Friday, August 14, 2009

Mark Twain, June 1959

Today I have two exceptionally nice photos featuring the good ol' Mark Twain. Starting with this "postcard worthy" image! The Twain is waiting at the dock in front of the Golden Horseshoe Revue, and appears to be unloading passengers. In the foreground, a lone kid (rolled up jeans, black sneakers, red socks) is fishing for trout. Place a rough straw hat on the boy and even with his modern clothes, he would make a convincing Huck Finn!


I have to admit, this one is almost as postcard worthy as the first! We're standing on Tom Sawyer Island, waiting for the next raft to take us to the mainland. The gleaming white steamship is passing us (almost silently except for the splashing of the paddle wheel), looking like something out of a dream. Is that Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher waiting at the dock?

8 comments:

Chiana said...

To think, they actually recreated this "bygone" scene that successfully for anyone to be in. Not the "thrill" of a place that wouldn't be good to live in, but the experience of some lovely moments. Really fine pictures of it. Thanks for sharing these gems, Maj.

Nancy said...

wow, picture number 2 is great!!

our photographer definitely caught a beautiful image : D

Matterhorn1959 said...

The second image is fantastic. I like how the costumed characters are interacting with each other and the Mark Twain.

Sereina Elwert said...

Love the second one.

Major Pepperidge said...

I actually was not sure if that couple in the 2nd photo were supposed to be Tom and Becky, or if they are just two guests who look like they *could* be those two. I don't think I've seen other pictures of those characters, except with Walt Disney (and that was a special occasion).

210Frwy said...

I don't think the couple in pic 2 is Tom and Becky. Certainly a Tom character would probably have a straw hat and Becky's dress would be a little more period. They look like just a cute 1959 couple out on a date. Wish I was there.
There were/are many places in Disneyland that were made just so people could enjoy the pleasant environment. As you say Chiana - "the experience of some lovely moments".

Jim said...

Living so close to the park, it was impossible to escape its presence. Whether we were swimming in the backyard or playing outside, the day would invariably be punctuated by the not too distant call of the Mark Twain's steam whistle or that of the EP Ripley. Constant reminders of just how close to the happiest place on earth we actually were. On my last visit, just as my family was entering Main Street, a short burst of that whistle caught me off guard and stopped me dead in my tracks. Time had stopped and all of the typical family vacation distractions: airlines, rental cars, meals and hotels, evaporated. For one brief, fleeting moment, I was nine years old again.

210Frwy said...

With all the changes the park goes through each year it’s nice that there are still things from 54 years ago that can bring back such good memories. Let's hope that never changes.