Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Twain and Columbia 1970

Here are two Instamatics (but not Mr. X Instamatics), from 1970, showing those oft-photographed river craft that we know so well. Like this first one, featuring the Mark McGwire on the glassy Rivers of America. Ol' Mark was a steamboat captain on the Mississippi in his younger days, and then he went on to hit 583 home runs. What a crazy career!

This photo is from 1970, but from this angle Frontierland still looks surprisingly "frontiery".


And here's the "Columbo", named after the legendary Lieutenant. I swear I have at least as many photos of the Columbo resting in Fowler's Harbor as I do showing it under sail. It was almost certainly a maintenance issue, but I also think they just didn't run it as much when crowds were low.

Even from this angle, Frontierland appears to go on for miles and miles!



14 comments:

Nanook said...

Major-
Not only do these images look "frontiery", but the image of the 'ol Mark McGwire shows its decks bereft of passengers. Even docked in Fowler's Harbor, and featuring its 'derriere' (it's an old sailing term), the Columbia still looks majestic.

More thanks to Mr. X, and you.

TokyoMagic! said...

NICE! Two more photos that I wish I could step into!

Nanook, I always thought the correct sailing term for a ship's backside, was "potamus." As in, "Upon second glance, she does have the biggest potamus I've ever seen!"

Nanook said...

@TM!-
I believe you're confusing that with 'rumpus room'-!

TokyoMagic! said...

The Columbia had a rumpus room? Was it furnished in "Early American" or "Chinese Modern"?

Andrew said...

With the woodsy background and empty Mark Twain, you can almost imagine this as an empty park in the morning, waiting for visitors. The steam drifting off the ship only adds to the ambience.

I also meant to say thanks to the people that called me out yesterday. There's no chance that I'll ever be able to match the knowledge shared by so many on here, but I'm glad that everyone treats me kindly all the same. (And if DrGoat is reading this, I have certainly not watched enough Rocky and Bullwinkle in my time. I'd love to watch some right now, but it's time to go to school...)

Chuck said...

I never got to ride the Columbo until I was an adult; it was always in Fowler's Harbor on my childhood visits. With all the lush growth, I can just barely make out a part of the roof of the Fowler's Inn.

TM!, it was furnished in Early American. The one on the Eastern Winds was done in Chinese Modern.

Andrew, I'm pretty sure that first photo was taken within minutes of Rope Drop, right after the Park opened, so your image of an empty park is spot on. And I don't think it's possible to watch enough Rocky and Bullwinkle. Two words - Paul Frees.

stu29573 said...

Great shots today! Fun Fact: All of those trees were animatronic! No breeze? No problem! Make 'em sway, Clyde! By the way, the rear of a boat is actually called the "Rumble Seat."

Anonymous said...

Sure looks like the Park pre-opening...or on a Monday-Tuesday closure. KS

Anonymous said...

That is until I now see the MT powered-up for the day... KS

DrGoat said...

Nice shots for a not Mr. X. They do indeed have that early morning 'misty', with no people look. I'll jump in behind Tokyo.
Andrew, checking out the Major's blog and reading the comments are an integral part of my day. As far as knowledge and experience, you seem to have a fine head start. You gather that stuff along the way and I hope yours is filled with wonder and fun.

Nanook said...

Major-
I guess I meant to say not Mr. X. Oh well.

Major Pepperidge said...

Nanook, I’m assuming that the first photo was taken early in the morning; what a beautiful sight that would have been! I call the back end of a boat the “heiny”. Probably from Latin or somethin’.

TokyoMagic! I figured you’d like these pre-Star Wars pix! “Potamus”, that’s a new one to me.

Nanook, let the wild rumpus begin.

TokyoMagic!, it had plaid curtains, burnt orange shag carpet, flocked wallpaper that showed antique cars, stained glass Schlitz hanging lamps, a bumper pool table, and a Colecovision with “Pong”. In other words, it was class AF.

Penna. Andrew, it’s scenes like these that capture something that was unique about Disneyland. Don’t get me wrong, the other parks have many wonderful features, but I can see why Frontierland captured the imaginations of people like my friend Mr. X.

Chuck, same with me, I always chose the Mark Twain until perhaps 8 or 10 years ago, when I finally decided it was time to ride the Columbia. The deck was packed! All of the voice talent for Rocky and Bullwinkle was great; Edward Everett Horton, June Foray, William Conrad, Daws Butler, Hans Conried - so much talent.

stu29573, I thought that animatronic trees were developed for the World’s Fair, but I bow to your expertise!

KS, I’ve had a few slides in which the park looked so empty that people speculated that they were taken when it was closed; but I think that there were just some mornings when crowds were that light!

DrGoat, while I always read the comments, it took me a while to respond to them regularly (as you will see if you go back to the early years). It’s the most fun part, I feel dumb that I didn’t do it for so long!

Nanook, ha ha, it’s an easy mistake to make, since X is so closely identified with Instamatics.

Matthew said...

My God, I would say these two photos were taken somewhere other than Anaheim, California. Walt you were so right when you said, "I wanted something live, something that could grow, something I could keep plussing with ideas, you see? The park is that. Not only can I add things but even the trees will keep growing; the thing will get more beautiful every year."

As I have said here before, a true frontier is something that begs you to come and explore. Frontierland pre-Big Thunder, was a thing to be explored, you could not physically walk around it. You had to take a steam train, a mine train, a pack mule, a Indian war canoe, a keel boat, a steamship, a raft, or three-masted windjammer to see what the wilderness held.

Always your pal,
Amazon Belle

"Lou and Sue" said...

Andrew - If you want to become more wise, I'm not so sure this is the site you want to be on! ;)

Matthew - Yes! Eloquently said!

Sue