Childhood Memories of Tulsa 1960s-1970s

[Steve]

I am transferring this topic to "forum chat" from the "hot dog vendor" thread in the discussion section since we have strayed way off topic in the previous thread.  Here is the text of my last post.

""I remember Carl Olzawski very well. Carl was a year ahead of me at Hale in the class of 1974. I was class of 1975. Patti Olzawski was 2 years behind me, class of 1977. The Olzawski name goes back further with me in memory; did these kids go to the old John Paul Jones Elementary as I did? I also went to St. Pius school for 1st & 2nd grade, 1963-1965. (The name "Olzawski" makes me think they were St. Pius church members.) My family was very active in St. Pius PTA and school activities back in the early 1960s, and was one of the original "founders" of the parrish. I remember the old church services in the Moeller family barn, and the original dedication of the "new" St. Pius church around 1965. I have old snapshots taken at the dedication of the new modern St. Pius church. My dad (may he rest in peace) had a lovely singing voice and sang in the St. Pius choir in the 1960s; I made my first communion there and was confirmed there in 1971 after my father's death.

I remember some incidents at St. Pius in the mid-1960s, when my parents were co-presidents of the St. Pius PTA. They were having problems with some of the lay teachers at the school and their diciplinary tactics. (One teacher, Ms. Case really comes to mind for her habit of physically hitting kids for no obvious reason!) I remember a "secret" meeting my parents had at our house in 1965 to discuss the situation with other families. Our house was packed with people concerned about the problem. In the fall of 1965, my parents had had enough and put me in 3rd grade at John Paul Jones, and put my brother in 7th grade at Whitney Jr. High. We still went to St. Pius for church, but no longer Catholic school. I went on to Whitney Jr. High and graduated Hale in 1975. Turning 50 this year, in October! Gadzooks, I never thought I would be this old!""

Any other Tulsa old timers that grew up here in the 1960s-1970s, please share your memories here.  A snipe-free, non-judgemental topic where we can hopefully trip down memory lane in good taste!

[Steve]

Posted by AMP:
"There was a popular night club later near the Oertle's store in the buildings that were built by the commercial contractor that built both the large Oertle's building and the strip shopping center to the south. The club was called Wiskers. Anyone recall that place?"

Yes, I remember Wiskers club, or at least hearing about it.  I don't recall ever being there.  I did go to 20th Century Electric Company and Reflections Club, back in the disco heyday, as well as Tulsa's popular gay discos as the time.

My favorite Oertles parking lot business was the Razor Clam Restaurant, one of Tulsa's late-1970s gourmet cuisine, high style restaurants.  I went there for my 19th birthday celebration in 1976.  I thought that was really livin' at the time, and it was.  I think the chef there (sorry I can't remember her name) went on to open the great restaurant at the 2300 Riverside Apts./Condos.  Another great restaurant and favorite of mine at the time was in the Parker Drilling Building downtown, but for the life of me I can't recall the name.  I know it has been mention here before.  Help?    

[Porky]

quote:Originally posted by Steve


Yes, I remember Wiskers club, or at least hearing about it.  I don't recall ever being there.  I did go to 20th Century Electric Company and Reflections Club, back in the disco heyday  

I went to Whiskers twice back in those days. Didn't care for the bikers that hanged out in there.

I spent a lot of time back in them days at the 20th Century Electric Company. That was quite the place for the time.

I still have my membership card for Reflections. lol I came across it this past winter when I was cleaning out some old storage boxes. I thought it was a great club but I liked Tennessee Gin and Cotton better, now that was a club. Stan Frisby ran both of them, I've often wondered if Stan Frisby the realtor is the same person.

[TheArtist]

I was very young but I remember looking out the car window at night as my parents drove around town, and seeing all kinds of wonderful lights. Neon signs and fanciful starbursts were everywhere. Strings of lights would criss cross car lots.  The neon git-n-go boy that would "run", U-tote-em signs, rockets, of course the old Meadow Gold, I remember those huge starburst ones that would start lighting up in the middle and then the lights would grow outward making the star, then the whole thing would then flash and blink, then start over.  There were 3 dimensional stars that would rotate, streams of lights that would grow like a rocket contrail taking off then lighting up in a burst of many star bursts, etc. Of course there were also many multiple versions of the "arrow" pointing to businesses and roadside hotels. Neon strips around so many buildings and in windows, plus the glowing Sonic, Penningtons.  You would look down route 66 and the roads leading off around it and they were just chock full of glowing, blinking, lights.  

What I find interesting to consider is how that once ubiquitous effect is completely gone.  The essence of what was, the "look" of that time period is lost.  Sure you can find a remnant here and there, but unless you were there, there is no trace of what that time was like.  Unless you saw it, you just couldnt know.  Its extremely rare, actually I dont think I have ever seen a photo or something in a movie, that gives you an idea of what it was like, but yet it was so much a part of our lives, a part of that time.  But now its held only in our memories. A young person today wouldn't know, couldn't imagine, or would even guess to consider that what I am talking about even existed.  They may imagine the few old signs they see today, rusting away, as being much like their new counteparts, only here and there, and pretty much just sitting there, boring. But they would never imagine the incredible variations and number of shimmering, sparkling, magic, filling some of the busiest streets on both sides, all up an down, competing for attention. The effect was complete wonder to a little boy looking out the backseat windows of a car in the 60s.

Too bad you couldnt bring back just half a mile of that to show people what it was like.  Buildings often remain to remind people of what was, but something like that advertising which lined them, floated around them and lit them up, was far more etherial and easily lost to history.

[dbacks fan]

Sorry, copied this over now that I found it.

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by AMP

The Zuider Zee sat facing the service road, to the North East of Oertle's store about where the old Holiday Inn Holidome office is today.

There was a parking lot shared by Southwest Nursery that was just across from the street to the North of the building there that you could access the Zuider Zee fish restaurant from. Southwest Nursery owners also owned and may still own the Christmas Tree Lot at 41st and Harvard. They also owned OK Fireworks at that time.

The eye doctor that was located in the front of the Oertle's building, Dr. Wilks, was there for the longest time. I believe he outlasted almost everyone else.

Once my mom's Pontiac convertable was stolen from Oertle's parking lot, and used in an armed robbery. A man was shot and killed in that car by lawmen, story was he used the rear zipper window to shoot at the cars chashing them.

There was a popular night club later near the Oertle's store in the buildings that were built by the commercial contractor that built both the large Oertle's building and the strip shopping center to the south. The club was called Wiskers. Anyone recall that place?



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



I don't know if popular is the right word for Wiskers (or was it Whiskers?) I remember people I grew up with that were older than me going there to party, and I can remember walking through the parkinglot one night, probably in '78 when I was a sophomore at Hale and saw Gary Temple who was a TPD officer and also a security officer at Hale, sitting in an unmarked police car and thinking "Boy did I pick the wrong lot to walk through!" He saw me in the hall at school a couple of days later and asked me if I was inside the bar, I just said "I'm 15, I don't think I could get in."

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by TheArtist

I was very young but I remember looking out the car window at night as my parents drove around town, and seeing all kinds of wonderful lights. Neon signs and fanciful starbursts were everywhere. Strings of lights would criss cross car lots.  The neon git-n-go boy that would "run", U-tote-em signs, rockets, of course the old Meadow Gold, I remember those huge starburst ones that would start lighting up in the middle and then the lights would grow outward making the star, then the whole thing would then flash and blink, then start over.  There were 3 dimensional stars that would rotate, streams of lights that would grow like a rocket contrail taking off then lighting up in a burst of many star bursts, etc. Of course there were also many multiple versions of the "arrow" pointing to businesses and roadside hotels. Neon strips around so many buildings and in windows, plus the glowing Sonic, Penningtons.  You would look down route 66 and the roads leading off around it and they were just chock full of glowing, blinking, lights.  

What I find interesting to consider is how that once ubiquitous effect is completely gone.  The essence of what was, the "look" of that time period is lost.  Sure you can find a remnant here and there, but unless you were there, there is no trace of what that time was like.  Unless you saw it, you just couldnt know.  Its extremely rare, actually I dont think I have ever seen a photo or something in a movie, that gives you an idea of what it was like, but yet it was so much a part of our lives, a part of that time.  But now its held only in our memories. A young person today wouldn't know, couldn't imagine, or would even guess to consider that what I am talking about even existed.  They may imagine the few old signs they see today, rusting away, as being much like their new counteparts, only here and there, and pretty much just sitting there, boring. But they would never imagine the incredible variations and number of shimmering, sparkling, magic, filling some of the busiest streets on both sides, all up an down, competing for attention. The effect was complete wonder to a little boy looking out the backseat windows of a car in the 60s.

Too bad you couldnt bring back just half a mile of that to show people what it was like.  

I couldn't have said it better myself, Artist.  The old neon signs of Tulsa were indeed beautiful, works of art.  Unfortunately we don't seem to appreciate things like that until they are gone.

I remember all the wonderful neon on 11th street, the motor courts and motels.  The Will Rogers Motel really sticks in my mind with the neon sign of the bucking horse cowboy in animation.  The Mayo Meadow shopping center at 21st & Yale had great neon signs, all across the entire facade.  Even the Shopper's Fair center at 21st & Sheridan had some great neon signs in the '60s, the Happy House Gift Shop sign comes to mind.  Shaw's Drive In, Boots Drive In all had great neon signage.  The Git-N-Go running boy, U-Totem, I remember them all.  That was when stores showed real imagination and the almighty $ was not necessarily the primary concern.  I am glad I am old enough to remember these.

[AMP]

The Oertle's Store sign on East 11th Street had the Neon Moving sign of the man hammering down high prices on top of the Oertle's part.  He actually was left there when Ernest Wiemann Iron works occupied the building prior to the store.  Watt Henry owned the building.

http://www.wiemanniron.com/history.htm

Here are a few of the older Neons.  Not as actractive and fanciful as they appeared on a warm summer night.  

http://www.flickr.com/photos/losttulsa/sets/72057594051660802/

http://www.bygonebyways.com/oklahoma_66.htm











http://www.losttulsa.com/uploaded_images/BeeLineBowl.jpg

[AMP]

You can see the address of the Wiemann Iron Works on the side of one of his trucks in this photo.  Address is the same location as the 11th Street Oertle's store.  At one time both businesses shared the building, with Oertle's on one side and Wiemann on the opposite side.  Later Oertle's took over the entire building.  Wiemann located east of there on 11th street where they are today.

[MichaelBates]

Wasn't 2035 E. 11th (11th & Xanthus) later the home of Looboyle's?

[AMP]

Speaking of Nathan Hale High School and Tulsa schools, my cousins attended Hale, Terry and Tony Turochione or Turk for short.  Both played on the football team.

Anyone remember the Social Clubs of the School days back then.  

Our rock band played for many a keg party in those days.   Toppers, Knights, Theta, Rajah Broncs ....

[AMP]

Oertle's sat facing 11th and on the East side was the parking lot, near the railroad tracks was the Oertle's accounting offices, and east of that was Partners Grill.  Partners was in a building that reminded me of a rail car diner.

Looboyle's sat on the North side of Oertle's behind it on the side street.  Both buildings are still there and an old Looboyle's sign still exists on the back side of the Looboyle's building.

We were not allowed to go to the Looboyle's building, and I really never knew where it was until about 10 years ago when I was driving by there and spotted that sign.  

Consumers Oil Gas Station was directly to the West of Oertle's on 11th street.  They sold oil there in Glass Bottles when I was young.

http://www.antiquemystique.com/pages/8223_jpg.htm

[dbacks fan]

Nathan Hale Class of 1981 Prank

[AMP]

Gus Hudson sold motor oil at his stations in glass bottles also.  

My dad would search out suppliers of motor oil, purchase it in bulk quantity and sell it below his cost as a loss leader as a form of an advertising promotion.  We always had the lowest price on 1 2 and 3 quard motor oil anywhere.  His suppliers would use a box knife and cut off the shipping ID markings on the cartons so other small gas station owners would not find where he was buying it and be angry with them for selling it so low priced.

This Hudson Bottle shows a retail price of 15 cents per quart. Hudson gas stations were also known as Hornet Gas Stations in the Tulsa area.  

http://www.antiquemystique.com/pages/4829_jpg.htm

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by AMP

Speaking of Nathan Hale High School and Tulsa schools,

Anyone remember the Social Clubs of the School days back then.  

The social clubs I remember from my day (Nathan Hale Class of 1975) were centered around sports or academic interests.  There was Reginae Aquae for girl swimmers, band and orchestra clubs, vocal clubs such as the Choralettes, A Capella, and Concert Choir, Fellowship of Christian Atheletes, Key Club, Demoiselles, Chess Club, Math Club (Mu Alpha Theta), Future Homemakers of America, Future Secretaries of America, Future Business Leaders of America, Distributive Education Club (DECA), and various foreign language clubs.

No offence dbacks fan or any Nathan Hale '81 people, but if my class had pulled a stunt like that (the trash & signs picture), our parents would have "beat the crap out of us," after we were made to clean up the mess and make a formal apology to the school administration.

[AMP]

First Color TV set in our home..
 

First Window Airconditioner

I recall both as the TV Repair man lived directly across the street from us at 3240 South Jamestown when I was growing up.  

Color TV came delivered and the men had to put an antenna on up in the attic. Wow that was a big job then.  During dinner the TV man came over and had a mirror on an stand and he messed with a lot of dials on the back of the TV while watching the screen reflect in his mirror.  I could see him from my chair at the dining room table.  

NBC had color programs, Disney and Ponderosa are two I remember watching.

Airconditioner came around the same time.  My dad and a helper were moving the AC upstairs using a rope and pully thing. My dad said it was a one ton unit.  Wow, he must be strong one of my friends proclaimed as the two hoisted the big metal device up to the second story window.

They had a giant plug for the Window AD that an electrician had installed, he told us as he was using a screwdriver inside the electrical box in the garage that it was 220 volts and to never be afraid of electricity, but to respect it at all times.  

The AC worked much better than the Water Coolers, and we got to sleep inside more during the summer.  Before we slept outdoors with pallets in the yard or on the breezway.  No one needed an alarm system or ever locked their doors.  I don't remember seeing doorbells until around the mid 1960s in Tulsa.  All your neighbor friends just walked in through the breezeway or in the front or back door.

Only one that knocked was the Fuller Brush Salesman. LOL