Wednesday, December 20, 2017

On the River, May 1959

Today's photos feature scenes along the Rivers of America. So many rivers, so little time. First of all, there's the Susquehanna. Next, the Potomac. And the Mossossopo. Then there's the Cuyahoga. Hey, what do you know, I guess there's only four rivers in the U.S! And I named them all. Don't be jealous - get hooked on phonics, like me.

For some reason both of these images skew towards the blue spectrum, probably due to the explosion of a nearby denim factory. It's the only logical explanation. But in spite of the blueness, this is a lovely view of Fowler's Harbor, with the Columbia getting some work done - apparently it needs work OFTEN. In the distance, a Keel Boat has snuck into the picture. I love how Frontierland still looks like a frontier.


And here's a great picture of the old fishing dock. "Poles and bait"... no thanks, sonny, I brought my own bait. My years in the Scouts taught me to always have a few anchovies in my pocket. (GDB reader Chuck knows what I'm talkin' about). 


Anyway, I love the eager looks on the guest's faces as they hope to land a lunker! I also like the layers of activity, from the fisherfolk to the Mark Twain, to the crowds of people on shore, all the way back to the Matterhorn. Are my eyes deceiving me, or is the Matterhorn still covered in scaffolding?


13 comments:

  1. Major-

    Blue, or no blue - Fowler's Harbor with the Columbia, looks My-T-Fine; almost postcard-worthy, I would say. And there's definitely some determined faces on all those anglers, as they prepare to supply many trash cans throughout Walt's park with some scents that would make many a Glade PlugIn jealous-!

    Scaffolding, you say - surrounding the Matterhorn-? It's merely part of the original test track for the first roller coaster surrounding the observation deck at the Stratosphere Hotel in Las Vegas.

    Thanks, Major.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That blue is almost cerulean...was GAF making film then?

    ReplyDelete
  3. @ walterworld-

    Actually, if you want to get technical about it, ANSCO pre-dates Eastman Kodak, and actually sued Kodak for patent violations of their flexible photographic film. But, yes, it could've been ANSCO film (Anscochrome, to be precise). The GAF name (General Aniline & Film) was created in 1967. OH - and did I mention ANSCO merged with Agfa in 1928 (Agfa-Ansco); but then WWII kinda messed that up - you know, the German connection thing, and all that... It's a fascinating history - Henry Fonda and cerulean blue, notwithstanding.

    ReplyDelete
  4. In the fishing scene, the seated lady in the sunglasses is a dead ringer for my grandmother. Especially so, since she could never see a body of water without wanting to fish out of it.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love the Sailing Ship Columbia. I also love the fact that the Columbia and Matterhorn are unique to Disneyland, Anaheim and are nowhere else. Same with Alice in Wonderland.

    That fishing dock pic reminds me of my youth when me and my cousin would go with my dad and uncle up to the Sacramento Delta area and fish all day long in a small boat. So that gets me to thinkin'. Do any of the younger generation enjoy fishing like we did back in the day?

    Nice pics of the Frontierland that actually feels like the frontier ought to feel. Thanks, Major.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Chuck9:14 AM

    I know exactly what you're talkin' about, Major! Any good Scout always has an anchovy or two on his or her person at all times, just in case (can optional). JG can back me up on this.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Nanook, my dad used to take my brother and me to a “trout farm” when we were kids, there was pretty much no way you *couldn’t* catch a bunch of fish! It was fun at the time. Whenever I see pictures of people fishing in the Rivers of America, I think of that trout farm. (PS, we used to do REAL fishing too!).

    walterworld, touché!

    Nanook, I think walterworld was making a zinger at GAF’s expense! What I don’t understand is Germany’s connection to WWII. Is there something I’ve missed?

    Melissa, anybody who wants to go fishing gets my respect!

    K. Martinez, oh boy, fishing is a HUGE activity! I would not be surprised if fishing for bass, tarpon, trout, perch, walleye, and so on, is a multi-billion dollar industry just in the U.S. My brother loves fishing more than just about anything, and he watches hours of YouTube videos, reads magazines, and hoards gear that he will never use. Meanwhile, I know that one of his dreams is to fish the Sacramento River Delta - and he lived in San Jose for years, it was very do-able. He just never did it.

    Chuck, nearly any conscientious Scout can earn the anchovy badge fairly easily! It gets them on their way toward the more difficult achievements.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous9:35 AM

    Huh? You mean to tell me that guests use to be able to fish at Disneyland. Probably doesn't surprise me in the least. I don't think anyone was able to do that at the ROA in Disney World, but then, that's what the Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake were for! :D

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous9:57 AM

    @Chuck and Major, yes, you are correct, proper Scouting "Be Prepared" doctrine calls for carrying a pocket anchovy at all times in proximity to water (+/- 50 feet).

    In my opinion, the anchovy badge is essential for balanced advancement, although it is no longer "Eagle-Required".

    Our troop also stressed earning the rare, yet distinguished, "Casino Gambling" and "Backwoods Distilling" Merit Badges. We had numerous adult counselors for these topics. At least one Eagle Scout also earned "Pipe and Cigar Smoking", but this was fairly uncommon as there is no longer any place to practice. Lat I heard, BSA was replacing this with "Marijuana Growing".

    Great photos, Major. I remember the fishing pier, but never had any interest in trying it. I've spent a lot of time outdoors, but never really cared for fishing as a pastime. Not liking fish had something to do with that, I suppose.

    Thanks for the fun today.

    JG

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous10:11 AM

    Major: You said it right, when Frontierland really felt like the Frontier. I recently visited the Park and have mixed feelings about what the River looks like today. Give it a generation and nobody will remember the way it originally was. KS

    ReplyDelete
  11. The Disney Dudebro, fishing was never an attraction at the MK's RoA, although with its direct connection to the SSL there are certainly fish in it. As I understand, the SSL & BL were both stocked in 1971, but since fishing wasn't allowed until the '90s, there are probably some pretty big 'uns in there by now.

    In contrast, DL's RoA is "land-locked," and having been drained and refilled multiple times since 1955, I would be surprised if there are any fish there today.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Yeah, my mother's family was huge into fishing. Grandma even took a few deep sea fishing trips to New England and Florida. She and Grandpa had a cottage on Cayuga Lake, and fished off the dock or from the rowboat every day they could manage in the summer. And when they first moved to the house where Mom grew up, there were still fish and eels in the creek that ran through their property.

    My mother's the only one of their kids who never really got into it. I never caught anything, but sitting with a rod in your hands and a line in the water was the only way you'd get to spend any time with Grandpa between June and September, so I did my share of that! Plus, he'd give us candy for digging worms.

    ReplyDelete
  13. OK, I hereby admit that I was just trying to make a zinger at GAF's expense. I had just caught up on reading GDB last night and thought I'd leave a real time comment for once before I return to Langolier mode.

    But, it was (and always is) VERY cool to have Nanook add in all of those cool details about film, film stock, cameras etc.

    Thanks so much for your continued blogging efforts Major

    ReplyDelete