Originally Posted in 2008
ENID, OK - Each of us carry our own memories of growing up in a carefree time, when we had little responsibility and days of discovery. I loved growing up in my hometown of Enid, Oklahoma. There are dozens of memories trapped in my mind that occurred in the 70's and early 80's. This is a list of the things I remember and miss the most from those good old days.
This list is not to say that Enid doesn't have many great things going on now. There is easily a list of 50 things that my daughters will look back on in 30 years and remember fondly. Each of us grew up in different neighborhoods on different sides of town. I was pretty much in the middle of everything location wise and economically.
The thing that sticks out the most is the freedom we had when we were in grade school and junior high. We could go to any part of town on our own and our parents never had to worry. We could throw our bikes down at the movie theater and they'd be there when we got out. It sure seemed like a safer, more innocent time whether it was or not.
I originally wrote this back in 2008 but I've updated it and thought I would re-post.
1. I miss the Tri-State carnival rides and food being parked on west Broadway.
2. I miss Summerfest and taking photos of the hot air balloons.
3. I miss the stores and crowds downtown, especially on Saturday and Crazy Day.
4. I miss watching Disney and other movies at the Esquire Movie Theater.
5. I miss my birthday dinner with relatives being in the round room at Richill's Cafeteria.
6. I miss collecting green stamps and trading them for stuff at the Green Stamp Store.
7. I miss buying toys and snacks at Wackers in Westgate Shopping Center.
8. I miss playing 45's in the jukebox at Ken's Pizza during lunch at Enid High.
9. I miss the onion rings and shakes from Next Door Restaurant on Garriott.
10. I miss buying comics from Baker's Pawn Shop on west Maine.
11. I miss sneaking into the Trail and Enid drive-ins.
12. I miss playing Asteroids for hours on one quarter at Putt-Putt.
13. I miss chasing ducks in the paddle boats at Meadowlake.
14. I miss buying cassettes and albums at Jack's Records and Tapes.
15. I miss sitting at the A & W Drive In and sneaking off with their trays.
16. I miss looking at Weeblo and Cub Scout gear at Coldirons.
17. I miss the mystique and tales of the Magnificent Cobra.
18. I miss seeing the bikini swimsuit guy jogging down Lahoma Rd.
19. I miss trips out to Trade Mart because it seemed so big.
20. I miss the riding the Bullet at Meadowlake and watching my best friend get sick.
21. I miss buying white mice, 45's and black light posters at Woolco.
22. I miss getting bike parts and skateboards at OTASCO.
23. I miss riding bikes & sliding on boxes down the hill at the Bird Sanctuary.
24. I miss getting drinks with "good ice" at Somewhere Drive In.
25. I miss finding boxes around town to build a cardboard maze on Halloween.
26. I miss exploring the water drainage tunnels under Van Buren and Garriott.
27. I miss catching tadpoles in Boggy Creek and going home covered in mud.
28. I miss going up and down the ramp at the Sears parking garage.
29. I miss sneaking out to the, so called, "Insane Asylum" late at night.
30. I miss cruising and watching people drag Van Buren.
31. I miss trick-or-treating in the Waverly area with sidewalks packed with kids.
32. I miss playing on the escalator at Evans Drug downtown.
33. I miss browsing hobby and train stuff at Enid News and Stationary.
34. I miss the awful smell of the monkey pit at the Enid Zoo.
35. I miss the electronic parrot and the running train at Richill's.
36. I miss playing hide-n-go-seek under the seats at the old Gaslight Theatre.
37. I miss throwing snowballs off the second floor of the Hedges/Knox Mansion.
38. I miss eating multiple Pak-A-Sak burgers and their great onion smell.
39. I miss the giant water slide on north Van Buren.
40. I miss playing neighborhood hide-n-seek on west Broadway late at night.
41. I miss skateboarding in the office park parking lot at 1420 west Garriott
42. I miss riding bikes on the BMX dirt track at Elm and Cleveland.
43. I miss the smell of Ken's Bakery.
44. I miss picking out gifts from the Service Merchandise catalog and store.
45. I miss the base wide 4th of July celebration and cook-out at Vance.
46. I miss buying magic tricks and gags at Papa Torry's.
47. I miss the creaky wooden floors at Dollar General/Kress.
48. I miss buying candy at Fitzsimmons on the way to Waller Jr. High.
49. I miss trying on sneakers and t-shirts at Larry Black's.
50. I miss listening to stereo equipment at Contemporary Sounds.
Read the comments for more great memories
I miss the smell of Vaters downtown when buying school supplies each year.
Me too. It was the only place in Enidto buy school supplies. That was a very hard day for my parents with five kids. But I do remember the smell.
How about the soap box Derby durning summer.
I miss marching in Legionettes in Tri- State on the square.
I miss playing Echo Taps in the enid cematery behind a cedar bush. On Memorial day. In full uniform . Boy it was hot but so beautiful.
going on my Bike to pick uo sonething Momma had called in To Roys grocery store on Broadway.
I miss winding the May Pole in Springs Park in my formal on May day. Lots of good memories.
I miss the fun zone at the Eagle Arcade. I miss playing hide and seek in the neighborhood at night. I miss buying the extra large family burger at Big Ed’s.
I’ m impressed you knew about the old Kress store on the south side of the square! Growing up I worked at my Dad’s store on the lowly south side of the square – Cromwell’s. My first job was selling pencils around the square then I moved up to delivery on foot & bicycle. I wandered into the alley side of the Enid Fire Department many times to look at the incredible shiny trucks and other stuff. On the east end of the block were a couple of pawn shops – Lytles and Ace. Incredible places to visit as an eleven year old – guns, brass knuckles, knives and very weird smells. The Newton Hotel was around the corner by the alley on south Grand. Who knows what went on there – I never had the guts to darken their door. Remember the morning when I came to work and the back end of Newton had fallen off, exposing the interior of the rooms and bathrooms……..and that was the beginning of urban renewal in downtown ENID.
Love the story Mark!
Mark, our dad owned Lytles, 1966 til he retired in the early 80’s. I miss going in there and looking around to see what was new. He was best friends with Bud of Buds Pawn Shop. Glad you enjoyed going in there. He passed in 1992.
Thanks! Loved buying comics and looking for cool things in the Pawn Shops. I graduated with Jack Baker.
Yes, the south side of the square has changed the most……………..
There was a little cafe right next to Kress, do you have a name for it? Had the best and highest Banana Cake. This was in about ’55, I worked at Champlin and would sometimes eat lunch. I’d love to find the recipe for that cake, it was so light and fluffy. Thanks for any information.
“I miss the riding the Bullet at Meadowlake and watching my best friend get sick.”
I had not thought of that nemesis of my childhood in 30 years!! What a rush!
This was so awesome to stumble across, really took me back. Thanks!!
Thanks for stumbling by!!
I miss the Christmas decorations at Newman’s on the West side of the square.
Great list! I know this sounds strange, but I miss the smell of the refineries. LOL
I also miss going to TG&Y, Woolco, Pak-a-Sak, Bob’s Cone Corner and Bigger’s True Value where my grandpa worked.
Oh, I forgot Three Towers and there was a drive-in right by Three Towers… Navajo, I think it was.
I remember Bond bakery always smelled so good!
i remember the old carneige library and the hickory ric drive in, and the mouse.
I miss dragging Vanburean in my mustang with my friends!
I’m so glad someone else remembers the waterside! Everyone thinks I’m crazy when I talk about it.
I miss JJ’s Arcade in LaMeas West shopping center.
wow, i thought i was the only one who remembered JJ’s!
i was wondering if anyone remembers the name of the arcade that was located downtown and was right across from the library (at least i think it was). this had to be like 1981.
Yeah I lived in the trailer park next to the waterslide we use to get in for free
yeah i lived there too
Does Anyone Remember A Bar In Or Close To Enid Called The Filling Station A Friend I Thought Told Me Him And Someone Robbed It
Thanks, I really enjoyed going back through those memories. I especially miss seeing the ski mask man with the awesome tan running down Owen K. Garriott in his swimsuit pushing the lady in the wheelchair. Also miss Fat and Skinnys….
Hey Eddie!
Remember me? Troy & Chris Wood’s mom, Anita. I remember you & Tiffany coming
to our house and us coming to yours. Tiffany baby sat my boys. Hope all is well.
How is your mom and Tiffany?
Everyone is well! I am moving back to Enid so we need to get together, and I would love to see your boys!!
That guy is still around. His name is J.W. and he lives in a nursing home here in enid. I took care of him for three years.
that couple you refer to were J.W and Rosie Martin. they grew up in Enid state School, escaped numerous times before walking tob Texas, yes, walking, to get married so they didnt have to go back. they were like part of our family for years.
Rosie and JW were members of Central Christian Church, and they were befriended by my parents, Wynne and Bett Shellady. .I think other people helped them out too, but my parents would give them a ride to and from church. Rosie was an orphan, and was raised at the State School in the orphanage part. JW was a resident of the state school. He is what they call “an idiot savant”. He was like Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man. He could play the piano by ear. He was quite bright, but did not always have good social awareness skills. ( Rosie was killed by a car while crossing the street, but I think JW is still living. It is true that they ran away from the State School to get married. She told me they sneaked into a hotel room that the maid had left unlocked) My favorite JW story is that the Sooner Class at Central Church had purchased a small organ for their Sunday School class. On the day it arrived, the Sunday School teacher asked if anyone could play a tune to dedicate the new organ. I think the Sunday School teacher had a hymn in mind. JW played “Your Cheatin Heart” by Hank Williams. It brought down the house.
Thanks so much for that info!
Oh, my gosh! My mom and I would howl at that image. There was an extended story in his obituary.
Maybe I have the obit part wrong but I remember there being a back story in print at some point. My mom made sure to send it to me.
Eddie, how cool that you remember him! One day in the Summer, late seventies, I was taking a load of miscellaneous odds and ends to the city dump, south of Market / Owen K. Garriott. I was driving very slowly on back streets. starting near 17th and Maple. I went up to 16th, turned west on Cherokee, Oklahoma, or Park, traveling about ten miles per hour. I was shocked to find a man running alongside my pickup on my side, asking me to stop. He (J.W. Martin, apparently) asked me to stop so that he could have something he saw of interest piled high in the bed of my pickup. He lived on the south side of one of the three streets mentioned, between 16th and 10th. Their yard was kind of busy with miscellaneous decorations, but not untidy. I guess he was renting there.
WOW, all the talk of food brought back thoughts of Judons, Brights Drive-in, Navajo, banana pudding at the Hendry house… Thanks so much for pulling all those wonderful times back to the surface and at the same time for making me feel a little melencholy that those simple innocent times seem gone forever.
I miss going to Tydings wholesale on grand where my grandmother worked and getting to pick out some candy and to the fire station on Maine where my granddad was a fireman. Also miss Maupin Ford Tractor where I spent hours as a child, I knew every inch of that building and all the cool places to hide. Loved walking down to the “ice cream parlor” in heritage hills shopping center and going to 31 flavors for bubble gum ice cream. Miss K-Bobs and the Dairy Queen and the toy store that the Hensley’s owned. Miss shopping at Lerner’s or getting polo shirts from England’s and definitely miss going to Simpson’s to get 501 button up jeans!! Thanks everyone for all the Awesome Memories, I sure miss those days..
Who was your Grandmother? Burton and Mary Tydings were my Grandparents. My name is Trey Baker I grew up in Pryor. Loved the smell of the candy and tobacco!
My grandmother was Ethel Valentine Erwin. Her maiden name was Ash.
Thanks for the mention “England’s”. Those were the “good ole days”.
Larry, do you have any photos of England’s you could send?
What about “The Hickory Hut” where Arby’s is now, had great BBQ and those little red diced peppers….. Good Stuff..
I’m glad someone else remembers the hickory hut. I haven’t had a chopped brisket sandwich that good since.
Pickled radishes!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hickory Hut was operated by Johnny O, who also ran the Officer’s Club restaurant at Vance. He had a huge smoker oven and at Christmas and Thanksgiving would smoke a big batch of turkeys. Left over smoked turkey made the best turkey salad for sandwiches. His secret ingredient was his own invention called “Barcoal” as I recall, and the recipe for that is lost to eternity apparently.
What a memory jog. Thanks for this, Curtis. Those were wonderful days!
Some things I miss…….chicken fried steak at Wagon Wheel, sneaking out to meet Jim at the corner every weekend, fashion shows we were in at Newman’s, buying English Leather cologne every year downtown for my dad, Pak a Sak burgers of course, hickory burger at our favorite after school restaurant, hamburger from Lahoma Drive In that was behind my house on Wynona Drive, (food was important to me I guess), dragging Van Buren and circling through Sandy’s, quarter mile races outside of town, trips to Canton Lake with Jim and Coors….think I could go on and on………:)
I miss the candy island in the old Sears store.
And the model train displays at Sears during Christmas season. Anyone else remember the X-ray machine in the shoe department there to see how well your new shoes fit?
I remember they had hot cashews, and you could check your toes in your new shoes with the fluoroscope in the shoe dept.
Loved reading this and I too miss all those things…For us East side kids, I miss when the City closed off East Elm & East Cyprus for snow and we would all get together and sled, “Junior Jungle” off East Locust, after school stop at Bea’s Bakery down the street from Longfellow, running to Roy’s Supermarket (16th & Bdwy.) on errands for your Mom, standing in line everyday for Phillips Swimming Pool, renting tandems from Walker rental with friends on Saturdays and riding all over Enid, music lessons every week upstairs at Chenoweth & Green Music Store, TG&Y, Woolworth’s, Every Saturday walking with friends downtown to do endless “shopping” (browsing – we never had much money), sharing curlie fries at The Char House (where Callahan’s is now)…and of course Jerry’s Roller Rink on Friday nights…..hmmmm
Thanks for all the happy reminders of Enid past! Remember the smell of bread baking from the old Bond Bakery, scrumptious smells from Taco Grande, the clown waving outside of Zepi’s Pizza, Jerry’s and the off-the square Roller Rinks, Sandy’s Drive-In where burgers were 7 for $1 and it also served as the turnaround for the “drag” on VanBuren (and the first place I ever saw anyone “streak”), the cool Wagon Wheel sign that made it look the the wheel was turning, the old bakery in the white stucco building on the east side (Coleman’s?), Tastee Freeze, the candy department in the old Sear’s Building, Woolsworth’s fountain and grill, Montgomery Ward’s window displays , Loomis Furniture, Herzberg’s for the fancy clothes, Down’s Pharmacy, the fountain and trails and paddle boats and ducks at Government Spring’s Park, Hedges Cafe, and Dan & Bake’s burgers and chili! Awesome!
I don’t think I ever drive north on Independence when I’m home visiting without thinking about the smell of baking bread as I cross over the train tracks. Back in the days when communities were more completely self-sufficient.
Who can forget the best ever Cherry Limeades and burgers in the back of Down’s Rexall Drugs. Man, those were the days….
Pretty much I did and remember all of what you said. Thanks for some good ol’e memories…
Yes, I remember most and do you remember the Char Burger a Drive In on East Maine by Boys Market? They had the shaved ice in cokes. My sisters loved them.
Lucky ‘ Drive In on the hill of Randolph by the tracks. Ice even better than Sonic. Chapman grocery. Driving the orange Kens bugs. That was a blast. Making pizza in a real oven. Watching Esquire burn and Richill ‘ arise from the ashes. Chief and Sooner theaters. Met Calf. 1400 / 1500 square foot houses we thought were huge. And the Big Scott at Sandy’s.
I miss the Eagle Arcade and Woolco, Newmans being downtown. I totally forgot about the bikini wearing, jogging man!!!! Thanks for the memories!!!
Woolworths and Woolco….haha
I miss eating eating a cheeseburger and fries, with a chocolate shake at Downs Pharmacy!
Dairy Queen on West Willow
I REMEMBER THE WATER SLIDE I WORKED AT TG&Y WE WOULD GET OFF WORK AND GO THERE AT NITE GOOD TIMES
I miss Skatetown, the Overland Trail Arcade, the robot at the pizza place across from the arcade, playing tennis on the street in the Meadows until 2am with Heath McBurnett. I miss riding bikes or motorcycles to Ghost town on the trails by the Meadows. I miss working at the bowling center (my first job) and joining a league there and naming our team The Motley Crüe.
yeah “pizza man” restaurant was the name
I remember swimming in the creek where ur house was built and mom having to remove the leeches. Going to post office at Phillips college to buy government stamps. Remember winning the first baseball throw in 6 th grade at school for new government fitness program. I remember 25 cent hamburgers. I rember playing outside on sidewalk without supervision. Early 1960
I miss Simpson’s Mercantile
I miss the county fair, stock car races and the tractor pulls.
My mom was the cashier at Richill’s for years! Remember the live parrot they had, Buddy? I was an east side kid too and lived summers of riding bikes to Phillips to play tennis and swim, Junior Jungle, and Bob’s Cone Corner for frito chili pies. Lots of good memories of Enid and growing up without a care in the world.
My mom also worked at Richells as a waitress for 12 years . I loved going to see her there the train and the parrot was great . Then I would go to the esquire to the movie . I miss those times so much . I’m sure your mom knew mine . My mom passed away a few years back . Her name was Bea
I miss my friends!!!
I miss all the awesome people I hung out with at highschool. We always had such a great time together.
I miss coming home from downtown and always passing the old lady’s house on Van Buren that was between Randolph and James. There was a huge bush that curved around her property on the James side. Mom was terrified we would run into someone as we went around the bush because it was a blind spot. Sometimes, idiots would go the wrong way down James and would indeed be in am accident.
I miss standing in line at the old health clinic when it was on Market (Owen K. Garriott) when I was in grade school. We all had to be vaccinated for Rubella I think. We stood in line for a long time. When it was our turn, two of my sisters and I stood in between nurses who had a gun with a bottle of clear liquid attached. Those shots caused scars we carried for years. Mine was on my left arm.
I remember having to go out into the hallway one at a time when I was in first grade. A nurse poked us in the arm with a little plastic device she called a “snake bite”. I don’t remember what it was for. Back in those days, the nurse came around for shots and all sorts of things.
I remember taking a nickel to school for 5-cent milk. We usually had time out about 10am. I was excited when it was my turn to go get them from the big refrigerated chest in the hallway. Mom sometimes gave me a quarter so I could buy milk for the less fortunate. Not everyone could afford a nickel for milk.
I remember “hotdog day” as a fundraiser for the PTA. We paid a quarter for a hotdog and milk. Those were the days I got to stay at school for lunch. We didn’t have a cafeteria at McKinley. You either stayed at school with a sack lunch or you went home for lunch. Sometimes I asked my mom to let me stay with a sack so I could sit with my best friend, Connie Allen. I remember them doing it almost every year I went to school there.
I remember being in orchestra in 5 th grade and then finding out I could be in marching band in the 6 the grade, so I switched. Mr. Jewell lived on the corner from us. He pushed clarinet, so I could scholarship in college later. Once I got past being afraid of Mr. Griffin, he helped me scholarship on Contra bass clarinet to OSU.
I always enjoyed crazy daze with my sisters. My folks would hand us $5 and drop us off downtown by Larry Black Sporting goods. I loved the neon sign at night. We always ate lunch at Whiteway Cafe, it was about the size of a large bathroom. We always got 25- cent burgers on crazy day. They always had fried onions unless you said no. We NEVER said no! Whiteway was on the side-street.
I could go on and on as well, but it wanted to post some memories not on your list to see if anyone else remembers them as well.
Shelly,
I believe that house was referred to as “The Bird Lady’s House.” I recall delivering a noon “Meal on Wheels” to her house several decades ago. There must have been more than fifty yellow canaries in the kitchen and dining room alone. She showed me how she fed them by placing a small amount of frozen hamburger in the palm of my hand and having me close it momentarily to thaw it and then came a dozen birds all up and down my arm waiting to eat the treat. A weird but fun experience.
I miss Eagle Arcade, the playground at McDonald’s, the spinning Taco Tico sign and the Wagon Wheel sign. Going to see the Christmas lights at Willow Lake, my sister and I riding our bikes around Heritage Hills shopping center and throwing pennies into the fountain there. Going to Braum’s and always getting one scoop of Peppermint Patty ice cream. Winchell’s donuts!!! The water slide on Van Buren, I remember they were always playing “Another One Bites the Dust” and “It’s Only Rock n Roll to Me” that summer.
I remember all of that! I had forgotten that Taco Tico had a spinning sign. McDonalds on Willow is our only spinning sign now.
larry blacks sporting goods,lenox drive inn, gold spot ice cream store, champlin pool and springs park pool-cold!!!!!-
what was that a and w root beer drive inn -my aunt nellie johnson taught at longfellow-learned to swim at phillips pool- red keck owned farm out by the woods development-ringwood watermelon -YUM!!!!
Miss Johnson was my Geometry teacher in 1957 .Loved her.
The go cart track, getting fried pickles at the Navajo, seeing the undies hanging from Sud’s your Dud’s. My Mom used to drag me and my sister into Newman’s, oh I disliked it so much. All the mannequins gave me the creeps, so much so I still remember a nightmare I had about being locked in there! I think I spent most of my childhood at the softball fields towards the base. My Mom and my Aunt played softball. We had a blast finding change and other random things under the bleachers. I miss hearing the sound of the trains and the jets flying. But most of all I miss eating at Richill’s with my Doen ( my grandmother). I would give almost anything to be back there, watching the trains, gazing at the trolls, eating fried chicken, mac n cheese and the best chocolate pie ever!!!
I miss the tee pees and forts at meadowlake.
I didn’t know there were tee pees and forts at Meadowlake! What years were they there?
I remember the Tee Pee’s, they were actually made of cement. I vaguely remember forts. I know they were there when I was younger, so the late 70’s, and up until appx 86ish.
I’m still trying to figure out the name of the arcade located in downtown for a brief time that was located across from the Public Library. Seems like the name might have been Silver Moon Arcade, can anyone verify that.
I remember the Tee Pee’s, they were actually made of cement. I vaguely remember forts. I know they were there when I was younger, so the mid-late 70’s, and up until approximately 86-89 when they may have been removed.
I’m still trying to figure out the name of the arcade located in downtown for a brief time that was located across from the Public Library. Seems like the name might have been Silver Moon Arcade, can anyone verify that.
I remember the tee pees and the fort. They were at the east end of the road loop on the south side of the lake. This would be close to where the railroad bridge for the minature train crossed the lake. The fort was closest to the bridge. The fort was basically a staple shaped wall, mimicking vertical logs. It had ladders and a balcony to stand on. Both the tee pees and the fort were made of a chicken wire and concrete type construction and we’re painted. They did not last long..early 70’s to end of the 70’s.
I miss going to the Wagon Wheel with my dad,
I went to the Wagon Wheel with my Dad too. ????
I miss Semke’s Root Beer Stand and the miniature golf, and Max & Rex hot chili in the wintertime!
Semke’s had the best root beer in town, and the mugs were ice cold.
That was my first job paid 20cents an hour
I miss the races at the Enid Speedway. … the feel of the grandstands shaking…roar of the cars … the great friendships made out there and more than anything the family memories
I do not miss the races at Enid Speedway. I spent the summer of 1974 in the Pits there every Saturday night when I worked for Enid Ambulance Service. It was noisy, hot and dusty. That summer, we took more people to the hospital out of the stands than we did drivers! I do not miss it but it IS a memory!
The Government Springs swimming pool and the fountain with the lion head in front of it. It’s now St Mary’s parking lot and just east of the now Heritage Village and that is where the old Enid Zoo used to be. The Shamrock Bowling Alley, The Trail Bowling Alley that was part of Trail Motell. Roberto’s Cafe’ on the stockyards had the best Mexican food ever!! The Vance Air Force Base open house every year. My dad worked there forever.
My grandpa was Ken Thomas of Kens Bakery! I remember helping him package the freshly baked bread at age 6 and the smell of it as I got the air out of the bag and put the twist tie on. I’ll never forget it!
I remember your grandfather and the bakery I knew your family well was you mom brenda?
I remember the chocolate long johns with cream filling. My sister and i would stop at Kens on the way to Enid High.
I miss Lerners it was a clothing store where the bike shop is
And I miss the smell of the refinery
When it rained. Yuck.
I miss grandpa bringing A&W rootbeer
Home on Friday nights, because that was payday.
I miss setting at meadow lake park for what seamed like hours with my cousin
Fonda Mc Mullen watching fireworks.
Wow did this bring back a flood of memories! Very well done!! You didn’t evend leave out the bikini running man, always so tan and fit pushing the woman around in the whellchair when i was really young, then running on his own after she was gone. Thank you! Truly priceless memories. I also miss the Wagon Wheel Restaurant and their hashbrowns. 😉
I miss the smell of Bond’s bakery. I miss the steak sandwiches at the Navajo Drive Inn
I miss the old Navajo Drive Inn too Donna, you and Mary Belcher…lol
Lol…does anyone know who the bikini running guy actually was? I bet he had no idea the mark he left on all of us!
Yes. I’ll have to run a story soon.
I miss Trademart on south Van Buren.
I miss riding our bikes to ABC park to play ball till dark. I also miss sitting on the corner of Hwy 81 and Maple st with my friends watching all the busses pull in from different towns for Tri State. I miss walking to Safeway for my mom and paying by check (no id required). I also miss riding bikes to the Y every summer day with my brothers and sisters and friends to swim 1 to 6pm. Every pay day my parents would treat us to burgers and fries at the somewhere inn behind our house.
I remember the pony ride at the zoo in Springs Park because my family owned it. My dad and I came every day for a while and then only on Sundays. For 10 cents you could go around and around for quite a while. Loading and unloading those horses was really interesting when the bears were growling really load. I ate lunch at Pak-a-sak every day. One day they gave me an ice cream cone. You would have thought I had won the lottery I was so happy. This was in the late 50’s.
Who is this genius with the great memory?? I recognize the boy on the skateboard but can’t come up with a name!! Our house was one of the main launching sites for the west Broadway hide and seek. But we called it “mushqualins” – I have no idea why! Between the Herlihy and Adelman families, joined by the Dunlaps, Hutchisons, Simmons and more, there would be 30 kids out running around the neighborhood in the dark-mostly barefoot!! What great days!! Thanks for the memories!!
I’m Curtis Tucker and the other guy is Bruce Bradley.
I remember watching you play Astroids and being amazed at how fast you could hit the fire button, Curtis
LOL! Loved that game!!
Does anyone remember memorizing how to say everything in a Big Mac backwards for free fries at McDonald’s I can still do it
My grandparents lived on the corner of Independence and Market. I remember walking by the RC Cola plant and smell the bottling taking place or going down on Grand and walking by the coke plant. I also remember Ernie’s on the corner of Market and Grand. I remember the trucks going in and out of Mistletoe Express. I remember sliding on cardboard at the Education building across the street from my Grandparents. I remember ColdIrons. Peggy and Polly’s cafe. That the VFW had a cafe. Evans Drug downtown. Sears. Montgomery Wards and the bank that used to be on the corner near Sears. The Woolsworth. I remember hearing the Gold Spot milkman delivering milk in the morning. Watching the jets circling Enid. I remember Kress and another little shop called Kresge. I remember the Red Bud’s grocery stores. The Humpty Dumpty’s. I remember the Gold Spot sign on the corner of Independence. I remember the Christmas lights strung across the street. I can remember the bands as they came by my Grandparents from the High School for the Festival of Bands. I remember the TGY downtown and the OTASCO nearby. There also was another cafe downtown called Arnolds. I remember the so tall meringue on top of the cream pies at Wagon Wheel. Woolco’s. All 3 boy’s markets. I remember the Chief, The Esquire and the Sooner theaters. There was a jewelry store right next door of the Esquire. You could walk into the store from the movies. I remember Enid had two newspapers all published by the same family. The Enid Morning news and the Eagle in the afternoon. My grandmother Guthrie got both. I remember going to the Pak-a-Sak and watching my cousin Bobby Joe flipping burgers and wearing that white paper hat and white apron and the smell of the onions being grilled. There also used to be a place for Teens to go and they had Special singers such as Chubby Checker and a lot of dancing.
Ricky, I’m. very familiar with that area. Our house was. behind the Jr. League Bldg. We lived across the street from Mistletoe. Do you remember Burnetts store? We would go and play at Ernies and around the RC Plant. I was born in 1955 and went to Jefferson School. Where did your grandparents live? I don’t remember the Guthrie name. Our house is gone now. We moved in 1966, across town. Too small for 6 people.
Ricky! Your grandmother Guthrie? What was her first name?
Maxwell Pancake house. Going into the Armory to cool off and get a drink in the summer. The skating rink that use to be way out west on Garriot before the skate rink on overland trail.
That photo!! Those faces look so familiar.
I miss the popcorn you could get for free in Sears. I miss the wide staircase in Newman’s.
Thank you for your list, it carried me back in time. What about bowling class at the Trail bowling alley. That was pretty cool.
I miss Bob’s Cone Corner on E. Chestnust
Bob’s had the best hamburgers and malts!
“The lumberjack” at Bobs cone corner
How about all the football games at PAL park
Loved Enid I worked at Coleman’s donut shop by the railroad tracks & later I worked at Lenners shop I dressed the Windows ’66-68 what a great job so many mannequins I can’t remember my bosses name she was wonderful we loved Crazy Day. I remember the tornado in 65 maybe 66 it was close to our house 9th & Chestnut. Skating at the rink by the swimming pool not sure of the name. Such great memories.
Your Boss’s Name Was: Mrs. James..
She was The Manager Until 1972, retiring, after becoming ill. She Loved all her Employees and LOVED Her Job. Thank you, for Commenting. She was My Mom.Wonderful Lady!! Crazy Days Were Fun! Life was so Family Oriented Back In The day.
Your Boss’s Name: Mrs. James..
She was The Manager From Late 1950’s Until 1972, retiring, after becoming ill. She Loved all her Employees and LOVED Her Job. Thank you, for Commenting. She was My Mom. Hard Worker and Wonderful Lady!! Crazy Days Were Fun! Life was so Family Oriented Back In The day.
I love these memories as I was reading through the remarks I would see some that I was thinking about and others that I had Forgoten. Do you remember the cotton patch I loved there fried mushrooms. I miss all the church league basketball and softball teams and walking across the brides at meadow lake the mini golf course out on garland I miss having a friend that worked at one of the theaters down town he got us free passes that were good at all 10 shows at that time. 3 down town 2 in front of put out and 5 at the mall. Ten shows in ten days. With Micheal bell. I miss crushing around the high school before school music blasting. My favorite memory which has been.mintioned is the eagle arcade I remember mastering qubert to impress a girl there. I met my wife of 27 years there (her best friend interdicted us problem was I was dating Her at the time). Good times.
Before “Richill’s Cafeteria”, owned by Richard Autry moved into the old Esquire Theater on the South side of W. Randolph, it used to be Don-Paul Cafeteria located directly across the street on the North side of West Randolph. I worked at the old Don-Paul in 1969-1970 as a waitress making $1.00 hr.
I miss Lake Hellums with the Gigantic Water Slide and Teen Town during Tri-state where you could meet real cool boys!!! Lots of wonderful memories here!!
Van’s Drive-In and the Classic Chevy Club
I miss all my EAST SIDE STINKIES AND SKIPPING SCHOOL at longfellow and hanging out at the matcafe and bruams.
I remember going to the chief and esquire theaters I remember riding the elevator in the Broadway tower and there was always a elevator operator there. I remember my grandparents had a charge account at the Roy’s supermarket on Broadway and 16th. I remember the cookies at Beas bakery and the old nickel drug store. The huge elevators, the many railroad tracks ,Champlain refinery and running around all over Phillips university campus. The stores downtown lambert a, coldirons, Newmans, England’s, Simpsons, Evans, Woolworth, learners , s&h clothes, penneys, Sears, hershburgs, sugar n spice, music lessons at jensons, the fair, the circus many many more memories.
Oh and sonic booms from the planes at Vance.
I remember most everything on the list very well.
A few I thought of :
The roller state rink that, I believe, used to be in the emporium antiques building.
Eating that awesome cheesecake at the cafeteria at the back of Woolco (where hobby lobby is now) at sunset plaza.
Going to the Gold Spot Dairy for breakfast or lunch.
The moonlight drive in theater (with the moon mural) next to the fairgrounds by North Enid.
Hey Greg that was me that gave out the movie passes,great summer I’ll never forget
Remember the lady who walked around w her purse around her neck ,?
Hey question for anyone: There used to be a short lived, 1970’s ice cream place on west o.k. garriott. I believe it was close to the independence street intersection or nearby. You could order a sundae and they had a topping bar where you could add your own toppings on the sundae. It had a round, spinning sign and a odd name. Anyone remember what it was called?
Ripley’s Believe it or not!
I miss walking to Champlin pool and seeing Paul Bunyan!
My husband was the cook at pac-a-sac from 84 to about 87 I loved going in there and seeing him behind the counter and we both had them looks that said a thousand words.I remember me and my boyfriend at the time now my husband and our best friend that we still have contact with to this day going to the arcade by the skating rink we had the best of times there we would stay until they closed and then start dragging Van Buren.Going skating every Tuesday for a dollar.My Mom getting me out of school early from McKinleys and taking me to my first movie which was a dollar also I went to go see E.T I thought I was the bomb because my older brother and sister did not get to go it was just me and my mom.Remember having to go to every bingo hall there was but the best part about that I met husband at the VF.W bingo hall when I was fifteen our anniversary is coming up March 30th we have been together for 26 years.I have so many memories there I was born at Bass Memorial in 1970 and moved away when I was nineteen to get married.Still to this day the memories flood though me it will always be home no matter where I live.
Thanks for sharing!
Remember Qualty Bakery across from Dierksen-Jones Buick on Grand and Elm. Also Coulson’s Bakery on Broadway across the tracks on 3rd and Broadway and if you really want an old memory, how about the loop downtown! Messed everybody up I think and was only there through the 70’s but definitely was interesting! I worked at so many of these things mentioned I had forgot! The bank across from Evans downtown was 1st Nat’l Bank as I worked there as well as Wackers, Evans downtown, Bestyet on North Van Buren, McDonalds on Van Buren when they first opened, Lahoma Drive In on Market! I also worked at the Commessary at Vance, the Buick house, how about Enid Electric Motor on 4th, worked there too, Community Bank where Walgreens is now and probably a lot more! I remember a monkey grabbing my brother when we were kids! Wrigley’s Grocery on West James.
Thanks for the memories.
I remember Quality Bakery. They made Cream Filled Coffee Cakes that were DELICIOUS !! Even after we moved to OKC, I would call them a day before I drove back to Enid to pick up several. I would love to have that recipe to make them for my family.
Did you ever get that coffee cake recipe? I am from Enid, too, and live in Missouri now. Born and raised in Enid until I moved (1953-1986) and those Quality Bakery coffee cakes were the best! I’ve looked for recipes to duplicate them and never found anything close.
Vance AFB
Opened faced chili cheese burgers, You called in your order on a telephone On each table??
Mary had a little Lamb Lady, oh! My!
She came to the credit office at Sears The Mezanine!! Took out her false teeth. Garry Melton ran with box of Kleenex . We always placed Kleenex in time There sat the teeth!!
Military wife finding a job my first day in town, unbelievable!!
Janice my red headed funny co-worker. Miss her fun and sweetness. Long way from home.
friendliness from all Enid families
Lutheran church ladies social group. They walked Donna and I out of their Group. In the Hall way they patted us on the hand. You girls are way to young for this old ladies group. Try Wednesday Night their more your age! We laughted till 2016! Did we just get rejected!!
Hail as big as soft balls
Husband attending classes at Phillips Univ. Graduated with honors!!
amazing friendliness of Enid neighbor’s
Waking up our first morning to Train’s. Yes! To our amazement! We had Rented a downstairs apartment with Train switching yard behind us. Never Noticed the sound from that day on.
Snowed in Drive way blocked. Enid’s ice crew!! Two people on back of pick up! Throwing salt and ash on to highway! Really, my husband was from Illinois, he still finds this strange!!
Hennessey, Ok our Banker Travis Johnstone may he RIP. Taught my Husband to go noodling! Crazy fun Fishing and camping.
Marcie Thompson, sweetest little girl Gone to young. Her sister Sharon and husband Jim Humes. Opened their hearts and home on Holidays, and everyday! Homesickness gone!
Jackie, Lori, Travis Charlie, playing cards and sharing your Best friends thank you!
Friendliest Military Town. Thank you! You never let us down! Felt love and kindness. Vance AFB memories of Air shows and Military Families gone but never forgotten!
Friends, lasting friends from Enid . True Genuine Folks . GOD Blessed your Town!
HE Blessed us! Thank you!
I love your list. Accidentaly did a flip off the high dive at Champlins pool .Got a lil half belly buster and cheers from the onlookers. Made a lot of treehouses and played board games till we dropped on the rainy days. Sleddin at the overpass on the snowy ones!
Many rides at Comets go carts.They didnt have good steering back then and would wear your arms out.
Remember first pizza house in enid. In the 60s it was called the gypsy inn on west Lahoma road. About where the Toyota place is. It was just a house with candles lit on the tables.
anyone remember the “windmill” building on the southwest corner of independence and main? my father-in-law thought it was called the windmill cafe. i was thinking the last thing it was before it “disappeared” was either an insurance office or a real estate office. it at one time had actual windmill blades (fixed in place of course) like the ones in holland. security natl. bank drive thru sits in that spot today.
I’ve posted a pic of it. It’s buried on the EB Facebook page somewhere.
Let’s not forget the Shamrock Bowl and the Trail Bowling Lanes. The Christmas lights downtown strung across the street. Sneaking into the Youngblood hotel to find the “red lights”
The bikini swimsuit guy is Jay Martin. He’s still alive, in an adult care facility somewhere near here. He was quite a guy. He played piano in a local church – forget which one.
The Electric Eagle Arcade, where Hope Outreach is, now. Also, the Silver Moon Arcade, in the corner building at Maine and Grand – now torn down with all the others. I miss riding down the dips and slopes of the green office buildings on Garriott, near Polk or Taylor streets. Fitz Simmons quick shop at the tracks, where Randolph and James streets meet. I miss riding my bicycle along the sidewalks in the Waverly District in the evening/at night – people sat out on their porches, it was dark and their living room lights were on, we could get a glimpse of their lives – it was a magical feeling for me. Trick or Treating along the Waverly District streets.
Oh my god, the Silver Moon. I’ve been trying to remember the name of that arcade for over thirty years…thanks, dude.
my brother and I would go from place to place around town, playing their video games – to TG&Y on N. Van Buren, where they had Asteroids, then to Shamrock Bowl, then Oakwood Bowl, Boys Market, some of the quick shops. Each one had a different game.
I did the same thing. Good times.
Anyone remember the trampolines on van buren on the north side of the trail motel?
I vaguely remember the trampolines. Probably didn’t get to go there more than a couple of times. My dad was the first manager of Wackers. I can remember the grand opening in 1965. I also remember the grand opening of K-Mart on N. Van Buren, which my dad sensed was the beginning of the end for the five and dime. In 1969, he went into the school supply business in Stillwater. Lots of memories of Tri-State, Dewitt Waller, Enid High, A&W, Medowlake park (remember the paddle boats?), the fairgrounds, the Tastee Freeze, and racing slot cars up at a place on N. Grand (if I recall correctly).
Thank to the original authur and every who has also wrote down their memories, As Terrance Mann told Ray in Field of dreams. the memories are so thick, I had to brush then away from my face. I remember….. the Q Spot, playing fooseball at Jerrys on N Van buren, basketball in grade school at the Dept of education. the basketball tournment at st Joe’s, (Carver grade school always won) little olympics won by Adams Hayes or Glenwood,….I went to Jefferson grade school, we usually came in last, the old police dept across from convention hall, football behind the water works, betting on football at Chucks place, Keeling video and Appliance on the East side, Simmons grocery across from the high school, playing pinball at the Trail and Shamrock, the Youngblood.Hotel ( the hookers were real) the 81 motel, I worked at Sandys in High School, the manager Paul Schroeder had me to go run off all the motor cycle gang and people drinking there, they were all back the next night, there was a used bookstore across from Garfield furniture that sold me playboys when I was in 7th grade, 31 flavors clise to Emerson the place, behind the news and eagle where all the paperboys would pick up their papers, I had a crow in grade school and junior high, it pecked Ronnie Nave once, God bless him, an Enid original along with Steve Gray and Ricky Cray, playing kickball in grade school, and Dodge Ball at Emerson and at Enid High, also worked summers at the Rock Island RR, and at Champion Refinery all gone now, but the memories remain ,
Excellent articles – the memories came rushing back like a gale force wind. Throwing newspapers on my bike, fishing at Meadowlake, working at Coldiron’s on the square, band (I am proud to have been a “Band Nerd”). I could go on and on, but most of all I miss the sounds, the blue sky and the smells of Enid. It is like no other place I ran into in the past 40 years.
My favorite place ever, best childhood I could ask for. Love these memories. Pizza man was one of my fave places. Jet fuel and the lullaby of the Jets, never forgotten. Often wonder about people I grew up with there, that I’ve lost contact with. Thank you for posting all the memory lane story’s.
I miss racing slot cars with my brothers at the Eagle Arcade!
I miss walking around “The Square” every saturday with my sister. Especially at Christmas time, because the Salvation Army Santas would pass out those huge toostsie rolls. We would stop at Woolsworth to take pictures in the photo booth for 50 cents and smash our pennies in the coin smasher and make a new plastic coin with our boyfriend’s name on it in the other machine.Then sit at the fountain and get served water in that little metal stand with a coneshaped paper cup. We would stop at Sears to use their fancy upstairs bathroom, because it was like a lounge. Then we would sneak on top of the Sears rooftop to over look the city. Then we would stop in every store along the way, Newmans, Anthonys, Learners, & Larry Blacks, as we made our way to the Dollar General store to buy our fake white keds. Oh and we would always stop at Simpsons Merchantile on the way home for a free bottle of coke.
Little Olympics! I was a flying ‘A’ from Adams grade school. The secret to our wins is the coach would sit us down on the field and open a box of sugar cubes and let us have at it before we flew on down the field. Every day swimming at Phillips pool with Mr. Osterhaus watchful eye. Putting on ice skates and skating down the streets after an ice storm iced them up. (Park Street hill) Broadway Tower not having a 13th floor. Laying in the wheat fields and watching the jets go over you. Regular art classes in grade school.
Susan I was from Adams as well and I also remember the sugar cubes before the race at Little Olympics! I remember the jet trainers from Vance going ’round and ’round training for Vietnam. Tri State and the rides downtown on Broadway. Mr Osterhoudt and the Phillips pool. When the Esquire theater burned on a quiet clear Sunday and everyone came to watch because the smoke was so visible. Longfellow Cafeteria’s dinner rolls. George’s diner on Main just West of Phillips University. And on and on and on…
I miss Roy’s supermarket Tijuana the zoo and Tristate rides ECT. when it was bigger with more rides like in the 60’s and 70’s. Simpson’s Dr Jean Johnson and her sister. The train engine that was across from Pac a sack and Pac a sack Three Towers Escuire theater og@he’s substation the big Christmas tree they had down town Paul Bunion statue the green stamp store. Martha Johnson Mrs Clampit paddle boats at Medowlake. Emmanuel Baptist Christmas Pageant. Otasko. Trainers farm where we bought farm fresh milk.
Excellent article that I stumbled across one day, I wanted to look up the bird sanctuary in Enid that I frequented when I was in my single digits! Up came that and everything else Enid. This article encircled my feelings that day, and boy did it ever sum them up! Birthdays and dinners at Next Door and Meadowlake park! Going to see Grease 2 at the movies for my birthday…watching them drag-and even dragging a little myself-down Van Buren! Wonderful memories.
Although I haven’t been back since I was about 8 or 9, it looks like a wonderful place to grow up and raise a family. Thanks so much!
We used to play “Tag the Assassination Game” at the Continental Tower North at night after everyone was gone. I remember running the entire building with toy dart guns. I’m sure we would be arrested if we tried this nowadays.
I remember when Enid had a public bus, there were bus benches at many corners all over town. I loved the cherry limeade and the ice at Charburger on east Maine. At the Kress store in the back was those tiny turtles and they had parakeets and canaries, I bought a lime green parakeet with my 9th birthday money from Kress.
I was born in Enid in 1957 and went Adams $ Longfellow junior high, I went to Phillips pool and remember Mr. Osterhous also I lived on East Cherokee. My dad worked in the Boardway tower at American optical, my grandmother worked at the esquire theater, I remember a lot of places mentioned, I used go to pak a sac and the mad cafe, Roy’s market all the time. Thanks for the great memories
My parents owned the Silver Creek Smokehouse in Enid long in the Early 80s.. We were there for about 3 years and what a great time of my life it was sneaking out with friends to meet up with them and hang out. Grade school at Monroe Elementary school and off to Emerson Middle School. Holly Blair, Lisa Bates, and Jamie Montgomery, prettiest girls ever.. I hope to revisit Enid again someday.. God Bless
I might be older than you but will ask anyway. Do you remeber when the north side of Trade Mart caved in because of a gigantic snow drift? I think that happened maybe 1969 plus or minus a year or two LOL!
I do remember! I’ve posed the question several times and the last time most people remember it open was 71 or 72.
Does anyone know who owned Quality Bakery or any of its history? We loved the little “tart” cookies as we called them. They would probably be called thumbprint cookies now. White with cherry frosting and chocolate with chocolate frosting. We also loved their brownies and cinnamon pull aparts. Would love to track down recipes and/or pictures of Quality Bakery.
When I was a teenager, it was such a treat if my mom would buy me a polo or Izod shirt from England’s. And I miss Richill’s and Enid News & Stationery so much! Also loved Coulson’s donuts and Fat & Skinny’s. My grandmother loved Lenox Drive In. Miss the Putt Putt by the Cinema Twin. And Meadowlake. Loved to buy Joan Walsh Anglund pocket dolls from Sugar & Spice (and JWA books and stamps at Enid News & Stationery), visit the little toy store, and get a dip cone at Dairy Queen in the shared building on Willow. Katy’s Pantry is STILL a favorite!
Does anyone remember Showboat children’s store in Sunset Plaza or Roman Holiday pizza on Van Buren? Loved the bike store on Garriot.
We lived in Fairview, but my mom and grandparents were from Pioneer/Enid.
Thank you for sharing all these memories!
I remember coming to Enid from Sapulpa in the 1970s to visit my grandparents who lived on Sequoyah Drive and spending fun-filled days playing at Champlin Park (across the street) and also riding my uncle’s old red Schwinn bike through the flat streets of Enid.