San Carlos Hotel …
Another one of the San Carlos Hotel from around 1955 or so. This is probably the best photo of the exterior of the hotel that I have. This is cropped tighter than what is in the original negative and I will post it later when I run across it. Pensacola was sure a active and vibrant city during this time after World War II. Soldiers were coming back and getting out of the service and staying. The housing industry was growing, looks like people were buying cars and spending money … times were good! This is also one of my favorite images from this era that I have run across and cleaned-up. I will do some research on the San Carlos Hotel down at the Pensacola Historical Society and share it with you in the future. Thanks for looking …
Frank Hardy Made My Photographs Two 
This is the way I remember the San Carlos Hotel with that big green neon sign on top of it. As a high school teen on a date or with a crowd of other teens, we would always “drag the main” down Palafox Street, around the Municipal Auditorium ( which is now torn down), then to St. Michael’s cemetery to see if we could spot “the green ghost” in the cemetery. How scary is that?! Then on past the Voodoo Lady’s house and the house with the candles in the window (Scary stories behind all of these places) and then on the Old Firehouse Drive In Restaurant. The green ghost was the reflection of the green neon lights on top of the San Carlos Hotel reflecting off of a tall grave stone in St. Michael’s Cemetery. Who knew before we were high school seniors or older!
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Fransue (Sue) Baldwin McShane
August 19, 2012 at 2:35 pm
Thanks … I have never heard that before…Who or where was the voodoo ladies’ house? That is a new one on me … Thanks … Frank
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Frank Hardy
August 22, 2012 at 2:54 pm
the photo of the San Carlos is at least 1959, I recognize the cars. On the lower left you’ll notice the second person from the corner, man standing on street, waiting. Behind him is a ’58 Ford wagon. Above it, across (think it’s Garden St.) is a black ’59 Chevy sedan, see the eyebrow like fins? two cars in front is a ’59 Ford sedan, has the famous huge jet engine like tail lights. My family owned both examples of these cars.
Wife and I tried one chance to stay at the San Carlos in about 1970, at my Dad’s insistence. By then, it was more like a red light district. Went into the lobby, hot summertime, not air conditioned, two old ladies talking with a couple other men, gave us a strange look when I asked for a room. No other guests in sight. All first floor rooms were dark at 10pm on a Friday night. A bell hop escorted to a room, opened the door and is was hot, stank, had to open a window, old steel bed, old steel springs instead of a box mattress, in general something out of the 1930’s. We left right away and went down the street to what was the fairly new motel, think maybe a travel lodge. Two story, next to rr tracks, but is was decent and up to date for the time.
My father was in the Air Force, we lived in Mobile on Brookley, took annual trips to Ft. walton. Stopping at the Krispy Kreme on HY 90 downtown was always a high point, and looking for the air craft carrier as we drove across the old bridge was fun as well. My father retired in Pensacola after a second career at PNS. Base sure looks great today. Miss the Lexington though. A carrier should be there IMO.
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michael adams
August 6, 2012 at 6:08 pm
Michael – Thanks for taking the time to write. I really appreciate hearing from everyone. I have some other photos made in and around the San Carlos that I plan to post in the future, so please check back periodically. It is nice to know that these images bring back memories ( hopefully some good / happy ones ) to everyone that stumbles across my site. Thanks again for taking the time to share your memories with us … Frank
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Frank Hardy
August 7, 2012 at 5:25 pm