Wednesday, February 09, 2011

Main Street, May 1960

There's only one photo today, but I think it's a good one - featuring Main Street USA, in an usual angle (not sure I've seen one like this before). You've got the Crystal Arcade, with shops selling novelties and toys next to them, and then the big (by Disneyland standards, anyway) Emporium on the corner of Town Square. .


Seems like most photographers would have made a point to show Main Street Station, but not this time; instead you can just see what I think is the C.K Holliday (maybe it's the E.S. Marsh?) in the distance. The street sweeper in his gleaming white outfit adds to the old-timey ambiance
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Reader Matt asked about a mysterious object seen next to a doorway. Looks like a statue of a dog? Or a cat? Or a woozle? My mom has an old cast-iron doorstop that looks like a dog, maybe this is just an extra fancy doorstop? Good eye, Matt!


11 comments:

SundayNight said...

Interesting. Photographers are usually drawn to the end of Main Street and Sleeping Beauty Castle. For once someone turned to the left and gave us a nice view of the storefronts. I like the little “Book and Candle” sign. Also looks like a weekday. No kids!

Connie Moreno said...

What a great view of the past!

Thufer said...

Men in suits; women in dresses; no kids and, wait for it; wait;;; no strollers!

Snow White Archive said...

I was going to say the same thing. NO KIDS. Not a one. How unusual. It is a fresh photographic angle.

Matt said...

What is that object on the ground between the two building, just under the sconce on the right side of the Book and Candle Shop? Looks like a statue of a cat?!

Major Pepperidge said...

I didn't notice that there wasn't a kid in sight; that really is pretty fascinating! And yes, most folks look like they are going to church, judging by their nice clothes.

Matt, I've put an enlargement up of whatever that thing is!

MIKE COZART said...

looks like it could be a Victorian boot scrape (or scraper) Usually made of cast iron and many feature a animal (I've seen dogs, cats, squirrles, and even moose!) on the back side or designed into the part the gentleman would scrape his boot on.

Katella Gate said...

A beautiful picture Major. Crystal clear, nice colors and an unexpected reverse-angle point of view. Also nice raking light across the building faces.

Ditto Mike C's boot scrape.

CoxPilot said...

Mike C is exactly right. I remember that boot scrape being there for a long time. There was another one on the other side of the street near the theater.

Major Pepperidge said...

CoxPilot and Mike Cozart, thanks for the ID on that boot scraper!

Katella, I agree, this one seems to be more artful than your typical snapshot.

JG said...

Wow, I would have guessed that item was a heffalump or a woozle.

There was day when bootscrapers were quite necessary. I remember seeing the 400 year old ones set in the stone paving at Hampton Court Castle, where Henry VIII scraped the doo from the royal booties.

JG