Washington Roadside Attractions: Hat 'n' Boots

Roadside Attraction Edition:

Welcome to a new type of blog that I will include every so often. The blog will feature Washington roadside attractions. A little bit of an introduction is I enjoy the history of old, forgotten about historic areas as some of you already know which also includes old roadside attractions. Having lived in Florida, I did some research and visited some sites that were pre-Disney since when Disney World came in, most of the small attractions couldn’t compete and shut down. Not only do attractions close due to competition but also due to progress. Having moved to Washington State, the state has constantly been growing for many years and when more people come into an area, things change quickly and often drastically. With these blogs, I’ll share the information about some attractions that have survived but sadly, there aren’t many remaining. But, there are some neat and historic places that have survived progress and I hope will continue to remain as changes threaten older and more forgotten about sites and history. Roadside attractions can include anything that provides entertainment to a traveler, tourist, or anyone at all interested including old theme parks, unique architecture, historic sites, or even old restaurants and areas that have survived the threats of time.

Hat ‘n’ Boots:

Originally built in 1953 by Seattle artist, Lewis Nasmyth, the hat and boots were formally a part of a cowboy themed gas station. The gas station, opening the following year, was named “Premium Tex." It was built in south Seattle and the boots were used as the restroom for customers and those who stopped to see the large hat and boots. As time went on and Seattle was constantly busy, the owners and creators of Hat ‘n’ Boots, Buford and Bernice Seals, wanted to expand to make the area a small attraction called Frontier Village. He envisioned the area being a larger western theme tourist attraction to draw in more customers but was unsuccessful - primarily with I-5 being built in the 1960s and driving customers away from the area. Closing in 1988, the hat and boots fell into despair and vandalism as the area sat vacant until progress occurred. The area was going to become something else but luckily a local council raised enough money to not only move the iconic symbols but to also preserve them. The hat (44-feet wide) and boots (22-feet high) moved in 2003 to oxbow Park in Georgetown, just south of Seattle. The boots’ restoration was completed in 2005 and the hat 2010. During the opening credits to the original National Lampoon’s Vacation, a postcard of Hat ‘n’ Boots can be seen.

Address: 6427 Carleton Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108

Cellphones Are Not Allowed

If anyone has read any of my novels, most of them take place pre-1990s or even in the early 90s. Not often are there scenes from present times. I doubt many readers have noticed that but if so, there’s a one-word answer that explains why – cellphones. One thing I am not a big fan of is the ever-changing world of technology. Of course, some things are great but then again, some things are obsolete just as soon as they come out. Also, much of the world has changed so much and we’ve become overly dependent at times. So, when I write, I enjoy writing the times of pre-cellphones. Stories are so much easier to tell in a sense of having more options, especially with the antagonist in trouble, to not have the easy access to a cellphone to call for help. A great example of this type of situation is looking at sitcoms. What if Lucy was trapped in the freezer, or as I watch Seinfeld, the stories about nothing would not be there if the characters had access to cellphones. Television shows before the days of mass cellphone production had more options for storytelling and placing someone in a predicament or trouble. Just watch one episode of a sitcom from the early 1990s or earlier and at the end, think of how differently everything would have played out if the characters had cellphones. For example, in my latest novel, Soul Hunters – The Collectors of Fear (you can hear the first chapter read on my YouTube page – follow the link here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBwBkD7wutY&t=37s), the beginning of the story would be much different if the first two characters had access to a cellphone. With technology in mind, I predict most of my future novels won’t feature cellphones or even mention the name as well as the always changing technology but instead older/previous technology and times when life was simpler without being dependent so much on technology. Much like going to a movie at the theater – no cellphones!

Mafia in Tucson and an Interesting Customer Interaction

So, as I lived in Tucson, Arizona for six or some odd years, I learned about the mafia presence in Tucson. Even though through the years, their presence has dwindled as the mafia of old, aged and retired into the mountains to enjoy a life of quiet and nice weather year-round. Crime boss Joe Bonanno resided in Tucson for many years and ran an empire but a few others, the rare Mafioso that survived violence, retired out to Tucson. I had heard of such tales and saw firsthand when I went to the Tucson Music Hall to watch the play, A Bronx Tale, featuring Chazz Palminteri. I stood on the second floor and looked at a group of a few older, overweight men dressed in suits and ties. What hair remained was slicked and their shoes recently polished. A couple of men nearby them looked around the theater entrance while the gentlemen spoke – pure-blooded Italian, they looked. A Bronx Tale, a play telling the tale of the mafia in New York was quite fitting. I wondered who they were and their background – if any. Possibly they were just there from harmless backgrounds. We must not judge one another but having studied the mafia and seeing numerous photographs, etc., I can only assume.

Having worked retail for fifteen years, I’ve met some interesting people. One incident happened as I was cashiering at the local grocery store Bashas’, up near Sabino Canyon. The area is quite nice and a lot of wealthier people live in that part of town. One night an elderly couple came through my line after I was called up to backup cashier. They were likely in their seventies and dressed very nicely. The woman’s hair was white and curled, dressed wearing real fur around her shoulders. As the man started talking to me, she stepped a few feet away to the side. The man had a thin stature with his thin white hair combed back. He wore a nice suit with tie and gold jewelry around his neck, wrists, and came to me with a thick Italian accent. Speaking with the man, his first words, not even a hello or proper greeting, was how easy it would be for him to kill me. Then, he said he could use a gun but that would be too loud. Or, he could use a knife but that would be too messy. He continued speaking that he could reach over and punch me in the neck or even strangle me which would be the best way. I continued ringing up his items, unknowing how serious he was but with the way he looked at me directly in my eyes, he looked serious. On the other hand, with his age, I figured that he wouldn’t. I thought that he was likely a retired mafia, or possibly not retired, reliving his younger days. Perhaps his mind was going and he was remembering ways he had killed before. I thanked him, not wanting to upset him during the awkward exchange, as his wife continued to stand quietly behind him. He gave a slight smile as he collected his bag, continuing to make eye contact. The smile was not a genuine smile of a gentleman, but one of a hidden past. I’ve always wondered who he was but I can only imagine, never truly feeling threatened, to know that he possibly could have killed me since he may have killed before.

Three Years of Adventure

(Vy and I at Changdeokgung Palace in South Korea)

Well, just recently Vy and I celebrated our three year anniversary. The past few years have gone by so fast but then again looking back, we’ve done so much. I love looking back at life through different times and seeing what was going on then and what changed. I think back before moving to Washington where I was struggling in Florida when I moved with my Uncle out back to Tucson. I love and miss the adventure out there and seeing ghost towns and historic areas but I made a change. I had met someone and she lived up in Washington and long story short, after a short time, I decided to take the chance of a lifetime to move states apart to the Pacific Northwest to a place I’ve never lived before. It was a challenge and I was very nervous – especially moving up here without a job. I remember the worries some people had about my move but I’m glad things have worked out. Things started falling in place when I got a job interview driving up to Washington and eventually got the job with Kellogg’s. Since then, Vy and I had gotten married and moved to our first apartment. The apartment was an old rundown apartment but we never had any problems the year we lived there. We’ve since moved to a different apartment for a year and a half and have recently gotten our first house a couple of months ago. It’s amazing the past three years thinking of the room I lived in for a little bit to us getting our own house and making it this far. It’s been quite the process but it’s nice to actually settle for the first time in a long time and have a place to call home. In the past few years, we’ve also gotten two new cars and traveled to different areas of the world. Besides Mexico and the Bahamas, I had never traveled outside of the country but the past three years, Vy and I have gone to Vietnam twice, Japan, South Korea, and even Canada. I love being able to travel and see many sights with Vy and even met her family in Vietnam and had fun getting to know all of them and learning many new cultures. I've learned so many things and tried foods I never thought I would try and some I liked but a lot I didn't. I liked shrimp head in Vietnam but not eel in Japan. There were many new foods, fruits and drinks and even got food poisoning twice from abroad. We’ve been on numerous hikes, road trips, and have created many memories. I can only hope our life together continues to be as fun and I can’t wait to see what comes up. I’ve had a new job since first coming up here and we’ll see what waits on the horizon for something new. I just look forward to new memories with Vy and enjoy every moment together. Happy Three Years to Vy and I look forward to every day with you!

Sports Nostalgia at a Garage Sale

This blog will help explain why I love both sports/sports history as well as garage sales. Sports are loved by millions upon millions of people while others think athletes are just overpaid for playing a game. That might be the case but looking back at sports, players hadn’t always been paid as they are today and with that in mind, let’s go back to the times of Babe Ruth when players had to work during the offseason to pay their bills. During the late teens and early 1920s, the Yankees heritage and history during that time are remembered highly by sports fans and historians. They played home games at the Polo Grounds IV in Manhattan from 1913 until 1922. There were so many great players during these years, such as Ty Cobb, but when stadiums are torn down, a lot of heritage is lost. Today, owners and cities are constantly trying to build the biggest and most updated stadium whereas the need for the older stadium is gone. Sometimes the old stadium is torn down to build the new one or the new one is built elsewhere and the old one is torn down after the new one is complete. When stadiums are demolished, tales of past players and their heroics are often lost.

Going with my Dad around garage sales in Florida less than 10 years ago (I can’t remember the exact date), we always looked for valuable and unique items. As the day progressed, the less stuff is available at garage sales since a lot of collectors shop early to find the best deals. We went down a housing area where a lady had started a garage sale late and just finished putting stuff out. She was starting to get busy when I walked to a table in the middle of the driveway where a pile of old looking sports stuff was and picked up a unique looking wood folding chair. It was by a few other sports items so I felt something was unique about this item and quickly held onto it and asked the busy lady running the garage sale where it came from. She quickly answered that she had heard the Yankees. It looked to me as if she was selling her husband’s sports stuff, whether willingly or not, but hearing Yankees and the price of $15, it was worth it.

Researching many stadiums and looking at old photographs, as well as reaching out to collectors, there is no definite answer to its background or history. Looking at the wood and discoloration, as well as the gold writing as well as style of font on the top, the chair looks to have been from the 1920s. Also, being such a high number, there had to have originally been a lot of chairs. Speaking with a collector, he stated that it is quite possible that it was a bleacher seat or a chair that old stadiums would rent out if someone didn’t want to sit on a hard bleacher but instead have back support. There are two screw holes in the bottom that could be attached to a wood bleacher. The collector thought there would likely be a metal bracket attached somewhere. If the lady selling it was correct, it could easily be from the Polo Grounds IV, or even their earlier stadium at Hilltop Park (1903-1912) or from the yearly years at the original Yankees Stadium (1923-2009) – all three stadiums have sadly been torn down. If anyone has any ideas or input on the chair, I would love to know and find out the true history of the stadium chair. Until then, I’ll continue to imagine who sat on this chair nearly 100 years ago and watched some of the all-time greats play America’s favorite pastime in historical remembrance of an early stadium – including Babe Ruth hitting a home run out of left field…

Also, be on the lookout for one of my articles to come out next year about the oldest ballpark in continuous use in the United States, Warren Ballpark, and a lot of the all-time greats to have passed through the small and forgotten town in Arizona – including members of the notorious Black Sox Scandal.

A Bit About "Murders of the Prophecy"

This is my second novel but not the last. I’ve been working with Artemis Publishing with this book and it has been fun and a great learning experience. In case anyone is interested, I’ve detailed some information in this blog about the book and idea for a little background. 

The book is available through online retailers and Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1733994440/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

What is the novel Murders of the Prophecy about?

Marshall Withers became a renowned detective after capturing a psychic who had been killing certain clients to show his accuracy when predicting their deaths. Not soon after, Marshall’s partner in the police force is killed by a mobster hitman. Marshall teams up with Salman to perform one last murder and kill the hitman but after the deed, Marshall takes back his word to Salman. Being a true psychic, Salman knew Michael would and places a curse not on Marshall, but his family. After Marshall’s death following cancer, his son, Michael, finds a camera but when opening the camera, he finds a note written by his dad – a note warning him of future carnage. Michael begins using the camera which in itself, forces the film to recreate horror and bring up the curse of Salman. Through many untimely deaths and much violence, the truth is revealed but it’s too late. The ending is near but the truth reveals a dark past for the family’s new beginning.

Why write about a haunted camera?

Since a young kid, I’ve collected antiques. When younger, I was given an old 1920’s camera and a few years back I had it on display on a bookshelf in my one-bedroom apartment. At night or sometimes out of the corner of my eye, I would see the camera lens pointing at me. Of course, that’s how it sat on the shelf so it wasn’t like it was moved or anything but, I wondered once, what if the camera was haunted? I thought, what is the camera’s history? I imagined that maybe the camera was used to photograph old mafia that were killed and the camera was used at the crime scenes by an investigator. Then, maybe the souls of the mafia collected within the camera and as each day progressed, they reached out to me from the camera until finally getting me. Of course, it wasn’t long before the camera got moved to a different spot…a box in the closet, but I’ve always remembered that and created this story from that idea. I mean, as my first blog stated, cameras can freeze time for a slight second but what if the time was supposed to have been forgotten.

What’s the hardest part of writing?

The marketing… As any published author will tell you, the easiest part of writing a book is the writing. The second hardest part is editing, and editing, and editing until you’re sick of the book. But, the hardest aspect of all is the marketing. How do you get your writing and book noticed? There is so much social media and getting your book noticed is the hardest part but you learn more as every day progresses. I have multiple books being written now but I have to continue the marketing of my past books in order to get them noticed. Many people can push out books but selling is part of the process and takes many hours and dedication to be successful as I hope to someday be.

The Jerome Grand Hotel – A Ghostly Tale

Whether or not you believe in ghosts, some places you go can be quite eerie. The popular television shows such as Ghost Hunters, amongst others, brought curiosity into those who viewed the television shows. Whether fake or not, that’s beyond the point, what is true is some people believe and some do not. I used to watch Ghost Hunters for the architectural history of the buildings they went into and to see inside the buildings. Some of the places they went to were quite interesting and could be haunted, if there really is such a thing. Sometimes people say they see ghosts, figures, or even apparitions, but often-times, just a unique experience can create a ghostly tale – such as mine at the Jerome Grand Hotel.

Jerome, Arizona is a former mining town that once had a peak population of nearly 5,000 residents in 1930 (some even say 15,000) but today has less than 500. Much of the town’s original architecture remains today such as many buildings down main street as well as the Jerome Grand (Hotel). The Jerome Grand was the town’s fourth and final hospital. As the population continued to increase, the need for a larger and more modern hotel was needed amongst the citizens and workers around the mines, mills, and town for those who had injuries, came down with black lung due to the smelters polluting the air around town, as well as tuberculosis. The hospital, named the United Verde Hospital, was built in 1926 and in 1930 was labeled the most modern hospital in Arizona, if not the entire Western states. The hospital closed in 1950 and was watched over by a caretaker. The last caretaker committed suicide in the building in the 1980s and the former hospital was boarded up. The building was purchased in 1994 and renovated to become the Jerome Grand.

The first self-service elevator in Arizona was installed in the hospital. A very slow ride up or down today, the original 1926 Otis Elevator still works in the hotel. In 1935, a maintenance man was found dead, pinned beneath the Otis elevator. His spirit is one of many who are rumored to continue to occupy the building. There are no known exact numbers of hospital deaths during the years the building was a hospital, but one estimated number is as many as 9,000 people – on average more than one death per day.

I spent a weekend in Jerome ten years ago – staying at both the Hotel Connor and my second night at the Jerome Grand. Hotel Connor was very historic and fun but to share a possible ghostly experience, I’ll tell about my second night. I had spent the day checking out the area and other nearby ghost towns and historical areas and came to the hotel and walked around before going to my room. I sat in bed, going over maps and papers for the next day before I went to bed. It was a typical, hot summer day in Arizona and I had the overhead ceiling fan on. I turned it on with a switch on the wall next to the light switch. There was also a small cord attached to the fan I could pull on to turn it on or off. I went and got ready for bed in the bathroom a bit later and returned to lie down in bed. With the small television on in the background, I noticed I was kind of hot. I looked up and noticed the fan had been turned off. I didn’t remember turning it off so I was a little confused, stood up and walked over to the switch. The switch was still in the ‘on’ position. I flipped it anyway off and on but nothing happened. I kept it in the on position and stood on the bed to reach up and pull the cord on the fan itself and it started again. I’m not an electrician by any means, but I find it curious as to how that could have happened and if something actually did pull the cord to turn the fan off.

I started to think about what the room that I stayed in used to be or how many people had died there. One thing I do know, I slept great that night and woke up feeling refreshed. It’s not the most exciting tale of a ghost story or sighting, but the small things make you wonder if you are indeed alone or if there is something there. I have had a couple of other strange occurrences that make me think that something else might be out there, such as one in the ghost town of Winfield, Colorado’s cemetery and another in an old mine in the middle of nowhere in Arizona. More tales to be told…