, but those vacant niches didn't stay empty for long, before another tenant would move in. I know that that particular strip mall is gone, now. Not sure what year, but it was some few years after we moved back to Georgia. (1961). Behind Bird Drugs, & perpendicular to it, was Gwen's School of Dance. Do they still have that chain of dance studios down there? I used to watch the girls learning to tap dance, as they kept the door propped open, due to no A.C. Many of the girls were in my Brownie Troop, 580. I fear Dr. Burley, & the rest, are gone, now. If any are still living, they'd be octagenarians, at least! But he was the most gentle, caring, & child-friendly doctor I have ever known, in my entire life. They just don't make doctors like that anymore, the ones who really & truly entered medicine as a sort of ministry, or calling, & they really cared about their patients. Dr. Burley even made house calls, which is unheard of, today! He came to our house about 4 times, that I remember. Along with the small businesses & strip malls that have disappeared forever from our memories (save in these priceless photos in the Galleries), & our favorite places to eat, or be entertained, unfortunately, gone, too, from Hometown, U.S.A., are the friendly tradesmen, door-to-door salesmen, service station attendants & garage owners, & our wonderful, caring family doctors. I miss them, one & all, every bit as much as I miss my old neighborhood, & my former schools, & Tropicaire Drive-in. I still would like to re-visit, at some point, if for no other reason but to gorge on Florida cherries, & get a snoot full of hibiscus pollen. Meanwhile, I'll pig out on Georgia peaches, I speck! Later, y'all...Roberta

Jeff		02-Aug-2008 05:06
Friends, one of the reasons I'm seldom on here anymore [and when I am, it's just to add a topically historical comment] is that I've noticed a shift away from nostalgic Miami reminiscences to more of the line of personal chats, subjects that are less-pertinent to the theme of this site, and the occasional snipe between people because someone didn't like someone else's comments. Have we forgotten that Don Boyd pays for and hosts this blog space, and the we are his guests? Is the fact that the name "Old Miami Memories" is getting lost in the idle conversation that we [including myself] are all guilty of posting? Do we not recall how LONG the old blog was, because we added post after post after post of "nothing to do with the site"? Example: How many time I re-posted to comment on and poke fun of my poor typing skills, until Don politely asked me to refrain from doing so... Even I had to "check myself" a long time back when I sidetracked into soliciting items for my personal collection or plugging my fonts site... two things that were contraproductive and somewhat rude of me to assume I could do on here... All I'm trying to say is that I miss the postings of old Miami stuff... questions or comments about persons, places or events that shaped this community in what we refer to as "the good old days" of this town. I'm not casting stones or persecuting anyone... please understand this. I'm just kind of lost as to why we've tended to move away from the core of Don's project... assembling and posting photos and facts about the town the [evidentally] shaped all of our lives... After all, wasn't that why we gravitated to this site? I miss that.

Alan Lorith		02-Aug-2008 00:10
What ever happened to M.T. Graves and "The Dungeon." Did the warden finally let him out?

LARGO		01-Aug-2008 23:27
HEY JO-ANNE-K...A LOUD THANK YOU !!!............................."GUEST" OF JULY 31 COMMENTS.........COVER YOUR EARS OR..IDENTIFY YOURSELF...I WOULD SOOOOO LOVE TO LOUDLY TELL YOU WHERE TO PUT YOUR PETTY little COMMENTS...... ;~) ........ AS ALWAYS.. SHOUTING PROUDLY...................LARGO

charlis		01-Aug-2008 22:12
don... thanks. I saved the other link from yesterday and clicked on it today and got pics! Hopefully the rest of the gang will show up soon.

Don Boyd		01-Aug-2008 21:05
There are several new articles about Hialeah Park and the wealthy gent who wants to save it and restore it. The articles are posted in the "Save Hialeah Park" gallery athttp://www.pbase.com/image/93856187 Don

Don Boyd		01-Aug-2008 04:13
I forgot to change the URL for this comments page back to what it was from something slightly different. It should work now, I hope. This is the link I think it was: http://www.pbase.com/donboyd/memories_comments Don

charlis		31-Jul-2008 22:45
Don, thanks. Imagine my surprise to click on my "davorite" link to the comments page and see photos... it is strange that the commefts page took long to load, but the photo links loaded quickly. Keep up the great work. This is a great site... and... I will get the pics of Viscaya to you!

Don Boyd		31-Jul-2008 20:52
For comments August 1st, 2008 and later, please post them here. The comments gallery for August 2006 through July 31, 2008 was getting too large and taking a while to fully download so I have split it off to keep it from getting even larger. In the future I'll do this every six months or so to keep the gallery sizes smaller for fast downloading. Don

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