Sunday, July 27, 2008

Riverfront, '56 & '58

Sorry about today's late post... I'm away from home, so computer access if "iffy".

Anyway, I thought that it might be at least a tiny bit interesting to compare two images taken from almost the same spot on the shore of the Rivers of America, only two years apart. Won't this be fun, kids? ;-) I know, not that fun.

So here's the first view (1956), familiar to say the least. There's that rarely-photographed Mark Twain! There's something about this photo that makes me imagine what it must have been like to live near the Mississippi in the mid-19th century; how exciting it must have been to see a steam boat arrive, gleaming in the sunlight. Only in the 1800's you didn't have a distant Skyway to watch. Or DID you??


Now we jump to 1958, easy to do because we eat our leafy green vegetables. The river looks a lot busier here, with the brand new Columbia, the Keel Boat, the Canoe, and a Raft loading to our right. Tom Sawyer Island looks a little bit greener too!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Okay so what's the giant amoeba husk doing up on the Mill's roof and why was it still there two years later? There's what looks like a little wood pile at the tip of the island for some reason. Primitive Fantasmic? hehe That pile of wood is still sitting there, darkened, in the '58 pic.

It might be assumed that the frontierland adventures, from Tom Sawyer's Island to paddling the canoes, were aimed for boys. Mm but take a look. Most of the peeps in the canoe are female. Ladies are conspicuous on the island in both pics. The park might have been an especially great place for a lady in the '50s.

Gullywhumper! The river is so busy.

TokyoMagic! said...

I've always liked comparison shots taken from the same angle, but at different times. There are books on L.A. and Orange County architecture that do that. Major, would you ever consider doing a book? I think it would definitely sell. I would buy a copy! Well, if not...or in the meantime, I will just keep enjoying your postings.

I was wondering about that thing on the roof too. I thought it was either bones or antlers. I think I've seen antlers on top of, or on the side of buildings at Disneyland and/or Knott's before. Was that a popular decorating trend in pioneer times???

mr wiggins said...

Great shots major! How I love seeing that view of the island before YouKnowWhatmic took over. =P

Major Pepperidge said...

Fantasmic could go away forever and I would be OK with it. Frontierland with a gigantic stage at the end of the island just kind of stinks!

Tokyomagic, don't get me started on the book idea! ;-)

TokyoMagic! said...

Major........do it, do it, do it!!!!! I have a couple books by that other guy that collects slides, but he has never done an all Disney, or all amusement park book....just one chapter lumping all amusement parks together. Plus, with the addition of your very smart and witty commentaries, I think the book would fly off the shelves. You could even use a lot of the slides and commentary that you have already posted and just select the best of the best. See there, it almost "writes itself". Okay, I'll stop now.

Matterhorn1959 said...

Hey Chiana- the amobea disk is actually moose antlers to give it a rustic look.