Almost Rejects
Here's another chance for me to use up some "ALMOST REJECTS". I don't think I need to explain what that means! I scanned a lot of 59 slides, and 47 of them are from Frontierland, which is both amazing and a little bit frustrating.
Looking over the heads of some kids, we see some teepees on Tom Sawyer Island, one of at least three Indian Villages in Frontierland. In the distance, we see a hill that is impressively tall, I'll bet the view from the top was amazing.
Some of the slides in this lot were very dark for some reason, and Photoshop could only do so much. They still look pretty murky. Still, I like the view of the Keelboat (which appears to be heading in the wrong direction) as it scooted past empty Fowler's Harbor. Nice fedora, pal!
This is an OK view of a VERY busy steamboat landing, but the focus is a bit soft, so... it became an "almost reject". But it's not a total loss, I still enjoy looking at it.
20 comments:
#2: There's more of those white (Disnesite) rocks along the banks of the Rivers of America. They must have a smattering of Unobtainium in them because they ride so high in the water, almost floating above the water.
#3: I'm sure there must be lots of trashcans in this scene but the throng of guests is blocking the view. Where are the killer ducks when you need them!
Do we know when these photos were take? I'd guess late fifties or early sixties.
Other than being a little murky and dark (durky?), and a little out of focus, "I never thought they were such bad little photos at all. Maybe they just need a little love?" - Linus Van Pelt (sort of). Thanks for more "Almost Rejects", Major.
I see a moose in that second pic. I'm going to call him "Chocolate." Maybe he's friends with Fudgie.
I'm not sure if Mike Fink is going backwards...or is it Gullywhumper? In any case, I think this is the "circle around" on the West side of Tom Sawyer island (yet to come.) The Indian Village with it's papeese seem to indicate this...but maybe not? Someone will know. That tall hill? I don't know. But the teepees look very authentic there... Didn't Walt have a fedora like that he wore everywhere? Soon all of the electrical/telephone poles would be obscured by trees. This is the first time I am seeing "Disneyland Steamship Co"...I am assuming that this would change to "Mark Twain/Columbia" after the Columbia joined the party. I like the bales of cotton and the crusty quay. Don't forget the antlers ....those are cool too. Looks like they almost painted the dock "go away green". I just painted something in my yard go away green...and it does...go away. The vignette of the dock would seem authentic if it wasn't for a castle there in the not so distant distance. I suppose it is authentically Disneyland. I suppose if the 60's were IP'd, Main Street would become Harringtontown (or was it ville?) and the Bakery would become Mrs. Lagerlofs cake shop, there would be a dilapidated orphanage, and Moochie (Jimmy Bean) would become an offshoot land, called "Moochieland"...I actually wouldn't have minded Pollyanna as Main St.- or Moochie land. Or perhaps Main St. influenced Harrington? (BTW: no one had anything good to say about Jane Wyman.) More life imitating art, or the other way around again. Happy July 3rd! Tomorrow will be the busiest day at the Happiest Place on Earth...or perhaps, that designation has been TRE'd too? (the Saturday before and the Saturday after Christmas was historically the busiest day of the year, with 4th of July and Christmas days close runner ups...in my day...) Best to stay home on any of those days.
Major, you know we will enjoy almost any picture of Disneyland.
I agree with JB, all the trash cans must be obscured by the crowd. I’d date these as 56-57 just from the tree growth.
I can’t orient to the Indian Village or recognize the high hill, I’m stumped.
In photo 2, I see a probable ice cream vendor at far right, the cart seems to be red and white striped.
Also chuckling at the white wire dime store fencing at water’s edge. Used here as is also done at the Castle most to keep those ducks in their place. The Mineral Hall sign makes an appearance too.
JG
I know it’s real dirt, but that background hill in the first photo strangely reminds me of themountain behind the Western Street on the Paramount backlot.
I agree with Bu - that’s the Friendly Indian Village in the second picture, so the Gullywhumper is going the right way. Just a few more feet and our deck gun will have a clear shot. Almost there…stay on target…
JB, these photos were taken between the summer of 1956 and the fall of 1958. The key visual cues are in the last photo - we see Mineral Hall and Rainbow Ridge, completed in the summer of ‘56, on the left side of the image, but no Matterhorn, which started construction in the late summer/early fall of ‘58.
TM!, no squirrel in sight, so that name is appropriate.
Bu, just watched Pollyanna (Mrs. Chuck’s favorite Disney Movie) a couple of weeks ago, and the town is just called “Harrington” after Jane Wyman’s character’s family. We sort of got a mini-Moochieland in the Swiss Family Treehouse, another example of how a great idea never dies at WED/WDI - it just morphs into something else. In a way, we can thank Kevin Corcoran for Tarzan’s Treehouse.
JG, that’s the Unfriendly Indian Village (the village itself is unfriendly, not its occupants) on the part of TSI we can’t visit due to terms of treaty. The shot is looking roughly NW, across the island. The high hill is along the edge of the Park, the area where the Berm was made much higher and more irregular to simulate the West (which, ironically, is actually east of Anaheim).
Just realized another era-identifying clue - no Cascade Peak. So that would put these pictures after 1998. ;-)
JB, those rocks are now worth thousands of dollars each with the recent Disnesite shortage. Turns out Disnesite is what makes TikTok work. In Frontierland, they put the trashcans underwater so that they wouldn’t be so unsightly. My idea. I always liked Linus’ positivity, plus he was nice to Charlie Brown!
TokyoMagic!, Chocolate the Moose, add one to the growing list!!
Bu, that village isn’t the one with the papeese (or as far as I know there were no papeese there), it’s the “unfriendly” Indian Village on Tom Sawyer Island, just north of Fort Wilderness - out of bounds for guests. I’m not sure if that tall hill is the one that my friend Mr. X used to climb to eat lunch, but if so, it would have been a great spot to just sit and observe. I remember he said he was very careful to not be seen by guests. I think “Disneyland Steamship Co.” remained, and maybe the Columbia was just added, but I’m too lazy to check. You know how it is. “Harringtontown”?? What’s that? Oh, “Moochie”, who remembers anything about those films! I’ve heard other negative things about Jane Wyman, so at some point I have to start believing that they are somewhat true.
JG, see my comment to Bu! Yes, definitely an ice cream vendor in photo #3 (I’m sure that’s what you meant!). They must have gotten a deal on that white wire fencing, and probably kept using it until it ran out (after probably being stepped on and ruined hundreds of times).
Chuck, I can’t remember if you sent that link about the Paramount mountain before, or if I just happened upon it myself, but I love the artifice. It works most of the time as long as the camera doesn’t linger too much. Never doubt the Gullywhumper, it is always right, no matter what. Oh, “Harrington” is from “Pollyanna”, that’s a movie that I’ve never seen. I’m afraid I won’t like it, and I’d rather not know for sure! “Mini-Moochieland”, let’s tear out Galaxy’s Edge and build THAT!
Chuck, Yes, see my comment to Bu, that is definitely the “unfriendly” Indian Village. It’s not so much that they are unfriendly, it’s that they all ate spicy food and they need bromos. We’ve all been there. I actually did not suspect that the high hill was part of the berm, so thanks for that! Hey, maybe these ARE post-1998!
#1: it would have been so easy to just lean forward a little and use one of those kids’ noggins as a tripod!
#2: Indiana Jones in the Old West. “This will belong in a museum someday!”
#3: Sometimes a soft focus is nice and soothing. You can still make out a lot of suits and ties in the crowd. Maybe it was Bring a Middle Manager to Disneyland Day.
Also, Mrs. Chuck has good taste; Pollyanna is a treat. When I was a kid, the local drive-in had “Family Night” once a week, and it was usually Disney re-releases. Either our cousin would come with us, or our aunt would take us with them, and we could all pile into the car in our jammies, with a big paper bag full of popcorn and hot dogs wrapped in tinfoil. I remember seeing Pollyanna on a double bill with Bedknobs and Broomsticks. It stands out in my memory because I usually fell asleep before the second feature was over, and that night both movies were interesting and I stayed awake for the whole thing. I remember being irrationally excited to finally see what the exit sign looked like. Kids are weird!
Major, I think I may have shared that link before, but am not 100% certain. That mountain is one of those things I look for in movies and TV shows of a certain era, like the houses on Colonial Street, Vasquez Rocks, and William Schallert.
And now that I’ve re-read the phrase “Mini-Moochieland,” I can’t get this out of my head.
Melissa, Mrs. Chuck does have good taste. Still not sure what she’s doing with me. Do me a favor and don’t point out her mistake, OK?
Hey, people in the first two photos, down in front! That sure is a crowded landing, are they trying to sink the ship or something? I see a man holding a blue shopping bag over the fencing, could it be the Tinker Bell one from the 50s? I wish I knew my Disneyland souvenir paper bags better.
Pollyanna is a good movie, but my favorite Hayley Mills film is The Parent Trap. Hee hee, Mini-Moochieland, will there be a circus (Mr. Stubbs, Mr. Stubbs!) Thanks for fun commentary all and the photos, Major.
Chuck, thanks.. I think I have it sorted now. Thanks also for the Mineral Hall date, I didn’t realize it was a later addition. Major, I’m sorry, I get the picture numbers mixed up jumping back and forth.
In photo 1 of the UIV, there is just a tiny glimpse of the Castle just at tree line to the right. Is that hill the one behind Rainbow Ridge backing up to Story Book Land?
Photo 2, the keelboat is going the correct direction, the Friendly Indian Village (FIV) is visible in the distance, and sometime in the future, Cascade Peak will be erupted in a violent and sudden geologic event probably caused by Disneyite deposits, just to the right of the gent wearing the Panama hat.
Also photo 2, extreme left, far background at the skyline, there is something that isn’t the fort and looks like a big hip roof. Could this be the circus tent that was outside the berm in the early years?
JG
The keel boat is definitely the original Gullywhumper as it has only two windows.
The Bertha Mae and the replacement Gullywhumper each had three windows each side.
JG
@ Bu/Major-
Daveland to the rescue. (from 1958) LOOK HERE.
JG, I had missed the castle in the first photo. Then that shot cannot be facing NW as I had originally stated above, it has to be looking eastward across the island (although it’s still the UIF). If that’s the case, then yes, that has to be that big hill behind the Skyway Chalet.
In the second photo, I think that thing off in the distance may be a natural terrain feature far outside the Park rather than the Mickey Mouse Circus/Keller`s Killers/Holidayland tent. The tent was outside the Berm in the SW corner of the Park, and this shot is looking north. It’s definitely beyond the telephone poles along the north edge of the property.
Nanook’s linked Daveland photo helps us narrow down the dates even further. These can have been taken no later than early 1958, before the modifications to the dock that allowed loading of the Columbia, which debuted in June of 1958.
Some very interesting details visible in the Frontierlandinf shot. A very very very rare shot showing one of the two MARK TWAIN bow gangways!!!!!! Most real riverboat towns didn’t have developed docks and levy’s and most often couldn’t get too close to riverbanks because of very shallow waters , so long double sets of gangways were located at the bow of the ship . Crew members could pivot the ramp’s angle and position it for ease of passenger or cargo loading. Authentic bow gangways were designed and built …. But since Disneyland’s Riverboat unloaded port side , there was no practical use for the ramps …. Other than historically accuracy…… and they were removed to offer better visibility for passengers ….. but BY GOLLY!!! THERE THEY ARE!! Disneyland removed them from the ship …. But kept them close at hand!!!
The Disneyland Steamship company sign is new to me too! however the levy building did that name on the front at one time and on the Mark Twain Ticket Booth.
The dear or elk antlers are authentic details - often placed with pride on Frontierland structures … but with early railroads and riverboats , the fastest locomotive and the fastest steamboat of a company’s railroad or steam packet line was honored with the antlers being mounted to the headlamp or pilot deck.
Disneyland Paris ( formerly Euro Disneyland ) features a HARINGTON’S FINE CHINA shop on their Main Street USA - as well as a few other nods to the Disney film Pollyanna.
………. And the Euro Disneyland Railroad Locomotive The C.K HOLIDAY sports a set of antlers on its head lamp : declaring it the fastest locomotive on the EDRR!!!
The Mark Twain gangways are facing the camera to the south end of the dock sitting on their sides with the foot plank boards facing us and the white edges on the top and bottom….
Melissa, people love it when strangers touch them! I like the idea of an Indiana Jones-type character operating in the Old West, that sounds like it could potentially be fun. “Bring a Middle Manager to Disneyland”, that could either result in a promotion or a dismissal!
Melissa, we went to the Fountain Valley drive-in to see lots of movies when I was a kid, and I’m sure I wound up falling asleep in the back of the station wagon more than a few times. It was piled up with blankets and our cheapo sleeping bags, and was so comfy. You know what I just realized? I’ve never seen “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” either!
Chuck, it is pretty fun to have some inside-info about studio backlots, and to look for familiar landmarks that show up in tons of TV shows and movies. William Schallert, man, did that guy have a long career! He was in everything. Love the Betty Boop clip, I could watch those crazy cartoons all day long.
Kathy!, ya gotta get on board early so that you can get right up to the rail! Latecomers have to look over hats and bouffant hairdos. It’s one of the laws of nature. That could be one of the Tinkerbell bags - I think there might have been other blue-green bags from that era as well.
JG, it took me a moment to figure out “UIV”. Ultra… something something? But I got it eventually! That hill must be the one that is part of the Nature’s Wonderland scenery, good eye on the Castle, man that’s hard to see. And yes, miracle of miracles, I did not scan any of these so that the image was flopped, I’m happy to say. I’m not sure what that structure is, maybe the Holidayland circus tent?
JG, I love seeing those original Keelboats!
Nanook, you could have found photos like that on GDB! It’s just that Daveland has his so well organized, I know.
Chuck, since you made a mistake, you owe me a million dollars. I probably should have mentioned that at the beginning, but “ignorance of the law is no excuse”. I can’t imagine that the structure JG mentioned is a natural feature, but if it’s not the big tent, I don’t have a better suggestion.
Chuck, my spidey senses have told me that these are from 1957-ish, but I will accept “no later than early 1958”.
Mike Cozart, thanks for that great info about the two Mark Twain bow gangways! Super interesting, and something that I wouldn’t have ever noticed. However, I think I did notice a gangway in some other photo and didn’t know what it was. Very cool that they are artifacts of the earliest days of the park. Maybe I was thinking of the other sign (seen looking toward the water) saying “Disneyland Steamship Company”. Not sure. I didn’t know that antlers had any meaning, and just thought that they were the Frontierland equivalent of throw pillows.
Mike Cozart, yes, that’s what I assumed you were referring to. They look more like a sort of wooden fence in that photo!
I love seeing how much info can be squeezed from these “almost rejects”.
Thanks Major and Everyone!
JG
Post a Comment