Frontierland & Adventureland, January 1974

Here are the last two scans from a batch dated "January, 1974". They don't work very well as a set, but I think you can handle it. 

This first photo doesn't look like much, but our photographer did capture the Old Mill, the Columbia in Fowler's Harbor, a Keelboat, and the Haunted Mansion, so I guess he did pretty well all things considered. 

For some reason, pictures of the Tahitian Terrace are not common, even though it was there for decades. I only have a few. I love the design of the marquee sign, and wish that shield was in my grubby little hands (I'll wash them later, I promise). The restaurant appears to be closed, for some reason. 

 

Frontierland In The Fitties

You've heard of "chocolatey goodness" (which also happens to be my rap name), well today's photos are chock full of 1950s goodness. Frontierland goodness, to be even more precise. 

Westerns were the most popular genre in movies and TV at the time. Writers could explore thorny issues that might rankle viewers if presented in a contemporary setting. And who doesn't love a good shootout? It's possible that Disneyland guests might have seen a Stagecoach before, since they could be found at small amusement parks all over the country - and Knott's had their own just a few miles away. But the Disneyland version looks especially nice to my eyes! This coach is jam-packed, they had to use a greased crowbar to fit everyone on board. The Mark Twain and Fort Wilderness make special guest appearances here.

From a different batch comes this shot of the Indian Village when it was in its original location, right next to Adventureland - which explains the tropical(ish) plants visible just over that small berm. Of course the village soon moved to the area where Bear Country would eventually go. Two guests appear to be engaging in conversation with some of the Native American performers, I wish I knew what they were talking about. Probably molybdenum.

Vintage Los Angeles Postcards, Part 3

Here it is... PART 3 in a series of posts featuring Steve DeGaetano's vintage Los Angeles postcards, purchased in the "One of a Kind Shop" in New Orleans Square. I'll bet Lillian Disney herself had put the cards in the shop! She was lurking in a corner to see if anybody would buy them. As before, the card captions are in orange, and Steve's additional comments are in blue. We've got five more scans today, so let's get to them:

LA-11: This card has no caption other than ”Spring Street, Los Angeles, California.”

Note the streetcar tracks  in the middle of the street.

LA-12: This card has no caption other than “Plaza and Old Mission Church, Los Angeles, California.”

My comments: This card is postmarked December 1907. The writer says, “We are nicely settled for the winter. It is lonely here. 75 degrees in the shade.”

LA-13: This card has no caption other than “The Los Angles City Hall.” Note the Los Angeles Railway “Yellow Car” in the street. At this time, City Hall was the tallest building in downtown Los Angeles. This car is postmarked August 1939. (See City Hall HERE and HERE)

LA-14:  “Typically Californian in its spacious and beautiful Spanish architecture, the new Los Angeles Union Station, built at a cost of $11,000,000 provides a setting which typifies to visitors the charm and hospitality of Los Angels and Southern California. The buildings and tracks cover 40 acres of ground; the station, which extends 850 feet along Alameda Street, is the gateway to Los Angeles’ Civic Center. Its lavish appointments and ultra-modern facilities make it the most attractive railroad station in America.” (See Union Station HERE).

LA-15: This card has no caption other than “Cahuenga Freeway, Gateway to Hollywood, California.”

“Cahuenga Freeway?” Most people today would know it as the Hollywood Freeway. It’s hard to see in this image, but in the median between the traffic lanes are tracks of the Pacific Electric “Red Cars.” The San Fernando Valley is just visible on the horizon. Universal Studios would be in the hills to the right.

THANK YOU, Steve DeGaetano! We'll have one more installment for you, coming up soon.

Parade, 1980, Part 2

We're continuing our look at some teensy tiny slide transparencies, just over 1/2" in width. You'd get lots of images on a roll of film, but the quality suffered. Still, these photos from Disneyland's 25th Anniversary parade are pretty fun.

Oh boy, a beautiful hula dancer! Pretty racy for Disneyland, but I'm not complaining. The Tahitian Terrace (from whence she came) was still going strong, I sure wish I'd seen the whole show and enjoyed some Polynesian-inspired cuisine.

It's very cool that they brought one of the classic Stagecoaches out of storage for this parade, they'd been retired for 22 years at this point. The Matterhorn in the background makes for a humorous anachronism.

Winnie the Pooh never did care for pants, and somehow it worked for him. He'd run for President in 1972 (losing to Richard Nixon) and 1976 (losing to Jimmy Carter) but was ultimately happy to enjoy civilian life in the 100 Acre Wood. 

The Fiddler Pig has had twenty cups of coffee so far, and it shows. He hasn't blinked for an hour. Behind him, the Practical Pig ("Old Grouchy") radiates disapproval.

Here's a neat closeup of one of the genuine antique circus wagons that Walt Disney acquired - I believe that they were used in parades as early as 1955 for the Mickey Mouse Club Circus, though I read that others were acquired for the filming of "Toby Tyler, or 10 Weeks With the Circus" (starring Kevin Corcoran, aka "Moochie"). I know that some were displayed near the tent where "Professor Keller's Jungle Killers" thrilled guests. It's all a blur! Like the Stagecoach, it's fun to see a bit of Disneyland's history looking so wonderful.

There's one final blog post from this batch, coming up!

__________________________

EXTRA! EXTRA!

GDB friend Mike Cozart sent along a photo of the mysterious object seen (indistinctly) in one of Stu's photos on July 13th. Here's Stu's picture, just as a reminder:

And here is the photo provided by Mike:

Mike said: So that Tomorrowland marching band that used to perform in front of mission to mars was called TRANSTAR… they were much smaller than the larger MAGIC KINGDOM KORPS that also performed in Tomorrowland.

But it was MAGIC KINGDOM KORPS that played Themes like JETSONS , INDIANA JONES and STAR TREK etc ..,

For a short time MAGIC KINGDOM KORPS was called TOMORROWLAND BRASS. 

Mars closed in 1993 … but you can see guests waiting in the inside lobby 

Someone asked if the TRANSTAR “shuttle” was suppose to be a Starspeeder . No … but it was just typical of the designs of that era . Even the STARSPEEDER 3000 was based on the Ford Aerostar Van.

They really do resemble each other!!

THANKS MIKE!

Snoozles™, August 1970

Today's Snoozles are right on the edge! Not in a cool "extreme sports" way, instead they barely qualify as Snoozles. Yes, there are minor issues, but you could say the same thing about me. You never would though, would you? WOULD YOU? 

In 1970, America was experiencing Canoe Fever. Teenagers (in particular) traveled by canoe as much as possible, often listening to "Layla", which is actually about a girl in a canoe (most people don't realize that). Speaking of canoes, here's one passing the Old Mill on Tom Sawyer Island. The reeds along the shore have grown so abundantly that the canoeists probably can't even see the mill. To the right, a raft loads up for a trip back to the mainland. The guests have all lost 20 pounds and have a feral look in their eyes.

Another canoe! Or is it the same one as in the previous picture? Only microscopic analysis can tell us, and my microscope is on the fritz (I used it to crush some walnuts). Seeing Cascade Peak makes me happy, the nearby trees have started to get a bit too big, but it's not out of control yet. If you look carefully, you can just see a bit of a Mine Train car to the left of the waterfall.

 

Expo 1958, Brussels

About a year ago, a relative sent me a box of hundreds of slides dating back to the 1950s, documenting much of her life with her husband and kids and travels. She'd been contemplating throwing them in the trash, since nobody else seemed interested. While going through the box, I found a number of images from the 1958 Brussels World's Fair, also known as "Expo 58", which was the first major World Fair since the end of WWII. Nearly 15,000 workers spent three years building the 2 km2 (490 acres) site on the Heysel/Heizel Plateau, 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) north-west of central Brussels. Many of the buildings were re-used from the 1935 World's Fair, which had been held on the same site.

First up is this neat photo of the ultra-modern German Pavilion; an article on Reddit stated: International-style architecture and modernist exhibition design were mobilized as instruments of cultural soft power to convey these multiple messages. Hans Schwippert of the postwar German Werkbund choreographed exhibition design, deploying the miracle economy's modern consumer culture to celebrate the emergence of a post-Nazi society. Egon Eiermann, aided by Sep Ruf, designed the International-style pavilion, celebrated as the architecture of postwar modernity, but in fact derived from a precedent in Third Reich industrial architecture.

Next is an exterior of the Austrian pavilion. Architect Karl Schwanzer, for instance, in his Austrian pavilion proposed a main exhibition building as a square, translucent box carried by four central columns, raised one story above the ground. The building had a square plan and a structure in welded steel. This pavilion was shaped by a hollow square plan and its exhibition floor cantilevered outwards to leave a “floating” impression. At night, the translucent façades lit up from the inside, which, together with the light tubes in the ceiling of the ground floor, turned the pavilion into a giant lampion (lantern) with an almost weightless outlook.

This next photo is from the interior of the United States pavilion. From an online article: The United States pavilion at the 1958 Brussels World's Fair, also known as Expo 58, was a large, architecturally complex space that featured a variety of exhibits and activities. Designed by Edward Durell Stone, the pavilion was made up of four buildings, including one with railroad boxes on stilts, and had a translucent, bicycle wheel-shaped roof. 

The pavilion included a 360° movie called America the Beautiful created by Walt Disney Productions. The movie was shown in a specially designed round theater with a white ceramic grille facade. The pavilion also featured a three-dimensional New York City streetscape designed by Robert Brownjohn. 

(It) hosted a fashion show, a performance by the Seventh Army Symphony Orchestra, and an electronic computer that demonstrated historical knowledge. It also displayed popular American treats like ice cream and Coca-Cola. 

Here's the inside of the USSR pavilion: The main themes of the Soviet Pavilion were space exploration (with the Sputnik satellite as the core of the exposition), the celebration of heavy industry, and the fast economic development of the USSR under the communist regime. Among other themes, a significant part of their exhibition was dedicated to the emancipation of women and their successful employment in all professional spheres of the USSR, which was a rather progressive subject at that time. Slick propaganda leaflets in English provided general information about the country, boasting of increased industrial production in comparison with capitalistic countries, and focused on such subjects as the Soviet democratic system, the great social benefits for all citizens, and free education and childcare systems. Hey, I am merely quoting what somebody else wrote!

Here's a stunning structure for Philips corporation: It was a modernist pavilion...  commissioned by electronics manufacturer Philips and designed by the office of Le Corbusier (and) was built to house a multimedia spectacle that celebrated postwar technological progress.

The reinforced concrete pavilion is a cluster of nine hyperbolic paraboloids in which Edgard Varèse's Poème électronique was spatialized by sound projectionists using telephone dials. The speakers were set into the walls, which were coated in asbestos, giving a textured look to the walls. Varèse drew up a detailed spatialization scheme for the entire piece, which made great use of the pavilion's physical layout, especially its height. The asbestos hardened the walls, which created a cavernous acoustic. As audiences entered and exited the building, Xenakis's musique concrète composition Concret PH was heard. The building was demolished on 30 January 1959. 

And finally, here's a photo of an interesting souvenir pin from the Fair that is in my collection; the asymmetrical star was the symbol of Expo 58. I believe (but am not certain) that the silhouetted building inside the star could represent the Kremlin, so this might have been from the USSR pavilion. I've seen the graphic of the stylized person holding the Fair symbols on a poster, but have no further info about it.

I hope you have enjoyed these photos from Expo 58!

 

Tomorrowland, July 1958

Let's enjoy two very nice Tomorrowland photos from July, 1958, shall we? Using my amazing powers of deduction, I know that two couples decided to check out this "Disneyland" place. I think they had a good time!

First up is this pic next to the Hat Bar, where you could get a hat "on the rocks", "straight up", or if you were really feeling adventuresome, you could have it drenched in rum and set aflame. Not for the feint of heart! In front of us, a woman poses fetchingly, with the Flight Circle right behind her, and the magnificent Moonliner beyond that. I believe that her hubby took this photo.

Next we are even further into the deepest, darkest reaches of Tomorrowland. The steps of the Skyway terminal are to our right, while folks wait for their kids to complete their ride on the Autopia (love the gas pumps). The new Tomorrowland train station (complete with train!) can be seen too.

 

Stuff From the Box

Welcome to another installment of STUFF FROM THE BOX. I know you've been anxiously waiting. There are more rings for you - in fact, rings are all that's left in this small box. 

First up is this somewhat scarce ring from the Joe E. Brown Club. This was a premium given out with Grape Nuts cereal in 1936, and it has a pretty good likeness of Joe in bas-relief. I can't find out any info about whether Joe E. Brown hosted a radio programs, or if he was just beloved by kids in '36.

A few years back, somebody shared this wonderful photo of Joe E. Brown with some adorable girls at Disneyland. Obviously this is not my photo, and I don't even know who to credit, so if the owner sees this and would like me to remove it (or give them proper credit), I will be happy to do so. Two of the girls are holding their TWA "Rocket to the Moon" certificates.

The next two are "cheapies", at least compared to the quality brass Joe Brown ring. This mystery metal item has the zonked-out face of Smokey Bear staring at us uncomprehendingly. "Far out, man". That's Smokey's famous catchphrase. Or was that Tommy Chong from "Cheech and Chong"? I know nothing about this ring, and I don't want to know anything.

Another mystery cheapie - an aluminum ring featuring the likeness of one of my favorite Hanna-Barbera characters, Mr. Jinks. He's barely recognizable here, I admit. I have one or two similar rings with different HB characters, but I have no idea when they were made and who distributed them.

You remember Mr. Jinks! Voiced by the wonderful Daws Butler. Pixie and Dixie made his life a torment, I always wanted Jinksie to triumph.

On the side we see Quick Draw McGraw. HE'LL do the thinnin' around here!

Stay tuned for one more selection of premium rings, and then it's on to a different box.

From From Stu

I'm finishing up the final five scans from Sue B's cousin Stu, from a 1992 trip to Disneyland. 1992, we were all so young, so innocent. 

In the last Stu batch, there was a photo of the man himself with citizens of Duckburg. And how he's with Belle and Ernie (not many people remember that the name of the Beast was "Ernie") from "Beauty and the Beast", which had been a huge hit in 1991. Ernie is not too pleased that Belle is ignoring him for the suave, sophisticated Stu.

Next, here's another feature I don't ever recall seeing - an elephant-shaped topiary right next to the Dumbo attraction. He looks like he could use some water, or maybe some Mountain Dew.

This one is cool because we get a decent glimpse of the Abdominal Snowman, lurking in a dark cave inside the Matterhorn. Sometimes you can hear his mighty roar from ground-level, that's just how PO'd he is. I guess bobsleds passing your home every 15 seconds would get old in a hurry.

Here's a Skyway view looking down upon the Sub Lagoon - the Skyway would close in just two years, sadly. Although the subs were now bright yellow "research vessels", the attraction had not yet be Nemo-fied. A Mark V Monorail (my least-favorite style) sits at the station, while the white-painted Peoplemover trains trundle along.

And finally, we get a nice view looking over toward the Rocket Jets and Space Mountain, with "Mission to Mars" in the lower left - that attraction would close in November of 1992. It sure feels like Stu's photos capture the last gasp of Tomorrowland shortly not long before the 1998 update.

THANK YOU, Stu, Sue, and Lou (Perry)!

Two From July, 1963

Today's photos are something special! You might not think so when looking at this first example. "Major Pepperidge, I don't get it!". I understand. At first it looks like a nice-but-a-little-mundane photo of a popcorn wagon near the Red Wagon Restaurant. It's sunny, and the trees are pretty. But... that person in the lower right...

... there he is, along with his friend, a bit further along the Plaza. They are both in their motorcycle leathers, and definitely do not fit in with the "Disney Look" at all. And yet... they couldn't be denied entry due to long hair or slovenly appearance. If anything, they are shinier than the average guest (or cast member).

This closeup is hilarious! The look on the dad's face... it is priceless.

Rainbow Ridge, 1960s

Ordinarily I would be pretty stoked (as the kids say) to share photos of Rainbow Ridge with you, but I can't deny that today's images, taken on an overcast day, lack some of the pizzaz that they would have in the bright sun with a deep blue sky. But... we take what we can get. 

There are some of the most-familiar Rainbow Ridge structures, especially the pink "adobe" Miner's Hardware store. "Mother Murphy Meals", I'll bet there was a lot of stew. What's in the stew? Don't ask! Next is the Barber Shop, mostly hidden except for the red and white-striped pole. The El Dorado Hotel has nice beds, but if you want sheets, it'll cost you 50¢ extra. Perhaps a weary cowboy would welcome a soft warm bed, even without sheets. 

Pat Casey's Last Chance Saloon is where you could get a shot of redeye - it'll make your hat flip, just like in Bugs Bunny cartoons. Above the Saloon is the town dentist, though the golden tooth hanging from the window looks not-so-shiny here. Get all your news from the Rainbow Ridge Clarion (they have a notary, if you need one), and then it's the General Store, for all of your goods and sundries.

I have to wonder if the Mine Train was closed at this point, there's not a single Redshirt or guest visible in either of these photos!

Snoozles™ From 1973

I just scanned a batch of 30 (or so) slides from around 1973, and wound up having to reject a handful of them due to unacceptable blurring. Many of them were taken as the sun was setting, and I guess the shutter speed was too slow for lower-light situations. D'oh. Both of today's scans have issues, but they are not terrible - in fact they are perfect for a Snoozle Sunday.

See? Even the blur isn't that bad, and I do like the end-of-day lighting, with the Sub Lagoon in cool blue shadows, while the Peoplemover (it appears that our photographer was on the Peoplemover when the picture was taken) and Monorail tracks are lit by the warm setting sun. The Skipjack and the Nautilus glide silently, one about to enter the "dark ride" portion of the attraction, and the other heading back to port. 

Another Peoplemover view finds us above the entrance to Tomorrowland, with a look at the desaturated swirling flower pattern. Psychedelia in Disneyland!

Roadside Pix

I love vintage roadside attractions, from the humblest themed drugstore, alligator farm, maple syrup plant, historically significant landmark, you name it. Today's first vintage photo (from August, 1960) shows tourists enjoying the novelty of being at the site of the GREAT DIVIDE. Also known as the "Continental Divide", it extends from the Bering Strait to the Strait of Magellan, and separates the watersheds that drain into the Pacific Ocean from those river systems that drain into the Atlantic and Arctic Ocean, including those that drain into the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and Hudson Bay. The photo was taken in British Columbia (Canada), with a wooden "arch" or "gate", crafted from massive tree trunks. If you spill your Dr. Pepper on this side, it will run to the Pacific, but once you cross that gate, it will run all the way to  the Atlantic. There's no stopping it!

Here's a map showing the squiggly red line indicating the Great Divide:

Here's an olde-timey postcard:

And another, probably from the 1950s:

This next one is related, but a less-nice photo (dated "August, 1968") from an unidentified tourist stop. The yellow sign reminds me of the kind one might see in New Mexico - the Continental Divide runs just west of Albuquerque. But it's just a guess!