Town Square Views, December 12, 1969
Someday I'll have to visit Disneyland and never get any further than Town Square. There's plenty to keep one occupied for a full day! Sit on a bench. Look at merchandise in the Emporium. Go grab a bite to eat. Go the Bank of America (now the Disney Gallery), chat with the Omnibus driver (but don't ride it, because it will take you out of Town Square), check out the Firehouse, sit on a bench again, pet the Streetcar horses (only with permission), watch the trains come and go, see the Mr. Lincoln show... what more could you need?? Let those short-attention-span people go ride the rides in the rest of the park.
Meanwhile... hey, there's a Christmas tree!
That guy in the street isn't going to pass the Wurlitzer shop, and I love him for it. The park was pretty empty on a Friday, though of course most Cro-Magnons head toward the Castle immediately. To the right are giant Christmas presents that probably eventually held thousands of balloons, to be released during the big holiday parade.
9 comments:
That's a nice sounding little scenario you painted there; spending the day in Town Square. And to think, it'll only cost you about $200! ;-) But I'm sure it'd be worth it.
I spot a drinking fountain and a red fire hydrant on the left. What's that rectangular thing in between them? Too big to be a sack of C&H sugar. Just two trashcans here. The garland draped across the street matches the Christmas tree decor.
It looks like the second photo was taken early in the morning. I guess that would account for the meager number of guests milling about. I think the horse has fallen asleep.
Pleasant pics, Major. Thanks.
Major-
What a perfectly-proportioned Christmas tree embellishing Town Square. Most of the later examples are far too skinny for my taste.
Also [not] seen here is C&H Sugar's favorite drinking fountain, which was finally removed [I'm guessing] some time around 1968 from the edge of the northern-most planter in Town Square and replaced by hi-lo pairs on both the east and west sides of Town Square. We can just see the 'hi' fountain placed along the east side.
Thanks, Major. And let me be the first to wish you the merriest of Christmases-!
......see the Mr. Lincoln show... what more could you need?
Major, what more could you need? You need to go see "RoboWalt" shake, sputter, shoot sparks, freeze up, and slump over! ;-)
I would wish everyone a merry Christmas, but the Halloween festivities at DL and DCA began last week.....so I'll just wish everyone a very happy Halloween instead.
I guess I’m a Neanderthal since I head straight to the Matterhorn.
Someday I’ll try your recommendation, Major. Thank you!
JG
Best colors the Emporium ever had.
I'll wish everyone a happy Labor Day since it's coming soonest of all.
Hi guys, I’m back from my trip! Actually, I was back yesterday but was knocked on my butt by a cold; I have zero energy. But I couldn’t take another day off.
JB, you know, some things are more important than money. I can’t think of any at the moment, but I’m told that it is so. I’m not sure what that thing is next to the drinking fountain, it’s too indistinct - at first I thought it might be a rack displaying “Disneyland News” newspapers, but… not in 1969. And yes, that first photo is definitely from the first hour of opening.
Nanook, I always thought that most Disneyland Christmas trees looked pretty well-proportioned, though perhaps a bit huge for their setting. But hey, it’s subjective! I’m sure somebody decided that the drinking fountain right smack-dab in the middle of a photo looking up Main Street was not ideal, even though we all miss the fountain today.
TokyoMagic!, ha, back when I wrote this blog post, the sparking, freezing Walt AA was only being discussed! It was many months from being introduced for real. “Halloween festivities”… I’m SO glad I got to see the non-Halloween Haunted Mansion a few months ago, for the first time since 2008!
JG, I can’t point fingers at people who head right for the Matterhorn (of wherever), since that has almost always been my MO since childhood.
K. Martinez, I agree, there’s something about that soft yellow with the green shingles. Colorful, but tasteful! Now I’m thinking that maybe HALF a day in Town Square would be acceptable!
Dreamy lack of people. Real tree, ornaments in colorful perspective.
Is that a balloon release box? These days would walls to fix a lamp post.
MS
Main Street USA’s opening color scheme was partially determined by readily available house paint colors popular in Southern California with residential architecture. Very little of the actual Main Street reflects John Hench’s original final color guides for the Main Street facade. Hench had to used well supplied stock colors and less specialty colors as construction costs swelled. ( most ) of the 1890-1910 Main Street facades share the popular house colors of 1955 Southern California. Tans, sand, pale yellows , pale salmon , mint green …. Etc. But the result was a very realistic feeling turn-of - the century theme. Not the child untrained overdone candy colors of the recent two decades . I wonder if that’s why Main Street USA always feels like “ home” ??? Even since 1955 … despite most Disneyland guests never lived at the historic time , but because it’s a materialization of a time described by out relatives … and the colors are what we , our parents and grave parents homes were really painted!! Just a thought .
Back in those days the Christmas tree was real...actually a composite of a couple trees in order to be 'perfect'. It would be done behind Hills Brothers over a week or so. We'd enjoy the smell of it while sitting in the adjacent break area before it was shot with fire retardant. And then one overnight a crane would place it on-stage for the season. Since I was there in '69, I saw this very tree being assembled. KS
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