Sometimes, you don’t need to dig through the archives to find decades of good memories made in Oak City. You just have to find a good local Facebook group like “You know you grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina when. . .”
Get ready to jump back in time — we’re sharing some of our favorite moments posted on the page. Pro tip: Read the comments of each post for even more memories.
1960s: Holly’s Park
Raleigh’s long-lost theme park — located on Gresham’s Lake + featured a carousel, train, steamboat, and Ferris wheel.
1965: The Beach Boys
Mike Love, Bruce Johnston, Dennis Wilson, Al Jardine + Carl Wilson were seen at RDU before their performance at Dorton Arena. The concert also featured local acts The Embers, The Inmates, and the Unknown IV.
1970s-1980s: The Village Subway
If you grew up in the city around this time, it’s very likely you spent time exploring Raleigh Underground, an entertainment district that shut down in 1984. Bonus: Explore our debrief of its history.
1973: Tippys Taco House
A snapshot from a SHS Lakonikos’ yearbook shows the early days of this spot known for its Sam Special. In another post on the Facebook page, folks reminisce about this Hodges Street eatery that closed in 2005.
1974: The Players Retreat
The original owner of this sports bar, Bernie Hanula, used to pop the caps off of patrons’ drinks + said in an interview he named the joint because “everybody is a player one way or the other.”
When the theater closed, it was replaced with a Blockbuster Video.
Photo via State Archives of NC Photos
Cardinal Theatre
The comments are filled with the movies people would see at this staple that was open for 23 years + closed in 1990.
The Peanut Man
According to the comments, residents remember seeing the Peanut Man in the downtown square circa 1950s-1970s + feeding the pigeons.
Silver Lake
Known for being a summertime destination in Raleigh, this water park closed in 2010 + was redeveloped into a residential area — but folks remember the slides and how it once cost 25 cents to get in.
