Two Beautiful Photos From June, 1956
It's time for more amazing photos from Lou and Sue! These are from 1956; I don't know if this was Lou's first visit to the park, but I am glad that he was armed with his trusty camera and some Kodachrome slide film.
Look at this first one! The Fantasyland Skyway Chalet is under construction, perhaps only around halfway done. So cool! Look at the stack of cedar shakes piled up on top of the roof. The bare hillsides that separate Frontierland from Fantasyland look especially new and raw here. And if that wasn't enough, there's lots of fun people to look at.
Let's zoom in a little, for a better look at the hubbub up on the hill. I think I count 11 men working away - Walt wanted this new feature to be ready as soon as possible! I'm noticing a man in the foreground holding a copy of the first Disneyland souvenir guidebook, it's always fun to see something so familiar "in the wild".
I assume that this next photo was taken aboard the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship, probably from the poop deck; Lou wanted a good vantage point from which to view Storybook Land. The familiar and charming miniature scenes were added to this attraction in '56, so I am guessing that this is what's going on here.
Some of the scenes are already in place, we can see the steeple of the church from the Alice in Wonderland tableau. The attraction reopened on June 16th, 1956, mere days after Lou took this picture.
MANY THANKS to Lou and Sue!
23 comments:
Woweee! Both of these are great, but I especially love the Skyway chalet construction shot. It's shameful of Disney to have allowed this structure to rot away, and then tear it down.
No Timothy Mouse. No mirror ball. No disco inferno.
As always, a big thank you to Lou, Sue and the Major, too!
Very nice, indeed!
For some reason it's odd to think about the chalet being built. Wasn't it just always there?
Thank you Lou and Sue!
Fantastic shots! Thanks Lou and Sue.
I might not have this straight, but I'm guessing that's the original alignment of the SF&DL RR in the background of the Casey Jr. picture? It's cool to think that you would've been able to see one train from the other before the trees grew in. It would've been neat to take a picture from this vantage point that had both trains in view at once.
It's a bit of topic, but Hersheypark still has their own abandoned Skyway chalet, which they've kept even after demolishing all the buildings around it for a new main entrance. I don't know if you ever rode this pretty short lived Von Roll Sky Ride, Major, but Hershey still has their older "ski lift" style Sky Ride, where your legs hang down. So for 18 years Hersheypark had two Sky Rides at once!
It's still impressive how quickly new Disneyland attractions could be completed in those days; Tom Sawyer Island and the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train were also opening around the same time as these. The Chalet looks good unpainted!
My family had a Swiss Chalet music box with a spinning water wheel, which played "The Lonely Goatherd" from "Sound of Music". I thought of it every time I lined up for the Skyway. After 1979, you actually could hear the Thunder Mountain goat and coyote while slowly walking up the Chalet steps.
Is that a Poodle skirt front and center in pic 1? It has that vibe but I doubt there's a poodle on the front. It reminds me of my older sister and her friends in the 50's.
Now I've seen the Skyway Chalet from beginning to end. I'm surprised but happy that it lasted so long. Also very happy that Storybook Land and Casey Jr are still around. On the DL 1955 progress show they said Casey Jr was for the kids but I pry myself into the cage car whenever I can.
Andrew-- please write an amusement park book someday. It seems like it's your destiny.
Thanks Lou and Sue and Major
@Andrew, after reading your post I just had to look into my aerial photos file. The original alignment of the DLRR was directly behind Storybook land, it was also directly north of the MTTNW. How cool that would be to look at one train while on another.
When they started construction of IASW in 1965, the DLRR was pushed out across the entire north end of the park. The evolution of the park is fascinating.
These are really great photos. I'm sure at the time it was strange to be taking pictures of construction when Jimmie and Susie needed to get their photos with Mickey and Minnie! We are all grateful. I'm sorry, did someone say the chalet was demolished...wow...(they ruin everything.) It seems that given some creativity and thought something could have been done with that space- or bring Skyway back, which I know was sooooo not an option, nor will it ever be. (insurance companies ruin everything.) Grey bucket hat and artist smock in pic #1 on the left looks like it could possibly be an early costume (?) or did people dress that way- or possibly from some foreign land? In my day even having a modern vehicle in ANY view of a guest was strictly verboten- those cars and trucks and tractors and things certainly tell another story for '56...I think "sacred cows" were never really that sacred. Glad to see that Dumbo ALWAYS had a mob-scene and loonnnggg line...I thought that when the "new" Fantasyland was created that capacity of Dumbo should have been quadrupled or MORE! Double and triple tier those elephants higher than the rocket jets!!! I have a delightful story of a very famous actor who had a pouting tantrum/fit over not getting to the front of the line on Dumbo since there is no way to be "discrete" about it. Unfortunately, Mr. Eisner had to get involved...ahhh...those were the days! Love Storybookland! So sweet and brilliantly peaceful. Nice that you can see the Harbor Blvd offramp from that viewpoint...and a bunch of other Anaheim USA stuff...more sacred cow stories revealed. It was always a talking point that you could see Hojos on Harbor from places in Tomorrowland...there may have even been a story that the architecture was purposeful to be a backdrop of the Space Age World! Thanks for great photos today!
Major-
Early images from the Park are always such a treat. And seeing the Chalet 'partially dressed' is a great bonus-! And of course, the Skyway mechanism is all in place prior to [at least] this stage of the Chalet's construction. Wow.
Evidently Dumbo was quite popular on this day judging from all the folks and the addition of all those stanchions and [mismatched] 'ropes'. We can see the edge of the 'tent' surrounding the "Fan 1" eatery.
Thanks to Lou and Sue.
TokyoMagic!, I agree, I always loved seeing that building on the hill, and sort of hoped they could repurpose it into a restaurant. It probably would have had nice views from up there! And yeah, it took a little while for the disco ball and Timothy to be added to the Dumbo ride.
Stu29573, well, it was *almost* always there! 1956 was pretty early.
Andrew, yes, the DLRR ran right behind Storybook Land at that time. I can’t remember ever seeing a photo taken from the DLRR of a Casey Jr. train, but I think it would have been very possible. Thanks for the Hersheypark info… I probably rode their Skyway, long long ago, but I don’t have any memories of it, sadly. And I did NOT remember that they had a different sky ride as well!
Stefano, I know, they could build major attractions, sometimes several of them, in less than a year. Granted, there were different labor laws and building codes, but those guys definitely built stuff that lasted. Your music box sounds fun, I’ve seen a rare Disneyland Swiss Chalet that is some sort of weather device. I’ve never seen one in action, but I think some little figures would emerge from doors depending on whether it was humid or dry.
zach, I’m not sure if that is a real poodle skirt or not. It looks like one to me, but I am ignorant of the finer points of such things! Mike Cozart has said that there have been plans to potentially remove Storybook Land and Casey Jr., which would really hurt if they do it.
MRaymond, I’m away from home today, or I would have looked at my file of Disneyland aerial images as well. Luckily, you did all the work for me!
Bu, in those early days, it seems that something was always being built. And I’m often disappointed when I see photos from Frontierland, circa 1962-ish, you can tell that the photographer purposely avoided pointing their camera toward that unsightly Haunted Mansion construction. Little did they know that it would be the main thing of interest 50 years later. I think that the fellow with the gray hat and “smock” is a guest, although there was a Fantasyland “Art Corner” where you could have your portrait drawn in those days. Later, it was moved to East Center Street. For all we read about Walt being adamant that the “show” shouldn’t be ruined by modern vehicles, we often see boats and trucks in plain sight in those early years. I guess there was just no way to avoid it. Most guests probably didn’t notice or care. Amazing that they would bother Michael Eisner just to please a bratty celebrity. Seems there would have been some sort of protocols already in place for such a thing by then.
Nanook, yes, when Sue sent me this one, I was blown away! I can’t help wondering what other treasures she has from Lou’s camera. And it really does seem like people have always loved the Dumbo ride. It is one of those attractions that is almost as fun to watch as it is to ride.
Leave it to Lou to get shots like these. The Chalet construction photos are beautiful.
I think Lou was magically manifested by the spirit of the park. The spirit wanted company and someone to document the journey.
Thanks you so much Sue and Lou and Major. A trifecta if I've ever witnessed one. Lou the creator, Sue the messenger and Major the revealer. Better than the food pyramid.
@ DrGoat-
I was thinking Ohm's Law.
Major-
Folks really do like the Dumbo ride - perhaps more-so if they knew [at least] one piece of early signage described it as: "The Exhilarating Flying Elephant Ride" (I wonder where the lethargic version was located-?)
Such a rare sight to see the Chalet being built. I always considered that area to be one of the special idyllic locations of Disneyland. One thing to appreciate is the craftsmanship of the day. I don't think the wood could last indefinitely despite layers of paint. The cost of maintenance over time would still have been dramatic. Though I rue its loss, I wonder to myself how long the imagineers at the time estimated its life expectancy. KS
Wow, Chalet and Storybook Land construction photos, my life is complete.
Zach, I am with you, I usually try to get in the Monkey Cage, even if it is hard to get out again.
Used to be that Disneyland construction projects meant something good was coming. Not so much anymore.
Andrew, I think I have seen photos of Nature's Wonderland taken from the DLRR and vice versa, maybe on Daveland. I remember looking into the desert from DLRR but of course, no pics of my own. Casey might have been screened by the berm of his backdrop or some other thing, since the SBL backstage area was between DLRR and the SBL "front".
Thanks Lou, Sue and Major. This is the good stuff.
JG
Wow! What great photos today. I know I went during this time but just have no memories of much of anything. So wish my Dad would have taken photos. And to see the Chalet being built. Knowing that its days were numbered, before my last Pass ran out (around 2015? I don't know) and before they demolished it(sob)I took some photos of it as best I could. Kind of hard because the foliage had grown so lush around it. In my home movies from 1955 my mom and I are riding Casey Jr. Guess dad was too because he took movies as we moved along - dirt and hills, nothing but dirt and hills :)
Nanook,
Ohm's Law works good too! Resistance should be almost non-existent.
Wonder twinspotting powers: activate! Check out the matching mother-and-daughter print dresses at the far left of the first picture! And the boys to the right of the man in the gray shirt and cap might be in matching sweaters, but it’s hard to tell since you can’t see the blond boy’s sleeves.
What an exciting time to be in the park!
DrGoat, you aren’t kidding! As I have mentioned, most people avoided “ugly” construction. Lou was smart enough to know it was the early stages of something wonderful. I’m glad that I could share these with you, with HUGE credit to Lou and Sue of course. “Better than the food pyramid”, strong words!
Nanook, Ohm’s Law? Skyway construction? Monkeys?
Nanook, that is known as good old-fashioned ballyhoo! Ya gotta love it.
KS, I was very surprised when I read that the chalet was finally being removed for the Star Wars land. “It’s going to be built that close to the rest of Fantasyland??”. i need to look at an aerial photo, even now it surprises me. Yes, I’ve seen photos of the NWRR taken from the DLRR, but never Casey; as you say, maybe it was screened by… something.
Irene, you need to dig out those home movies you said that your dad took! Maybe there’s some gold there. I was always so tempted to hop the rope and run up to the chalet for a look around, but knew that doing so would result in my expulsion. And probably a permanent ban! I remember seeing photos of it from not long before it was torn down, and you are right, the trees and shrubs had almost completely obscured it, which was probably the idea. We found a roll of home movie footage from my grandpa, labeled “Disneyland 1955”, and I was so excited. It’s a bunch of other stuff, plus about four seconds of a Horse Drawn Streetcar on Main Street. Oh well.
DrGoat, all I know is that resistance is futile.
Yep, Major, Storybook Land opened right after my dad took these pictures - possibly only hours after. My parents were there June 13-15.
Zach, if Andrew writes that book, I will purchase a few copies! And if Melissa ever decides to publish a book of poetry, I'm purchasing a few copies of hers, too!
I have a delightful story of a very famous actor who had a pouting tantrum/fit...
Bu, please share your story - in details. And if you don't want to name names, you can give us clues. We have some really smart Jr. Gorillas who will figure out who you're writing about.
Thanks, Major and everyone, for all your kind words and fun stories!
Major, I count 12 workers (on the Skyway Chalet) with a possible #13. #13 being the guy in the straw hat, on the ground, towards the right side of the Chalet. I can't quite tell if he's a tourist - or if he's on the worker's side of the fence...
Hey JGCC-JG! How many do you count??
^ On second look, in the close-up shot, that straw-hat guy is definitely on the worker's side of the fence, with a possible #14 worker to his left (can just see what looks like an arm and hand).
Sue, I count 13 definitely, the 14th might be in shadow behind the squatting guy on the second level. If the arm you see (that I can’t find) is another guy, then 15.
Not a hard hat or any scrap of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to be seen. No railings or warning signs either.
Is the guy in the construction foreground inside the fence, in a Hawaiian shirt one of the Imagineers? He doesn’t look like a laborer, but he is part of the crew.
JG
JG, to find the left arm [and hand?] that I see...
First find the straw-hat guy - just inside the fence (on the ground, towards the right of the Chalet)...then look to the immediate left of straw-hat guy and you'll see a man in a white shirt (on our side of the fence)...the [left] arm and hand? are [sort of] coming out of white-shirt guy's left ear. That left arm and hand? probably belong to a man who's talking with straw-hat guy.
JG, this is back in the day when we climbed trees without helmets and kneepads, and played tag in the dark throughout the neighborhood, late at night. Am glad I grew up when I did.
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