FUR---SURE,,,,,,,,LIKE... TOE-TALLY! ..LIKE YEA!
- Visited the Old Trappers Museum
- Cruised Bob's in Toluca Lake, Van Nuys, Canoga Park, Glendale or San Fernando or cruised Van Nuys or Hollywood Boulevards
- Had a beer at the Cactus, the Web or the Ramp.
- Ate burgers at Times, Crazy's, Bob's, the Sirloin Burger, the Dip, A&W Root Beer in Reseda, Oscar's or Winchells
- Drag raced on Sheldon, Clybourn, Wentworth, Corbin, Mason, Canoga Ave or the River Road
- Swam at Sun Valley Park, Pops Willow Lake, Fernangeles Park, Pickwick, Crystal Plunge, Reseda Park or Mc Cambridge Park
- Went to the Victory, San Val, Sepulveda, Laurel, Van Nuys, Reseda, Canoga or Pickwick Drive-In in the trunk of a car
- Bought Christmas presents at Akron, White Front, Fedco, Zody's, Gemco, Sav-On or Unimart
- Ate pizza at Mikes on Van Nuys Boulevard
- Bought your Levis and Sir Guys at Sun Valley Men and Boys or Peoples Store in San Fernando or the War Surplus in Van Nuys ($3.25 a pair)
- Went water skiing boating on Hansen Dam when they allowed power boats
- Thought the only Valley was the San Fernando Valley
- Had a 45 record player in your car.
- Did not have to speak Spanish to read the billboards and menus.
- Ate a hot dog at Hugo's or Cupids
- Thought the only Canyon was La Tuna Canyon
- Ever bought gas at the Seaside on Sunland and Penrose or the Flying A on Sunland and San Fernando.
- Heard the Air Raid sirens at 10:00AM on the last Friday of the month.
- Saw a boxing match or roller derby at the Valley Gardens
- Bought milk at the Altadena Dairy, Manfull Dairy or the Roger Jessup Dairy when they had cows at the dairy.
- Bought stuff at Whalen's Drug on Vineland and San Fernando
- Roller Skated at Melody Land, Rainbow Roller Rink or the Rollercade on Lankershim and Hart.
- Pitted at the San Fernando Drags
- Ice Skated at Schramms
- Remember when the Seaside changed into a tire shop with a gorilla out front.
- Saw the L.A. Rams play in the LA Memorial Coliseum under coach Sid Gillman
- Owned a club plaque and jacket that said: Deacons, Pagans, Townsmen, Apollos, Khans, Lazy Gents, Road Runners, Throttlers, Chancellors, Street Racers, Igniters, Poor Boys, Lobos, Lost Angels, Night Owls, Drifters, Innocents, Lynchmen, Nomads, Uhlans, Majestics, Diablos, Sultans, Strokers, Titans, Turks, Saints, Night Walkers, Road Huggers, Road Dusters, Rebels, Sidewinders, Midnighters, Prowlers, Road Kings or Jokers.
- Remember when the mid-air crash rained flaming debris on the boy's athletic field of Pacoima Junior High.
- Ate Chinese Food at Phil Ahn's Moongate
- Watched the Los Angeles Angels play baseball at Wrigley Field or the Hollywood Stars play at Gilmore Field.
- Remember when the "partial" nuclear meltdown in experimental reactor in Chatsworth in 1959 affected everyone west of Coldwater Canyon.
- Had a 76x-xxxx (ROscoe x-xxx) or 24x-xxx Chase x-xxx telephone number
- Ever had to ask Louis Forsch to help you find anything at Roscoe Hardware.
- Were around when Roscoe became Sun Valley
- Had a relative or friend who worked at Lockheed when it was in Burbank.
- Went to Blackies or Cooper and Suds looking for auto parts.
- Bought Auto Parts at Rounds or The Chrome House
- Bought speed parts at Hot Rod Henry's on Lankershim
- Attended Glenwood, Fernangeles, Canterbury, Roscoe, Stonehurst or Vinedale Elementary Schools
- Were in an "A" or "B" Grade at Sun Valley or Byrd Junior High…before they became Middle Schools"
- Bought doughnuts off the Helm's truck
- Experienced fine dining at Ever dined at Van De Kamps, Leon's, the Red Barn, Hodys, Sargents, Rusty's, Otto's Pink Pig, the Pink Café, the Long Green Café, Chris and Pitts, Tail o' the Cock, the Sherman Room, the Red Lantern, the White Horse Inn or the Smoke House.
- Got your news from the Valley Times, the Pink Sheet or the Valley Green Sheet.
- Bought crap at the Twin Cannon Trading Post or Palleys
- Bought primer or Bondo at Standard Brands
- Had hubcaps called Lancers, Spinners or Moons. Got your car lowered at Smokey Cohea's Muffler Shop.
- Looked at but never bought a rhinestone shirt at Nudies on Lankershim
- Took a date to the Cornell, Magnolia, Burbank, Loma, La Reina, Panorama, Lankershim, or the El Portal.
- Rode your bike or hitchhiked everywhere before mothers became the mode of transportation for kids.
- Went to the San Fernando Valley Fair at Devonshire Downs.
- Used clothes pins and playing cards to make your ride cool.
- Knew where Basillone Homes, Orcas, Roger Young Village were…but never went there.
- Went to the "new" Mall, the Valley Plaza on Laurel Canyon
- Remember the gravel pit on Vineland that became Gemco and then became a pit again when it sunk.
- Watched the submarine races at Stough Park, Hansen Dam, the top of the Canyon, Glen Haven Cemetery,
- Bowled at the Mar Lindo, Matador, Starlight, Ronell or Sun Valley bowling alleys
- Were ever in the Palomino Club
- Raced on the GoldenState or 210 freeways before they were opened.
- Waited for the train on Vineland, Hollywood Way or Tuxford
- Went to see Santa and his Reindeer in Panorama City
- Saw C/S (Con Safos Por Vida) in every Men's room in the Valley and wondered what it meant.
- Took trash to the Tuxford or Branford dump
- Remember when gangster Mickey Cohen witnessed somebody putting a bullet between the eyes of Jack (the Enforcer) Whalen on Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks
- Knew that Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini was the first American canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. She was declared the saint of immigrants in 1946. (Maybe that explains the current demographic condition of the Valley.)
- Heard stories, or had relatives involved in the Prohibition raids which shut down vineyards and stills in the Sun Valley area. In 1927 alone, police in the Valley raided twenty makeshift distilleries, arrested 157 bootleggers (probably some of your relatives) and seized 50,000 gallons of illegal hooch.
posted by D'JOY at 8:41 PM
17 Comments:
B-DAY PARTY AT THE VAN NUYS CHOO CHOO
PICKED A PUMPKIN FROM THE FIELD PRE- CARNATION ON LANARK ST PANORAMA CITY,WENT ON A DATE TO JUMP ON TRAMPOLINES,SAW ANNETTE FROM MICKEY MOUSE CLUB AT THE BROADWAY DPT STORE, DRANK FREE HOT CHOCOLATE & SODA AT BUILDERS EMPORIUM,STUCK YOUR HANDS IN THE "X-RAY" MACHINE AT BUTLER BROTHERS SHOE DEPT,& ROAD ON THE ESCALATOR WITH ROLLER SKATES ON, CAUGHT A $20. PING PONG BALL DROPPED FROM A HELICOPTER ,CLIMBED PEPPER TREES,PICKED WILD ASPARAGUS,PICKED POMEGRANATES ON THE WAY HOME FROM SCHOOL, THE VAN NUYS WASH WAS SANDY,THERE WAS A PAINTING OF A COWBOY ON A HORSE ON THE VAN NUYS DRIVE IN,LISTENING TO DEMOS IN THE BOOTHS AT THE HOUSE OF SIGHT & SOUND ON VICTORY BLVD. OFF VAN NUYS, SKATED BY BOB CORRELL'S HOUSE
OOOPS! THAT'S ANOTHER STORY.DANCED AT "SOCIAL ARTS" AFTER SCHOOL UPPER DIVISION OR LOWER DIVISION, "DOLL OF THE MONTH" AT ROBERT FULTON JR HI,COULDN'T WARE PATTEN LEATHER SHOES O SCHOOL(CUZ THE BOYS COULD SEE UNDER YOUR SKIRT IN THE REFLECTION.. .OMG! HOW I COULD GO NO & ON
to play baseball every day on old man Manfull's front lawn (of Manfull dairy ) and know his granddaughters; actually witness the 2 planes fly into each other in the 1957 Pacoima air crash while in the 3rd grade at St. Genevieve; the Ford Cobra parked out back of Mike's Pizza; the Panorama Library and Panorama Bowl; Thrifty's, The Broadway and Wentworth food service; and what was the name of the burger place with palms on Roscoe Blvd. s/s just west of Woodman that had the alligators outside?
Potter, It called yummy burgers.
*Had cow living next door in yard on Parthenia St. circa 1958
*Went to Lazy J Ranch summer camp 1962; horseback riding, shot 22 & saw Little Stevie Wonder on TV
*My friends's dad had office high in Panorama Towers
*Went to 1st KPFK Reneissance Fair in Studio City 1962
*Bought my records at Records Ltd. (still have them!)
*Bought 'The Notorious Byrd Brothers' album at White Front (still in A condition)
*Held & petted leftover chickens from abandond farm on Van Nuys Blvd. & Valerio 1959
*Went lizard hunting at Roscoe Blvd. before 170 freeway constructed
*Rode bike to see 1961 Chevy's in back of GM plant before they came out
*Took Shlitz Brewery tour Woodman Ave.
*Rode my bike all around the Valley; iced tea at Bagdad Oasis on Sepulveda N. of Roscoe
*Hody's cafateria Roscoe & Van Nuys Blvd.
*Went horseback riding at Reseda Blvd. with Camp Playtime 1961
*Remember seeing car with 'The Knickerbockers' on Cahuenga Pass 1966
*My 1st rock concert 1967 at Valley Music Theatre - The Yellow Balloon, International Submarine Band, Iron Butterfly,
Arther Lee & Love
*Steppenwolf played at my school (Poly High) , I didn't go
*Bought my model cars at Tandem
*Valley Cyclery
*I remember that those alligators
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Hii,,,,
Nice blog Please have a look.
Watch Repair Shop Sherman Oaks
• Earl Sheib, paint any car any color for twenty-nine ninety-five.
• The days before the San Diego Freeway.
• Saw a movie at the Americana Theatre.
• Bought toys at Ralphs 5-10-25 store.
• Bought 4 and 8-track tapes at “Mad Man” Muntz Stereo on Roscoe Boulevard.
• Ate at the Sizzler on Sepulveda Boulevard in Mission Hills when there was saw dust o the floors.
• Ate burgers at Scotts on Van Nuys Boulevard.
• Bought lumber from Chandler Lumber, which was across the street from the Chevy plant.
• Had hash browns for breakfast and a burger for lunch at Biffs I Van Nuys.
• Ate a hot dog at Flooky’s Hot Dogs on Ventura Boulevard.
• Sat Santa Clause’s lap for a photo and saw the reindeer on Van Nuys Boulevard I Panorama City.
• Bought a Christmas tree at Green Arrow on Sepulveda Boulevard.
• Swan at Rita Curtis Swim School.
• Drank free beer at Bush Gardens.
• Going to the Big A for a sale.
• Bought concert tickets at The House of Sight and Sound in Nan Nuys (cant remember the ticket company – I don’t think it was Ticketron).
• The days before the railroad track underpasses on Sepulveda Boulevard and Woodman Avenue.
• Smelled the Helms Bakery on Roscoe Boulevard.
• Heard the whistle of the Helms Truck and bought doughnuts and cream puffs from one of the long wooden drawers.
• Remember the Garbage Trucks and the garbage pails.
• Remember incinerators.
• Remember when CSUN was Valley College.
• Remember Mayor Yorty.
• Remember when there were railroad tracks in the center median of Sepulveda Blvd.
• Going to the Star of Bethlehem Christmas Parade on Van Nuys Boulevard.
• Know what a “Trough” or a “Zoo” is at Farrell’s.
• Ate at Otto’s Pink Pig and El Gatos.
Robert B.
This is Great~ i was feeling a bit Nostalgic ~ Received ...Comment up-date, in my e-mail ( had not even checked My Blog for some time) Reading~ i wondered~ if i Knew some of You Back then~ Thanks for Sharing~
We were discussing old places in the Valley and I came across this Blog. I played Little League at Manful Dairy after they were moved from behind the Vons on Woodman and Osborne. I also ate at Yummys with the alligators in the little cage out front. As a matter of fact I went to a circus on the lot before they built Dales, where Seafood City is now and played on tractors while they were building Kaiser. I caught a large alligator lizard at Figure 8, the settling grounds near Poly before the freeway went in. I raced slot cars at the place on Woodman near Osborne and went to the kiddy land across the street.I also cruised Van Nuys Blvd on Wednesday nights and remember the electric buses. Thanks for the memories.
I also delivered the Green Sheet on my bicycle when it was only Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sundays and you didn't have to pay for it.
Regarding that slot car place on Woodman near Osborne: Big Daddy Ed Roth made a personal appearance there. I was there when he drove up in the George Barris' Munster Coach. I remember it had a small Sony TV for the rear seats.
Also, I
* bought the Door's 1st album at Montgomery Ward (still have it)
* Listened to KVFM Panorama Towers
and went there (my friend's dad had an office in Panorama Towers).
* My mom bought me shirts from Danita's Ties.
* Bought some records from May's Music Mart.
Was in the Lynchmen "4 Corners" in the 60's wish I could locate some to people from back in the day!
Are you Eddie Welch?
I wrote a book covering growing up in Sun Valley. I did change some names: Excerpts Get Your Soul Back: Spanky was a member of the Lynchmen gang, who were known for being crazy, and regarded by many as the toughest car gang in the Valley. They earned their reputation by fighting a prolonged war with a vicious gang based in San Fernando called the Undertakers. They were an older gang, who were feared throughout the Valley. As a rule the Undertakers were physically bigger than the Lynchmen. Many of them resembled the Hells Angels in size and appearance. The Lynchmen fought the Undertakers at a hot dog stand in San Fernando, which was one of the Undertaker hangouts. It was an all-out brawl with fists and weapons, and was the last of a series of battles that spanned a couple of years. In the aftermath of the fight, it became apparent that the Lynchmen had worn out the Undertakers, who requested a meeting in order to make peace. As the leaders of the two gangs met, one of the Undertakers summed up the character of the upstart Lynchmen gang with these words, “The difference between us big guys and you little guys is that you guys are crazier.” After that war, the Lynchmen felt invincible. They took on any gang who got in their way. Their membership and associations were primarily made up of troubled youth from Sun Valley and North Hollywood. With few exceptions, the Lynchmen club became like a magnet drawing anyone with a dysfunctional domestic background to become part of their gang. They were composed of numerous cliques: an older set of Sun Valley/North Hollywood guys founded the gang; some of the older Branford Park Boys were received into the gang; a number of tough guys who hung out at Sun Valley Park became Lynchmen; a Sun Valley club called the Townsmen merged into the Lynchmen; and a Mexican clique called the Little Gents either became Lynchmen, or associated and fought on their side in gang fights. Unofficially, the Lynchmen had a hierarchy of toughness: on the lower end were guys who, when pressed, were crazy, but outsiders weren’t intimidated by them, except that they belonged to the Lynchmen.
At the top were guys who became almost legendary for their fighting prowess and craziness. There was a guy named Sammy Martinez, possibly the most notorious of them all, who was around 5’10’’ and weighed about 240 pounds. Even his fellow Lynchmen were uncomfortable partying with him. They were always concerned that at any moment he might go off on them, especially when a glue rag was hanging out of his mouth. One night at Fernangeles Park, six police officers arrested Sammy. As the officers attempted to handcuff him, Sammy flexed his wrists, making them too big for the cuffs to lock. After further attempts by the officers, they decided to force Sammy to comply. As they pulled out their nightsticks, Sammy started swinging, and when he was done, six cops were lying on the ground, and Sammy ran off into the night. Then there were the Schneider brothers, Charlie and Sam, who were different from their fellow members, in that they abstained from drugs. Charlie and Sam did love to drink and fight though. Sam was the shorter of the two, standing not more than 5’9”, but had at least 18” arms, and was very stocky. The Schneider brothers were definitely considered a big part of the muscle of the Lynchmen. From time to time, there were internal speculations about who was the toughest Lynchman, with Sammy Martinez and the Schneider brothers always in the discussion. One night Sam Schneider and Sammy Martinez got into a fight, basically just to find out who was tougher. The fight lasted forty-five minutes, and those who saw it, still talk about it to this day, as the toughest street fight they’d ever witnessed. It ended in a draw. There was another guy, built similarly to Sam Schneider, named Pat Macdougal, who was also in the same top tier of toughness. In fact Pat was the president of the Lynchmen at the young age of eighteen. There were others, but these guys were at the very top.
Unfortunately, the saying, “He who lives by the sword will die by the sword,” proved to be true for Sammy Martinez and Pat Macdougal. Sammy eventually ended up in San Quentin, where he became their heavyweight champion boxer, and also a member of a notorious prison gang. After Sammy was released, he ran amok, ripping off friends and foes in drug deals, and pummeling anyone who got in his way. The word on the street was that there was a contract on him from his prison gang, but before they could get to him, some old acquaintances killed him for ripping them off. Meanwhile, Pat Macdougal, in a highly publicized case, was shot and killed, when a man struggled to take Pat’s gun away from him, and the gun went off. Spanky was practically living at our house, and his Lynchmen friends soon followed. My cousin Elaine, who was living with us, became romantically involved with Spanky’s best friend, and fellow Lynchman, Barry. Mary’s two best friends, who spent all their spare time at our house, also had Lynchmen boyfriends. These relationships turned our house into a regular hangout for many Lynchmen.
Me( Blogg Owner) Wow! This is All Amazing~ I Was a
"Earth Pearson-Flower Child" from Early on~ ( all the Gang stuff i know not of)i Got married @15 Bob"Crazy" Correll Who,latter Reached His Dream~~~ Going Really Fast& Famous ~~~i Bought a Guitar apx 1963-4 started Singing & Playing @ The Pup Hut,Shakeys pizza~~~Then ...Playing Coffee houses~ working @ "House of Sight & Sound"( Van Nuys & Victory blud. Opened a Coffee house on Lankershime blvd. So Many Diverse people came out of the Valley~During a Time of Much Change ~ i Sure do Love the Life i Enjoy~~~Today!*** "Were all story's in the end,Just... make it a Good one"*** ~~Doctor WHO
HOPE OF SPARKLING FOUNTAINS ...WHAT IS THAT SOUND?............. D'Joy
Monday, February 11, 2013
OLD VALLEY~ WOW! FUN!!
Every Now & Then STILL Getting Comments from My Post~(Scroll down)
Seems Like another World~~~ here are some more from my life... i Worked at The PUP HUT Van Nuys blvd (near the Un employment office ... i would Play Guitar & Sing Out side (While not making hot dogs)about1963 ~( the owners financed a Coffee House for me"The Orpheus" on Lankershim blvd about 1965/6 .Worked @"The House of Sight & Sound" about 1964/5( My specialty was the"Folk Music".was working there when members of the "Grass Roots" Came in... Green Hair and All COOL! i Remember when people came out from the listening booths Really Mad... Because The Beatles went Acoustic ~Or Dylan Went Electric. Swimming @ Pops willow Lake Or Hanson Damn ~ Climbed Pepper Trees Near my House on Lanark~ Latter was the Bus Yard) My Very First PIZZA @ "Meat Ball Manor"~i would walk to Nobel Ave Elementary school Lanark~ Brimfield ...Cross Rosco Blvd Over The WOODEN Bridge Horse Riding in the Wash...No Concrete then. Builders Emporium Free Hot Coco & Pop. We Bought Meat at The Tumbleweed Market ...Sawdust on the flour~ Does Anyone Remember a Candy Store in panorama city early & mid 50s ? (i cant remember Where it was ... They sold Lots of "Penny Candy" .we Built a Tree House in the Field ...By the tracks (Latter Lots of Apartments) My Early Years... it was Wide Open Spaces~ My Friend Paddi & i would walk To the San Fernando Mission ...Just to Smell The Orange Blossoms Awe!
*PS-i am RE-POSTING~ HERE With the Other Comments ;)
posted by D'JOY at 11:32 PM
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