Sunday, September 27, 2009

Arriving at Disneyland, February 1960

Sit back, relax (unless you're on a unicycle) and try to remember the excitement you used to feel as you headed towards Disneyland. Can't do it? Lucky for you I have pictures; 4 of 'em, from 1960, to help.

Here we are on the Santa Ana Freeway, the happiest freeway on earth. I'm sure glad that our car isn't conked out like that one to the right. Let's honk our horn and wave sympathetically (but for god's sake, don't stop to help). The offramp up ahead is for "Concord Street". Since I am not of this Earth, I'm not so sure how close we are to the park.


Look, we're almost in! That sign says "exit", but it has nothing to do with us. Dad is pointing out the shiny new Matterhorn to his girls. They might be too runty to ride it, though.


Oh boy! Through the turnstyles we go...


... and we're there. Take lots of pictures, lady.

10 comments:

TokyoMagic! said...

Fun post today, Major! Oh heck, they're fun everyday!

Okay, I was curious because I don't know of a Concord St. offramp on the Santa Ana freeway, so I googled it. It appears to be in Boyle Heights (near downtown L.A.) and it looks like the offramp to Concord St. is long gone. You can almost see where it used to be, but what was more interesting is that the building to the right of the freeway in your pic (the one with the tower) is still standing! That street overpass up ahead is Lorena St. and that building appears to be a church located at the corner of Lorena and Beswick St.

TokyoMagic! said...

A little further studying of the "Satellite View" reveals that the ONRAMP to the freeway from Concord is still there, but I was right about the OFFRAMP no longer being there. Looks like there is a vacant spot of land where it used to be along with a sound wall. The "Street View" on Google Maps also shows that the two story house above the woman standing off on the shoulder is still there (the house, not the woman) and also the white apartment building just up the street from that still exists. Just in case anyone else had as morbid a fascination with this photo as I did!

Nancy said...

yes, definitely fun every day

all i know is that there is a feeling that comes over me when i get my first glimpse of the park that is not like any other...nor is the crying at the end of the week :(

Tokyo, interesting info as well.

how far away from Disneyland would this be, the house that still exists, probably with some lucky family who can visit DL any time they darn well please?!

PTA Transit Authority said...

Fascinating pics as always Major. Great job Tokyo. Appreciated.

pixiegirltink said...

I miss those old oval letters on top of the turnstiles. They were special!

:)

TokyoMagic! said...

Nancy, that neighborhood would be about 45 minutes from the park WITHOUT traffic....but this is Southern California, so you never really know for sure how long it will take to get anywhere!

Nancy said...

thanks, Tokyo :)

i am 5 hours away BY PLANE (with the layover) :( you guys who live close are so lucky

Chiana_Chat said...

I wasn't on a unicycle, but thanks for the warning Maj I nearly took a tumble off me unichair. It is useful on uneven floors.

Gosh it'd be cool to live nearby especially then as Jim and others commenting here have remarked. The Matterhorn was a fixture before this whippersnapper was snapped, so what springs to my memories are seeing either the Knotts parachute or Matterhorn depending which we were stopping at first, knowing fun filled hours lay ahead!

Vaughn said...

Wow! Four lanes of freeway, traffic jams are going to be a thing of the past...

Jim said...

Yeah, that Concord exit threw me as well. But what a great shot anyhoo. Speaking of getting to the park; For many years in the sixties and seventies, there was a Disneyland billboard on the southbound Santa Ana right before it crossed the 91. For at least a couple of those years it bore the visage of Brer Bear and warned travelers enroute to DL to "Bear right at Harbor Boulevard." Later it was changed to the trio of hitch hiking ghosts from the HM to highlight it's opening. I don't recall a similar one on the northbound route in from south OC, but folks seemed to find the place regardless. Imagine that.