Friday, January 17, 2025

Two Beauties

Here's two more selections from a nice batch of 1950s color transparencies. We'll start with this great shot of a woman posing next to an Omnibus, clutching her souvenir guidebook. "My precioussss!" she said, getting weird looks from those around her. Speaking of souvenir guidebooks, I could see a photo like this being used in a guidebook. Is the rest of her family on the upper level ("omni-balcony")? Perhaps there is no relation. The hard-working driver can be seen heading back toward the driver's seat, possibly holding a cigarette. 


This next must have been from a year or so later (I believe that the first one is from 1956), since it shows the House of the Future, looking (and smelling) brand-new, in fact the pond has not been filled with Moon water yet, and the shrubs have that "just planted" look. It's a pretty sweet picture! The HotF opened on June 12, 1957, bringing tears of joy to wood-hating Americans everywhere. Notice that the Skyway is still gliding over Holiday Hill.  


Thursday, January 16, 2025

More New Orleans Square, August 1983

It's time for more great photos from New Orleans Square, circa August 1983, taken by Lou Perry and shared with us by his daughter, Sue B. When NOS debuted, it was a stunning example of the Imagineer's skill and artistry - and it still impresses today.

This first one is an echo of a photo that we saw in part one (I'd link to it, but as I write this it hasn't published yet), showing some mystery restaurant. In the previous Lou and Sue NOS post, I postulated that this could be the "Royal Street Veranda", though it might also be the "Grunt and Chew". 


Speaking of Royal Street, there's one of the iconic lampposts. "Iconic? Major, what the he** are you talking about??". Yes, for years lamps like that one were used as a sort of graphic representation for NOS. I have no idea if there are lights like this in the real New Orleans.


Two guests stroll toward "Le Gourmet" (which is French for "The Lizard", I believe), where you can find all sorts of kitchenware - the finest available! Do you need a corkscrew made of rhodium? Or a frying pan carved from a nickel-iron meteorite? They have both, but you can only buy one of them. To the left is the entrance to the Blue Bayou restaurant, where all the food is blue. You get used to it.


Lou took only a single photo inside "Pirates of the Caribbean", but it turned out pretty good! It's one of the early scenes (before all of the animatronics) in those moody caverns full of skeletons. This particular pirate died doing what he loved - sitting on a pile of gold.


Just a few years later, the exterior of "Pirates of the Caribbean" changed drastically to accommodate the long lines that could form on a busy day - you know, the whole bridge thing. I like seeing it in its original non-bridgey form, 


THANK YOU, Lou and Sue!

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Casey Jones Junior, 1956

Here are two more scans from some oversized (120 format) transparencies - both featuring Casey Jones Junior as he pulled the colorful circus train through Storybook Land. I've always loved the way Casey looks just like his cartoon counterpart. The driver sees us taking his picture, and is frankly sick of the paparazzi. "Don't they understand that I am a person, with feelings and needs like the shmucks I look down upon?". He's a work in progress.


A second photo reveals that the canal (for the Storybook Land Canal Boats) is empty for some reason - a worker of some sort is partly obscured by a fence pole to the right. Could this be from the early days before all of the charming miniature vignettes were added to Storybook Land? After two months of operation, the Canal Boats closed while Storybook Land was constructed and the muddy banks were landscaped with miniature plants, including a bonsai tree planted by Walt Disney himself. It seems very possible!


Hey, why not zoom in, since these large-format transparencies are high-quality? We can see the fearsome Wild Animals, both wearing pink dresses. 


Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Main Street Views, June 1962

Main Street! It's like other streets, only better - you don't want to go to Maple Street, that place is for losers. And you are WINNERS! Today's photographer sure liked Main Street, and took quite a few photos - I'll share two of them today (both from June, 1962).

First, a typical shot looking north toward Sleeping Beauty Castle, with a Surrey heading to Town Square, and a Streetcar going in the opposite direction. In the distance we can just see the Motorized Firetruck, too! The man to the right is rockin' the shorts and knee-length black socks, a look that I am just about ready to adopt for myself.  


Those Dans sure are dapper! I guess their bicycle built for four was in the shop, so they had to resort to a pair of tandem bicycles. Embarrassing, if you ask me, but they are putting on brave faces in spite of their humiliation. That fire hydrant is just right out there, bright red and ready to help extinguish any blaze that might occur nearby. 


*******************
Days ago I received a comment at THIS POST, the one that had the photo of a man that I surmised might be Day Sechler. Happily, the comment was from one of his relatives! Here's the comment: Hello everyone! The man in the plaid jacket is indeed Marion “Day” Sechler. He was one of the very first employees of Disneyland. He is my Great Uncle on my father’s side. He retired to Northern California after a long career. — Sara (Sechler) Lewis. Thank you Sara, it's so cool to confirm that we have a rare sighting of your Great Uncle!

Monday, January 13, 2025

Two Skyway Views, 1950s

I have a pair of extra-nice photos taken from the Skyway, probably from around the time when it was brand-new (it opened on June 23, 1956). It's only natural that guests would be inspired to snap lots of pictures from their gondola - how often did anyone get to see the world from 80-ish feet up? (If you happen to know how high up the Skyway actually went, let me know!). 

So, here we are, late in the afternoon on what feels like a post-Summer day (just a hunch). Monstro the Whale is down below, and he's so mad that he's spouting.  It looks like he's chomping down on the little lighthouse, doesn't he know how much cholesterol those things have? In the foreground, the crown of the "Fan 1" goes by, just far enough that we can't stick our gum to it.


Next is this interesting view looking down on the Mad Tea Party. There are a few (very few) guests in teacups, and we see about the same number of NASA cast members milling around, maybe they are looking for loose change. To the left, a mysterious hatch is open! I had no idea such a thing even existed. It probably leads down to Walt's Other Apartment. Nobody would ever expect to find him there. Posters for the Mickey Mouse Club 3D Jamboree can be seen at the upper edge of the photo, and there's that fun little ticket/souvenir booth in the upper right. 


*****************
On Friday, two readers expressed an interest in a plaque that is applied to a lamp post in Town Square. Once our electricity was restored, I decided to see if I could decipher what that plaque said. Here's a closeup, with a tiny bit of Photoshop sharpening applied.


I actually can read all but one key word! It says:

MF'D
BY
XXXXXXXX
IRON
WORKS

LOS
ANGELES
CALIF

If you can figure out what the mystery word is, please let me know! I imagine that I see it starting with "CON", but it's really hard to tell.

Sunday, January 12, 2025

Snoozles™

I have some nap-inducing scans for you on this Sunday; starting with this one from August, 1961. It's not really such a bad photo, Charlie Brown. There's a snake in that tree, and some crocodiles in the water (guarding that temple that you can just see), all business as usual in the jungle. 


Next is this snoozley picture from November 28, 1973, featuring those steps (where do they lead?) in the Court of Angels; "Angels" meaning rich people who are members of Club 33. And gosh, they really are little angels, aren't they?


 

Saturday, January 11, 2025

More Silver Dollar City, August 1970

Today I'm sharing the last five scans from Silver Dollar City, near Branson, MO. Be sure to see the first part - I'd link to it, but as I am composing this second part, the first part has not published yet. Time is a flat circle, whatever that means. Below is another photo of the Flooded Mine attraction, which looks like something they put extra effort into. Notice the train station in the distance - more on that in a sec.


Instead of the standard Western-town gunfight, Silver Dollar City switched things up by having a battle between two strapping ladies. "Kirk was better, you yellow-haired devil!". "Why, you musta drunk too much rotgut, you sidewinder. Picard is better!".


Here's one of the trains from the Frisco Silver Dollar Steam Train. Wikipedia sez: The railroad opened on May 27, 1962, making it the oldest operating ride at Silver Dollar City. It is themed after American railways in the 1800s, more recently and specifically off the Frisco. The ride includes an 1800s themed train depot, a water tower, a trestle overpass bridge, a train wreck scene, a staged train robbery, a tunnel, a rectangular shaped roundhouse and an at-grade railroad crossing. It consists of a total of seven steam locomotives, with four of them in operating condition as of 2023. The railroad is 1.52 miles long.


Oh boy, a stagecoach ride! It appears as if there was a bit of railing to help keep guests from falling off, which is mighty neighborly (but no fun). Again from Wikipedia: In the early years of the park, an authentic stagecoach took guests on a bumpy ride around the perimeter of the town square pulled by sturdy draft horses. It was removed five years after the park opened. I wonder if their stagecoaches ever fell over or collapsed? Or exploded?


Hmmm, those don't look like "sturdy draft horses" to me, in fact they look like mules. Mangy mules, too! Sure, they're flavorful, but they're still mules. I wonder if they would launch three or four coaches at once, since we are eating a coach's dust in the previous image, and serving up some filth in this one?


I hope you have enjoyed your visit to Silver Dollar City!

Friday, January 10, 2025

Two From the 50s

Today's "Fun Friday" scans are full of 1950s goodness, which is almost as good as "chocolatey goodness". Almost. 

I sure love this first shot of a Surrey packed with an entire family while Gramps takes their picture. So WHO is taking the picture we are looking at? Walt Disney himself, I say, and who's going to argue with me?? It better not be you, JG! "Here folks (*cough*), let me take your picture". "Gee, thanks, mustachioed stranger!". It's late-afternoon during the holidays (note the decorations), which means it was probably around 4:00. Perhaps the park closed at 8:00. Also notice the Bekins moving van, which appears to be ready to back into the "garage".  


Everybody's having a swell time! The boy to the right is wearing a powder-blue jumpsuit, evidence that he is actually from Planet Zebuloid-42.


Meanwhile, over in Tomorrowland, we get a nice look at the entrance (or is it the exit?) to CIRCARAMA, sponsored by American Motors. I never noticed before, but it appears that there was a little "moat" in front of this attraction. The signboard displays a tantalizing list of features, including the "Moon Ride" (hey!), "Kaiser Aluminum", "Space Bar", and "Space Station X-1".


Thursday, January 09, 2025

Views From June 22, 1965

Today's photos are hand-dated "June 22, 1965". We've actually seen some photos from this batch before, but I was on LSD and forgot to use Jason's Disneyland Almanac for some date-specific facts. It was a Tuesday, the park was open from 9:00 AM until midnight; the temperature reached a pleasant high of 71º, and a low of 58º. Attendance was 41,650, and a special event was going on - HUMDINGER! I don't have any photos of Humdinger '65, but here's a link to a photo of a sign from the 1967 version.

Three nice people are resting in front of the not-yet-open Haunted Mansion. You might recognize Ralph and Florence, who'd been to the park in 1963 (Ralph also enjoyed riding the Pack Mules). There's something about Ralph's outfit, I thought he was a priest at first. Perhaps the lady in blue is his sister, let's call her Ophelia. 



Next, we're up in the branches of the Swiss Family Treehouse, sponsored by Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa mix (just add water if you hate delicious things). Ophelia never dreamed that she would ever be in such a treehouse - she's more of a yurt gal (and proud of it).


Wednesday, January 08, 2025

A Cornucopia of Canoes

I'm continuing a look at the Canoes (from December 3, 2024), with more photos from the Mysterious Benefactor. Canoes were the Teslas of their day when you think about it. 

Jasper Morgan's 1787 book "Canoe Tips for Teens" has a number of basic rules for beginners, and the first one - the most important one - is, "Always stand in your canoe". It seems a little crazy, but you're not going to argue with Jasper, are you? The fellow in front has excellent canoe posture, or "CP" as it is called in the biz.


The instructor is a bit cross, somebody has been snapping their gum, and he's having flashbacks to the Battle of Saratoga. Look at that blond dude, the preppy bad guy from every 80s movie.


This young lady is doing her best, but I don't know if I can forgive the Tasmanian Devil t-shirt. When the canoe returns to shore, employees will give her a Mickey shirt to cover up her indiscretion. OR ELSE!


I'm assuming that the Columbia was moored in Fowler's Harbor (as usual), and this Canoe was just getting underway.  The fellow at the back hasn't switched on the secret electric motor yet! 


I wonder if KS knows the guy in front? His concentration is off the charts! He's preparing for the canoe races at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles - only to discover that there was no event for canoes, and there never has been. Notice that his watch is authentic to the 18th century.  


And finally, let's not forget that the number TWO rule from Jasper Morgan's book is "Have Fun". These guests are doing a great job!


MANY THANKS to the Mysterious Benefactor!