Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:01,689 --> 00:00:06,239
[narrator]
Abandoned structures hold
the secrets of America's past.
2
00:00:06,241 --> 00:00:11,901
A stop on Route 66 reveals
a forgotten story
of this nation's Mother Road.
3
00:00:13,275 --> 00:00:15,405
Whatever color, whatever race,
4
00:00:15,413 --> 00:00:17,903
where we learned
how to treat people
with great respect.
5
00:00:19,793 --> 00:00:21,933
[narrator] A scorched
landscape conceals
6
00:00:21,931 --> 00:00:24,281
a revolutionary
entertainment complex.
7
00:00:25,724 --> 00:00:27,934
All you wanted to do
is run up the hill.
8
00:00:27,931 --> 00:00:32,171
All right? For young guys,
this was something
you'd never seen before.
9
00:00:32,172 --> 00:00:34,622
[narrator] And one man's
extraordinary feat
10
00:00:34,620 --> 00:00:39,410
of architecture speaks to this
nation's pioneer spirit.
11
00:00:39,413 --> 00:00:41,033
[Sunny] America
is absolutely come here,
12
00:00:41,034 --> 00:00:42,974
live free, build your dreams.
13
00:00:42,965 --> 00:00:44,515
Anything is possible.
14
00:00:44,517 --> 00:00:46,477
I mean, have you ever seen
anything like this?
15
00:00:49,310 --> 00:00:53,690
[narrator] Scattered across
the United States
are abandoned structures,
16
00:00:54,827 --> 00:00:57,757
forgotten ruins of the past,
17
00:00:57,758 --> 00:01:02,168
monuments to a bygone era,
18
00:01:02,172 --> 00:01:08,242
each shines a light
on the story of this land
and its people.
19
00:01:08,241 --> 00:01:12,281
These are the secrets
of Hidden America.
20
00:01:20,551 --> 00:01:24,521
Two hours, northeast
of Los Angeles,
in the Mojave Desert,
21
00:01:24,517 --> 00:01:27,717
lies an eye-catching
collection of structures
22
00:01:27,724 --> 00:01:31,284
that are a slice of American
entertainment history.
23
00:01:37,172 --> 00:01:39,662
[Alexis] You've got this
one-dimensional,
24
00:01:39,655 --> 00:01:42,235
you know,
pretty plain desert landscape
25
00:01:42,241 --> 00:01:46,281
and then just this explosion
of bright color.
26
00:01:48,413 --> 00:01:52,663
It's clearly a hotspot
for graffiti artists
'cause it's everywhere.
27
00:01:55,724 --> 00:01:59,244
[narrator] Graffiti
isn't the only reason
people visit today.
28
00:01:59,241 --> 00:02:02,901
Some people come
for a higher
adrenaline activity.
29
00:02:05,034 --> 00:02:07,524
[John] We've had
a lot of people who've come
through and trespassed,
30
00:02:07,517 --> 00:02:10,237
all had buggies,
much like the ones behind me.
31
00:02:10,241 --> 00:02:13,071
And so that kind of
is what sparked the idea.
32
00:02:14,931 --> 00:02:19,451
[Rob] The Mad Max-style
desert surroundings
and all the graffiti,
33
00:02:19,448 --> 00:02:20,998
looks like
a perfect place for it.
34
00:02:22,724 --> 00:02:27,034
[narrator] A proper racetrack
is set to be built
among the ruins,
35
00:02:27,034 --> 00:02:30,934
a new chapter in this site's
storied history.
36
00:02:32,482 --> 00:02:36,072
[John] This site is historic
for everybody in the area.
37
00:02:36,068 --> 00:02:37,518
Everybody knows what it is.
38
00:02:40,034 --> 00:02:44,594
[narrator] It was
the first of its kind
in the whole of America,
39
00:02:44,586 --> 00:02:46,826
but the good times
didn't last.
40
00:02:48,172 --> 00:02:49,552
[Alexis] Kind of
makes you wonder,
41
00:02:49,551 --> 00:02:54,071
"Did something dramatic
or sort of terrible happen
that closed it?"
42
00:02:54,068 --> 00:02:56,138
It's... it's a little bit
of a mystery.
43
00:03:03,724 --> 00:03:06,524
[narrator] The site owes
its existence to a piece
44
00:03:06,517 --> 00:03:09,337
of infrastructure
built years before.
45
00:03:10,896 --> 00:03:13,616
It wouldn't be here
if it wasn't for the road.
46
00:03:13,620 --> 00:03:16,140
I mean, it's the lifeblood
of the place.
47
00:03:17,482 --> 00:03:19,902
[Corina] Interstate 15 cuts
right through this area,
48
00:03:19,896 --> 00:03:23,276
and it's one of those freeways
that has seen
a substantial increase
49
00:03:23,275 --> 00:03:25,275
in traffic
since its opening in the '50s.
50
00:03:26,517 --> 00:03:30,167
[Rob] You've got these
absolutely massive billboards
51
00:03:30,172 --> 00:03:33,902
and you can imagine
the name of the park up there
in huge letters,
52
00:03:33,896 --> 00:03:36,656
enticing passing traffic
to stop and come in.
53
00:03:39,896 --> 00:03:43,686
[narrator] Steve Steiner
was a teenager
living in Los Angeles
54
00:03:43,689 --> 00:03:47,379
when he made
his first journey here.
55
00:03:47,379 --> 00:03:51,589
First trip, my buddy said,
"This is going to be something
you've never seen before."
56
00:03:51,586 --> 00:03:54,306
He said, "It's a long drive,
but come on out."
57
00:03:54,310 --> 00:03:56,860
[Steve] This was in 1978,
58
00:03:56,862 --> 00:04:03,552
and Billy was driving
his little 1963 VW bus
59
00:04:03,551 --> 00:04:07,071
that did about
55 miles an hour
on the freeway, tops.
60
00:04:07,068 --> 00:04:11,378
So we left Long Beach,
and two hours later,
here we were,
61
00:04:11,379 --> 00:04:14,339
and it was like nothing
I'd ever seen before.
62
00:04:14,344 --> 00:04:17,244
It was a true oasis
in the middle of the desert.
63
00:04:18,793 --> 00:04:22,103
[narrator] This is
the Lake Dolores Waterpark,
64
00:04:22,103 --> 00:04:24,483
the first water park
to be built in America.
65
00:04:26,241 --> 00:04:28,551
What you're looking at
is a critical piece
66
00:04:28,551 --> 00:04:30,831
of American
entertainment history.
67
00:04:32,551 --> 00:04:34,211
[narrator] But back
in the early '60s,
68
00:04:34,206 --> 00:04:37,026
when it first opened,
it looked very different.
69
00:04:40,137 --> 00:04:43,027
used to This area usedto be
a family campground.
70
00:04:43,034 --> 00:04:48,004
It was this lovely
picture postcard,
quaint sort of place.
71
00:04:51,103 --> 00:04:54,343
This was first thing
in the park, manmade lake.
72
00:04:54,344 --> 00:04:58,244
It's about 27 acres
with about five acres of land.
73
00:04:58,241 --> 00:05:00,661
That's an island.
74
00:05:00,655 --> 00:05:05,235
[narrator] Dr. Uppal is
part of a group
redeveloping the park.
75
00:05:05,241 --> 00:05:08,971
[Gagan] Built in 1960s
by a gentleman
named Bob Byers.
76
00:05:08,965 --> 00:05:11,785
He named this lake
after his wife, Dolores.
77
00:05:11,793 --> 00:05:13,903
So everybody driving
on this highway,
78
00:05:13,896 --> 00:05:16,716
seeing this huge
body of water,
79
00:05:16,724 --> 00:05:19,104
would make them excited
and want to come here
80
00:05:19,103 --> 00:05:20,693
and build memories
with their families.
81
00:05:24,137 --> 00:05:26,377
[narrator] The lake
was a huge hit
82
00:05:26,379 --> 00:05:29,519
but Bob had dreams
of something more
83
00:05:29,517 --> 00:05:32,547
and began taking
the first steps in creating
84
00:05:32,551 --> 00:05:36,831
an attraction Americans
had never experienced before.
85
00:05:36,827 --> 00:05:38,377
The park's owner
was thinking about
86
00:05:38,379 --> 00:05:40,999
different ways to make
the space more popular,
87
00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:44,100
and a few simple slides
that would fling people
88
00:05:44,103 --> 00:05:46,343
into the lake was just
that sort of thing.
89
00:05:47,896 --> 00:05:50,686
So the first slides
were made of steel,
90
00:05:50,689 --> 00:05:53,619
and they weren't that long,
they weren't that high,
91
00:05:53,620 --> 00:05:55,480
but they were hugely popular,
92
00:05:55,482 --> 00:06:00,242
a fact that was not lost
on the owner
and kind of got him thinking.
93
00:06:01,379 --> 00:06:04,409
[Rob] Bob realized
this was the way to go,
94
00:06:04,413 --> 00:06:07,313
to make the slides
the main attraction
95
00:06:07,310 --> 00:06:09,720
and to make them bigger
and more extreme.
96
00:06:12,344 --> 00:06:16,314
[narrator] By the 1970s,
Lake Dolores had come
to resemble
97
00:06:16,310 --> 00:06:19,660
what we now recognize
as a water park.
98
00:06:19,655 --> 00:06:24,825
[Rob] A lazy river,
a huge slide that started
at a crazy height.
99
00:06:24,827 --> 00:06:28,137
These are the hallmarks
of the modern water park.
100
00:06:28,137 --> 00:06:30,857
And this was the place
that kicked
that whole trend off.
101
00:06:32,172 --> 00:06:34,832
[narrator] Steve
can vividly recall
walking through
102
00:06:34,827 --> 00:06:36,657
the turnstiles
for the first time.
103
00:06:39,379 --> 00:06:42,969
When I first got here,
it was the parking
and lots of cars.
104
00:06:42,965 --> 00:06:45,305
There were a lot of cars
back then.
105
00:06:45,310 --> 00:06:48,070
And then it was a mass
of people in water.
106
00:06:48,068 --> 00:06:51,688
Incredible.
It was a Disneyland for water.
107
00:06:51,689 --> 00:06:56,659
They had six to eight slides
that were about
50 meters long,
108
00:06:56,655 --> 00:07:00,615
I would say,
and they'd be doing
45 miles an hour,
109
00:07:00,620 --> 00:07:03,100
maybe 50 down this hill.
110
00:07:04,965 --> 00:07:06,545
[Alexis] It's kind
of the Wild West,
111
00:07:06,551 --> 00:07:08,141
they did whatever they wanted.
112
00:07:08,137 --> 00:07:10,477
And I cannot be more clear.
113
00:07:10,482 --> 00:07:13,792
You would not see this today.
114
00:07:13,793 --> 00:07:17,903
[narrator] There was one slide
that was undoubtedly
the star attraction.
115
00:07:19,344 --> 00:07:22,004
[Steve] It's been
a long time but I believe
we're at the site.
116
00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:24,140
One of the scariest things
in my life.
117
00:07:24,137 --> 00:07:26,997
There was two chutes
going down this way.
118
00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:30,830
Two hundred feet,
at 40 miles an hour,
standing up.
119
00:07:33,103 --> 00:07:35,763
So this attraction,
this epic slide,
120
00:07:35,758 --> 00:07:38,308
is actually
extremely dangerous.
121
00:07:38,310 --> 00:07:40,720
Your first time down
is the nuttiest thing
122
00:07:40,724 --> 00:07:43,484
because it's as slick
as can be.
123
00:07:43,482 --> 00:07:46,072
And of course,
I went down this slide,
124
00:07:46,068 --> 00:07:49,788
ended up down,
cut it with a hand,
125
00:07:49,793 --> 00:07:54,903
and then kind of did
a... belly flop right
into the water.
126
00:07:54,896 --> 00:07:57,476
Got a lot of laughs.
127
00:07:57,482 --> 00:07:59,452
Yeah, I mean,
you might be going around,
128
00:07:59,448 --> 00:08:02,308
you might get a little bumped,
a little bruised.
129
00:08:02,310 --> 00:08:03,930
But, you know,
you would get up,
130
00:08:03,931 --> 00:08:06,521
you would dust yourself off,
and go again.
131
00:08:08,034 --> 00:08:11,214
[Steve] Towards the end,
one of the greatest feelings
of my life.
132
00:08:11,206 --> 00:08:13,236
I went down and everyone's
looking at me,
133
00:08:13,241 --> 00:08:16,381
and I was... I spin
all the way down the ride,
134
00:08:16,379 --> 00:08:20,789
all the way down to the end
and flipped and actually made
a nice flip.
135
00:08:20,793 --> 00:08:22,833
It looked great.
Never did it again.
136
00:08:25,793 --> 00:08:30,523
[narrator] Other parks
soon took notice
of Lake Dolores's success,
137
00:08:30,517 --> 00:08:33,657
especially
in a well-known city nearby.
138
00:08:35,172 --> 00:08:37,552
[Alexis] Being on the road
to Vegas was sort of
139
00:08:37,551 --> 00:08:39,381
a blessing
and a curse, right?
140
00:08:39,379 --> 00:08:42,209
In the beginning, great,
brings lots of people.
141
00:08:42,206 --> 00:08:43,856
But Vegas being Vegas,
142
00:08:43,862 --> 00:08:49,002
you know, they also started
building waterparks
and they did them bigger,
143
00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:50,520
uh, more extravagant.
144
00:08:50,517 --> 00:08:54,407
And, you know, in the end,
Lake Dolores just
couldn't compete with that.
145
00:08:56,103 --> 00:08:58,693
[narrator] A significant
downturn in popularity
146
00:08:58,689 --> 00:09:02,859
forced the park to close
in the late '80s,
but in the next decade,
147
00:09:02,862 --> 00:09:08,102
it finally got
the million-dollar makeover
it desperately needed.
148
00:09:08,103 --> 00:09:13,453
A dramatic event, however,
would ruin the park's chance
of a second life.
149
00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:34,280
[narrator] In 1998,
the once-revolutionary
Lake Dolores Waterpark
150
00:09:34,275 --> 00:09:37,715
reopened under a new name,
Rock-A-Hoola.
151
00:09:39,034 --> 00:09:40,624
[Gagan] It was coming back
to life.
152
00:09:40,620 --> 00:09:42,660
They brought it back.
There were rides there.
153
00:09:42,655 --> 00:09:45,715
Red, white, and blue,
American representation rides.
154
00:09:45,724 --> 00:09:48,174
People were still starting
to come in,
155
00:09:48,172 --> 00:09:51,102
and it didn't pan out the way
they had decided.
156
00:09:52,379 --> 00:09:54,379
There was
an unfortunate incident
157
00:09:54,379 --> 00:09:57,549
that also happened
in that era.
158
00:09:57,551 --> 00:10:03,241
[narrator] Less than a year
after the waterpark
had reopened, tragedy struck.
159
00:10:03,241 --> 00:10:07,031
[Gagan] There were
certain rides that were
still not regulated properly.
160
00:10:07,034 --> 00:10:11,144
They were grandfathered in
from the previous era.
161
00:10:11,137 --> 00:10:14,857
What we know about
the accident is that
it was off duty.
162
00:10:14,862 --> 00:10:16,212
It was off hours.
163
00:10:18,310 --> 00:10:22,520
So an employee,
rumored to be under
the influence of alcohol,
164
00:10:22,517 --> 00:10:25,097
decided to take
a late-night ride,
165
00:10:25,103 --> 00:10:28,343
went down a slide
into an underfilled catch pool
166
00:10:28,344 --> 00:10:30,904
and had a pretty
disastrous landing.
167
00:10:30,896 --> 00:10:34,206
Severely injured,
ended up being a paraplegic.
168
00:10:35,862 --> 00:10:40,312
The lawsuit that followed
was just too costly
for the park owners.
169
00:10:40,310 --> 00:10:43,760
They were forced
to file for bankruptcy.
170
00:10:43,758 --> 00:10:47,688
[Rob] The park changed owners
multiple times
in the early 2000s,
171
00:10:47,689 --> 00:10:50,899
but only really operated
intermittently.
172
00:10:50,896 --> 00:10:53,516
Each owner struggling
to keep it alive.
173
00:10:53,517 --> 00:10:59,407
The water park finally shut
its doors in 2004,
and it's never reopened again.
174
00:11:02,034 --> 00:11:05,554
[narrator] Without
the desert groundwater
being pumped to the surface,
175
00:11:05,551 --> 00:11:07,621
the lake slowly dried up,
176
00:11:07,620 --> 00:11:13,030
but the water park's
abandonment paved the way
for a new type of business.
177
00:11:13,034 --> 00:11:16,624
I've been involved
with the filming
on this property for years,
178
00:11:16,620 --> 00:11:20,310
bringing film crews over,
doing different commercials,
uh, movies.
179
00:11:22,068 --> 00:11:24,788
[narrator] John Miller runs
a film location company
180
00:11:24,793 --> 00:11:27,523
specializing
in the Mojave Desert region.
181
00:11:27,517 --> 00:11:31,517
But recently,
trespassers gave him
a new idea.
182
00:11:31,517 --> 00:11:34,967
A racing track
for off-road vehicles.
183
00:11:34,965 --> 00:11:38,755
[John] What we did
is we let the market tell us
what it wanted from this area.
184
00:11:38,758 --> 00:11:40,518
Like, "Well, hey.
185
00:11:40,517 --> 00:11:43,967
If they're already coming here
to do this, why don't we, uh,
just build it for them?"
186
00:11:45,413 --> 00:11:47,523
[Corina] An abandoned space
like this in the desert
187
00:11:47,517 --> 00:11:49,827
would make
a really cool racetrack.
188
00:11:49,827 --> 00:11:53,717
I could totally see
dune buggy drivers
having an amazing time
189
00:11:53,724 --> 00:11:55,344
in this incredible landscape.
190
00:11:56,620 --> 00:11:58,170
[narrator] As well
as the race track,
191
00:11:58,172 --> 00:12:01,722
there are also plans
for a virtual
reality experience,
192
00:12:01,724 --> 00:12:05,664
an RV park and a hotel.
193
00:12:05,655 --> 00:12:10,545
For the first time in decades,
the park now looks like
it has a bright future.
194
00:12:16,275 --> 00:12:19,375
[narrator]
The Lake Dolores Waterpark
began with one man
195
00:12:19,379 --> 00:12:24,659
and his dream,
to build something Americans
had never seen before.
196
00:12:24,655 --> 00:12:28,895
Decades later,
there's at least one person
who remains grateful.
197
00:12:30,482 --> 00:12:34,032
Bob Byers, he went out
and just did this for fun
198
00:12:34,034 --> 00:12:38,724
for his family
and then fun for everybody
that came by here.
199
00:12:38,724 --> 00:12:42,284
And for someone to do that,
it takes a lot of hard effort,
a lot of drive.
200
00:12:43,586 --> 00:12:46,546
And he put pride
into something
that was just so amazing,
201
00:12:46,551 --> 00:12:48,551
and on behalf of everyone
that went here,
202
00:12:48,551 --> 00:12:50,211
I really would love
to thank him.
203
00:12:58,241 --> 00:13:03,901
[narrator] On the outskirts
of Yellowstone National Park,
deep in outlaw country,
204
00:13:03,896 --> 00:13:08,586
is a structure that celebrates
the supreme freedom
of the American West.
205
00:13:14,310 --> 00:13:17,930
[Rob] Wyoming is a state
of natural beauty,
206
00:13:17,931 --> 00:13:21,721
mainly known
for its vast expanses
of wilderness,
207
00:13:21,724 --> 00:13:23,594
not for its interesting architecture.
208
00:13:25,103 --> 00:13:29,863
[narrator] Yet
there is a building here
that's hard to ignore.
209
00:13:29,862 --> 00:13:32,032
[Sunny] I've talked
to a lot of people
throughout the years,
210
00:13:32,034 --> 00:13:35,034
and it's an extreme curiosity.
211
00:13:35,034 --> 00:13:38,104
Nobody knows what it is
but they'll take every stab
in the world
212
00:13:38,103 --> 00:13:39,283
to try to decipher it.
213
00:13:41,068 --> 00:13:43,168
[Rob]
Strange-looking buildings
214
00:13:43,172 --> 00:13:46,482
often have
fairly strange stories
attached to them.
215
00:13:46,482 --> 00:13:48,002
This is no exception.
216
00:13:49,965 --> 00:13:55,205
[narrator] It was hand-built
by a talented
and ambitious man.
217
00:13:55,206 --> 00:13:56,756
[Lucy] He was determined
to build something
218
00:13:56,758 --> 00:13:59,898
extraordinary for himself
and his family.
219
00:13:59,896 --> 00:14:04,236
You can see that
it's been made
with real care and skill.
220
00:14:04,241 --> 00:14:08,311
This is sort of
an alternative Western version
of the American dream.
221
00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:12,450
[narrator] But it doesn't have
a happy ending.
222
00:14:12,448 --> 00:14:18,098
His unwavering dedication
to this building
ultimately cost him his life.
223
00:14:32,310 --> 00:14:34,720
[narrator] In this rugged part
of America,
224
00:14:34,724 --> 00:14:38,344
embracing the wilderness
has a long
and celebrated history.
225
00:14:39,689 --> 00:14:42,339
The nearest town, Cody,
was named after Buffalo Bill,
226
00:14:42,344 --> 00:14:45,144
the legendary hunter
and entrepreneur
227
00:14:45,137 --> 00:14:47,477
whose real name
was William Frederick Cody.
228
00:14:49,413 --> 00:14:52,313
[narrator] Twenty miles west
of the town is a structure
229
00:14:52,310 --> 00:14:57,620
that matches this wild
and dramatic scenery,
the Smith Mansion.
230
00:14:59,758 --> 00:15:01,758
When I come
driving down the highway
231
00:15:01,758 --> 00:15:03,068
and see the mansion up
on the hill,
232
00:15:03,068 --> 00:15:06,138
you can see it
five miles down,
I get excited.
233
00:15:06,137 --> 00:15:07,787
I can't wait to be here.
234
00:15:09,655 --> 00:15:12,785
[narrator] Sunny Larsen
is a mother
of two living in Cody.
235
00:15:14,344 --> 00:15:18,384
But back when she was a child,
the Smith Mansion
was her home.
236
00:15:21,689 --> 00:15:23,929
[Sunny] So this is
the cold room of the house.
237
00:15:23,931 --> 00:15:28,281
It's a room that constantly
has air running through here.
238
00:15:28,275 --> 00:15:31,655
This room, we slept in during
the summertime
when it was warm.
239
00:15:31,655 --> 00:15:34,925
This hammock
is what we slept on.
240
00:15:37,413 --> 00:15:39,693
[narrator] The ground floor
was a wooden maze
241
00:15:39,689 --> 00:15:42,479
comprising of six
different shaped rooms.
242
00:15:45,172 --> 00:15:47,662
Okay. So here you are
in the hot room.
243
00:15:47,655 --> 00:15:49,305
Uh, this is
the hub of the house
244
00:15:49,310 --> 00:15:52,210
where we pretty much
did everything.
245
00:15:52,206 --> 00:15:54,656
This was our only source
of heat.
246
00:15:54,655 --> 00:15:57,515
And this was
our dining room table.
247
00:15:57,517 --> 00:16:03,237
We spent our winters here,
and we slept in sleeping bags
and roll-outs on the floor.
248
00:16:03,241 --> 00:16:05,171
We didn't have
traditional beds.
249
00:16:07,344 --> 00:16:12,034
[narrator] Sunny sold
the house in 2019
and hasn't been back since.
250
00:16:13,965 --> 00:16:16,445
Coming back to the house now
that I don't live here,
251
00:16:16,448 --> 00:16:19,828
I no longer own it,
it's extremely emotional.
252
00:16:19,827 --> 00:16:23,757
It's just something that,
um, I'm happy to...
253
00:16:23,758 --> 00:16:26,588
to do to be able to come
back up here and see it.
254
00:16:31,068 --> 00:16:33,998
[narrator] The house is named
in honor of its builder,
255
00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:37,310
Sunny's father,
Francis Lee Smith.
256
00:16:40,724 --> 00:16:43,554
[Sunny] This place
actually speaks
to my dad's character.
257
00:16:43,551 --> 00:16:48,691
He was what you would consider
an old-time mountain man,
and he was very eccentric.
258
00:16:48,689 --> 00:16:51,859
And you can kind of see that
in the whimsical nature
of this home.
259
00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:57,690
[Lucy] This was the house
that Francis Lee Smith
was very passionate about,
260
00:16:57,689 --> 00:17:01,479
but actually what ended up
happening is that it seemed
to take over his life.
261
00:17:03,896 --> 00:17:06,516
[narrator] In the beginning,
it was a simple story
262
00:17:06,517 --> 00:17:10,717
of a father building
a small family cabin
for his wife and children.
263
00:17:13,034 --> 00:17:17,524
[Sunny] My dad primarily built
the mansion
with his own two hands.
264
00:17:17,517 --> 00:17:19,857
He would bring
the logs in here.
265
00:17:19,862 --> 00:17:23,722
He'd pull them down
into the bottom part
of the cold room
266
00:17:23,724 --> 00:17:27,034
using all these handmade
pulley systems that he used.
267
00:17:29,724 --> 00:17:33,314
[narrator] Francis Lee Smith
was a man
of limited resources,
268
00:17:33,310 --> 00:17:35,240
but he knew how to maximize
269
00:17:35,241 --> 00:17:36,831
what he could get
his hands on.
270
00:17:38,482 --> 00:17:41,412
For instance, he used timber
that had been fire-damaged
271
00:17:41,413 --> 00:17:45,483
in the forest
to actually build
the base of the building.
272
00:17:45,482 --> 00:17:48,552
He used the wooden floor
from a high school gymnasium
273
00:17:48,551 --> 00:17:52,311
and other bits
of random timber
that he'd find around town.
274
00:17:54,586 --> 00:17:57,616
[narrator] He became
laser-focused on the build,
275
00:17:57,620 --> 00:18:01,790
a fact his ex-wife,
Linda Mills,
knows only too well.
276
00:18:04,172 --> 00:18:08,622
Lee worked in town
at his regular job,
normal hours,
277
00:18:08,620 --> 00:18:12,100
come home,
and then he would work
at the house,
278
00:18:12,103 --> 00:18:15,033
on the house to like 3:00
or 4:00 in the morning.
279
00:18:15,034 --> 00:18:17,314
And this was day
after day after day.
280
00:18:18,655 --> 00:18:20,895
[narrator] The marriage ended
in divorce,
281
00:18:20,896 --> 00:18:25,656
and Francis Lee moved
into the then
one-storey Smith Mansion.
282
00:18:25,655 --> 00:18:30,405
This is when Sunny
started spending
half her childhood here.
283
00:18:30,413 --> 00:18:31,833
[Sunny] We didn't have
running water.
284
00:18:31,827 --> 00:18:33,787
We were
on minimal electricity.
285
00:18:33,793 --> 00:18:36,663
You know, we had
an extension cord that
we branched off from.
286
00:18:36,655 --> 00:18:38,475
We didn't have an outhouse.
287
00:18:38,482 --> 00:18:40,382
We lived wild
with the animals.
288
00:18:40,379 --> 00:18:44,029
We lived like
we were back in the 1800s.
289
00:18:44,034 --> 00:18:49,214
[narrator] The divorce proved
to be a pivotal moment
for the half-built house.
290
00:18:49,206 --> 00:18:51,686
It started out
as a family home,
291
00:18:51,689 --> 00:18:55,969
and then it took on a life
of its own
and just started going up.
292
00:18:57,793 --> 00:19:00,343
[Lucy] This one floor
became two floors,
became many floors,
293
00:19:00,344 --> 00:19:03,794
became a separate section,
and another separate section.
294
00:19:03,793 --> 00:19:05,863
People didn't quite know
what to make of it.
295
00:19:07,551 --> 00:19:10,171
[narrator] Above
the living quarters
on the ground level,
296
00:19:10,172 --> 00:19:15,312
four more floors were added
but never fully completed.
297
00:19:15,310 --> 00:19:18,970
[Sunny] The second floor,
which is right above
that rounded roof,
298
00:19:18,965 --> 00:19:20,925
is inside the house.
299
00:19:20,931 --> 00:19:25,381
I think it was meant to be
some kind of a master bedroom
when it was finished.
300
00:19:25,379 --> 00:19:26,719
When you get up
to the third floor,
301
00:19:26,724 --> 00:19:29,794
which has
the second smallest staircase,
302
00:19:29,793 --> 00:19:32,103
that was going
to be all enclosed
303
00:19:32,103 --> 00:19:34,313
with windows just like
the bottom floor.
304
00:19:35,965 --> 00:19:39,165
This big staircase takes you
up to the fourth floor.
305
00:19:39,172 --> 00:19:40,972
And from there,
there's ladders
306
00:19:40,965 --> 00:19:42,545
that take you
up to the crow's nest.
307
00:19:47,034 --> 00:19:50,104
[Rob] Out here
in the Wild West of America,
308
00:19:50,103 --> 00:19:52,663
one man going against
the grain,
309
00:19:52,655 --> 00:19:57,685
expressing himself in timber
and clever engineering,
it's great to see.
310
00:20:00,103 --> 00:20:04,903
[Linda] I never would have
thought it would look like
this in a million years.
311
00:20:04,896 --> 00:20:06,276
It's beautiful.
312
00:20:08,793 --> 00:20:11,523
[narrator] Francis Lee
was a maverick builder.
313
00:20:11,517 --> 00:20:15,757
His design decisions
were all off the cuff.
314
00:20:15,758 --> 00:20:18,278
[Sunny] Back in the '70s,
when he started
building this house,
315
00:20:18,275 --> 00:20:20,585
there weren't any rules
that you really had to follow.
316
00:20:20,586 --> 00:20:24,996
So he ended up just doing
everything his own way.
317
00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:26,480
Nothing is to code up here.
318
00:20:28,413 --> 00:20:31,833
[narrator]
But Sunny's father's
own way proved
319
00:20:31,827 --> 00:20:33,827
to be a dangerous way.
320
00:20:48,620 --> 00:20:53,140
[narrator] The Smith Mansion
was the lifework
of Francis Lee Smith,
321
00:20:53,137 --> 00:20:56,617
a talented carpenter
and father to Sunny.
322
00:20:56,620 --> 00:20:58,790
He was
an unconventional builder
323
00:20:58,793 --> 00:21:01,413
and almost always
worked alone,
324
00:21:01,413 --> 00:21:05,143
something he ended up paying
the ultimate price for.
325
00:21:05,137 --> 00:21:10,407
Unfortunately my dad
never wore any kind of
safety equipment.
326
00:21:10,413 --> 00:21:16,003
On this northeast corner,
he was building
on a secondary roof system.
327
00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:22,550
He was using a 12x4 piece
of plywood to measure with,
and it fell and made him slip.
328
00:21:22,551 --> 00:21:25,341
He couldn't hang on
and he fell.
329
00:21:25,344 --> 00:21:26,484
And that's the end of it.
330
00:21:26,482 --> 00:21:28,452
He laid there for two days
before he was found.
331
00:21:32,241 --> 00:21:36,791
[Rob] The phrase,
"He died doing what he loved,"
is really quite apt here.
332
00:21:36,793 --> 00:21:38,623
He loved building that house.
333
00:21:40,448 --> 00:21:42,998
[narrator] Despite
never being completed,
334
00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:47,970
the fact the mansion
is still standing proud
comes as no surprise to Sunny.
335
00:21:49,448 --> 00:21:52,308
I know how this place
was constructed,
336
00:21:52,310 --> 00:21:56,000
and I know
it's going to be here
for another hundred years.
337
00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:59,860
It might be broken down,
pieces might be falling off,
but it'll be here.
338
00:21:59,862 --> 00:22:01,032
Oh, yeah.
339
00:22:08,448 --> 00:22:13,588
[narrator] For Sunny,
this will always be
a monument to her father.
340
00:22:13,586 --> 00:22:17,096
[Sunny] This house is my dad,
in every sense of the word.
341
00:22:17,103 --> 00:22:20,763
It's crazy, bold.
It's beautiful.
342
00:22:22,206 --> 00:22:24,896
[narrator] For others,
it echoes the attitude
343
00:22:24,896 --> 00:22:26,856
of the country's
early settlers.
344
00:22:28,241 --> 00:22:30,211
[Linda] I think
it's a masterpiece.
345
00:22:30,206 --> 00:22:36,236
I think this house
represents true,
old West grit and spirit.
346
00:22:45,275 --> 00:22:48,375
[narrator]
A dilapidated building
on a quiet stretch
347
00:22:48,379 --> 00:22:53,589
of Route 66 hides
an incredible story
of compassion,
348
00:22:53,586 --> 00:22:56,206
during one of America's
most troubling times.
349
00:23:00,068 --> 00:23:04,068
[Philip] Route 66 really
is a piece of Americana.
350
00:23:04,068 --> 00:23:08,618
It has so many aspects to it,
and a lot of it
we really don't know.
351
00:23:08,620 --> 00:23:14,210
And this abandoned property
fulfils a piece of that story.
352
00:23:14,206 --> 00:23:17,206
[Jim] It's got a pole in front
that looks like
353
00:23:17,206 --> 00:23:19,686
it might have once
held up a big sign.
354
00:23:19,689 --> 00:23:22,069
But the sign is gone.
The building is boarded up.
355
00:23:23,862 --> 00:23:28,762
[narrator] This was once
a life-saving stop
along America's Mother Road.
356
00:23:30,034 --> 00:23:33,974
For some travelers,
this place
was an important refuge.
357
00:23:33,965 --> 00:23:37,545
It was a place of safety
in a world that could be
358
00:23:37,551 --> 00:23:39,521
particularly hostile
and dangerous.
359
00:23:40,758 --> 00:23:43,928
[Ed] The tension came
from the outside world, okay?
360
00:23:43,931 --> 00:23:48,691
From having to interact
with people
who didn't care about me.
361
00:23:48,689 --> 00:23:53,239
But when I was here,
I was very well-protected.
362
00:23:53,241 --> 00:23:58,341
[Kenya] This is one of the sad
and dark chapters
in American history
363
00:23:58,344 --> 00:24:04,384
that we so often ignore
because it goes against
the ideals of our nation.
364
00:24:05,551 --> 00:24:07,591
[narrator] But amongst
the horrors,
365
00:24:07,586 --> 00:24:13,136
there is a heartening tale
of a family that went
above and beyond.
366
00:24:13,137 --> 00:24:16,277
We need to make sure
that we educate
the future generations
367
00:24:16,275 --> 00:24:18,445
about this wonderful family,
368
00:24:18,448 --> 00:24:22,208
fulfilling a need
as a safe haven during
a difficult time in history.
369
00:24:29,896 --> 00:24:33,966
[narrator] The buildings here
have sat derelict for decades.
370
00:24:33,965 --> 00:24:38,095
But Reverend Allen Threatt
remembers a far busier time.
371
00:24:40,586 --> 00:24:42,236
When I was a kid,
I remember it.
372
00:24:42,241 --> 00:24:48,411
I was about seven
or eight years old,
coming out here to gas...
373
00:24:48,413 --> 00:24:53,793
the gas pump
was right here,
put gas into the cars.
374
00:24:53,793 --> 00:24:57,453
[narrator] The gas station
was opened by
Reverend Allen's grandfather,
375
00:24:57,448 --> 00:25:01,898
who made sure his business
reflected his personal values.
376
00:25:01,896 --> 00:25:04,136
We would always try
to take care of the customer,
377
00:25:04,137 --> 00:25:08,897
try to make people happy
because this was
a service station of love.
378
00:25:10,620 --> 00:25:14,790
[narrator] The Threatt story
of hospitality began in 1921,
379
00:25:14,793 --> 00:25:17,243
during one of America's
most disturbing events.
380
00:25:18,965 --> 00:25:20,335
In the woods nearby,
381
00:25:20,344 --> 00:25:24,904
you can see the remains
of a house that's now
kind of collapsed.
382
00:25:24,896 --> 00:25:30,376
But once upon a time,
this was an important place.
383
00:25:30,379 --> 00:25:35,069
This is the home that
my grandfather built
to raise his family in.
384
00:25:36,965 --> 00:25:39,755
[narrator] Ed Threatt
and Reverend Allen are cousins
385
00:25:39,758 --> 00:25:42,308
and have heard tales
of how this house became
386
00:25:42,310 --> 00:25:46,280
a refuge for people
desperately fleeing
the nearby city of Tulsa.
387
00:25:47,793 --> 00:25:51,413
[Ed] What happened in Tulsa
should never happen
to anybody.
388
00:25:51,413 --> 00:25:53,243
You know,
it just shouldn't happen.
389
00:25:53,241 --> 00:25:59,031
But my grandpa,
being the kind of man
that he was, just opened up,
390
00:25:59,034 --> 00:26:02,214
opened his heart
and let people come
to stay here.
391
00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:08,790
[narrator] The event
that people were escaping from
was the Tulsa race massacre.
392
00:26:10,103 --> 00:26:15,213
An African-American young man
is accused of speaking
393
00:26:15,206 --> 00:26:18,926
inappropriately
to a white woman.
394
00:26:18,931 --> 00:26:22,621
And ultimately,
those accusations will lead
395
00:26:22,620 --> 00:26:27,450
to a raid of a white mob
upon the thriving
396
00:26:27,448 --> 00:26:31,548
and successful black community
of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
397
00:26:34,344 --> 00:26:36,384
[Jim] It was
absolutely devastating.
398
00:26:37,862 --> 00:26:41,662
In the end, something like
35 square blocks
399
00:26:41,655 --> 00:26:43,545
of the city
were burned to the ground.
400
00:26:45,724 --> 00:26:51,974
The initial estimates
were that about 36 people
were killed in the riots,
401
00:26:51,965 --> 00:26:54,205
but later it emerged
that the number
402
00:26:54,206 --> 00:26:56,136
might have been
as high as 300.
403
00:26:57,655 --> 00:27:01,305
[Ed] These are stories
that I've heard,
where our property,
404
00:27:01,310 --> 00:27:05,480
people were able to come
and stay here and rest
405
00:27:05,482 --> 00:27:11,552
until they were able
to find additional means
to take care of themselves.
406
00:27:13,103 --> 00:27:14,763
[narrator] Later
in the decade,
407
00:27:14,758 --> 00:27:17,208
a key moment
in American history
408
00:27:17,206 --> 00:27:22,376
would turn
the Threatt family property
into the only one of its kind.
409
00:27:36,827 --> 00:27:38,657
[narrator]
The Threatt Filling Station,
410
00:27:38,655 --> 00:27:41,405
situated on the edge
of Oklahoma City,
411
00:27:41,413 --> 00:27:43,723
was a welcome stop
for motorists
412
00:27:43,724 --> 00:27:47,004
during a time
when automobile travel
was booming.
413
00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:51,520
But driving meant
different things
to different people.
414
00:27:51,517 --> 00:27:54,027
Traveling during
the Jim Crow era
for a black person
415
00:27:54,034 --> 00:27:56,624
was filled
with all kinds of dangers,
416
00:27:56,620 --> 00:28:00,410
from entering a building,
from needing to get gas,
417
00:28:00,413 --> 00:28:02,383
more importantly,
trying to go to the bathroom.
418
00:28:03,862 --> 00:28:06,212
[narrator] Reverend Allen
and Ed's grandfather
419
00:28:06,206 --> 00:28:09,546
recognized this sad state
of affairs and opened
420
00:28:09,551 --> 00:28:13,311
the Threatt Filling Station
in 1922.
421
00:28:13,310 --> 00:28:16,970
When the road here
became part of Route 66,
five years later,
422
00:28:16,965 --> 00:28:20,065
it was said
to be the only
black-owned service station
423
00:28:20,068 --> 00:28:23,378
on the whole
2,448-mile highway.
424
00:28:24,586 --> 00:28:28,786
This black-owned
filling station was critical
425
00:28:28,793 --> 00:28:30,933
to the success
of African-Americans
426
00:28:30,931 --> 00:28:33,721
that travelled along
the Mother Road.
427
00:28:33,724 --> 00:28:37,524
Imagine not being able
to get gas at a white station,
428
00:28:37,517 --> 00:28:41,757
but if you came
to this filling station,
you were home.
429
00:28:41,758 --> 00:28:44,548
You could get gas
and then keep on
motoring along.
430
00:28:46,206 --> 00:28:49,406
[narrator] As word spread
of this unique gas station,
431
00:28:49,413 --> 00:28:52,863
people began stopping here
for more than just gas.
432
00:28:55,413 --> 00:28:57,343
There was a table here.
433
00:28:57,344 --> 00:28:58,934
People could sit around
the table.
434
00:28:58,931 --> 00:29:04,101
Generally, they were
playing dominoes or cards
or something of that nature.
435
00:29:04,103 --> 00:29:07,863
And here, there were booths
and stuff like that.
436
00:29:07,862 --> 00:29:10,412
And this area over here, well,
437
00:29:10,413 --> 00:29:12,523
you can see where food
will be passed through
438
00:29:12,517 --> 00:29:14,967
from the kitchen
to different customers.
439
00:29:16,931 --> 00:29:18,661
[narrator] At weekends
in the summer,
440
00:29:18,655 --> 00:29:23,825
it was in the field
behind the gas station
where eyes were drawn.
441
00:29:23,827 --> 00:29:28,857
This side of the station,
they had what's called
the Negro Baseball League,
442
00:29:28,862 --> 00:29:32,972
where cars lined up
all the way down the road
about two or three miles.
443
00:29:34,758 --> 00:29:38,338
The backstop was here,
first, second, third base.
444
00:29:38,344 --> 00:29:41,244
We had bleachers
along the side here.
445
00:29:41,241 --> 00:29:45,071
People came here to relax
and enjoy themselves.
446
00:29:46,344 --> 00:29:48,764
[narrator] But this
service station wasn't just
447
00:29:48,758 --> 00:29:51,308
a welcome stop
for black motorists
448
00:29:51,310 --> 00:29:54,140
but a potentially
life-saving one, too.
449
00:29:55,827 --> 00:30:01,377
Just a bit down the road
was the town of Luther,
which was a sundown town.
450
00:30:01,379 --> 00:30:04,239
There were literally signs
that would say,
451
00:30:04,241 --> 00:30:08,661
"Black people
had to be out of town
by sundown or else..."
452
00:30:08,655 --> 00:30:11,855
And at a time when lynching
was still prevalent
453
00:30:11,862 --> 00:30:15,622
in this country,
the "or else" was serious.
454
00:30:15,620 --> 00:30:17,280
That was a real threat.
455
00:30:18,827 --> 00:30:20,927
[narrator] Next door
to the gas station,
456
00:30:20,931 --> 00:30:26,411
the Threatts offered
an alternative
night time experience.
457
00:30:26,413 --> 00:30:30,903
[Jim] The Threatt Enterprise
became a gathering place
for people in the community.
458
00:30:30,896 --> 00:30:34,786
They could come out
on the weekends
for barbecue and dances.
459
00:30:36,068 --> 00:30:38,788
[Ed] There was a jukebox
in the corner up there.
460
00:30:38,793 --> 00:30:41,553
There was always music
being played.
461
00:30:41,551 --> 00:30:45,341
Pretty much the floor
in the middle
was a dance floor.
462
00:30:45,344 --> 00:30:50,104
[narrator] The bar was called
the Brown Bomber
and was run by Ed's father.
463
00:30:51,896 --> 00:30:56,276
[Ed] I enjoyed every second
that I was in this place.
464
00:30:56,275 --> 00:31:01,925
My brother and I, um,
every Friday and Saturday,
465
00:31:01,931 --> 00:31:03,551
we would barbecue ribs.
466
00:31:04,862 --> 00:31:06,762
That was sort of like our job.
467
00:31:08,931 --> 00:31:13,311
[narrator] The Threatt family
had built something centered
around community,
468
00:31:13,310 --> 00:31:16,450
an approach that continued
as the service station
469
00:31:16,448 --> 00:31:18,758
passed down
through the family.
470
00:31:18,758 --> 00:31:24,758
In 1950, Uncle Ulysses
and Auntie Elizabeth
took over and lived upstairs.
471
00:31:24,758 --> 00:31:28,518
But Elizabeth would
soon have to run things
singlehandedly.
472
00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:35,000
Uncle Ulysses, he passed away
in December 1956.
473
00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:37,480
She never came
back up here again.
474
00:31:37,482 --> 00:31:40,792
That's when she had
her bedroom downstairs.
475
00:31:40,793 --> 00:31:44,003
She ran the business.
She kept it up and going.
476
00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:48,000
She did all of that while
she was still a schoolteacher.
477
00:31:51,103 --> 00:31:53,073
[narrator] At the end
of the '50s,
478
00:31:53,068 --> 00:31:57,208
traffic began to be
diverted away
from historic Route 66
479
00:31:57,206 --> 00:31:59,856
to the new interstate highway.
480
00:31:59,862 --> 00:32:05,142
Dwindling customers
and Elizabeth's old age
finally took their toll.
481
00:32:05,137 --> 00:32:09,027
And the service station shut
for good in 1974.
482
00:32:14,137 --> 00:32:17,407
[narrator]
The Threatt Filling Station
was a vital sanctuary
483
00:32:17,413 --> 00:32:21,313
to African Americans
throughout the middle
of the 20th century,
484
00:32:21,310 --> 00:32:25,660
as the road to racial equality
progressed painfully slow.
485
00:32:25,655 --> 00:32:28,305
And that journey
is still ongoing.
486
00:32:30,655 --> 00:32:36,165
[Ed] Ten years ago,
I was the Mayor of Luther
and I had a citizen tell me,
487
00:32:36,172 --> 00:32:38,412
"Don't let dark
catch you in town."
488
00:32:38,413 --> 00:32:41,003
So you would like to think
that things have changed.
489
00:32:43,310 --> 00:32:44,970
They haven't changed
that much.
490
00:32:44,965 --> 00:32:46,305
They haven't.
491
00:32:47,586 --> 00:32:49,826
[Philip] We definitely are not
at the finish line yet.
492
00:32:49,827 --> 00:32:52,447
There's definitely
some good distance to travel.
493
00:32:52,448 --> 00:32:55,138
And if I could travel,
I would travel
494
00:32:55,137 --> 00:32:57,787
with Threatt Family
Filling Station folk,
495
00:32:57,793 --> 00:33:01,243
because historically
that family has embodied
496
00:33:01,241 --> 00:33:03,171
the right spirit
that we need to move forward.
497
00:33:09,931 --> 00:33:13,341
[narrator] In Florida's
so-called Magic City
498
00:33:13,344 --> 00:33:16,524
is a venue
that helped announce
its arrival
499
00:33:16,517 --> 00:33:20,067
as one of the country's
newest vacation hotspots.
500
00:33:27,275 --> 00:33:30,375
[Kyle] We are in South Florida
at the mouth of Miami River,
501
00:33:30,379 --> 00:33:33,929
and there's no more
beautiful location.
502
00:33:33,931 --> 00:33:35,931
[Sascha] Miami Beach
is famous.
503
00:33:35,931 --> 00:33:39,001
Everything is about water,
the sea, and the sundown here.
504
00:33:40,724 --> 00:33:43,554
[narrator] Right under
the nose of Miami's residents
505
00:33:43,551 --> 00:33:45,901
lies a long-forgotten
structure.
506
00:33:48,517 --> 00:33:51,337
This is definitely
a piece of statement
architecture.
507
00:33:51,344 --> 00:33:54,174
It has a really strong,
distinctive silhouette.
508
00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:57,140
[Kyle] There are a lot
of seats,
509
00:33:57,137 --> 00:33:59,967
and it just opens out
into water.
510
00:33:59,965 --> 00:34:03,965
So you gotta think,
"This is a place where sports
are happening on the water."
511
00:34:05,620 --> 00:34:07,520
[narrator] Ultimately,
this place would prove
512
00:34:07,517 --> 00:34:09,477
to be more
than a water sports venue.
513
00:34:10,965 --> 00:34:14,335
Events you would not expect
took place here.
514
00:34:14,344 --> 00:34:15,764
[narrator]
The biggest surprise, though,
515
00:34:15,758 --> 00:34:20,338
would arrive 20 years
after a disaster shut it down.
516
00:34:20,344 --> 00:34:24,454
The assumption was that,
"Oh, my God, she's gone."
517
00:34:24,448 --> 00:34:25,828
She wasn't gone.
518
00:34:25,827 --> 00:34:28,167
Strong lady. Strong lady.
519
00:34:33,413 --> 00:34:34,863
[narrator] In the early '60s,
520
00:34:34,862 --> 00:34:38,622
the city of Miami wanted
to show the world
it was on the rise.
521
00:34:38,620 --> 00:34:41,970
They invested in large malls,
a new football team.
522
00:34:41,965 --> 00:34:46,275
And here on this
small downtown island,
the Miami Marine Stadium.
523
00:34:47,965 --> 00:34:52,095
Miami Marine Stadium
was the first purpose-built
524
00:34:52,103 --> 00:34:55,143
powerboat stadium ever built
in the United States.
525
00:34:56,931 --> 00:34:59,031
[narrator] Commissioned
in 1962,
526
00:34:59,034 --> 00:35:04,314
the stadium played a key part
in giving Miami
its iconic image.
527
00:35:04,310 --> 00:35:06,930
Longtime Miami resident,
Bill Talbert,
528
00:35:06,931 --> 00:35:10,411
spent many afternoons here
watching the action unfold.
529
00:35:11,758 --> 00:35:13,968
[Bill] I can remember
sitting in those stands.
530
00:35:13,965 --> 00:35:18,715
The powerboats were just
so incredibly exciting.
531
00:35:18,724 --> 00:35:23,144
There's 6,566 seats here,
and there's not a bad seat.
532
00:35:26,862 --> 00:35:29,832
[narrator] The task to design
this stadium was handed
533
00:35:29,827 --> 00:35:35,687
to a 28-year-old immigrant
from Cuba
called Hilario Candela.
534
00:35:35,689 --> 00:35:38,789
One of his first decisions
was to pick
a building material
535
00:35:38,793 --> 00:35:41,593
tough enough to withstand
the salty sea air.
536
00:35:43,620 --> 00:35:46,620
This stadium
is still considered
a modernist icon
537
00:35:46,620 --> 00:35:49,930
'cause it's made entirely
from poured concrete.
538
00:35:49,931 --> 00:35:53,141
And at the time,
it was the largest structure
539
00:35:53,137 --> 00:35:55,687
of cantilevered concrete
in the world.
540
00:35:57,379 --> 00:36:01,619
[narrator] But construction
of the stadium
was not the only challenge.
541
00:36:01,620 --> 00:36:04,520
A track for the boats
to race on was also needed.
542
00:36:07,172 --> 00:36:11,662
[Kenya] They created
a U-shaped basin
that allowed boats
543
00:36:11,655 --> 00:36:16,095
to turn 180 degrees
at high speeds.
544
00:36:16,103 --> 00:36:20,033
Some boats could go
as fast as 100 miles an hour.
545
00:36:21,724 --> 00:36:23,934
[Sascha] The dredging
of this basin alone
546
00:36:23,931 --> 00:36:28,001
cost the same amount
as building
the entire stadium.
547
00:36:29,620 --> 00:36:31,620
[narrator] After more
than a year in the making,
548
00:36:31,620 --> 00:36:36,030
on December 27, 1963,
the stadium officially opened.
549
00:36:37,551 --> 00:36:41,241
But opening day
would end in tragedy.
550
00:36:55,620 --> 00:36:58,790
[narrator]
The Miami Marine Stadium
was the nation's
551
00:36:58,793 --> 00:37:05,313
first purpose-built
powerboat arena,
and it put Miami on the map.
552
00:37:05,310 --> 00:37:10,550
When this was opened in '63,
this was a sleepy
little southern town.
553
00:37:10,551 --> 00:37:13,381
This was a bold statement
to the world.
554
00:37:13,379 --> 00:37:15,169
On the water,
on the Atlantic Ocean,
555
00:37:15,172 --> 00:37:17,662
in this emerging town
called Miami
556
00:37:17,655 --> 00:37:19,895
that, you know,
we're a big-time town.
557
00:37:21,413 --> 00:37:23,483
[narrator] Spectators
were fully immersed
558
00:37:23,482 --> 00:37:26,212
in the atmosphere,
thanks to the
stadium's design.
559
00:37:28,586 --> 00:37:34,136
With this closed-in roof,
the sound went up,
around, and down.
560
00:37:34,137 --> 00:37:38,277
It was loud, loud,
loud and exciting.
561
00:37:38,275 --> 00:37:40,135
It got you out of your seats.
562
00:37:41,931 --> 00:37:44,171
[narrator]
But on the very first day,
563
00:37:44,172 --> 00:37:49,862
a tragic turn of events risked
the future of the venue
before it had even begun.
564
00:37:49,862 --> 00:37:53,032
Unfortunately,
on the opening day,
one of the racers,
565
00:37:53,034 --> 00:37:55,454
James Tapp,
lost his life in a crash.
566
00:37:56,931 --> 00:38:00,451
[narrator] In a practice run,
one of Tapp's engines stalled,
567
00:38:00,448 --> 00:38:04,478
flipping the boat over
and proving fatal
for the driver.
568
00:38:04,482 --> 00:38:08,412
It was a painful reminder
of how dangerous
the sport can be.
569
00:38:09,965 --> 00:38:14,825
Despite the tragedy,
the stadium continued
to be a success.
570
00:38:14,827 --> 00:38:18,967
People were thrilled
by high-speed boat races.
571
00:38:21,172 --> 00:38:24,592
[narrator]
Over the next decade,
Miami boomed.
572
00:38:24,586 --> 00:38:28,926
Tourists flooded to the city,
with the stadium
playing its part.
573
00:38:31,068 --> 00:38:35,408
[Kenya] Miami was the center
of boat racing
574
00:38:35,413 --> 00:38:39,863
in the United States
and hosted
many different types of it.
575
00:38:41,172 --> 00:38:44,482
[narrator] But the stadium
wasn't just about racing.
576
00:38:44,482 --> 00:38:50,482
Miami Marine Stadium hosted
pageants, concerts,
bands, religious events.
577
00:38:51,931 --> 00:38:55,341
If you have like
a football stadium
or a tennis stadium,
578
00:38:55,344 --> 00:38:58,414
the field is the stage there.
579
00:38:58,413 --> 00:39:01,693
But here there is no field.
The field is the water.
580
00:39:01,689 --> 00:39:03,659
So stages were brought in.
581
00:39:05,068 --> 00:39:07,658
[narrator] Bill was one
of the many fans lucky enough
582
00:39:07,655 --> 00:39:11,995
to enjoy some
of the memorable concerts
held here.
583
00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:17,310
It's one of the unique things
you can do is see
a concert on your boat.
584
00:39:17,310 --> 00:39:20,930
Getting here at noon
and tying up boats
four or five across.
585
00:39:20,931 --> 00:39:23,551
You know, I remember
cooking lobsters
586
00:39:23,551 --> 00:39:26,171
and people were swimming
in the water.
587
00:39:26,172 --> 00:39:29,242
Man, was that fun.
588
00:39:29,241 --> 00:39:34,031
[narrator] In 1972,
a different kind of event
drew eyes from across
589
00:39:34,034 --> 00:39:35,694
the whole country
to the stadium.
590
00:39:37,379 --> 00:39:41,759
Richard Nixon
was on the campaign trail
for reelection as president.
591
00:39:43,655 --> 00:39:48,305
President Richard Nixon
held his youth rally
at this stadium.
592
00:39:48,310 --> 00:39:51,380
The rally filled
with Nixon supporters
593
00:39:51,379 --> 00:39:54,069
as they chanted,
"Four more years."
594
00:39:55,965 --> 00:39:59,405
[narrator] The stadium
was a symbol
of Miami's growth as a city,
595
00:39:59,413 --> 00:40:02,793
but it became a victim
of its own success.
596
00:40:05,551 --> 00:40:10,451
As powerboat engines
became bigger and stronger,
597
00:40:10,448 --> 00:40:15,238
powerboat racing moved
into the wide open sea.
598
00:40:15,241 --> 00:40:16,861
[narrator] Mother Nature,
though,
599
00:40:16,862 --> 00:40:19,172
would deal the final blow
to the stadium.
600
00:40:22,551 --> 00:40:27,551
[Bill] Hurricane Andrew
was August 24th, 1992.
601
00:40:27,551 --> 00:40:30,241
Remember, you would
always talk about the big one,
602
00:40:30,241 --> 00:40:32,521
on that Saturday,
it was coming straight in.
603
00:40:32,517 --> 00:40:34,447
I said, "This is the big one."
604
00:40:34,448 --> 00:40:37,338
It's scary and you don't know
where it's going to hit.
605
00:40:39,931 --> 00:40:42,141
Miami avoided a direct hit,
606
00:40:42,137 --> 00:40:45,617
but it was suspected
that the stadium
sustained some damage
607
00:40:45,620 --> 00:40:48,170
during the event,
and it was declared
unsafe for the public.
608
00:40:50,310 --> 00:40:51,830
[narrator] Post-hurricane,
609
00:40:51,827 --> 00:40:56,997
the city had other priorities
and the stadium
fell into disrepair.
610
00:40:57,000 --> 00:41:00,520
But the original
damage assessment
didn't sit right with some.
611
00:41:01,655 --> 00:41:04,855
The assumption
was for years that it's...
612
00:41:04,862 --> 00:41:08,212
it's structurally unsound,
and somebody,
613
00:41:08,206 --> 00:41:11,786
maybe
the original architect said,
"How does anybody know that?"
614
00:41:13,137 --> 00:41:16,547
[narrator] Incredibly,
after 20 years of closure,
615
00:41:16,551 --> 00:41:19,281
the original assessment
was proven wrong.
616
00:41:21,241 --> 00:41:25,551
The study was done,
and it's fairly
structurally sound,
617
00:41:25,551 --> 00:41:27,721
and that's what saved her.
618
00:41:27,724 --> 00:41:33,314
And in 2018, this was put
on the National Register
of Historic Places.
619
00:41:33,310 --> 00:41:35,720
It can never be torn down.
620
00:41:35,724 --> 00:41:37,794
And you can see, look at this.
621
00:41:37,793 --> 00:41:40,693
It looks like it'll last
for a hundred years.
622
00:41:40,689 --> 00:41:43,519
[narrator]
A restoration effort
is now underway,
623
00:41:43,517 --> 00:41:47,097
and there is hope these seats
will one day be full again.
624
00:41:52,172 --> 00:41:54,452
[narrator] The Miami
Marine Stadium symbolizes
625
00:41:54,448 --> 00:41:56,858
a time when the city
announced itself
626
00:41:56,862 --> 00:41:59,002
as an entertainment
destination
627
00:41:59,000 --> 00:42:00,550
to be reckoned with.
628
00:42:00,551 --> 00:42:03,141
[Bill] It's part
of our history. It's unique.
629
00:42:03,137 --> 00:42:06,097
It distinguishes Miami
from all the competition.
630
00:42:06,103 --> 00:42:08,073
Nobody has this.
56142
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.