Readers remember Nevada cruising drive-ins
I believe there used to be a drive-in at the south end of Nevada near Southgate that completed the Nevada Avenue “cruising” circuit for teenagers in the ’50s and ’60s that included Jay’s Drive-In by Colorado College, Garth’s in the center, and this mystery drive-in on South Nevada. I have asked several people if they remember the name of this place and we all draw a blank.
- Don Castle
It was the Fabulous Scotchman, which opened in July 1957 at 1815 S. Nevada Ave. At first its menu was short orders served in woven baskets, but a year later it also had counter and booth service and a dining room with steaks and trout.
Arnie Blair remembers a drive-in further north of the Fabulous Scotchman. "In the 1950’s there was a drive-in called W & W Food Ranch next to Fountain Creek on the east side of Nevada. Two of my co-workers from Alexander Film worked there in the evenings. It was a large complex with the W & W Gas Ranch on the north side. Several of us guys from work used to hang out there in the evenings during our “cruising.” I believe that area is now the home of one of the motels."
Diane Sigler asks: “I grew up in a house on South Nevada, and remember the W & W gas station, but there were a couple of others that I wonder if people remember. There was a place on the corner of Las Vegas and Nevada where an old 7-Eleven building is now. It was some sort of a drive-in restaurant, I just can't remember the name(s). Then there was a place on the corner of Mill Street and Nevada called McHales. It's been long gone and a car lot now sits there.”
A recent “Back Pages — 50 Years Ago” in The Gazette’s Sunday Life referred to Garth’s in the 400 block of South Nevada Avenue and discussed an innovation there: car-hop girls giving orders to the kitchen via walkie-talkie radios.
posted by Linda Navarro @ 9:10 AM
4 Comments:
I remember a drive-in on South Nevada in the earlly 50's that was know for it's chicken in a basket. I believe that was also it's name. Correct me if I am wrong. The chicken was served in a red plastic basket with french fries underneath it.
I'm not sure if this is the drive in that Diane Singler was speaking of but I remember that "Jack's Drive In" was located on the west side of the street at 1021 South Nevada Avenue just between Mill Street and Las Las Vegas Street.
Just north of Jack's was a great hamburger place called Michaelis Drive In which was located at 957 South Nevada Avenue. As a kid I remember you could get what they called a "bakers dozen (13 small hamburgers for $1.00 - about the same size as a regular hambuurger at McDonalds and with the same condoments as McDonalds).
Two blocks west on Las Vegas you got to the old Ivy's Drive In located at 1112 South Tejon Street which was in the same parking lot as the old Bowl-Mor bowling alley lanes and the miniture golf park.
My older sister was a waitress at Jacks Drive In in the early 50's. The owner Jack looked like Kojack with a very shinny head. This was one of the early Nevada Avenue hot spots but I don't remember it being there after the mid 50's. A car lot took its place. The White Spot Drive Inn was another one in the circuit but it was over on 8th street and what now is Cimarron.
LET US NOT FORGET THE WIMPYS ON N LAS VEGAS BLVD, I WISH I KNEW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OWNERS, I KNOW THAT THEY RETIRED, THAT WAS THE BEST EATERY PLACE AND THE OWNERS WERE THE NICEST PEOPLE OUR FAMILY MET. BURGERS,SHRIMP, STEAKS YUMMY YUMMY I HOPE THE OWNERS ARE STILL AROUND THANK YOU. ESTHER,MARK,AMELIA,MARCOS
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