Founders Tower area pics from late 60s

[barrettd]

My sister recently got developed a few boxes of negatives and slides my dad took in the late 60s. At the time, he was working at Ackerman Associates as a copywriter, I believe (he would eventually be the Creative Director for a time before moving on to his own firm). Most of these were taken shortly after Ackerman moved to a building on Mosteller Dr in OKC near the Founders Tower that is now a Comfort Inn, I think. The few at the end were apparently part of Ray Ackerman's mayoral campaign, but I couldn't find any record of him running for mayor.

[Pete]

[RadicalModerate]

Thank you for the great pics! Two of the best meals I ever enjoyed were enjoyed at the top of that tower (this was way later than in the photos--it was Nikz At The Top at that point). You may have mentioned this, but was Ackerman an ad agency or public relations firm?

(p.s. to Pete: Thx for UserFriendlyizing the Pix)

[Pete]

Awesome! Thanks so much.

Ray Ackerman ran for major in April 1967 (lost a close race to James H. Norick) so these photos must be from that year and time.

You can also see "67" on the car license plate.

[Steve]

Barrett, can you email me at slackmeyer@oklahoman.com? I'm with Retrometrookc.org, we're a non-profit and would love to add your photos to our site.

[RadicalModerate]

The color shots used Kodachrome film I'd bet . . . They are like the vinyl LPs of photographic representation.
Again: THANK YOU!

(how many politicians today can even think about playing a ukelele as part of a campaign? =)

[Martin]

awesome pics... thanks for sharing!

what is the building in the second to the last (and the sixth) picture? i'm guessing it'd have to be around where home depot and best buy are currently. -M

[Pete]

awesome pics... thanks for sharing!

what is the building in the second to the last (and the sixth) picture? i'm guessing it'd have to be around where home depot and best buy are currently. -M

Trade Mart -- one of the early catalog showrooms

[Martin]

thanks! i've seen ads but have never seen one of the stores. it's way bigger than i would have expected. -M

[Celebrator]

These are just terrific. I work in this area everyday and love to see what it looked like. So interesting. And a question...the Country Inn and Suites...what was it when these photos were taken? It looks pretty stark all dressed in black, there.

[ljbab728]

These are just terrific. I work in this area everyday and love to see what it looked like. So interesting. And a question...the Country Inn and Suites...what was it when these photos were taken? It looks pretty stark all dressed in black, there.

I certainly wish it still looked like that office building now instead of a mustard bottle.

[stlokc]

You know, so often I look at old pictures of OKC, generally downtown pictures, and think of how much has been lost, how much better looking the city used to be. Well, I look at these and I think this area has definitely improved over time and with density. My gosh, talk about the flat, open, treeless prairie. Very cool pictures, don't get me wrong, thanks for sharing. But wow.

[barrettd]

Thank you for the great pics! Two of the best meals I ever enjoyed were enjoyed at the top of that tower (this was way later than in the photos--it was Nikz At The Top at that point). You may have mentioned this, but was Ackerman an ad agency or public relations firm?

(p.s. to Pete: Thx for UserFriendlyizing the Pix)

Ackerman was and still is an ad agency, eventually growing to what is now the largest ad firm in OK, Ackerman McQueen.

[barrettd]

You know, so often I look at old pictures of OKC, generally downtown pictures, and think of how much has been lost, how much better looking the city used to be. Well, I look at these and I think this area has definitely improved over time and with density. My gosh, talk about the flat, open, treeless prairie. Very cool pictures, don't get me wrong, thanks for sharing. But wow.

I don't know, I kind of like these pics just because that area is so jam-packed with stuff nowadays that I kind of dislike venturing into the area of 63rd and May. I know what you mean though. It was pretty desolate.

[LovedWedgewood]

Where was "Shopper's World" later "Founder's Fair" in relation to this?? It was on the west side of May, about where Best Buy sits today.

[Dustin]

Awesome pics! Does anyone know if the Charcoal Oven sign that stands today is original?

[Pete]

Awesome pics! Does anyone know if the Charcoal Oven sign that stands today is original?

I believe it is.

[Praedura]

You know, so often I look at old pictures of OKC, generally downtown pictures, and think of how much has been lost, how much better looking the city used to be. Well, I look at these and I think this area has definitely improved over time and with density. My gosh, talk about the flat, open, treeless prairie. Very cool pictures, don't get me wrong, thanks for sharing. But wow.

Urban Renewal: the answer to improving and building a better Oklahoma City



Image scanned from a supplement to the Daily Oklahoman - 1966.

(just thought I'd throw this in here)

[Celebrator]

Another bit of good news for this area is that they have recently formed a strong neighborhood association a few months ago which includes participants from the businesses in the area as well as residents in the tower. Landscaping improvements have been done in the last two years on the medians of the inner streets and dozens of trees were planted last month along the periphery of the neighborhood as the result of receiving a grant. Things are looking up for this neighborhood.

[jdcf]

Shoppers World/Founders Fair is shown in the sixth picture down - the building at the right side of the page.

[rezman]

I grew up in Warr Acres and remember going to Founders Fair as a kid. I don't recall it being called Shoppers World, but I do remember when it was a Service Merchandise later on. I also remember when Arlens and Trademart were located where Target is on the east side of May. And Morris Chevrolet was located across the street on the west side.

[dhawkins]

I didn't remember that you could see the base legs of the arches on the old Founders Bank building before they added offices all the way around the building.
I like the original look better.

Don

[Achilleslastand]

Trade Mart -- one of the early catalog showrooms

If im not mistaken this later was a service merchandise.

[zookeeper]

If im not mistaken this later was a service merchandise.

Yes, that location was:
Shoppers World
Founders Fair
Trade Mart
Service Merchandise
Founders Events Center (not sure this is the right name)

[rezman]

Yes, that location was:
Shoppers World
Founders Fair
Trade Mart
Service Merchandise
Founders Events Center (not sure this is the right name)

If Trade Mart Was on the west side of May where Founders Fair was, then what was over across the street on the south side of NW HWY where the Target is? I remember Arlens being there, but it was also something else before it became Target, which was many years ago. I could swear Trade Mart was located there. Not at Founders. But I could be wrong. There was also a grocery store loceted there as well.