Entrance, 1955
I'm trying to imagine what it must have been like to visit Disneyland in 1955. Folks had read about it, probably saw some photos, and might have watched Walt Disney talk about the park on TV. But of course none of that was the same as actually being there! For most people today, there has always been a Disneyland.
Today's photos are from a lot that is crazily dated, multiple months in 1955 or 1956, even though the people's clothing makes it clear that these were taken during a single visit. Go figure!
This first picture is a great one that I believe really IS from 1955. The Mickey portrait seen through the chain link appears to be barely filled in. The place probably still smelled of fresh lumber and paint.
Here's our lucky family, ready to go in for their first visit. Looks kind of late in the day, doesn't it? I have photos showing the same freckled girl in the park a few years later, and others from later still. It'll be fun to see her grow up!
7 comments:
Hey Major- can you get me the Dad's shirt? That is a fantastic Hawaiian shirt!
The girl looks a little bit like Hayley Mills did in Pollyanna. :)
I agree that is a great Hawaiian shirt!
Mom's lookin' sharp too. What an outfit.
Uber coolness!
Of all the places to have your picture taken... "Here, let's line up in front of this fence and dirt!"
Matterhorn, there's just something about a real vintage Hawaiian shirt! Hawaii wasn't even a state yet. Looks like the shirt has stylized volcanos, but I can't quite decipher the rest of the crazy design.
Chiana, the girl IS pretty wholesome looking. I'm sure she plays the "glad game".
Connie, I didn't know you spoke German.
Vaughn, it's the happiest fence on earth!
Fresh lumber and paint - that should be a perfume. Would drive the Home Depot crowd wild.
Just noticed there's no Kalamazoo handcar in front of the Main Street Station. Makes perfect sense since the passing siding was still connected to the main in 1955 so the freight train could pass the passenger train when it stopped for passengers. There was a corresponding siding in Frontierland for the passenger train. I'm just so used to seeing the handcar there that I forget to look for it.
Great pix Major. I like the chain link.
JG
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