Monday, July 23, 2012

Twain and Columbia, November 18 1959

I love it when photos are dated to the very day the photographer visited Disneyland. In this case, "November 18 1959" is written on each slide. With a little help from Jason's Disneyland Almanac I can tell you that, in spite of the fact that it was almost Thanksgiving, the temperature reached a pleasant 77 degrees. Attendance was a mere 5,678 - sounds like the perfect day to visit. Initially, this first photo seems like nothing too special; but what's that big pile of dirt to the right of the Mark Twain? Why, it's the very early stages of construction for Cascade Peak!


The photographer pivoted his body like a cyborg (because he was a cyborg) to the west, where the Columbia rests in Fowler's Harbor. That lazy Columbia is always resting in Fowler's Harbor! I think it needs a haircut and a trip to the Marine recruiting center.


7 comments:

TokyoMagic! said...

In that second pic, it looks like there is a walkway that leads right down into the river. I'm going to take a stab here and guess that it was the exit ramp for the Keel Boats?

Alonzo P Hawk said...

Picture one is cool too. Just think that the simple mound of dirt (to the right) grew into Cascade Peak with a few years of that nutrient rich Southern California rain to help it along.

Rich T. said...

Lazy for sure -- The Columbia is the Maynard G. Krebs of tall ships! Oh, wait -- it did pick up that part-time gig in Fantasmic...half hour a night... It's saving up for a car.

K. Martinez said...

I love the muted colors and openness of these images! They have a sort of pastoral quality to them. Beautiful!

Major Pepperidge said...

TokyoMagic!, yes... check here to see a Keel Boat in that very spot (though apparently not operating on this particular day).

Alonzo, don't forget that they used Miracle Gro as well!

Rich T. you'd think that a ship that had the moxie to circumnavigate the globe would have more ambition, but all it does is watch TV and eat Cheetos.

K. Martinez, I agree! I've said it a bunch, but it certainly doesn't feel like we're in the middle of Oragne County in those scenes.

Snow White Archive said...

Sweet. I wasn't born quite yet, but November 18, 1959 certainly looked like a good day to visit DL.

Melissa said...

Yeah, I miss Half Price Cyborg Wednesdays. I guess they had to phase them out in the '60's when the lines to see Robot Lincoln got too long.