Howdy !

[JUNKMAN]

Well, new to the forum ,my first post. I lived in OKC just a few years when I was a kid ,from 59' to 64' I think. My wife recently asked me to write down some facts about my life that I could give our grand daughter later on so I'm going down memory lane and would like to see if any of you folks would know the places I am talking about.
Ok the first area I remember well is when we lived in Capital Hill . Times were tight so we were living in a pretty low rent area.Dad had just got a job driving a Coors beer truck for Ford Distrubiting Company. Where we lived was just off Robinson on a dirt street and there was a big feed mill down on the corner. I remember there was a park with a public swimming pool down near the river(I think), I learned to swim there. I liked going to the movies and there were three in walking distance. The Ritz,on Robinson I believe,.15 cents for kids then. It was a fine old theater but I think it was pretty run down. Then around the corner and down the street another movie house,I want to say it was called the Yale?, lots of monster and si-fi flicks there on saturdays. Then I think on down this same street you would find Katz drug store with another theater kinda across the street,the Knob Hill ???
I know I went to Eugene Fields elementery at one point ,for a year,would that be right for this area? And a public library I used to frequent on the way home from school.
Oh, I stumbled onto this forum doing a search for Count Gregor,lo and behold there WAS stuff on the net about him. Loved Shock Theater!!!
Got more questions to ask but will start with this.
I see some of you old timers are really know your stuff about the city and hopefully let me know how my memory is doing! Thanks!

[rcjunkie]

Well, new to the forum ,my first post. I lived in OKC just a few years when I was a kid ,from 59' to 64' I think. My wife recently asked me to write down some facts about my life that I could give our grand daughter later on so I'm going down memory lane and would like to see if any of you folks would know the places I am talking about.
Ok the first area I remember well is when we lived in Capital Hill . Times were tight so we were living in a pretty low rent area.Dad had just got a job driving a Coors beer truck for Ford Distrubiting Company. Where we lived was just off Robinson on a dirt street and there was a big feed mill down on the corner. I remember there was a park with a public swimming pool down near the river(I think), I learned to swim there. I liked going to the movies and there were three in walking distance. The Ritz,on Robinson I believe,.15 cents for kids then. It was a fine old theater but I think it was pretty run down. Then around the corner and down the street another movie house,I want to say it was called the Yale?, lots of monster and si-fi flicks there on saturdays. Then I think on down this same street you would find Katz drug store with another theater kinda across the street,the Knob Hill ???
I know I went to Eugene Fields elementery at one point ,for a year,would that be right for this area? And a public library I used to frequent on the way home from school.
Oh, I stumbled onto this forum doing a search for Count Gregor,lo and behold there WAS stuff on the net about him. Loved Shock Theater!!!
Got more questions to ask but will start with this.
I see some of you old timers are really know your stuff about the city and hopefully let me know how my memory is doing! Thanks!

The park your thinking of is Wiley post, the pool was closed/removed several years ago, they recently built a new water play area for kids (Sprayground) and a new playground. Eugene Fields School is on N. of NW Th and West of Western, so maybe your thinking of a different school or maybe lived in a different area near the school.

[TOWNHERO]

Welcome Junkman, I grew up on the southside and Capitol Hill. Graduated from CHHS in 1970. I remember shopping in Capitol Hill with my mother all the time. I also remember all those places except the school. I maybe wrong, but I believe the feed mill is still there. It's on Robinson and about 23rd/24th. I haven't been on the southside in several years now. I moved away from OKC for 16 years and moved back to Edmond in 1990. Living here ever since. Everything has changed so much of the years. Where do you live now?

[PennyQuilts]

I'll bet you'll find a lot of Capital Hill ne're do wells on this board. Welcome!

[FRISKY]

Welcome!
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Oh, I stumbled onto this forum doing a search for Count Gregor,lo and behold there WAS stuff on the net about him. Loved Shock Theater!!!

Are you aware this is Count Gregor's (John Ferguson) birthday and that he came to one of the Nostagia group's meetings a couple months ago?


We will be having another nostalgia get-together this Saturday at Coit's, SW 24th and Western, 1:30pm. Everyone is welcome to come!
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[papaOU]

The feed mill is still there and in operation. The location is about 20th and Robinson. The third movie theater in Capitol Hill proper (Commerce St.) was the Knob Hill. Another "Capitol Hill" theater was the Redskin, located at SW29 near Western.

[Generals64]

The feed mill is still there but has changed hands many times. That was one of the grain elevators that the farmers used in the 20's and 30's. "Junkman" glad to have you aboard. If you really have time, the Southside Thread memories will give you many things to remember and to tell your grand kids. If you live in OKC come to the meeting this Saturday at 1:30 at 24th/S. Western..... Coit's.

[Generals64]

Welcome Junkman, I grew up on the southside and Capitol Hill. Graduated from CHHS in 1970. I remember shopping in Capitol Hill with my mother all the time. I also remember all those places except the school. I maybe wrong, but I believe the feed mill is still there. It's on Robinson and about 23rd/24th. I haven't been on the southside in several years now. I moved away from OKC for 16 years and moved back to Edmond in 1990. Living here ever since. Everything has changed so much of the years. Where do you live now?

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Hey:.....we won't hold it against you for moving to Edmond....They needed a little southside class up there anyway. But, don't forget about the Southside...Come to the meeting this Saturday at 1:30......Coit's.....24th/Western.....

[Doug Loudenback]

Welcome, Junkman. Would your school have been the one below, Lee?



Although it's not done, you may find some Capitol (it is with a "o", not "a") Hill in an article I've written on Capitol Hill: Doug Dawgz Blog: Historic Capitol Hlll

The theater you mentioned on Robinson was probably originally the Circle Theater ...


The Knob Hill & Yale were on Commerce:

[Generals64]

Junkman, you might be thinking of Shidler School....and, there is a school on 25th st. East of Central but, they would probably be out of district for you. If you went to the public library, it was built in 1957 or 58.....The capitol Hill Library had originally been located on S. May......Before your time.....Where do you live now????

[Doug Loudenback]

Junkman, Generals64, Martin (if you're reading),

Something just occurred to me. Remember when we were doing some research for Becky on that bungalow house? For quite a long time, after making her first post, she wasn't able to, and I'm just guessing that Junkman may be in the same boat.

Martin, can you help with this?

[JUNKMAN]

WoW, thanks so much for all the swift and informative replies. First, to answer a question from a couple of you guys,,I now and have lived in New Smyrna Beach Florida(just a bit south of Daytona)for 11 years and prior to that we lived in Orlando about 15 years.So as much fun as it sounds it would be difficult to attend one of those meetings.
OK I think I have it straight now. When we first moved to the City from Shawnee(my birthplace)we lived in an apartment on Ellison Ave. Looking on mapquest I see that Eugene Feilds Elementery was nearby,thats where I spent second grade. Then we moved over to Capitol Hill.
Doug, the fantastic pics of the Yale and Knob Hill rang the bell but I am not sure about the Circle becoming the Ritz. If it was about a block before hitting Commerce (coming from the river) then that must be it,but I sure dont remember it looking anything like that. As for the school,I think it may have been Lee,not sure tho. That would have been third grade. One thing I do remember about that school was the teachers letting us watch tv coverage of John Glenn's spaceflight. Also it seems like it was quite a walk to school from that area we lived at by the feed mill. I do remember a nice public library on the way where I would often stop on the way home. They had a couple of those old stereo picture viewers and alot of the picture cards on a table that you could sit and look at. Fore-runner to the Viewmaster.
Thanks again,and I have some more questions and comments about a couple other places we lived at in the City. (When I was a kid in Shawnee,Grandparents in Tecumseh, everyone called OKC simply,The City.)

[Doug Loudenback]

Glad that my concern about your ability to post was misplaced!

You are correct about the name of the Circle not becoming the Ritz. Actually, the Circle became the Capitol theater which became the more seedy Capri theater which showed X rated stuff before it closed. See OKCTalk - View Single Post - Historic Capitol Hill . But, as far as I'm aware (I'm not a south side guy but I hang out with them so as not to get too snooty!) there wasn't a Ritz Theater in Capitol Hill.

There was a Ritz Theater at 1012 NE 13th St, east of the OU medical center area, but that's probably not what you mean.

Capitol Hill guys/gals can correct me, but I think that the Circle/Capitol/Capri theater was the only Capitol Hill theater on Robinson (slightly north of Commerce Street).

About the use of the word, "City," to refer to Oklahoma City, nothing has changed in that regard.

[JUNKMAN]

Yeah ,I suppose it was the Capitol. Like I said I went there many times around 1960 it was cheap,if you had .75 cents you had admission,candy, and a drink. The place was full of kids on sat. afternoon seeing such classics as "Attack of the 50 ft. Woman",or mabey westerns.
Checked out your website blog on the City and Capitol Hill ,Doug, what a great job,must have taken a lot of hours! Capitol Hill was pretty nice as I remember it,to bad it went to such ruin.

[Generals64]

Glad that my concern about your ability to post was misplaced!

You are correct about the name of the Circle not becoming the Ritz. Actually, the Circle became the Capitol theater which became the more seedy Capri theater which showed X rated stuff before it closed. See OKCTalk - View Single Post - Historic Capitol Hill . But, as far as I'm aware (I'm not a south side guy but I hang out with them so as not to get too snooty!) there wasn't a Ritz Theater in Capitol Hill.

There was a Ritz Theater at 1012 NE 13th St, east of the OU medical center area, but that's probably not what you mean.

Capitol Hill guys/gals can correct me, but I think that the Circle/Capitol/Capri theater was the only Capitol Hill theater on Robinson (slightly north of Commerce Street).

About the use of the word, "City," to refer to Oklahoma City, nothing has changed in that regard.

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Doug:....the Ritz was way North like you said. The only theater that I knew of on Robinson was as you said, the Circle/Capitol/Capri.....if my memory serves me right, the Ritz had a Large Sign outdoors as did Sheen Drug....He could have gotten the two mixed due to the sign. I know Carltonskeeper could answer this when he comes out of hiding......Lee school would undoubtedly be the school the Junkman attended due to the fact that it was the closest one to the vicinity he said he lived in. Somewhere in all of our discussions, there is a list and address of the south side schools. I think PapaOU is the one that put that together or it could have been Rickster....They'll surely read this and let us know. If he left right now, he could make it for Saturday's meeting don't you think????? I'll buy his hot dog and Root Beer....

[CarltonsKeeper]

Junkman, you might be thinking of Shidler School....and, there is a school on 25th st. East of Central but, they would probably be out of district for you. If you went to the public library, it was built in 1957 or 58.....The capitol Hill Library had originally been located on S. May......Before your time.....Where do you live now????

I was going to the Capitol Hill Library in grade school in the 50's and it was always just north of Coney Island kinda' behind CHJH school on 26th and hARVEY!! what have you been smokin' along with the Budlight and Lortabs???

[Doug Loudenback]

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Doug:....the Ritz was way North like you said. The only theater that I knew of on Robinson was as you said, the Circle/Capitol/Capri.....if my memory serves me right, the Ritz had a Large Sign outdoors as did Sheen Drug....He could have gotten the two mixed due to the sign. I know Carltonskeeper could answer this when he comes out of hiding......Lee school would undoubtedly be the school the Junkman attended due to the fact that it was the closest one to the vicinity he said he lived in. Somewhere in all of our discussions, there is a list and address of the south side schools. I think PapaOU is the one that put that together or it could have been Rickster....They'll surely read this and let us know. If he left right now, he could make it for Saturday's meeting don't you think????? I'll buy his hot dog and Root Beer....

And I'll buy his fries. Maybe he's got a magic carpet, to defray travel expenses?

[papaOU]

What was the Circle Theater in the beginning, at time of closing it was The Capitol Theater.

Address was 2510 S. Robinson. Restrooms were upstairs....

[Doug Loudenback]

What was the Circle Theater in the beginning, at time of closing it was The Capitol Theater.

Address was 2510 S. Robinson. Restrooms were upstairs....

We've been there and done that before, Papa. By its closing, the Capitol had become the Capri.

[CarltonsKeeper]

What was the Circle Theater in the beginning, at time of closing it was The Capitol Theater.

Address was 2510 S. Robinson. Restrooms were upstairs....

With windows you could push open and throw cups of ice on the cars going North on Robinson, remember it well!! The sewage was always backed up and had a horrible aroma!! Was kicked out of that establishment more than once...

[papaOU]

We've been there and done that before, Papa. By its closing, the Capitol had become the Capri.

Sorry.

[JUNKMAN]

With windows you could push open and throw cups of ice on the cars going North on Robinson, remember it well!! The sewage was always backed up and had a horrible aroma!! Was kicked out of that establishment more than once...

Yeah that rings a bell the rest rooms were upstairs,I don't think we ever threw ice at cars but I remember one time one of the boys I was there with threw a half eaten fudgecicle on to the screen. It stuck to it and slowly slid down leaving the melted mess behind,what brats we were!
Thanks again for the welcomes and the replys. Through the miracle of goggle earth and streetview I took a tour from the river bridge on Robinson, up to Commerce,take a right and down to the "Knob Hill" ,sad lookin indeed. If my memory serves me correctly (50 years ago ,so,??) the feed mill with its grain elevators looked different. A dirt street went down the south side of it and we lived in a crappy duplex on the corner past the mill. If you went another block the road dead ended at the RR tracks. Had lots of adventures playing around those tracks,wonder we were never hurt. We would follow them down to the river and play down there to. I see on Goggle earth that S.Sheilds (appears elevated) runs by the tracks. Sure dont remember that, Sheilds must have been extended or something??

Anyway I am up to 1961 now and we move to a place on So. Sheilds. The address was either 9105 or 9501. Quite a few lower income families would live here. I remember the name of the place but I wanted to see if any of ya"ll do!

[CarltonsKeeper]

Was it "The Colony" or something like that? Little red and white apartment type single stories?

[papaOU]

Shields ended at 23rd. Did you ever walk "the plank?" Underneath the r.r. bridge crossing the Canadian, There were planks that you could walk.

[CarltonsKeeper]

Was it "The Colony" or something like that? Little red and white apartment type single stories?

Maybe the Rail Fence ???