Special Guest Photos
Not long ago I received an email from Keith Schad, and he included some beautiful scans of Disneyland, circa 1958! Keith wrote: I've been viewing your blog for many years now and really enjoying it!
I have been in the process of scanning slides from my wife's family and among them are some of Disneyland. I have two groups of slides: from 1958 and from late 1970 or early 1971. Best of all, Keith wants to share these family photos with all of us!
Let's start with this beautiful shot of the ticket booths and Main Street Station on a sunny day in 1958. Making cameo appearances: the Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad (and the Kalamazoo handcar), as well as some attraction posters.
Of course there are pictures of Sleeping Beauty Castle, how can any photographer resist? Keith said... The backstory: In the summer of 1958, my wife's great-grandpa and great-grandma, Harold and Caroline Hill, went on a trip from their home in Illinois to California and back. From some of the photos they took on the way out to California, they probably followed the original Route 66 on the way out west. The 3 women in "flying saucer" hats that appear on some of the pictures include my wife's great-grandma Caroline Hill, great-great grandma Helen Hill (Harold's mother) and Harold's sister, also Helen. Harold took most of the photos. Notice the sign for the brand-new Columbia to our right.
I love early shots of the Castle, especially with those large grass lawns that are long-gone, it gives the place an entirely different feel from the way it is today.
The Alice in Wonderland attraction was brand-new in 1958. Keith again: I like the somewhat unusual angles Harold got on some of the shots. There is another shot of the Alice in Wonderland ride from a similar angle to one you just posted a few days ago, which is pretty unusual. Wonderful!
MANY THANKS to Keith Schad for sharing these fantastic vintage Disneyland photos. There are LOTS more to come... as he mentioned, there's this group from 1958, and another big group from 1970/71. You're going to love them.
21 comments:
That banner of the Columbia is worth the price of admission alone in today's post. Love it. The Alice in Wonderland pic is wonderful too.
Thanks for your generosity, Keith. Looking forward to seeing more of your family photos at Disneyland in the future. Thanks to you too, Major.
Major-
As Ken has said - that banner says it all: Full Rigged 3 Masted Sailing Ship. That just happens to be my sailing ship of choice-! Leave it to Disneyland.
Thanks to Keith for sharing these swell images.
#1: Wow, a panorama photo! It sort of looks like a frame of 70mm film. Major, you left out the black & white curb in your description of goodies in this photo. ;-)
Picture #2 looks like a camera obscura image being projected on the wall of a darkened room... something about the muted lighting.
In the third pic we can see signs on the drawbridge banners that are promoting the new Alice ride.
And here's the Alice ride now, in picture #4; right on time! This is an excellent photo of the Alice attraction. I'm keepin' it! Huh, the Alice CM is wearing her hair up in a bun; never seen that before.
Keith, thank you so much for sharing! These photos are fantastic! And thank you, Major, for, you know, GDB.
Oooh, these are super nice early DL photos! JB pointed out the new attraction shields on the Castle banners....had we ever seen them in that location? I can only remember seeing them on the lampposts, and hanging over Main St.
It doesn't look like Alice is open yet. There aren't any riders in the vehicles, or anyone standing in line. Is that Roy Disney in the suit and hat, by any chance? And who are those other men?
Thank you so much for sharing your family's photo's with us, Keith! And thank you, Major, for posting them!
I don’t think I’ve ever noticed the “BANK” sign from out in the Parking Lot before. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever noticed the “BANK” sign from anywhere before. I find it odd that with all of the little details that Walt put into Main Street that he let that one slip through. It’s more properly called a “berm.”
I think that may be Joe Fowler in the suit and hat in front of the Alice attraction on the wrong side of the tracks. Compare with this photo.
These are wonderful, Keith. Thank you for sharing them. Can’t wait to see the next installment!
Thanks Keith for the photos..."Harold Hill"...as in Prof. Harold Hill? I did "The Music Man" in High School...but played Charlie, the guy that exposes Harold Hill...that sounded weird...moving on. These are awesome photos! The black and white curb is especially awesome. Could never and would never do that today. I'm wondering how many guests "bit it"? I'm SURE that I would be one of those people. I trip over everything no matter how big or small. The ticket booths are charming little hot boxes, and it looks like the "Alice" attraction poster there on the fence along with Rocket to the Moon. Wondering if it said "NOW OPEN" on Alice too. It's so nice to see open lawn with no barricades...not even the little wire ones here. It helps with the scale and making the Castle appear larger. That tree branch EXACTLY covers up the "possible" dent...but perhaps it hadn't been dented yet? I don't mind Columbia marketing in Central Plaza, but I'm afraid I will call it "TRE" approaching the Castle. Looks a wee Frontiery. In those days the guests might have thought that the Columbia was over the drawbridge (?) The one guest there getting her photo taken looks like she is wearing a headress but I think it's just a figment of my imagination. Personally, I think everyone should be wearing headdresses ALL the time. Sparkly ones with feathers. Alice's cousin is perfectly cast and costumed. Thanks to whomever (or is it whoever?) made that very obvious choice. Suit and tie? Not Roy...but it's someone. Looks like Alice is 101. Alice was 101 for me too. Perhaps next time. Guys nowadays don't wear too many hats like that...especially in the Anaheim sun, where it seems that they should. I don't consider a ball cap a hat...that is more like a costume, or branding if you will. I have more ball caps than I care to mention and it is a problem that I am seeking help for. Seems like a reasonably priced collecting habit...and I've seen some photos of guys who have "Ball Cap Walls" like a "Lids" store in their man caves. Not sure I'd go that far with my habit, but probably have enough to fill a wall. I'm back to my seal friends! Arf Arf! Thanks again for the photos Keith and Major!
Thanks for these Keith!
Nanook, I definitely prefer "full rigged" to "jury rigged."
What is the technical explanation for the shadowing around the corners?
Chuck, aah yes...maybe it's Mr. Harbor of "Fowler's Harbor" fame! ;-)
Is the "Alice" cast member doing something strange with her legs and feet? A ballet pose, perhaps? Or is she just struck with an extreme case of pigeon toe-ism?
Thanks, Keith!
My biggest regret from my June 1973 trip is that apparently no one in my family took any pictures!
I'm glad you have your family's photos! Thanks again for sharing!
Keith, thank you for sharing your family memories! These are great stuff.
I’m with Bu, they guy in the suit and hat is someone. There are at least four men who look like technical or repair crew all busy with something. “Boys, you have to apply some of the far side of the mushroom over here to make the track smaller…”
I like the vignette effect on the castle pic. There is another sign far to the left, wonder what it says?
Thanks Major for hosting the party.
JG
Keith - Thanks for sharing these with us.
@ Chuck-
I was thinking Joe Fowler, too. You never know...
@ Steve-
As JG mentioned, that's called vignetting - and can be caused by a myriad of things, from a filter, lens hood, mis-matched lens to camera body, etc.
Thanks, Kieth, these are all great photos.
Along with others here, I like the Columbia banner, the lawn, Alice ride, and parking/tickets.
In front of ticket booths, I wonder what that sandwich sign says?
Looking forward to seeing more Kieth! The first round of pictures are fascinating to see. KS
K. Martinez, I think the “Alice” photo is my favorite, but I do love those “lamp post signs” for attractions, popular around 1958/59. I wish I owned one!
Nanook, what is your second choice for sailing ships??
JB, I know that scanners sometimes crop images (which is why I do it manually rather than leave it to the software), but as you said, it gives these a “wide screen” look that is appealing. I’m assuming that we just lost some empty sky. The vignetting… not sure if that’s due to the camera or the scanner. Interesting about “Alice” having her hair up instead of flowing like in the movie. I guess it was still considered “neat and tidy”, so it was OK by Disney rules.
TokyoMagic!, yes, we have seen those shields (for “Alice” and the Columbia) on those castle banners before. But (as far as I know) they did not use the 1959 shields on those same banners. Strange that Alice would be in front of the ride if it wasn’t open yet, but you’re right, it does have a “not ready for guests” look about it. I don’t think that’s Roy Disney, but who knows.
Chuck, we have mentioned the “BANK” lettering before, but it is unusual to be able to see it from the parking lot. And kind of cool! Hmmm, Joe Fowler, it really does look like him!
Bu, ha ha, good catch on “Harold Hill”. I’m sure the point of the black and white curb was to make it “unmissable”, and yet… I’m sure there were plenty of people who somehow tripped on it. Being in one of those ticket booths for hours on a hot day really does sound like some sort of torture. “You were late today, Miss Moore, you’ll do FOUR HOURS in the ticket booths”. “No! Anything but that!”. I’ve never seen a “Now Open” note on any attraction poster. I think that Chuck’s guess of Admiral Joe is pretty spot-on, it has that “rumpled guy with a hat” look that Joe Fowler perfected. Baseball caps are not a bad thing to accumulate, they don’t take up much room, you can stack them like Pringles.
Steve DeGaetano, what about “Jerry rigged”?? ;-)
TokyoMagic!, when will they add “Pepperidge’s Peninsula” to Frontierland? Maybe that “Alice” knew Ginny, they were in dance class together.
Stu29573, as I’ve mentioned before, in spite of the many family trips that we did when I was a kid, we don’t have a single photo from any of them. And my mom was typically the shutterbug. No idea what happened.
JG, maybe the man in the suit was telling them to make the Alice ride “much more like my recent LSD experience”. Yes, that’s probably what it was.
dennis, I thought you only liked World’s Fair pictures!
Nanook, maybe it was Joe Fowler’s brother Moe. The vignetting only appears on the 1958 scans, so I am assuming it was a camera issue and not a scanner issue.
LTL, unfortunately that sign is just a bit too impossible to read. I wonder if it was one of those “No Picnic Lunches” signs??
KS, yes, I was thrilled to see these scans from Keith!
@ LTL-
I'm thinking based on shape, layout, and font colors
THIS may be the sign...
Major-
As for my penultimate choice in sailing ships - it's the Endurance. (Although considering its fate, I should probably reconsider).
@ Nanoon... wow, nice sign! And nice sleuthing.
oops, typo. I mean of course Nanook(!)
Thank you, Keith, for sharing these wonderful family pictures with us! I especially love the first one...the start of a fun Disneyland day, complete with the black and white curb - which helped keep PUSH from tripping, on his way into the Park.
Keith, I'm looking forward to seeing more, and I hope your wife is in some of the upcoming pictures - we'd love to meet her, too.
Thank you, Major.
Very cool pictures! Odd to place those small Alice lampost placards on such large pageantry banners . There were some “pre opening “ attraction posters but they show up after 1970. But you never know … odd and rare poster variations show up from time to time …. Like a Circarama poster that replaced “free admission” with “air conditioning” …. Or Douglas aircraft Moonliner poster … the black background Dumbo and Haunted Mansion attraction posters …
It would be cool if that was Joe Fowler …. As the person has a similar look … but the glasses and face are really different. And he really wouldn’t hade anything to do with a Alice vehicle attraction test or maintenance issue. Chances are it’s the foreman of Disneyland’s electrical & engineering at the time … I cannot think of his name offhand …. I want to say Harvey Gillette … but that’s not right. I’ll try and check later this being when I can reference some things .
Can’t wait to see the 70’s images!!
@ MIKE-
Could that be 'David' Gillette-?
Post a Comment