Town Square Vehicles, September 1971
Here's a nice pair of Town Square photos, courtesy of Lou Perry and his daughter Sue B.! These are from September, 1971.
A Horse-drawn Streetcar is waiting for passengers on a laid-back day in the park. It looks so wonderful! The "small town" effect that Walt intended is somewhat lost when there are hundreds of people crowding the streets. Sorry, I don't mean to get negative. That popcorn vendor is right there as guests walked into the park, but it might not be the busiest location; people might not even know they want a snack yet. Still, imagine how busy it got during a parade or when "Fantasy In the Sky" was going!
Lou captured another angle of the same Streetcar (the #3). I'll bet the driver never imagined that someday his job would be to be at the reins of an old-fashioned streetcar, but as jobs go, it sounds pretty sweet. I wonder if these fellows had their favorite horses? "Biscuit here is the best, known him since he was foaled, sometimes on my break I like to give him an apple or some sugar cubes (C&H Sugar, of course)". I'm weird (news flash) because I always like seeing the pale yellow and moss green of the Wurlitzer building in the background.
THANK YOU, Lou and Sue!
22 comments:
Major-
I spy the water fountain in the 2nd image - but regrettably no bag of C&H sugar.
Thanks to Lou and Sue.
What a lovely September day. Looks like summer is taling its sweet time leaving the building. And just enough stripey clothes to keep the peoplewatching interesting. Popcorn Dad's trousers are my personal favorite.
Major, that Horse-drawn Streetcar might not be waiting for guests; note the motion blur on the horse's hoof. And we can see part of a wheel (and fender) of possibly a horseless carriage on the right. Only two trashcans, I think.
OK, I gotta ask: What is that red box used for next to the popcorn wagon? Bags of already popped corn? Maybe dry ice for that perennial Disneyland favorite, frozen popcorn.
Major, "Biscuit" is OK as horses go, but "Gravy" tops them all, IMO. Although "Waffles" is a close second. (We don't talk about "Scrambled Eggs".)
For some reason it seems odd to see a white horse pulling the Streetcar; they usually seem to be golden palominos. I was going to mention the pedestal drinking fountain but Nanook beat me to it... so I won't.
And we get a good look at the forced perspective used on the Wurlitzer building; the third storey is definitely shorter than the second.
Melissa, I didn't notice the dad's pants... wow.
Thank you Lou & Sue & Major.
1:38 p.m. in Disneyland on a September day in 1971. All is right with the world, and Lou has captured that for posterity.
I think these are posted in reverse order. It’s the same streetcar twice with the same people in it (easiest to identify is the blonde in the white sleeveless blouse in the last row of seats) and they both look like they were taken from the same spot.
Am I weird, too? I see pale yellow and moss green in the background everywhere.
Melissa, I had a pair of pants very similar in pattern to Popcorn Dad’s around that time. Sadly, they no longer fit me.
JB, I was wondering about that red box, too. I’m guessing it’s an ice chest of some kind that an ice cream vendor would bring his or her wares to to sell from, or possibly a storage locker for popcorn oil, unpopped corn, popcorn bags and boxes, etc. My other theory is that’s where the murderous clowns hide during the day, only coming out late at night to prey on unsuspecting guests who have overstayed their welcome.
Thanks again, Lou & Sue!
Town Square popcorn: I think it was "Popcorn 1" was not that busy at all. Only during parades and whatnot. Otherwise, the wagon was only brought out during busy seasons. The red box had buckets of yellow popcorn oil: that solidified during the cold. It had a GIANT metal scoop, and when it was winter, you had to heat the scoop up in the hot oil in the wagon before you started to chip away at the coconut oil little by little. It was kind of messy. During Summer, it was completely liquified, but then you had to lift the very heavy 5 gallon bucket up to the oil receptacle. It was heavy and impossible for some. The box also had stock of boxes (heavily guarded and inventoried) Popcorn seed (Orvilles in large bags) and Morton Popcorn Salt. I still use all of these things today to make popcorn, and still chip away at the popcorn oil that solidifies like a rock during Winter. Todays "rules" says wagons have to have hand sinks, and multiple people, and sodas, and other snacks, and and and and. How bout just popcorn and wash your hands when you have a break? I suppose the hand washing was a good thing as we handled cash and were playing with popcorn. The popcorn never touched your hands however: you used the box as a "scoop" and there was a specific tool to sift the popcorn and mix it around. The only question you had to ask a guest was "how many would you like". It was easy to multiply .50. We had a sack of quarters and didn't need much else in the way of change. It was difficult to start your day when your first guest gives you a $50...which most of the time we had to send them to a shop to break it. Really people? 49.50 in change for one popcorn? We were told to be leery of these transactions for concern over money laundering/counterfeits which was actually pretty common. It is very easy to tell what is not real (and there was a class for it.) If you got a counterfeit, is was a gigantic deal...with statements to write, and inquisitions, and being brought in for questioning. There was also always the question that YOU were the one doing the money switching...no stone unturned. Thanks for the popcorn memories Lou and Sue, and yes...the horses are sweet :)
Bu, your mention of the yellow popcorn oil brings back a memory. My uncle owned a cleaning company that had the contract for the local mall. One time, a popcorn stand went out of business and they let my uncle take the two big buckets of oil they had left. It was solid coconut oil dyed yellow, to make the corn look buttered. He gave it to Grandma, and she made pie crusts with it for what seemed like years. They tasted great, but they were the color of a school bus.
(He got her some cartons of cotton candy mix from the same place, and she made Kool-Aid style drinks with it. They were... not pleasant.)
Great popcorn stories, Melissa and Bu. I thought there was tuna in that box.
Yes, two trash cans in photo 1, up on the station podium. 1 in photo 2, crying out to be PUSHed.
I could enjoy the woodwork trim on these buildings all day, Lou’s perfect focus makes it easy. I’m always in too big of a hurry when actually there. I’ll take some time later on a break and study these. Always fascinated this was built in a year, even if the designs were canned ahead of time. No pylons here though.
Main Street is trash can central, I’ve wondered if this was due to guests eating or unwrapping things brought in from the car. You haven’t had time to buy anything in the Park yet…
The men on the benches in photo 2 are like the old guys in those stone Italian villages sitting in the alcove by the church, complaining about Today’s Youth.
Horses do have personalities, much as people do. I’m sure KS could tell some stories. My dad had several for the farm before the war, he certainly had favorites and mom wept when they had to let them go.
Thanks Lou, Sue and Major.
JG
Major, nice photos which convey the mood of the Depot area of Main Street.
In photo #2, the Mad Hatter sign is just barely visible!
JG, I took note of the men on the benches, too. One seems to be scrolling a "blog" on a "mobile phone", but on second glance seems to be studying/planning his Ticket Book.
LTL, those guys are ahead of the curve, now you have to spend all day scrolling your phone in the Park.
Nanook, the sugar situation has reached the point where you need to bring your own, just ask Chuck.
JG
Nanook, I assume that people keep stealing the sugar. “White gold”.
Melissa, SoCal often has hot sunny Septembers. And Octobers. And Novembers. You start to miss real weather. “Popcorn Dad’s Trousers”, a novel by Tom Wolfe.
JB, that horse blurred its hoof just to make me look bad! This is why I will never vote for a horse. On the other hand I will always vote for a horseless carriage, mostly because I like the way “carriage” is spelled. The red box was full of emergency churros. Listen, you can name your horse anything you want, but this one is called “Biscuit”! In fact, it’s “Biscuit the Third”, a fine family name with a noble lineage. White horses were often used for the Surreys, though not always.
Chuck, I posted these in the order in which they were given to me. Maybe Superman happened to be flying around the world to make it spin in the opposite direction, I don’t know, I’m not a science talking guy. Yes, you are weird. The red box was the popcorn vendor’s hope chest, full of things that he will need when he meets the gal of his dreams. I hope she likes popcorn.
Bu, like I said, I’ll bet most people are not ready for a snack one minute after they’ve entered the park! And maybe by the time they are leaving, their tummies are already full of a variety of goodies. But during fireworks? Or the flag retreat? Fuggetaboutit. Thank you for the detailed information about the red box and that oil that solidifies. A 5 gallon bucket of oil does sound very heavy! Why were the boxes so carefully inventoried? I admit that I prefer to see sanitary measures taken, though I did not know that the popcorn carts required sinks (???). I like to pay for small purchases with the largest bill I have, it always gets attention. And I need lots of attention. I just had lunch with a girl who laughed incredibly loud at every little thing, people at other tables would look over at us. I could tell what they were thinking. She wanted attention, and wanted everyone to know how much fun she was having all the time! But I digress.
Melissa, your grandpa was a thrifty type, like so many who’d grown up experiencing the Great Depression. I wish I had a grandma who made lots of pies! Though my one grandma liked to make lemon bars, and those were pretty darn good. Cotton candy flavored drinks, no thank you. My nephew used to always order cotton candy flavored ice cream, yuck.
JG, I’m sure that some USC graduate figured out the placement of all trashcans, based on a complex mathematical formula (first discovered by Sir Isaac Newton). I know that the “woodwork” look real, but it is in fact made from endangered animals. Have you ever seen a python on a pylon? “Trash Can Central”, a gritty movie from director Martin Scorsese. Starring Robert de Niro and Sandy Duncan. I have no doubt that horses have individual personalities. I knew a girl who owned bunnies, and was stunned to discover that they were so different! Bunnies, who knew.
LTL, good eye on the Mad Hatter sign, I would have to go in and buy one of those hats with the giant dyed feathers (did they still sell those in 1971?). I love seeing people studying their ticket books, and always imagine what they want to do next.
JG, what would happen if you brought a bag of some other brand of sugar into the park? Would security guards grab you and take you into the secret basement jail?
The sequence of the photos should be reversed but I'm nit-picking for no purpose. Yes indeed, horses have their own unique personalities. My little quarter-horse runs the show but lets the my smaller Belgian think he does...until he needs a reminder. Then there is my rescue Belgian...the biggest of all. What a goofball. He just had an abscess and was sitting down with a groan and shaking. Got down on my knees and he just put his head in my chest for 10 minutes when I consoled him and felt his fear subside. Took several days of work and vet visits so that he is now recovering and returning to himself. The CMs had favorites of course and there are pictures of them on top of the horses while in a backstage arena. It's an interesting bond. KS
"White horses were often used for the Surreys, though not always."
Has it really got a team of snow white horses?
One's like snow; the other's more like milk.
I wonder if this was the time with the most greenery around the train station steps? It does give a slightly "overgrown" look from this angle.
I worked a popcorn stand for one Steelers game as a school fundraiser. Never again ;-)
KS, horses are famously smart, and like most smart animals (rabbits?!?!), they are going to be individuals. I’m glad your Belgian is OK after his surgery. I’ve never spent much time around horses, but my mom owned one and used to ride him around the San Fernando Valley when it was all orchards and farms!
Melissa, actually one is more like vanilla ice cream.
Andrew, I’d have to go back and compare photos of the station steps. But I’m too lazy! It does look pretty lush here. Ugh, working a popcorn stand at a Steelers game sounds terrible!
BU your description makes popcorn not sound very good. I think Orville’s popcorn came into use in 1978. In these photos Disneyland was using HUDSON’S SUMMER GLORY CORN , FEED & SEED : PLEASES MAN OR BEAST AND THEIR WIVES. SHIPS FROM CHICAGO & BUFFALO CITY BY RAIL TO ALL POINTS.
While modern trips to Disneyland are crammed and choked with heavy crowds of people , these pictures show the park at the opposite spectrum … maybe too light with guests. But I have many memories of Main Street being similar to this during the morning before lunch and afternoon before dinner when MAIN STREET USA really felt like it could be a real town and it’s theme was just as important as New Orleans Square or Tomorrowland.
Thanks Lou & Sue and Major for another trip to lost Disneyland!!
Can confirm that Buffalonians are dedicated to pleasing their beasts' wives. Go Sabres!
KS, thanks for that story about your horse.
Major, sugar smuggling in the Park is a serious offense, the penalty is surely years in the Castle Dungeon making churros. Now that I think about it, I can't name any other brand of sugar than C&H, so I'm not sure what I would smuggle.
Still, Chuck is very lucky he did not get caught.
JG
Stealing sugar will get you a good caning.
Melissa, yikes. The Major needs to start some kind of rewards card for puns - "Post puns on 9 days' posts and get the 10th for free"
"...I was wondering about that red box, too.....My other theory is that’s where the murderous clowns hide during the day, only coming out late at night to prey on unsuspecting guests who have overstayed their welcome."
Chuck, you are SO RIGHT! See HERE! (Thanks, to Daveland!)
I enjoyed all the stories, today. Thanks, Major and everyone.
JG, for the record (and the Confection Police), I acquired that C&H sugar bag at the Harbor Galley.
Sue, of course it just had to be Chucko the Clown.
:oD
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