Here's a trio of Frontierland photos from 1960 - the last few from their batch. Which means that there's nothing super exciting, just good old classic Disneyland.
Yes, yes, I know, it's another photo of the Columbia. Aren't you glad it's not the Mark Twain? Trust me, I have plenty of those to come (if I decide to share them). Fun details: poisonous oleander. People on the Pack Mules. A shy Keelboat, and a bashful Canoe. The Fishing Dock. And even a raft full of guests, ready to head back to the relatively-civilized "mainland".
Elvis sang about a hunka hunka burnin' settler's cabin, which proves that he visited Disneyland. He wore a disguise (in other words, he left the rhinestone-encrusted cape at home), and nobody had a clue except the girl who sold him a hamburger (with peanut butter) at the Yacht Bar.
This photo is almost a really good one, but it has its flaws. Like all of us, am I right? Being July, it's not much of a surprise to see Frontierland so busy, and the afternoon glow is very pretty.
Major-
ReplyDeletePoisonous oleander is the best-! It was a popular freeway landscaping choice, as it grew so easily and is very hearty. I see you too heard the rumor about the original title of Burning Love being Burning Settler's Cabin a-Fire, but somehow that title was given the heave-ho. Too bad.
Thanks, Major.
Ah, for the days of yore, before Disneyland got so crowded...
ReplyDeleteIt's nice that even though the river itself and the things on it have changed, picture #3 looks basically the same as what you'll see today.
ReplyDeleteBig wheel keep on turnin'
ReplyDeleteSettler's cabin keep on burnin'
"Shy keelboat and a bashful Canoe" - LOL. Maybe the Columbia intimidates them?
ReplyDeleteI like the fence in the foreground on the first pic. That's a nice added touch, to complete this picture.
Please do keep sharing your pictures of everything on the ROA - including the Mark Twain! No complaints out of us!
Sue
Nanook, from what I have read, an evil insect called the “glassy-winged sharpshooter” is wreaking havoc on many trees and plants, including oleanders. There are some near me that admittedly look a little sickly. Down with glassy-winged sharpshooters!
ReplyDeleteChuck, yore dern tootin’.
Penna. Andrew, hmmm, now that I’m thinking about it, I guess it does look more or less the same today? I wish I could find a recent photo from this same angle. At this point I’d bow to your powers of observation!
Melissa, Tina Turner in Frontierland… it seems so natural!
Lou and Sue, aw, the Columbia isn’t as bad as it seems. I’d like to think of it as the stern teacher who is actually a softie. I’ll probably keep sharing most of my ROA pix, but my gosh, there sure are a lot of them.
I'm probably way off as usual here, but shouldn't we see Cascade Peak in that first photo?
ReplyDeleteI miss the burning cabin... stuff like that added a lot of excitement to the place. I think all landscaping should have a fire element.
Like Andrew, #3 evokes great memories...in this case from the perspective of me being in the Wheelhouse above with a more commanding view (sigh). KS
ReplyDelete@ KS-
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing quite like a 'commanding view'...
I think Talking Heads was inspired by the burning cabin, when they wrote "Burning Down The House" in 1983.
ReplyDeleteMajor - "stern teacher" - LOL
ReplyDeleteI may be wrong about that first picture - I think we're actually in unfriendly territory with 8 spear-wielding foes. Poisonous oleander-tipped spears! Yikes!
TM! And, Talking Head's "Take Me To The River" was inspired by ROA, don't forget. (I loved that song when it first came out. Their style was unique.)
Sue
Left a good job up on Main Street
ReplyDeleteWorkin' for the mouse ev'ry night and day
And I never lost one minute of sleep
Worryin' 'bout balloons I mighta sold that day
Big wheel keep on turnin'
Settler's cabin keep on burnin'
Rollin', sailin', raftin' on the river
Cleaned a lot of plates at the Plaza
Poured a lot of drinks in New Orleans Square
But I never saw the good side of the park
'Til I hitched a ride on the river boat there
Big wheel keep on turnin'
Settler's cabin keep on burnin'
Rollin', sailin', raftin' on the river
If you come down to the river
Bet you one thing that you're gonna learn
If you turn your back on the backside of water
Arrow's gonna give you a bad case of heartburn
Big wheel keep on turnin'
Settler's cabin keep on burnin'
Rollin', sailin', raftin' on the river
Tom, hmmmm! You’re right, in fact you can even see some tiny pack mule riders in the distance. These are date-stamped “July 1960”, but must be from months earlier than that. Good eye!
ReplyDeleteKS, it must be wonderful to have that “high up” view!
Nanook, LITERALLY! Did you know that a Mark Twain skipper can legally marry a couple?
TokyoMagic!, the whole video should have had the Heads running around Disneyland acting silly, like The Monkees.
Lou and Sue, if you managed to make a spear out of oleander, it would automatically be poisonous. Think of the savings! I’m a huge Talking Heads fan, and saw their “Stop Making Sense” show at L.A.’s Greek Theater.
Melissa, I can hear it now, only it has changed to CCR’s version. I’m glad that the singer doesn’t worry ‘bout balloons! ;-)
"TokyoMagic!, the whole video should have had the Heads running around Disneyland acting silly, like The Monkees."
ReplyDeleteI was just watching an episode of The Monkees the other day, in which they joked about not being let into Disneyland because of their long hair.
@ Melissa - [or is that Cole Porter and Lorenz Hart rolled-into one-??!!]-
ReplyDeleteOh the horror of 'unkempt, long hair'-!