1959 Main Street Snoozles™
Today's scans are from 1959, and would be pretty nice views of Main Street USA - except that they are just a bit soft (in other words, blurry). Bummer! But they are still worth a look, in spite of this flaw.
Here's a look toward Main Street Station as seen from around the southernmost edge of the Plaza. Two streetcars are about to pass each other - does anybody know how the drivers of the streetcars coordinate with one another? After all, they must meet up at that "passing siding" (or whatever it's called) at the same time. This gray overcast day probably didn't look quite as gloomy to the eye, perhaps the clouds burned off later in the day.
Next is a view looking northwest looking at the Coca Cola Refreshment Corner, where the half-red, half-white lightbulb brought joy and happiness to millions! Just imagine how happy people would be to see a lightbulb painted THREE colors?! Speaking of lightbulbs, some of them are lit, which makes me wonder if this picture was actually taken much later in the day? I wouldn't think that they'd be on in the morning.
I'm still away from home, but should be home SOON!
14 comments:
Major-
"Two streetcars are about to pass each other - does anybody know how the drivers of the streetcars coordinate with one another?"
They used rock paper scissors to determine who would proceed first, naturally-!
Thanks, Major.
I think the streetcar drivers used a string and two tin cans to coordinate when they would both leave their respective starting points.
That little rectangular planter in the niche between the Penny Arcade and the Candy Palace is interesting. Actually, the niche itself is interesting. Today, there is a door in that niche, which leads into the Candy Palace. So just where is that planter today? Gee, they ruin everything! ;-)
Thanks for the Sunday Snoozles, Major!
The slight "softness" and the muted color makes this photo look like a frame from an 8mm home movie. We can see the nose of the Carnation truck on the right.
Hmm, unless these horses are walking backwards, the two Streetcars have already passed each other. But your question is still valid and, I too, would like to know how the drivers coordinate. I like that orange, blue, and white shirt the guy on the left is wearing.
The Streetcar horse is wearing a fancy hat! It looks like a character of some sort but I can't tell what, or who. Doesn't look like any guests are on the Streetcar, just the two CMs; Ralph and Ed. Shouldn't we be seeing decorative trashcans on Main Street by this time?
OK, it looks like everybody is gonna express their own theory on how the Streetcars coordinate. So here's mine: The horses are telepathic! They just know when to start.
The gloomy lighting takes these scans down a notch or two, as does the slight blur. So I can see how they landed in your Snoozle box. But they are still pretty nice! Thanks, Major.
How do they coordinate? Two words: radio telegraphy.
The capability was installed completely by accident thanks to a typo in the original blueprints. The mistake wasn’t noticed until July 15th, 1955, as Walt personally oversaw testing of the streetcars in action. In classic Walt fashion, his response was, “What the @#$& is this? [cough, cough] Eh, that’ll work. No time to fix this $#€@ anyway. Hey, Joe - who’s working on the Latin weed signs?”
Fortunately there was just enough time to get signs repainted and tickets reprinted. It was a near thing, but they managed to pull it off. Today, the telegraph keys and hidden antennas are the only visual reminder that this attraction was almost called the “Morse-drawn Streetcar.”
TM!, that planter is an odd detail. I’d never noticed it, but it appears there was a door in that alcove from the beginning. Check out this 1958 shot from Daveland (I’ll Venmo you $50, Major). I guess the alcove is deep enough that the door isn’t obvious in most photos of the street.
I’m wondering if that planter, which appears to be on casters, was wheeled into position to block public entry. I can’t remember the interior layout very well, but wasn’t the counter along that wall? Maybe that door led straight into the area behind the counter. Or maybe on chilly days it led to a draft that was uncomfortable for the cast members. Hypothermia is no joke.
I think they use 'Horse Sense'.
I feel fuzzy.
Thanks Major
Zach
I like these pictures, they are clear enough to be interesting and blurry enough to be tantalizing.
The horse car conductors play “chicken” by running the cars straight at each other as fast as they can, and whoever doesn’t blink wins. Later in the afternoon, they drag race for pink slips.
I see several plain green trash cans in photo 1, at least three, and maybe a fourth lost in the haze of distance, and at least two in photo 2.
Major, you have dated these to 1959, what evidence do you have for that? I’m not questioning your dating, but it could completely upset my scheme for photo dating based on trash can livery, because I would date these no later than early 1957.
Several years back, you had a picture of the Main Street Opera House, and there were several trash cans in the picture, some plain green, and some with the green/yellow/red fancy scheme. Mike Cozart had dated the picture, based on the posters displayed at the Opera House doors, at some time in mid-1957. The second photo from the same batch was looking back toward the Station, and had similar mix of can designs. So, based on this, and some other posts, I’ve come to think that the green cans were being phased out and replaced, starting on Main Street in 1957.
Now I’m worried. My whole trash can house of cards could be tumbling down around my ears.
Hope the weather is good where you are, enjoy your visit!
JG
"Two streetcars are about to pass each other - does anybody know how the drivers of the streetcars coordinate with one another?"
That's the famous experiment known as the Disneyland Trolley Problem. The newest Cast Member gets taken to a secret room overlooking Main Street, where they have to pull a lever and decide which streetcar full of innocent guests has to crash and die. It's one of those hard facts Walt was always on about, and the Cast Member gets one credit in Sociology from CalArts.
I think today's Vintage Fashion Award has to go to the little boy in the striped shirt and shorts, Captain Spaulding pith helmet, and black socks. I like the cut of his jib.
Haha I meant blurry
Chuck, Wow...... that's the longest set-up for the corniest pun in GDB history!
JG, yeah, 1957. That's what I was thinking too. But don't get overwhelmed with angst, there's always Trashcans Anonymous for people like us... well, like you. :-p
Melissa, ah. The Kobayashi Maru test that Kirk had to deal with in Star Fleet Academy. The answer for the new CM? Rig the test!
TM!, that planter is an odd detail. I’d never noticed it, but it appears there was a door in that alcove from the beginning.
Chuck, maybe Walt liked to put that planter right in front of the doorway at times, just to watch people trip and fall? Walt was a practical joker, but he was heavily insured. He even bought Lillian a piece of the rock.
I can’t remember the interior layout very well, but wasn’t the counter along that wall?
Chuck, when I was a kid, there were shelves along that wall to the left (just after entering that door) and there was a very shallow counter below that with more merchandise, but it was a part of the shelving. The counter with the cash register, which the employees stood behind was to the right. And the very back portion of the shop that is there today (that runs north and south) was a part of the Penny Arcade. In the nineties, the shop expanded into that space. and then some years later (in the 2000's?), the shop expanded southward into the main central Penny Arcade space. Why? Because they ruin everything! In Major's pic and the pic you provided a link for, you can see there is a door on the far right of the shop, which was eventually turned into a window. That doorway was why I was assuming there must not have been another door in that niche....well, that and the fact that the planter that looks like it would be in the way. But from the pic you provided, it looks like the door opened inward. Based on those two doors, and what we can see inside one of the doors, I'm sure the shop had even a different configuration that what I grew up with. Thanks for that link, Chuck!
Thank you, JB. I’ll pretend that was a compliment.
TM!, He even bought Lillian a piece of the rock. I’m sure he thought Lillian wood love it.
"TM!, He even bought Lillian a piece of the rock. I’m sure he thought Lillian wood love it."
O-PAL-leese, stop with the puns, TM and Chuck.
:op
Blurry and fuzzy Zach....hee hee
Fun walk down Main Street with everyone. Major, hurry back, we miss you!
"I’m sure he thought Lillian wood love it."
Chuck, how could she knot love it?
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