There is always something a little bit special about old Disneyland slides from the first year or two of operation. While today's examples are undated, they are likely from 1956 (more on that in a minute).
I love this first photo of two women, one of whom is dropping a postcard (?) into one of the mailboxes on Main Street. Town Square is practically deserted; I'd guess that it was still early in the year, Christmas decor is no longer on the Emporium, but the lady to the left is prepared for a chilly evening.
This second scan is from a damaged slide, but we get a nice look at the Bertha Mae at rest near Fowler's Harbor. The Keelboats made their debut on Christmas day in 1955; I don't know if the park didn't operate this attraction in the off-season, or if it hadn't actually opened yet. Or what. But it's a swell photo anyway.
Major-
ReplyDeleteSome nice images from an early Disneyland. Always love seeing shots from Fowler's Harbor. As for that 1st image, I'm fairly confident the gal in the gray suit is actually mailing her taxes off to the IRS-!
Thanks, Major.
The lady on the right has a camera that is encased in a protective leather 'skin'. My dad always had his camera in one of those. When the camera is in use, the leather flap in front would hang down below the lens. Occasionally, if you were aiming the camera downward, part of that flap would get 'in frame' and partially spoil your picture. We have several views from the top of Seattle's Space Needle like that. My mom thought my dad got his thumb in front of the lens, but it was the leather flap. Do we know for sure that this lady is making a deposit, and not a withdrawal? ;-p
ReplyDeleteI was trying to discern what those designs are on the others lady's skirt. Fruit? Paisley designs? Sea Monkeys? Amoebas?
My, that IS a nice photo of the Bertha Mae! Is that a train tunnel in the upper left of the picture? Or maybe it's a building of some sort?
Splendiferous photos today, Major. Thanks.
@ JB-
ReplyDelete"Is that a train tunnel in the upper left of the picture?"
Indeed it is... just look HERE where you can see it in its state 'of becoming'.
Nanook, you scared me! I was going to make that exact statement about the lady mailing her 1955 tax return, before reading your comment! "Great minds think alike" or "A rolling chicken gathers no moss before it's hatched." Or something like that.
ReplyDeleteThanks for these early views of the park, Major!
Oh, seeing the Keel Boat reminded me of something! This Sunday on MeTV, the show will be featuring Garner Holt's personal collection. In the commercial, they show a Keel Boat, a Dumbo vehicle, and a 1978 Matterhorn bobsled.
ReplyDeleteHere's the episode description from the MeTV site: "Garner Holt is a designer and manufacturer of animatronic figures for medical, military, and entertainment uses; but in Garner’s case, his business is also very much his pleasure. He’s assembled a world-class personal collection of animatronics and other artifacts from Disney theme parks, and has invited Lisa and Collector’s Call to come on in and possibly hop on board! Among the spectacular pieces we’ll feature are a Dumbo vehicle from the aerial ride named after the cartoon elephant; a turtle from Disneyland’s original Submarine Voyage ride; a pirate-ship themed car from the Peter Pan attraction; and a toboggan-shaped Matterhorn ride vehicle. Garner also share some other pieces of vintage Disney park memorabilia, including a Disneyland Opening Day gold ticket for VIPs; and Adventure Thru Inner Space miniature; and more."
The show comes on Sunday, at 6:30 p.m., Pacific Standard Time, but check your local listings for the times in your area.....as they say.
I guess I forgot to mention the name of the show (but it is mentioned in the listing description). The show is "Collector's Call" and it's hosted by Blair Warner of the Eastland School for girls. Sadly, Tootie won't be making an appearance.
ReplyDeleteAre those fishing nets laid out to dry next to the keel boat?
ReplyDeleteMajor, I agree on the early date for these. Photo 1 has a plain green trash can. I think that lady is mailing a postcard to herself and is getting the act photographed so they can follow the letter portal-to-portal. Notice the long shadows, late in the day. Maybe they are on the way home after a long day?
ReplyDeleteGreat photo of the keelboat! And Fowler’s Harbor too. I just scanned a really crummy photo of it that I took in high school, too dark to share. Look at that long line of benches waiting for tired guests. You don’t see that nowadays. “Get up, get in a line, do a meet-and-greet, order food, buy plushies and t-shirts!”
Maybe back then there were more people who just got general admission and sat watching people? Thanks for these oldies, Major!
JG
Nanook, good point, if I could, I would pay income taxes every day!
ReplyDeleteJB, ha, I’ve definitely posted a few photos on GDB with that leather flap popping up from the bottom. It must have been a pretty common issue back in the days of those camera cases. I guess those were like the iPhone protectors of their day. I can’t quite make out the pattern on that lady’s skirt. Galaxies? Yes, that is the tunnel for the DLRR.
Nanook, well, now I have to pay Daveland another fee.
TokyoMagic!, Nanook knows all, sees all.
TokyoMagic!, sounds like Garner Holt spent a lot of money at the Richard Kraft auction. I thought another collector bought the Keelboat, unless that guy subsequently sold it to Holt.
TokyoMagic!, I’ve only seen brief clips of that show, my brother showed me the collection of a guy who has a ton of monster masks. Tootie is too busy living la vida loca.
Tommy Tsunami, yes! You see those nets in early photos, I like that they give an impression that fishermen just went out for lunch and would be back soon.
JG, you’d think I would learn about the trashcan dating technique, but I guess it will never stick. I thought the same thing about the ladies possibly being on their way out of the park, but remembered that photo of them looking in the window of the China Closet, which I believe was taken after the sun set. I’d look for it to link to it, but I am too lazy. Plus I need to go get my hair cut, I look like a darn hippie! It does make me a bit sad that there are not so many benches these days - I’ve actually had to wander around to look for a place to sit later in the day.
Major-
ReplyDeleteThe image with the China Closet is from the April 15th post.
Garner Holt also gets to deduct all those collection items from his taxes!
ReplyDeleteThere’s actually two tunnels : the Santa Fe & DL RR right-of-way and the tunnel leading guests into the Indian Village.
This is a very early image of “Fowler’s Harbor” mostly rebuilt by the time the Columbia is added. Prior to 1958 there was still plans for RIVERTOWN to be built where the harbor is. Before the Columbia was selected there were already considerations for a second “big boat” including another Riverboat WED was using the plans for The Cotton Blossom ( provided by Harper Goff) thought it appears the riverboat would have been given a different name. Another contender had been Robert Fulton ‘s CLAREMONT ( Americas first steam boat ) but it was going to resemble the later rebuild when it was given decorative railings and awnings for passengers protection ( not from the sun or rain but from hot sparks spewing from the ship’s stack! The plans for New Orleans Square knocked RIVER TOWN , MIKE FINK’S RIVER TOWN etc off the drawing boards altogether .
A similar plan featuring a Fur Trapper’s Village was considered along the docks of Bear Country and would have allowed boarding of the Columbia from a elevated dock ( which became the dining terrace of Golden Bear Lodge / Hungry Bear ) the canoes and keelboats would also have been a part of the Fur Trapper’s waterfront . A revision of this 1972 concept was revamped as a concept called “Klondike stilt village “ in the 1990’s
Davy Crockett was the unexpected hit of the Disneyland TV show, so they moved pretty quickly to put his name on attractions I assume were already under construction. Were the keelboats even considered before they filmed the Mike Fink episodes? If they were already in the Imagineers' sketches, is it possible that influenced the decision to use them in a Davy Crockett sequel?
ReplyDeleteMr. Cozart: Do you know if they ever considered bringing Zorro into Frontierland, beyond personal appearances? Casa de Fritos could have become Don Diego's Hacienda in short order, with a figure of El Niño de Fritos.
DBENSON: yes - there are concepts that feature a much larger extensive “Mexican” village as opposed to the small section of Casa Mexicana. In fact the largest of the fountains located at WDW’s CARIBBEAN PLAZA ; “Fuente De La Fortuna” was originally designed for the undeveloped Disneyland Mexican village. In some of the concept art you can see a Zorro hiding above the clay rooftops . In 1979 when the Big Thunder Trail was completed linking Fantasyland to Frontierland ( to allow inner park access to the Discovery Bay project ) a live Zorro greeted guests making their way into Frontierland.
ReplyDeleteThe first Disneyland Keelboats were retrofitted props used in the Davey Crockett productions … by the late 60’s fiberglass hulled NEW keelboats were created for Walt Disney World and Frontierland.
MAJOR: you are correct ; but TWO of those same keelboats are in collector’s hands : one from Disneyland the other from Walt Disney World.
Nanook, THAT’S IT!
ReplyDeleteMike Cozart, I’ll bet Garner Holt DID get a tax deduction! We can’t really see the tunnel that guests would walk through to the Indian Village in that second photo, but I know it’s there. I love the idea of Rivertown; it sounds like the only attractions that would have gone with it were two additional boats. Not that that’s a bad thing! In the end, I am very happy with our beautiful New Orleans Square, I think that we ultimately got the best option. Fur Trapper’s Village! Wow, I have NEVER heard of that one. It’s enticing to think of what these concepts might have been like, especially when Walt and the Imagineers were firing on all cylinders.
DBenson, I can only imagine how amazed (and happy) Walt was when Davy Crockett became such a phenomenon. Who would have ever guessed? I assume that the Keelboats were not a ride concept until the show took off.
Mike Cozart, while I love Zorro as part of Disney’s history, it feels as if it was way too much a thing of the past by the time Walt Disney World was being built, and certainly by 1979. BUT… maybe they could have done something clever that captured guest’s imagination. I’m trying to imagine a Zorro ride! Thank you for the clarification on the Keelboats in collector hands, I didn’t even consider that there would be any from WDW!
"A thing of the past" ... Wondering what percentage of youngsters queueing up for Peter Pan and Mister Toad have seen the movies they're based upon.
ReplyDelete