THE THOMS SUNDAY TRAVEL SECTION.
After 30+ years in Fort Fun, Fort Liquor-dale, Fort Lauderdale, that place north of Miami, I am moving.
Moving, for me, always becomes a trip down memory lane.
You find that “something” you squirreled away in a drawer. It’s a program, a swizzle stick, a note, but never that missing sock.
And the photos. Photobooks and additional boxes of endless images.
But looking through them, I cannot come across any of Fort Lauderdale, the city.
There is water in the background in this one. The bar in that photo is probably in Ft. Lauderdale.
There are photos of the many domiciles I have hung my hat in, but not the town.
I have spent a better portion of my life here, that doesn’t seem right.
Unique Ft. Lauderdale.
I remember when the city only had one really tall building in the downtown area. Now you can barely see the Barnett Bank building (the name it will always be to me.)
The drive along the beach is completely different.
There were very few buildings over five stories back in 1989. Along the oceanfront were mom-and-pop motels dating from the 1950s.
Just looking at them, and you wanted to be in a Mustang convertible with a bottle of Coppertone.
Now there are only a few left, and every year another one disappears.
Howard Johnson’s hotel and the orange roof are long gone.
The Sheraton Yankee Clipper and Yankee Trader buildings are still there. Different hotel chains now manage them, and any signs of the Luau Buffet are long gone.
The “Sand Castle Resort,” “Blue Marlin,” “Outrigger,” and “Castle By The Sea” motels are long gone.
The Oceanfront Cavalier could claim a pitch and putt golf course, swimming pool, shuffleboard Courts, dining terrace and bar, and air conditioning.
The Jolly Roger Hotel, with a nautical theme dating from 1951, is still recognizable after several facelifts.
The Sea Grill Restaurant and Lounge is long gone.
The Sweden House Smorgasbord (well, all smorgasbords) and their “Fine Food and Gracious Dining” are just hazy memories.
That Ft. Lauderdale Movie.
What put Ft. Lauderdale on the map? In December 1960, the film “Where the Boys Are” would premiere at the Gateway Theatre.
The breakout movie for actor Jim Hutton also featured Connie Francis, Paula Prentiss, Yvette Mimieux, and 20-year-old George Hamilton.
Filming took place on Fort Lauderdale beach, telling the kookie adventures of a group of college kids on Spring Break.
The interesting thing is during the spring of 1960, maybe 100 college kids visit Ft Lauderdale for spring break.
After the movie’s premiere, the city estimates more than 50,000 college students swarmed Fort Lauderdale.
Spring break in Ft. Lauderdale would be an annual event until 1985. Reaching crowds of 350,000 students, the little beach town brought the shenanigans to an end.
Ft Lauderdale Dinosaurs Surviving the Crunch.
Unfortunately, few treasures remain from the 1950-1960s Fort Lauderdale.
Pier Sixty-Six Hotel.
Built by the Phillips 66 Petroleum company in the early 1960s, this iconic tower is a Ft. Lauderdale landmark. Originally, a glass elevator would take you to the top in 66 seconds. There, a revolving cocktail lounge would spin around a central bar with 66 stools. Take a guess how long one rotation would take?
If you visited family or friends between the 1960s and early 90s, you probably know the view. Since 2019, the property has been undergoing a complete renovation stripping the tower down to its studs. Plans call for a new hotel, residential buildings, and two condo towers. One can be hopeful.
The Wreck Bar Mermaid Show.
About the only thing recognizable from when the Sheraton Yankee Clipper hotel opened in 1956 is this bar. However, it has had several upgrades. It appears in the 1960’s “Where The Boys Are” and 1999’s “Analyze This.” Several times a week since the 1950s, mermaids perform a show behind windows along the bar.
Usually, there is a family-friendly show earlier in the evening and a little more risque performance later. The bar is small, and tickets usually sell out a few weeks in advance.
There has been a Jungle Queen sightseeing boat since 1935. Today, they have two boats departing from the Bahia Mar area on Ft Lauderdale Beach. Daytime sightseeing includes the Intercoastal and Middle River.
An evening cruise goes further up the middle river to an “island” where guests have an all-you-can-eat dinner and Island Variety show. It’s fun if you can release your inner kid. They finally take credit cards.
Mai-Kai.
Opening in 1956, the Mai-Kai was a local take on Chicago’s Don the Beachcomber. A Polynesian-themed restaurant, complete with tikis, torches, and a thatched roof, offered dinner and a show. The cocktail lounge had exotic (sweet) drinks in souvenir glasses and pupu platters for nibbling.
Unfortunately, damage from a tropical storm in the fall of 2020 forced the owners to shut. The family put the property up for sale in the spring of 2021. Its future is in question.
Gateway Theater.
Opening in 1951, the Gateway Theater is still showing movies. The single-screen venue holding 1,500 guests became a fourplex in the 1980s. It hosts The Fort Lauderdale Film Festival and shows current as well as Indie films.
KenAnn Building.
Very few people know the 1968 KenAnn Building by its name. But say the Jetson building, and most people know exactly which one you’re talking about. Originally the top floor was a nightspot. In the 1970s and 80s, it was the Roundtable Restaurant, Rooftop Lounge, and several others before closing and becoming office space.
Ft Lauderdale Happy Memories.
I have boxes and boxes of photos.
Many friends tell me I take too many photos.
When a family member passes, I remind them that you never think you have enough photos to remember them by.
I am not putting a bar or restaurant on the same level as Aunt Bertha.
But what’s wrong with having something to remember them by if your memories are happy?
As I get older, sometimes I get down. Looking at photos can take me back to a night, a moment, a place and bring back the happy memories.
Go out today, and take a picture of somewhere that makes you happy.
An ice cream stand or the after-school hang out. A restaurant only for special occasions or a roller-skating rink.
Good memories never decrease in value.
Their smile potential is huge.
Please scroll down to the “Enter your comment here” section at the bottom. Please comment or tell me your thoughts on:
“Name a place in your hometown that holds great memories?
Please help me spread the news by rating, commenting, and sharing this blog below. – THANKS!
“See the World” Continued on Page T3. “Taste the World” Continued on T11.
Every move I’ve made in my almost 60 years has been just what I needed; just where I needed to be at a particular time in life. My parents wanted me in a safe neighborhood with good schools and lots of families. As a young newlywed, I moved to major metropolitan areas with big cars, big houses, and even bigger mortgages. As a new parent, I came full circle back to safe neighborhoods with good schools and lots of families. Each change created wonderful memories. Each home was just what I needed, exactly when I needed it – never a mistake, always a base to launch the next stage of my life. Wishing you an experience of positive expectancy – this next new home just waiting for new memories to be made!
I loved your blog today! Reliving memories takes me to a happy place without the travel!
One of my favorite hometown memories in Lakeland, FL is the Polk Theater. It was built in the 20’s or 30’s when there were newly minted Orange Grower millionaires in this beautiful town. It was a grand theater that had been turned into a cinema where I would spend summers watching action movies, including a special 1977 flick that would create a Galaxy Far, Far Away. It is also the site of a 1950’s Elvis concert where my parents met and eventually I came to be. Such fond memories of my small hometown.
A place in my hometown that inspires great memories? It’s a toss up. #1 is the Dayton Country Club parking lot. (!) It offers the best view of the Dayton skyline and July 4th fireworks. It’s also the scene of the first kiss I shared with my high school sweetheart/now husband of 35 years. #2 is Smith Gardens, a hidden gem just a few blocks from our home. Many picnics with my daughter and mother in that magical place. It’s so isolated and unique that I set a murder there in one of my mystery novels. They were *ahem* grateful for the mention.