Along the River, June 1962
Gosh, it's been about ten minutes since our last visit to Frontierland. I still maintain that it is the most-photographed land, though I have no hard data to back up that claim.
First up is this nice sunny photo of the Friendly Indian Village, at the north end of the river (and right near the train tracks). Shiny boy and his faithful pooch watch as our steamboat passes, perhaps wondering what life is like for the people on board. The tribe members are all involved in useful chores, from food preparation and preservation to the cleaning of hides.
I feel like the photographer must have been a guy (though I suppose that is sexist) - the mechanical wonder of the steamboat would be fascinating to somebody in the mid-20th Century.
12 comments:
Major-
I'm always a sucker for the Friendly Indian Village, in spite of the number of times we've spied-upon this familial scene. I keep expecting one day to notice someone performing a headstand, though...
Thanks, Major.
I think that last pic might have been snapped by accident, as the photographer was falling over the railing and into the paddle wheel. Fortunately, their camera didn't go with them, and we get to enjoy this photo 64 years later.
Thanks, Major!
Not to worry, TM!, each paddle is equipped with special 'fingers' gently moving falling bodies away from certain danger within the paddle.
Heck, in the 21st century, I'm still fascinated by the mechanical wonder of the steamboat. I could zone out into a hypnotic gaze on that paddlewheel the entire trip.
Thanks, Major.
"Gosh, it's been about ten minutes since our last visit to Frontierland". I know, right? I was starting to get withdrawal symptoms!
Shiny Boy doesn't look all that shiny here. Slather some oil on that kid! He's gotta keep up his reputation! Am I missing it, or are the papeeses just not out baking in the sun today? I don't know who created the tribal members for this vignette but they did an excellent job sculpting them and getting them in life-like poses. Is that another dog to the left of the center teepee? I don't remember seeing him before.
No wonder those small pedal/paddle boat watercraft, like we saw at the Disneyland Hotel a while back take so much effort to get anywhere. They don't have BIG enough paddles! If they had a Mark Twain-sized set of paddles you could go mach 2 in those things! There's something pleasing about the orange-y coloration of the paddle wheel.
Tokyo! & Nanook: Boy, and I thought I was the one who usually posted silly comments! :-p
Ken M., I think I could too.
Thank you, Major.
I think I'm just as fascinated by the shadow on the water in the last pic, caused, I'm assuming, by an expanding cloud of exhaust steam.
Major, look no further than the GDB back catalog for unscientific proof of the Frontierland thesis. Although the blog may be skewed by the vast number of Mysterious Benefactor pics. I think more photos might be taken here because of the long river cruise, ample time to enjoy the views and still frame a couple of shots. Whatever the reason, I am grateful.
The FIV is a fine tableau, even if Shiny Boy needs a spa day. And I’m with Ken and Steve, I could ride the MT twice around just watching the engine and paddles.
Thanks for more Frontierland pics, Major!
JG
Nanook, maybe someday they can add Stitch to the scene? You’ll be able to hear him belch.
TokyoMagic! I can’t imagine anybody falling off of the Mark Twain, and yet… I’ll bet it happened at least once in the past 70+ years. I’d love to know!
Nanook, are those the “magic fingers” I’ve heard so much about?
K. Martinez, I admit that I am fascinated by it too!
JB, Shiny Boy must have applied some powder to take off some of the shine. But it doesn’t last. I’m not sure when those papeese were added to the scene, but I assume it was not until at least the 1970s. Based on zero research. You make a good point about having a bigger paddle, and I will speak to the brass at Disneyland and see what they can come up with.
Steve DeGaetano, ha, I’m sure you’re right, that’s the shadow of a puff of steam!
JG, finally, some science and facts! We can theorize all day, but where does that get us? We do have a ton of Frontierland pics courtesy of the Mysterious Benefactor. And guess what? He just sent me another smaller batch from another “land” for future use! If I was at the park by myself, I feel like I could happily ride the Mark Twain four or five times in a row.
Shiny boy is indeed "Matte" today, and perhaps during hair and makeup this fine morning in 1962 he asked the makeup artist to "tone it down a bit: I am frequently photographed"....the guys in the back working however seem to full full blown sweaty shine...to each his own. Steaming hot papeese seem to be missing for sure...in Norway we keep the babies out in the cold during winter, I think I've told that story, so it makes sense that these Native American People would keep the bundled papeese outside whilst they had their coffee or probably more authentic: yaupon holly drink. Onto the mechanics of the river. I too enjoy a more orange/spicy paddlewheel. I recently bought a small piece of Lignum Vitae, or commonly known as "Iron Wood"...it is very very strictly controlled, and basically not something you would pick up at Home Depot...in any case: it's a beautiful striped jade green color, and after doing some research I did find that these sternwheelers did use Lignum Vitae as the properties of wood were self lubricating, and had many other practical uses. Also: since it is a "sinking wood" (literally sinks in water) it was used for propellers, bearings and other ship-y things in the 19th century and beyond, which is why there isn't much left anymore. I"m going to use my small sample block for something, however you have to get special knives and power tool saw blades as it is extremely hard. So: it looks great on my shelf, and perhaps that's the best place for it. Thanks Major for the photos of the most photographed part of the Park...(and you may be correct on that, save for "icons" like the Matterhorn or Castle.)
Steve DeG, that 'shadow' is actually a giant sea turtle just under the surface of the water. For a while, Disneyland was having quite a problem with giant sea turtles infesting the RoA, creating navigation hazards.
Major, the papeese were not added until the seventies? I thought they were there much earlier. Again, based on zero research.
Bu, I used to be a cook at a senior residential community for several years, and one of the residents was an avid woodworker. He made small name plaque holders to set on the dining room tables. He fashioned them out of many types of wood (with the name of the wood written on the bottom of the holder). A couple of the holders were made of iron wood and boy were they heavy! The holders were only about 5" long and 1x1 inches wide/tall. Those iron wood holders must've weighed half a pound each!
Bu, sometimes when we aren’t feeling well we aren’t at our shiniest. A spoonful of lard or even vegetable shortening will cure what ails ya! Stir in some sugar for engergy. What do you mean they keep babies out in the cold in Norway? Babies are babies after all, I discovered this after years of study. They are sensitive. Yaupon holly drink, that’s a new one on me. I’ve heard of Lignum Vitae, but have never held a piece. I’ll bet it is hell on saw blades. It seems like it would be sort of overkill, though I guess if it is that tough, maybe it would last for years, instead of needing replacing every few months. I used to go to a place near Pasadena, “Arroyo Hardwoods”, they had some amazing kinds of wood. I remember “purple heart”. And some stuff that was heavy, maybe it was Lignum Vitae. Anyway, I went out there with a friend because they were nice about cutting panels for paintings to custom sizes, and we were stunned to find that they were no longer there. Bummer.
JB, your comment reminds me of a scene in one of the “Song of Ice and Fire” books (by George R.R. Martin), in which characters are on a boat on a river, and a gigantic turtle rises up from the water, and it roars (or trumpets or whatever). It was considered a blessing to see him. He was covered in barnacles and water weed. I’m reasonably sure about the papeese being added in the 70s, but somebody could convince me otherwise. I watch lots of woodworkers on YouTube, and it occurred to me that wood is an amazing substance! We take it for granted.
I think I'm just as fascinated by the shadow on the water in the last pic, caused, I'm assuming, by an expanding cloud of exhaust steam.
Steve, it's a SHMOO!</aL ;-)
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