Monday, November 16, 2009

Mine Train Stuff, February 1964 (plus a bonus!)

Let's look at a few random scenes from the ol' Nature's Wonderland attraction, shall we? It's that, or photos of my Beanie Baby collection.

I thought so!

It's nice to know that the care taken by the Imagineers when designing all of the details at the little minin' town of Rainbow Ridge was appreciated by Disneyland guests. Folks took a LOT of pictures of the place, especially the Hardware Store and all of the useful items that we might need when we move to the wilderness. I'll take a stove pipe, a kerosene lantern, a shovel, and an ethernet cable (shielded). And a stoneware jug - not to hold moonshine, but to make beautiful music.


The Living Desert is a harsh environment, but there is beauty to be seen; like those mysterious and colorful bubbling pots of mud. Blue, red, yellow, and puce. I'm pretty sure there was puce! The Imagineers could have made this scene even more realistic by pumping the heady aroma of hydrogen sulphide through the scene (think rotten eggs). Boy, did they miss out.


And finally, a mangy looking bobcat is perched atop a stone outcropping. He needs a leave-in conditioner (but who doesn't?). I feel as if he is singling me out because of my hat with the giant dyed ostrich feather.


EXTRA! EXTRA! After yesterday's post showing LIFE magazine's photos of the Monsanto Plastic Home of the Future, Chris Merritt sent along the following amazing photo that his grandfather took back in 1960. Nearly 50 years ago, the idea of a TV that big (and thin) really did seem like something from fiction. Notice how the addition of the dried flowers, sculptures, and other knick-knacks give the interior a warmer, more "lived in" feel.

5 comments:

  1. Lots o' detail in these, wunnerful Maj. :)

    Your items secured, the sign in the window on the left (top pic) seems to read. Dicey place!

    They left the hydrogen sulphide to those guests who had the chili dogs.

    Wow your grandpa took a real nice pic there, Chris! Interesting contrast though to screens now, which strongly favor black for screen and surround.

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  2. Puce? Don't ask me, I have no idea
    what puce is.

    But as a kid who had just visited Lassen Volcanic National Park, I was very disappointed that the Disneyland mud pots weren't aromatically correct. The real ones give true meaning to the expression "bowls of the earth".

    Special thanks to Chris M. for sharing from his family's secret stash. Good taste must run in your family, what a great picture and so well done!

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  3. I always get my ethernet cable's (sheilded, cat-6 of course) at that little hardware store.

    HOTF - WOW! Thanks Chris! My eyes went right to that chair on the left, my granda had those in her kitchen! Flat screen TV's? Sure, and we'll have flying cars too!

    "Think Rotten eggs"! no thanks...

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  4. the hardware store certainly was well stocked. i like the shiny pails hanging up from the porch eaves

    it would have been cool to see the mud pots, with or without the smell! sad that such a beautiful part of DL is no longer there to enjoy :(

    a gorgeous image from inside the plastic house. i would so want to live there. thanks, Chris, for sharing it with us ;)

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  5. Anonymous10:36 AM

    Mmm..... vintage George Nelson swan leg chair, the whole house has the feel of Chales Eames working on something for the space program.

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