Location, Location, Location: The Ordway Observatory, Southside District
Originally Published by Jason Cochrane on Sep 23, 2016 at 01:41 AM
The Ordway Observatory; Home of the Wicked Witch Café
“Serving you the best brew since 02”
The Ordway Observatory is something of a local icon being over 130 years old and with a colourful history.
The Ordway Observatory (often simply the "Double O”) commenced construction in 1880 during Arcadia’s 250th anniversary. The Observatory was constructed through 1880 to 1883 in the District of Southside by John Ordway and was designed by famed architect Jerry Bolton (Ref: Comic Artists Jerry Ordway & John Bolton).
Prior to construction local legend had the site as being in the immediate vicinity (if not the actual site) of a late seventeenth century battle between Inquisitor Grayve and the “Witch of the West Forest”. At the time, what is now Southside was simply wild woodland to the west of the Settlement of Bayside from which Minister Prophet and his Inquisitors persecuted their Witchhunt in Arcadia. The battle with the witch was something repeatedly dismissed by the many owners over the decades (although embraced by the current owners).
Construction of the Ordway Observatory completed in 1883. It fulfilled its original purpose until World War 1 when an influx of immigration further accelerated expansion in Southside from Bayside. Urbanisation robbed the Double O of it's pristine night sky. The Observatory officially closed in 1914. The Observatory was well placed to have tracked the arrival of Centurion’s Life Pod in 1918 but had been tragically closed 4 years earlier.
The Great Depression of 1929 left the Observatory in poor form and largely abandoned for many years. Despite a number of fires, including one that resulted in the rebuilding of the tower (before its original closure in 1914), the “Double O” has survived till today through all manner of assault even the relatively recent Terminus Incursion of 1993 (although it was hit by a Reality Fragment) and the Hidden War of 2004.
The “Double O” is also notable as being a known lair for at least one superhero (in the 1920s), one vigilante (post the 1984 Moore Law) and one supervillain (in the 1960s). Despite being something of an icon in the super-scene the “Double O” has endured periods of prosperity and deprivation.
Due to it’s many uses over the years the building is sometimes also known as “Ordway’s Oddity”. Previous uses include garden markets, Fire House, warehouse, a restaurant and for a limited (and spectacularly unsuccessful) time as a live theatre and then movie house before it’s last hurrah as a live music venue in the late 1980s. The “Double O” was once again largely derelict prior to the Terminus Incursion of 1993 and post Incursion it was part of the “Haunted Arcadia Tour” before passing into Tonka hands in 1995.
The “Double O” passed into Tonka hands in 1995 before the neighbourhood was revitalised and gentrified. After undertaking hasty renovations Mr Tonka reopened the “Double O” as a heavy vehicle maintenance centre using that very name. The “Double O” aided in rebuilding the neighbourhood during the post Terminus Incursion reconstruction. It was Mr Tonka who also repurposed and re-opened the foyer of the Observatory tower as the “Double O” truck stop and eatery.
With the urban reconstruction complete and the neighbourhood becoming more mixed commercial, residential and light industrial the need for heavy vehicle maintenance significantly diminished. The workshop officially closed in 2006 and ostensibly placed into mothballs pending a future decision on use by the Tonka family. At this time the “truck stop” was remodelled and rebranded to become the Wicked Witch Café (ostensibly to capitalise on the urban myth of the battle of the Witch of the West Forest). The “…since 02” slogan was coined partly for alliteration and give the illusion of continuity in operation (although what is now the café has actually been in operation since 1995).
[Editor: To be fair, the coffee was horrible during its operation as a truck stop in the 90’s].
The history of the Ordway Observatory has given slow rise over the years to an unusual patronage at the coffee shop. The building is frequented by those with an interest in super history. The Wicked Witch Cafe and the Ordway Observatory is currently managed by local businessman Mr Thomas (Tommy) Tonka on behalf of the Tonka Family.
Originally Published by Jason Cochrane on Sep 23, 2016 at 01:41 AM
The Ordway Observatory; Home of the Wicked Witch Café
“Serving you the best brew since 02”
The Ordway Observatory is something of a local icon being over 130 years old and with a colourful history.
The Ordway Observatory (often simply the "Double O”) commenced construction in 1880 during Arcadia’s 250th anniversary. The Observatory was constructed through 1880 to 1883 in the District of Southside by John Ordway and was designed by famed architect Jerry Bolton (Ref: Comic Artists Jerry Ordway & John Bolton).
Prior to construction local legend had the site as being in the immediate vicinity (if not the actual site) of a late seventeenth century battle between Inquisitor Grayve and the “Witch of the West Forest”. At the time, what is now Southside was simply wild woodland to the west of the Settlement of Bayside from which Minister Prophet and his Inquisitors persecuted their Witchhunt in Arcadia. The battle with the witch was something repeatedly dismissed by the many owners over the decades (although embraced by the current owners).
Construction of the Ordway Observatory completed in 1883. It fulfilled its original purpose until World War 1 when an influx of immigration further accelerated expansion in Southside from Bayside. Urbanisation robbed the Double O of it's pristine night sky. The Observatory officially closed in 1914. The Observatory was well placed to have tracked the arrival of Centurion’s Life Pod in 1918 but had been tragically closed 4 years earlier.
The Great Depression of 1929 left the Observatory in poor form and largely abandoned for many years. Despite a number of fires, including one that resulted in the rebuilding of the tower (before its original closure in 1914), the “Double O” has survived till today through all manner of assault even the relatively recent Terminus Incursion of 1993 (although it was hit by a Reality Fragment) and the Hidden War of 2004.
The “Double O” is also notable as being a known lair for at least one superhero (in the 1920s), one vigilante (post the 1984 Moore Law) and one supervillain (in the 1960s). Despite being something of an icon in the super-scene the “Double O” has endured periods of prosperity and deprivation.
Due to it’s many uses over the years the building is sometimes also known as “Ordway’s Oddity”. Previous uses include garden markets, Fire House, warehouse, a restaurant and for a limited (and spectacularly unsuccessful) time as a live theatre and then movie house before it’s last hurrah as a live music venue in the late 1980s. The “Double O” was once again largely derelict prior to the Terminus Incursion of 1993 and post Incursion it was part of the “Haunted Arcadia Tour” before passing into Tonka hands in 1995.
The “Double O” passed into Tonka hands in 1995 before the neighbourhood was revitalised and gentrified. After undertaking hasty renovations Mr Tonka reopened the “Double O” as a heavy vehicle maintenance centre using that very name. The “Double O” aided in rebuilding the neighbourhood during the post Terminus Incursion reconstruction. It was Mr Tonka who also repurposed and re-opened the foyer of the Observatory tower as the “Double O” truck stop and eatery.
With the urban reconstruction complete and the neighbourhood becoming more mixed commercial, residential and light industrial the need for heavy vehicle maintenance significantly diminished. The workshop officially closed in 2006 and ostensibly placed into mothballs pending a future decision on use by the Tonka family. At this time the “truck stop” was remodelled and rebranded to become the Wicked Witch Café (ostensibly to capitalise on the urban myth of the battle of the Witch of the West Forest). The “…since 02” slogan was coined partly for alliteration and give the illusion of continuity in operation (although what is now the café has actually been in operation since 1995).
[Editor: To be fair, the coffee was horrible during its operation as a truck stop in the 90’s].
The history of the Ordway Observatory has given slow rise over the years to an unusual patronage at the coffee shop. The building is frequented by those with an interest in super history. The Wicked Witch Cafe and the Ordway Observatory is currently managed by local businessman Mr Thomas (Tommy) Tonka on behalf of the Tonka Family.
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