Steve seems to be in a nostalgia mood recently.

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/5433527&headline=OKC%27S%20PAST%20FUTURE

Yesterday we drove around in the fairgrounds. The remaining section of the monorail is gone; Bing Maps still shows it in case anyone wants to know where it was (just west of the tower and between Made in Oklahoma and the old Opubco building). Anyone know where it went? [Yes, I'm too lazy to carefully re-read the article.]

Yesterday we drove around in the fairgrounds. The remaining section of the monorail is gone; Bing Maps still shows it in case anyone wants to know where it was (just west of the tower and between Made in Oklahoma and the old Opubco building). Anyone know where it went? [Yes, I'm too lazy to carefully re-read the article.]


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6Ro3iwWWYo

Yesterday we drove around in the fairgrounds. The remaining section of the monorail is gone; Bing Maps still shows it in case anyone wants to know where it was (just west of the tower and between Made in Oklahoma and the old Opubco building). Anyone know where it went? [Yes, I'm too lazy to carefully re-read the article.]

Steve seems to think that last section is still there. The only thing he mentions in the article about the fairgrounds is in this first paragraph:


Several years have passed since the monorail that once took visitors for a ride around State Fair Park was dismantled for good, with just a single track and car left up as a reminder of a system that was once promoted as the answer to the country’s transportation logjam.

Steve seems to think that last section is still there. The only thing he mentions in the article about the fairgrounds is in this first paragraph:

Steve is correct according to Google maps That is located on the NW side of the Arrows to Atoms tower.



http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/nostalgia-memories/11077d1436934935-previous-okc-monorail-plans-monorail.jpg

Steve is correct according to Google maps That is located on the NW side of the Arrows to Atoms tower.

Guess we'll have to go see for ourselves, since Tritone just posted:


Yesterday we drove around in the fairgrounds. The remaining section of the monorail is gone;

I know the section. Been there, have taken photos of it. Do also wonder what happened to it if they took it down like he says.

http://www.insidethemagic.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/monorailcolorWATER-410x600.jpg

Last time I was there that last section was up. Sucks if it was removed. I mean why? It was an interesting static display....

It's gone! Seeing is believing. Now I know I'm an old-fashioned guy, not believing that new is always better. Misguided as I am I don't believe that we need to mimic the cutting edge modern look like every other city. The grandstand is gone. The monorail is gone. The B-52, B-47, C-47, Blue Goose, all gone. The lights from the New York Worlds Fair are gone. The ballpark is gone. All gone. Mark my words, the space tower, or needle, or whatever the official name is, will be gone. After all, ridership has dropped off the last few years. (Yes, I know it hasn't operated; I'm being obnoxious.) I'm just a hick, rube, unenlightened hayseed that misses what the fairgrounds used to be. Even the midway is changed. Where are the ride operators with the slicked back hair and the cigs rolled up in the t-shirt sleeve? There, I feel better now. Thanks for listening (reading?).

You use to be able to always count on it raining during the fair and the monorail breaking down and the riders having to be rescrued.

They should have sent that last monorail segment to the railway museum also. I know not exactly a perfect fit, but better than throwing it out. Maybe we need... gasp... another museum... the OKC Transit Museum...

I haven't been to the fair in ages and I know next time I go I'll feel great remorse for all the things that have been removed.

And now with the construction of the new Expo Building, the midway will be in a new location as well.

About the only thing that remains is the arena (which holds a lot of nostalgia for me) and a few of the buildings, which probably aren't going anywhere.

it looks and feels nothing like it use to.. for me.. which means I am just getting old.
there use to be several iconic things about the fair and they just disappear one after another. I don't live far from the fairgrounds in crestwood and driving by on a regular day just doesn't look the way it did. but anywho

Urban Pioneer just took this... The last vestiges of the monorail are definitely a goner:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/fair071515.jpg

One of my guys here at the studio was intrigued by the discussion and called the Oklahoma State Fair after our visit to the site today. The VP of Marketing and Promotions called him back and stated that the remaining monorail car was damaged during the May storm. They considered it a safety concern as several tree limbs apparently fell and compromised it. A demolition company was hired and the train, rail, and suspension columns were scrapped.

Other notes- The other three trains were auctioned off to a dentist, a grandpa for his grand kids, and Grant Humphreys. I actually remember seeing a pic of one of the cars in the old downtown air park hanger.

Interesting about Humphreys. Hope it's preserved for posterity.

You use to be able to always count on it raining during the fair and the monorail breaking down and the riders having to be rescrued.

Bullbear,
Not to be crude, but did you mean "Rescrewed", or "Rescued"?
C. T.
p.s. Sent with a smile!

Very sad. I grew up near there and spent a lot of time even when the fair was not going on. No baseball anymore, no stock car noise on weekens summer nights, no monorails, no grandstand, no military planes, no planetarium, no Arrows to Atoms ride. Now its just a bunch of buildi gs and parking lots. It might as well be a warehouse district. It just doesn't seem to have a "fun" feel to it anymore.

I'd forgotten about the planetarium. At fair time I could see the searchlights sweeping the night sky from my folks' house. We went see them and of course they were the old-school left overs from WW II. I remarked that I wish I had one of those. Pop answered that I couldn't afford to run one. All gone. All gone.

Take lots if photos of the gateway arch and arrows to atoms. They are one hailstone dent away from being "damaged in a storm".

Take lots if photos of the gateway arch and arrows to atoms. They are one hailstone dent away from being "damaged in a storm".

I was thinking the same thing. I don't remember seeing anything in the news about the dismantling or "storm damage." Not that it couldn't have happened, but how convenient for those who want all vestiges of the "old fair" erased from the landscape.

Oklahoma City's Fair Park Transformation


Goodbye to the fair park we once knew...

The OKC Fairgrounds is being transformed into a mass conglomerate configuration of exhibit halls, barns & equine facilities to accommodate livestock, equestrian and rodeo events.

https://sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=JN.P8QTWoFejAnfRLy8KwQEzg&pid=15.1&P=0https://sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=JN.C5ynkxN3ebqsRLosYoq%2b9w&pid=15.1&P=0https://sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=JN.oGr2h60nX%2fqwDx%2bKihQjlw&pid=15.1&P=0 http://www.barrel-horses.com/takeoff.jpg

http://i.vimeocdn.com/video/365927407_640.jpg

Home to more equine events than any other city in the world, Oklahoma City is the venue of choice for more than a dozen top national and world championship horse shows, attracting riders from across the nation - and world - each year.

Equine organizations around the world are noticing the state-of-the-art, 21st century complex at State Fair Park. The complex will feature nine barns, VIP RV parking, exercise areas and a conference and meetings facility.

Greater Oklahoma City Chamber - Horse Show Capital (http://www.okcchamber.com/index.php?src=gendocs&ref=HorseShowCapital&category=OklahomaCity&submenu=HorseShowCapital)

Damaged in the storm...how convenient, indeed. That's what I thought when I read that the monorail was "damaged in the storm."

Damaged in the storm...how convenient, indeed. That's what I thought when I read that the monorail was "damaged in the storm."

What a shame. Just sad to see everything go in the name of progress.

Part of it turns up:

https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/bfs/5188172090.html

Sad what the greedy hicks have done to the people's fairgrounds. It used to be a magical place. Avert my gaze when passing by now.

btw, I remember ta the time of the sad deed, the razing of the historic SFS Cornett made a solemn pledge to fill the motorsports void quickly. haven't heard anything since. More smarmy bunk from Mick.

The CL ad begs the question: Whose number is 5##-1### and who let him in on the secret sale, auction, abandonment, or falling off the truck?

The auction of the monorail was very public, covered in newspaper and on television - both before and after the event - maybe 10 years ago. Agree or disagree with its removal; that's fair. But there was certainly no deception or subterfuge involved in its sale.

Actually, I would hazard a guess that this particular unit is not from the auction but from the recent demolition after the tree limbs landed on the remaining train.

Just a guess, I bet this is via whoever the wrecking company is that won the bid to dismantle the last train, support pylons, and girder.

Sad what the greedy hicks have done to the people's fairgrounds. It used to be a magical place. Avert my gaze when passing by now.

the fairgrounds a magical place? why don't you open up to the new magical places of OKC (the river, arena, etc)

the fairgrounds a magical place? why don't you open up to the new magical places of OKC (the river, arena, etc)

Brad, Were you around OKC in the '60s and '70s? The fairgrounds truly was a ~~ magical ~~ place. The fairgrounds was not only the home for the State Fair that was megatimes the size of the current fair, but there was also All-Sports Stadium (the old 89ers ballpark), the State Fair Speedway, the Kirkpatrick Planetarium was inside the Science and Arts Foundation building which also housed the science museum and many traveling shows, fine arts shows, and more. The State Fair Space Needle/Tower was in full operation taking passengers up and down as it spun slowly (great views!). The monorail wound its way around the fairgrounds. The State Fair Arena was the city's main arena until the Myriad opened. The arena had Blazers hockey, the All-College basketball tournament (oldest continuous major NCAA hoops tourney), circuses, ice shows. It was quite the entertainment spot, all in nicely landscaped grounds with fountains, lots of well-kept flower gardens. If you never knew it then, I can understand your skepticism. But it really was all that and more. Anybody here during that time remember the fairgrounds with a fondness that's hard to put into words. It was, well... magical.

Actually, I would hazard a guess that this particular unit is not from the auction but from the recent demolition after the tree limbs landed on the remaining train.

Just a guess, I bet this is via whoever the wrecking company is that won the bid to dismantle the last train, support pylons, and girder.

That's my guess too.

Brad, Were you around OKC in the '60s and '70s? The fairgrounds truly was a ~~ magical ~~ place. The fairgrounds was not only the home for the State Fair that was megatimes the size of the current fair, but there was also All-Sports Stadium (the old 89ers ballpark), the State Fair Speedway, the Kirkpatrick Planetarium was inside the Science and Arts Foundation building which also housed the science museum and many traveling shows, fine arts shows, and more. The State Fair Space Needle/Tower was in full operation taking passengers up and down as it spun slowly (great views!). The monorail wound its way around the fairgrounds. The State Fair Arena was the city's main arena until the Myriad opened. The arena had Blazers hockey, the All-College basketball tournament (oldest continuous major NCAA hoops tourney), circuses, ice shows. It was quite the entertainment spot, all in nicely landscaped grounds with fountains, lots of well-kept flower gardens. If you never knew it then, I can understand your skepticism. But it really was all that and more. Anybody here during that time remember the fairgrounds with a fondness that's hard to put into words. It was, well... magical.

I never knew that fairgrounds.

Brad, Were you around OKC in the '60s and '70s? The fairgrounds truly was a ~~ magical ~~ place. The fairgrounds was not only the home for the State Fair that was megatimes the size of the current fair, but there was also All-Sports Stadium (the old 89ers ballpark), the State Fair Speedway, the Kirkpatrick Planetarium was inside the Science and Arts Foundation building which also housed the science museum and many traveling shows, fine arts shows, and more. The State Fair Space Needle/Tower was in full operation taking passengers up and down as it spun slowly (great views!). The monorail wound its way around the fairgrounds. The State Fair Arena was the city's main arena until the Myriad opened. The arena had Blazers hockey, the All-College basketball tournament (oldest continuous major NCAA hoops tourney), circuses, ice shows. It was quite the entertainment spot, all in nicely landscaped grounds with fountains, lots of well-kept flower gardens. If you never knew it then, I can understand your skepticism. But it really was all that and more. Anybody here during that time remember the fairgrounds with a fondness that's hard to put into words. It was, well... magical.

I remember these fairgrounds fondly. it is surely nothing like that today and hasn't been in a very long time :(

I doubt that anyone younger than 60 can possibly remember that place! And Zookeeper didn't mention the wonderful exhibits in the Transportation Building, or the airplanes mounted on pylons (including the first Aero Commander), or the first auto off the GM assembly line in OKC...

Fort Cottonwood...

The original Frontier City...

The NHRA drag strip where national competition occurred...

Yes, we've lost a lot.

I don't remember the drag strip but I do remember the rest.

The first pro sport event I attended was the Blazers at the Fairgrounds Arena about '68. (Anyone remember the comedy bit Hockey Here Tonight by Archie Campbell? Popular during the same time frame as the Blazers then and the Central Professional Hockey League. ) Also around the same time, the *Mabee Garrer art collection was at the Science and Arts building (mummy on display!) and the Oklahoma City Museum of Art was on the circle by the space needle.

*Worth driving to Shawnee to see if you haven't. Or at least a side trip.
http://www.mgmoa.org/

I doubt that anyone younger than 60 can possibly remember that place! And Zookeeper didn't mention the wonderful exhibits in the Transportation Building, or the airplanes mounted on pylons (including the first Aero Commander), or the first auto off the GM assembly line in OKC...

Fort Cottonwood...

The original Frontier City...

The NHRA drag strip where national competition occurred...

Yes, we've lost a lot.


But...but..........but....
We have a renamed river and a relocated basketball team, and countless trendy food trucks for hipsters to eat at.
Life is good.

But...but..........but....
We have a renamed river and a relocated basketball team, and countless trendy food trucks for hipsters to eat at.
Life is good.
All of which lead to the downfall of the fairgrounds...got it.