JFK in South OKC (Reding Shopping Center) and at Civic Center - VIDEO! 1960

[zookeeper]

The Oklahoma Historical Society has been busy uploading old WKY television footage on Youtube. Some with sound, some without. Great stuff.

For example....

Here's JFK at various places in Oklahoma City during 1960 campaign. Reding Shopping Center is clearly one stop, the Civic Center another (then called the Municipal Auditorium)...can anyone pick out other parts of the city shown in this video? As a teaser, here's a screen grab...





Here's a transcript of his remarks at the Reding parking lot on November 3rd, 1960 - five days before election day:
http://www.jfklibrary.org/Research/R...pping-Ctr.aspx

[zookeeper]

I'm guessing some of our south OKC friends would love this! Whatever became of the Reding Shopping Center? Is that neon sign still there?

[Mel]

Does it mention Charlton Heston and his work with our struggle for Civil Rights back in the 60's?

[zookeeper]

Does it mention Charlton Heston and his work with our struggle for Civil Rights back in the 60's?

Huh? This is old news footage of a JFK campaign visit in 1960.

[Mel]

I was talking in reference to the Oklahoma Historical Society and not just this article. I should have clarified. Oklahoma seems like it low coverage on historical context.

[zookeeper]

I was talking in reference to the Oklahoma Historical Society and not just this article. I should have clarified. Oklahoma seems like it low coverage on historical context.

You know, I don't know. With a lot of patience someone can probably find some gems. They have uploaded, not just prepared packages like this on JFK, but there are tons of uploads of what they call "News cans" as in WKY News Can #1, News Can #22, News Can #89 etc. Most full of unrelated video material - just a lot of raw footage. Probably some great OKC shots from that time in various parts of the city. One has lots of views because it shows previously unseen footage of Elvis Presley at the Municipal Coliseum.

Kudos to the OK Historical Society for making these available to the world!

[Mel]

Our history deserves a second look. Despite living in "flyover country" our history counts. Many a Cali citizen has "Okie" roots. Charlton Heston has more of a rep for being a "gun nut" than a personal and civil rights advocate. Our Historical Society has a right too be loud and proud. Okie Pride.

[zookeeper]

The Oklahoma Historical Society has been busy uploading old WKY television footage on Youtube. Some with sound, some without. Great stuff.

For example....

Here's JFK at various places in Oklahoma City during 1960 campaign. Reding Shopping Center is clearly one stop, the Civic Center another (then called the Municipal Auditorium)...can anyone pick out other parts of the city shown in this video? As a teaser, here's a screen grab...





Here's a transcript of his remarks at the Reding parking lot on November 3rd, 1960 - five days before election day:
John F. Kennedy Speeches - John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum

The Kennedy people thought they had a real shot at Oklahoma with LBJ on the ticket. Kennedy lost Oklahoma, but interestingly, he carried every single border county along the Red River...those counties were obviously influenced by north Texas media and voted with Kennedy & Johnson.

[ljbab728]

I'm guessing some of our south OKC friends would love this! Whatever became of the Reding Shopping Center? Is that neon sign still there?

There is still a Reding Shopping area but it's not what it was. That sign is no longer there.

[MWCGuy]

I'm guessing some of our south OKC friends would love this! Whatever became of the Reding Shopping Center? Is that neon sign still there?

The shopping center was leveled in the late 80's/early 90's for expansion of South Community Hospital which is now INTEGRIS Southwest. There is a small piece of the shopping center remaining where the Old Reding 4 Theater used to be. The theater became a Little Ceasers, El Chico and a Dollar General. The old grocery store at 36th and Western closed and eventually became Buy For Less' first hispanic market "Super Mercado Buy For Less".

[zookeeper]

The shopping center was leveled in the late 80's/early 90's for expansion of South Community Hospital which is now INTEGRIS Southwest. There is a small piece of the shopping center remaining where the Old Reding 4 Theater used to be. The theater became a Little Ceasers, El Chico and a Dollar General. The old grocery store at 36th and Western closed and eventually became Buy For Less' first hispanic market "Super Mercado Buy For Less".

Ok, I know where you're talking about now. I had a hard time putting it together in my head. That's too bad the sign is gone, I just loved those old "running light" neon signs.
Thanks for the info!

[BlackmoreRulz]

The shopping center was leveled in the late 80's/early 90's for expansion of South Community Hospital which is now INTEGRIS Southwest. There is a small piece of the shopping center remaining where the Old Reding 4 Theater used to be. The theater became a Little Ceasers, El Chico and a Dollar General. The old grocery store at 36th and Western closed and eventually became Buy For Less' first hispanic market "Super Mercado Buy For Less".

As best as I can remember, that wasn't part of the original shopping center.

[RadicalModerate]

Thanks, Zookeeper. Even without sound--yet reading the transcript--I was inspired.
No kidding. No joke. No snark.
Thank you.

[ctchandler]

BlackmoreRulz,
It wasn't, I lived there, 1128 S. W. 37th and when Reding Shopping Center was built, the Reding's still lived in their home on 36th and Western, right where the previously mentioned businesses were later located. I worked for the Redings as a child, simple stuff, gathering eggs, sweeping the porch, drying dishes and Mrs. Reding would give me quarters (pretty good money in the early 50's). I also rode their goats, chased their cows and horses, and other unmentionable things that mischievous kids do.
C. T.

As best as I can remember, that wasn't part of the original shopping center.

[SoonerDave]

that old Reding shopping center was a wonderful place in its day. My mom would go to Streets, a very nice lady's clothes store, and I'd run up to Radio Shack and play on their computers. There was an Otasco, a Kerr's (that later became a TG&Y), and at the far north end was the wonderful old Dodson's Cafeteria - home of the most wonderful chocolate ice box pie you could ever buy. Yummy. Along the south end, where it wrapped back to the west facing 44th, there was a Godfather's Pizza, too.

The Reding 4 et al were not part of the original center. I remember only going to one movie there - one of the awful Superman movies - where I took a date who had *blonde* hair when I asked her out, but crazy purplish-red hair when I picked her up...lol

Wish I could remember more of the stores there. Think there was also an S&H Green Stamp redemption center there, but I won't swear to that. The red racing lights on that huge sign were a hallmark of Western in that era, as were the bright red Christmas lights that used to go atop Sears across the street when it had their red neon "script" style logo (and when Sears was relevant).

Man, how things have changed.

[RadicalModerate]

If memory serves . . . I think there was a movie theater down there in the Reding Shopping Center (that seemed to be far, far away, in a neighborhood, long, long, ago). The crew I was with decided to see a flick that was showing late at night. I'm not sure if we were entering or leaving the theater for our movie when we encountered and were astounded by the first generation of Rocky Horror Picture Show groupies for the midnight showing.

To me--even then--it represented the diversity of populational demographics within the boundaries of Oklahoma County.
(back then, I mostly stayed out around Jones and Choctaw)

edited to add:
Didn't Montgomery Ward have an outpost in that vicinity back then? =)

[zookeeper]

Thanks, Zookeeper. Even without sound--yet reading the transcript--I was inspired.
No kidding. No joke. No snark.
Thank you.

Thank you, RadicalModerate. I hope some appreciate the history of that moment - in our city - just 5 days before Election Day 1960. Those shots of the Civic Center really hit me. Did you notice they also put up a makeshift amphitheater to handle the overflow crowd at Civic center Park? He spoke to both crowds.

[mkjeeves]

I always find it interesting to see the sign in SE Oklahoma on highway 259 telling about Kennedy dedicating it in 1961 since it seems to be in the middle of nowhere.

A couple of photos and a link to video of that event are here: Dedication of Ouachita National Forest Road (US-259) by President John F. Kennedy

Big crowd!

[RadicalModerate]

I always find it interesting to see the sign in SE Oklahoma on highway 259 telling about Kennedy dedicating it in 1961 since it seems to be in the middle of nowhere.

A couple of photos and a link to video of that event are here: Dedication of Ouachita National Forest Road (US-259) by President John F. Kennedy

Big crowd!

Apparently, JFK might have been radically moderate back in the day? =)
(sorta like MLK? mebbe?)

didn't JFK once quip something about "the torch being passed to a new generation"?
I'm old, now. I don't forget.

[mkjeeves]

The shopping center was leveled in the late 80's/early 90's for expansion of South Community Hospital which is now INTEGRIS Southwest. There is a small piece of the shopping center remaining where the Old Reding 4 Theater used to be. The theater became a Little Ceasers, El Chico and a Dollar General. The old grocery store at 36th and Western closed and eventually became Buy For Less' first hispanic market "Super Mercado Buy For Less".

I worked on the NW corner three story addition to the hospital when it was built in the early '80s. I seem to remember Redding still standing and some of us walking from the hospital, coming through the back door that faced the hospital of someplace in Reding to eat lunch. (Big Eds?) Then in the next building phase a few years later the hospital tore it down, added the cancer center and built out more to the east.

[mkjeeves]

Apparently, JFK might have been radically moderate back in the day? =)
(sorta like MLK? mebbe?)

didn't JFK once quip something about "the torch being passed to a new generation"?
I'm old, now. I don't forget.

I suppose if one were going to pass a torch, a national forest in Little Dixie would be a place one might do that. Here's where the dedication was at Big Cabin apparently, at the sign and flag. It's just south of the Talimena Skyline Drive.

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Big+C...97.42,,0,16.82