Sunday, October 21, 2012

Frontierland Riverfront, December 30 1969

What a beautiful December day this was, way back in '69. The park looks moderately busy, from what we can see here. Tom Sawyer Island, the Columbia, and several rafts are visible. Gramps smokes his cigarette, making him cool like James Dean. The glossy leaves of the magnolia tree evoke the deep south, which is appropriate considering our proximity to New Orleans Square.


A second picture taken from just a bit further back, and looking a bit more eastward, shows the mighty Mark Twain, which we have never seen before ever.


10 comments:

Nanook said...

I'm very concerned the gal in the 2nd pic with the blue, Pacific Union College tee shirt has a life-threatening ear-eating parasite attacking her right ear.

Orange Co Native said...

Not meaning to be esoteric, but it is interesting to look at old photographs to see people frozen in time. The moment is captured forever on film. The young woman in the Pacific Union College tee shirt continued walking the instant after the picture was snapped. Continued her visit to Disneyland and then more than likely has continued her life for another 43 years to present day in 2012.

She must be a couple of years either side of 60 years of age by now. However, Disneyland stays relatively unchanged in appearance even after all these years. I find it interesting to wonder where some of these people are now if they are still alive.

I guess Cascade Mountain must be obscured by the trees because there is not a hint of it in the second photograph.

Rich T. said...

@Orange Co Native: I, too, love to wonder about the lives of the folks in these shots.

Beautiful images. 1969 was a great year to be at the park!

K. Martinez said...

OCN - That's one of the things I love about these images. They captured a moment in life. I too wonder how these people’s lives played out, or wondering if they met a certain fate.

Also, Cascade Peak would not be obscured by trees. The “mountain” is further to the left, just outside of the frame in the 2nd photo.

Major Pepperidge said...

Nanook, we are witnessing the birth of a baby parasite, which can only leave the host's head through the ear canal. Nature is beautiful.

OC Native, you have blown my mind! But I admit that I have had similar thoughts many times. It would be SO cool if somebody reading my blog saw a picture of themselves at Disneyland (and told me about it)!

Rich T and K. Martinez, it is especially hard to believe that 1969 was over 40 years ago… so many of the people in those photos are no longer with us; and small children in 1969 are now probably parents with grown children of their own. Maybe even grandchildren!

Nanook said...

Orange Co. Native - you're hardly the only one with these thoughts - esoteric or otherwise. I often think the "roles" for people are selected to fill existing 'bodies', and the bodies are almost a constant. If you can imagine those folks in today's pictures merely being representational and will be "updated" by another group to follow.

At one point in our lives we were sons or daughters, brothers or sisters; and almost overnight we weren't anymore. At the very least we are older, or maybe a Mom or Dad or a grandparent; or the teacher we thought would always stay the same, but as with us all, got older. And perhaps we became "that" teacher or the guy who tore our tickets at the movie theatre, who always seemed to be a "big boy", and then we became that 'big boy', etc.

Talk about esoteric-! Am I making any sense here, or do you all want to truck me off to the loony bin-?!!

A snapshot, more so than a motion picture (or video) captures a moment in time better than anything, and as such is quite a powerful tool.

Anonymous said...

Love the comments above. I too share the same thoughts. Except with a twist..I wonder if I was working that day at the Park...at the age of 19. Considering it was Christmas season, likely so. I still have my pictures of my crew and I wonder what became of them...other than for 3 whom I have had contact with over the past couple of years.

TokyoMagic! said...

I also look at the people in the vintage photos and quite often wonder what they are doing today....or if they are still with us.

Does anyone know when they put a railing all the way around the Rivers of America? I was a little surprised to see that it still only has landscaping as a border in these photos.

Irene said...

I was 21 years old when this photo was taken. I really do search your photos to see if myself or my family members just might be in one of them. How cool would that be to see myself!

Chiana_Chat said...

These are nice. *sits and enjoys view while having some popcorn*