Two Beauties From May, 1966
I have a pair of slides from May, 1966 - they were a bit faded (hence the slightly "off" colors) but they are still pretty nice.
Holy Bunions! (Yes, Burt Ward - aka "Robin" - actually said that on the 1966 "Batman" TV show). Take a look at the crowds waiting to buy their tickets! I'm not sure when those painted lanes leading to the booths were added, but I don't have a lot of pictures with them. Check out Green Polka Dot Lady, she actually decided to wear that outfit on purpose! While you can't see it in this jpeg, the price for an adult deluxe ticket book was $5.50. That's about $52 (ish) in today's Pepperidge-bucks, so a visit with a large family could be pricey.
Next is this photo from outside "Sunkist, I Presume", where guests could get all kinds of delicious citrus-based juices and popsicles. I believe that the Adventureland Bazaar is to the right of Sunkist, I Presume. Buy a rubber snake first, then go get your juice. That's how the greats do it.
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Yeah, Green Polka Dot Lady steels the show here, but there are other fashion notables: On the right, there are two Monty Python members in drag wearing their flowery frocks, carrying their ten-gallon purses. The lady at the ticket booth (in between Green Polka Dot and the flowery frocks) doesn't have any arms! Her sweater sleeves are just hanging limp!
On the left half of the photo, there are the identically dressed brothers; except, the older bro has his shirt untucked. He probably ended up doing 20 years to life in the state pen. There's another Python member in the lavender dress, and a lady wearing one of those clear plastic rain bonnets.
Oh, and Disneyland is there somewhere, too.
Oooh! Oooh! We can see that dyed-yarn drying contraption thing in the background. We saw it a week or two or three ago in another photo.
I love the uneven, hand-sculpted roof line. Is that pinkish thing with the dome on top (in the foreground) a trashcan?
Thanks for the photos, Major. Faded, color-corrected, and all.
"Steals" the show... not "steels".
JB beat me to pointing out that drying rack on the second level. And that shop would have been the Guatemalan Weavers shop, at this time. The sign is being blocked by those umbrellas.
JB, I think that round thing is just a cement base, for a second smaller Sunkist sign. There is another little figure on top of the ball, just like the one holding the larger Sunkist sign.
Thanks for the trip to 1966, Major!
I might have been the kid in the buzz cut, with glasses and shirt tucked in…
Those ladies carry a complete infirmary, pharmacy, and machine shop in those purses. It’s like Tom Swift with a snap-catch.
The buildings in photo 2 are somewhat in the style of Mali, and the statue signage reminiscent of Benin bronzes, quite a combination, an African adventure in art and architecture, also a lot of “a”’s. I wish that domed thing was a trash can, what a prize that would be.
The mask up on the tall sign has (had) a counterpart back at the entry off the hub, gone now, victim of the “Mask and Skull Purge”.
Not to be too contrary, but I recalled Guatemalan Weavers further off to the right, past the shooting gallery, but it’s been so long, I’m happy to go with it here.
Thank you Major!
JG
Green polka dots is quite "curated: in her look...good for her: right down to the white accents and white keds. I see a lot of sensible shoes going on here. Looks like Her Majesty QE2 came in slightly toned down from her regular bright colors: but the hair-do gives her away. It's easier to dress boys alike: jeans: shirt. Done. People like the Polka dot lady: well things can't be that easy for her lot. Looks like hands on hip guy looking back at Queen Elizabeth is thinking the same thing as me: "gee: that hairstyle really never goes out of style". Disneyland is for families together, playing together...no sitting on a bench for dad. Seems like in these days: it's a "no kid Monday" actually: the kids were always secondary. My Aunt, visiting America went to visit "Los Angeles" one day...we found out she went to Disneyland...50 years later: I'm still bitter. Looks like those painted lines are working swell! Bring on the stanchions and chains! ....and they did. I can still her the "cling cling cling" of those chains against the metal poles. That mixed with Jack Wagner "there are several ways to enjoy Disneyland"...the whistle of the train...the horn of the Monorail...the smell of the paper in the ticket book: which was a very specific smell. Even seeing the color coding of the posted prices was in "Globe Ticket Book" colors..the cover anyway...we never got the deluxe 15, only the big 10. As it was $50...I get it now. So I'm not as bitter about that as Auntie going to Disneyland and leaving us to rot at home (still bitter). Sunkist I Presume...a memory more of old Anaheim....when oranges were 'a plenty". The citrus packing house down the street is now a pretty cool food hall..with many nods to it's past. Anaheim in itself has a strong historical sense, with it's parks, library's and OC archives. Anaheim was a thing long before the mouse moved in! The agriculture has been TRE'd due to urban sprawl: and despite some differences of opinion: even if Mickey didn't move in...the very desirable land would have been taken over anyway. The oranges are very much still around: in peoples yards. Drive around "old Anaheim": lots of great smells when the oranges are in blossom. An amazing and intoxicating smell.
Major-
I have to agree with TM! about the Guatemalan Weavers [or possibly] Adventureland Traders being 'next door'. Moving down at that time, the Big Game Shoot should be sandwiched-in there, also. Adventureland Bazaar is farther along.
Thanks, Major.
Major.... I'll confirm that Guatemalan Weavers was the store next door to Sunkist much as Nanook and TM suggest. I was the guy squeezed between it and the Bazaar working the Big Game Shoot dodging ricochets a few years later. KS
JB, ha ha, I think you’re right, I would recognize Terry Jones anywhere, even in drag! I can practically hear his voice right now. It’s so brave to go to Disneyland without arms, I really admire the courage. Melissa would have spotted those boys who are dressed alike, it’s her sixth sense. Oh good eye on the yarn-drying thing, which probably has a name. A “yarninator”? Hmmm, I’m not sure if that pinkish thing is a trash can or not, it appears to be some sort of masonry covered in plaster (or something similar).
JB, spelling is overrated.
TokyoMagic!, it’s funny how the Guatemalan Weavers were at the park for so long, but in general it seems to be largely forgotten these days. I don’t think I was aware of it until pretty far into my Disneyland fandom. Thanks for the ID of the base of the Sunkist sign, I should have figured that out myself!
JG, yes, those were the days when many young boys had buzz cuts. Older boys had shaggy (or even LONG) hair. Like those Beatles, am I right? Disgraceful! And that isn’t music, it’s just inane noise! Wait, what was I saying again? I’ve read plenty about the inspirations for Main Street, but not much at all about the inspirations for the old Adventureland. Mali, why not? I like that even the umbrellas are kind of exotic compared to those in the rest of the park. The “Mask and Skull Purge”, I picture a dumpster full of skulls and masks. Maybe a few would go home with me!
Bu, my mom was a fiend for the color green, I could totally see her wearing that green polka-dot outfit. I hope QE2 enjoyed the Jungle Cruise. It might be easier to dress boys alike, but we’ve sure seen plenty of girls dressed in identical outfits on this blog. Moms like that sort of thing I guess. My parents would have never taken us out of school to go to Disneyland, as much as I would have loved that. Once in a while some other kid would brag about such a thing. Crazy! My aunt and uncle once came out to visit us from Chicago, and they asked me for tips on what to do at Disneyland (since they knew I was crazy about the place). I gave them a list that was so detailed that I’m sure they thought I there was something not quite right about me. And they were right! Hmmm, the smell of tickets… I have a bunch of ticket books but never noticed a smell. Maybe it has faded after 50+ years. I’ve been to the Packing House in Anaheim, and it IS pretty cool. They have a speakeasy that is hidden. It’s quite a thing when the secret door opens, and you’re not expecting it. I remember somebody hoping to find fruit crate labels for whatever orchard(s) existed on the Disneyland property. “Dominguez Oranges” or something. But as far as I am aware, nothing like that exists.
Nanook, looking more closely, we can even see what appears to be woven goods of some kind on a display rack. I’ll bet some pretty neat textiles could be had back then.
Love the "Sunkist, I presume" image. I used to stop there for a Jungle Julep (guava/orange juice) and butter milk bar for breakfast. Or... I'd head to the River Belle Terrace for some Mickey Mouse pancakes.
Nice photos that trigger wonderful memories. Thanks, Major.
KS, if only I had some interiors of the Guatemalan Weavers shop. Now THOSE would be a rare find!
K. Martinez, guava and orange juice, one of my favorite combos. And now I want donuts or pancakes! Guess I should start thinking about lunch.
I love those bas-relief characters on the wall, in the 2nd image.
I recognize the elephant and lizard, but am not sure what that top left one is? Maybe a lion?
Lots of fun details and stuff - all over the outside of those shops.
Thanks, Major.
That color of green with white was a very popular color combination … lasting into the mid 70’s . My sister’s 1973 bedroom furniture was that green and white ( no polka dots ) but bed spread was the same color but in gingham.
Tokyo!, ah. You're right about the Sunkist sign base. I can see the pole now, it's painted the same color as the shadows in the photo; sort of a "go away greenish black".
JG, I like your description of the ladies' purses: "Need to re-shoe your horse? No problem!".
And yeah, too bad it's not a trashcan. That would've been quite a find!
Major, speling is overated. There; fixed it for you.
And hey! Where is Melissa anyway? We haven't heard from her since Thanksgiving.
Thanks for confirming the Guatamalan Weavers location. I guess I confused it with the Bazaar. Which is bizarre. I plead not paying attention as a kid.
Here is a photo of what might have inspired some of these facades, just a guess.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/mud-masons-of-mali
JG
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