Main Street, August 1966
I have a small group of slides from 1966, from a group of adults who decided to go to Disneyland in the afternoon. So late that the sun was already setting, meaning that most of the photos are cursed with large areas of shadow that went pretty dark. But... we must work with the hand that Zorg gave us.
In this first view up Main Street, the shadows have only crept a little way across the street. The Timex clock says it's about 4:45 P.M. (in August). Oh alright, 4:44, there, are you happy? The Omnibus is heading toward us, with a Surrey not far behind it. As usual (for then) most people are sticking to the sidewalks, because they are nice.
Here's a second shot looking north, with everybody's favorite water fountain gleaming in the sunlight. The Timex clock is so far away that it's hard to read, but looking at the high-res scan I think it says 5:15. I wonder if the photographer and his group took a ride on one of the vehicles, up to the Plaza, and then back to Town Square? Or maybe they took a Grand Circle Tour on the Disneyland Railroad. Both excellent choices!
19 comments:
Major-
"4:44-??" Hmmm - kinda looks more like 3:44 to me; but either way, the hour hand seems to be a tad out of sync with the minute hand. Love the Eastman Kodak signage. So classy.
As much as I love the aforementioned drinking fountain, my favorite would have to be one dispensing refrigerated water; so the Town Square 'bubbler' would be forced off the list.
Thanks, Major.
I wonder how many people ran their tongues along the edge of that clock during Timex's sponsorship just to see if there's truth in advertising?
Just noticed the castle at the end of the street. Was that always there?
Nanook, a drinking fountain dispensing refrigerated water is cool, but I'll take one that dispenses bags of sugar over that any day.
"As usual (for then) most people are sticking to the sidewalks, because they are nice."
Apparently they've never heard the Disney Parks song "I'm Walking Right Down the Middle Of Main Street, U.S.A."
Chuck, That European castle at the end of the street was added to give authenticity to the turn-of-the-century American main street.
The wire stretched across Main Street needs a banner. Since Summer is ending there must have recently been one for the big new additions of '66: New Orleans Square, Primeval World, It's a Small World.
Edgar Kennedy, everyone's favorite apoplectic movie sheriff, is headlined at the Main Str. Cinema. He memorably fell afoul of the Marx Brothers and W.C. Fields, but with his silent shorts having titles like "Oh! What a Nurse" and "Her Naughty Wink", Disneyland was the place to be for all-around entertainment.
I like how pictures of Main St. with tall trees give it a different atmosphere.
Maybe people would stick to the sidewalks again if they installed moving walkways. That would fit right in. Thanks, Major.
People aren't walking in the street because they don't want to be run over by a horse drawn street car. Since I didn't take calculus in school I estimate it takes 13 seconds to get run over. Who wants that?
Thanks, Stefano, now I've got 'Forever let us hold our banner high, high, high, high!' in my head. In a good way, I guess.
Would I be banned if I tapped the hour hand in place while licking the Timex?
Major, these are great shots of Main Street. Keep up the good work.
Zach
Looks like the July 4 decorations are still in place.
Happy to see Main Street as it was meant to be.
The castle was built to provide a repository for leftover sequins and weird colored metallic paint that WED knew would be needed 50 years hence. Either gob it on the castle or send to toxic waste.
For some reason, now my sweet tooth is calling me. Need some pastry thing rolled in sugar.
Thanks for these pics, Major.
JG
Fun Fact Time!
That castle grew there when a block from Norwich Castle was planted at the end of the street. Unfortunately as castles mature, they often take on pukish pastel girly colors. It may be time to replant.
Fun Fact Number Two: Bubbler fountains can boost immune systems by 256%.
Fun Fact Number Three: The most common Timex flavor is peppermint.
The second picture, and everyone's comments, sparked a few brain cells.
I recall a banner across that cable that welcomes the Boy Scouts on Boy Scout Day or Catholic School Day (nuns everywhere).
I've had water from the Main Street Bubbler many times. The water brainwashes you to buy overpriced Churros and Disney products. (Don't tell anyone).
On a side note, the view in the second shot sparked a memory. I remember standing near that spot when my mom mentioned that "only Walt Disney would put a castle at the end of a turn-of-the-century street." My dad answered that Mickey is living large.
Best kind of Main Street pics. As for the comments, everyone must have had their Wheaties this morning.
In the second pic, If you look closely, those two boys in the white shirts running towards each other, are reenacting the meeting of two old friends after the war, and the one on the right is still carrying a leg he found during a battle.
I think I might not be fully awake yet.
Thanks for Main Street Major.
PS Nice memory MR
MRaymond, great memories, thanks!
Can someone explain to me the joke about licking the clock? I am not getting that reference, sorry, but it does sound funny.
JG
JG, the advertising slogan for Timex is/was:
Timex takes a licking but keeps on ticking!
Fun post, Major and all!
Nanook, MAJOR PEPPERIDGE IS NEVER WRONG!! Also, I don’t know how to tell time unless the clock is digital. I also don’t know how to read. Refrigerated water? You kids! When I was a lad we drank swamp water, and we liked it!
Chuck, I see what you did there! For a moment I also thought about a gorilla abusing a watch, until I realized I was conflating it with Samsonite luggage. That castle was added in the 1960s, replacing the giant “Walt head” that guests originally walked through to get to Fantasyland.
K.Martinez, is that an actual song?? Couldn’t they give it a longer title? How about, “I’m wearing a Pluto costume and I’m sweating my damn head off”?
Stefano, that banner should say, “Welcome, Hell’s Angels”. Hey, even bikers love a little magic and fantasy. While I know about Edgar Kennedy from reading about him, I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen him in a movie! Shameful, I know.
Andrew, they could make the moving sidewalks look like they are made out of brick pavers. What a great idea! We’ll split the profits, 60/40. 60 percent for me because I am very greedy, you see.
zach, I feel bad for the vehicle drivers today, they have to go so slow, and constantly have to honk their horns to get clueless guests to move out of the way. I’m surprised there aren’t more instances of old-timey road rage! I wonder who wrote that catchy Mickey Mouse Club theme? If only there was somewhere I could look it up. Glad you liked these!
JG, it seems like they left those patriotic decorations up at least until the end of the summer - but it does add a festive look to Main Street without being over the top. They should start using that puffy glue on the castle - hey, they’ve used everything else. A pastry thing rolled in sugar? Churro alert!
Stu29573, usually when you plant a castle using a stone from a known source, you can be pretty certain of the outcome. But sometimes mutations occur! This is what happened at Disneyland. I agree, time to rip out the castle and replace it with something completely out of place, like the one they are adding to Hong Kong Disneyland (that thing is the ugliest castle I’ve ever seen). I like peppermint, but prefer cinnamon.
MRaymond, I had a photo recently that said something like “Welcome, Lutherans”. And by implication, everyone else can go to hell. Literally. On rare occasions I will fill my water bottle at a bubbler - back in the days when you really could get ice-cold water, it was a treat. I feel like I’ve read a quote from somebody famous that was identical to what your mom said, but I can’t remember who it was.
DrGoat, it didn’t occur to me that those two boys might know each other, but now I can’t see it any other way. I hope they weren’t going to rumble. Ha ha, it really does look like the boy on the right is holding a leg!
JG, I was going to answer your question, but I see that Sue has beaten me to it.
Lou and Sue, remember the commercials, when they’d affix a Timex watch to the front of a speed boat, or some similar ridiculous situation, to show how tough they were? Good times!
Main Street has become unstuck in time. Unfortunately, the guests are sticking to the sidewalks because somebody spilled a Coke on the pavement.
Major-
"...they’d affix a Timex watch to the front of a speed boat, or some similar ridiculous situation, to show how tough they were? Good times! Good times! Get it-??!! (I suppose it really should be good Timex, but that might be pushing things just a tad-!)
Melissa, I hope that some Tralfamadorians show up to help all those people out! So it goes.
Nanook, the Timex company should pay you ten million dollars!
My husband's "work" watch and everyday-watch has always been a Timex. Sounds like a commercial, but it's true. They get all beaten up from the work he does (and so do his hands and arms), but they (the watches) keep running just fine, for years. What does he wear when he dresses up? Yep, some nice Mickey Mouse watches. Am serious.
Nanook, you were on the right track...
Good times! Good Timex!
Now that's a commercial.
Of course, I remember that slogan now. D'oh.
I missed that the clock was Timex at this time and not Elgin, which is what i remember, hence my confusion.
Thanks everyone!
Major, a churro sounds good right now. I figured out why I didn't see any churros in Spain. the regions I visited spell churro with an "x", "xurros", same pronunciation we use, but different looking word. D'oh.
JG
Post a Comment