Tuesday, March 17, 2009

A Trip to Disneyland, July 1958 - Part Four

Welcome back to our 1958 visit to Disneyland! Yes, we still haven't managed to get beyond Main Street, but I think that you'll agree that there are some gems in this batch.

Like this wonderful photo of the Horse-Drawn Chemical Wagon as it passes the Crystal Arcade! I love the bright red shirts and white suspenders on the "firemen", not to mention the wagon itself. And those horses are so tiny! Maybe they are ponies? Two ladies looking into the Crystal Arcade are wearing their beribboned straw hats (souvenirs?), and to the extreme left, a kid in a stroller. But he's wearing a Donald Duck hat, so we love him anyway!


What kind of a bus is that? Why it's an omnibus. It is sporting a banner for the new Grand Canyon Diorama, still one of my favorite things at Disneyland. I think I read that Walt Disney wanted to add a steam roller to the fleet of Main Street vehicles, and maybe even a Zamboni.


The Surrey cost a mere ten cents (or "A" ticket?) to ride, but even that bargain hasn't tempted any riders today. Same with the Chemical Wagon in the first photo, you may have noticed. To the right, the striped roof of the Plaza Gardens, where much music and dancing took place.


The Surrey again! I've seen it pulled by a pair of white horses, black horses, and now these guys. How many horses did they have for this one attraction? Or did they switch off from the Stagecoaches and Constoga Wagons as well?


This slide was actually placed in a special cardboard mount with a round opening! There's the legendary "White Wing", Trinidad himself. Before the rubber-headed characters took over, he was apparently quite a popular figure on Main Street!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Aw I love that fire wagon! Super neat pic of it "on the move" too! Top 3 pics in particular have a wonderful "authentic" feel and putcha right on the ol Main St.

Fascinating, the special slide of Trinidad.

Shoulda added that steamroller, it'd work wonders keeping the street clearer these days!

CoxPilot said...

Those are not ponies, but miniature horses. Disneyland had quite a large stable of them in the early days. But as crowds grew, the mini's disappeared.

As an owner of miniatures, I can say that they are VERY spirited, and sometimes hard to control (especially after a long winter). It was probably a good safety move on Disney's part.

Thufer said...

very nice set. enjoyed seeing the 'white wing' trinidad. seldom seen, thanks.

TokyoMagic! said...

Great shots of the Plaza Gardens roof. I didn't know that it dated back that far! I think I see an Alice attraction poster on the wall behind it in that last pic.

Vintage Disneyland Tickets said...

All amazing shots, great time capsule.

Hey Major, that's a "Horse of a different color" you silly!

PTA Transit Authority said...

Gems is an under statement. These are incredible.

Nancy said...

more beautiful images of Main Street today....so nice that our tour guide took the time to enjoy them! it is my next favorite "land" after Tomorrowland

the Plaza Gardens is particularly cheery :D

we always stop to see the horses if they are waiting for a fare near the train station...

Anonymous said...

A horse is a horse, of course, of course. Sorry, I just had to chime in, but enough of the horsing around. Great images!

Anonymous said...

My Mom and Dad brought us up to Disneyland in July of 1958 I was six and had my three other brothers with us. It started a life long attachment to the Magic Kingdom, now with my wife and our two kids.