I LOVE the OKC Memories thread, and have so enjoyed reading everyone's thoughts and memories of our wonderful city!

My husband and I both grew up as "southsiders" but have since defected and moved north to satisfy our desire for an historic home. It doesn't hurt, either, that we are now each 5 and 7 minutes respectively from our jobs.

My husband's late father was a family practice physician on the southside and one of the founding doctors of what was once called South Community Hospital (since rechristened Integris Southwest).

I graduated high school in 1978 and my husband graduated in 1973 (Christian Heritage Academy and U.S. Grant)

Here are some "southside" memories that some of you may share:

- Al & Dub's drive in on SW 44th (the "Grant hangout"). This was really more in my older siblings' eras - the early 60's. I believe Wilkerson's was the "Capitol Hill hangout". In those days, it was kind of a "greasers vs. the socs"

- When the 14 Flags drive in was at the end of the world, or so it seemed?

- Crystal's Pizza after games.

- Cruising McDonald's and Sonic on SW 59th Street until all hours

- The Park Terrace Theatre (and El Rancho Sanchez, right next door)

- Parking lot carnivals at Reding Shopping Center (now the Integris SW parking lot)

- Christmas shopping at Sears at 44th and Western

- When Crossroads Mall was brand new and THE place to be!

- The tragic Sirloin Stockade murders. I remember a big Help Wanted sign going up in front of the restaurant a couple of weeks after the murders. it was a portable sign on the side of a large plastic steer

- The opening of the "Big TG&Y" as we called it at I-240 & Penn. I was there as a small child with my older sisters, when "Dandy" Don Meredith of the Dallas Cowboys was there signing autographs.

- The opening of Arlan's Department Store at 44th & S. Western. It later became Target. Debbie Reynolds was there with Agnes Moorehead of Bewitched fame. Debbie was married to Harry Karl, who was the owner of Arlan's. If I remember correctly, he went bankrupt.

- Shakey's Pizza at SW 56th & Western.

- "Northside" seemed like a different world. Anyone remembering venturing to drive down the "Twilight Zone" street? (Actually Carey Place in Gatewood).

- A certain "mansion" that the brave drove by somewhere out my Draper Lake and scared each other silly with urban legends.

I'm sure I'll think of more, and hope to hear more from some of you.

TeriOKC