Frontierland, November 1968
Frontierland photos are certainly nothing new here on GDB, but today's first example is a little bit unusual. We get a nice view (from the Mark Twain?) of some of Rainbow Ridge's buildings on the very edge of town before civilization ends and THE WILDERNESS begins! Brake for critters. Some of these small structures appear to be homes, while others are "last chance" hotels (clean sheets just 25 cents extra); I wish I had a detailed map of Rainbow Ridge with official Disney identifications of all of the buildings! I'm not aware of any such map being made for the public, maybe a blueprint would have all of the callouts.
Less unusual is this shot of the Mark Twain (is there such a thing as an unusual shot of the Mark Twain?) sitting at the dock as passengers boarded. As usual, everyone rushes to the foremost parts of the boat (on all three levels), but there is still plenty of room for us. It looks like it was a great day to take a voyage along the Rivers of America!
12 comments:
Major-
That 1st image is a real beauty. Such a charming, little [miniaturized] town-! A great place for the Singer Midgets to retire.
Thanks, Major.
I don't remember seeing a couple of these houses before; like the one on the left with the climbing flowers, and the pink house further up the hill. And it's uncanny how small these structures look! They look like HO scale models. This would be an excellent pic to do the tilt-shift thing. Although, it already looks that way even without editing it. I think it's because we're looking down on the town.
This is an excellent people-picture! The kid on the left is hurling into the mighty River; aka, feeding the ducks. The guy on the front of the MT with his hand on his head is thinking, "Dang! I locked my keys in the car!". The CM, amidships, is slowly dragging himself through the day, "Bored, bored, bored". And then there's the kid on the right. Quite a color combo! Shocking pink hat with red plume, light blue shirt, and mustard yellow shorts. Definitely today's VFA winner. All the tree branches hanging down from above make this a better-than-usual picture.
Nice pics, Major. Thanks.
Those Rainbow Ridge structures were located just past the Mule Pack load area and probably went unnoticed by the majority of guests as they went flying past at breakneck speed on the wildest ride in the wilderness. They do seem to be rarely photographed.
Today’s pictures got me thinking - why doesn’t the Mark Twain have a helipad?
All the buildings in todays image of RAINBOW RIDGE were destroyed in the late 70’s - EXCEPT the small residential house at the top of the hill - it was saved and re-used in THUNDER RIDGE (recently Re-named Rainbow Ridge again) as a leather shop “ buckskins our specialty” . Sadly after an extensive rehab of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad almost 10 years ago , ALL of the original Rainbow Ridge / Thunder Ridge town buildings were so rotted they had to be completely rebuilt - this time mostly from plastics and engineered lumber. No original Rainbow Ridge town buildings exist today.
The Adobe and plaster “Rainbow Ridge Hotel” dates to the original 1950’s town … but it was located across the tracks to the left of Mineral Hall back then … this was a often photographed building famous for the graffiti written on it’s walls “Viva Pecos Bill!!” Besides the many business in Rainbow Ridge there was about 7 “town residences” , a log “trapper cabin” , a community church ( based on a church from Sonora California built during the gold rush - with a white washed Adobe first floor and a board and batten upper eve) there was even a church yard cemetery for a time - rarely seen because landscaping surrounding the tiny tombstones quickly went overgrown .
Rainbow Ridge was a charming community with a hidden park bench in the trees suitable for taking one's lunch break, especially if picking up a burger at Carnation Gardens. All done behind the scenes of course. Just hearing the sounds of the people below and the whistles of the MT, or the RR signaling it was heading into Rainbow Caverns was a joy I never got over. KS
Rainbow Ridge, what a great place to retire to! A little rose-covered cottage on the rivers edge. Even the laundry on the line is down to scale.
KS, I love your stories of lunch hour on the hill.
That kid is going to topple right over that rail and drown.
Both fine pictures today, Major. Thank you!
JG
I'm glad it was brought up that Big Thunder Mountain's RAINBOW RIDGE was originally known as THUNDER RIDGE. I remember it being that name in the first year of Big Thunder Mountain being open.
Love the clothesline in the first pic. Thanks, Major.
Nanook, I feel like I’ve heard of the Singer Midgets before, but can’t place them. Presumably they were in “The Wizard of Oz”, among other things?
JB, most people took pictures of the main chunk of Rainbow Ridge, which is why the first photo is interesting. At least to people like us! I’m sure you’ve seen that famous Disneyland USA clip with Black Bart climbing up among the smaller buildings (and getting shot), it’s somewhat ridiculous. I’ve never “fed the ducks”, luckily I don’t suffer from motion sickness. So far. But oh man, going ocean fishing was an adventure - 1/3 of the people aboard were hurling over the side. I felt bad for them, but it was very gross. The pink hat (with red plume) must belong to a girl, you know how they are when it comes to pink.
Chuck, those mules were hopped up on benzedrine, as was the habit in those days. Hey, it worked for the Beatles. And the mules had more albums! The Mark Twain doesn’t have a helipad because you are confused, it was Edgar Allen Poe who flew a helicopter.
Mike Cozart, I guess it’s not much of a surprise that none of those original buildings survive - it’s been many decades, and wood will rot and decay eventually. It’s too bad that they didn’t do regular maintenance, but of course that costs money. Replace those rotting boards, etc. I don’t really mind the use of resin moldings and plastic elements, as long as they look authentic after being painted; they will last a long time! I think I have a single photo in which you can see that church graveyard, I always look for it though. You’re right, it didn’t take long for the landscaping to obscure it.
KS, I’ve heard about that hidden park bench, my buddy Mr. X used to love to relax there and take in the scenery. It sounds wonderful, I would have loved that too! I can believe that you got lots of joy out of it.
JG, I’m always amused by the shrunk-down long underwear and such. Those Disneyland seamstresses could do anything! I hope that kid doesn’t fall into the water, but, you know… “hard facts”!
K. Martinez, I feel like I knew about the “Thunder Ridge” name, but for some reason, Big Thunder’s backstory never really stuck with me. And then they added stuff with a “Mr. Baxter”, etc, that did nothing for me.
Sure, while most folks rush to the Mark Twain’s bow, I was the exact opposite, heading towards the stern to watch those mesmerizing double-valved steam engines going about their motions, and enjoying the wonderful aroma of warm grease and steam.
The town name since big thunder’s opening was always THUNDER RIDGE … is on some of the town buildings as well as the directional sign in the que and the famous Thunder Ridge population sign … after the recent Re instruction of all the Thunder Ridge buildings was when the name was changed back to RAINBOW RIDGE … and that includes the town population sign. It should have been left THUNDER RIDGE as Rainbow Ridge was a different town , place and attraction .
Thunder Ridge was added in the DL big thunder plan somewhat late in the game - but it was an excuse to keep some of the Rainbow Ridge buildings in the park . Originally geysers were to be located where Thunder Ridge went …. When the buildings sat backstage as Big Thunder construction began , the town buildings were stripped by employees of the miniature signs , posters and details like chairs , Benches , and lanterns and miniature lampposts . There were some unused concepts for several of the other former Rainbow Ridge buildings …. One proposal was to be a ghost town in the distance visable from the DLRR.
KS (and Mr. X), I envy your DL lunch breaks.
Mike, I wonder if any employee has that line of laundry.
Thanks, Major.
Mike, that ghost town proposal would have been interesting. Of course, if used it would probably no longer be around to make way for Galaxy’s Edge.
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