Main Street, January 1977
From a small batch of Kodak 126 slides (those are the smallish square ones I associate with Instamatic cameras) comes todays 1977 views from Main Street, USA. Not Main Street, Minsk, comrade!
I'll never understand it, but it appears that our group arrived at Disneyland late in the day (which means perhaps four o'clock in January). The shadows already stretch almost all the way across Main Street. The nearly-leafless trees give us a good view of the buildings, it's a pretty scene.
The Tobacco Shop Indian was a popular photo op for many. Adults tended to stand at a respectful distance, while younger folks would hug the knotty pine fellow.
14 comments:
Major-
I love the outfit on the gentleman in the 2nd figure - with his 1950-60's sweater, placed above 'tastefully' flared jeans. He's the perfect example of incongruity. (I should talk-!)
Thanks, Major.
'77 at Disneyland...awesome! Back when the Tobacconist wasn't the enemy.
Love old Main Street USA
Thanks Major
I love Dad's state-park-brown cardigan!
Perhaps our photographer was on his way out of the Park, turned around and snapped one more photo of the Happiest Place On Earth, before leaving? This is a nice photo, even with the big shadows... and the vast expanse of pavement in the lower part of the picture. At least the pavement is in shadow, so we can sort of ignore it. Beautiful lighting in the rest of the photo!
Hmm, I gotta say... the wooden Indian is better dressed than the gent standing next to him. The guy is kinda drab and boring. And his stance leaves something to be desired. I think it's the sweater... Unlike Nanook and Melissa, I've never cared for sweaters. OK, I'm being too picky. I guess I'm in a grouchy mood......... He looks like a burnt corndog.
The dramatic lighting makes these photos better than average. Thanks, Major.
I love this era for Disneyland....and pretty much the entire decade of the 70s. Except for the part when they destroyed Nature's Wonderland Mine Train and replaced it with a roller coaster, and not even a good one!
Bell bottom alert, in that first pic! The long-haired lady (or man) whose wearing them is crossing Main St., at the Center Street juncture. He/She might also be wearing platform shoes! You gotta love the fashions of the 70s! No, you really gotta!
The first pic is a beauty. I love that the architecture stands out.
I agree with TokyoMagic! that the 1970's was a great decade for Disneyland. A couple of losses like Nature's Wonderland and Carousel or Progress, but still a great time to be at Disneyland.
Thanks, Major.
I find it interesting that they've kept that pointing hand on the former Tobacco shop sign over the years. I guess it works for any shop in that location!
I found this Daveland picture of the inscription on the door. Pretty cool that someone would think to take a picture of a little detail like that! Thanks, Major.
That first pic is wonderful, and also notable for not showing a single trash can. They must all be behind the crowds. Glad to see Chief Splinter too, with one of those elusive cans.
My Dad had a sweater just like that. I think I still have it.
I also remember going in the tobacco shop with him, he didn’t smoke, but Grandad did. I went in with my school friends a couple of times, they were disappointed that the store didn’t have “dip”. I had some stupid friends then.
Andrew, thanks for the link!
Thanks Major!
JG
I am a cardigan guy. In fact, I'm wearing one now. I own several that were my grandfather's, one of which Mrs. Chuck forbids me to wear in public except at ugly sweater contests.
I even had a uniform cardigan sweater that I wore when I was in the Air Force. When I was teaching AFROTC, the first class of the second semester was always done in "service dress," which is the AF equivalent of a suit. I'd walk into the classroom, speaking in soft tones, open up the AV cabinet, hang up my coat, take out my cardigan and put it on, the sit down, take of my shoes, and put on black sneakers, all while keeping a straight face. It was fun watching my students trying hard not to lose it.
While I love what these photos show, I'm also a little sad knowing that just around the corner demolition had already begun on Nature's Wonderland.
JG, your friends were weird. Everyone knows you'd find Dip in Toontown (although it's possible the Weasels had some stored somewhere in Mr. Toad's Wild Ride).
Nanook, you have to admit that the guy looks comfortable. And yes, I am the last person who should make fun of somebody’s fashion sense… but I’m going to keep doing it anyway!
walterworld, I still wouldn’t care if there was a tobacco store on Main Street (though others would complain); I don’t miss inhaling other people’s smoke admittedly.
Melissa, I thought the cardigan was “leather-bound book” brown, but I stand corrected!
JB, I have a photo of the man and his wife buying tickets at a ticket booth out front, and the light is of the “late afternoon” variety. But you thought of all the angles! With that square format, I guess the choice was either “too much sky” or “too much pavement”. I’m glad my stance and clothing aren’t up for judgement here, I would be destroyed!
TokyoMagic!, I miss Nature’s Wonderland, but do you really think that “Big Thunder” is not a good roller coaster? I think it’s pretty fun. If I could have Nature’s Wonderland instead, I’d take it, though. I DO love the fashions of the 70s, but I didn’t used to. It took me a long time to appreciate their charms.
K. Martinez, I agree, the 1970s really was a great time to go to Disneyland. I think those were some very formative years in my growing love of the park.
Andrew, I have a picture of that sign somewhere on my blog, but Daveland has done such a good job of organizing all of his photos on his website, it sure makes it easy to find what you’re looking for. And I always like the “pointing hand” device.
JG, what the heck, where are all the trashcans in that first photo? I know we’ve seen other similar views in which you can see a trashcan every 30 feet (or so) Did the Yippies steal them? I’ve been looking at photos of my dad back when he frequently wore his favorite brown sweatshirt, I’d completely forgotten about it, but man he loved that shirt! Ugh, “dip”, my younger brother and his friends would sit around watching TV, spitting into soda cans. So disgusting.
Chuck, I haven’t had a cardigan since I was old enough to buy my own clothes. I hate buttons! I’m sure your AFROTC students appreciated your performance as “Mr. Hansen”! Little did they know that once the sneakers were on, you would yell at them, drill sergeant style. “You’d have to improve 200% to be unsatisfactory!”. That was something my Navy Commander dad would say to us when he was really mad. And now I am unsatisfactory without even working at it! He’d be so proud. More dip fun - my older brother used to stomp on our aluminum cans to flatten them for recycling. He stomped on one that was full of tobacco goo, and it sprayed all over him. Then he said bad words. Email me to find out which ones!
It also kind of looks like the bell-bottom person is wearing clogs!
I’m reading big Daddy Brown as a serious ’baccy fan, and Mom insisted he get this photo with his bestie.
Yes, hazy open vistas with everything in scale and properly color keyed - Those were the days! Carnation truck still there and the Hallmark crown. Good times.
MS
Melissa, clogs are just right for 1977!
MS, ha, you may be right, that guy might have been itching for a cigarette at that very moment. Just imagine that first puff! I do get happy vibes from seeing the Carnation truck and the Hallmark crown.
Maybe those clogs on the bellbottom (wo?)man are Earth shoes.
Groovy, man.
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