Vintage Amusements
I love vintage amusement parks! You already know that, because you watch me on your high-tech spy cameras (on your monochrome green monitors from 1985). I'm waving hello to all of you right now. I'M NOT CRAZY!
Today I want to share two fun slide scans, starting with this one dated "September, 1960". We're watching two fellows shooting out, perhaps over the affections of the saloon gal (?) who enjoys wandering into the line of fire. "Fiddle-dee-dee! Men are so silly!". You'd think that the people behind the gunfighter near the music hall might want to move too, but they'll take their chances. Sadly, I have no idea where this western park was located, there aren't any solid clues that helped me. I did search for "Long Horn Music Hall Saloon" (in various permutations), and had no luck. If I had to make a wild guess, I'd say that it could be near Jackson Hole, Wyoming, but I truly have no idea.
This next one is from August, 1964, and was labeled "Sutton, PA". Sutton is in the northwest region of Pennsylvania, about 80 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. You know, near Corsica and Brookville! The photo shows a local carnival or fair, with a classic tank ride (children loved to pretend to be General Patton!) and a miniature locomotive that has, unfortunately, caught on fire. You just know it's because of teenagers with long hair! In my professional opinion, it is not good to have your miniature train burst into flames.
13 comments:
Major-
Big doings for that poor locomotive-! Who needs a "settler's cabin a-fire" when a miniature locomotive has [presumably] burst into flames-!
Thanks, Major.
Looks like the cowpoke close to the crowd of spectators just got a belly full of lead, courtesy of the 'Man in Black' at the center of the photo. (Who looks suspiciously like a guy from the late 1970s.) The saloon gal (aka, Stands With a Fist) needs a new dress designer, in my opinion. I dunno, maybe that was more historically correct? (I don't think so.) And look! A Brownie troop is witnessing the blood and gore happening before their eyes.
Wow, what a wild photo! History in the making! Caught on film. I do believe this is the first 'train on fire' photo you've posted on GDB, Major. It must be an exceedingly rare photo. Looks like the fire extinguisher had a premature blast next to the Tank ride. And it looks like everyone is looking at the mishap, understandably. I wonder if there were any actual flames, or just a bunch of smoke?
You posted another Tank ride a few months ago; I wonder if this is the same one?... In the same place?
Exciting travelogue this week! Tanks, er... Thanks, Major.
Maybe Andrew will know the name of the park in that second pic.....unless it was just a traveling carnival type of setup. Or maybe it was a fair, since those two buildings in the background look like they could have housed animals. Either way, this place sold fudge! Yum! But why is the "Fudge tent" located so darn close to that barn-looking structure?
Thanks for the vintage amusements, Major!
I'll bet Andrew knows where Sutton is.
I didn't realize locomotives that small had more than one crew member. They obviously all have engineers, but this one appears to have had a fireman as well.
It’s not just children who love to pretend to be General Patton. I’ve known modern-day Army generals who succumb to this trope (and not ironically or for intentional humorous effect, either). Nobody I work with today, but those guys are out there. Also brings back a fond college memory of driving through a tiny Oklahoma town in my 1984 Mazda GLC, windows down, and blaring Jerry Goldsmith's Patton theme while a friend stood through the moon roof in full fatigues, binoculars around his neck, pointing and waving on an imaginary Third Army behind us.
Thanks, Major!
Wow, a bit of the old ultraviolence in photo 1. I remember fake gun battles, probably from Knotts, but sadly, these would traumatize today’s audiences. I see a teepee and a static display of a buckboard wagon and a stagecoach. There are a couple of trash cans too, both themed and unthemed. Directional signage too. One seems to point the way to Apollo Hall? The young lady seems appropriately irked that the men are fighting over her, or possibly past her. The street drainage is as primitive as the paving. Very authentic.
Photo 2 is a definite rarity. I can confidently say that none of MY miniature trains have ever burst into flames. I wouldn't mind a ride on a classic tank, especially with Patton’s theme roaring, right down Market Street in SF.
Chuck, was that the imaginary Army with inflatable tanks, posted across the Pas de Calais in 1944, because those guys pinned down several Panzer divisions? A good group to have at your back!
Thanks Major, wonderful unknown parks today!
JG
Wow, that shootout is really in the middle of NO WHERE!
JG, you reminded me of the book "Ghost Army of World War II." Very interesting information and photos about the secret army of WW II.
In that last picture, I think that one of the tanks took a successful shot at the train.
Fun pictures, thanks, Major.
Tokyo!, "But why is the "Fudge tent" located so darn close to that barn-looking structure?" HA! I will assume you made that connection in a deliberately humorous way: "Mommy, this fudge tastes funny... and it has bits of straw in it!... and flies keep buzzing around it!"
JG, "I can confidently say that none of MY miniature trains have ever burst into flames". What a co-inki-dinc! None of MY miniature trains have ever burst into flames either! Well...... there was that one time... but we don't talk about that.
Sue, "I think that one of the tanks took a successful shot at the train". By golly, that must be it! I blame the carnies for not making sure all the ordnance was removed from the tanks before letting the young-uns do their thing.
I've never heard of Sutton. Google Maps make it looks like as if it's just a big empty field. What a photo this is though! I've never witnessed a fire at a park or fair, but I have seen a manhole explode. The tank ride is an Allan Herschell product, the sister ride to their mote-common Sky Fighter ride (which uses the same prop guns).
If you haven't seen it yet, this is a fascinating trailer for a new documentary on the building of Disneyland.
Thank you, Andrew!
Tokyo!, "But why is the "Fudge tent" located so darn close to that barn-looking structure?" HA! I will assume you made that connection in a deliberately humorous way
JB, yes....it was deliberate! I was thinking of the movie, "The Help" when I typed that!
Oh, and thanks for that link, Andrew! There is some really good footage in that trailer, and the footage looked super crisp and "cleaned up."
My oldest got his first train set, a Lionel freight consist complete with a smoke generator in the smokestack, for Christmas when he was six. My parents spent the holiday with us that year and my dad brought his Lionel track and transformer that he had gotten for Christmas in 1949. The transformer was the massive Model Z, which could control up to four separate, independently-wired loops of track and was the most powerful transformer Lionel ever made.
We set up the loop of track in our basement and my son had a blast running it. He then allowed his younger brother, who was four, to run it. At four, all you want to do is run the train at full speed, which he duly did. My dad and I both had the same thought at the same time, that he should back it down a bit to avoid burning out the motor, and told him essentially in unison that he should slow it down.
At that moment, there was a popping noise, the headlamp went out, and the train coasted to a quick stop as smoke billowed out from underneath the locomotive. No fire, but the electronics were fried. Fortunately, it was under warranty and we were able to get it repaired at no cost. My oldest never let his brother run his train again.
JG, you are thinking of the First Army Group. The Third Army was the formation Patton commanded from the Normandy breakout through the end of the war.
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