Frontierland, June 1969

Here are two nice-but-not-exciting photos from 1969 Frontierland. To be honest, I almost relegated these to a Snoozle Sunday, but had a change of heart at the last minute. "Give 'em a chance! Let 'em show you what they got!". 

We're looking at a Canoe through the sedges ("Sedges have edges, but rushes are round", says my theoretically-knowledgeable friend - though maybe they are something else entirely. Possibly pine trees?). In 1969, the Canoe CMs would motivate the guests through fear and insults, and boy-oh-boy did it ever work! I'm kind of supposed that this canoe in the photo is not producing a "rooster tail" of spray.

It's the Columbia, at rest in Fowler's Harbor; I swear, if that ship is in service for even half of the year, I'd be surprised. I suppose sailing ships need lots of maintenance, as their hulls become covered in weed and barnacles and angry queen crabs.

Skyway Views, August 1970

"Say, Roberta, whaddaya say we ride that crazy Skyway thing? I've heard it's the most!". "You got it, kitty cat! Let's ambulate.". This nice fellow is having a swell day at the park, what I wouldn't give for another trip on the Skyway. Below him, the Sub Lagoon (you'll just have to believe me). In the background, the Matterhorn, with a good-luck bobsled visible!

That's quite a view, wowee. Look over to the left, it appears that they had a dining area in that spot next to the water, I don't recall seeing tables there before (though I have no doubt that we've seen them in the past). "Big Red", the Mark II Monorail, is zooming below (playing cards in the spokes made the noise), while the dreamlike facade of you-know-what is in the distance.

Main Street, September 1985

I have a series of photos, sent to me by Sue B., and taken by her Dad, Lou Perry - these are all from Main Street, circa 1985. Lou seemed particularly interested in capturing some of the small details! It is a large batch, but there are a number of similar photos, so I edited them down to some of the more unique pictures. 

As you can see, it was Disneyland's "30th Year"; light pole decorations had boingy stars on wires; I kind of think Lou was also interested in the real gas-flame lamps. The sign for the Magic Shop and Tobacco Shop are in the background.

"Disney Clothiers Ltd." - Why didn't they give it a cute name, such as "Fancy Pants" or "Disney Duds"? Pay me, Disney! "I'd like a Mickey Mouse t-shirt". "We aren't a common souvenir shop! We are clothiers.  Get out, or I'll throw you out!". You have to admire the passion. 

Look at the crowds! So many people, with pockets full of money. Glorious cash. Moolah. And such!

Lou took a lot of photos of these lamps, he loved those boingy stars.

I was a little surprised to see the Kodak shop still there in '85, but it turns out that they were replaced by GAF in 1970, then Polaroid in 1979, and Kodak returned on May 1st, 1984. Meanwhile, that poor kid has been holding up that clock for hours, he's exhausted. 

It's the good old Main Street Cinema. Some people like seeing their movies in IMAX with Dolby sound, but I prefer a little room with several screens. It suits my short attention span, see?

THANK YOU, Lou and Sue!

One Blurzle™, One Snoozle™

I spun around until I was dizzy, and picked two slides out of a Tiffany favrile glass bowl. Yes, I broke the bowl because I was so dizzy, but that's beside the point. One slide was a Blurzle! It is dated "August 1965", and could have been a nice and unusual "you are there" Pack Mule perspective, but it's hard to take a clear picture from the back of an oscillating mule. That's why Ansel Adams stopped taking his large-formate photos of Yosemite from the backs of animals. Good move, Ansel. Nearby, a delightful Mine Train disgorges its passengers, with the help of a friendly Redshirt. 

I'm still sore about breaking that bowl! This next slide is from July 1964, with a too-dark photo of the Matterhorn. You just know that this was a brilliantly-sunlit scene, and yet... this was what we get. Did cameras have auto-exposure in 1961? Maybe Disneyland should do a Halloween overlay of the Matterhorn, it looks so gloomy here. How about a big Chernabog figure on top?? Maybe he could emerge at night!

Here's Chernabog, for those of you who need reminding.

Ashland, Pennsylvania

Today I am sharing some slides from Ashland, Pennsylvania. "Let's call our town ASHLAND!". Not a very flattering moniker, but maybe it was named after Sir Reginald Ashland III. I knew nothing about Ashland, even though I lived in Pennsylvania and am not allowed (by law) to return. Long story. Ashland is only about six miles southeast of Knoebels amusement park. Here's a map:

While we know that these photos are from Ashland, I did not know specifically where these images were from. But I found out! I sure like the "Henry Clay Jr." push train thingy. Walt Disney could have saved a lot of money if he'd built his trains to be propelled by guests, but he didn't have the VISION. In the background might be large chunks of coal. Coal?? In Pennsylvania?

Now little Henry Clay is in the foreground, but a full-sized locomotive named "The Henry Clay" is to the right. According to one website, The engine known as "Henry Clay" is a working, coal-burning, narrow-gauge 0-4-0ST steam locomotive used to pull passenger mine tourist trains almost a mile along the side of Mahanoy Mountain at the Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine in Ashland, Pennsylvania. It turns out that "Ashland" was originally the name of Henry Clay's estate (the real Henry Clay was an American lawyer and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. He was the seventh House speaker as well as the ninth secretary of state).

And hey, what do you know, another slide (dated "August 1966") that I'd just scanned showed a group off people waiting to take a ride into the Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine! What are the odds? Wikipedia says that Pioneer Tunnel is a tourist attraction featuring a tour of a coal mine on mine cars and a separate 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) narrow gauge steam train ride. It still has an official website HERE. "If you look to your right, you'll see some coal. Quick! To your left! More coal". You could buy a souvenir hat that looked like a piece of coal.

 I hope you have enjoyed your visit to Ashland, PA!

A Pair From June 1961

I will file these under "General Interest". You can only look at them if you are (or have been) a General, so you have been warned. Both are from June, 1961.

OK, now that it's just us Generals (well, OK, I'm a Major, but it's my blog, darn it!), we can relax. I like this first pic, a portrait of a mother and her 2 year-old (?) at Main Street Station, posing with the Fred Gurley - old #3. It was built in 1898, but looks shiny and new. 

Next is this very nice look at the Monsanto House of the Future. It's almost POSTCARD-WORTHY, though the trees and shrubs might obscure a bit more of the house than the International Postcard Bureau (or IPB) would like.  However, the gardens and ponds make the future look mighty inviting. Looking at some of the guests in this photo, it occurred to me that some were born around the turn of the century, and surely never dreamed that they would ever see anything like the HotF!

 

HALLOWEEN

Happy Halloween, everybody! We made it. Some said it would never happen, but that might just be the voices in my head. Keeping with the spirit of the occasion ("spirit", man I crack myself up!), I have some vintage photos for your enjoyment. 

First is this scan from 1962, featuring five happy kids enjoying cookies and cake, getting sugared up so that they have plenty of energy walking door to door. It's impossible to know what the girl to the left is supposed to be without her mask. The boy next to her is dressed as "Rusty", the orphan boy whose best pal is Rin Tin Tin, who was way cooler than that lame Lassie. Then you have a classic skeleton, a Native American lass, and... maybe a clown? 

Next is this undated snapshot (but likely mid-1960s) photo of two terrifying trick-or-treaters. Well, the bunny isn't so terrifying, but some kids preferred to look cute rather than scary. I like the tiny top hat on the skeleton ghost, as befitting the occasion.

Here's a very young trick-or-treater, you know he got overwhelmed and started crying after visiting two houses. But we all have to start somewhere. Looking through my small collection of vintage Halloween slides, there is almost always a kid dressed as an Indian, it was definitely one of the staples of the day. I'm wondering if this was a character from a comic strip, but if so, I can't place him.

Next is this picture that might be from the 1970s (or earlier), it looks like kids were encouraged to wear their costumes to school, and this terrifying devil menaces us with his trident. I'm almost positive that I had a costume just like this, I can practically still feel the slippery (non-flammable?) acetate cloth and the sharp edges of the vacuum-formed mask.

And finally, here's a picture of my brother as Batman, and yours truly as Robin. We both wanted to be Batman, but the big brother won! It looks like he is wearing a store-bought costume, though it is very possible that only the mask was store-bought. I know that my mom made the Robin costume, I was very proud of it. Apparently we both insisted on wearing these costumes on an airplane trip from the east coast to California.

I hope that you all have a safe and fun Halloween!

The Spooky Manor, September 1983

GDB friend Sue B. sent along some scans of photos that her father (Lou Perry) took back in 1983, featuring the Haunted Mansion. If you compare them to yesterday's photos, there are no obvious changes (maybe HBG2 will disagree!), at least from the angles we are seeing (yes, yes, the trees are bigger, don't give me any guff!). I know that things like the exterior queue and some of the tombstones were moved around. By punk kids, I'll bet! With long hair, snapping their gum and saying bad words!

All of those people have no idea that behind that façade, ghosts, goblins, and Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers all live together, sharing rent and taking turns cooking. Only the man with the light blue shirt has been on the ride, his hair has turned white from terror! 

Wait a minute, did I see a face looking out from one of the windows?? It's probably just my imagination. I thought that the face had three eyes, which is ridiculous.

It sure doesn't look like there was much of a line for the Mansion. It was a walk-on! Purplish-pink seems to have been a fashionable color in 1983 - I remember my velvet suit in that hue. So comfy. Hey, I saw that face again! But by the time I wrote about it, it was gone.

When I win the Lottery for the fourth time (what can I say, I have the knack), I will buy land and build a house that looks just like this one. Then I will invite all of you over for dinner. A Zinger will be offered for dessert, of course!

 THANK YOU, Lou and Sue!

The Ghostly Château, August 1970

Wulp, it's that time of year - HALLOWEENTIME! Where ghosts, goblins, and ninja turtles come out to frighten and amuse us. And because the BIG DAY is on Friday, it seemed like a good time to share two vintage photos of the exterior of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion. The attraction opened a year before (on August 12, 1969), so the place wasn't as cobwebbed as we might have liked, and the smell of decay was barely noticeable. 

There it is, behind a wrought-iron fence. Nice and pointy, too! No teenager is going to climb it without getting what he deserves. I've said it before, but I love the Anaheim mansion the best, it just does it for me. All of the beautiful details, the magnolia trees, the weathervane, and the manicured grounds - chef's kiss! Don't get me wrong, the Florida mansion is awesome, I just don't have the same visceral reaction to it. Your mileage may vary.

I'd haunt this mansion happily! 

Minnie and Minnie - November 24, 1956

I have two fun scans featuring one of the old "photo ops" that used to be near the Red Wagon Inn back in the 1950s. And as an added bonus, we have an exact date on these, November 24th, 1956. That was Thanksgiving weekend, though Turkey Day was Thursday, and the 24th was the Saturday after. Attendance was only16,314, and the park was open from 10 AM to 7 PM. The temperature got up to 89º! (Thanks to Jason's Disneyland Almanac, as always). 

Anyway, we have two cute little girls who posed as Minnie Mouse. I guess Minnie was portrayed as a baton twirler? She's high-stepping in white boots, not her usual footwear. 

Next, another girl (with laser-cut bangs) takes her turn. If the photographer was good, and the photo itself was trimmed appropriately, the picture would resemble an old Art Corner postcard.