Sunday, November 07, 2010

Frontier Town, July 1961 (part two)

Hey, remember when we visited Frontier Town? It was a while ago. Sis threw up in the back of the car on the way home, yuck. And dad stepped in something. Something not nice. But we all had a swell time anyhow!


That's an unusual looking stagecoach. Jeez Louise, how many people do they plan on squeezing onto it? Perhaps they are going for the world's record.


Another stagecoach! That one looks a little more traditional. It's headed through Indian country, I sure hope they are friendly.


Well, by golly, they are friendly! They've dressed in their finery and are about to put on a show for us, which is awful nice.


That's a mighty fine covered wagon. How come that kid has the thing all to himself? Maybe he smells funny; it happens.


I can't tell what's going on in this blurry and poorly-composed photo. Looks like a lawman is to our left, and some other cowpoke is to our right. Are they going to shoot it out? I'm hoping for plenty of Karo syrup and red food coloring!


I hope you've enjoyed the low-octane charms of Frontier Town.

8 comments:

Nancy said...

it looks like youve solved the Mystery of the Overcrowded Stagecoach....it's the smelly kid!!

as for a shoot-out, that was my first thought, too. everyone seems to be keeping a safe distance there on the porch of the Golden Nugget Saloon...i know i would!

Major Pepperidge said...

Nancy, doesn't it seem like the gunfighters are a mile away from the spectators? Usually it seems like these mock gunfights are performed with crowds right around them (old Knott's, Disneyland, Corriganville, etc).

TokyoMagic! said...

There never seems to be any seatbelts on the stagecoaches in these vintage amusement park pics (Knott's, Disney, etc.) People must have fallen off at times, don't you think? I believe Knott's has a seat belt now for people that sit up on top. I'm surprised the lawyers don't make them install lap bars and over the head shoulder restraints.

Rich T. said...

Yikes, someone call the Horse Union!

Maybe the gunfight also involved bullwhips and cannons swiveling in random directions...

I wonder if kids still throw up in cars like they did in the sixties... Maybe the newfangled Interstates have reduced the incidents. For us, if Lil' Sis didn't barf on the way home, the trip wasn't complete!

JG said...

There are still roads we can't travel without hearing my wife's reminiscence about carsickness and too much cigarette smoke.

Major, I like these posts about the little local, regional parks. Seems like there were a lot more of them long ago.

JG

MIKE COZART said...

That "unusual looking stagecoach" is called a Road Coach and sometimes a Park Drag. They were built from the 1840's thru the early 1900's by Brewster & Co. of New York. They were based on English Royal Mail Coaches. It's very out-of-place in Frontier Town however as these kinds of coaches were not used in the rugged west. They were used by some stage lines in the East & South for City to City use on well maintained roads. And all the seats are correct -Like largest model Abbot-Downing ConCord Stage Coach of the West, both these coaches could carry up to 19 passengers.

Nancy said...

yes, Major, i thought that as well. esp at Knott's we see the big crowds and barely room for them to do their bit sometimes, but almost no one this day. maybe it was the weather (looks kinda cloudy)


interesting insight into the stagecoach, Mike. thanks for sharing it :D

Major Pepperidge said...

TokyoMagic!, there is a part of me that is amazed at the lack of safety features... and another part that is delighted that they aren't there!

Rich T., I guarantee that kids still throw up in cars. It's an American tradition!

JG, I'm with you, I really love these small amusement parks; all too many of them have vanished over the years.

Mike, thanks for the amazing info! How do you know so much about old coaches?? Even if it's not entirely correct for the wild west, it's nice to know that coaches like that are authentic.