Two From August 1970
I've been posting photos from an August 1970 batch mostly in the order in which they were taken, but they often feel very random. You'll hop from Main Street to New Orleans Square today - our photographer was choosy about when he snapped a photo.
This first one is one of those "classic Disneyland scenes" that we might have viewed 1,000 times before. It's nice, for sure... but hard to get too excited over. I do like seeing the signs for Burry's Cookies and C&H Sugar on the Market House, you don't see that very often. In the distance is a young man all in white who I thought at first might be a sweeper, but he's wearing a bucket hat (I think), and isn't carrying a broom or dustpan.
18 comments:
I think that “gadget” at the base of the stairs in Le Grand Courtyard is the cash register for the pastel portrait artists that used to be stationed there… about 3 artists worked there. In later years the pastel artists were moved to the outskirts of the courtyard near the drinking fountains leading to the restrooms.
Major-
Mike has already answered your question as to what that "gizmo" is. More-specifically, it appears to be a Sweda Model 46. All the kids are using them now - so much easier to operate than an abacus-!
Thanks, Major.
It isn't just that guy who's wearing white. The sturdy steed is also wearing white: White socks, white hoodie, and white nose bridge. And look! The Streetcar Drivers are wearing white shirts! In fact, most of the people in this photo are wearing white!... Just not as much as the ersatz Sweeper. You probably thought I was going to make a profound point here... nope.
C&H Sugar must get its supply from Big Rock Candy Mountain, peeking over the top of Main Street. When they're running low, they chip away some of the Mountain and grind it up into a fine powder. This also explains why the Mountain looked gray in the early years of the Park, and whiter in the later years. The newly exposed areas, from the chipping away, are much lighter in color than the older, unchipped areas.
After all this silliness, I should say that this photo is indeed very nice. Not rare, but nice.
I wonder if the girl with the light brown hair is named Jeanie? This is a nice photo of the Bachelors; well lit, in focus. I see the "gizmo" has already been explained to a fare-thee-well. So I'll save you some white e-Ink and not mention that it's a cash register.
Two nice photos, Major. Thanks.
We can see part of the "Rings & Things" shop sign, on the far right of that first photo. It always makes me think of my mom, because she loved jewelry and would always have to stop in there and look, before we continued on to the "rides." However, I don't think she actually bought anything in that shop.....not that I can remember, anyway.
That gizmo at the bottom of the stairs is a slot machine. Walt was the one who originally said, "There's a sucker born every minute".....not P.T. Barnum, as most people believe.
Thanks for more 1970s pics, Major!
The Royal Street Bachelors were every bit the attraction of NOS as pirates, ghosts and good foods. I would sit on an uncomfortable iron bench seat listening to them for hours. Really nice classy classic jazz.
MS
Photo 1 is a rarity as a photo of Main Street with almost no trash cans visible. There is only a tiny sliver of one or possibly two. That handsome horse forgot his pencil box.
Yes, the odd little court when we could all go in to see it. I have a picture of me up on that landing, clowning with the statue in the niche. I was afraid of getting caught though.
The photos are few and far between, but very much worth the looking at. Thanks Major!
JG
At first I thought Burry's Cookies made Camp Fire Girl Cookies....but it was for Girl Scouts. Camp Fire Girls sold candies and things: and their "season" complimented the tubes and tubes of Thin Mints from the Girl Scouts. In my rabbit hole, I did discover that the Rice Crispy treat was invented, then sold by the Camp Fire Girls...and didn't they have a cookie like a "Flaky Flix"?....also note, that manufactured and packaged Rice Crispy Treats did not happen until 1995 to the general public. I love a good treat! The secret is margarine and NOT butter...which seems counter intuitive to taste, but it is science. Also note that the absolute worst Rice Crispy Treat I ever had was: ........at Disneyland. How can you screw that up you guys? I've sat on park benches that were softer than that treat. That being said: I had no idea that Burry's sold their goodies at the Market House, along with big bags of sugar from C and H apparently. I won't go into politics, but I will say that I prefer a cane sugar Coca Cola over the corn syrup. It DOES have a different taste and mouth feel. They generally make sugar coke during Passover and such: where they sterilize the tanks, and make Kosher Coke. I love a good cold Coke in a glass bottle on a cold day. Mexican Coke is available here and there...which is sugar coke. That being said: The sweeper MAY be a Candy Kitchen employee: wearing the bucket hat...could be? The location seems right. Rings and Things were a hang out for the TG's and there seemed to be a regular: "let's check out Rings and Things" time of day. I think in today's Disneyland there isn't the widespread desire for such things...or Belleek China or LLadro from the China Closet. There were such cool things sold at the Park...and I would think that guests would get some pleasure out of taking the items home, and telling their guests "I got this from DISNEYLAND!". The Staircase in New Orleans Square was a lovely and very quiet place. Where you felt you had to whisper. That Jazz was being played there is +++. I like these costumes way better than the burgundy ones I would often see these guys in. If you haven't been to the real New Orleans, put it on your bucket list. It really is quite amazing. And like the Bachelors....we were having a "corporate team building dinner" at a restaurant, where a larger group of musicians were heard playing in the street, then all of a sudden they came into the restaurant and made a loop while playing then hit the street again. I would say that and the Bananas Foster were magical moments. It is rather an enchanted place, as is the New Orleans of Anaheim. Thanks Major!
Mike Cozart, thanks… that makes sense!
Nanook, the Sweda Model 45 was famous for exploding.
JB, I guess I never thought about the horse wearing white. I also don’t think about bathing. I’ll bet some of those guests are wearing white underwear, which is meaningful, probably. So I assume that the Big Rock Candy Mountain is (was?) in California or Hawaii, new information! Nobody cares about my Big Rock Salt Mountain. “White e-ink”?? Is that a thing?
TokyoMagic!, I think lots of ladies love to look at jewelry, even if they don’t necessarily buy any. My current gf will almost always want to stop by the Macy’s at the mall to look at earrings - the only time she ever bought anything was for her mom. Slot machines in Disneyland… give it time.
MS, you should have chosen a comfortable iron bench! Otherwise, sitting and listening to the Royal Street Bachelors for a while sounds pretty nice.
JG, huh, I wonder why there are no (or very few) trashcans? Seems strange. I always went into the courtyard to look around, but never clowned around because I am a good boy.
Bu, yeah, I don’t remember ever seeing Camp Fire Girl cookies. Thin Mints, kept in the freezer, are the best Girl Scout Cookies! “Flaky Flix”, no idea. I only wanted Thin Mints! I’m shocked that Rice Krispie Treats were invented by the Girl Scouts. Can that be true? I feel like that seems like one of those legends akin to “Doritos were invented at Disneyland”. Are you telling me that nobody in history had the idea of frying leftover tortillas into chips before that? I’ve even heard this story relatively recently, and every time I find myself doubting it. The Market House had lots of different sponsors after Swift left, and Burry’s is one of the least-remembered. I had a Mexican Coke once years ago, I can’t say I was blown away by any difference. It was good, but it was a hot day and the Coke was cold. That’s all I needed! Bucket hats seem like they would not be “official”, but a worker who is outside all day would need protection from the sun. Lladro… I remember going to an estate sale once, and there was a Lladro Peter Pan figure, the seller wanted SO MUCH for it. It was nice, but I ultimately wasn’t that interested. Burgundy costumes - I don’t wear enough burgundy clothing now. I need a burdundy crushed velvet suit. Is there still a version of the Royal Street Bachelors?
The Gizmo has been explained but her friend is definitely 'tokin' on a number.' They'll swing back by Burry's Cookies in a bit. I had not heard of the cookie place before now. 70's DL is among my favorite and one of the first 5 places I'll visit once I have the 'kinks' worked out on the time travel device. In the meantime I check this site to keep me sane. There are a lot of sounds that trigger DL in my mind. Add 'clop' to the obvious Railroad, Mark Twain and Monorail.
Thanks for the 70s visit,
Zach
The closer I look at the gizmo it could be an iteration of the time travel device! Which means some time in the future it will work! I can hardly wait!
Zach
The white socks, feathers, mane and blaze. A Belgian for sure. I need to find who the farrier was and resurrect him for my needs today. My immediate thought is that CM in the background is from the Candy Palace. However, it is possible that he worked at Carnation Corner. Bus boys wore white costumes with a white shirt, but not hats while those who worked in the kitchen had the hats and scarf, but with a chef's jacket, similar to what I wore at Hills Brothers that very moment in time. We'd stretch those starched hats into various configurations for the fun of it. So a floppy hat is not out of the question. As for the RSB, that was the classic lineup I remember so well. What great musicians they were. They were the atmosphere of NO Square. KS
MAJOR : I too questioned the truth behind the Dorito story when I first heard it maybe a decade ago …. But if you think about it … what other place in time would be using so much taco seasoning mix to have vast quantities of it left over at the end of the day ? Equaling the the amounts of tortillas shells?? : DISNEYLAND .
The chocolate chip cookie didn’t exist prior to 1933. True.
Also remember the MONTE CRISTO SANDWICH comes from Disneyland too! It actually debuted at the Adventureland Pavilion/Tahitian Terrace before becoming a mainstay dish over in New Orleans Square . Food historians give disneyland credit for the fried sandwich, but they know Disneyland chefs created it as their own version of a luncheon dish served at the original Del Monico’s in New York in the 1890’s ( not the later iterations of Del Monico’s in the 1950’s -1980’s. ) also remember that the PLAZA INN 1965 redo was inspired by the original Del Monico’s Restaurant.
Also regarding they all white potential CM crossing main street . It certainly looks like an employee with the black basic institutional shoes! During the 1968-1971 most of Disneyland’s existing costumes were being redesigned in prep for WDW, so this very much could be the pre-striped Candy Kitchen employee. Remember too that there was an employee break patio at the end Corner of EAST CENTER STREET … it was circular with a central tree planter and benches and cafe tables and chairs all surrounded with a wooden privacy fence . This was adapted for employee use as the break patio , but the main layout was a hallmark center birthday patio once an available to guests. The birthday patio for hallmark was eventually moved to the back room of the market house and was called the “birthday cake room” even when in the 90’s it was taken over for use as a animation art “gallery” by the Disneyanna Shop. Gallery cast members called it “birthday cake room” long after the remodeling thinking it was given that name because of it mostly octagon shape … but it as really because birthday cakes and birthday party’s were once held there !
"All the kids are using them now - so much easier to operate than an abacus-!"
Nanook, I think that Model 46 is something we need now. At a restaurant last week, I gave the young waitress a gift card with $70.00 on it, and my bill was a little under $40.00. She returned my gift card with $11.00 remaining on it. When I explained her error, and even nicely wrote it out on paper [because she was having difficulty following me], she finally tersely said to me, "If you say so," and left to talk to her manager. *sigh*
"So I'll save you some white e-Ink...."
JB, you reminded me of someone who told me they prepared a computer document, with black ink on white, but then accidentally changed the type to white also. For some reason they couldn't correct it (I don't recall why not, but this was years ago). They had to start all over.
"I’ll bet some of those guests are wearing white underwear, which is meaningful, probably."
Major, it's especially meaningful for the CM's, too - if you recall what Bu told us the other day.
Fun day at Disneyland, thanks, Major.
Tokyo!, I also considered the gizmo as a possible slot machine. But after reading your comment on yesterday's post, I think the gizmo may be the temperature control device for Walt's 'home'.
JG, maybe the handsome horse moved on from pencil sketches to digital photography.
Bu, I tried a genuine, store-bought, Kellogg's Rice Krispy Treat for the first time a couple of weeks ago.... I was underwhelmed. Doesn't taste anywhere as good as the home-made variety.
Major, "“White e-ink”?? Is that a thing?" You're reading it! ;-)
Zach, funny how the insanity here at GDB is what keeps folks, including me, sane.
Sue, white ink on white paper... hmmm. I bet I could've found a way to make the ink visible. Maybe dousing the paper with lemon juice and holding it over a candle flame 'til the white ink turned brown.... or somesuch.
zach, it’s been a while, but I remember the distinctive smell of weed in Disneyland - it was probably easy to get away with it back when they allowed smoking in the park (I see that they banned it in 2019). I think a lot of us love 70s Disneyland because it’s the version we remember the best, or maybe the version we got to enjoy as we got old enough to truly appreciate it.
zach, I think time travel is one of the most dreamed-about things ever!
KS, that horse looks so beautifully cared-for, I’m glad to know that the animals were treated with kindness. Interesting thought about the CM possibly working at Carnation - long ago I shared some pictures of cast member costumes, and hats were definitely in the mix for certain situations. I wish I’d seen the Royal Street Bachelors! But as a kid I probably would not have appreciated them the way I would now.
Mike Cozart, huh, I absolutely DID NOT know that the Monte Cristo originated at Disneyland! I’ve always wanted to try one, but a friend cautioned me against it, saying that they were delicious, but made him feel bad for the rest of the day. I err on the side of caution.
Mike Cozart, I definitely think that the guy looks like an employee, I just don’t ever recall seeing a hat like that, especially in the Main Street area. But costumes changed all the time, and as I said before, it’s possible that when it got hot, hats might be added to protect somebody who had to stand outdoors a lot. Or maybe it acted as a sort of “hair net”? Not sure about that one. I think I first learned about the Birthday Cake Room on Kevin Kidney’s old blog, I wish he was still at it!
Lou and Sue, ha ha, I am no math wiz but even I can do $70 minus $40! Maybe she rang you up with the wrong receipt? “If you say so” is kind of a crummy response from the waitress though. White ink (in other words, nothing) on white paper. I see no problem! ;-) I do remember what Bu said, and now I look like a genius because of my callback!
Yes - what I was getting at is that the CM is likely returning from a break and hasn’t re- set his hat to “Disney standard” . I notice today CMs almost all incorrectly wear their hats … like Disneyland RR conductor pushing the hat so low on the head , the curve of their skull pushes up creating a dome effect. This is tacky but also is ruining the hat. The same thing with CM’s on Main Street wearing the straw boaters … the push the hat so low the top of the hat becomes curved and stretched. Part of that problem is the original manufacturer Disney ( and most of Hollywood and other parks ) that supplied the straw boaters went out of business about the time of the pandemic… Ponte of Venice had been making boaters and other straw hats for about 175 years … a new manufacture makes the boaters for Disneyland & WDW and they are thin and historically not correct and have a very cheap look. Oh well … time marches on … with or without straw boaters , steamboats …rivers … silent cinemas .. miniature storybook lands …. And does Disney really need castles !??? It ruins the view of the fireworks shows .. and it will hinder the drone shows ….. after Disneyland’s 70th expect to see some big changes to Walt’s Disneyland .
With Mike's ominous "expect to see some big changes to Walt’s Disneyland" I hope no Disney exec sees the cash register at the Court of Angels out of context and thinks that they could generate some revenue charging people to stand in the more picturesque parts of the parks.
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