Three From August 1961

Today I have a trio of images from 1961... 

I guess I'll start with the worst of the bunch and work my way up! Somewhere in this busy, dark photo is a group of fierce headhunters, brandishing spears and shields and probably a peashooter. Most of the slides that I have of these guys tends to be dark... I guess it was on a side of the river that received little direct sunlight.

Next is a familiar sight showing the southern tip of Tom Sawyer Island, with the mill half hidden by lush foliage. Then you've got the distant Matterhorn, and the Mark Twain reflecting nicely in the river. Say, what's that heading our way?

Why, it's a canoe! I have a few similar images in my collection, and I always like them. I dub this one "postcard worthy".

Merriott's Great America, 1984

Today I have some nice "special guest photos" from Ken Martinez to share, featuring Marriott's Great America in Santa Clara, California (circa 1984). It is now called "California's Great America", and is owned by Cedar Fair. I used to drive past this park once in a while when some of my siblings lived in San Jose, but never actually went to it; I think it might have been closed during large chunks of the year, opening for the Spring and Summer.

As always, Ken has provided some helpful info to go along with the pictures. This first one is a view from the Sky Whirl (an Intamin Triple Wheel). A triple wheel?? I think Magic Mountain used to have a double wheel (as did Hershey Park), but I don't recall ever seeing a triple wheel. Nice view!

Here's another shot from the Sky Whirl, looking at a coaster called "The Demon" - a loop/corkscrew coaster from Arrow Development. I wish I had a "then and now" comparison so that we could see how the Santa Clara Valley has changed over the last 30 years.

Now we're at ground-level looking at the corkscrew section of The Demon roller coaster. Wheeee! I wonder how much change (and how many wallets/hats/cell phones/dentures) they find in that pond at the end of a day?

There's one of those free fall rides; this one is called "The Edge". I haven't decided if I like free fall rides or not! I guess the old "Maliboomer" at DCA was OK, and I do like "Tower of Terror", so I guess I have to vote "yea".

Here's another shot from the Sky Whirl, this time featuring The Tidal Wave, which Ken tells us is an Intamin shuttle-loop coaster. Reminds me of Magic Mountain's "Montezooma's Revenge".

And finally, here's a very nice shot of The Tidal Wave in action. I still love loops in roller coasters, especially looking out to the side to watch the world turn upside down. It's freaky! But fun.

THANKS to Ken Martinez for sharing these photos with us!

Cascade Peak & Indian Burial, January 1965

I love this first photo of Cascade Peak, dramatically lit as if it hoped to be painted by Albert Bierstadt.    Yes, even a fake mountain has hopes and dreams. If only a little yellow Mine Train had been chugging past the waterfalls - then this picture would have been especially great. Lucky for me, I have some pictures like that. You'll just have to wait, though!

The dark moody atmosphere are this photo suits the subject matter... an Indian burial. You can see the dead guy up there on the little platform. Nearby is a circle of buffalo skulls, which is badass. 

The Miracle of Flight

I think I have mentioned my love of airplanes at least twice on this blog. As with my love of old cars, I know basically nothing about them, but just enjoy them as amazing machines that can also be beautiful examples of industrial design. 

This first one is so clear and colorful that it's hard to believe it was taken in September, 1949. 65 years ago! The picture was taken at one of the airports in Duluth, Minnesota (not sure which one, though). I love the dramatic sky. Are there any airplane nuts who can name the aircraft taxiing toward us?

This next one is undated and unmarked, though I would not be surprised it it is also from "somewhere in Minnesota". A floatplane sits at a dock, loading supplies for a group of fishermen. Years ago my dad took my brothers and me on a fishing trip up into Canada, and we flew to the lake in a small plane much like this one. Landing on a lake was a new experience! We were dropped off in front of our cabin and didn't see another human being for a whole week. The only sign that there were other beings in the world was the occasional jets flying high overhead.

Here's another one that looks like it could have been taken yesterday, but it is in fact from January, 1948. In this case the slide was helpfully labeled "Lake Kekekabic", which is a small lake in Minnesota, only a few miles from the Canadian border (and roughly 80 miles north of Duluth). I am presuming that the neat airplane landed to pick up some ice fisherman (notice the smoke pot to the right). Man, it looks cold there!

I hope you have enjoyed today's vintage airplanes!

Disneyland Snapshots, August 1968

It sure seems like I am tearing through my limited collection of vintage Disneyland snapshots. It won't be too long until they've all been posted. One might consider this an omen.

We'll start with this nice view of the Mad Tea Party. At first I thought, "Jeez, that sure seems high up to be taken from the Pirate Ship". And then I realized that it was taken from the Skyway. Doi! Notice that the Fantasyland Theater is showing "Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day", released in 1968; it was the second Pooh featurette, and the last film produced by Walt Disney (who won a posthumous Academy Award).

Now we're back on terra firma, and right next to the teacups (with Mr. Toad's Wild Ride in the background). I get a kick out of the two ladies in the foreground, especially the one on the left; she  reminds me of my first grade teacher, who I loved. 

That gentleman might have a walking stick, but he radiates a certain élan! I like him already. Which is good, because we'll be seeing more of him in his "leave nothing to the imagination" pants! ;-)

Beautiful Tomorrowland, August 1961

HAPPY 2015!

I love this first photo; this view of the Matterhorn is somehow extra dramatic, looking up past the Yacht Bar (barely visible to our left), past the Monorail beam, with the old Skyway buckets moving to and fro through the tunnels; there are waterfalls cascading, and lots of guests milling about at the bottom of the frame. Fantastic!

This next one is a typical (but still nice) view of the Rocket to the Moon (notice that the "TWA" has been removed from the Moonliner, because the company stopped its sponsorship of the attraction in 1960). To our right is the "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" walk-thru, which explains all of the nautical flags.

I would like to wish every GDB reader a year full of happiness, health, and prosperity.

Knott's Ghost Town, 1950's

Knott's in the 1950's reached a sort of apotheosis of charm; it would continue to get bigger, and cool rides would be added, but there is just something about it at this time that I find incredibly appealing.

This first photo almost looks like a postcard. Say, that bank doesn't look like it is FDIC insured. Fix the roof at least! The bank was on School Road, right near the gun shop and the knife shop. At first I thought that the people milling around the entrance were there because it was actually a restroom (just a theory), but I guess it was a coin shop at some point. Makes sense when you think about it. The structure to our right (with the dormer window) was where you could get candy and ice cream.

A little bit further up the street you could get your grist ground good at the grist mill. "Glen, grind my grist so I can make griddle cakes!", I gasped gleefully. And then I guffawed. Any idea what that spidery structure is between the mill and the bank? A well? Some sort of torture device?

Three From September 1976

Some wise photographer visited Disneyland in1976, and the first thing he did (I actually know it was a "he"!) was take a photo of an attraction poster - in this case one of the beautiful later silkscreened examples, created with not six colors, not eight colors, but SIXTY individual colors. Imagine the time and labor it took to produce these! I am happy to own one, if you'd like to get a better look, check it out at this post.

This next image shows the landing for the Canoes and Keel Boats, just north of where the Haunted Mansion is. This might be the only photo in my entire collection that shows the Hungry Bear restaurant (to our right), one my favorite places to eat. Even on somewhat busy days I've been able to grab a table overlooking the river. It's surprisingly peaceful and pretty, and you get to wave to the guests aboard the Mark Twain or Columbia as they pass.

It's hard to tell where this photo was taken from… maybe Tom Sawyer Island? It sure doesn't feel like we're in an amusement park, though!

Stage Coach and Sleeping Beauty Castle, 1956

Here are a few pix from early fifty six! 

This first one is neat for a number of reasons. It's a nice look at one of the Stage Coaches and the adorabobble pint-sized ponies that pulled it (they're so little that they only eat baby carrots and alfalfa sprouts). Also, the photo was taken when the load area for the coaches was relatively open, and quite close to the river. In the background you can see the peaked roof of the small building that was called the "ice house" (I only know this because Imagineer Chris Merritt said so long ago). I believe that this structure is still there, although it is mostly obscured by later additions to the river landing; Chris said that (as of a few year ago, anyway) it was still used as a break room and check-in area for Columbia and Mark Twain cast members.

And here is an obligatory photo of Sleeping Beauty Castle, taken (I suppose) just as the sun set. If you look through the castle's arch, you can see the lights of King Arthur's Carrousel blazing as if it was night time. 

Da Subs, August 1961

Oh my gosh, that nuclear submarine is headed right for us! Somebody think of the children. If this was a video, we would hear the screeching of the submarine's brakes (they have brakes, right?). The sub contains two dozen of the happiest warheads on earth - they release the aroma of warm churros, rendering everyone within nose-shot cheerful and hungry.

I suppose this one has some merit as a photograph, but I'm having a hard time coming up with what it would be.