GORILLAS DON'T BLOG

Knott's Berry Farm, June 1962

2012-02-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

More fun from Knott's....

Granny is falling hard for Handsome Brady, and who can blame her. He's the strong, silent type, and he doesn't even smell bad. And I'm guessing that the sack next to him is full of gold dust. GOLD!

The Chicken Dinner restaurant is what made everything else possible at Knott's. Who knew that people were so crazy about fried chicken and pie? I like this twilight photo, with the warm lights inside luring us like moths to a flame. Meanwhile, I'm not sure when I started loving vintage station wagons so much, but I would gladly own either one of those babies in the middle.

The Wagon Camp was where many a performance took place. Cowboy music, square dancing, jello wrestling, stuff like that. Those stone benches were formed by millions of years of water and wind and UFOs.

Hmmm, I'm not sure what that building is behind these folks. The Saloon? If anybody knows, please share!

Baloo & Louis

2012-02-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

"The Jungle Book" was the last animated feature that Walt Disney was personally involved with; it opened in 1967 to huge success! In this photo from 1970, Baloo and King Louie (arguably two of the most popular characters from The Jungle Book) confront each other somewhere in Adventureland. I think one of them has a switchblade! Why don't they solve their differences with a "dance-off" the way everyone else does?

Now we hop forward to the 1980's (when I had my "Flock of Seagulls" hairdo) for a look at "America Sings". There's the Swamp Boys, performing "Polly Wolly Doodle" in the first act of this all Audio-Animatronic show. I confess that I was not a big fan of America Sings - I missed my "Carousel of Progress" too much!

The Queen Mary, Long Beach

2012-01-31T00:01:00.000-08:00

Ahoy, salty dogs! Today we be visitin' the most fearsome ship that ever sailed the Atlantic Ocean - The Queen Mary. You can do a search on this blog for info about the QM. Or visit your local liberry!

There she is, looking mighty fine. And as big as she is, today's cruise ships make her look like she needs to eat more steak. For instance, in the Queen's heyday, her weight was around 81,000 gross tons. The modern-day "Allure of the Seas" weighs in at over a quarter of a million tons!

Here is an artistic view of a smokestack, (also called "funnels" because they were used to pour sugar into bottles). As I said in an earlier post, the original funnels had to be replaced when it was discovered that the only thing holding the rusted metal together was many layers of paint. Notice the two great horns, also known as "tooty things".

Can somebody explain to me why ships like these usually had a large mast? Was it for radio communications?

I want to pull every one of those levers, and yell, "Ice berg, dead ahead!" into the speaking tube. And meet Kate Winslet, maybe. I'm sure she reads this blog.

Is this still something you can see on the QM? I remember looking down into the large enclosed pool that contained the giant bronze screw. Yes, I said it.

I have more photos from the Queen Mary, like it or not!

Jungle Cruise, May 1965

2012-01-30T00:01:00.000-08:00

Howsabout some scenes from the fabulous Jungle Cruise?

There's the "lost safari", so I guess we found 'em. That rhinoceros has chased them up that tree, and when they finally grow weary, he will gobble them up. Because that's what rhinos do.

You'll just have to take my word for it when I tell you that there is a group of headhunters behind that foliage. Headhunters are cool! So are shrunken heads, which are the perfect accessory for any season. They never go out of style!

Schweitzer Falls! I've always wondered if that "back side of water" gag was written by Wally Boag; it is funny and corny, which seems to be his trademark. Does anybody know?

More Last Frontier, Las Vegas - 1955

2012-01-29T00:01:00.000-08:00

This is a sort of follow-up to this post from a few weeks ago; you remember! The Last Frontier Hotel and Casino. It was the most huggable casino ever.

This guy is admiring a car that was probably made around the time he was born. Maybe he owned one just like it when he was a teenager, when he took Betty Lou to the nickelodeon. Notice that the buildings show some Chinese influence, adding a touch of historical accuracy to the olde-timey Western town.

It's hard to believe that there was a time when old steam locomotives were valued only as scrap, unless you needed an eye-catching display for some reason. This old girl probably hauled ore and tailings around the old west back in the 1800's. Now she has a dummy in her cab!

To the left you can see the livery stable, and even some horses; at one time folks could take a ride out into the desert, away from the glitz of The Strip. General Store was one of the Civil War's most famous officers, and here is a museum devoted just to him. Inspiring!

Are you sick of the Last Frontier yet? I have more if you want to see it!

Anything Goes Saturday - The Matterhorn

2012-01-28T00:01:00.000-08:00

We all love the Matterhorn, with its thrilling bobsled ride, and the memories of the Skyway passing through it. But hey! there is another Matterhorn! Who knew! It's located in the Pennine Alps between Italy and Switzerland. This one doesn't have any crazy rides, but I guess I like it anyway. Here are a couple of photos circa 1955, in glorious Kodachrome.

Isn't that totally boss? I believe that this photo was taken from the nearby Gornergrat, which affords visitors a spectacular view of its neighbor, when the weather cooperates (it was completely clouded over when I went years ago). If there was ever a mountain that needed to be climbed, it would be the Matterhorn! It was finally summited in 1865, but over the next 130 years, 500 other climbers lost their lives, so it is no cakewalk.

As for that semi-ruined building, it might be what is now a hotel - the "Kulmhotel Gornergrat". It's hard for me to say, but I'll bet somebody out there knows.

Another nice photo, with plenty of tourists relaxing at an outdoor cafe. A railway (the "Gornergratbahn") carries folks up, and they can hike down if they choose. That's what I did, it's not terribly strenuous, and man is it beautiful!

I zoomed in on the crowd, mostly because I like the woman near the middle who is enjoying the warmth of the sun. Don't you wish you were sitting at one of those tables with your cappucino and a croissant?

Tomorrowland, April 29 1956

2012-01-27T00:01:00.000-08:00

I hope today's photos make you as happy as they make me! Of all of the "lands", the pre-1959 Tomorrowland fascinates me the most. So much of Tomorrowland's history is poory documented, leaving us only with intriguing titles like "The World Beneath Us", "Space Station X-1", and the "Color Gallery" (though one or two photos have sprung up to whet my appetite even more).

This first picture was taken from the entrance to Tomorrowland; swivel your head to the left and there was Circarama, the pre-cursor to "Circlevision 360". The first film shown in this format was "A Tour of the West", and as far as I know, no copy is known to exist. Hopefully it will be discovered in one of Disney's vaults someday! Imagine seeing the American west in glorious color, circa 1955!

Without taking a step, we look to our right, and can see the façade of Monsanto's "Hall of Chemistry". Another attraction I'd give my prehensile tail to see! Even if it was just full of beakers of colored water and bubbling dry ice, I would be a happy fella. Throw in some blinky lights, and I'd be grinning for a week. The Hall of Chemistry would survive until September 1966!

New York World's Fair Assortment

2012-01-26T00:01:00.000-08:00

It's time for another visit to the Fair!

This must have been quite a sight for weary New Yorkers on their daily commutes - the gleaming World's Fair buildings, in all their strange futuristic shapes. Imagine it at night, too! And even though the Fair was only there for about 18 months (with a 6 month winter hiatus), people probably got used to the view and didn't even notice it any more. It's human nature!

From the "moon roof" of the Eastman Kodak pavilion (see it here) comes this view looking sort of south and west; to our left you can see the square top of the "House of Japan". The Austrian pavilion has the 3 laminated-spruce a-frame supports that actually suspended the building 15 feet off the ground! Just to the right of the 7-up tower, you can see a golden, spiked ball. What is that?

It's the "Solar Fountain"! The fountain, situated in a 120-foot diameter pool, consists of a golden bubble with sparkling glass inserts. A vertical column, 40-feet high, supports a 6-foot diameter golden sunburst waterfall.

Now, if you go back to photo #2 and imagine looking just slightly to your left, you get a good look at the "Sermons From Science" building (with the huge Unisphere looming in the background). This would be the third time that a Sermons From Science pavilion had been at a World's Fair (it was also at the 1939 NYWF, and the 1962 Expo). A California pastor came up with the idea of using scientific demonstrations as a way of communicating Biblical concepts to younger audiences. Presentations included "Eyes That See In Darkness", "A Cry That Shatters Glass", and "A Flashlight That Talks".

It's A Small World, June 1968

2012-01-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

Here are four more photos from somebody who really loved "It's a Small World"!

When you are one of the Three Little Pigs, you are used to adoration and stardom. It just comes with the territory. Which piggy is this? The "Piper Pig"? Or the "Fiddler Pig"? Either way, that young girl is thrilled! Meanwhile, check out the guy who has completely unbuttoned his shirt. Thank goodness for t-shirts! I'll bet he wishes he had a cold can of Pabst Blue Ribbon.

The Big Bad Wolf has mellowed since 1933. Now he loves kids, especially when they are fricasseed. The older of the two boys notices that the wolf is covered in the same shag carpeting that can be found in his front hallway.

I hope that Apple sponsors "It's a Small World" and that the façade is changed to a smooth, glossy white rectangle!

Did you know that topiaries contain NO tapioca?

Souvenir Dungeon - Kibbles and Bits

2012-01-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

Here are some oddball Disneyland souvenirs that you might enjoy taking a look at! They don't have to be ultra rare to be fun.

Hey looky, it's a li'l plastic Mark Twain in a li'l plastic bottle! It's resting on a blue marshmallow blob. This cheesy item is probably from the late 1960's or the 1970's; it was cheap, and I really like it! (The glued-on end of the bottle says "Walt Disney Productions" on it, in case you were wondering).

Months ago I posted photos of some metal "tip trays" featuring Main Street vehicles. Here's another one that I just got, with the lovable and infrugable Omnibus.

I love pinback buttons, and I love postcards, and this souvenir combines them both. This giant button (about 6 inches across) has a lenticular postcard (those are the kind that have a 3-D effect when you wiggle them) affixed to it. There were 3 other lenticular cards in this set, so I can only assume that there were 3 other buttons too.

Here's the back of the thing, for those of you who are curious...

Special Guest Monday! Knott's Berry Farm (part two)

2012-01-23T00:01:00.000-08:00

Here are the last four vintage Knott's photos from GDB reader Bill Youmans! See part one HERE.

There's Bill (age 9) and his sister Barb (age 5) frolicking among the tombstones on Boot Hill. The headstone that Bill is looking at reads, "Joe McGee - Died April 1 1865 - Rest In Peace Until I Come - Your Widow Anna". I can't tell if that's supposed to be kind of beautiful, or really creepy!

What a great photo of the train! There's the ticket depot to its right. The new Calico Mine Train ride would be sort of behind us.

Dino the Donkey (that's what I call him, anyway) gets more lovin' from Bill and Barb (that's their mom Marian in the white dress). In the foreground you can see a bit of the arastra, which was a thingamabob originally used to crush gold ore.

And finally, Barb has just finished a slice of boysenberry pie! Mmmm-mmm. I'm jealous! I almost want to drive all the way to Knott's just for that.

I'd like to send a big THANK YOU to Bill Youmans for sharing his family photos from Knott's Berry Farm!

Universal Studios

2012-01-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

I recently acquired a group of slides from Universal Studios (California), from March, 1985. 1985? Why that was just yesterday, wasn't it? Seems like it, anyway. About half of the slides were a bit on the blurry side, but I decided to share them anyway. Hopefully they won't drive you too crazy.

Part of the famous tram tour takes you past the peaceful town of Amity, where there has been a series of gruesome shark attacks. (I believe that Amity used to be this nameless tropical harbor). See that snack - um, I mean person, sitting in that boat?

Well, he's just been violently yanked into the water, boat and all! A plume of bright pink/red water used to shoot up right afterwards. I used to go to Universal's "City Walk" (think Downtown Disney) fairly regularly, and from the parking garage way up on the hill I could look down onto this scene and watch the little boat repeatedly sink and re-set itself as trams came by. I could also hear the recorded screams of the fisherman!

Oh my gosh, it's a Blurry White Shark! They are much more dangerous than a Great White. I was at Universal just last year with my niece and nephew, and it was hilarious to see the looks on their faces when this mechanical shark lurched towards our tram.

And, just because I am trying to use up the blurry photos, here's a shot of the famous house from Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho". It always surprises me how little it looks when you are there. Notice the light on some scaffolding... I believe that "Psycho 3" would have been shooting right around March 1985 (the movie came out in July, 1986).

Stay tuned for more from Universal Studios!

Anything Goes Saturday - Atlantic City

2012-01-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

Today we're going to spend some time in Atlantic City, New Jersey!

AC's famous boardwalk opened in 1870, and was one of the first of its kind. It's over four miles long! That's a lot of boards. As you can see from the photo (circa June 1962), it was quite a place; sort of a cross between old Las Vegas and Times Square - except that there was an ocean right near by. To the right you can see some signs for attractions on the famous Steel Pier, including "Ripley's Believe It Or Not!", and the Diving Horses. Check out the enormous sign to the left, for Planters Peanuts...

There's Mr. Peanut himself, looking lightly-salted and elegant. Apparently there used to be a bench in Atlantic City with a sculpture of Mr. Peanut... you could sit next to him, touch him, confess your sins to him, and have your picture taken with him. But he's gone now...

From a different lot comes this bird's-eye view, taken from a nearby hotel (I assume). You can see lots of assorted carnival-style rides, including bumper cars, a Ferris Wheel, a carousel, a "spook house" (oh, how I wish I could see the spook house!), and much more. Notice the rows of pilings that probably helped to absorb the energy of storm waves in the winter.

POSTERAMA 21

2012-01-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

It's time for another installment of POSTERAMA! We're down to the last few (only three more)...

Technically this poster is for all of the Fantasyland dark rides, since the text mentions Snow White, Peter Pan, and Mr. Toad (Alice's ride didn't open until 1958, and she got her very own poster). But it's the Peter Pan attraction that gets the star treatment here! What a beautiful design. The golden pirate ship (able to fly because it is covered in golden pixie dust) carries a father and two kids above a moonlit London. Only six colored inks were used in this one (ultramarine blue, light blue, pink, brown, light brown, and yellow/gold), with the white of the paper allowing for a seventh hue.

Just for the halibut, take a look at these variations on the Peter Pan poster. On the left you'll see updated artwork for Disneyland (scanned from a note card). The design and colors have been futzed with, not necessarily for the better. Why have a soft pink when you can go with a vibrant magenta? And darnit, make those people orange! Why is the pirate ship yellow? Everyone knows a pirate ship is brown!

On the right is a version that was used at Euro Disneyland (nabbed from somewhere on the interwebs). A gradation has been added to the sky, along with some squishy Adobe Illustrator clouds. Neither version is terrible, but they don't beat the original either. Not that I'm biased or anything.

Twain and Columbia, July 7 1961

2012-01-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

It seems incredible to me, but this photo of the Mark Twain at its loading dock is unlike any other that I have! And I have plenty of pictures of the Mark Twain at the dock. The angle is unusual, and even dramatic! Maybe there's a bit more empty asphalt than I would normally want. Notice our girl with the fluffy hat to the right.

There goes the Columbia! Look at all the masts and spars and ropes and sails and stuff. In its day the original "Columbia" was probably the state-of-the-art in high-tech travel. Imagine going around the globe in this thing!

New York World's Fair, 1964

2012-01-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

Ford's "Magic Skyway" and GM's "Futurama" got a lot of press, but Chrysler had a pretty awesome series of exhibit's at the World's Fair too. One of the stranger offerings was the Autofare "Zoo", which featured fanciful sculptures of animals, entirely made from car parts. There was a porcupine (I see him in the background!), a frog, a mantis, and whatever the hell these two things are supposed to be. Caterpiggles?

Here's a great shot of Avis' "Antique Car Ride". Did Arrow Development have anything to do with this attraction? This must have been an "off the shelf" ride (don't get me wrong, I'm sure it was still fun). Wouldn't it have been cooler if the cars were all futuristic atomic cars? The Ford pavilion is in the background.

There's the familar Moon Dome, part of the Travel and Transportation pavilion (I call it the T&T pavilion, please don't go to the T&A pavilion by accident). Among the features seen here was a film sponsored by United Airlines about the miracle of jet travel; a flying saucer show (complete with a visit by martians!); "Around the World With The Navy" (another movie); and the attraction that you would see within the Moon Dome, "Beyond The Moon", which explored man's environment from the nucleus of an atom to outer space. Sounds very "Disney"!

First of all, I labeled this image "Timex", for reasons not clear to me. It was right after I bumped my head. This giant clock is not quite as cool as the Clock of the World at Disneyland, but it told you the time, and (judging by the number "10") also served as a landmark on maps (please correct me if I'm wrong!).

As always, stay tuned for more New York World's Fair images!

Entrance & Main Street, September 1963

2012-01-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

Today's first image was taken from a speeding Monorail as the photographer pointed his camera toward Main Street Station (and the exit). Somehow there is no blur at all! Well, maybe a little bit in the lower left, but still, I'm impressed. The grassy areas and rose beds are all long-gone (as are the water fountains, I presume). Bike racks show that some lucky kids lived near enough to not need mom and dad to drive them to the park. Imagine being able to ride your bike to the park whenever you wanted!

The Disneyland Band performs a noon-day concert, but the thing I like the best is the banner in the background: "Disneyland Welcomes Benny Goodman". For all you young'uns out there, Benny Goodman was famous for making adorable animals out of felt and googly eyes.

Special Guest Monday! Knott's Berry Farm (part one)

2012-01-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

For today's "Special Guest Monday", GDB reader Bill Youmans was kind enough to share some of his family's color photos from Knott's Berry Farm, circa June 1966.

Let's start with the great picture of Bill's sister Barb (age 5 here), standing next to her new friend. From the look on his face, he is enjoying having his noggin scratched; if only she had a carrot, everything would be perfect!

One of the sturdy little mine trains is just about to enter the Calico gold mine! Did you ever get the feeling that everyone is looking at you?

These guys are getting pretty fresh, but Nell and Belle have seen it all and can take care of themselves. In fact, they seem to be enjoying themselves. I emailed Bill to ask him about these follows, and here's what he had to say: "...that's my dad Ray on the left, and his buddy Rich (with glasses) on the right. They are both professionals (dentist and college professor), so its really funny to see them so out of character. And since we have the slides, my mom must have taken the picture!! They are really enjoying themselves! We drove to California from Kansas to visit Rich and his family, and they took us to KBF while we stayed with them in Long Beach. My recollection is that my father and Rich had known each other since the Army, and Rich had lived in Kansas near us and had moved to California in 1964, so my folks decided to visit them on our summer vacation in 1966. I believe my parents still get Christmas cards from Rich and Lois, so they are still in Long Beach and doing well!" It's so great that everyone is still around, and that they've been friends all these years.

Here comes the Stage Coach! They only lost 2 passengers on the journey this time - they were being chased by a pack of hungry wolves, and the guy who is waving pushed two nuns off the top of the coach. They were gobbled up in a trice, and the coach got away. When you think about it, "waving guy" is a hero.

You can't have photos from Knott's without a picture of Handsome Brady and Whisky Bill, loitering in front of the Gold Trail Hotel as usual. It's a good place to pick up half-smoked ceegars. Bill (our contributor) is to the left in his stylin' straw hat, his mom (Marian, now age 87!) is in the middle, and Barb has climbed way up Whisky Bill.

MANY THANKS to Bill Youmans! I'll have more of his Knott's slides to share with you next week.

Flower Mart & Matterhorn, September 1959

2012-01-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Flower Mart on West Center Street would not have enticed me at all, as pretty as it was. But there were bathrooms at the end, and those would have enticed me. Mr. Handyman is in the foreground, complete with his high school wood shop toolbox, his spirit level, and a handful of stakes (for vampires!).

Here's Christopher D. Miller's window; he was Walt Disney's grandson (born in 1954), and Walt was obviously pleased as punch. I'm guessing that he had visions of his grandson playing little league baseball and Pop Warner football, which made the gym an appropriate location for the tribute. I want my name on the massage parlor! How can I make that happen?

A daring climber can be seen at the peak of the Matterhorn; I am reminded of the Grinch lurking atop Mt. Crumpit. The structure in the foreground hid the boat storage area for Storybook Land; since this view was visible from the Disneyland Railroad, I am surprised that the powers-that-be seemed OK with the jumble of ladders and scaffolding.

Anything Goes Saturday - Pleasure Island

2012-01-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

Today I have four photos (from October 1968) Pleasure Island, in Wakefield Massachusetts! This park opened in 1959; and who gets the credit for designing it? None other than C.V. Wood, the same man who helped Walt build Disneyland, and then tried to take most of the credit for it!

Pleasure Island was even billed as "The Disneyland of the Northeast" - Walt must have loved that. The park was 80 acres, and offered such things as a Space Rocket ride, a Pirate ride, a Moby Dick ride, a Western Land (complete with the "Diamond Lil Theater", sponsored by Pepsi - sound familiar?), a narrow gauge railroad, and best of all, Monkey Island. I defy you to name anything that isn't improved with the presence of monkeys! Can't do it, can you?

This first photo shows the fun (but modest) entrance, including a sign informing visitors that state law prohibits the park from opening until 1:00 PM on Sunday.

Here's another shot of the entrance, and ticket booths. Notice the giant rocket... I wonder how similar that attraction was to Disneyland's "Rocket to the Moon"?

Unfortunately, the pix I have from inside the park are not great. Sorry! This looks to me like it was the equivalent of Town Square, only there's nothing there. Except for the Shutterbug Shoppe which I guess sold bugs.

This wonderful attraction featuring a barn with a slide is called "Barn and Slide". BAM! Fun Fact: some scenes from the Cliff Robertson movie "Charly" were filmed here? Check out all of the orbs in this photo, each one is a real ghost. All buildings over 2 stories should have a slide (on each level) for emergency evac. Who's with me?

You know what's funny about Massachusetts? It has long, cold winters, which makes it hard to run an amusement park and stay profitable. Sadly, Pleasure Island went belly-up in 1969, to be replaced with an equally fun office park.

"Fantasy" Shop, April 29 1956

2012-01-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

Happy friday the 13th, everyone! You've got time to spend a minute or two in Fantasyland, circa 1956, haven't you?

Walking through Sleeping Beauty Castle puts you right in the thick of Fantasyland. The three guests in the middle of the picture are wondering which direction to go, since they've never been to Disneyland before! I've always liked the way the building in the background jut out from the castle walls (just like in real medieval towns, apparently). Notice that the shop is called "Fantasy of Disneyland" - eventually renamed "Tinker Bell Toy Shop".

Here's a closer look. First of all, that lady is rockin' the head scarf or babushka or whatever it's called! I wonder if she is Russian Orthodox? The shop window has three creepy mannequins, modeling tasteful fashions for girls. "Marsha"!

You know it, you love it, it's the Chicken of the Sea pirate ship! I call chickens "fish of the land", which is weird and annoying.

Entrance & Main Street, June 1968

2012-01-12T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Mickey Mouse floral portrait is one of more famous icons of Disneyland, but it's looking pretty bare here... apparently it had just been freshly planted. Give it a week or so! What, you're not coming back in a week? The fence looks sad and naked without the colorful attraction posters that used to adorn it; I guess that they stopped displaying those around 1967.

Here's a lovely shot looking north. As much as I love the olive trees in the hub (especially at night, with their twinkling lights), they are obscuring most the castle here. The shadows are getting longer on this summer afternoon.

Turning to look south towards Main Street Station, the clock tells us that it is almost 5:30. I wonder what that banner over Town Square was for? I'm going to guess that it said "Disneyland Welcomes Major Pepperidge". Notice that the gas streetlights are already lit though it won't be dark for hours. Let's go to the Main Street Cinema and watch Lillian Gish do something old-timey.

Calico, California - March 1963

2012-01-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

Today we'll drive about 2 hours, headed northeast to San Bernardino County (way out in the Mojave Desert) to Calico Ghost Town! I've blogged about it before, but as a reminder I'll mention that Walter Knott purchased Calico back in 1951 (having worked there as a laborer back in his youth) and began restoring the former silver-mining town; it attracted tourists for miles around.

I love this sign!

Here's a picturesque shot of the parking lot. And I know how much you all love photographs of parking lots.

There's silver in them thar hills! Or at least there used to be. Just imagine being here in the middle of the summer, digging in a mine all day. Sweaty? You bet! I would've opened a Slurpee stand and watched the money come rolling in.

This appears to be some sort of little funicular railroad that I wasn't previously aware of. It used to shuttle people from the parking lot up to the ghost town, and I'm pretty sure it's no longer in operation.

This kid is getting in touch with his inner Munster by sitting in the driver's seat of an old-fashioned hearse.

Stay tuned for more photos from Calico Ghost Town!

Family Snapshots, 1958

2012-01-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

The old black and white family snapshot... my mom has boxes full of the things! None from Disneyland though, boo hoo.

Here are two nice images from some other family, circa 1958. Let's start with this photo of the Midget Autopia - one of the few strictly kid-sized rides at Disneyland. The genius who thought of putting two steering wheels in each car should have been made honorary President of the United States. It must have been kind of exciting for small children, taking this winding drive through picturesque countryside while leaving mom and dad behind.

The Astro Jets prove that everything is better with the prefix "Astro" added to it. It's a scientific fact. This slightly blurry picture shows - mom and daughter? - big sis and little sis? - aboard the "Capella". The other rockets were named Arcturus, Altair, Antares, Canopus, Castor, Pica, Procyon, Regulus, Rigel, Sirius, Spicus, and Vega.

Knott's, October 1964

2012-01-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

More vintage Knott's Berry Farm...

A prospector has washed his clothes and hung them out to dry. Notice the little cabin says "Roy's Castle". Who was Roy? The happy couple are standing in front of the entrance to the mine tunnel. I remember worrying about that dark, potentially scary tunnel! But as it turns out, you just walked through and that was that. No undead miners were in there waiting to eat your brains.

There's Calico Mountain, home of the Calico Mine Train of course. Bud Hurlbutt designed this attraction, and developed the notorious "hidden queue" that became a standard theme park trick. Sure it looks like it's a walk-on, but much of the line was not visible until you were in it. Walt Disney himself was mighty impressed!

No Knott's post would be complete without a look at Handsome Brady and Whiskey Bill. Does anybody know the significance of that "17 Miles to Sodaville" sign?

Matterhorn, May 1964

2012-01-08T00:01:00.000-08:00

Considering how many times I have seen photos of the mighty Matterhorn, it might surprise you to know that I still get a bit of a thrill, remembering those childhood days when you could see it from the freeway. And 50-some years after its debut, it is still a terrific ride! 2 tracks, abdominal snowmen (they do 500 situps a day), glittering ice crystal caverns, and a free cookie for everyone at the end (OK, no free cookie, but wouldn't that be awesome?). I wish I could ride it RIGHT NOW.

Another look from the northern Fantasyland side....

Anything Goes Saturday, Giant Muskie!

2012-01-07T00:01:00.002-08:00

Welcome to beautiful Nevis, Minnesota (sometime in the 1950's)! Minnesota is the "Land of 10,000 lakes" (actually closer to 12,000), so fishing is a big part of life there. My dad was born in Austin (home of Spam), and I spent plenty of wonderful summers with my grandparents on various lakes angling for perch, walleye, bass, and northern pike. But I never caught a mighty muskellunge (aka "muskie")! If you have ever seen one of these large, fearsome fish in person, you will know just how forbidding their appearance is - and at up to 5 feet long for truly huge specimens, they are an "apex" predator... humans are the only threat to an adult muskie.

This wonderful display of a "Tiger Muskie" (a cross between a northern pike and a muskellunge) is a piece of Americana that really appeals to me. Who wouldn't love a giant muskie as long as a bus? "Come on honey, any jerk can see Niagara Falls, let's go to Nevis!". You'll find similar oversized fish in other towns throughout the state.

This lady looks like she's all ready to spend some quality time at the lake. I hope she got to catch fish, and not just cook them. She should definitely prepare for "skeeters". Leeches are an added bonus, there's nothing like wading in a lake and finding a couple of leeches stuck to your legs.

Happily, the giant tiger muskie can still be found in Nevis, although he has had a facelift (or paint job, or whatever you want to call it), and he now has a roof over his head.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit to Nevis, Minnesota!

2000th POST!

2012-01-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

That's right homies, today is post # 2000 here on Gorillas Don't Blog! I remember, long ago, when I planned on quitting after 1000 posts (see the 1000th post here). What a fool I was! The comments and participation by the readers of GDB are what make this project fun and keep me going when I am in danger of burnout. So thanks to everybody who has taken the time to comment, imparting wisdom and humor to my hastily-written posts.

On rare occasions I've even had a chance to meet a few of you, as well as my fellow bloggers. Patrick (Matterhorn1959) Dave (Davelandblog), Tim (Vintage Disneyland Tickets), Chris (Meet the World), Jason (Disneyland Nomenclature), Connie (Life Is A Journey), Kevin (Kevin Kidney), Ken (Outside The Berm), and oh jeez, I'm probably leaving somebody out. There are so many other great blogs out there that I read on a regular basis... too many to mention, but they are all appreciated. The Disney blogger community is made up of some wonderful people!

I have a few images that I have been saving for #2000... photos that I consider to be extra special. Hopefully you'll agree! Like this first picture (undated, but probably 1956 or 1957) in glorious Kodachrome; Black Bart - the scoundrel! - hams it up for a photographer, robbing a group of five girls in front of a colorful Rainbow Ridge.

Here's a closer look. If this picture doesn't make you smile, nothing will! Skinny black pants were "in" for girls that year, apparently. I love the look on Bart's face, and the pure joy on the faces of the girls.

The lovable (and, I am legally obligated to add, "short-lived") Viewliner was a spiffy little train that ran between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland for about 15 months before its demise. Sure, we love the Monorail that replaced it, but if only the two could have lived together in peace and harmony. This terrific shot shows the "fastest miniature train in the world" as it crossed the bridge over Tomorrowland Lake. The ducks are not impressed.

Here's a nice photo of the old bandstand (circa 1955), from the short period when it was just to the west of Sleeping Beauty Castle. I think that the orange roof didn't stay that color for very long, either! A small group of guests has gathered to listen to the Disneyland Band; the small flags and the patriotic bunting might be leftover from the opening day ceremonies.

This is really the only decent photo of a Phantom Boat that I have... but it's a doozy! Calling Batman... somebody stole your boat. I love the big fins and the "jet engine" cowlings, combined with the prosaic outboard motor. Those motors were notorious for overheating and conking out, leaving guests stranded. Eventually a cast member sat in the back and piloted the boats for them. Lame! From this angle, it's as if there was nothing but miles of grassy meadow in the background; just imagine if this attraction had survived to see beautiful mature landscaping.

Well, that about does it for today! I am sorry to say that there definitely won't be a 3000th post, because I am very nearly out of slides, and will almost certainly run out sometime this year. At that point... who knows. I've got some thinkin' to do. Meanwhile, thanks once again to all GDB readers for your support!

Town Square & Castle, September 1959

2012-01-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

For some reason that I can't really articulate, I always like photos of Disneyland's Town Square. Part of it is the appreciation of the wonderful architectural detail on buildings like City Hall and the Opera House (not visible in this photo, as you already know). There are the vehicles, and Walt's apartment above the Firehouse, and the Bekins van (back when it needed to be pulled by horses). And even the canon, a detail that somehow evokes municipal parks in so many small towns. All in all, I can't think of a thing that I'd change!

Here's an interesting angle looking towards the bridge that led to the castle. Notice the top of the red fire hydrant at the bottom of the photo! There's a little brook running among the flowers and bushes, maybe it's full of animatronic trout.

3 From Knott's, 1959

2012-01-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

More views from the Berry Farm...

Soft-handed city slickers who always wanted to know the thrill of seeing "color" in a pan full of gold dust-laden dirt could head on over to Knott's and try their luck down in this man-made pit. I wonder how many pounds of gold the park has passed along throughout the years?

Beware of the mule. Or is it a burro? Or a donkey? I really can't tell. Whatever he is, he is cute and likes to have his ears scratched (just like me!). This nice lady is happy to oblige. And while she's scratching...

... her husband has found something that interests him. Nell is showing off her gams, and this fella likes what he sees. Don't take it personally, Belle.

Perisphere, 1939 New York World's Fair

2012-01-03T00:01:00.000-08:00

I've posted plenty of photos from the 1965/65 New York World's Fair. But today is the first time I am sharing photos from the 1939/40 New York World's Fair! Poised at the end of the Great Depression and as the war in Europe was growing, this fair was huge and dazzling and offered a view of a better future.

These pictures are from a photo album that my mom found in Minnesota. Thanks mom! The prints are generally smaller than a playing card; in fact, they are about the size of a business card. I guess shutterbugs were OK with small photos, especially if they got more pictures out of a single roll of film.

Check out this wonderful shot taken of the base of the iconic theme buildings, the soaring Trylon (700 feet high) and the huge Perisphere (180 feet in diameter). Wikipedia says: The sphere housed a diorama called "Democracity" which, in keeping with the fair's theme "The World of Tomorrow", depicted a utopian city-of-the-future. Democracity was viewed from above on a moving sidewalk, while a multi-image slide presentation was projected on the interior surface of the sphere. After exiting the Perisphere, visitors descended to ground level on the third element of the Theme Center, the Helicline, a 950-foot-long (290 m) spiral ramp that partially encircled the Perisphere.

Here's another amazing view from the walkway between the Trylon and Perisphere. Wow!

Looking in another direction, I believe that the building with the octagonal roof is the AT&T pavilion. To the right of that, the Medicine and Public Health building.

All those overcoats... the Fair was open until the month of October, and this must have been around then. These ladies are walking down the long Helicline mentioned in the Wikipedia description above. The two tall pylons are part of the Crosley building (Crosley made automobiles and fine radios, among other products).

If you are interested, I will post more images from the 1939 Fair! I even have a few color slides, though some of them are naughty, showing scantily-clad ladies. Woo-hoo!

Two Too Twain, May 1964

2012-01-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

Try to pretend that you haven't seen pictures like these a zillion times! If you can view this scene with fresh eyes, you'll find that it is still pretty fantastic. You've got your big river, Cascade Peak, Tom Sawyer Island, and even a bit of Rainbow Ridge (not to mention the buildings of Frontierland itself).

Similar scene, zoomified! The steamboat is loading (or unloading?) a batch of passengers while a plucky little Keel Boat follows an Indian War Canoe. I regret never experiencing the Keel Boats!

Frontierland, April 29 1956

2012-01-01T00:01:00.001-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR, and welcome to the year 2012! It feels weird to say it now, but I guess we'll get used to it soon enough.

Today I have some nice images from Frontierland, from that 4/29/1956 lot that I have been nursing and dragging out for weeks. Let's start with this great view along the river front, as some very dapper guests head toward the Golden Horseshoe Revue and the Mark Twain. If you look carefully to the right you can see the book-shaped sign that gave guests a preview of what they would see from the decks of the Twain. Also, notice the person on the balcony of the Golden Horseshoe.

Here's another nice photo! Guests are waiting in an area for... what? Was this where you caught the Keel Boats? Or the rafts to Tom Sawyer Island? I'm just not sure. The Chicken Plantation is in the distance, and a top-heavy Keel Boat chugs along.

Here is an interesting detail (one that I think I've seen before, but I'll be darned if I can remember where): this Keelboat is not the Bertha Mae or the Gullywhumper, but instead is the "Gully Pitts". I can only assume that this was one of the craft from "Davy Crockett and the River Pirates", which were used early on, until they could be replaced with larger versions. Which is pretty cool!

Anything Goes Saturday - Last Frontier Casino

2011-12-31T00:01:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Las Vegas, and the Last Frontier Casino! Built in 1942 around the former "Club Pair-O-Dice", the Last Frontier was only the second true casino on the Strip (the first being El Rancho). It was (obviously) themed to the Old West, complete with a Western village, and a corral and rodeo grounds. There were even "stagecoach parties" and horseback rides into the surrounding desert!

This first image is a great photo of the entrance to the Western village. It looks so clean and tidy, without the over-the-top excess of later Vegas casinos. Notice the red brick building in the background to the left....

It's the Saloon/Rooming House, but there wasn't much sleeping going on there judging by the lady displaying her charms out the upper-story window! Reminds me a bit of "Goldie's" at Knott's Berry Farm. Maybe her leg moved too!

In 1955, new owners decided to build the New Frontier (see a great photo of that on the Corner Cafe Images blog), while keeping the Last Frontier in use to the south. Sadly, both were demolished in 1967, and replaced by the Frontier! (Got it?! I'm not sure I do).

I have more photos from around the Last Frontier, which I'll share sometime in the near future.

Rainbow Ridge, July 7 1961

2011-12-30T00:01:00.000-08:00

If you wanted to see Nature's Wonderland, whether by mule or by choo-choo, you had to visit Rainbow Ridge first. Founded by Sir Albert Rainbow Ridge (that joke never gets old), the little town originally catered to prospectors and homesteaders; but times change, and eventually fortunes revolved around tourism. Thousands of greenhorns in stiff new dungarees, checkered shirts, and red kerchiefs around their necks paid top dollar to see the sights. Look carefully and you'll see the pack mules among the pines.

The desert was blazingly hot, and full of sand that got into everything, and there were hairy spiders and kangaroo rats and scorpions and snakes and wild pigs and coyotes and mountain lions and chupacabras. But the fantastic rock formations - the product of millions of years of wind and sand and flash floods - made the trip worthwhile.

There are those sneaky mules again! There's nothing more dangerous than a sneaky mule.

Two From 1960

2011-12-29T00:01:00.000-08:00

Check out this first photo, a beautiful view of the Monsanto House of the Future! It looks so great with the blue sky, lush plants, and even the warm reflections from the pond. I wonder how many people walked through that attraction and thought, "You know, I could see myself living in one of these!"? But it was not to be. (Frowny face)

From a different lot, but also from 1960, comes this view of a sleepy lagoon that just happens to be home to a fleet of nuclear submarines. Are they atomic? Yes, VERY atomic! I keep staring at this picture waiting for something to happen.

Stagecoach & More, Knott's - June 1960

2011-12-28T00:01:00.000-08:00

Here are two very nice photos from Knott's Berry Farm!

We'll start with the great picture of the Stage Coach as it heads towards us, pulled by four spirited horses. It took two men to operate a stage coach... one to control the horses, the other to randomly swear and spit and shoot at pedestrians. That's the job for me, I do those things anyway! I love the view of the old parking lot (because I'm weird), looking suitably rustic.

Elsewhere, we see the Ghost Town Express ("Lightning Delivery"), pulled by two mules in ornate harnesses. A suitably crusty old-timer drives the thing; here he is visiting with the local dude, who looks like he just stepped out of a TV program. I wonder if guests could ride on the Ghost Town Express, or if it was strictly for show?

Secret Entrance! November 1970

2011-12-27T00:01:00.000-08:00

Whenever I go to Disneyland, I enter the park through the front gates just like any other shnook. But the folks in this first photo are getting in via a mysterious side entrance! What gives? Is this where people with hand-stamps could re-enter? Did you need a special pass (perhaps something from the Magic Kingdom Club)? Why hasn't the Los Angeles Time's torn this scandal wide open? You can see a sliver of plaid skirt to the left, so the tour guides were involved in this ignominy.

Hey! what's that on the postcard rack?

Among the fold-out postcards, and the souvenir guidebooks (still with Walt on the cover, four years after his passing), you can just make out the preview guidebook for Walt Disney World!

Here's a better look at the cover; today, we're all accustomed to Disney parks being located all over the globe. But in 1970, Disneyland was IT. The news that a gigantic new Disney World was being built in Florida (with Walt's brother Roy overseeing the project) must have been pretty incredible to fans. It wouldn't open for almost another full year at this point.

Horse Drawn Streetcar, June 1968

2011-12-26T00:01:00.000-08:00

One of the many wonderful things about Main Street USA is the presence of a variety of old-fashioned vehicles. Fire engines, Horseless Carriages, the Omnibus, and Surreys (though they are no longer at the park). But the Horse Drawn Streetcars (or "HDC" because I am lazy) are arguably the most famous; internal combustion engines are present on this Main Street, but reliable horses are still around, clip-clopping on the pavement. Hayburners, I calls 'em.

Here's a nice shot of one HDC (the ol' #3) heading down the street. Disneyland's horses always seem so wise and calm! This fellow isn't bothered by the hubbub all around. Looks like that little girl is thinking about hopping on board while the streetcar is in motion.

It's later in the day, but HDC #3 is still out and about, with the same horse as earlier (is he a Clydesdale?)! I think I've read that the horses don't work more than something like 3 hours a day. This is an unusual angle, looking back from in front of the castle towards Tomorrowland. I like the kid with his Donald Duck hat (just like mine!), and his sister behind him with the large shopping bag. What could be in it?

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

Feliz Navidad, my homies!

I wasn't really sure what to post today, but finally decided to scan my 1955 Walt Disney Studios Christmas card. The studio has a long history of producing colorful, appealing Christmas cards to send to employees and other lucky recipients. Some of them are quite elaborate, with multiple pages and beautiful illustrations, usually featuring characters from the most recent significant Disney movies.

The studio moved into television in a big way in 1955, and in October, the Mickey Mouse Club debuted, becoming a smash hit - to the point that it was honored by being featured on the cover of the Christmas card. I absolutely love the graphic style of the illustration, with flat areas of color and minimal shading, much like you would see in the Golden Books of the day.

Naturally, the opening of Disneyland in July was a monumental event in the company's history. The card opens up to reveal this wonderful (and unique) map of the park, along with "Santa Mickey", Tinker Bell, and Donald Duck. Some fun details: the bandstand (shown just in front of the Castle), the Phantom Boats in Tomorrowland, little Frontierland Station, and the Flight Circle.

And we couldn't leave out a nod to Davy Crockett, Walt Disney's other television sensation! Jiminy Crickett doffs his coonskin cap while helping a boy fetch a Christmas tree. He was enjoying his renewed fame as the host of various animated segments on the Mickey Mouse Club.

Santa's Village, Lake Arrowhead - October 1961

2011-12-24T00:01:00.001-08:00

I have just a few more Santa's Village images for you before the big day tomorrow!

There's one of the famous giant mushrooms. If you eat one you turn into a Matango (that's "mushroom person"), and then you have to buy a whole new wardrobe. A giant Jack-In-The-Box looms menacingly in the background; whoever built the props for Santa's Village did a better-than-average job. So many parks were crude by comparison.

Blurry! BLURRY? Come on! This is my only slide with a view of my favorite Santa's Village attraction, the lovable Bumblebee Monorail, and it's blurry. I can barely type because of the tears in my eyes.

Did you know that the hamburgers at Santa's Village were made from prime cuts of lean reindeer? Delicious and nutritious. And have you ever seen a live reindeer? You just want to eat them.

Knott's Wagons, May 1960

2011-12-23T00:01:00.000-08:00

If you're gonna have a western-themed amusement park, there are going to be wagons. And Knott's Berry Farm had a bunch of them!

Here is the huge, strange-looking contraption that was apparently used to haul logs hither and yon. It counts as a wagon, doesn't it? Sure it does (*hands the judge a 20-dollar bill*). They didn't want you to climb on this thing, but provided sturdy ladders so that you could climb next to it, which is mighty neighborly. This wagon is still there, by the way.

This wagon is decaying in a pleasingly picturesque manner. It was abandoned here by frontier teenagers who stole it for a joy ride. They were hopped up on buttermilk and cornbread!

The Wagon Camp was where you would find a circle of authentic-looking conestoga wagons around the rim of a stony amphitheater. Lucky guests who arrived early could sit in one of them to watch the Wagonmasters perform, or to watch square-dancing and jello wrestling. Yeee-HAW!

I will be out of town for the next several days, but never fear, there will be new posts every day. I'll try to check in and respond to comments whenever I can.

Hand-picked Honey, June 1962

2011-12-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

There's just one photo today, gang. But it's a fun pic!

Here's a charming and helpful Disneyland Tour Guide, as she recites some facts about Tomorrowland. Another guide is in the background, maybe she was heading to the administration building on the far side of the park (where there were employee lockers, from what I've read). It looks like it was a chilly "June gloom" morning; Tex needs his coffee, even though he is used to sleeping on the prairie during a blizzard. You can just see a bit of the Monsanto House of the Future, not to mention oodles of attraction posters.

It's An Itty-Bitty World, June 1968

2011-12-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

"It's a Small World" was only 2 years old in June of 1968. Most of us have seen it so many times that we forget how unique and amazing the façade of this classic attraction is. But the photographer of today's pictures was blown away, taking many MANY photos. I'll share four of them today, and save the rest for some other day.

Approaching the attraction, one can't help but be impressed, especially back in the days when there weren't additional structures (like the gift shop that is there now, or the parade lights and speakers) to partially block the view. By the way, it's 1968; where are the long-haired hippies? Everyone looks like they stepped out of a Sears catalog.

Closer! Besides the variety of fanciful shapes and twirling gizmos, I love the use of textured areas and relief elements to cast shadows for additional interest. It's funny, the building really feels like a foam-core model that has been enlarged to a massive scale. Everything that you see that appears to be gold is covered in real gold leaf, which will remain gleaming and nice for years.

This shot is very similar to the last, only the mechanical clock with its many dolls is right in the middle of the "show". Every 15 minutes, folks! If there's any kind of line, you will get to see this feature.

As an added bonus, the C.K. Holliday makes an appearance. I like the trash can as well, and how often does anybody say that?

New York World's Fair, 1964

2011-12-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

Off to the Fair, jiggety-jig...

Here's a lovely panorama, taken from the roof of the Better Living Center. To our left is Pepsi Cola & Unicef's "It's a Small World" (with the Tower of the Four Winds); Beyond that is the Eastman Kodak pavilion. In the middle, with a wavy roof (a bit hard to discern) is the "Sermons From Science" building, and above that is the T-shaped Port Authority building, complete with a helicopter on the roof. On the horizone, the Empire State Building's silhouette is clearly visible!

We've seen it before, but can you ever get tired of the incredible façade of GM's "Futurama"?

Inside the Futurama ride is this scene depicting a series of undersea resort. It looks like (had structures like this been realized) visitors would get to them via some sort of elevator... imagine that experience, descending deeper and deeper into the icy water until you are surrounded by absolute darkness (except, perhaps, for some bioluminescent organisms flitting around). Maybe they could attract the many strange deep-water critters with bright lights; imagine if a giant squid went scooting by, staring at you with eyes the size of dinner plates!

Shack of the Future

2011-12-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

I have something new for you... and a repeat!

The new thing is this photo of the Monsanto Plastic Home of the Future, circa 1958. I wonder how well this design would scale up? Would it be structurally sound at twice the size? I love the design, even though it's a bit small. I'm also thinking that there doesn't appear to be much space for storage, unless they worked in some of those clever lockers in the floors and ceilings. Seriously, if I won the lottery (any day now!), I would want to build one of these just because.

And now for the rerun (newly scanned); this nice photo of Vesey Walker and the Disneyland Band gathered 'round the flagpole in Town Square to play a concert. It evokes all kinds of nostalgia. I'm guessing that Vesey was unable to stand for long (he had some health problems), which is why he is seated - and probably why the band is seated too.

Special Souvenir Sunday

2011-12-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

Today I have more extra-special souvenir items from Disneyland, courtesy of reader Steve Stuart. If you missed his signed Walt Disney Studios commissary menu, check it out HERE!

This time I'd like to feature two rare items of Steve's from "Holidayland", Disneyland's 9-acre picnic area located in a field to the west of the park. Folks could play baseball, pitch horseshoes, and eat or watch shows inside a huge red and white striped tent. They could even buy beer!

Check out this neat brochure, customized for a Farmer's Insurance Group company picnic on June 14, 1958! Holidayland had opened just under a year earlier.

This is the really fun part - that list of activities! Wow... a gunfight between the Marshall and a villain, Roy Williams (aka "The Big Mooseketeer"), the Gonzalez Trio... how cool is that! Plus a good old fashioned tug-of-war (Home Office men vs. the South West Regional Office men). I love the graphics on this item as well.

Maybe I'm weird, but I think I love this humble name tag even more than the flier! Man, I wish I had one of these. Holidayland closed in 1961 to make room for the show buildings for Pirates of the Caribbean" and the Haunted Mansion.

And as an extra bonus, Steve included this scan of a Casa de Fritos matchbook cover, starring the Frito Kid. "Hey, Klondike! Quit eating those Fritos and send up another bag!".

MANY THANKS to Steve Stuart for sharing these amazing collectibles with us!

Anything Goes Saturday - Vintage Christmas 2

2011-12-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

It's time for some more vintage Christmas fun!

This young lady is showing off her elegant Snow White doll, along with a complete set of rubber dwarfs (presumably by a different manufacturer). Dopey is usually a favorite with kids, and the little boy is definitely a fan. "Footie" pajamas, I wish I had some. Can you believe the size of that TV screen? It must be almost 20 inches!

Here's a bunch of happy kids who have not even started to open presents yet. And they have their work cut out for them! One can only imagine what wonderful toys are in those wrapped packages. I love the cowboy shirts on the girl and boy, with the embroidered pistols and stars, and a tasteful accent of fringe.

This is a common scene on Christmas morning; grandpa is helping a kid put his toys together ("Some assembly required"). In this case it looks like that cement mixer gramps is working on is part of the "Road Building Set" (notice the box under the table). And oh man, there's a pogo stick, and a fire engine (with a hose that probably really squirts water), and a clockwork monkey, checkers, and all sorts of other goodies!

Disneyland Hotel, September 1961

2011-12-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

I love today's first photo, featuring the mid-century wonder that was the Disneyland Hotel! It must have been a hot day... three guests take shelter in the shade of what appears to be an orange tree, while gazing towards the hotel. The yellow Monorail is stopped at the hotel's station, and will soon zoom quietly back to Tomorrowland. As always, I dig the old cars! Who can name them all? Not me.

Now we'll beam over to the Skyway, gliding above a beautiful Fantasyland. If we time it just right, our Skyway bucket will reach Tomorrowland at the same time as the Monorail from the previous photo, resulting in a time warp that will destroy the universe.

Calico Mine Train Postcards, Part Five

2011-12-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

Here is the final group of postcards celebrating Knott's Berry Farm's legendary Calico Mine Train ride! (Click on these links to see part one, part two, part three, and part four).

All three cards feature what many consider the highlight of the ride, in which the sturdy little mine trains are lifted to the highest level inside the building and into the cavern (or "stalactite room"), where guests hear heavenly organ music while viewing hundreds of colorful stalactites and stalagmites (glowing under ultraviolet light). The trains actually come to a stop so that you can really take it all in!

Disneyland's Rainbow Caverns is long gone, but we still have the Knott's version!

Things looked a bit run-down the last time I saw this; the large fluorescent black light tubes were plainly visible (with no real attempt to hide or disguise them). You could see them leaning vertically against some stalagmites! I can't believe that it was always that way, but can't say for certain. Even so, it managed to still be wonderful.

I hope you have enjoyed this look at the Calico Mine Train - in postcards!

Santa's Village, Lake Arrowhead - October 1961

2011-12-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

Ho ho ho, back to Santa's Village we go. I just made that up, and it's fabulous!

Lake Arrowhead, California - we have a confirmed Santa sighting. Here he is, resplendent in his fur-lined red velvet outfit. I need to wear more velvet, dammit. The adorable little girl is wearing glasses with those inserts that were supposed to straighten out slightly crossed eyes ("Amblyopia", like Linus used to have?). Santa doesn't care though, he loves her just the way she is.

That building does not appear to meet local building codes, but at least it has a slide for quick escapes when the thing starts to collapse.

There's that "Dumbo"-style Christmas tree ride again. The ride vehicles were made of razor-thin, hand-blown glass, just like real ornaments. The tree itself looks like it escaped from Rankin-Bass' "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer".

Beyond the Christmas tree ride, we look towards a cabin with gears on it; Santa's workshop? If so, it is probably full of sweaty elves. Elf sweat is magical and smells like candy canes. They sing in those high, squeaky voices, sort of like Alvin and the Chipmunks, only with a Spanish accent for some reason.

New York World's Fair

2011-12-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

Several buildings at the New York World's Fair provided wonderful elevated views of the excitement that was all around - the Better Living Center, the Eastman Kodak "Moon Roof", and most of all, the observation towers of the New York State pavilion!

Here's a great look at the enormous "Futurama" building (brought to you by General Motors). Some folks have remarked on how the building resembles some sort of futuristic vehicle with the world's biggest tailfin, but I have always assumed that that is merely a coincidence. Notice the long line wrapping around the structure, with some added blue and white shaded areas. For those of you who care, that's Grand Central Parkway cutting through the scene.

Here's a rare interior shot from the "Tower of Light" pavilion (see it at night here). The show involved Reddy Kilowatt and Ben Franklin singing about the wonders of electricity. This particular photo was from a segment that lamented the high cost of living, with these "kilowatt birds" extolling the low cost of electricity.

Looking another direction, we see a group of international pavilions in the foreground.

Here is a handy-dandy guide in case you want to know what you are looking at!

Rocket to the Moon, 1958

2011-12-12T00:01:00.000-08:00

You know what? I am just feeling lazy today. Much too lazy to post more than a single picture. Call me "Mr. Lazypants". No don't, I changed my mind, that's a stupid name. What were we talking about again?

I'm going to go back to bed, but please enjoy this nice photo of the entrance to the old Rocket to the Moon attraction. I think we can all agree that it is one of the most diatomaceous photos ever.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.........

A Pair From August, 1959

2011-12-11T00:01:00.002-08:00

The super-colossal meg-amazing Matterhorn was a mere two months old in August 1959. You can usually discern older photos because the snow line is so much higher than in later pictures. And yes, we've seen plenty of images of this shrunkified Swiss mountain, but it's still pretty impressive here, don't you think?

Of all the ways I could die, I never dreamed I would be flattened by an Omnibus. But there it is, heading right for us! Sure, I could step up onto the sidewalk, but that's just what they expect me to do. And the day I do what they want is the day they pry a churro from my cold dead hand. I think I've made myself clear.

Anything Goes Saturday - Vintage Christmas

2011-12-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

Christmas is only about two weeks away, so it seemed like a good time to bust out a few vintage photos from Christmases past.

This first slide is undated, but is in a very old-fashioned cardboard mount, and I am guessing that it is from sometime in the 1940's. This brother and sister are not in their jammies - instead they look very neat and spiffy. Maybe this was a portrait intended to be shared with relatives. None of the girl's toys are to be seen, but the boy has a few, including that impressive airplane! Don't play with it, kid; that thing'll be worth a fortune someday.

Check out these two surly boys, from what I believe is another 1940's slide. I'm not sure why they aren't smiling, considering that at least one of them got a sweet bicycle. Note that toy car (complete with string for pulling) to the left. Damien is holding a flashlight while Chucky aims his six-shooter directly at us. Behind Chucky, another large toy airplane. I'd say they both made out pretty well.

I love this cute photo (circa 1955) of a little girl in her jammy-jams, trying out her new iron. It might be toddler-sized, but it really works, just like mommy's. She's doing a much better job of ironing than I ever did. Electronic toys that get very hot are the perfect gifts for young children!

I hope you've enjoyed these! If so, I'll post more next Saturday.

More Freedomland, September 1961

2011-12-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

Here's the last of a small batch of Freedomland photos from 1961...

Folks stop and make way for the marching band heading up the street of "Little Old New York". This land is authentic to the last detail, according to the souvenir guidebook! It continues... the shops, the streets, the horse-drawn vehicles - everything down to the policemen's uniforms has been painstakingly recreated to give you Old New York as it really was. Well OK!

A later guidebook says that we can ...ride gaily around the city's quaint old streets. Darnit, I'll try anything once! In the distance you can see the building that afforded you entrance to the Harbor Tug Boat ride ... for a cruise around the world's greatest harbor and on into the Great Lakes.

This is part of what was officially the "San Francisco" part of Freedomland, although we have veered further up into the Pacific Northwest. The giant logger isn't Paul Bunyan; it is his cousin Mitch. A sign points us in the direction of the Fur Trapper attraction, in which you could ...ride a bullboat up the Columbia River, through a land infested by dangerous animals and warlike natives. Infested, huh? Meanwhile I'll bet a few collectors wouldn't mind owning that stroller with the Freedomland placard on it. I want that fake albino deer!

I have a few more Freedomland photos to share. Stay tuned!

Main Street Stuff, April 29 1956

2011-12-08T00:01:00.000-08:00

We're hanging around Main Street today, with two wonderful photos from 1956.

I wanted to become a police officer, but my saxophone-playing was just not up to snuff. Fortunately, these Keystone Cops were virtuosos. Seconds after this photo was taken, the cops took down a major crime syndicate. Then they played "Steamboat Bill" without even breaking a sweat. Notice that they are on East Center Street, near the Gibson Greeting Cards store. The Pen Store next door closed because people like me would ask if they carried pencils too, which drove them koo-koo bananas.

Boy howdy, that is some swell shot of the old Red Wagon Inn. Let's go in and get a bite to eat; or we can just relax on one of the many (many!) benches and watch other people chew.

Santa's Village, Lake Arrowhead - October 1961

2011-12-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

It seems like a swell time to head on up to the beautiful San Bernardino Mountains in California, and visit Santa's Village!

This first photo doesn't actually belong to the "October 1961" group (it's probably from the 1950's), but it's such a nice image that I wanted to include it anyway. Somebody needs to check the level of radioactivity here, what with the giant mushrooms - and even giant candy canes.

OK, now it's 1961, and this happy family stands squinting in the brilliant autumn sun. You can almost feel the heat, and smell the nearby pine forest, and hear the bloodthirsty roars of a million hungry chipmunks.

Grandma stands in front of the Good Witch Bakery, where children are baked into delicious pot pies. Mmmm-mmm! The secret ingredient? Love. I think that the President of the United States should live in a house that looks like this.

Did you ever dream that you could ride in a spinning Christmas tree? Covered in peanut butter and holding a machine gun? Er, me either. But if you did have that dream, you could have at least partially realized it at Santa's Village. Sure, Disneyland talks about "dreams come true", but Santa's Village delivers.

Stay tuned for more Santa's Village...

Empty Lagoon, March 1961

2011-12-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while, Disneyland's Submarine lagoon requires some maintenance. Water all by itself is tough, and the high chlorine content just adds to the fun. So... the water must be drained, and the old faded corals, seaweeds, shells, and critters need to be replaced or repainted. Like in the photo below!

Here's a similar angle taken just four months later.

As I've mentioned before, the lagoon was drained during one of my childhood visits to the park, and I was fascinated. It was a little glimpse "behind the magic", right out in the open for all to see. Especially from the Skyway! Just look at all that stuff.

And another view (this time from June 1960) from a similar angle - sort of - showing how it all looks when it's covered with turquoise water.

Disney Studio Signed Menu, 1950's

2011-12-05T00:01:00.001-08:00

Today's Disney item comes to us from reader Steve Stuart, and OH MAN, I'm sure there are more than a few of you out there who dream of being able to have something like this! I know I do.

The Walt Disney Studio commissary is still going strong today. It's all buffet-style now, but back in the good old days (1940's and 50's, and into the 1960's), there were actual waitresses to take your order and bring it to you. And just like any other restaurant, there were menus. Take a look at this great menu cover; Donald Duck looks like he is trying to recover from a wild night! Or maybe he's just not a morning duck. While cover seems to indicate that this is a breakfast menu, the fare offered inside is definitely of the lunch variety.

Oh, and did I mention that this menu was autographed to Steve by Walt Disney?!? Holy mackerel! More on how that happened in just a bit! I love the illustrations inside; the fact that Lady and the Tramp are featured dates this to post-1955, although there seems to be some debate among the experts about how long these menus were used, according to Steve. I think I could eat in the studio restaurant very happily, day after day. My needs are simple! Note the beer selection; those animators loved to imbibe. "Heineken's" must have been fairly exotic for the 1950's (as Steve pointed out to me). What, no Pabst Blue Ribbon?

OK, now for the story of that amazing, big BOLD signature from Walt Disney, from Steve: How did I get it, I hear you asking-?? In 1962, a "new student" came to school, whose Dad worked previously at the Disney NY office - now transferred to Burbank - in the marketing dept, and was responsible in no small way for the Davy Crockett hat, etc. Any-who-hah, Billy and I became fast friends, which as you can imagine included many things Disney. My favorite was for one Halloween, Billy's dad was actually able to borrow a Mickey character costume for him to wear-!! Yes, those were simpler times. We're talking probably around 1963 or 1964, here. Then there were the trips to "the park" as it was always referred, proceeded by a phone call to Disneyland to place their name on a list at the gate and then raiding the hall closet, where many Magic Key Ticket Books were kept in a shoe box, allowing us the needed access to all of Disneyland's rides & attractions. Anyway, when Billy asked if I wanted an autograph, I said sure. (And, oh yeah, thru my friendship with Billy, I was able to meet Walt on the set of That Darn Cat).

Frankly the more amazing aspect of the story is the fact I STILL have it. You would have thought sometime between 1964 and the late 70's, when my interest in things Disney reignited, the menu would have somehow found its way into the trash, but thankfully, that was not to be. The authenticity of Walt's signature has been verified by Dave Smith and many others in the know, so it's the real deal.

Isn't that cool? Not only did he get an autograph, but actually got to meet Walt. How many of you wish that you could have experienced the same thing! My hand is raised. MANY THANKS to Steve Stuart for sharing this amazing treasure!

That Krazy Kastle, June 1968

2011-12-04T00:01:00.001-08:00

It's pointy, it's crenelated, it's moat-ified, it's Sleeping Beauty Castle! You might not realize it, but outside of miniature golf courses, there aren't many castles in Southern California. No, it's true. I like this first photo, taken a bit further away than usual. There's the hub, pre-"Partners" statue and full of flowers. The "Partners" statue should have had Walt and Mickey riding mini-bikes and eating hoagies. This picture is good for a bit of vintage people-watching.

Well, whenever I try to take a picture of something, some jerk parks a horse-drawn streetcar in front of it. Murphy's Law, amiright? And that Omnibus just adds insult to injury.

Anything Goes Saturday - Chinatown, San Francisco

2011-12-03T00:01:00.001-08:00

On today's "Anything Goes Saturday", we head back to San Francisco (remember when we saw the Cliff House?), this time to see that city's famous Chinatown, on a slide dated "January 24, 1943". San Fran's Chinatown is the oldest such neighborhood (or "city with a city") in the country, and is one of the largest outside of Asia. It was established in the 1840's (so, about 100 years before this photo was taken), and is still a vital, influential part of San Francisco.

This photo is chock full of 1940's Kodachrome goodness! The cars with their streamlined chrome, the man with his fedora, overcoat and scarf, and the wonderful signs advertising such exotic Chinese dishes as chow mein and chop suey! Fedora guy is checking out the lady in the fur coat, who is showing her gams in spite of the chilly January day!

I wanted to do my usual trick of showing the same view as it looks today (using Google Maps Street View), thinking that the "Pine St." sign would make it easy. But I couldn't find a match - in fact, Pine Street seems too far south to really be near Chinatown. If anybody has better luck, let me know!
_______________________________________________

UPDATE!

OK, I admit it, I am lame! But my readers aren't! Rain and OC Native both knew that this was Pine Street at Grant, and they are correct. And reader Marc sent me a screen grab from Google Maps (thanks Marc!)... take a look:

Yes, it has changed, but see how much is still there after so many years! The street lamps, and even the basic buildings are, in many ways, very much like they were 70 years ago. Below is another image grabbed from Google Maps that is very similar to the 1939 photo. Thanks, folks!

Beautiful Fantasyland, 1956

2011-12-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

The "Old Fantasyland" might not have been as fancy as the current incarnation (which I do like), but it had an awful lot of charm! This first photo was taken on a busy, busy day (did I mention it was busy?). Folks are packed like drupelets ("any of the small individual drupes forming a fleshy aggregate fruit such as a blackberry or raspberry"), on a beautiful sunny day with a cloudless blue sky.

No drupelets this time, only a little pink castle; in spite of its fanciful appearance, it has been built atop a formidable stony mountain. Gotta keep those peasants away!

In Town Square, July 7 1961

2011-12-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Disneyland's Town Square! It's the first thing you experience once you are really inside the park, and it makes a pretty great impression (for those who bother to take a moment to soak it all in). In the background, a pair of horseless carriages await; the man walking towards us has snuck in a picnic lunch (10 limburger and onion sandwiches); and patriotic bunting is evident from the Independence Day festivities 3 days earlier.

Also, thanks to Jason's Disneyland Almanac, I can tell you that on July 7 1961, the park was open from 9 AM until midnight, that the high was 88˚F, and that the attendance was 25,562. Oh, and there was a "Date Nite" event too!

Faithful readers of GDB might recall the woman to our left, with the fuzzy white hat. She looks cute with her li'l white gloves! But if you look at this photo, you'll also recognize the buckaroo in the white cowboy hat, as well as the older ladies in their block-print dresses. A tour group? An extended family? Meanwhile, note the banner on the Omnibus celebrating "Disneyland '61". That graphic shape interests me - unless I am missing something, it is completely abstract, as if inspired by minimalist/color field artist Ellsworth Kelly.

Mystery Park! August, 1963

2011-11-30T00:01:00.000-08:00

Today's images were found in a box, unlabeled. I have no idea where this amusement park is! I would hazard a guess and say "somewhere in Florida", but can't even be sure of that. It might be Busch Gardens, in Tampa. With so many smart readers, I'm betting that this mystery will be solved.

Meanwhile, check out this Jungle Cruise-y loading dock. I like the corrugated tin roof of the boat... that's a nice touch. Notice the cushion on the roof, temporarily moved so that folks can disembark.

We also have this very nice stagecoach, the "Butterfield Overland Stage". It must have been a fun, bumpy ride up on top!

Rivers of America, May 1964

2011-11-29T00:01:00.000-08:00

I love Frontierland's "Big River"! Or should that be "Rivers"? Even if you are just standing on shore looking at it, the river adds so much to the atmosphere of the place. If only there was still Dixieland music at night on the Mark Twain!

May 1964 would have probably been an awesome time to visit the park. Look at all the people on the rafts to (and from) Tom Sawyer Island... they didn't need no stinking pirates to lure folks over. The Columbia is at rest at Fowler's Harbor, but presumably guests could still go "below deck".

Look at 'em all, packed in like sardines!

Another shot, taken from nearly the same spot (maybe a bit further back) includes the Old Mill and Tom's Treehouse, as well as the Mark Twain.

Santa's Village, New Hampshire

2011-11-28T00:01:00.001-08:00

It's not too early to start posting Christmas stuff, is it? Target stores went into full Christmas mode on November 1st, after all. Today we're going to go back the 1950's, and to Santa's Village - this version is in Jefferson, New Hampshire.

As the story goes, in 1950, Norman and Cecile Dubois saw a deer crossing a road, and decided that the North County in New Hampshire would serve as an excellent home to Santa Claus. The park opened on Father's Day, 1953.

I love this photo! If I'm not mistaken, this friendly snowman is still there. In the early years, the park was limited to simple attractions such as pony rides, and performances by a mule. As time went by, more rides (such as a flume ride) and themeing were added.

I wonder if that is Santa's house, with its ice cream end gable and peppermint stick columns? Check out the giant bunny, too!

Here's a closer look. I think this fellow is also still around, though in one recent photo he was wearing a denim engineer's cap. Presumably he is the Easter Bunny himself, in keeping with the Christian holiday theme (apparently there is a duck pond that is somehow a shrine to Jesus). The park is still family-owned - the grandchildren of Normand and Cecile run the place. Which is awesome!

The smiles on the faces of those two girls says it all! They are mighty happy to see old Kris Kringle. I am very glad to know that a charming local park like this still exists in a world where so many others have gone out of business.

I hope you've enjoyed your trip to Santa's Village!

Souvenir Annex

2011-11-27T00:01:00.000-08:00

Rather than visiting my souvenir dungeon, we're going to take a trip to my souvenir annex, housed in an abandoned missile silo somewhere in California. It's quite cozy really, and still has lots of machines with blinky lights.

In addition to my Disneyland collectibles, I have a number of side collections. I'm not proud of it, but there you go! Years ago I saw a documentary about the 1939 World's Fair on PBS, and just a few days later, found my first souvenir pin from that fair at the Pasadena City College swap meet. Since then I have acquired quite a variety of pins; they look pretty cool when seen in a group! The photo below shows some (but certainly not all) of my pinback buttons.

As you can see, most of the buttons use the fair's theme buildings, the Trylon and Perisphere, in their designs. But you also have some unusual examples featuring various products and personalities, such as Abbott and Costello at the Midway. "Lucky Teter" (upper right) was the star of the "Hell Drivers" stunt show; Guernsey cows were part of the World of Tomorrow; the little girl in the chef's toque was "Little Miss Junket"... Junket was a rennet product (look it up if you dare) that was apparently popular at the time. A young William Holden appears on the "Golden Boy Day" pinback. "Inbad the Ailer" says it is time for Saraka (a laxative).

The "Where's Elsie?" button refers to Elsie the Cow (supposedly Borden's exhibit opened without their star mascot, and visitors constantly asked where she was. It was a meme, 1939 style)! "American Jubilee" was a massive stage show with scores of dancers and other performers in elaborate costumes and sets, celebrating the history of the U.S. of A. And don't forget the "Anthracite Boosters", for you fans of clean-burning coal!

If you've enjoyed looking at these, I have lots more pins from 1939/40 to share with you!

Anything Goes Saturday, LA County Fair

2011-11-26T00:01:00.000-08:00

Today's "Anything Goes Saturday" takes us back to the L.A. County Fair, circa 1939!

The LACF got it's start in the city of Pomona back in 1922, and it was a big success from the very start. In just two years, attendance was nearly 100,000. Nowadays, it can exceed 1.5 million in less than a month.

In this first photo, we are looking down on a few of the large show buildings. The really long structure with the arched roof is (I believe) what was then "the largest exhibit building in the world", measuring over 800 feet long and 135 feet wide, with a capacity of 16,000. Notice the many acres of groves nearby.

I love this photo with the art deco façade of this exhibit building, looking so very 1930's.

You'd think that a building housing "Industrial Exhibits" would be modern, but somehow they went with this structure that would look at home in California in 1860. Any idea what that flag represents?

And here's another mission-style building; I like to imagine how this place looked when it was bustling with fair goers, eating taffy apples and giant dill pickles and cotton candy, while judging homemade preserves, cattle, or quilts, and enjoying typical carnival rides.

I hope you've enjoyed this trip back to 1939!

On Board! September 1961

2011-11-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of fun "you are there" photos, placing you on two classic Disneyland attractions in 1961!

Check out this wonderful and unusual photo taken aboard one of the Nature's Wonderland Mine Trains as it crosses the trestle bridge. Typically folks took photos looking off to the right, where you would see a group of bears scratchin' and fishin'.

Howsabout a slightly zoomed view? In just a few seconds, the train will pass beneath an "natural arch" bridge (one that pack mules crossed). Extra points earned for the magnificent purple ostrich feather that all hats should have (I propose a 28th amendment to the U.S. Constitution).

In this shot taken from a Matterhorn bobsled, I can practically feel the spray from the glacial waterfalls, and the extreme centrifugal forces as you careen around the edge of the mountain!

Knott's, January 1974

2011-11-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving, homies! I hope that all of you will be enjoying a day full of food and family. I don't have anything Thanksgiving-themed for you today, but I am a jive turkey!

Here are three photos from the Berry Farm, from 1974.

This first picture is interesting to me... I think it was taken in the short-lived and ill-fated "Gypsy Camp" area of Knott's (the distinctive rock work in the background is one hint). And everybody knows that gypsies loved to put on shows involving animals, such as this bear (an escapee from Knott's Beary Tales?); and the elephant, which has those kids entranced! Have I mentioned that I love elephants? Amazing animals.

Now for a view from Fiesta Village, with a charming bridge and a sparkling fountain.

And finally, you know it, you love it, it's the Wackiest Fire Engine in Town! I'm going to make a movie about it - the fire crew will be chimpanzees, and Kurt Russell and his pals from Medfield College will be involved somehow.

Entrance, May 1964

2011-11-23T00:01:00.000-08:00

It looks like May 1964 would have been a good time to go to Disneyland, judging from the lack of people at the ticket booths. Although Jason's Disneyland Almanac does tell me that May 28th had an attendance of over 28,000 guests, while May 24th only had a recorded attendance of 3,962 (and it was a warm, beautiful day on May 24). What a difference 4 days makes! See what you can learn from Jason's book? Notice the helpful tour guide chatting up the visitors out front.

How much would you have had to shell out for your day at the park? Well, parking was probably somewhere around 25 cents. And adults could get the "Deluxe 15 Ticket Book" for a $4.95 - which seems so cheap, but that would be around $36.00 today, adjusting for inflation. I guess that would seem rather pricey to a dad paying for his family of four!

I think this photo was taken on May 24th. Look at the lonely cast member to the right!

I will be out of town for a few days, so it might take me a while to be able to respond to any comments. But there will be new posts, and I look forward to hearing from you!

World's Fair Fun

2011-11-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

Here's another group of photos from the New York World's Fair!

The Belgian Village was one of the more frequently-photographed landmarks at the Fair, and it's easy to see why. It was big, and had lots of wonderfully detailed architecture that was probably unlike anything else most visitors had seen in person. Plus there were those waffles with the whipped cream and strawberries! I love this unusual view showing the meandering, uneven, cobblestone streets. Is that a light dusting of a snow I see? There are a lot of overcoats, so it was obviously cold on this October day.

The Century Grill was not exactly pleasing to the eye; but I am happy to have this photo, mostly because it is something different. There had been a Century Grill at the 1939 World's Fair as well. The menu included burgers, as well as side dishes from around the world.

Avis sponsored the Antique Auto ride; guests could putter around at 6 mph in miniature flivvers, as though on a picturesque drive through the country (try to ignore the soaring Ford and GM buildings nearby!). I admit that this photo is pretty "meh"!

Dumbo & Toad, April 29 1956

2011-11-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

Fantasyland is the most "Disney" of all the lands (as many folks have pointed out), and it's hard not to feel warm fuzzies when looking at some old photos of the place.

The picture below is unusual. Not great, but unusual. King Arthur's Carrousel is to our left, Dumbo's Flying Elephants and the Pirate Ship are in the background, and a couple of families are gathered at the table - time for lunch! - with a tiny orange tree nearby. If Charlie Brown had an orange tree, it would look like that. Notice the lady, seated to our right in the pale yellow dress, with the Mamie Eisenhower hairdo! Mamie's husband Dwight was our President at the time, y'know.

This slightly-askew view shows the façade of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (I am so glad that we still have our Toad!), while a small crowd of spiffy guests watch the teacups go 'round and 'round to the right.

Streetcar & Castle, June 1963

2011-11-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

I've got two snoriffic pictures for you today!

Southern California's "June gloom" is in evidence, with the sun casting a diffused light through the thick marine layer. Even the horse pulling the streetcar looks glum! The dude in the foreground has his souvenir guidebook in hand - don't get it all fingerprinty!

It's as if it was an official "No Kids Day"! The baby in the stroller (previous pic) is the only young child to be seen. A bunch of old-timers enjoy a moment in front of the castle; I like being able to see the carrousel through the arch... it's not quite so visible these days, having been pushed back in 1983.

Anything Goes Saturday - Florida Parade 1955

2011-11-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

Welcome to another "Anything Goes" Saturday! Today I am featuring 3 images from the "Festival of States" parade in St. Petersburg, Florida (circa 1955). Some of you might live in chilly climates, and these bright, sunshiny photos will warm you up.

The parade debuted in 1896, and was originally called the George Washington Birthday Parade. In 1921 the name was changed to the Festival of States; St. Petersburg wanted to capitalize on its purported average of 360 days of sunshine each year, and lure frozen tourists from up north.

I love this first float, sponsored by Borden's, in the shape of a red and blue toy train. There's Elmer (you know, "Elmer's glue"?) sitting on the tender of the locomotive. Various costumed cuties lounge on giant Borden's products, including ice cream and milk. "Elsie the Cow" was (and still is) Borden's famous mascot, and I can only assume that she was back in the caboose, possibly accompanied by her calves Beulah and Beauregard!

Old Jack Frost can blow as hard as he wants, but he can't overcome the awesome warming power of natural gas! Pretty girls in bathing suits are the perfect touch for any parade float, if you ask me.

Is that an anthropomorphic orange driving that speedboat, or is it Mr. Sun himself? Either way, I like his style - I definitely need to start wearing a skipper's cap wherever I go. And I'll demand that people salute me (and call me "Cap'n")! The back part of the float features a bridge, with the words, "Spans Across The Bay"; I can't find a bridge in the St. Pete/Tampa area that looks like that one... if anyone has any info, chime in!

The "Festival of States" parade has fallen on hard times in recent years, with declining attendance. It was cancelled completely in 2010 due to the high cost and bad economy. But I believe it was back this year! Hopefully this slice of Americana can find a way to continue for a long, long time.

Flight Circle, June 1960

2011-11-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

I have a cool photo for you today - from the Tomorrowland "Flight Circle", where crowds could watch young men demonstrate the wonders of tiny aircraft, automobiles, and boats, all brought to you by the Cox Manufacturing Company (Cox was a sponsor of the Flight Circle from 1958 to 1965 when it was removed to make way for the "New Tomorrowland").

I showed this image to reader and former Flight Circle cast member CoxPilot, and here's what he had to say:

...that is me down preparing to start the Prop Rod, a very good seller for the Cox company... We had eight cars going at the same time (4 prop rods and 4 Mercedes).

The guy standing is Clarence Keith Palmer (went by Keith). He was my best friend in High School and got me the job at the Circle. We had others (Don Hatcher: supervisor, then Keith was supervisor, then me. Bart Klapinski and George Molitor, and a host of part-timers that came and went. I really don't remember the names.)

Keith went on to the sales department at Cox (Santa Ana) early summer of '65 and left me to supervise with Bart. George Molitor worked with me at the Pomona Fair, but left the company, Don Hatcher ran the service and repair department at Cox. And when the Circle closed in Sept of '65, I went into the Graphics Department at Cox as an illustrator. Bart stayed at Disneyland in Hobbyland, and then worked his way up in Marketing to supervisor at the Main Street Emporium. He later left after 15 years to work for Bell Telephone.

So... very cool to have a pretty decent photo of CoxPilot and his pal Keith!

Here's a second image... blurry and chain-linky.

A while back I bought a small group of Disneyland paper items on ebay, and this fold-out brochure for "Thimble Drome" products was among them. The address ("Disneyland, Inc - Department H...") was pre-printed, so it must have been picked up at the park; possibly at the old "Hobbyland" in Tomorrowland? Just look at all those teeny-tiny engines!

To the right you can see a "Prop Rod", just like the one that CoxPilot is demonstrating in the first photo. I know I would have coveted all of these items when I was a kid!

Thanks to CoxPilot for his help with today's post.

A Pair From the 50's

2011-11-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of orphaned 35mm slides, both from the 1950's. They were found in boxes of random slides, and were the only Disneyland images in each box! Whuffo? Perhaps the boxes had already been picked over, and these had been overlooked.

So... Main Street Station (complete with "Santa Fe" sign), a train, the Kalamazoo handcar, and the Mickey Mouse floral portrait; not bad for a lonely li'l photo!

This one was really dark, and I've lightened up quite a bit. Families congregate on the bridge over the moat into Sleeping Beauty Castle... when you look at old photos of Disneyland, so many of them are surprisingly light on children. Not this one! The street sweeper in white (can those rolled up sleeves be part of the "Disney look"?) tries to hide behind the flagpole because he's shy.

Knott's Ghost Town, May 1960

2011-11-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

Here are three nice photos from Knott's Berry Farm's fabulous Ghost Town. It really feels like a ghost town, there is nobody there!

The long shadows and bright blue sky indicate that these were taken in the morning, which explains the lack of crowds. A derelict wagon sits mouldering in front of some sort of mining relic (that handily doubles as a streetlight). The building with the peaked roof is the Grist Mill. If you looked through those windows near that grindstone, would you see one of the Ghost Town's famous "peek ins"?

Looking toward the Blacksmith's shop, you can see the bench where Whisky Bill and Handsome Brady spent their days (and nights!). I remember watching a real blacksmith hammering red-hot metal inside the blacksmith's when I was a kid - presumably for the various mules and horses used throughout the park. Hey look, a living human being is just ducking around the corner! Or is it.... A GHOST!

There's a restaurant, and then print shop, and (my favorite), Goldie's! If you don't know what Goldie's was, don't ask. Nearby is the Town Jail, where Sad Eye Joe could be found, forever mournful in his cell. Oh man, if only I could go back and visit the Knott's from this era!

Rejects - Unrejected!

2011-11-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

Hello, space cadets! Yesterday, I shared some leftover images from Disneyland. Today I have some different leftuggies that have nothing to do with Disneyland. Regular readers know that for the past few months, saturdays have become "Anything Goes Saturdays", where you never can tell what you're going to see on Gorillas Don't Blog. Back in June I shared a great photo from Reno, Nevada; and both of today's pictures were scanned at the same time. They just didn't really measure up to my high standards ("high standards", har-dee-har-har!).But in the name of laziness, you're going to see them today.

Here's a shot looking toward the famous Nevada Club - one of the first casinos built in Nevada (1946!). It was also one of the first casinos to come up with the bright idea of adding a restaurant. Feed those gamblers, keep 'em happy! The club was famous for paying off slot machine jackpots in coins (in a special paper bag); chances are, most of those coins went right back into the slots. After a number of lean years, the Nevada Club closed suddenly in December 1997, and was torn down (along with Harold's Club next door) in 1999. Nowadays the space is an open plaza, part of Harrah's.

This very dark photo was taken inside a casino - which one?! - and I included it because of those awesome showgirl-shaped slot machines! If anybody knows where this was, please comment.

I hope you've enjoyed these photos from The Biggest Little City in the World!

Leftuggies

2011-11-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

Today's photos may be "leftuggies" (leftovers to you earthlings), but they are choice leftuggies.

How about this 1961 image of the blue 4-car Monorail as it returns from a stop at the Disneyland Hotel? It looks awesome, in my opinion. Flanking the track is the berm, through which a large tunnel has been dug (and lined with corrugated metal). I believe that various service vehicles could enter the park through that tunnel, but please correct me if I'm wrong. Notice the row of rose bushes, planted to take some of the "Folsom Prison" quality away from that chain link fence.

And hey, even this second picture is a doozie! It was awfully dark, and I may have over-lightened it, but oh well. I'm hoping that Matterhorn1959 finds that license plate for his collection. I love most of the Autopia vehicle designs, but there is just something classic about these original cars that can't be beat.

Two From Frontierland, September 1961

2011-11-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

Well, whadaya know, a picture of the Mark Twain! I'll bet you didn't expect one of those. I can't decide if I'd rather be up on the top deck, or on the lower deck way out in front. Can you see the big horned sheep on Cascade Peak? He's hard to spot, but he's there. Waiting. Always waiting.

Here's an unusual angle; presumably the seating area to our right is in front of the Swift Plantation House (bock bock bock!). I can only assume that the photo was taken from atop a Keelboat, but perhaps not. Any ideas? Oh, and there's that camera-hog the Mark Twain again.

Anything Goes Saturday - Times Square part 2

2011-11-12T00:01:00.000-08:00

Today's "Anything Goes Saturday" takes us back to New York City, along 7th avenue at 44th street. This is sort of a followup to a post from July...

Anyway, there's lots of fun details here. The Paramount Theater is showing "The Sound and the Fury", starring Yul Brynner and Joanne Woodward. To our right you can see the famous billboard for Camel cigarettes; a puff of smoke wafts from the mouth of the guy with the goggles. This billboard was there for years, and the image of the smoker changed occasionally - he's been a soldier, a pilot, a radio announcer, and so on.

Beyond that is a building that sold Bond clothing for years (at least since the 30's). On top is an enormous advertisement for Pepsi Cola (love that old-fashioned logo). There's a Woolworth's, and the little theater out front is showing Walt Disney's "Sleeping Beauty". I also get a kick out of the swarm of people, and the taxis, all showing the hustle and bustle of NYC.

Using Google Maps, I tried to capture the same view. This is as close as I could get! Plenty of construction is going on, which is almost always the case in the city. It's still and exciting place to visit, but lacks so much of the charm that was evident in 1959.

Freedomland, September 1961

2011-11-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

Who's ready for some Freedomland? Well too bad, because that's what you're getting!

Here's a great photo of one of the stage coaches from the "Fort Cavalry Stage Line" (sponsored by American Express). It kind of feels like it is departing from a parking lot, doesn't it? I love the shack with the sod roof in the background. The guidebook description sez: The Fort Cavalry Stage Line takes you over the route of the Lewis and Clark expedition, through FREEDOMLAND's Rocky Mountains, in a real Old West stage coach. You'll pass the FREEDOMLAND buffalo herd, some of the last of the bison that used to cover the prairie. But better keep a sharp lookout - Western bad men will try to hold up the stage, there's no telling where.

There's the station for the Overland Stage. To our right, the Tandy Leather Company attracted patrons by hanging the corpses of coyotes (or whatever they are!) out front. I tried that technique at my ice cream parlor, and you've never seen such business!

In the San Francisco area, you'd find this strange "Chinatown". Visit the colorful Oriental Bazaar, and dine on oriental delicacies at the Chinese restaurant. This is Chinatown as it really was - before San Francisco tumbled down and put itself back together again. If they say so!

Stay tuned for more Freedomland (whenever I get around to it)!

Adventureland, April 19 1956

2011-11-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

Instead of the back side of water, let's take a look at the back side of the gateway into Adventureland. A carnivorous swan waits for its next victim to fall through the widely spaced bamboo poles. Small children make for a wonderful snack! The elephant tusks still look like ivory; later they were painted to resemble carved wood, just in case some numbskull believed that Walt Disney actually had an elephant killed for his theme park.

Here's my favorite cozy li'l shack, made from palm leaves and bamboo. Always bamboo! There's not much privacy, but a nice breeze helps to alleviate the tropical humidity.

More Expo 67

2011-11-09T00:01:00.001-08:00

Here's a group of photos from Montreal's "Expo 67", the wildly successful Exposition that took place in some year that I forget. Maybe 1968.

Commies! The USSR had a pretty incredible pavilion at the Expo, I have to concede. And did you know that this Expo was originally supposed to have taken place in Russia in order to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Revolution? Da! But the Russkies dropped out, and Canada used the expo to celebrate their own centennial.

If you went up the long escalator in the U.S. Pavilion to where the spacecraft were, and looked up, you would see these parachutes; this is the sight that would bring joy to any astronaut in his capsule during reentry. Prepare for splashdown!

Here's another shot from within the U.S. Pavilion, looking through the panes of plastic that covered the geodesic sphere. Fun fact: fair organizers had expected around 35 million guests to visit, and they were surprised when that number exceeded 50 million!

Here's an oddball photo near the Polymer exhibit. Who doesn't love polymers! I like them with butter and lemon. Notice the "minirail" in the background.

Beyond the patio dining area, you can see the six jagged-yet-circular towers of the "State of New York" pavilion. All of the towers are joined at the second-floor level by a common roof, and the display areas inside tell the story of New York (only they covered up all the vampire stuff). You can also see the polka-dotted edge of a carousel-shaped building that actually rotated past more exhibits. It rotated at over 1000 rpm!

Japan's pavilion resembles a series of three multi-level parking garages, in my opinion. (Sorry Japan)! Somewhere nearby there was a traditional Japanese restaurant, complete with kimono-clad hostesses. The pavilion was divided into three sections designed to show a blend of modern technology and traditional Japanese style. Japan in Progress, Harmony With Nature, and Harmony With Technological Advance were the themes of these sections.

I have lots more from Expo '67!

Three From August 1964

2011-11-08T00:01:00.000-08:00

Today we're going to spend some quality time with two nice ladies. Sisters? BFFs? I don't even know them, but I like them. For one thing, they look like they are dressed for a summery cocktail party rather than a day of standing in line. Here they are enjoying a brief photo op in the Carnation truck.

Somewhere in Adventureland....! The Doublemint Twins. Is that the Swiss Family Treehouse behind that bamboo enclosure? That fence isn't designed to keep people out, it is there to keep people IN! Because they have gone jungle crazy. You know it's true.

What? They're leaving already? It's only 4:30! In August I'll bet the park stayed open until midnight. I can't even pretend that they're just heading to the Opera House to see Mr. Lincoln, because he won't move in until 1965. Notice the out-in-the-open fire hydrant, and the water fountain (sans C&H Sugar), and the Asta-shaped boot scraper in the doorway.

Reruns, October 1958

2011-11-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

Don't you hate reruns? You're all ready to see a new episode of "Welcome Back, Kotter" and it turns out to be one you've seen before. Sure, it was hilarious, but still.

Today's post is something like that! Both of these images have already appeared on this blog, but I wanted to rescan them (mostly the first one, actually) to see if I could get better results. This photo of Sleeping Beauty Castle is interesting because of the scaffolding all over it. Maybe it was just being repainted after 3 years of Southern California sun (and smog). The ice cream salesman now wears suspenders and a straw boater rather than the gleaming white outfit from years past. Favorite detail: the mom, dad, and kid walking right towards us from under the castle arch.

See that treehouse in the upper right of this photo? In 1958 (pre-Matterhorn, in other words), this was the highest point in Disneyland that a guest could visit. It doesn't look very high, but photos taken from up there look pretty great.

Kenny, Teddy, and Mickey

2011-11-06T00:01:00.000-07:00

Today's photo was sent to me from one of GDB's generous readers, Mr. Steve Stuart. Check out this fun publicity image from New Orleans Square; Mickey Mouse is getting his oversized loafers shined by Kenny and Teddy. When Kenny and Teddy weren't shining shoes, they were adding to the New Orleans atmosphere by dancing with the Royal Street Bachelors (and others).

K & T were not there for long, probably due to changing social mores, and the fact that there weren't too many nice leather shoes to be shined once sneakers and flip flops ruled the world.

Check out two photos from an old post... is this Main Street shoeshine either Kenny or Teddy?

Thanks once again to Steve Stuart for sharing this great photo!

Anything Goes Saturday - Durango, Colorado

2011-11-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

Today's "Anything Goes" post takes us to the year 1952, and to Durango, Colorado.

Durango is located in the southwestern part of Colorado, and is the most populous city in La Plata County. Its claim to fame is the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, a "heritage railroad" (and National Landmark) that travels 45 miles between Durango and (you guessed it) Silverton. The old steam locomotives are wonderful, and the views that folks see while riding are spectacular (although you won't be seeing any of those here!).

The depot for the D&SNG, seen here, was built in 1882, and is still in its original form. I like the "you are there" perspective in this photo, as you poke your head out of the train window, watching the activity outside, and anxiously awaiting the start of the ride. Dad and his stringbean son are consulting some important information before they climb aboard. In the background, the charming main street (I believe it is called "Main Avenue") stretches off towards the mountains. Notice the neat red brick 7-Up bottling plant. Did you know that, up until 1950, 7-Up contained lithium citrate - a mood-stabilizing drug? I say bring that formula back.

And last but not least, check out the herd of wonderful mid-century automobiles! I know you want them all, but you can only have one. So choose carefully.

Skyway Station, August 28 1965

2011-11-04T00:01:00.000-07:00

Check out this fantastic photo of the old Tomorrowland Skyway station, circa 1965! It's a beauty. The candy-yellow Skyway vehicle gleams in the sunlight as it ferries its full load (mom, dad, and two kids) on to Fantasyland. While I am hoping we get our Peoplemover back, it would be amazing to have our Skyway up and running too! (Don't worry, I'm not holding my breath).

Here's a look at the Monsanto House of the Future (from the same day as the first image). The HOF would survive until December 1967; later photos such as this one are striking because of the mature foliage surrounding it. All that greenery makes it look much less sterile and a lot more friendly.

Fantasyland, June 1963

2011-11-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

Here are 3 familiar views take from the Skyway as it moved above Fantasyland. You've seen it all before, folks!

The spinning teacups are twirling on that whirling turntable. Groovy, man! Psychedelic before psychedelia was everywhere. I like the man and wife who are content to sit and watch the craziness happen around them.

There's a lot to see here, which is what made the Skyway so great. Besides the Skyway's own chalet in the distance, you've got the Pirate Ship and its dining area, Storybook Land (especially Cinderella's castle), and of course Skull Rock.

It was named "Skull Rock" after Sir Albert Skull. See Casey Jr.?

Souvenir Dungeon - Monorail tote bag

2011-11-02T00:01:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since we've visited the Souvenir Dungeon, so let's take the worn stone steps down, down, down! Igor (the bat) will accompany you.

Here's one of my favorite items (I say that a lot, I know), a small vinyl "travel tote" - much like the cool bags carried by stewardesses on airplanes back in the 1960's. Only this one is even better because it shows the Disneyland/Alweg Monorail! The bag is about 7 inches long and 4 inches high (not including the handles), so it's just about big enough to carry a can of Fresca and a few Space Food Sticks.

These two kids are practically silhouettes, but you can still see that the boy is proudly carrying his very own Monorail tote! (Picture circa September 1961). Presumably he just bought it in Tomorrowland.

That is one big bulky camera. He should go digital, it's so convenient! His Monorail bag still has the price tag on it, which will add to the value when he puts it on ebay 40 years later.

Two From October 1975

2011-11-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

Here is the last pair of slides from a lot from October 1975.

Our photographer was trying to get a shot of the Matterhorn (and not doing a very good job of it, I'm afraid). But we also got a view of the Peoplemover and a sliver of the entry walls into Tomorrowland.

From Nature's Wonderland, these two coyotes took time out from trying to catch little varmints for food in order to sing for us. Live recordings from the time captured their howls and yips. I still hear coyotes occasionally when I visit my folks in Thousand Oaks (especially when a siren sounds in the distance), and I'm glad they are still around!

Knott's Calico Square, October 1964

2011-10-31T00:01:00.000-07:00

The relatively small streets of Knott's Berry Farm's Ghost Town eventually led to a large open area near the train depot - Calico Square! It was where it was at, baby. As you can see, the park was packing them in even in October. And this was years before the "Halloween Haunt"! Can you still go up to the top floor of the Calico Saloon and walk out onto the balcony?

One popular attraction was the daily train robbery, which included a thrilling shootout. The bad guy always lost! Luckily, the undertaker was always nearby with his wheel barrow, ready to cart the corpse away. Undertakers have to be tall and thin, it's a little-known law.

Howsabout a better shot of the train?

Oh, and I'd like to wish you all a HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Get lots of candy, stay safe, and have fun.

Lion Country Safari, May 1974

2011-10-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

Lion Country Safari, in Irvine, California, is long gone (it closed in 1984). But it is missed by many SoCal locals!

Mr. Giraffe has been placed in such a way that passers-by on that road will be at eye level with him. That makes it easier to feed him hamburgers and french fries and share the occasional cigarette. He likes menthol.

There are some lions! Snoozing, as usual. The few times I made it to LCS, I always hoped a lion would leap onto the hood of our station wagon, like they did in all the commercials. No such luck. We should have hidden some hamburger under the hood. Check out the iconic jeeps, painted in a zebra-striped pattern.

If lions are too scary for you, how about a few goats and some deer? You can see the coin operated machine that dispensed some sort of mysterious animal chow, which was not half bad. A little salt helped.

Anything Goes Saturday - Halloween 1954, part two

2011-10-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

Here is the final part of my tribute to Halloween from days gone by (and a continuation of the photos from last week).

Robot Boy can't move very well, so he's hanging out in the background. Bunny Girl has a cute smile; I think the girl with the headband is supposed to be a flapper... she is trying to ignore the antics of the masked fellow beside her. And the last girl (with the Shirley Temple curls) has removed her Woody Woodpecker mask and looks like she is about to sing the Star Spangled Banner.

Whoa! For a home-made costume, that skeleton is surprisingly scary. A little bit of black cloth and white paint can make an effective getup.

Check out this trio. The staring face on the left is giving me the willies, while the girl in the middle wears a piggie mask. The dude with the 5 o'clock shadow makes the most of his clown costume.

Here we go! This party must have had some sort of a spook house in the basement (?), and it is pretty weird. Especially when you consider that many of the other photos in this lot established this family as very Christian - to the point of having Bible study groups in their home. But hey, they got into the Halloween spirit, and I applaud them! This baby doll with the living head must have been pretty creepy in a low-light situation.

Are we having fun yet? I thought this was a guy until I noticed the long fingernails.

And finally, a charming tableau! This lady has a blade sticking out of her back, and a whole bottle of Del Monte ketchup (catsup?) has been blobbled onto her clothing. Good times!

Well, that about does it for our journey to Halloweens past. I hope everyone has a safe, fun Halloween tomorrow night!

More Walt Dizzy World, May 1972

2011-10-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

Today we're heading to the east coast for a quick visit to Walt Disney World! These are the final four photos from my May 1972 bunch.

I love the fact that the Florida version of the Haunted Mansion looks different from the Anaheim version. It's pretty neat! And definitely more fitting for the land known as "Liberty Square". It's hard to believe that most of that structure is simply decoration, although in this case the stretching rooms stretch up rather than down. At Disneyland you are actually on an elevator that takes you underground so that you can travel beneath the train tracks and outside the berm. This wasn't necessary in Florida.

This striking structure is the home of the Tropical Serenade, the Magic Kingdom's version of "The Enchanted Tiki Room". The attraction was "under new management" for a while, but Iago and Zazu have moved out and Jose, Pierre, Michael and Fritz and all the other tiki birds have returned.

There's the building that held the Diamond Horseshoe Revue! It's funny, in most cases, buildings at Walt Disney World tended to be much larger and grander than their counterparts in Disneyland, but this structure is relatively modest. I believe that this is a restaurant now.

Lastly, and leastly, is this shot of a woman hangin' out in front of the First Aid station. Maybe there were restrooms there too. She looks angry; maybe she has a boo-boo that needs attention.

This may have been the last from this bunch, but I have a few more vintage WDW images to come!

*Note: I will be out of town starting today, and will return late Monday night. There will still be new posts each day, and I will respond to comments when I have access to a computer!

Lots of Parking, 1956

2011-10-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

Visitors to this blog (and others) may have detected an excessive fondness for Disneyland's old parking lot. After all... it was a parking lot! What's to love? Well, it was big, hot, and full of cars, but it was sort of a little pre-show. You could see Main Street Station in the distance, and usually you could see and hear one of the steam locomotives (bell clanging, whistle blowing). And in later years the Monorail would go whizzing by. (Heh heh, "whiz"). We usually parked far enough away to have to wait for the little trams to ferry us to the entrance, which was also part of the fun.

Much of the appeal of this photo is due to the wonderful cars. I'm drawn to the two-tone red and white example, even though I can't tell what it is! Two-tone is groovy.

World's Fair Fun

2011-10-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

It's time to clean out some files on my computer! Here are some leftovers from the New York World's Fair; nothing too exciting, which is why they are leftovers.

Here's the Johnson's Wax pavilion. That golden disk (suspended above a reflecting pool) doesn't look too big from here, but it was actually a theater that could hold 500 guests. A film entitled "To Be Alive" was shown. It depicted "...the joys of living shared by all people". I guess we can assume that there were no explosions or battling robots?

Here's a nice shot of the Singer Bowl; at some point, it was decided that the Fair would need a stadium for large gatherings. The Fair's dedication ceremonies were held here (President Lyndon B. Johnson was there) on April 22, 1964! You can still see the stadium today, although the name has changed to "Louis Armstrong Stadium". See the kid to the left, the one who is pointing? I dig his shirt!

Located on the shore of Meadow Lake is the Hawaii pavilion. There were costumed Hawaiian girls there, which is all I need to know. But there were also artisans and examples of there wares, canoe rides, a color movie, poi burgers, and three-hour, 12 course luau. (OK, there weren't really poi burgers).

Swedens' pavilion is looking rather abandoned in this picture from July 1964. Maybe it wasn't open yet? When open, you could see demonstrations of Swedish technical wonders, including "a high speed machine that fills toothpaste tubes". Can it be true?? There was also a miniature department store full of fine Swedish merchandise (no naughty movies, though), and of course a smorgasbord.