Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Castle & Main Street at Night, 1960

Night photos are as scarce as hen's teeth in my collection. Of the many thousands of images, I don't know if I have more than about 20 or 30 nighttime pictures. So… today's offerings are a special treat!

As much as I love seeing Sleeping Beauty Castle by day, it becomes even more beautiful and evocative at night. The spires glow with warm pinks and oranges, with the occasional cool blue lights for contrast. For some reason this picture makes me thing of Colleen Moore's dollhouse at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry (though I admit that they are quite different from each other).


There is nothing like Main Street USA when all of the "popcorn lights" are ablaze, the many signs are lit, and the shops beckon potential shoppers. Especially if you are lucky and the crowds are minimal - it is (I'll admit it) magical.


9 comments:

Nanook said...

Major, ur, I mean Your majesty, ur... I mean Your magnificence. Whew-!

These are right-nice images - especially the Sleeping Beauty Castle. The only thing missing is Tinker Bell flying down towards the Castle.

Thanks, Major, er... Your excellency.

MRaymond said...

These pictures almost made me cry. Not only are they beautiful but they remind me of the slides that were destroyed. Entire carousels of Ectachrome slides taken at Grad Night in 1979. My GF and I hauled all the hardware to the park and took tons of pictures (photo geeks). We had a blast.

Major Pepperidge said...

Nanook, if Tink had been there, she'd be a greenish blur! But she'd be the best darn greenish blur ever.

MRaymond, how did your slides get destroyed?? Fire? Flood? I'm sorry to hear of it, and can only imagine how awful it was. At least you still have your memories though.

Chuck said...

Main Street is even more magical after midnight, when the Emporium window displays come alive and begin their nightly feast.

LauraJ953 said...

I the doll house still there in Chicago!? I grew up with a souvenir picture book of it, and I know I saw it in person at least as a child, but whenever I inquiry of it after friends visit the museum, I am always answered with this blank "what are you even talking about" stare.

Anonymous said...

Night is best.

Thanks, your Magnificence.

JG

MRaymond said...

Te slides were wiped out by bad storage techniques. Extreme Arizona heat while in a box in the garage. Add in a little humidity then back to heat. The slide holders were warped and split open. Many of the slides shattered. The carousel boxes held a small pile of multicolored flakes. sigh. But the memories are still there.

K. Martinez said...

Nighttime is definitely a magical time at Disneyland, but nowadays I leave right after the fireworks show ends. It just doesn't feel as mellow at night anymore with the crowds clogging the walkways due to the nightly "spectaculars". I miss the quieter nights of earlier years.

@MRaymond - That's a real bummer about your slides.

Matt G. said...

@LauraJ953 - The doll house is still in the museum.