Monday, September 26, 2011

Main Street, April 29 1956

Welcome to Main Street, circa 1956. Disneyland was less than a year old, but boy does it look great!

Once again, I am amazed at the beautiful details that were lavished on the buildings on Main Street. I can only imagine Walt Disney's pleasure at seeing it all come together in the final days of construction. Color choices, window styles, textures, and the wonderful signs, they all add up to an impressive achievement. This late-afternoon photo shows the Disneyland Band marching up the street for an added dash of old-timey goodness. There's Trinidad, the "white wing", to the right.


It must be Dapper Day, because everyone looks pretty snazzy. This beautiful view from the hub demonstrates just why Disneyland was unlike any other American amusement park. I'll just let you step into the picture and relax!


10 comments:

  1. 2nd pic is an instant addition to the "Best of Main Street" pile! On the desktop it goes! *plt*

    1956? The landscaping already looks perfect. Lovely pic. :)

    1st pic. The ladies are sure dressed nice. The Swift and Gibson buildings look great. And the White Wing is following the band, because brown pants mean chili dog day and there's a high C coming for the trumpets.

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  2. Is that the 'real' white wing in that first picture?

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  3. Gorgeous! But something must be broken cause I tried really hard to step into that last photo like you said and, well, it didn't quite work so well. Troubleshooting ideas?? :)

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  4. Hannahx2, I've got my dapper duds on and I'm already in but guess what, I'm never gonna leave that second photo!!!

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  5. It appears that the band is in motion (the band members all have one foot raised) and it looks like they are going to collide with the Horse-drawn Trolley. Maybe the Trolley has stopped and the band is going to go around it?

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  6. There is no other way to say this: LOVELY!!! I am hoping that the new show PanAm creates a fashion buzz and soon everyone will care about their appearance again!!

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  7. Orange Co Native10:44 AM

    Yes people did dress up to go to Disneyland back then. Notice the young woman in the first picture with the white high heels.

    The second picture illustrates how the pace was a lot slower and less frantic back then. These days this part of Main Street is mobbed with people crisscrossing back and forth every which way.

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  8. Chiana, I kind of agree, there's just something about that second photo! Brown pants? Chili dog day? I don't want to go there...

    Thufer, that is "Trinidad", who is the only white wing that I've ever heard named. Supposedly he was popular as a photo op.

    Hannahx2, I hope you said the magic words. Which I forget!

    VDT, take lots of photos!

    TM!, this was probably the day that the entire Disneyland Band was squashed by the Trolley.

    Connie, DON'T hold your breath!

    OC Native, that girl looks like she is trying hard to look grown up, doesn't she?

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  9. VDT, Lemme in, lemme in!!

    Major, you never mentioned any magic words... I demand a refund!

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  10. That 2nd picture is worthy of a painting. Don't be surprised if I ask if that's okay to paint one day! ;)

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