It's always a bit of a disappointment to scan some early Disneyland slides that appear (to the naked eye) to be very nice, but they turn out to be just a little bit out of focus. Today's examples are from a lot from March, 1957, and while they have their flaws, they are still worth a gander.
It's a beautiful, sunny day, though perhaps cooler than you might think (notice a number of coats and sweaters). Looks perfect to me. The entrance to Frontierland looks a bit sparse, but that's how life on the plains was. Trees were not plentiful, because they were all cut down to build log forts, stockades, cabins, and 6-11s (they change the name to "7-11" in the 1940s). You can still see some of the stumps of trees in the lower left, I don't think those remained there for much longer (tree stumps became a valuable resource during the Cold War).
This next one was a real heartbreaker, I always love a good view of the pre-Nature's Wonderland Mine Trains in their original dark green paint scheme. Lucky guests ride up in the locomotive while a brave Redshirt keeps an eye out for mountain lions and vampire bats. The train is passing through the Saguaro Forest, and it looks like some California poppies have sprung up on that hillside. Our State flower! Just over that mini-berm is the tallest mast of the Pirate Ship.
Major-
ReplyDelete"... and it looks like some California poppies have sprung up on that hillside. Our State flower!"
I prefer Iceland poppies, with their large, colorful bowl-shaped flowers. But 'when in Rome', I must yield to the California poppy. Here's to the Rainbow Mountain Railroad.
Thanks, Major.
I bet those 6-11s had the exact same weenies rotating in the warmer that todays 7-11s have. Not just similar, the exact same ones! (Thank goodness for preservatives!)
ReplyDeleteThe focus is a little screwy on this first one. The left half is blurry, while the right half is mostly in focus. Obviously, the Park was sliding into a black hole, and the south (left) side of the Park was already in the early stages of 'spaghettification'; thus the blur. Evidently, the photographer is part of the group on the bridge, who are looking at us.
OK, in this photo, the lower half is (mostly) in focus while the upper half is not. Not sure if it's the black hole effect again. We can see that strange cactus that looks like one of those advertising "Tube Men" flippity-flopping from the air blower underneath. What does the little white sign say?
I suppose these would be considered 'average' Snoozles. Not bad, just a little flawed. Thanks, Major.
We can see that strange cactus that looks like one of those advertising "Tube Men" flippity-flopping from the air blower underneath. What does the little white sign say?
ReplyDeleteJB, that sign says, "GO SEE CAL!"
Thanks for this week's Snoozles, Major!
I’m out of town this weekend so I could not double check what the sign reads but I believe it says “BRAKE” a message to the engineer… I’m sure Ken Stack will recall for sure.
ReplyDelete