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As a second generation native of Palm Beach County, I grew up in the 60’s and 70’s in Lantana. I remember Lantana Beach, fishing off the Lantana bridge for sand perch, Lantana Boat Yard where my dad worked, El’s Aquarium a pet shop that my uncle owned, hair cuts at Babiones Barber Styling (in the 7-11 plaza), working through high school at the Howard Johnson’s on A1A at the Lake Worth bridge (my mom worked there too for 32 years), and Lake Worth High School.
I remember shopping at the Palm Coast Plaza at Christmas time and seeing all the people there, The Reef Gift Shop, Toy King, Murphy’s, Woolworth’s, Jackson Byrons. Seeing tThe Poseidon Adventure at the Skydrome drive in, I remember shopping at Fountains on Lake Ave and The Palm Beach Mall. I remember fishing Lake Osborne and catching some of the largest bass I have ever caught in the deep dredged out holes in the north end.
I remember teachers at Lake Worth High School like Mrs. Olsen, Mrs. Mandigo and at Lantana Jr. High like Mr. Archer, Mrs. Burkhart, Mrs. Cantley (the art teacher), and Mrs. Welsh.
I could go on and on. I wouldn’t trade growing up in Palm Beach County back then for anything!
How great it is to see the replies and memories of Palm Beach County of the past. Born in 1959 a Florida Native and growing up in Lake Clark Shores, I remember plenty of those days like the following: Clematis Street and the balcony movie theatre, The Big Christmas decorations up & down both Clematis St. and the Dixie Hwy, Woolco, Palm Coast Plaza and that cool flea market place next door to it, Publix, Outdoor Sportsman, Farmers Market (Deluca’s Hoagies-THE BEST!), Walgreens & Rexall Drugs when you could get an actual real malted milk shake there, Sportsman’s Inn, Toppers BBQ, Buds Fried Chicken, Crusty’s Pizza, Nags Head & Manero’s Steak Houses, Maurices Italian Restaurant, Putt-Putt Carpet Golf, The Beach, The Bazaar on N. Dixie past Sears, Prescott’s Bait & Tackle and Cushmans Citrus on Forest Hill Blvd., G & G Drive thru, McKinnly’s Hobby Shop, Palm Beach Mall, PBIA of the 60s & 70s, Meadow Park Elementary, Forest Hill High, Lake Worth Pier, and a former childhood-to-adulthood friend named Lisa. All of these fond & memorable things were the West Palm Beach of my past. How great it would be to see a book come out of the Palm Beach County of the 60s & 70s! How I miss those days, especially being retired military, stuck in the grey & rainy Northwest US. .
I can remember before they built the Palm Beach Mall there wasn’t anything out there but sand and shooting off a shotgun with some other guys. All the time I spent of Blue Heron Blvd. during the winter fishing for bluefish and mackeral off the Little Blue Heron Bridge and the open beaches when you drove up to Juno Beach where we would surf fish. I went to Palm Beach High for 2 years and in my senior year they changed it to Twin Lakes so I was in the first class of Twin Lakes in 1971. Good memories but I would never move back
My family has been in Florida since the early 1820’s. In 1898 my 20-year-old grandfather rode a horse from Clearwater and settled in Boynton. His brother was a County Commissioner when this was still Dade County, and then became the first Chairmen of the Commission when Palm Beach County was formed in July, 1905. My Dad was born in Boynton in 1912 and I was born at Good Sam in 1937. I guess you can include my famly among the early settlers in the state and in Palm Beach County.
southend memories
I was employed at Kings Dept. Store from 1961 until they went bankrupt in 1981.
the southend was really bustling in those days. there was the skydrome Drive In theatre across the canal from Kings.
the Palm coast Plasa had Three theatres–cinima 70–S &S cafeteria Litchfield Farm house restaurant.
also Jackson byrons,Murphys Variety Store, and one of my favorites–The reef card and gift shop.
We had a nice Publix super market, a walgreens and a Woolworths
further to the north was a woolco discount store
there even was a roller rink in the vicinity
Favorite eating places included Shakeys Pizza Parlor, amed in Beer) hot dogs. the Patio Restaurant,also Christines who had the first Salad Bar in the area.
It is sad to see the Palm Coast as a ghost town, and the former Kings site turned into “A field of weeds”
I came to west Palm in 1954, at the age of 21. I was employed at montgomery Ward at the corner of Olive and First street.
east of Wards on Narcisses was the Greyhound Bus station which had a cafeteria.
for lunch, I would go to woolworths on clematis St.
I could eat there for 35cents–a hot dog was 15cents, a coke cost a dime, and a big slice of chocolate cake was also a dime.
all of the downtown stores closed at noon on Wednesdays during the summer–there were no tourists because of the hot weather.
favorite restaurants were mama gildas,Procters, russos, Testas, and Frederics steak house
too bad that this town had to grow into the crime ridden place that it is today.
I remember the Palm Beach County of the 70’s and 80’s. Searstowne on South Dixie, Burdines down town, Jeffersons at the corner of Okeechobee and the Trail. Going to Gooney Golf on the Trail, the waterslide on Okeechobee. The excitement of getting a sangria at Taco Viva even if i was underage lol. Okeechobee Steak House or Raindancer for “grown up” family dinners. My favorite restaurant of all time…Proctors on Dixie Hwy….the all you can eat fish dinners! ( if someone knows how they made their fish…please eamail me…i’ve tried to duplicate it and just cant get it right). Going to Singer Island or Lake Worth Beach on Sat and Sundays.
What good memories I have! I moved back to Pittsburgh 10 yrs ago to take care of some family situations and have been back to WPB once since. So much has changed over the years…but…it’s still HOME to me!
I remember a wonderful slide behind McDonalds on Okeechobee Blvd, the A & W Drive in on the corner of Parker and Southern Blvd., The J.M. Fields on Okeechobee, I remember when the Palm Beach Mall opened and I ran to the record store to buy the Patridge Family album with David Cassidy singin “I Think I Love You”. The Barefoot Mailman store. Walking to the Burdines store from St, Ann’s School. Walking to the Carefree Theatre to watch “Saturday Night Fever” Eating at “Proctors”, Shopping at the Palm Coast Plaza and eating pizza at the N.Y. Pizza place and also shopping at “Kings” The “Three Sisters” on Clematis. So many memories, all wonderful, at a time when life was much less stressful and we were a much smaller City.
Back in the 80′S
I remember when there was a movie theater at the Palm Beach Mall. There was a store called the blackfoot mailman, cool as hell. There was the Cross County Mall (I believe), off of Military trail and Okeechobee. A taco viva was in the plaza. The zoo was Dreyer park Zoo. The Enquirer put up the world’s largest christmas tree in the 70’s and 80’s. There was Gooney Golf by the Rapids. The South Florida Fair had rednecks, skinheads and headbangers at midnight madness. Oddly enough, they played hard rock back then, too.
Royal Palm Beach didn’t have a Publix, Winn-Dixie, or anything, just Greater Gator. They used to have a haunted house for Halloween in Royal Palm, as well. It was in the little building the bulldozed a few years ago. Hennigan’s Nursey (Southern Blvd) was still around. The best nursery ever. My best wishes to the family. You also had Southern Ornaments, the best holiday shop in the area, ever. We had the mud trucks going mudding off of Okeechobee and 441 on the weekends. 441 was mostly farm land, and dark as hell at night. It was great. Moroso Motorsports Park was still Moroso. You had Mckinley’s hobby shop, and Challenger Raceway (RC dirt track) in R.P.B.. There was also the stores Pantry Pride, JByrons, Curtis Field (furniture), and Levitz. They had WWF wrestling at the West Palm Beach Auditorium. The West Palm Beach Expos (baseball).
As one person said above, Lums restaurant. Later on came Don Carter’s All Star lanes Vista. The best bowling center in south florida of all time, where you would see Dave Davis (manager), Joe Berardi, Palmer Fallgren, and sometimes Jimmy Keeth (the most awesome bowling game the game of bowling has ever seen).
Overall, life was good back then. We had a lower population and more things to do.
I remember watching the Ringling Bros Barnan & Bailey Circus come into town and people would line up and watch the animals walk from the train station to PBLks up to the WPB Auditorium. Concerts were held there, my HS Graduation was held at the Auditorium and what a big mistake it was to sell that place. The Amphitheatre is nice but with our So. Florida weather fluctuating so much, it was nice to be able to enjoy a concert without worrying about what the weather will be like. Remember driving up to the Auditorium, being dropped off at the top and then drive down to park your car? Great memories!
I also remember having parties out in the “boonies” and 4wheeling in Boynton Beach. Having friends that lived in Palm Beach, South Olive, Lake Clarke Shores, WPB and we all got along and hung out. A night out with your date always included driving through LW Beach and then John Prince Park. There was always parties in there and you got to choose which one you wanted to attend. What fun!
Oh, remember the National Enquirer Christmas Tree! Just beautiful and all the ornaments and displays there. You had to walk forever to get to it but so much fun!
Also remember hanging out in Palm Beach and walking down Worth Ave to the only convenience store there in the 70’s for a drink. We would also go to the first mansion on Clarke Beach and Surfer’s Beach to use their water hose for a drink and rinse off. lol
Great memories……
Memories OF WPB:
Saturdays at the Palms Theatre horror movies, the 5cent pickles, the red velvet drapes and the balcony.
The Florida Theatre with silly 50’s Doris Day comedies and the Surf Theatre further west. Eating apple pie at the Woolworth’s counter, then going up stairs to lounge and bathroom, eating at McCrory’s counter watching them grill and send up the dirty dishes on the dumbwaiter, walking through Kress then waiting on the line of bus benches for the Rosemary Avenue bus.
Clothing stores: Diana shop, Three Sisters, Normans, JC Harris, and the clothes that were must haves: mister pants, shells and belts from Staggs, bernardo sandals and if you could afford them, Jack Rogers.
During the “slow summers” it was a ten minute drive to the beach with easy parking, days of swimming and sun bathing. And what about the Lido Pool with the high diving board and the corner food shop?
Anybody remember the old library/bandshell with Katy Koffee(?) local talent show?
Remember the Hut.. going around and around the block waiting for a spot to open up then ordering a lemonade with fries from Pauline.
Dances at the Armory with real bands: the Accents, the R-dells, the Rhythm Rockers, the Saxons, the Apollos, the Chevelles many sponsored by Nick George. Palm Beach High, the Electrician Hall and the Casino used to host dance nights, too. And the old JC Clubhouse at the airport. The Carefree Theatre, playing pool.
Ah, those good old days. Guess what? we’re old. Let’s hope the future generations will have good memories of their times in WPB.
What do they do?
My family was also here forever. We were born in West Palm Beach, FL. My family went to Palm Beach High School. When we moved to the south end I went to Forest Hill High School. I used to go to the HUT with friends all the time. My parents had a business. I remember when everyone knew each other and we were all friendly. It was like a Peyton Place. Don’t talk about anyone. What fun we used to have. Then we go bigger and people are rude now.
I am a native West Palm Beach, as well as my mom, and her parents came in the 20’s. I can remember every time the news at 11:00 pm came on probably channel 5 the first thing that was said
was ” PARENTS IT IS 11:00 PM DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR CHILDREN ARE ? I will never forget those words and with all the changes in our society today with juvenile crime etc. I believe that would maybe just make parents think about the question and the answer they have. It sure couldn’t hurt. Thanks for your consideration.
I too am a St Marys baby, my dad worked for Ruben Construction (now Ranger Con) when it was on 25th st in WPB before moving to Sandsbury Rd. He would bring home BBQ from Blue Front when it was on Tamarind, my mom taking us to Palm Coast Plaza on Saturday’s for shopping (Kings Dept Store, J Byrons,Lerners) and lunch at Walgreen’s, if we were good we could feed the monkies at the plaza. The PB Mall was a treat, surfing (trying) with my brother at Phips Park in Palm Beach. swimming in the PB Canal, Knollwood Groves (I really miss it) the drive ins on Southren Blvd, Lale Worth Road and in Rivera Beach, The Greenhouse (what fun!!) on Singer Island, Double Roads, Air Force Beach, the shell pitts. I just wish my kids could have these types of memories.
Reading everyones blogs makes me cry, lol. I’m young, but I still have much memories, like how the only people that carried pistols (and only PISTOLS) was the elders, and that was only to keep you from playing in their lawn, lol. If we fought, it was actually an insult for others to jump in. And it was a major shock to everyone when Nathanial Brazil brought that gun to school. It seemed like forever waiting on the South Florida Fair to come back around, and every year, soon as I get in the gate I had to find me a corn on the cob. The Martin Luther King parade in Riviera was always a big deal, and I was so happy to be in the parade every year. The Roots Festival in Delray will never be the same after they moved it DownTown and took it away from Pompay Park. Only if they knew that even though the car show held up traffic, it was the best feature of the festival. Standing in line at Docs, DownTown Delray was worth it because their food was so damn good. And entertainment in both DownTown Delray and Palm Beach was priceless. Clematis by Night every Thursday kept the kids out of trouble, and the food was so good. Unlike the things you all are talking about, these things are still in existance, it’s just the family values the went out the damn window. I pray for change, soon…
I, too, grew up in West Palm Beach in the 60’s and 70’s. I lived off of Tamarind Avenue, near what is now the Main Tri-Rail Station. I remember the Soap Box Derby races that were held on top of the hill on Datura that ran down to Tamarind Avenue. I also remember going to the Fun Show at the Florida Theatre during the summer and us girls playing with the neighbohood boys at Connie Mack Field, Howard Park the Pool–some of the best times of my childhood were had at these places. My siblings and I had the pleasure of attending Central Elementary, Central Jr. High and Twin Lakes High (f/k/a Palm Beach High)–all on the same school grounds. I remember eating at the Campus Shop and Russo’s. During those days, prior to the Palm Beach Mall, we did all our shopping on Clematis. Do you remember the May’s grocery store which was located across from what is now the WPB Police Dept? Boy, those were the good ole’ days…
I too am a St. Mary’s baby, raised in Riviera Beach when there was no drugs and no shootings. I remember Joey’s and the Greenhouse on singer island, this was the place to be on Friday’s and Saturday’s. Driving your car around and around the island…lol. Double roads, Phil Foster park, Dairy Belle, Sub King…..great times. Spending the summers at singer island beach with everyone from school playing volleyball to it got dark. Going to Woolworth’s and Sear’s with my mom and Grandmother….and the twin city mall to go to the movies, the Orange Bowl for Pizza and the game room……these are times I will forever cherish and remember!
I remember back in the 80’s when the palm beach mall was the only mall. It was the place to be any day of the week. I worked at golden greek in the food court. At that time the food court was full of places to eat. I remember burdines being the best store in the mall expensive of course, but the best. I cant remember the name of the cookie place that was at the front of the mall, but you couldnt go to the mall and leave without some of there cookies. Those were the days.
I remember the Hut…….the free movies downtown in the summer…..Golfview Jr Hi and Palm Beach Hi and the twins John and Greg….walking from my Grandmother’s house on Fern St at the railroad tracks to school on The Hill…….going to the Beach in Palm Beach when the beach wasn’t so small………I’m a great niece of John Ashley, leader of the Ashley Gang of Stuart in the early 1900’s…….my Great Great Grandfather and Grandmother travelled to Hobe Sound/WPB area by covered wagon to settle there……..partying with the great kids of PB Hi in the 60’s…….WPB rocked then!!!!!!! Russo’s subs are AWESOME!!!!!!!!
I rememeber going to Palm Beach Hi School from my Grandmother’s house on Fern Street in the 60’s……the Hut, downtown free summer movies…..5&10 store, Burdines, Anthony’s…….I am the Great niece of John Ashley…..the leader of the Ashley/Mobley Gang in the early 1900’s……..sooo….my Great Great Grandfather and Grandmother traveled from the Ft. Myers area by covered wagon with their kids to Pompano Beach/Hobe Sound area…….I remember the twins John and Gregg from Golfview Jr High and Palm Beach Hi school….I see their pics are on the front of this……..living in Bradenton area now……still keep in touch with the kids from schools in W. Palm Beach……60’s ruled at the Hut back then!!!!!!! Had a great time growning up in good ol’ WPB……..
knollwood groves was the only good thing about boynton beach. i hate my life now because it’s gone. thanks a lot.
I grew up in WPB in the 60’s and 70’s and remember going to Burdines with my mother and the prisoners in the jail across the street whistling and cat-calling, Sears Town,
The Hut, Russo’s subs, going to see Reefer Madness at midnight at the Florida Theater, Camping on Peanut Isalnd
when it was just the Coast Guard station and pine trees. Back then everything west of military trail was the sticks, and we would drive out west and shoot our rifles and shotguns or go the palm beach canal and swim through the locks. After 95 was built, we could zip north or south with no traffic jams. The PB Mall and the leaky Teepee. After High School I joined the military and it was several years before I returned, and my flight arrived at night and circled by lake Okeechbee and I could not believe all the lights that had progressed all that way! I prefer it the way it was: nice and easy going with nice locals except when the snow birds from New York and New Jersey came down and jacked traffic up.
I remember biking up and down Congress before the boynton mall was put in. Knolly at Knollwood Groves, Lunds bakery and the Swedish house. My childhood memories of Florida are replaced with
the evening news details of good things gone bad.
The pink sand at Boynton beach is long gone, so my Dad says.
I miss mostly the Knollwood Groves, the big trees there and the vintage feel of the old florida homes and open air garages that are over taken by new developments.
Would anyone be all for me to invest in a small hangout/ breakfast type shop that celebrated old palm beach county as we used to know? i would deck the place out in all the old photos from yesteryear and serve up some good florida orange grove juice.! I wonder if it would fly. It is just a dream but something tells me that the old florida charm is what many of us long for! I am just afraid my rent would drive me out of business.
I was born in 1963 at St. Marys hospital to parents that were also born there. I remember the midget market, allbrittons pharmacy,twin city mall,walking barefoot, fishing at rybovich,skating at goldcoast skating rink 24 street, high tide lounge,chatterbox,parking at ocean reef park when it was pinetrees, burnt bridge with my grandmother,double roads jupiter, surfing pumphouse, northshore high school,jai ali, monday night wrestling at the west palm auditorium. I could go on forever I hope ther are more of us out there to remember what it eas really like in the good ole days….oh yeh the cattamaran on 45 th street
As a Palm Beach county native.I have so many wonderful memories.I remember I was just 8 years old when the Palm Beach Mall opened its doors 1967.I was so excited.I watched it being built and just couldn’t wait for the opening day.We only had Palm Coast Plaza & downtown to go shopping.I have fond memories of the Florida Theater on Clematis,we would save our RC bottle caps to get in free to the Summer kiddie shows.Going to the Skydrome drive inn was a Saturday night treat.Sears town on Belvedere and Dixie,Hall hardware with the big hammer, super slide behind Mcdonalds on Okeechobee blvd, Gaiety Skating rink on Tuxedo rd in WPB,Connie Mack Field,Proctors Seafood on Dixie hwy.I love West Palm Beach and all the great memories.
Yes I too Remember the Early days, The first Mall was the Farmers Market on Congress, The days when you could Drive your car to the end of the Lake Worth pier and unload your stuff then drive off and park.There was no Interstate , two lane roads everywhere.
When you were on Jog road you were west of town and 441 was in the middle of no-where or it seemed. Welling what???
Okeehelee park was the Shell Pits and was accessed from Dillman road thru the woods. We had Drive in Movies, The Boulevard Drive In,
The Skydrome Drive In, The Beach Drive In.
Alot of History and now it’is nothing but Hectic, All Over. Bring back the Good Old Days.
In the late 50’s, I remember driving towards the beach on Ocean Avenue in Boynton Beach and the road was covered in smashed crabs that lived in the marsh on either side of the road from the cars running them over.
Another memory is of the Howard Johnson’s Restaurant on the corner of Ocean Avenue and Federal Hwy. where the bank is now.
There was no I-95 and we bought clothes in WPB at Burdines down town, and Lerners.
We used to go to the Boynton Theatre which was on Federal Hwy. where there is now a high rise. There was a Royal Castle to hang out at on Saturday nights, in front of St. Marks Catholic Church, and everyone went to the Belvedere dime store for anything you couldn’t find anywhere else.
Those were good days, when no one locked their doors and we had no air conditioning at Boynton Elementary school, but I don’t remember caring.
Mrs. Collins was my 2nd grade teacher, and her husband had the sign business in Boynton. So many great memories of a wonderful little town to grow up in!
Going to northside of Boca inlet and partying at night. Jumping off Boca inlet bridge and not getting caught.
Ranch House restaurant at Deerfield pier and it getting swamped on huge surf days.
Driving down the intracoastal at 40-50mph in a Donzi and no one cared.
Surfing Reef Road in PB and 2 guys out on a north swell.
Red Reef park had red reef you had to stay away from.
Lums restaurant. Fried clams and corn on cobb. Huge beers.
Gas wars on Federal highway.
You could pull up at Jap rock and watch people surf.
Men got ticketed in PB if they went shirtless after leaving the sand. The condo cammandos did not want to see mens nipples.
I remember the old Boca Mall which is now Mizner Park. My Mom used to take us to a .50 movie and she would let us go to Britt’s after words. The big treat was new shoes at Tom McCann and stopping by the “Rock of Ages” record store.
I remember Downtown Lake Worth and also shopping with my parents at Burdines and Sears Town in West Palm Beach. This was in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Everything was less crowded and it was much more relaxed. There was no 95 and the beach was the place to hang out. It was also fun to go on Saturday to the Cinema 70 at the Palm Coast Mall and walk over to Woolco!
I remember in the late 60’s going with my family to Peanut Island by boat on the weekends after catching 4 or 5 Saifish and there would be only 4 or 5 other families there. Compare it to today with about 400 boats and a lot of loud music, hard drinking and partying. Still fun but a very different experience. A lot has changed. I guess that’s progress, right?
Palm Beach Mall of the late 70’s and 80’s.
Of course it was “the” mall and the only one in the area. This was before Boynton Beach, Wellington and Gardens Malls.
We had a great, fun time as employees of this mall then.
We would hang out and do everything together because we all had a mid-week day off and occasionally a Sunday as retail workers.
We would go to lunch together (plenty of places to eat then), hang out at Houlihans after work, go to the beach together and even had a bowling team that would play at the bowling alley in Riviera Beach.
This was a fun time in past Palm Beach County for us.
In the late 1960s, I remember driving from Boca Raton with my family to see my dad leave on an airplane. That was a big, big deal. There was no I-95 connection, so we took Congress Avenue and it took about 45 minutes to get there.
The Palm Beach Airport (no international designation then!) was just one large building with two floors. The top floor was the observation area, with huge floor to ceiling windows and a very high ceiling. I remember pressing my nose on the glass to see my dad on the airplane and we waved frantically as it took off.
You could walk to the gate with the traveler at that time, and that was a lot of fun for kids.
We dressed up to see him off - nice dresses, nice socks and shoes. And my father dressed up to fly on a plane - everyone did during the ’60s and ’70s. Riding on a plane was a privilege and we gave it respect by wearing our best clothes.
I still can’t wear shorts or flipflops on planes. Same thing for local movie theaters - we all dressed up then. And we were quiet during movies. Seems a lot of things have changed, and not just that the airport’s gotten bigger and busier.