ICONS of NorCal

[UUG]

Growing up in San Francisco in the late 50's, moving south to west San Jose then to the western sierra foothills, there were/are many icons that were mainstays.
Attached are a few that I remember as a kid navigating around in NorCal (incl bay area, Lake Tahoe, Almanor etc) area for a long time,
So...PLEASE Post a few you can think of AND add a pic (personal or internet and a story behind it)!
Lets ROCK THIS THREAD!:thumbup:

Let me start with where I started causing trouble as a young lad. My dad worked in the hotel biz, so it always made be happy hanging with dad at his place of adventure.

The Mighty Jack Tar Hotel!

 

[UUG]

Across the street from JT was TJ...I remember just about every Saturday night my dad would come home (early sunday morning- he worked nights) with a bucket of Buffalo stew that they made up for him at TJ and we would have sunday dinner and a huge cake from TJ- good times!

Dad, I miss you, you rocked for us!

 

[UUG]

post up ladies and gents!:thumbup:
remember anything north of and including Monterey up to the Oregon border that you remember as ICONIC for you or your family.

 

[UUG]

I remember sneeking out to a concert at Winterland in the City. My very 1st concert...I thought wow, what a dive, this place should be condemned. But the music was good at the time I was growing up.

 

[UUG]

..use to ride my bike up to Los Gatos by Chimikita (SP) Park and visit some friends....

off of highway 17

The Catz ...never visited but always passed and my car broke down once...heard unusual behavior happened within those gates...not my cup of tea!

 

[UUG]

ol' Moffett Field. with AirShows of the blue angels and P3's flying over the BA and their touch and go's

 

[UUG]

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those that have driven on Highway 280 close 2 Crystal Springs res. may have remember seeing these sights while cruising.
the house has changed colors since this photo.


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[UUG]

...I can't be the only one that enjoys going down memory lane?
...is it really THAT quiet here? I cannot believe it!rolleyes:rolleyes

 

[UUG]

downtown SF. Not too far from Jack Tar and Tommy's Joynt. My dad made sure that I never visited "that part of town"
not sure why, I guess he did not want me to learn about condors and birds at too young of an age-
Again, I miss you dad. Thank you for all you and Mom did for the family.

 

[UUG]

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went 'over the hill' many times to play at the beach especially when I got my 1st motorcycle.

 

[UUG]

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since my dad was in the 'hotel biz' we would visit certain hotels during the summer. My folks liked to play only the slots while my brother and I enjoyed the pool and the beaches in LT.
probably why I still enjoy the smell of the ponderosa pines and the fireplaces in the early mornings on the lake.

This hotel was once owned by the 'Chairman of the board' and is currently going thru a complete remodel after coming out of chapter 13 I believe.

 

[UUG]

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Santa Village in Scotts Valley was a holiday favorite while I was a young lad.


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[UUG]

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...anyone remember this- I heard they (the dlr) relocated up the street?
the iconic sign is gone?


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[UUG]

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any one still remembers the neon sign of the Hamms beer glass filling up off of 101 within the 'city of love'?



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or the Planters dude?








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[UUG]

I can still see (in my mind) the neon lites of the beer filling and emptying....(in the above post of the Hamms sign)

 

[UUG]

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another sign that would probably be considered non-pc by CAIR (whatever :grumble: )

 

[UUG]

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or how about radio stations (rock-n-roll) that made their mark?

Surely some of you(or you can call me DJ) may have remembered 98.5 KOME and its late 1970's marketing of "Don't touch that dial...it has KOME on it" or "Wake up in the morning with KOME in your ear" ????
the KOME black and yellow diamond stickers that were everywhere (and edited with a pencil eraser) ????




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BONUS QUESTION:
does anyone remember the popular radio station in the south bay of norcal (similar time) ...hint: a bit country and had a popular decal that many fans sported on their rides as well?

 

[UUG]

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....well, how about KABOOM on the bay in the 90's. Fireworks timed with music from KFOG?



...


that would be us rockin' on the bay.

 

[RogerThat99]

I went to The Condor many years ago. It had the the girl on the sign with lights for her nipples. I think it was Carol Doda on the sign. Big Al's was next door.

 

[UUG]

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Playland
10 acre park in Richmond district.
Opened in 1928 and closed in 1972

 

[UUG]

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Fleishhacker Municipal Swimming Pool was host to a national A.A.U. Swim Meet with five thousand attending the event to watch the competitions. One of the many celebs attending was Johnny Weissmuller, the world champion freestyle swimmer, later went on to a career in action films--Tarzan being his most notable role. Weissmuller made a number of later appearances at Fleishhacker, always drawing a crowd. The pool remained the largest in the world-so large to been seen from outer space.
In 1943, American troops routinely used it for training toward amphibious beach assaults. Pool opened on April 22, 1925 and a 1971 storm forced the closure along with other high maintenance city budget issues and then pool closed forever in June of that year. The concrete was broken out and the hole filled with rubble and topsoil. The city granted the land to the San Francisco Zoo and the pool is now buried under the Zoo?s current parking lot. Trivia: H.Fleishhacker Jr. was the speedboat champion in early Lake Tahoe speedboat racing era among competitors S. Dollar and H.Kaiser Jr.

​

 

[UUG]

was located on the el camino in Sunnyvale,
while in college, worked part-time as a bouncer.

a few of the talent 'in the day'
View attachment 393978

 

[RogerThat99]

We went to SF on Presidents Day and as we were driving I was just thinking of the Sculptures / Art in the mud flats around Berkeley that are gone now. As a kid, the Red Baron was one of my favorites. I can't believe the government claimed the sculptures were an environmental hazard and took them down...when most of them were made of driftwood. :thumbsdown

 

[RogerThat99]

Marineworld Africa USA in Redwood City. I am not sure when they moved from Redwood City to Vallejo. Not too long after the move they became a Six Flags park. But I remember going to the old park as a kid.

 

[RogerThat99]

There was an miniature Indy Car track along Hwy 50 in the Rancho Cordova / Sacramento area. I always wanted to go, but I was too young. You had to have a driver's license to drive them. I thought it was called Malibu Grand Prix, but they don't have Sacramento listed as a location, but it was the same concept and types of cars.

 

[RogerThat99]

The Nut Tree in Vacaville, CA. I know it there is still a "Nut Tree" outlet mall with a few rides...but not like it was when I was a kid.

 

[RogerThat99]

Sam's Town along Highway 50 in Cameron Park.

 

[RogerThat99]

Oakwood Lake water slides in Manteca, CA. I used to go there all the time as a kid.


Here is an episode of Lost Parks of Northern California on the Manteca Water Slides

[video=youtube;HBemuJ3BlnU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBemuJ3BlnU&t=466[/video]

 

[UUG]

Marineworld Africa USA in Redwood City. I am not sure when they moved from Redwood City to Vallejo. Not too long after the move they became a Six Flags park. But I remember going to the old park as a kid.

good one.
Yep, the water ski show and the zoo was awesome. I think the Oracle campus is in that location if I am not mistaken.

 

[UUG]

Oakwood Lake water slides in Manteca, CA. I used to go there all the time as a kid.


Here is an episode of Lost Parks of Northern California on the Manteca Water Slides

[video=youtube;HBemuJ3BlnU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBemuJ3BlnU&t=466[/video]

good catch!
RT99, isn't this the location of one of the 1st 'overhead cable water ski park'? always wanted to go...thought about selling my boat....

 

[RogerThat99]

good catch!
RT99, isn't this the location of one of the 1st 'overhead cable water ski park'? always wanted to go...thought about selling my boat....

Yes, they had an overhead cable water ski park (you can see it in the video). If I remember correctly, they also had a remote control Jet Ski type thing that you could ski behind and you controlled it from the handle on the water ski rope.

 

[UUG]

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how about the ol' Milk Farm Restaurant in Dixon? Sign still stands but I believe the restaurant is in storage someplace and I heard rumors they may open as a museum?.

 

[RogerThat99]

good one.
Yep, the water ski show and the zoo was awesome. I think the Oracle campus is in that location if I am not mistaken.

I thought you were correct...I googled it and confirmed you are correct. Here is a video of the water ski show.




[video=youtube;jKfSFk8bRBQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKfSFk8bRBQ[/video]

 

[RogerThat99]

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how about the ol' Milk Farm Restaurant in Dixon? Sign still stands but I believe the restaurant is in storage someplace and I heard rumors they may open as a museum?.




View attachment 394087

Yes, the restaurant is in storage. The building had a big cow jumping over the moon also and a wagging tail. It was very cool as a little kid. LOL.

 

[UUG]

Mount Umunhum

atop the 4th highest peak on Santa Cruz mountain tops. Overlooking the santa clara valley and the coast.
My family and I use to go 'plinking' directly below the site off of a fire road from the summit rd while growing up.

 

[UUG]

I thought you were correct...I googled it and confirmed you are correct. Here is a video of the water ski show.
]

Remember the Aquabelles?

 

[UUG]

Sutro and Cliff house

I have some 8mm of me as a youngster but the facility and the culture of the audience was starting to decay quickly in the late 50's and early 60's









"Sutro's dream for the Baths was to provide a healthy, recreational and inexpensive swimming facility for thousands of San Franciscans. A classic Greek portal opened to a massive glass enclosure containing seven swimming pools at various temperatures. There were slides, trapezes, springboards and a high dive. The power of the Pacific Ocean during high tide could fill the 1.7 million gallons of water required for all the pools in just one hour. The Baths could accommodate 10,000 people at one time and offered 20,000 bathing suits and 40,000 towels for rent."

 

[UUG]

remember the Libby facility in Sunnyvale.

 

[UUG]

how about the ol' Circle Star in San Carlos?

 

[Roaddawg]

There was an miniature Indy Car track along Hwy 50 in the Rancho Cordova / Sacramento area. I always wanted to go, but I was too young. You had to have a driver's license to drive them. I thought it was called Malibu Grand Prix, but they don't have Sacramento listed as a location, but it was the same concept and types of cars.

There was a Malibu Grand Prix in Oakland next to the Coliseum.

 

[bocco]

I thought you were correct...I googled it and confirmed you are correct. Here is a video of the water ski show.




[video=youtube;jKfSFk8bRBQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKfSFk8bRBQ[/video]

The first few years Marine World was open they used Avenger outboard boats in the water ski show. They used an 18ft with twin Merc 100s to pull the big pyramid of water skiers.

 

[GRADS]

.
those that have driven on Highway 280 close 2 Crystal Springs res. may have remember seeing these sights while cruising.
the house has changed colors since this photo.


. View attachment 393567
View attachment 393568

I remember that statue as a kid but for the life of me can't remember exactly where it's at.

 

[Jed-O]

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Santa Village in Scotts Valley was a holiday favorite while I was a young lad.


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View attachment 393580

Wow! Looks just like the one in Lake Arrowhead!

 

[UUG]

Quote Originally Posted by UUG View Post
.
those that have driven on Highway 280 close 2 Crystal Springs res. may have remember seeing these sights while cruising.
the house has changed colors since this photo.

I remember that statue as a kid but for the life of me can't remember exactly where it's at.

Hillsborough, northern part of San Mateo

 

[UUG]

Wow! Looks just like the one in Lake Arrowhead!

very cool info, sounds like a road trip for me!
thanks

 

[UUG]

.


or how about radio stations (rock-n-roll) that made their mark?

Surely some of you(or you can call me DJ) may have remembered 98.5 KOME and its late 1970's marketing of "Don't touch that dial...it has KOME on it" or "Wake up in the morning with KOME in your ear" ????
the KOME black and yellow diamond stickers that were everywhere (and edited with a pencil eraser) ????


.'
BONUS QUESTION:
does anyone remember the popular radio station in the south bay of norcal (similar time) ...hint: a bit country and had a popular decal that many fans sported on their rides as well?

anyone?

 

[Jed-O]

very cool info, sounds like a road trip for me!
thanks

No worries bud. I live near by it, it is the original built in 1955 and closed in 1998. It is supposed to open back up this summer. Tons of information on Wikipedia.

 

[Jed-O]

What it looked like a few years ago.
This is what it looks like now.

 

[GRADS]

Quote Originally Posted by UUG View Post
.
those that have driven on Highway 280 close 2 Crystal Springs res. may have remember seeing these sights while cruising.
the house has changed colors since this photo.


Hillsborough, northern part of San Mateo

That makes sense considering I lived in Hillsborough. Lol. I used to live near the Chateau(Carolands)...the place scared the crap out me.

 

[dribble]

Remember when this was a nice neighborhood.