Mark Twain and Stuff, July 1964
I wish I had something a little more interesting for you today, but sometimes I find that I run into stretches where all of the especially nice or rare views are just not there.
Here's a perfectly serviceable picture of the Mark Twain has just gotten underway, ready for its journey through the American frontier. I hope they brought lots of root beer and potato chips for emergencies. Some guests are very particular about where they sit or stand on the Mark Twain, and with limited seating options, they needed to be spry to get there first. Would I give my seat up for a lady or an elderly person? NO WAY! (PS, yes I would).
From the deck of that very steamboat we can look past the shoulders (and over the head) of guests as they passed the Dance Circle. It looks like some young girls (one in mouse ears) have been brought up to participate in the festivities. I wonder if any of them still remember that experience?
19 comments:
In the 2nd shot, I wonder what those girls in the dance circle are doing (besides the pink and white one being on her cell phone)??
It looks like there are plenty of empty benches in the Dance Circle. I wonder if they ever had trouble getting children to go out there into the circle? The body language on some of those kids looks like they might be reluctant. I say, hand them a $200 light sabre. That'll get them out there!
In the background to the right In the first photo, you can make out a crowd around a red popcorn wagon and the petrified tree stump Walt bought in Colorado for Lillian to “re-gift” to the Park.
In that second photo, what is that structure in the background? It looks almost like it has a fish trap on the roof.
I don’t think there’s a performance going on in the Indian Dance Circle. There isn’t anyone sitting in the stands, and the few people we can see are clustered around the chief to the right, who is actually outside the Circle and facing away from it. Everyone’s body language says “meet ‘n’ greet.”
I was always fascinated by the petrified tree stump with so many legends/myths to go around it- I honestly think Walt just wanted what he wanted and that's how it came to be. I never was a "sitter" on the Mark Twain...I thought those seats felt too "exposed"- not to the elements, but to photo takers along the river. I remember visiting the Indian Village when I was very little and being scared by the Indians and the the dancing- those girls look kind of scared themselves! The little blond girl on the railing seems to be thinking either: "glad I'm not down there", or "Jane, get me off this crazy thing". Ironically, instead of the Boy Scouts I joined the Indian Guides which was a YMCA thing- which was cool- and the beads were awesome. Instead of patches you got beads that you put on a leather string around your neck. I don't know if Indian Guides would go in today's world- but it was fun and we did a lot of authentic Native American things that we had to research first. Thanks for all the memories!
The second shot is full of “you were there.” I think it’s the framing between the other guests’ shoulders.
Rare views or not, these work pretty well this morning. The second shot is framed nicely, as M. said. Little blonde gal, clutching the rail to keep from floating away. And the colorful scene going on in the village between the twin candy-stripers and the chief holding the little Mouseketeer's hand . A nice little moment.
Thanks Major
@ Chuck-
You've just given-away the secret as to where the expression "re-gifting" comes from. Yes, once again - credit Walt Disney.
Thanks, Major.
The first photo gives a good view of the Columbia’s rolling gangway, and is also excellent in all other ways. I admit to being a standee on the top deck, although I would like to have a bow seat someday.
There is something bright in the trees on the hill above Rainbow Ridge; a flag perhaps?
Everyone should have their own petrified tree stump. I wonder if Walt had it monogrammed?
The second photo is wonderful in so many ways, thanks Major.
JG
Lou and Sue, I assume that the two taller girls were asked to participate somehow; often, at the end of the show, they’d bring all the kids into the circle to “dance”, so maybe they were just getting ready for that part.
TokyoMagic!, we’ve seen that there used to be some VERY slow days at the park; it seems funny to think that they might have 2 kids instead of 20. If I were one of those kids I would have been thinking, “Don’t pick me, don’t pick me…”!
Chuck, could that be the most famous tree stump in the world? Debatable, I suppose. I really don’t know what that structure is - like you, I can’t deduce any practical purpose. Unless it was a TV antenna. Hmm, I think you might be right, maybe those kids were just there to meet the Chief and to have their pictures taken.
Bu, yes, I think it has come out that the story about Walt giving the petrified tree stump to Lillian, who then gave it to Disneyland, is apocryphal. I seem to remember reading that there is actual a receipt for the stump, indicating that it should be shipped to Disneyland. I’ve always been perfectly happy to stand at the rails on the Mark Twain, but could see that if one happened to be older, or just really tired, one of those bow seats might look pretty appealing. I never hear about the Indian Guides anymore, I wonder if it still exists? My good friend was in the Indian Guides and is full of stories about the activities that he did at the time.
Melissa, ha ha, yes, I think a lot of guests on the Mark Twain spend much of their time peering over heads and between other’s shoulders.
DrGoat, doesn’t it seem like the rail on the Mark Twain is right at eye level for that little blonde girl? Maybe she was just shifting her glance from *over* the rail to *under* it. I was surprised that Melissa didn’t comment on the “twin” girls in (apparently) identical striped outfits!
Nanook, “re-gifting” is another buzz word that the park can add to “wishes”, “dreams”, and “magic”!
JG, I’ve seen that gangway many times, but it never occurred to me that it could move. I just figured that once the Columbia was tied on at the dock, it would line up with the gangway automatically. Apparently I am mistaken! I see that yellow thing in the trees, but it’s too indistinct to identify, at least for me. I’m sure Mrs. Disney received many very nice “normal” gifts too!
I think that structure in the back round of pic #2 is supposed to be a hut, albeit not built to scale obviously. If it is, that roof is going to have problems. Don't really know.
DrGoat-
HERE'S another view of the area from Daveland. And HERE's ANOTHER, with yet another miniature something-or-another building.
Whatever those 'structures', they do seem to be miniature representations of something on the larger-side.
Thanks Nanook. Puts things in perspective.
Not only is there something bright fluttering on the hill high above Rainbow Ridge, there's a whole trestle tower painted in "go away green" underneath it. Where the heck did that come from?
After looking at those additional photos Nanook linked (thanks, Nanook and Dave DeCaro!), whatever those structures are supposed to look like, they probably concealed lights and/or speakers. Or sharks with frickin' laser beams; that would explain the "fish trap" look. I think either possibility is just as likely as the other.
DrGoat, it seems weird to put a hut way up on those tall legs; especially when the same Indians use teepees. I don’t know, I still think it must have some purpose that we haven’t identified.
Nanook, at least for me, I am definitely still stumped. Maybe it had some sort of ceremonial purpose?
DrGoat, I think that structure was built to get a better look at the fireworks!
Chuck, I’m not seeing the trestle - I see something, but is it a trestle? Could it be that structure that we see in some views that appears to be a track so that ore carts can dump their tailings? Maybe you’re right, that thing might just be camouflage for something that would otherwise be out of place in an Indian Village.
Chuck and Major, now that you mentioned “go-away green”, I wonder if that oil Derrick structure is the other end of Tinkerbelle’s flight cable? I know later versions ended in that general area.
Also, thanks Nanook. I thought those might have been burial platforms similar to the one in the Unfriendly Village on TSI, but not sure.
JG
Major, the thing I am seeing is uphill and to the left of the stamp mill tower. I think the ore cart track disappeared in the 1960 enhancements.
JG, I did think about Tinkerbell’s landing platform but talked myself out of it as being too far west, reinforced by not being able to see the cable. Now that I think about it, though, I don’t know what else it would be, and the cable would likely become invisible at the resolution in the photo.
It's totally Tinkerbell's landing platform. Like, totally!
Like, awesome, TM!
Chuck, I think you need to lay off the caffeinated coffee.
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