Here's a crisp colorful photo of the entrance to Adventureland in 1956. I like all of the little details that are visible here, like the shields, skulls and spears that line the fence to our right. Those two huge oars appear to be Oceanic in design, while the buildings in the background look to be African. Right in the middle of the sidewalk, a tree (jacaranda?) is surrounded by a crude fence (yes, even it is appropriately themed!).
If we zoom in a little, we see an alley that leads back to a exotic phone booth (and secret elevator to the massive sub-level nerve center that only I know about), and (apparently) the men's room. Ladies go to the right!
Another wonderful vintage photo! I look forward to seeing your pics every day now. They make me miss the way things used to be at the park. In my opinion, they have now junked up/ruined almost every corner of the park. This part of Adventureland looked better before they stuck lava rock or whatever kind of rock it's supposed to be in front of the restrooms in the 1990's (okay, I'll admit that the removal of the modern day phone booth was a good thing). Again..just my opinion. :-)
ReplyDeletewow I never saw this. Another neato nook *nyuk nook* thanks Maj. (pronounced, "mage" hehe). What was to the right back then? Tahitian Terrace?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you guys doing these amazing blogs all know this, but in case anyone who reads this doesn't know - protect those Kodachrome slides from LIGHT! If well developed, kept from bad conditions and light much as possible, they'll last and last, like this one has. But Kodachrome fades worse than most if exposed to much light. Put them in a slide projector to show Aunt Harriet much or keep 'em laying around out in the living room you'll get a magenta slide, Kodachrome or not. Keep, sell or trade, plz be good guardians peeps, so others will be able to enjoy them like we can here now thanks to the Maj.
Wow! almost 3D. Fantastic pic.
ReplyDeleteIs that Dave in the stroller?
ReplyDeleteLooks like him!
Awesome, Major! Where do you find your slides in the first place?? Please let me know how to best get a slide scanned in so that it can be posted to a blog page. What approach do you take?
ReplyDeleteI know for a fact that beyond the telephone booth in your photo is the "secret entrance" to the back area where the backstage entrance to the Golden Horseshoe (as well as the offices for Adventure/Frontier Attractions) are/were located. In the 1980s we had a trash compactor back there too where the Adventure/Frontier waste was deposited. The compacted trash was loaded into a truck by the night crew, who used the larger gate over by the River Belle Terrace and Stage Door Cafe in order to access the "secret back area" in the middle of Adventureland and Frontierland!
Love the skulls and shields at the Adventureland entrance to this day!!
Mike Kelly