More Rediscovered Treasures - 1957
Today I have two more slides that I never scanned, even though others in the same lot appeared on this blog. Go figure!
This first one is a nice oblique angle of Sleeping Beauty Castle (1957), though the day is a bit gloomy and gray. Only five people are visible (one of them just). I like the couple near the wall, they look like they are on their way to a cocktail party. You can see the woman's earring from here. The two older ladies must have decided to come and check out this place that they've heard so much about. I believe that the roadway they are walking on was used by the Omnibus back when it would head through parts of Fantasyland.
You know what? I have never noticed that dormer window on the castle to the extreme right!
I originally thought that this photo was taken over on the western side of the moat, but I can see some Skyway buckets through the trees. Perhaps I accidentally scanned the slide backwards? In any case, I like the colorful flowers, the picturesque little bridge, and two graceful swans.
10 comments:
Major, I don't think you scanned that slide backwards. It looks to me like that is a rare view of the eastern shore of the moat, pre-Snow White's Grotto!
I agree with TokyoMagic! about the 2nd pic being the pre-Snow White Grotto area. The "heartless" little bridge and Skyway are the clues for me. It's also my favorite pic today. The image illustrates how Disneyland isn't just rides and attractions, but beautiful gardens and landscaping as well. Thanks, Major.
Major, I'd never noticed that dormer before, either. Looking at a relatively recent aerial (2008, http://www.thethemeparkguy.com/park/disneyland/the-original-disneyland-castle-big.jpg), it looks like the window is screened from view from many angles by trees or towers.
It's also interesting to see just how faithfully they recreated Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle at Hong Kong Disneyland - it features an exact copy of the same dormer in the same relative position (although without the screening foliage): http://www.easytourchina.com/images/Photo/hong-kong-disneyland/p327_d20110401122324.jpg
I agree with TM! & Ken on the location of the second photo. The bridge was destroyed and the whole area had to be rebuilt after the swan and anti-swan collided in early '61.
I also think the second photo is the Eastern side. I sure do miss the swans! Regarding the first photo - if the two ladies had not walked in front of them, this picture would look like an ad with two models posing! I love it!!! I'm going to Disneyland today and will look for that window :)
Major-
Have to agree with the bunch as to the location of the second image. As for the first one, well - that's a 'hot and happening couple', very cutting-edge. Anyone can see that. So much so, in fact, the gentleman is chatting on his cell phone-!
More great images today. Thanks, Major.
These are especially nice. Not sure if it's a formal name, but that concourse has been tagged "Matterhorn Way" in some maps. If you look close in the photo, there are some insets in the pavement. One of them (not sure which) in front of the two ladies is a survey benchmark from the original layout of the park. I saw it posted by the Disney Parks twitter.
Since I'm such fan of the Snow White Grotto, it's really fun to see that location before it was built.
@Chuck, I do recall that swan-o-pocalypse where it was discovered that black swans and white swans are combustible when mixed. It was determined that the principle is very similar to the white wire and black wire in electricity, a form of grounding was required. The new duck-based magnetic separation technology seems to be working since there have been no major fires since that 1961 catastrophe.
JG
TokyoMagic!, I see that you are right… for some reason, with the Castle on the left, my brain wants to be behind it looking West. Stupid brain!
K. Martinez, that bridge isn’t heartless. It has hopes and dreams, and wants to settle down with a nice girl bridge, just like anybody would.
Chuck, the window is now screened off so that you can’t see the horrific face that occasionally glances out of it. Some say it is the ghost of a construction worker who couldn’t figure out how to work the door. Also, did you know that dark swans make up almost 85% of the universe? And yet we still don’t fully understand them.
Irene, those ladies ruined the picture! ;-) Oh boy, I hope it’s not too hot at the park today. Have fun!
Nanook, I think he is chatting on his shoe phone.
JG, I can’t tell if those are insets or just small pieces of trash! I thought that the survey benchmark was right in front of the castle, but could be wrong of course. Maybe I should do some research before I sound off!
I know I've had daydreams of getting into my time machine and bopping off to take great pictures of the Park in earlier days. It's good to see that someone has actually gotten off his butt and done it.
Anonymous-
Either Matterhorn Way or the Matterhorn extension, for those CM's
Definitely the east castle garden. That same large rock sticking into the moat would later host Michael Jackson standing on it to sing "When you wish upon a star" in 1980, for Disneyland 25 TV special.
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