Vintage Amusements
I always enjoy looking at old slides of amusement parks or related subjects, and I have two nice examples for you today. This first one is dated "October, 1968" and seems to be from a carnival or fair - location unknown. Two tow-headed boys - not twins, but dressed alike (which makes me think of Melissa) - ride a "lifting body"-type aircraft, surely a prototype developed by Northrop. In the background, another "vehicle going around in a circle" ride appears to be buses or vans. A clue in the upper part of the frame is a sign that says "Re-elect John P. Quimby". Eureka! John Quimby was a California state Assemblyman (from 1963 to 1974) for the 72nd District, which encompasses mostly of coastal communities Orange County.
I'd hoped it was THIS Quimby, but no such luck.
Another minor detail is that partial sign in the upper right of this closeup - I just happened to be looking at old logos for NBC, and I'm pretty sure that the sign must be advertising an upcoming program of some kind.
Notice the logo from 1958-1975, it's a perfect match!
Next is this fun photo of a lady posing next to an old-fashioned hearse - the lettering on the building behind her helpfully tells us that this was at Rockerville, South Dakota (founded in 1876). It was a tourist town in the 1950s and 1960s because of its key location on US Highway 16 between Rapid City and Mount Rushmore National Memorial. It had a variety of tourist attractions, including a "Mellerdrammer" (Melodrama) live theatre, a "Ghost town" of various buildings with tourist shops and small amusements, "It's a Small World" Museum (featuring an 1880 Tiny Town model and other miniature collections), a motel, campgrounds and RV parks. Like many of these smaller parks, Rockerville fell on hard times: In the 1990s, the town virtually died, as a lack of visibility to tourists zipping down the highway at 55 miles per hour sent the local economy into a nosedive from which it never recovered. The only remaining business within the generally accepted city limits is the Gaslight Saloon, which was recently rebuilt after a devastating fire. Virtually all the older tourist-era businesses have long since closed, fallen into decay, and been demolished.
12 comments:
Major-
Although that 'partial sign' could be a part of an NBC logo, I kinda doubt it. I think you have a better chance of John P. Quimby being THE 'Quimby' from a certain animated television show...
Thanks, Major.
I sincerely hope the 'almost twin' on the left, grew out of his 'homely' stage. (And put some meat on his bones; he's got pipe cleaner arms!) I guess being a little strange-looking at that young age doesn't really matter... He probably grew up to be a strapping bodybuilder actor.
Looks like "JD" has cornered the market on this block. There's JD's garage, JD's Service, and JD's Used Cars. Underneath the "lifting body" ride is a box of mechanical ride parts... I guess they weren't needed.
Perfect pic of Mayor Quimby; doing what he does best.
I miss the '56-'75 NBC logo, with its animated unfurling of the rainbow of feathers. You still see it occasionally on TV specials that "look back" at TV long ago.
Hearses, old and new, give me the creeps. Yeah, they're fancy and elegant looking and all, but geez. Their sole (or soul) purpose is to transport dead bodies. Yer not gonna be takin' the kids to get ice cream cones in one of these. They even look like the caskets that they carry. Not sure what that is inside the hearse... it looks like a giant baked potato.
Nanook, you just gotta believe that it's the NBC logo! Everybody, clap your hands if you believe it's the NBC logo! That's it! HARDER!... YAY! It worked! It IS the NBC logo! See? That's how it works. The power of positive thinking. Well, it worked on Tinker Bell anyway.
From happy carnival rides to the Simpsons to the NBC logo to gloomy hearses. I think I'm suffering from emotional whiplash. Quite a variety of subjects today, Major. Thanks.
Major, I don't think that aircraft prototype was developed by Northrop. It doesn't have any doors, so it must have been made by Boeing. (Well, someone had to say it!)
That hearse looks like it wouldn't quite take a full-sized casket. I mean, that lady would fit in there, I guess. But would a casket holding a person who's taller than her fit in there? I wonder if this could be a hearse for child-sized caskets? Knott's had such a hearse, but they got rid of it in their 2017 auction.
JB, that looks more like a large loaf of sourdough bread inside the hearse. Maybe that building next to it is a restaurant, and they use the hearse to store their extra bread inventory.
I love those little fair rides that go in circles, and the AstroJets, and Dumbo. They are simple but “more complicated” doesn’t always mean “more fun”. I hope all these kids had a Long happy life. Nice sleuthing on the billboards too.
The hearse is carrying a sack of snakes, the museum advertised “Hiss and Hearse…”
Sad to hear about Rockerville. It remedies me of the stretch of highway leading to Mammoth Cave in Kentucky.
Thanks for these Major!
JG
*reminds. Drat you autocorrect! “Shakes tiny fist”
JG
JB and TokyoMagic!, perhaps the hearse wouldn't have been able to accommodate a full-size casket, but those probably weren't around then. However, the hearse looks like it could have easily carried a full-size coffin (a coffin being the six-sided wooden boxes commonly used before being phased out over the years after the Civil War).
Nanook, I dunno, I’m feeling pretty positive about the NBC thing, but hey, it could be something else.
JB, I have to admit that that one kid looks a little odd. Maybe he suffered from some childhood illness. I hate to be mean about it. JD… John Dillinger?? Somehow that box of parts under the ride says all you need to know about carnival attractions. I liked the old Peacock logo too, but things have to change I suppose. They should have changed it to a mandrill baboon’s butt. Colorful! I don’t know if hearses give me the creeps, but I also don’t know if I’d want to be inside one (while still alive). Somebody up the street from me own a hearse, it’s kind of cool. He also owns two vintage ambulances! What does it mean? I honestly can’t tell you what is inside the Rockerville hearse, I’d wondered myself.
TokyoMagic!, it’s so weird how Boeing has designed aircraft for decades, and now they can’t build one that is worth a damn. You know they are cutting every corner that can be cut. Maybe the hears was suitable back in the days when people were generally smaller? Seems weird to have a special hearse just for child’s caskets.
TokyoMagic!, the conditions inside a hearse are just right to maintain the “mother” for sourdough bread, it’s actually an ingenious use of the vehicle.
JG, if they introduced flames or swinging blades to those kiddy rides, they’d really make them exciting. This is why I should be in charge of all amusement parks. Remember when you could go to Sav-On and buy a sack of snakes? Those were the days. Is Mammoth Cave no longer a popular tourist destination? I don’t know anything about Kentucky, except that it is where the greatest Colonel lived.
JG, a tiny fist?!
Recalling how those little flat rides usually had a steering wheel for every seat, even if there was a back seat row. Also those motorboat rides, in which the boats were really low-flying Dumbos over a circular troth.
That is definitely an authentic horse drawn hearse. TOKYO : remember humans were much smaller prior to WW 1 …. There wasn’t even left and right shoes till the 1920’s !! Our medical advancements, larger caloric intake , and general better health is making humans B I G G E R !! When you see horse drawn carriages today and see an example that was supposed to seat four people in the 1800’s … could maybe fit 2 modern people. When you read the boasting that a deluxe Abbot - Downing Concord Stagecoach could carry 19 passengers ( plus baggage!!) that wouldn’t include humans of the 20th & 21st century .
It’s interesting that many big mining companies in the West use to use hearses to transport delicate chemical explosives like nitro glycerin because these specialized carriages had stronger axel springs . I have a book on horse drawn funeral vehicles and it explains that the hearse drapes were usually black , but it eastern cities and wealthier western towns the curtains and brocades as well as plumes on the horses and coach bodies could be changed to white or silver ( common for carrying women or children) and a deep red color called “Lake” was used . You think a color called Lake would blue. White hearses were not very common but again in wealthier communities white coaches were used for transporting children or women.
Because hearses saw far less use than regular vehicles and they were usually very well maintained, they once tended to be more common. “All museums want a stagecoach - but they all have a hearse!” Because out door museums and tourist spots used to display hearses outside bin the 40’s, 50’s , 60’s and 70’s …. Horse drawn hearses are somewhat rare now as so many rotted away ( hey Knott’s Berry Farm and Calico State Park!!!!)
DBenson, put Major in charge of those motorboat rides. He'll speed 'em up to "whip" or "puree". Give those kids something to remember for the rest of their lives!
Major, Mammoth Cave was hugely popular when we visited in 2008, and the road on the way was lined with roadside attractions, which I hope are all still there. It was a fun drive. Should have said Rockerville in its prime…
JG
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