GDB 20th Anniversary!

You probably woke up this morning thinking that it was an ordinary Tuesday. But you are mistaken! Today is the 20th Anniversary of Gorillas Don't Blog - the blog with the dumbest name! Two decades, ye gods. Most of you know the story of the origins of this blog, so I won't rehash it for the umpteenth time, but I will say that I never imagined that I would still be blogging 20 years after I started this hobby (I guess it's a hobby?). I am grateful for the friendly community that has miraculously formed, somehow the trolls and weirdos have stayed away (probably because my readership numbers are relatively minuscule!).  

My "saved" folder of extra-special scans is not exactly overflowing, but I chose a few really nice examples for you. Starting with this aerial view of Disneyland! I love aerial views. This photo is undated, but the presence of It's a Small World means it's post-1966. The Haunted Mansion? Post-1969. The Indian Village (where the Dance Circle was) is there, and that remained until 1971. I don't see anything else that helps (perhaps you do), so I will pencil in "1970" for now.

Here's the entire photo, with good views of the backstage areas to the north (left), some vacant lots that I assume belong to Disney today, HoJo's, the lovable Interstate 5 Freeway, the massive parking lot (along with the Harbor Gate), and more.

One yellow Mine Train trundles through the Rainbow Desert... notice the trestle bridge crossing that pond. The Mark Twain is well underway, and the Columbia is in Fowler's Harbor. I admit that it's hard to discern, but just above the "g" of my blogspot watermark, you can just see the round Dance Circle, and the roof of the stadium-style seating to the right of that.
 

To the left is the Global Van Lines headquarters, and to the right of that is the Roundhouse and the show building for It's a Small World. Small details such as the Pirate Ship and the Motor Boats are fun.

I put in this additional view at the last minute because I wanted to show you the large area that was behind Main Street and Tomorrowland. Along with the Peoplemover trains that are on the tracks, there are several in that backstage area (since the Peoplemover trains don't have wheels, does anybody know how the trains were moved when they were off the track?). Jungle Cruise boats are lined up at the dock in the Rivers of the World, and I think we can even see the white roof of the Carnation milk truck in West Center Street.

More parking lot! Along with various motels that I can't identify. There's the Grand Hotel in the upper right. But I'm most fascinated by that miniature golf course to the middle-right! Does anybody have any information about that? This is new to me (or I forgot about it, more likely). I tried to look it up on Google, but only found endless references to the miniature golf course that used to be at the Disneyland Hotel.

Now we're back on terra firma, with this rare August 1962 photo from inside the Monsanto House of the Future. It looks surprisingly warm and inviting (if a bit small); my guess is that the house had received at least one redecoration since 1957. This appears to be the "boy's room", with a toy sailboat, a relief map of California, a model of the Santa Barbara mission, a cool sculpture (is it "modern", or "primitive"??), and best of all, a wicker moose. I think that clock thing is also a radio and intercom, how did they squeeze so much technology into that one device? In the bottom right, a book with a red-orange cover...

... why, it's "Our Friend the Atom"! I know this is a tangent, but "Our Friend the Atom" is a 1957 episode of the television series Disneyland describing the benefits of nuclear power and hosted by Heinz Haber. It was part of the publicity campaign for peaceful uses of atomic energy, following Dwight D. Eisenhower's "Atoms for Peace" speech at the UN General Assembly in December 1953.  The episode was broadcast on January 23, 1957, and repeated on April 24 of the same year. In 1956, Golden Press published a children's book, The Walt Disney Story of Our Friend the Atom, using artwork from the show.

Let's head over to Frontierland, for this lovely view of the Gullywhumper Keelboat, returning to the dock on the western shore. But the most interesting detail is that skeletal Old Mill structure, presumably there to give a sense of the scale (mills DO have scale!) of the final building that would be built there. Tom Sawyer Island opened to the public June 16, 1956, so I would guess that this photo is from early '56.

I'm always happy to see a photo of the Tomorrowland Spaceman. He towers over that woman… of course she didn't grow up with the 38% gravity of Mars. The little red flag on the Spaceman's antenna is a little silly, but it helps cars to see him when he's on his recumbent astrobike. Say hello to Screechy the Iggle!

And finally, here's a super nice look at a section of Old Tomorrowland, with the Hat Bar nearest to us. Notice the pile of Keppy Kaps, along with what seems to be beanies of different colors, and maybe cavalry-type hats (?). To the left, the Flight Circle, and out of frame to the right, the Rocket to the Moon  show building.

That does it for this 20th Anniversary post. I would (once again) like to offer a grateful thanks to all of the Junior Gorillas for sticking with GDB for so many years, and for your fun and informative comments. I've been lucky enough to meet some of you in person, and have even met some in Disneyland, which has been amazing. I can guarantee at least one more year, since I have most of those posts already completed! This is what happens when you don't go outside. 

Main Street Stuff, August 1962

Here are two familiar views from 1962; I'm sure you can understand my dilemma: "What do I say about these photos that might enhance their effect?". In this first example, I'm a bit stumped on that score. We've got the solid and stately (but not too stately) Main Street Station, and the original yellow passenger cars; watching some of those early black and white "Disneyland" (the TV show) episodes, it's pretty neat to see the cars being built on soundstages at the studio. I've always wondered how much say Santa Fe had in naming each car; the one in the center is "Colorado Rockies". Other names were "Navajo Chief", "Painted Desert", "Land of the Pueblos", and other names that evoke the romance of travel.

This next one would be pretty nice, except that it suffers from shadows that went way too dark. But we can still appreciate the beauty of the buildings along Main Street as the shadows crept across the street. Notice the movie on the marquee of the Main Street Cinema: Cupid Vs Cigarettes. That's some title! As we can see, it was "a riotous comedy". Looking it up, it is a 1912 short film starring Bert Caldwell and Edith Gardner. My favorites!

 

Mother's Day, and Jungle Snoozles

It's Mother's Day! And while I don't have any of my own family photos this time, GDB friend Sue B. was kind enough to send some scans of some 1960 snapshots featuring her as a baby, her lovely mom, and her Great Aunt, who lived in Hollywood, Florida. Which explains the landscape looks so tropical.

There's smiley little Sue, with her mother, Donna. Such a cute photo, and Donna looks so proud and loving.

Nutrition is important, as is fiber, which is why Sue is eating a palm frond. Uncooked palm fronds are full of vitamins and minerals! Donna knows that her baby is getting her recommended daily allowance of riboflavin, and any mother would be happy about that.

Baby Sue is having fun with her Great Aunt... I hope she can tell us a little bit about here in the comments.  Did Sue ever visit her when she was old enough to remember? I was kind of worried when I first saw this photo, because some palm trees are toothy and sharp, but this one looks safe and smooth! THANK YOU for sharing these, Sue!

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Oh boy, here are some real hard-core Snoozles™, I hope there are no children reading. These are all from the Jungle Cruise, source of many Snoozles.

Is that a bull elephant in the distance? Or his mother in-law? I can never tell. I can't see if the pachyderm is wearing lipstick from back here.

I hope to never find myself meeting a man-eating rhinoceros in the jungle. With their mighty incisors, they can eat a full-grown human in four chomps. But if you sing "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive", you might get the rhino to pause long enough that you will be able to run for safety. Pro-tip!

Is this the worst photo ever taken of the Jungle Cruise crocs? IT MIGHT BE!

Las Vegas, 1950s

I've had a small number of scans of vintage Las Vegas slides in a folder for a long time. Years. I think it's about high time to use them!

The first three feature photos from "Last Frontier Village", also known as Hotel Last Frontier, which opened on October 30th, 1942 as the second resort on the Las Vegas Strip. The western-themed property included 105 rooms, as well as the Little Church of the West. A new owner (William J. Moore) added a western village in 1948. The village consisted of authentic Old West buildings from a collector and would also feature the newly built Silver Slipper casino, added in 1950. Below, a mother and son pose with a genuine old train, which I assume was a static exhibit.

I don't really think of rusty jalopies as something you'd see in an "old west" setting, but I've managed to keep my cool, somehow! I'll bet that in the 1950s, and "antique" like the one below could be had for a song.

Here, mom poses with two disreputable cowpokes, they managed to not spit or cuss for the entire time she was there - maybe they're not so bad after all! This got me to wondering if the tableau of Whiskey Bill and Handsome Brady (at Knott's Berry Farm) was the first example of this kind of "photo op", or if it was a more common thing back then?

This next one is from a different batch; it was a bit of a mystery to me, but we can see "Free Ride to the Silver Slipper" on the cable car (possibly a repurposed San Francisco cable car?) - and as we just read, the Silver Slipper was part of Last Frontier Village. It's hard to be certain, but I assume that the cable car was perhaps attached to some sort of motorized conveyance.

Nice Randos

Here are two fun RANDOS for you today, starting with this particularly pretty photo of Skull Rock, from an image marked "November 1961". The photographer must have had a decent camera, this picture is very sharp and clear, and the warm late-afternoon lighting is not only pleasing to the eye, but it enhances the details. Skull Rock had debuted in December, 1960 - just under a year before, and the trees and plants still look newly-planted.

This next one (dated "July 1958") was a fun find; I'm wondering how many of you recognize actor Andy Devine? He's greeting a fan in Adventureland. He had a long career as a character actor in many films and TV shows, and was best-known for his scratchy voice.

Just for yucks, I'll highlight some of Andy's better-known films. Here he is in 1937's "A Star is Born", starring Frederic March and Janet Gaynor.

Next, a cast photo from John Ford's 1939 classic, "Stagecoach".

In 1962, Andy was in another John Ford masterpiece, "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". 

Some of you might remember him in "The Twilight Zone", as tall-tale-teller Somerset Frisby in the episode titled, "Hocus-Pocus and Frisby". Ol' Archimedes Frisby!

Another highlight from Andy's career is the 1962 epic western, "How the West Was Won", in CINERAMA.

Two From August, 1970

Judging from this first scan, August 1970 was a very busy time to visit Disneyland. Just look at all those people! I looked to see if something was going on in front of the Castle, perhaps some characters were gathered there, or something. But no, it just appears to be a Summer crowd. I also checked "Jason's Disneyland Almanac" to see if any big events happened around that time, but all I found was the "Country Music Jubilee" on Sundays. The Yippees invaded the park on August 6th of 1970, but it seems unlikely that this was the same day.

Not far from the first photo is the Snow White Grotto, often a nice place to get away from the mob and relax. Listen to Snow White's voice, and the sound of the waterfalls, throw a quarter into the wishing well, and feel at peace.

Two From November 28, 1973

I'm using up the last two scans from November 28, 1973. Let's start with a view shot from the Monorail as it zoomed shooshingly passed the entry to the park, allowing a nice look at the Mickey Mouse floral portrait, and a train waiting at the station. A loudspeaker is on top of that structure, presumably pumping out a selection of Disney melodies.

Over in Tomorrowland the Rocket Jets have blasted off, and guests are graying out from the excessive g-forces. The classic Peoplemover colors are so appealing, I love seeing those hues. I'm surprised that the Space Bar on the bottom level is closed; Thanksgiving had been six days earlier, maybe the brief spike in attendance had already abated?
 

Two From July, 1958

Here's a pair from the Summer of 1958, starting with this nice one taken by somebody who'd hiked to the top of Holiday Hill (without supplemental oxygen). Say! The view is pretty swell! We get a nice panorama looking toward Sleeping Beauty Castle, with some green awnings to the left that were outside the Monsanto House of the Future. The stacks of the Mark Twain can be seen, and way in the distance is the Holidayland tent. 

Next, we're aboard one of the river craft, perhaps a Keelboat? We're low in the water, but our photographer could have been seated at the bow of the Mark Twain of course. The Canoe loading docks are to the left, and a Raft to Tom Sawyer Island is just returning to the mainland. The Indian Village looks busy!

Even More Knott's Berry Farm RR Postcards

Whoo-hoo! It's time for a FIFTH "Knott's Berry Farm railroad on postcards" blog post, courtesy of GDB pal Steve DeGaetano! If you want to know something about steam locomotives, he's the guy to ask. I was going to write more, but Steve has done all the hard work (as usual), so let's get to his text!

I’ve been telling the Major for months now that I don’t think there are any more Knott’s Berry Farm Calico & Ghost Town Railroad postcards to add to my collection. Boy, was I wrong. I’ve got five new-to-me postcards today, a couple I’ve seen before, but the last three seem pretty rare, and the final one blew my socks off.

The first one was graciously donated to me by Junior Gorilla Mike Cozart. Obviously, this one differs completely from all the previous and subsequent postcards in that it is an illustration, but its sole focus is the “Calico Railroad,” and it definitely needs to be here for the sake of completeness. Obviously featuring Red Cliff in all her brown, blue and yellow glory. I’m sure Chuck has this one in his collection.

To be honest, the stagecoach “robbery” is the focus of the caption on the back of this card, noting that the “old narrow gauge passenger train escaped this time.” But I think it’s a nice-enough head-on view of No. 40 to merit inclusion in my collection.

Now we’re getting into some more rarified territory. Also obtained from Mr. Cozart is this nice view of No. 40 stopped in Calico Square. Former parlor car “Chama,” coupled to the engine, has been converted into a combination baggage/passenger car. Locomotive Gold Nugget has features I had not noticed before—a reddish cab roof and yellow-painted window muntins on the cab window (I think I’m using that term correctly. I’m afraid to say I went down the mullion/muntin rabbit hole for this post). While an older photo, the card appears to have been made in the 1980s, sharing its gold border with two other cards posted previously. A larger version of this picture appears in Christopher Merrit’s seminal work, “Knott’s Preserved,” which is selling on Amazon now for the low, low price of $346.14

This next card popped up in my eBay search just a few days ago, and I have never seen it before. It’s a pretty dramatic shot of the Ghost Town & Calico’s second locomotive, now wearing her original 1881 name, Green River, and D&RGW number, 340.  With her headlight blazing during daylight (not a normal practice), floating on a cloud of steam from her cylinders, and a complete lack of park guests, it’s a shot unlike any others I’ve seen. I’m guessing this is one of Knott’s newer offerings, judging by the very prototypical paint scheme and the fancy gold Knott’s lettering in the upper right corner.

Finally, the last card—and a true unicorn when it comes to the Ghost Town and Calico Railroad. I apologize for the extra wordiness, but this really needs a bit of explaining. 

What you see below is one of the true oddities of GT&C history. This scalloped-edged card features 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. It has about 10,000 more pounds of “tractive effort” than the two smaller Knott’s engines, so it is really huge. The back of the card says Knott’s purchased this engine in in 1971, but most on-line sources say it was 1973. Colloquially known as a “Mud Hen,” Knott’s rebuilt the engine and converted it from coal fuel to diesel oil. The only giveaway that it’s an “amusement park” locomotive are the two brass boiler bands—otherwise it’s in a very prototypical paint scheme. What makes this card so special is that Knott’s hardly ever used this locomotive—Wikipedia says “it saw little or no use” at Knott’s (this postcard showing it in operation notwithstanding), so being captured on a postcard makes it quite unusual. It was simply too large and too heavy to manage Knott’s pretty-tight curves. It’s unique in that the frame of the locomotive is outside the wheels—Imagine a bike wheel in a fork—opposed to a car wheel. Realizing it could never operate safely on the GT&C, it was sold to the Huckleberry Railroad near Flint, Michigan in 1981, currently awaiting an overhaul.

Okay, that’s all I have for now. Knott’s was always very proud of their little railroad, featuring it in more postcard images than even the Disneyland trains! I’ll be keeping my eye out for any more that may turn up, so maybe down the road there will be another installment featuring the Ghost Town & Calico Railroad.

THANKS SO MUCH to Steve DeGaetano for sharing his increasingly-rare postcards, and for taking the time to do research and share what he has learned with all of us. I know I will happily welcome a "part six", should that ever happen!

Snoozles™

It's Sunday, and you know what that means. SNOOZLES. Someday perhaps I will have no more Snoozles, but I don't want to raise your hopes too much. This first one is hand-dated "3-15-1957", and would be a pretty nice look at the fanciful rock formations in the Rainbow Desert - if the durned thing was more in-focus. Still, I am charmed by the rather crude rock work, and I always get a kick out of the tiny pueblos atop some of the rocks, especially the "tumbling" rock to our left. The itty-bitty people in that pueblo must have been very dizzy.

Next, from "the 50s" comes this too-dark photo of the Davy Crockett Frontier Arcade, near the entrance to Frontierland. In addition to selling classic merchandise such as coonskin caps and toy rifles, there was an actual shooting gallery. I believe (but am not certain) that there were other arcade games as well, customized to the "frontier" theme.