Cool Old Cars

I've often mentioned my love of old cars, even though I can't claim to know much about them. They are beautiful examples of industrial design, and a huge part of American life, especially post-WWII. In my stash of scans, I have 20 (or so) scans to share, but the three I am presenting today are mysteries, in that I have no idea what the cars are. So hopefully you guys can help! All of these are undated, but are likely from the 1950s.

Well start with this portrait of two little girls in front of a blue-gray coupe of some sort. That rear fender is pretty distinctive, and should be a good clue for you experts.

This fellow put on his Sunday best to pose for a photograph with his new (?) automobile, painted in a deep  red/maroon. That garage will just barely hold the vehicle! 

And finally, one that gives us at least a few clues, thanks to the license plate from California, and the frame that says "San Diego", and "Balboa Olds". I can't quite make out the date (stamped on the plate), it might read "1952". 

The Entertainment Committee, late 1960s?

I always love photos of various bands (with their kooky names) performing at the old Tomorrowland Terrace stage - they evoke an era that is long-gone. My understanding is that this wonderful stage can no longer raise and lower, which is a shame... I remember watching "new wave" bands in the 80s rocking out at the stage emerged from the ground, and they continued as the stage descended. It was cool! 

Both of today's photos have additional appeal because they were taken just after the sun set, there's still a hint of rosiness to the light, though the warmth would be replace by violets and blues soon enough. It looks like The Entertainment Committee had a solid crowd enjoying their performance! In the background, the Monorail station is lit up - the yellow Mark II train helps to date this to pre-1969 (I believe), when I initially thought that these photos were from around 1973-ish. Live and learn.

The guitarist is charming the crowd with a little patter, and probably announcing the next song. "Here's a little number you probably know, called 'Daydream Believer'". 

 

More Pins From the Bag

Howsabout another selection of PINS FROM THE BAG?? 

This first example is particularly nice, a souvenir from the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, which ran from February 20th through to December 4th. You might find one of the buttons all by itself, and  that would be pretty swell, but this one has the added bonus of a ribbon indicating that this pin commemorated the final day of the Expo. "Good-Bye!". The tiny silhouette of the famous sculpture "The End of the Trail" was also depicted (appropriately); the sculpture dated back to 1894, but for some reason it really caught on and was supposedly one of the most popular features at this event.

Next is this pinback button advertising DeSoto automobiles -: DeSoto was an American automobile brand that was manufactured and marketed by the DeSoto division of Chrysler Corporation from 1928 to the 1961 model year. More than two million passenger cars and trucks bore the DeSoto brand in North American markets during its existence. I'd guess that many folks today have never heard of DeSoto automobiles. The simple graphics on this button evoke streamlined speed, or even jet flight.

Many people forget that Huckleberry Hound ran for the nation's highest office, but here is proof. HH debuted in 1958, and he threw his hat into the ring in 1960. He lost to John F. Kennedy, but that didn't keep his spirits down, no siree!

This large pinback button bears the likeness of Walt Disney's Peter Pan. That film was from 1963, but I suspect that the pin is from the 1960s (if not later) - there were rereleases in 1958, 1969, and 1972. Beneath ©Walt Disney Productions are the words "A Benay-Albee Prod"; Benay-Albee was a company known for producing novelty hats, most notably the Mickey Mouse ear hats worn by the Mouseketeers on the Mickey Mouse Club television show. They were also well-known for their Davy Crockett coonskin caps, which were popular headwear for children in the 1950s. I think they also made dolls, though I am not 100% certain.
  

I couldn't resist a pin with the likeness of The Cat in the Hat, the beloved character created by Theodore Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss). "I Love Reading", was this pin given out to children at bookstores? Or perhaps at libraries? The pin is among the newer examples in THE BAG, being from 1996 - which still makes it 30 years old!

And finally, I'm always happy to see Reddy Kilowatt, a cheerful character created in 1926 to help encourage consumer demand for electrical power - particularly for farms, apparently. It's hard to believe that such a ploy was even necessary, but new ideas are sometimes met with some resistance. That's an Ohm joke, son!  

There are plenty more PINS FROM THE BAG.

Tom Sawyer Island and Mark Twain, 1960s

Frontierland's Rivers of America is such a beautiful and important element in the western side of Disneyland that it is nearly impossible to imagine it not being there. The real estate is considerably more developed than it was back when these photos were taken (my guesstimate is that they are from the late 1960s, though they are undated). There's more for guests to do, but the place feels less like "the frontier".

Tom Sawyer Island is lush and green, perhaps this was a brutal SoCal winter. At first I thought that there were no guests visible, but there is one (or two?) to the extreme left, and I can't quite tell what the red and yellow shape is near the raft landing.  

Views of the Mark Twain from this general vantage point are among the more common images in many lots of slides. But it's so pretty! 

The two photos merged beautifully, which is always a nice bonus.

Adventure Thru Inner Space Booklet

I just happened to scan today's VINTAGE PAPER EPHEMERA item for another purpose, but realized that it would be a fun thing to share with all of you. It's a booklet from Monsanto's Adventure Thru Inner Space - these were in bins in the entry area of the ride; because they were free, there are many thousands out in the wild, I've acquired half a dozen almost by accident. But that doesn't mean that they aren't great!

The cover is a colorful illustration, I assume that this was originally used as concept art for Monsanto's approval. I really enjoy the wild, abstract sky (representing fireworks?). We can also see the entry fountains to the right, and the Rocket Jets beneath the Peoplemover track.

There are two different ATIS booklets, this is the first one, with only artwork to convey some of what guests will see and experience. Notice that the cover could be detached and mailed as a postcard. The Mighty Microscope was thrilling to a small child, I feel like I could have watched this Atomobiles disappear into it for an hour if my parents had let me.

Riders were shrinkified, and entered a snowflake. At first the snowflakes appeared as familiar six-sided crystals, but (as we continued to shrink), they became massive walls of ice looming over us. Then we'd see H2O molecules (looking very much like "hidden Mickeys" before those were a thing) and finally, the pulsing nucleus of an atom. No... I dare not go on. I must return to realm of the molecule before I go on shrinking - forever!

As the snowflake melted and the molecules became more active, we slowly returned to our original size. Seeing the eyeball through our end of the microscope confirmed that we were "back on visual". Whew! The panel on the right shows an artist's concept of the finale of the ride, with some of Monsanto's products on display in an interesting "World's Fair" manner. 

I believe that this artwork shows tableaus that were in illuminated "window boxes", with charming limited movement. I seem to recall the woman on horseback bouncing up and down!

Finally, how about some facts about Monsanto? If I could go back in time, I would have sent them a letter, in the hopes that they might send some rare item in appreciation! As with the front cover, the back could also be sent as a postcard...

... with this illustration showing an updated (new and improved?) Clock of the World. In the lower right, there is a code, I presume that "0567" means that these were printed in May of 1967. The ride debuted on August 5th of '67, but it makes sense that these would have been printed up in advance.

I scanned the newer ATIS booklet too, so stay tuned for that.

MORE Knott's Berry Farm RR Postcards!

They said it couldn't be done! They said it violated all the laws of nature and physics! But Steve DeGaetano has found four more postcards relating to the Knott's Berry Farm railroad. Will this be the last of the series? I bet he'll find additional cards, but only time will tell. As always, Steve has not only scanned his latest acquisitions, but has graciously provided an accompanying writeup. Let's go!

In the last installment in this little series featuring  Ghost Town & Calico Railroad postcards, I mentioned there might be more to present, and I’m happy to say I didn’t lie. It’s been many weeks since I’ve come across a never-before-seen postcard, so I think we might be getting to the bottom of the barrel, but we’ve got a few fun images to examine, so let’s dig in!

The following two images are very similar to scenes that have appeared previously, featuring the vast expanse of Calico Square, which today appears quite crowded. Having just blown its whistle, Gold Nugget is about to start its journey. Make sure to get your penny or nickel on the rail to get it flattened! (Don’t worry, you won’t derail the train).

This one is pretty interesting in that there appears to be a legit train station on the water tower side of the tracks! I have never seen this before. Gaudy No. 41, Red Cliff, is on the point, with former parlor car Chama now converted to combine Calico. A dray or buckboard (Mike Cozart?) sits alongside the locomotive’s tender.

This one is sort of fun, featuring a bevy of glamorous show girls in one of the GT&C’s fancy parlor cars (likely Durango, built in 1880). I don’t think we have any Disneyland Railroad postcards showing an interior view. I’m partial to the young lady in white on the right.

Here is the back of the postcard above. Now, far be it for me to suggest anything immoral or lascivious, but the quotation marks surrounding “show” seem to imply that something more might be in store for male patrons of the evening’s entertainment!

Finally, we have this nice image of Red Cliff, engineer standing by the tender. Nothing unusual, except for the surprisingly dirty stack, and the sheer amount of green foliage in the background. Chama has yet to be converted to a combine. But there is one big difference: This postcard measures 6” x 9”. It’s almost four times as large as most post cards! 

Here’s a comparison:

OK, that’s it for today. To date, this series has presented over 30 GT&C postcards! I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at Knott’s Berry Farm’s historic railroad!

THANK YOU so much, Steve!

***************************

EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it! In Steve's previous blog post about Knott's Berry Farm postcards, he shared one card that featured a photo of a locomotive that he described as one of the true oddities of GT&C history. The card had a photo of a 1903 Baldwin-built locomotive called a “K-27,” a locomotive with two small wheels in front, eight “drive wheels,” and a small set of two wheels under the cab. It’s one of only two such locomotives in existence. So cool! (He wrote more, so go back and read his text). Anyway, I mumbled something about hoping to find a photo of this unusual locomotive - only to find that my folder of recent Knott's Berry Farm scans already had a picture of that very machine! Wow, what a crazy coincidence. As I told Steve, I would have never known that there was anything special about this locomotive if it wasn't for him, although I was puzzled at the fact that it was not the #40 or the #41. Here's my scan:

And just for comparison, here's the postcard that Steve was writing about. I'll probably still look for additional photos of the K-27, but at least I have one!

Birthday Time

It's Sunday, but it's not a Snoozle Sunday! It's our good friend Sue B's birthday, and I couldn't post a bunch of crummy pictures for the occasion. Luckily, she sent me some wonderful scans of herself at Disneyland (taken by her dad, Lou Perry), from an October, 1967 visit. Perfect timing!

There she is, in the Flower Market, with heaps of flowers behind her. I like her orange ensemble! 

Next is this cute portrait of Sue in front of "It's a Small World", which was relatively new at the time (having opened on May 28th, 1966 - about 17 months before these pix were snapped). I wonder if this was Sue's first time seeing that attraction? 

Next, Sue is captivated by the mechanical clock that is part of IASW's facade - something that I can relate to! Not only did I love watching this little free show, but I was always a little worried that I might miss it - in other words, I was happy to wait in line. Good job, Imagineers!

Alrighty, in addition to the photos that Sue sent, I'm going to post a few nice ones from my collection. These just happen to be dated "October, 1967"; it would have been amazing if Sue showed up in these pix, but no such luck. Still, they are good ones.

I love this view of  Tomorrowland as seen from Tomorrowland Station. it was a World On the Move, with the Skyway, Peoplemover, Autopia, and Monorail. Seeing that the Peoplemover train is without passengers, I have to wonder if this picture was actually taken before that attraction opened? If so, that would be pre-July 2nd. 

Next is this quite nice look at the loading dock for the Jungle Cruise; I like the composition and color (though that might be somebody's finger in the lower left corner). The jungle itself looks magnificent, and as always, I love seeing the old boats with their striped awnings.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SUE!

Strasburg Rail Road, August, 1970

In the little mountain town of Strasburg, Pennsylvania (OK, OK, there are no mountains), lucky visitors will find the Strasburg Rail Road (not "railroad", apparently). The Strasburg Rail Road is a heritage railroad and the oldest continuously operating standard-gauge railroad in the western hemisphere, as well as the oldest public utility in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Wikipedia page for the Rail Road has a pretty comprehensive list of locomotives and rolling stock (past and present) - at first I thought that this example was not mentioned, but I believe that it is the Reading 1187, a camelback A-4b class 0-4-0 "Switcher" type steam locomotive, built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad. 

Chartered in 1832, the Strasburg Rail Road Company is today a heritage railroad offering excursion trains hauled by steam locomotives on 4.02 mi (6.47 km) of track in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, as well as providing contract railroad mechanical services, and freight service to area shippers. The railroad's headquarters are outside Strasburg, Pennsylvania. The railroad hosts 300,000 visitors per year.

The stained glass detail on the windows helps to identify this one as the "Henry K. Long", manufactured by the Laconia Car Company. It is formerly from the "Boston and Maine", and... named for Strasburg Rail Road Company founder and first company president (1958-1963). Put into service at Strasburg in 1975. It sure appears to be in service in this 1970 photo. 

I'm glad to see that this caboose is not loose. Constructed in 1925, Strasburg Rail Road’s Caboose 12 provides a glimpse of what it may have been like to be a crew member of an early 20th-century steam train. Climb into the cupola seats for a truly unique view of the train. (Note: Cupola seating does require ascending and descending a ladder.) Caboose 12 has a steel frame with a wood superstructure and is built to specific specifications by the Detroit, Toledo, and Ironton Railroad.

The Strasburg Rail Road is one of the few railroads in the U.S. sometimes using steam locomotives to haul revenue freight trains. The nearby Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania occasionally uses Strasburg Rail Road tracks to connect to the Amtrak Philadelphia-to-Harrisburg Main Line junction in Paradise.

Before snowplows were invented, a guy would sit on the cowcatcher with a little tin shovel (and sturdy mittens). Why would I lie?? This is the SRC-66  Snowplow, made by the Russell Snow Plow Co. around 1902, and it saw use on the Wellsville, Addison, and Galeton RR, as well as the Buffalo and Susquehanna. The guy with the mittens was pretty peeved, his wife had just knit him a new pair (with cool skulls). 

This one took a bit longer to identify, as it turns out it must have been on loan to the Strasburg RR. Although originally identified as #3566 due to a sunspot on the number (huh??), (it) is actually #3556 which has been preserved at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania and was loaned to the Strasburg Railroad at times. Built by the PRR Altoona Shops in 1886, it's an excellent example of an early open platform wooden coach car. Most were destroyed by fires during train accidents so this is a remarkable car. 

I hope you have enjoyed your visit to the Strasburg Rail Road! I'd sure love to go there for real someday.

Nice Randos

For your mid-May Friday, I have two swell randos for you! This first one is hand-dated "August 1, 1959", and is a nice shot of guests resting their feet in Frontierland, not far from the Mark Twain load area. A skinny serviceman strolls by  - I'll rely on you guys (Chuck) for any further info about him! He looks so lonely, doesn't he have a friend? It appears that the Flag (just visible through the trees) is the familiar 48-star variety, even though Alaska had joined the Union on July 4th of '59. Alert the media! 

Yep, they all look pretty weary, perhaps the August heat was taking its toll. A nice hamburger and Coke will help. I like mom's coolie hat (a familiar Adventureland souvenir), though NASA technology made that boy's Donald Duck hat much more efficient and practical for cooling the noggin. 

I suppose one's mileage may vary as to whether this next photo is "nice" or not. Date-stamped "August 1962", it's a crazy double-exposure. We can see those amorphous concrete sculpture/bench thingies that were behind the Monsanto House of the Future, as well as some of the informational displays in the background. But we can also see a popcorn wagon and the helpful Cast Member, wearing his straw boater. (is he holding a long paper bag?). To the right, the entrance to the Opera House when it held the sets from "Babes in Toyland".

Matterhorn Bobsleds, March 1961

The Matterhorn Bobsleds, a ride that was a real stroke of genius by Walt and his boys. Let's build a huge copy of a real mountain, and turn it into a rollercoaster! There'd been smaller "scenic railways" at amusement parks for many years, but they were tiny compared to Walt's version.

This first photo is pretty fun, mom (presumably) turned around and grabbed a picture of one of her daughter's as their bobsled careened down the (totally) tubular steel track, past an icy waterfall. I can't tell if the girl is having fun or not, her brow is furrowed! In the distance, we can see the parking lot.

From a more stable position, mom captured this shot of another bobsled as it splashed through some glacial runoff. So great!