Tom Sawyer Island Bridges, April 1959
I have two fun Tom Sawyer Island views for you today (from April, 1959), featuring the two ingenious bridges that Tom and his friends built. Say what you will about boys who play hooky, but these guys probably grew up to be engineers!
First up is this great view of the Pontoon Bridge, a clever use of old hogsheads, some scrounged boards, posts, and a little rope. It puts the "fun" in functional! This bridge provided a quicker way across (rather than around) Smuggler's Cove. Castle Rock looms in the distance, and we can just see the top turrets of Fort Wilderness.
An even more impressive feat is this Suspension Bridge (which also crosses Smuggler's Cove). I'm imagining the boys finding a large spool of steel cable, washed ashore after floating for miles down the Mississippi. Tom Sawyer was known for his grandiose ideas, and this bridge shows some real creative thinking and problem-solving!
23 comments:
Major-
Little known fact: The TSI Suspension Bridge is the secret inspiration for the Golden Gate Bridge-! That Tom was indeed quite the engineer-!
Thanks, Major.
Major, the Columbia is photo-bombing both of these shots. I think it's jealous of the Mark Twain for getting most of the attention.
Nice smile on the gal in the 2nd photo.
Hogsheads... eeewww! I bet Tom tricked his friends into handling that part of the bridge building.
- Jellied Biscuits
Disney needs to make a movie called, "The Bridges of Tom Sawyer Island," with Meryl Streep. Then after it's a big hit, they can get rid of the pirate overlay and restore the island to it's original "Tom Sawyer" glory. I know. Never going to happen!
JB, I'm picturing Homer Simpson drooling out of the corner of his mouth, while mumbling, "Mmmmmmmmm, jellied biscuits!"
- Tokyo Mac 'n' Cheese!
The composition, subject matter, and lighting made me think at first glance that these were going to be from the MB, but they are about 20 years too early for most of his (her?) photos.
I know that this is Melissa’s jam, but I think I see two sets of clothing twins on the pontoon bridge, although from this angle I’m not sure if they were wombmates or not. Heck - I’m not even sure if one of them even has a body!
Is the space to the left of the pontoon bridge where they put that skeleton with the treasure chest that you can crank out of the water? Not where I can check my reference photos from my last visit (which was more than twelve years ago!!!. Egads!).
And in that last shot, that smile says it all. Plus - that blouse! I think it actually has bean pods in the print. Not a snide remark - I think the color and design are perfect. I think the world would be a better place with more bean pods. As long as they aren’t bean pod people. If they show up, I say we release the wendigo.
JG, I hope you basted last night before your grilling today!
Do they even allow such danger today? My friends and I would jump from section to section to try and flood the pontoon bridge- which we did with some success, we also tried to get the other bridge swinging and wiggling with too much success…that bridge was very solid. Tom Sawyer Island was the perfect place to be “bad” like screaming in Injun Joe’s Cave and other shenanigans that would hardly be acceptable today. We always tended to have bumps and scrapes and blood after a trip to the island…and covered with dirt…is it now paved for your protection?
Hey, if Tom and Huck never graduated from High School, neither did Walt Disney. As a kid I had the Golden Book Encyclopedia for Children, and Disney was listed as one of the contributing editors, as "Movie Producer, Educator".
I envy those pontooners, one flimsy rope to prevent them from pitching into the river and causing villagers to fire cannons over the water. Looks more thrilling then virtual this or cgi that.
My Mom hated these bridges and refused to cross either one. At some point, she just quit crossing to the island and both parents stayed on the “mainland”.
Photo 1 is great with Castle Rock in view, I like the angled view. Chuck, you are right, the area to the left of the bridge houses some piratical paraphernalia today.
The shed in Photo 2 houses ( I believe) the pump works for the waterfall at the base of the Treehouse that’s also the source of the flume driving the overshot mill wheel. I don’t know if any of this survived “Fantasmic”. The young lady has a wonderful smile.
I don’t know why barrels of a certain size were called “hogsheads”. There is no accounting for American slang.
Bu, I think that most, if not all the walkways on TSI are now stabilized decomposed granite, which looks good and is less dusty, while also being wheelchair accessible. It is still possible to get dirty, bruised and bloody, if you are inclined.
Thanks Major, I’m off for the second round. I will check in later.
JG
Here’s hogsheads.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hogshead
JG
JG, are you paying attention to the court case, or are you goofing off on GDB? Though maybe we can give you good advice to help you...this is the right place for it...
Major, I loved these bridges and playing on TSI with my cousins. Happy memories. Thank you.
JG, just curious, did you include GDB on your Curriculum Vitae?
These are great shots of two of my favorite things to do on Tom Sawyer Island. As a kid and even a young adult, crossing the Pontoon and Suspension bridges was such a simple and enjoyable pleasure.
Thanks, Major.
TokyoMagic!, "The Bridges of Tom Sawyer Island". Ha-ha! I was thinking the exact same thing when I read the header. The one Clint Eastwood movie I thought was a bore. Otherwise, I usually enjoy his movies. I'm also not a fan of Meryl Steep which doesn't help.
Nanook, I knew that suspension bridge looked familiar! Once you’ve built the TSI suspension bridge, the Golden Gate bridge would be easy.
JB, it’s fun to see the Columbia’s masts peeking above Tom Sawyer Island - it’s surprising how often they can be seen in the background of many Frontierland photos. I used the term “hogshead” because that’s what Huck Finn would call a “barrel”!
TokyoMagic!, considering that they are going to make more “Pirates” movies, I think we are stuck with the pirate overlay. Unfortunately. “Kids don’t know who Tom Sawyer is!”. “Kids don’t know the Swiss Family Robinson!”. That’s the excuse. Apparently Florida kids know both of those?
Chuck, I can see what you mean, these do resemble the Mysterious Benefactor’s photos a bit, but, as you said, these are much earlier. There are definitely two sets of similarly-dressed pairs on the pontoon bridge, can’t tell if they are actually twins or not. And even though I’ve been to the park since the “Pirate’s Lair” overlay, I never went over to look at it, so I don’t know the layout of the “new” features. Believe it or not. I do see pea (or bean) pods on that girl’s shirt, and assume that the other objects are also stylized vegetables. Maybe. It reminds me of the illustrations one might see in a mid-century cookbook.
Bu, I think they have signs asking guests not to jump on the pontoon bridge, but most people do anyway. I sure wouldn’t want to be near some kid who managed to flood the thing and get my feet wet! I always managed to bump my head on part of the cave walls, which is like 60-grit sandpaper, that was fun. I think a lot of rambunctious kids liked to let loose on TSI, hopefully they got it out of their systems!
Stefano, it is pretty astonishing to see what Walt accomplished, not even graduating from high school. Today we know that Steve Jobs dropped out of college, but somehow that’s not quite as impressive (though it IS still impressive!). Let’s all drop out of… something!
JG, gosh, I never knew that people hated those bridges so much, but I’m sure your mom wasn’t alone. Isn’t there a feature at DCA where you can cause a net (I forget, is it full of treasure?) to raise out of the water, only to find a skeleton hanging on? I think you are right about the shed being the pump house. As a kid reading Huckleberry Finn, I did not understand that “hogshead” meant “barrel”, and pictured actual decapitated pig’s noggins. Yes I was dumb. And I think you are right about the trails being made of decomposed granite.
JG, thanks for the link! Now I know that “hogshead” is derived from what should be “oxhead”… but it’s still weird.
Lou and Sue, JG is giving important eyewitness evidence about a certain human skull, so he has no time to goof around. Glad you liked these bridges!
Lou and Sue, it is not nice to ask JG about such medical issues! All he needs is some ointment for his Curriculum Vitae.
K. Martinez, TSI was definitely a place for simple pleasures - but REAL pleasures. I remember early visits to the park, looking across the water and seeing people on the island, and wanting to go, but my parents never wanted to go for some reason. So I didn’t visit TSI until I was older and able to go the park without the folks. I’ve never seen “The Bridges of Madison County”, and I don’t plan to watch it!
I've seen the bridges of Madison County, although I've never seen The Bridges of Madison County. From what I understand, they are more interesting than the film. Plus - John Wayne's birthplace is in Winterset, the county seat.
If you want to see a watchable movie about bridges, I recommend The Bridges at Toko-Ri, The Bridge Over the River Kwai, or any number of other educational films about fixed dental prostheses.
Meryl Streep lost me with her ill-researched speech about Walt Disney at a National Review Board dinner in 2014.
Chuck, I have to admit that a romance starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep is not high on my list of things to watch on any day, but I agree with you, Meryl's dumb rant really lowered my opinion of her considerably. I've never seen The Bridges at Toko-Ri, but I love The Bridge Over the River Kwai. How about A Bridge Too Far? Not really a great movie, but it has the "B" word in it!
Meryl's rant about Walt reminds me of when I worked at a place with a receptionist who was going to Cal State Northridge, and she informed me that "Walt Disney was a Nazi", she knows because her teacher said so. Sigh.
@ JG & Major-
That shed should indeed be the pump house.
Tokyo, I don't know about Homer, but you got ME drooling out of the corner of my mouth with "Tokyo Mac 'n' Cheese!" (I think I might make that for supper tonight.)
Chuck, wendigo, schmendigo. Release the SWANS!
Bu, yes. TSI is now paved in marshmallows and swan feathers; R.I.P. swans... at least now we know what happened to them. (I seem to be fixated with swans today)
K. Martinez, You're not a fan of Meryl Streep?! But she has such wonderful accents! And so many of them!
Major, Yep. I got the hogshead reference. I was just trying to be funny. (sort of)
Major, well, duh - anybody who has seen Education for Death would come to the same conclusion about Walt.
JB, ah, yes...the nuclear option.
Add pea pod to dent and fudgie. I need my Winky Dink screen to see them please.
Day went well, good to see the follow up comments here.
Major, Chuck and Sue, here’s to our own personal Skull Rock…
JG
Jumping up and down on WDW's TSI barrel bridge is one of my fondest memories of our first trip.
Nanook, thanks for the confirmation!
JB, I love mac ’n cheese, but I’m trying to stay away from it for a little while. A few months ago I had mac ’n cheese with jalapenos, and crushed salt and vinegar potato chips on top. SO GOOD. “Marshmallows and Swan Feathers” was one of The Carpenters best songs. I figured that you got the hogshead reference, but I never lose a chance to “well actually”!
Chuck, I think I said something like, “I have read a LOT more about Walt Disney than most people, and he was no angel, but he definitely wasn’t a Nazi”. I could tell that she would not be swayed. No use trying.
Bu, I would like to show your sentence to an average person and see what they make of it!
JG, did you stand up on your desk and sing “Rock and Roll High School” just to show them that they are uncool and probably don’t even know who The Ramones are?
Melissa, it just goes to show you, even a barrel can be fun in the right situation.
A literal barrel of laughs.
Major, it’s always heartening to see that other side doesn’t seem to grasp the fundamentals and is spending all their effort on unimportant minutiae. There were no questions about you, or the skull. I think we are in good shape.
JG
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