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Rex Booth

Fred,

Your source is from Janice Dunnahoo of the Roswell Daily Record. I know Janice. Janice writes good historical articles in the Vision segment of the RDR. However when it comes to directions and exact locations she is mistaken so her locations are not correct. Go back and read Post # 8076 for 'correct' locations of the Pecos and Capitan theatres.  My source is the Historical Society in Roswell. There are volumes of City Directories from 1940 and on which show the correct business locations and how long in business. You are right about the Chief's location.

Cal,

You are Correct!  The Chavez theatre was across from the Plains which opened in 1946. The Chavez theatre was located at 105 -107  N. Main. It opened in 1945 by Griffith Amusement Company with 455 seats. Theatre Enterprises owned it from 1950 to late 1965.

While in high school, a couple of friends and I went into the Chavez one night... on a dare!  After a few minutes of unfreindly looks and stares, we decided it was time to get the sheep outta there!! Cuidado! Andale!!

Rex Booth

While on the subject of movie theatres,

What were names & location of three "Drive-in" Movies in Roswell?  And stories to tell!!

Paula Carl (Cowee Miller)

Did y'all mention the Yucca Theater-134 W 3rd st?

Rex Booth

Paula,

Yes!  Yucca Theatre! My favorite theatre in Roswell!!  The old fashioned decor displayed furnishings like a big city theatre in the early 1900's.  It had a dark balcony which was ideal for lovers!  

I understand the Yucca opened in April 1931 with Will Rogers in “Lightnin' ”.

Patrick Riley

Drive-ins? Yep, remember all three ... the Starlight, Jingle Bob and ??? (well, two out of three, anyway).

In the early 1950s, my parents took my brother and I (dressed in pajamas) to the opening night at the Jingle Bob on Country Club Road. The movie that evening was King Solomon's Mines. Funny the things our aging minds choose to remember.

Paula Carl (Cowee Miller)

Buck-a-car night was our family outing!  Make popcorn and kook-aid and head out to the starlight. I agree, Pat. Great memories. I very seldom went to the theaters in town. 

Bill Leggett

• Jingle Bob

   

  Starlite Drive-In   @

  Cinema Treasures

   IF I REMEMBER CORRECT

  USE TO WORK AT THEM AFTER SCHOOL & WEEKENDS.

  LET A LOT OF THE YOUNG RHS  HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS IN FREE WHEN THE BOSS WAS NOT IN.

  IN RETURN A FEW OF THEM WOULD TYPE MY REPORTS FOR ME (😂)

•  

John Doyal

The 3rd one was the Ballojack on the base road.  They did a buck a car price except for popular new shows which led to lots of kids entering via car trunks.  An uncle and aunt took my sister and I to my first show, I think it was The good the bad and the ugly,  and then many more, one of which was Goldfinger.(if my mom had seen any previews ,we definitely would not have been allowed to go). We sat in the back seat of his 56 Pontiac and every time he moved I would loose sight of the screne because he was large.  The best part was that he always took me with him to the snack bar and got the biggest cokes, popcorn, and candy bars they had.  I lived on east Mcgaffey and could see the Starlite across a cotton field.  You could see the screne with binocs, but was way too far away to hear it.

Rex Booth

"King Solomon's Mines" 1950 was a real African adventure thriller! One of my favorites!

In one scene Deborah Kerr & Stewart Granger were trapped in a cave. It was filmed at Slaughter Canyon Cave Carlsbad Caverns. The 'waterfall' scene was filmed at Sitting Bull Falls 42 miles southwest of Carlsbad. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Solomon%27s_Mines_(1950_film)
 

Patrick Riley

Rex, I remember the cave scene in King Solomon's Mines ... had no idea it was filmed in New Mexico. Nice piece of trivia!

I also remember entering a lot of drive-in theaters in a trunk or purchasing a ticket as the single occupant of a car whose rear end sat so low from the overstuffed trunk that the headlights pointed up at the clouds! I always wondered if the ticket sellers wondered why so many high school boys went to the drive-in all by themselves???

Dewey Johnson

Chavez County Roads

At the recent RHS Class ’64 reunion, I mentioned that not only was John Denver born in Roswell, but there has long been a rumor that he wrote a song “Chavez County Roads” based upon interviews with Roswell High School students around his same age. Unfortunately, record executives didn’t like the lyrics and made him change the song from New Mexico to West Virginia and title it, “Country Roads.”

Recently, a copy of this song was miraculously found in between pages of his personal script from the movie, “Oh God!” – just like the note amidst the lettuce in the movie!  Here are the lyrics he originally wrote for the tune. Interestingly, it has the feeling of someone attending a class reunion.

Almost heaven, West McGaffey, Comanche Hill, mighty Pecos River.

Life is old there, older than the trees, Younger than the desert, blowin’ in the breeze.

Chorus. County Roads, take me home to the place where I belong. Chavez County,

Desert Daddy, take me home, county roads.

Lots of memories, draggin’ Main Street, Greer’s Drive-in all the way to Wylies.

Roswell High school, we daily walked its halls, Charlie Coyote’s mugshot hangin’ on the walls.

Chorus: County Roads, take me home to the school where I am from. “Onward Roswell,

Onward Roswell,” take me home to my alums.

I think of Roswell, in the mornin’ she calls me With records on the radio like K.O.M.A.

Drivin’ down the road I get the feelin’ That I should have gassed up yesterday, yesterday.

Chorus: Drivin’ on fumes and oldie tunes to the place where I belong. Chavez County,

Desert Daddy, take me home, county roads.

Rex Booth

‘Chavez County Roads' sounds a bit like one of the "stories" our good classmate Fred Tucker would tell. Remember the hilarious one Fred told about applying at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa?  Fred’s application was approved and his interview was going fine until he was asked the question “Fred do you believe in the devil“?  Fred replied “yes I do”!  "Then what would you do if the devil appeared in front of you right now”? Fred stood up shaking his fist and gave his answer! Unfortunately, Fred was not accepted but it turned out to be even more fortunate for ORU...

What you do think Fred's response was that sunk his boat…? 

Rex Booth

A little more trivia... It was a married couple who wrote the lyrics to "Country Roads". They were poised to sell the song to Johnny Cash. When John Denver (Henry John Deutschendorf Jr.) met them at a gig in Washington DC, he saw it, and had to have the song!  Country Roads was recorded by all three in January 1971.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_Me_Home,_Country_Roads 

Rex Booth

What was...

Elizabeth Taylor's 'age' in "Lassie Come Home" ??

'When' was the movie made?

Sherry Hester (Trasp)

After a brief search I found out she was 10 in
"Lassie Come Home", and it was made the year
I and some of you were born 1943.
What makes me think you knew this~~~

I also found out Roddy McDowall was her life long
friend!

Curious people want to know!!
 

Rex Booth

Sherry,

You are right on!  I remember seeing 'Lassie Come Home' at the Yucca theatre when I was 10 during summer of 1954.

The movie supposedly takes place in England and Scotland.

Where were the actual locations the movie was filmed?

What was the real name of the Collie that played the part as Lassie?

Charline Lake

Is everyone OK in Roswell?  I'm seeing alarming reports of flooding.  

John Doyal

Yes Charlene, Roswell is flooded from north to south with all highways in or out blocked.  They had 6 inches of rain last night and more to come today.  Cahoon park is completely full with  rescues in progress at this time of people trapped in cars and houses.

Charline Lake

John Landess

I hope that all of the classmates living in Roswell area are OK.  Unfortunately, Roswell has not been spared from flooding over the years. Way back when, there was a discussion of one when we were in Junior High.

Don Ervin described he and his families experience then that I have remembered over the years. It was entry #207 on page 9  ( I said way back when), but is really worth re-reading...

Bill Leggett

ROSWELL, N.M. (AP) — Authorities in New Mexico rescued hundreds of people in the Roswell area after record rainfall produced severe flooding that stranded many in high water — including a sheriff who escaped floodwaters on the roof of his vehicle — and left at least two people dead.

New Mexico National Guard officials said 309 people had been rescued since Saturday, with 38 of those taken to hospitals for treatment of undisclosed injuries. New Mexico State Police said two people died as a result of the flash flood, but information on the victims or the circumstances of their deaths wasn't immediately released.

Albuquerque TV station KOAT reported that Chaves County Sheriff Mike Herrington was seen standing on top of his vehicle surrounded by floodwaters. Herrington said he had to go to the roof of his vehicle when it and several other vehicles became stranded in water that rose up to the windows.

Roswell city officials said water levels had receded in many parts of the city but remained high in the downtown area. All roads leading to and from the city were closed Sunday, authorities said.

The National Weather Service in Albuquerque said 5.78 inches (about 14.7 centimeters) of rain fell on Roswell on Saturday, breaking the previous daily record of 5.65 inches (about 14.6 centimeters) set on Nov. 1, 1901, for the southeastern New Mexico city.

Rex Booth

Mack Ratliff sent this video re flood damage in Roswell!

Roswell Flood 10/20/24

5.76 inches of rain in 4 hours.

We are VERY fortunate to have NO damage.

Watch YOUTUBE below!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=Jd5OYOTQYHw&d=n#bottom-sheet&ab_channel=ozarkmountainlife

Fred Miller

I have spent the last 2 days looking at the videos of the destruction of my hometown.  Sadly, there are not too many duplications of videos, there is just too much damage that was done. 

I have heard that there was more damage in the southern part of Roswell than northern.  I have one brother living off W. Country Club in the pecan orchards.  Have talked to him, no damage.

My other brother lives in the southern part on McCune.  Have not heard a word, cannot raise him or his wife. 

I have seen video where the water line on some houses is more than halfway up the wall.  

If anybody has heard or seen on maps the hardest hit areas there in Roswell, I would appreciate hearing from you.

Thanks...

Rex Booth

Fred,

Email me your brothers address on McCune. I'll drive over and check it out.

Fred Miller

Thanks Rex, sent it to you a couple of hours ago.  I appreciate you more than you know.

No problema, Ese!   ~ Grey Ghost