Thursday, February 07, 2019

C.K. Holliday & Town Square, September 1966

I wonder how many train aficionados got their introduction to steam locomotives at a Disney park? A bunch, I'd wager. I personally have grown to appreciate trains more and more over the years, and a ride on the Disneyland Railroad was almost always the first thing my family did - mostly to "see the dinosaurs", admittedly!

Here's a fun photo taken by a guest on his way into the park. His camera was loaded and ready to go, so why not take a picture of the beautiful 5/8 scale C.K. Holliday at rest overhead? I like the glimpse into Town Square - another world!

You'll just have to take my word for it when I tell you that the attraction posters lining the right side of the tunnel are: Mark Twain; Nature's Wonderland; the Matterhorn; and Alice in Wonderland.


And this picture must have been taken only a minute later, looking north on Main Street. The trees are so large that you can't tell that there is a fairytale castle at the end of the street. But we know! When I imagine that I am standing in that same location on that same beautiful day, I can't decide if I want to rush to my favorite rides, or take my sweet time and really look at everything as I work my way up Main Street.


21 comments:

Nanook said...

Major-

A pair of nice shots, you've got here. You can even see a certain 'famous carousel' thru the 'front door' of that fairytale castle.

Thanks, Major.

TokyoMagic! said...

Take your time, Major, take your time! Why don't you stop and smell the (plastic) roses at the Flower Market on Main Street!

MIKE COZART said...

MAJOR: those attraction posters in the tunnels used the slide rail frames- the posters were mounted on aluminum and were slid into a track - a rail on top and bottom.... this predates the individual poster frames later installed into the tunnels.
Despite that the posters were used all over the park, Disneyland sign shop and decorating labeled and referenced these as “GATE POSTERS”.

K. Martinez said...

I can see why management replaced the trees on Main Street. While the trees are beautiful, they do hide the architecture and block the views. It's a delicate balance. While it's nice to have shade and lush greenery, the architecture and vistas are important too.

The first pic is a beauty. Thanks, Major.

Anonymous said...

A weird thought just popped into my head (ok, not that rare of an occurrence, admittedly). I don't think WDW has trees on Main Street. At least I don't remember any. Of course, I could Google a few pictures and look but that would require "effort" which I try to avoid.

Melissa said...

Hey! Youse up there! Keep your arms inside the train car!

Major Pepperidge said...

Nanook, what castle? ;-) I wonder when the signs (“Here you leave today…) were added above the tunnels?

TokyoMagic!, yeah, I think that is good advice, especially knowing what I know now. I will also go into the shops and buy all of the best souvenirs, and get bags from all of the shops, etc.

Mike Cozart, wow, the posters were mounted on aluminum… good idea, since it won’t warp in the heat like plywood or masonite could. Meanwhile I’ve seen posters for sale that have been mounted on plywood or masonite, and they are always described as “park displayed”. I wonder if that is just plain wrong?

K. Martinez, I agree, the trees are beautiful, but if you can’t actually see Main Street, then they need some trimming. Or replacing!

Stuart Powley, your comment made me have to do some Googlin’. There are trees along Florida’s Main Street, but it appears that there are not as many, and the buildings are so much larger (maybe twice as tall?) and the street is much wider, so that the trees don’t block as much.

Melissa, I have probably been guilty of sitting just like that!

zach said...

Judging by the shadows it's later in the day. So I imagine you've already done 'all that' so now you can do it again!

Thanks!

dz

Anonymous said...

I vote for walking slowly up the street and enjoying every second of it.

These are really fine pictures, Thanks Major.

Similar to yesterday's post, the resolution is very good indeed. The patterned shingles and the dressed edges of the masonry blocks in the bridge are extraordinarily sharp and clear. I had no idea how large the trees had become in only 11 years. I rather like the overgrown look.

Are these taken around July 4, or would the patriotic bunting be hung up for Labor Day? Or is this a case of film being developed long after the exposures?

JG

JC Shannon said...

When I was a kid, it was hit the rides first, smell the roses later. As I got older, in my teens, I really came to appreciate the total small town Main Street experience. Strolling around the town and New Orleans Square in the evening with friends or a date. A warm fuzzy memory I still cherish, Disneyland at night is even more magical. I remember explaining to Natalie that at one time, there was a really cool rocket ship in Tomorrowland. I still can't let that go, even today. Great scans today, Major. Now who's up for dinner at the Blue Bayou and POTC for dessert?

Chuck said...

Stu & Major, the trees at WDW's Main Street are a different variety than what you see here that grows more slowly. I think vigilant pruning helps keep them relatively small as well. Disneyland's trees along Main Street (as opposed to the ones in the Hub or Town Square) were replaced with the WDW variety in about 1980. Wish I could remember what kind of trees those are.

Chuck said...

Chinese Elms.

Man, everything is on the Internet these days: http://www.plantsofdisneyland.com/disneyland-plants-trees-flowers-landscaping-books-main-street-usa-and-park-hub.cfm

Anonymous said...

...and no brass plaque yet

Steve DeGaetano said...

I certainly experienced my first genuine steam locomotive at Disneyland. I'm sure there are millions of people who could say the same thing.

Anonymous, the brass plaques over the entrance tunnels weren't installed until several years after Walt's death.

steve2wdw said...

Stu....Yes, what Chuck said. I just went through photos from my August '18 trip and the MK's Main Street has 2 trees in the southeast block, 2 trees in the northeast block, 2 trees in the southwest block, and 3 trees in the northwest block (yes, there's a bonus tree there!) At one point, Town Square in the MK had 6 big trees, but there was extensive logging over the years and there are now just four. I think the same thing happened with the reduction in numbers at DL (those two blocking the castle in the picture posted, have been removed), although DL's are still much larger. The trees from '66 look much more natural, than the current overly manicured trees inhabiting the square.

For a very long time, the trees in the MK Town Square would drop their leaves for the winter, leaving a barren landscape reminiscent of a New England winter. Over the last 10 years or so, it seems as if the MK has been experimenting with different varieties of trees there (I've seen different oaks and even magnolias one year), and todays trees keep their leaves year round. Although they seem to keep them ultra trimmed, I would rather have the green, year round, other than the old "sleeping" versions.

I love DL's old trees and how big they are....it was sad to see the forest on the berm destroyed when SW:GE started construction. In my opinion, the only area of DL that needs some major pruning, is in New Orleans Square. Most of the beautiful architecture is hiding behind the huge trees. While I love the old growth, in this one case, I'd prefer new plantings that opened up the fronts of the building. It's the one trade off I could handle.

Tree rant, concluded! Haha

Major Pepperidge said...

David Zacher, aha, shows what you know! I never got to the park until at least 4 o’clock because I am very lazy!

JG, I guess it just goes to show what a difference a good camera with decent lenses can make. While at a museum, I was looking at some Ansel Adams contact prints, and those things are so incredibly crisp, it’s unreal. I’ve always wondered, is there a way to keep trees from growing too fast? Giving them vodka instead of water, that sort of thing?

Jonathan, that’s how I was - er, AM - even to this day. If I had an annual pass or went to the park more often I think I would have eventually taken my time, but I the most visits I ever did in one year was three, which is laughable by today’s “super fan” standards. And… I’ve never eaten at the Blue Bayou, in spite of the fact that I’ve always wanted to.

Chuck, you’d think that Bill Evans would have planted a variety of tree that grew slowly - maybe even he didn’t imagine how big trees could get in a few years.

Chuck II, now that you say it, Chinese Elms sounds familiar.

Anon, yes… I mentioned that, but not until my comment to Nanook, so… I was too late as usual.

Steve DeGaetano, wow, somehow I imagined that those brass plaques weren’t added until Michael Eisner’s reign, but I didn’t really know of course.

steve2wdw, wow, thanks for all the info and for doing all of that personal research! I need to go back and look at some of Mr. X’s November 1971 photos - there are some of Town Square I believe. It would be interesting to see how it all looked originally. I think I have photos of Disneyland’s Main Street in which the trees have lost most of their leaves, giving it a very Wintery feel. In fact, I believe that I have a photo coming up that is an excellent example of that. I agree that in real cities I love big beautiful trees, but they do block our views of the details of Main Street. I’m all wishy-washy on the subject!

TokyoMagic! said...

I have an employee/cast member publication from December 1981, which includes an article about the original trees along Main St. being replaced earlier that year. I need to get that scanned and posted.

For the summer of 1981, the Disneyland entertainment guide had an interesting photo on the cover, where more than half of the Castle was blocked by the trees on Main St. That cover can be seen here: Disneyland - Summer 1981

MIKE COZART said...

MAJOR:

Oh yes-vintage park used posters have been mounted on Amuminium , Harborite ,Masonite and other substrates, but the ones used at that time in the slide rail tunnels displays were mounted on aluminum.

Also , the trees along Main Street USA , the Plaza and Town Square have been replaced at lease two times since the park’s opening. There may have been other times as well that weren’t given any publicity etc.

MIKE COZART said...

Regarding the entry tunnel brass plaques: has anyone figured out when they first appeared? I know in 1968 Main St. USA and entry Plaza received new signage as well as replacements of others - . But I have a feeling that they predate 1968.

Interesting that part of the Main Street signage improvemts included the replacement of all the Main Street building electric box light signs - those are the signs that tend to read vertically with electric gimble or chase lights on them. The same sign company that replaced them in 1968 did them all again for Disneyland’s 50th preparation!!

Major Pepperidge said...

TokyoMagic!, now you know what to do for your next blog post! Is the publication a “Disneyland Line”?

Mike Cozart, aluminum is much cooler. Thanks for the info, now I won’t be so suspicious when I see a poster for sale on something other than aluminum. They should replace the trees with PLASTIC trees. Great idea, or GREATEST idea?

Mike Cozart II, gosh, I was sure you would know when the plaques were put there. It’s cool that the signs were redone by the same company - recently I learned that Hortie-Van, the company that provided so many banners and signs back in the early days, is still in business is Pasadena all these years later! I’ll have to do more research to see when the plaques were added.

TokyoMagic! said...

Major, it's not a "Disneyland Line" and it's not that other cast member publication that was around in the late 70's/early 80's that I can't think of right now. It's Volume #1 - Issue #1 of a new (at that time) publication, that I don't believe ever made it past it's first issue. I actually already scanned it many years ago. I just need to locate those scans and post them. The same issue talked about the stockade at the entrance to Frontierland being replaced that same year (1981).