Hawaiian Village at Windsor Hills circa 1960

[ElmoFromOK]

I am doing some research on my neighborhood, Windsor Hills, and ran across an article mentioning that when they opened the Windsor Hills Shopping Center in 1960, they also opened a amusement park with a Hawaiian Theme, called the Hawaiian Village.

I was able to find a few photos, and a couple of blurbs in the Oklahoman archives, but that's about it. Does anyone else remember anything about this?

[Pete]

Sounds like it was just built in the parking lot of that center.

Both these articles are from the summer of 1960.

[Okcbld]

Hey Elmo, where did you get the pics? I have the last one of Trader Jacks that is a postcard? The text on back states"
Hawaiian Village, A tribute to the 50th State. An authentic reproduction of the world famous island, located at NW 23rd and Meridan in the Windsor Hill Shopping Center of Oklahoma City. Come in and enjoy Trader Jack's for all the exotic fruit drinks of the the Tropics." Funny the 2 trains don't match. Maybe the Newport Dunes one was not at Windsor Hills.

[ElmoFromOK]

Okcbid, I got them from a tiki themed website after searching google. http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/...715&forum=5&41

I went back and looked and you are correct about the Newport Dunes being from a different park. I just missed that the first time.

How did you get the postcard? Did you actually visit the park?

[ElmoFromOK]

Thanks for the reply, Pete. These are the same articles I found.

[RadicalModerate]

I love the pics and the concept.

I never realized before that "bamboo" and "corks" were included in a list of "strictly Hawaiian" design elements (but I was only in Honolulu for about a month back in the winter of '66). I seem to recall that there was a lot of talk about "the rainforest" on the windward side of the island that could be viewed from atop the Pali highway (where it is very windy) but never heard "jungle" mentioned once. =)

If they really wanted to be authentic, one of the concessions would have served "Saimin" which is essentially the Territory/State dish of Hawaii. It's like noodle soup with fish and Spam. (Yes. That Spam =).

Seriously: Thanks for the pics and text.

[Okcbld]

I got the postcard off Ebay, I have a collection of OKC postcards.

[whorton]

Looked like a cool concept, and certainly the closest Oklahoma city ever got to having a real "Tiki Bar" or any such. . .

But what was up with it? I take it the place did not survive long? What ever happened to it?