Two From Frontierland
First thing's first: Happy Birthday to our friend Andrew! And wouldn't you know it, Sue B. has provided a scan of a vintage photo for the occasion. It almost looks like a combined grownup cocktail party AND child's birthday party. "Hey kid, want a sip of bourbon? Try a puff of this Chesterfield, too!". I wonder where the custom of wearing funny hats at parties started? I'll bet it was Leonardo DaVinci's idea. I like the expression on the woman who is watching the kid open his present. I also like those Meyercord decals on the back of that little girl's highchair. Hanging on the wall is a display of magic potions.
Let's visit Frontierland, circa July 1964, shall we? This first view is presumably taken from the Mark Twain as it passed the Friendly Indian Village, with the Canoe landing in the foreground. It's sort of fun to look for details, such as the bin full of paddles, or the various "Indian" guides hanging around. Not sure what that "shack" is (center right, behind the trees), not sure I've noticed that before. It's interesting to consider that there is not a trace of this village remaining (well, some of those totem poles were moved to WDW, but I don't know if they are still there in 2023).
Next we're on Tom Sawyer Island, attempting to summit Castle Rock without supplementary oxygen. Cowboy Kid waves at us while clutching his ticket book and his sunglasses. Daniel Craig (pre-"Bond") will make sure that those boys come to no harm.
19 comments:
Major-
Sue has outdone herself, once again. Gotta give those ladies credit for putting their hairdos in a 'supporting role', thus allowing those spiffy party hats to adorn their heads.
That "shack", believe it or not, is the official 'Indian War Canoes Ride shack. Presume this was where guests surrendered their "D" Coupons. Views taken from other angles reveal signage announcing same.
Thanks to Sue for providing another dose of birthday cheer. And a happy day to Andrew-!
Happy birthday, Andrew!
The party picture really is something special. I love how the mirror gives us a view of the smoking man's other side and the picture on the wall behind the photographer. And dig Mom's shiny satin apron!
Hi, Cowboy Kid! You're gonna love the moon landing.
I meant to add: those clip-on high chairs always make me nervous.
A very merry birthday to you, Andrew! So, how old are you now... ten?... eleven? ;-)
"Hanging on the wall is a display of magic potions."
Clearly, this is a wizarding family; probably just down the road from the Weasleys. The pointy hats are a sure sign of wizardling folk. In fact, the gentleman on the far right looks a lot like Mr. Weasley. Even the boy in the photo on the wall is pointing at us with his glowing wand, "Expelliarmus!"
Having a glass of bourbon and a Chesterfield in the same hand seems like the height of clueless stupidity to me. Oh well, different times.
Thanks for the birthday photo, Sue. Of course it would've been better if you had shown us a wizarding-world photo where the people in it move around, instead of this static, muggle photo. ;-D
Hmm, there certainly are quite a few of those "Indian" guides hanging around, Major. Must be a slow day. The guy in the canoe with the white hat is thinking, "Oh lordy, the things I do for these spoiled kids of mine... C'mon, let's get this show on the road!"
Looks like we get only one trashcan disguised as a hacked-down tree.
Is Cowboy Kid wearing a necklace of some kind? In the early sixties? Maybe it's a Buck Rogers secret decoder ring. Or a bug crawling on his t-shirt. What is that cinch thingy on the back of non-Cowboy Kid's slacks? What purpose does it serve?
Thanks again to Sue, And thank you, Major. Enjoy your day, Andrew.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDREW! Hopefully you are doubt something fun.
Major : I don’t think the Disneyland Indian village totem poles were sent to Florida. The poles are still in Disneyland till construction of Bear Country… and Walt Disney World opened with their own set and assortment as part of their FIRST explorer canoes landing. After WDW’s Tom Sawyer island opened in 1973 , some of the totem poles were moved further after the canoe landing was relocated …. And the remaining ones not kept in Frontierland were sent to Fort Wilderness Camp Ground …. As for the Disneyland totem poles? Two were apparently reused at the Disneyland Hotel later in the 70’s at Sargent Preston’s Yukon Saloon . The totem
Poles were Fiberglas so they could easily be reused inside or out. The others most liked were left to rot outside at the boneyard.
I noticed that high chair didn't have any legs. I thought maybe Tabitha was levitating herself along with the chair, but then noticed that the arms of the chair are resting on the table. Melissa, I do hope there are clips or clamps that keep the chair from falling off, just in case the kid decides throw a tantrum, or begins to convulse.
JB, that strap on the back of the kid's shorts is called a commere. If the kid starts to wander off, the parent can grab a hold of it and say, "COME HERE!"
Andrew, ♫♪ Happy Birthday To You! ♪♫ I hope you are doing something very special today!
Happy Birthday Andrew! Hope you spend it in a Magic Kingdom, or a virtual one as we do on GDB every day :) ! The first photo: Vintage photos continue to freak me out....this could be a scene from my life: drinking and smoking parents and staggering friends surrounding the kids with the smoke and the booze :) The photos on the walls: both the one in front and the one in the mirror: equally creepy. I'm not sure why you would put these giant size baby pictures on the walls, but in the many many many estate sales I've been to: it seems to be a trend. Design 101: no giant babies on the wall. Thank you. The Alchemy of the vitamins/witchcraft kit/etc. I'm not sure what to make of it, other than "ill placed", as is the mirror...I like gold lame hostess apron, and too bad the hat isn't gold as well. We shall have to settle for silver, and it is kind of groovy. The Tabitha chair...well THAT looks safe. I remember these clamp on chairs...without clamps...makes sense like back seats without seat belts...kind of...not sure why these children are even AT the table: we never were allowed at the grown-up table. Get into the kitchen where children should be seen and not heard! (and preferably not seen either.) A different time indeed! Onto Canoes and such. I do have memories of this area as a wee one: watching a dance show and I specifically remember the trading post with the grass roof and going inside a Teepee. I suppose I should be grateful for that memory. And yes...my hands were out of my pockets at my side, and I was completely silent the entire trip. Castle roc:k always a fan favorite, and enjoy how there is an up and a a continuous loop of down...to keep the crowds moving and grooving. Good call, on 007! He's there with David Stollery, taking a break from his role as Marty Markham, but still in costume, because: you never know! "Get down to that park and plug the show!" David went on to design the '78 Toyota Celica. His Spin and Marty buddy, Spin: factoid: Alexander Pantages was his grandfather, of the "Pantages" theatre. Now you know. Happy birthday to Andrew, and happy unbirthday to everyone else!
Happy Birthday, Andrew! Wishing You Many Happy Returns of the Day!
Wow, lots to unpack in the Party Pic. Sterling Cooper guy managing to Smoke and Drink Simultaneously, like a circus act! He will tame lions on the high wire next. What is his other hand doing, eh?
I love the gold-rimmed cocktail glasses, I have several similar designs in various patterns, they make the drink taste better. The ladies’ hair! The “colonial” dining set and oval braided rug, and that Wild clamp-on high chair from the past generation. Those things work with a kind of counterbalance, the child’s weight makes the clamp grip tighter. Lift the baby and it all comes loose, leaving nasty scars on your non-Formica table tops. Do not ask me how I know this. A story for another time.
Is that the grass-roofed trading post to the left? Love that stump trash can, possibly my favorite themed style. I would love to climb Castle Rock again with my Dad and my son, wish we could have done it all together instead of years apart.
Thanks Sue and Major!
JG
Major/Sue-
(I didn't mean to spoil the party... honest), but in trying to ID that camera I realized the image is flopped. That's a Kodak Brownie Starmite camera: "Midget camera... built-in flash". About $10.50 (in 1960 dollars).
Well...I am back, Jack! First thing is that our Sue is quite the party girl and can be counted on to bring forth all the best of those memories we all had growing up!
As for the canoes, yep...grab a paddle paleface!. The difference between 1964 and 9 years later when I was one of the guides is rather stunning.
Happy Birthday Andrew. Now, High-Ho, it's off to work I go! KS
Actually, Nanook, that photo was taken from inside the mirror. That Brownie Starmite is on the other side of the wall.
Nanook, just think of the ozone layer! So much Aqua Net. Or VO5.”Indian War Canoes Ride” shack, well I asked for it I guess.
Melissa, I’ll bet you anything that cowboy kid really did switch to worshipping astronauts - frankly by 1964 I’m surprised it hadn’t happened already.
Melissa, clip-on high chairs - the Pinto of high chairs!
JB, I’m wondering if Andrew is no longer a teenager! Maybe not quite yet. But soon! All that Harry Potter talk reminds me of the days when my niece was SO into the Wizarding World. I have many fond memories of reading those books to her when she was little. I never bothered to find out which house I belonged to, but it must be Slytherin. The last time I was at the park, there were more Canoe CMs than there were customers - I should have gone over and finally experienced the canoes in person. But I didn’t. I think cowboy kid is wearing a pin of some kind - a necklace for a boy during that time would have been unheard of!
Mike Cozart, OK, I had no idea that the totems were seen around Disneyland after WDW was built - and comparing the ones at WDW, they must have used the same molds, because other than the colors used, they appear to be just the same. Thanks Mike!
TokyoMagic!, I hope Andrew is at Kennywood today! Although I think he works (worked?) there, so maybe that wouldn’t be so fun anymore.
Bu, when my parents had a “grown up party”, we went upstairs, and didn’t really see what was going on. I remember that it got loud! But the kids were not welcome. Back in those days my dad smoked, and I do remember hating all of the cigarette fug that clouded the air. A gold lame apron is A+… why we don’t wear more gold and silver lame these days, I’ll never know. My niece had a down jacket that was silver, she loved it so much, and then she outgrew it. I know it made her very sad to get rid of it. I wonder if the “Tabitha Chair” would have been perfectly safe it the parents followed directions? No idea. As I have mentioned many times, my family never made it to the Indian Village, so I have no personal memories of that area at all, which is disappointing. Did my mom and dad not know it was there? Or maybe they were just not interested. I still think my dad would have loved the Golden Horseshoe Revue, right up his alley, with pretty girls, music, and corny jokes.
JG, I’m sure that drinking and smoking at the same time was a skill that many had in those days (and still have today). I’m SO glad I don’t smoke! My grandma and grandpa definitely had highball glasses (and other barware) with gold designs. I remember one that was from San Francisco, they must have picked that up on one of their many trips. The trees make it impossible to ID whatever that structure is to the left. Trading Post sounds like as good a guess as any.
Nanook, aha! Another flopped image. Oh well! Starmite - sounds like a Marvel superhero.
KS, wow, you were gone a long time! Now that criminals know you’re back, they will go into hiding. So many of those Frontierland jobs seem to be the kind of thing that fosters lots of long-time friendships - I’ve worked lots of places, and don’t stay in touch with anybody!
Chuck, “Submitted for your approval”…!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANDREW! Our favorite kid, raised on GDB!
Major, I think Andrew's still a teenager. Lucky duck!
LOL, I guess I'm a pro at flopping slides. Nanook, it is amazing you caught that, I must say.
In the first image, I love that wall decoration. Combination super-sized ladle with ice tongs (salad tongs?) and pine cones. Quite the statement.
Thanks, Major, for hosting another party!
Major-
My folks [had]... actually, they still have them - gold-trimmed-printed 'tall tumbler glasses', with a harlequin design (in gold, naturally) AND tiny, colored, round plastic rhinestones adorning parts of each harlequin figure - similar to THESE. Clearly, the height of mid-century living-!
@ Sue-
Yes - that 'wall sconce thing' is really something-! Definitely one "for the books".
Nanook, I love those glasses [and so do dishwashers].
—Sue
Major: same here! When my parents had adult parties we had to stay in our rooms or we cities watch tv in out parents room. Sometimes we were sent to neighbors and along with their kids ( because the parents were at the party ) had a baby sitter. If we did stay at home we world be fed dinner early so we would be out of way. Sometimes we works be sent off with samples of some of the party appetizers… like Rumaki … cocktail weenies … crab Rangoon … dates stuffed with peanut butter and rolled in powdered sugar . And yeah it GOT LOUD!!! The smell of limes being cut for cocktails… today when I smell fresh cut limes it sends me mentally back to the early to mid 70’s…. We knew the party was winding down when we could smell the coffee percolating….
Actually… now that I think about it I spend lots of time back in the late 60’s … early and mid 1970’s … mentally anyhow ….
To this day I bring Rumaki to party’s made from my mom’s recipe ( chicken liver free) and it’s always a hit! What was a hit in 1973 is a hit in 2023!
@Nanook and Sue, i have this pattern in a set of four >>>
https://www.chairish.com/product/10521866/midcentury-culver-black-24-karat-gold-striped-cocktail-glasses-set-of-2
Rest assured, I did not pay anything even remotely close to what that auction is asking, purely outrageous. Even today, these are available at quite reasonable prices in several local shops.
I have several others in ones and twos but these are the only design for which I can identify a manufacturer etc.
For some reason, those giant forks and spoons were a "thing" for wall decor. We never had them, but knew folks who did. You can still find them off-and-on in the junque shops.
JG
Sorry I'm late today! Thanks for the 19th birthday wishes, everyone. It really means a lot to me. I had to work at Kennywood today, but I still love it after two years. The novelty hasn't worn away yet!
"Sometimes we works be sent off with samples of some of the party appetizers… like Rumaki … cocktail weenies..."
My parents did a cocktails and hors d'oeuvres spread every Christmas Eve, and the star of the show was always the little Crock-Pot of cocktail wieners in this amazing spicy-sweet sauce based on Mom's homemade yellow plum jam. A close runner-up was egg salad mixed with potted meat piped onto Ritz crackers. Us kids would make ourselves elaborate cocktails out of all the mixers on the bar cart, and our job was to keep the ashtrays empty and get coffee for anyone who wanted it.
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