Here's big brother Pete (that's what I call him, anyway!), posing with the cannon in Town Square. The cannon is aimed right at City Hall's 2nd floor window on the left... whoever worked in there must have been nervous. In front of City Hall is a dispenser for the latest issue of the Disneyland newspaper. To the extreme left is the Police Department, (which didn't wind up in too many photos), while just a bit of a Surrey can be seen as well.
I love this beautiful shot of the Fire Station, with the wonderful "Chemical Wagon" out front. Just look at how clean that street is! I admit that whenever I see pictures of the station from '55 or '56, I can't help wondering if Walt Disney is up in his apartment.
Here's a closeup of the sign next to the lamp post for TokyoMagic! I was amazed that it enlarged as well as it did.
I never knew about the Police Station! I wonder what the sign says next to the lampost in that second pic. I kind of miss the pink tinted concrete, but I admit that the bricks that are there today are nice.
ReplyDeleteSomething about the low focus on the Police Station that's so nice from the perspective of a time saturated with things focused on criminality.
ReplyDeleteGasp, they aimed the cannon at City Hall? tee hee. Yet everything was cool.
Maybe that's Roy leaving the fire station. :)
Wonder what was in the news paper stand in front of the City Hall?
i am wondering if he reported that suspicious-looking abandoned paper bag on the bench there to the police department....at the very least, there would be a citation fine for littering our Town Square!
ReplyDeletebeautiful pics again today. the colors have been amazing this past week or two ;)
So, does the Disneyland Police Dept. have any kind of display inside (jail, etc.) or is it used more as a guest services type of facility?
ReplyDeleteNice photos, Major!
I never knew about the police department, either. I wonder what that sign says today? I'll have to go look! I don't think that part of the building is used for any guest stuff...I sit there all the time when I'm waiting to meet up with friends. It's probably an office or used for storage. I see that the curtains are open in Walt's window; didn't that indicate that he might be in?
ReplyDeleteWHAT? I thought TokyoMagic! knew everything! Well, I am proud to have shown something that you didn't know. I seem to recall somebody once saying that the Police Station was used as a meeting place for the guided tours, but don't hold me to that.
ReplyDeleteChiana, the newspaper stand held issues of the "Disneyland News". Check out this collector's website:
http://www.keeline.com/DLmagazines/Disneyland_News/index.html
And I zoomed in on the original scan in Photoshop, it looks like this issue is the one that is on the stand:
http://www.keeline.com/DLmagazines/Disneyland_News/pages/1955-08c.html
By the way, the headlines could be customized for you or your family, so sometimes you'll see these with a generic headline, or else you'll see one that has been set up for somebody specific.
Nancy, I'm glad you have been enjoying the photos especially!
Andrew, I'm afraid I don't know if there was a jail inside the Jail! There HAD to be a place to throw hippies, don't you think?
Connie, the next time you go to the park ('cause I know you go all the time) you'll have to take photos of the Police Station. I think the curtains were often half open back then, but I have one photo somewhere on this blog in which the window itself is open! I was guessing that he was definitely "home" on that one".
@ Connie; that was my understanding as well. Curtains open indicate Walt was in the park.
ReplyDeleteThat area (Police Station) became the Tour gardens and waiting area? Correct?
Major and Thufer - you are correct about the Police Station - it was turned into the Tour Gardens and waiting area.
ReplyDeleteI don't have my copy of Chris Strodder's magnificent "The Disneyland Encyclopedia" (the ultimate Disneyland bathroom book) with me to confirm details, but as I recall the Police Station was used in the early years as the home of the Public Relations Department. Its location close to the gate made a lot of sense so the staff could conveniently meet members of the media and escort them into what at the time was a completely unique experience in family entertainment.
To my knowledge there has never been a jail in the Police Station; that's what the dungeons under New Orleans Square are used for. And despite the name, it's never been the home of Disneyland Security, which is actually located in a secure, EMP-hardened facility located five stories beneath "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."
These are the next best thing to Time Travel! WOW! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the close-up of the sign, Major!
ReplyDeleteAnd they would use that jail to lock up communists, such as Cmrade Major Pepperidge and myself.
ReplyDeleteI'd love it if they brought back the Police Station and used it as a home base for the Cop Saxophone Band.
ReplyDelete@ Major, thanks for the added close up. What a neat sign! Looks like you could have scanned at even higher resolution, those slides sure could be a high quality format. :)
ReplyDelete@ Rich T., sounds good to me. :)
I remember the Police Dept., for all the wrong reasons.
ReplyDeleteI'm like you Major, I always believe that Walt was home in his apartment whenever I see a picture.
Thufer, I did not know the signal about the curtains, but that sounds plausible for sure, thank you for sharing. These details bring the past back to life so vividly for me.
Thanks so much all of you.
Sorry about the late comments today, out of town, looking for work.
JG
Good luck JG :)
ReplyDeleteChuck, I am just going to believe everything you write to make things easy!
ReplyDeleteVladimir, ixnay on the omradecay!
VDT, glad you liked these.
Rich T., great idea!
Chiana, you are welcome... these slides are larger than usual, which is why I could zoom in with some success.
JG, I second Chiana's good wishes.