Nice 1950s Views
I have a pair of better-than-usual scans for you today - early views, likely no later than 1956. Check 'em out!
This first photo fascinates me, mostly because I can't figure out where our photographer was when he/she snapped it! We've got the train tracks to our left, along with that crossing that took guest back to the real world (aka "backstage"), and that roadway that parallels the tracks. THEN we get an interesting look at the Passenger Train making a turn. There's no river in sight, so this can't be Frontierland (or can it?); the berm to our right is puzzling. Looking at vintage aerial photos didn't help me. Is the train approaching Tomorrowland? Chime in if you know!
Meanwhile, let's enjoy this nice early view of the Passenger Train.
Also from the same batch comes this neat shot of a Stagecoach, it appears to be returning from its journey through the wilderness. This brings back good memories of when I took a stagecoach to school every day, boy what fun! We'd eat candy made out of tallow and sorghum. But I digress. One website mentioned that For its first year of operation, the Rainbow Mountain Stagecoach was known only as the “Stagecoach Ride”. The Stagecoach adopted its longer name in 1956 when the Living Desert expanded and become the highlight of the trail ride. I believe this is from before the Stagecoach went through the Living Desert, but could be mistaken.
And, why not enjoy a closer view? I love that there's nothing in the background except rugged hillsides, it really does feel like the WILDERNESS! Hey, could that be Day Sechler at the reins?
17 comments:
Major-
I loves me those early images of the Park-! My vote for the first two images is near [what would be] the NW corner of Nature's Wonderland (on the right). Okay - the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train.
Thanks, Major.
I say the image is flopped. The train got confused at Main Street station, turned around, and started going counter-clockwise, back to Tomorrowland station. This is the backstage area between Main Street and Tomorrowland....... That's my theory and I'm stickin' to it! ;-)
It really is an odd photo; doesn't look like Disneyland at all.
Major, tallow and sorghum candy will rot yer teeth.
I hope your mom packed a nice lunch of hardtack biscuits with lots of crunchy mealworms inside for protein. A growing boy needs protein!
I'm amused by that little weeping willow(?) sapling to the left of the Stagecoach. I wonder if it's still there; huge and majestic?
Are those kids on top of the Stagecoach shootin' bears? Or elk?
Is this about where Cascade Peak will one day be?
Early Disneyland pictures are so odd and wonderful looking; it's like it's another Park. Thanks, Major.
In the Stagecoach pic, that land across the river appears to be the island property, prior to it's development into Tom Sawyer Island. So if these are from that early in DL history, I'm guessing that the berm on the right of the train pic, is the backside of Canal Boats of the World, and that elevated mound is where the rockwork with Cinderella's Castle on top would eventually go.
@ JB-
Cascade Peak is farther 'up the bend'. The green structure, on the far right HERE can just barely be seen in the 3rd image, obscured by the angled wooden 'beams'.
@ TM!-
You're probably correct about the Cinderella's Castle location...
I'm 'anonymous', naturally.
The DL (& Santa Fe) Railroad image is probably near the original Frontierland access road that was once just after the switch that led to the original “roundhouse “ that stored and served the CK Holiday & EP RIPLEY locomotives when there are only the two. That corrugated steel shed later became the cycle shop. Later a tunnel was built to hide the access right-of-way to the first “roundhouse” . the tunnel with its faux blasted rock and even the locomotive storage shed stood ( with the the rails still in the building ) until it was demolished to make way for GALAXYS EDGE …. There was also another access road to the right of where It’s A Small World would eventually be built that led to the backstage gasoline station … Main Street vehicles and parking lot trams and other park service vehicles would be fueled and repaired back there …the landscaping department also used the second road …which could be seen from the Fantasyland Train Depot - which is not standing when this picture was taken. after small world was built the road was moved East a bit to where it is today.
The other mystery is WHAT was a guest doing this far back in the park ? If it’s the Frontierland access road did a stagecoach or Conestoga Wagon stray to far?? If it’s the Fantasyland access road is the guest visiting Professor Kellers Feline Fantastics in the temporary “Mickey Mouse Club Circus” ??
I was born 9 years after the STAGECOACHES were removed from Disneyland as an attraction…. But even as a child I was very aware of them … they appeared in family photos … my grandparents collection of DISNEY NEWS magazine, and they also always appeared in Disneyland historical displays like the “attractions of the past “ backlit photos in DISNEYLAND - A LEGACY FOR THE FUTURE and DISNEYLAND SHOWCASE ….they were also a display fixture in BEAR COUNTRY and FRONTIERLAND as photo props. They also appeared in Disneyland parades …. So long after they were attractions they were still very visible Disneyland elements.
Unfortunately, I'm baffled by the first two photos as well. I can say pretty confidently that the image isn't flipped, because I can't see an air compressor on the locomotive. There is a crossing gate, crossbucks and what may be a "wig-wag" at the crossing gate base. Crossing protection on only one side of the tracks? Odd. Do the high-tension poles and lines in the background help? There looks to be some structure beyond the crossing gate. I'm perplexed.
Based on this photo:
https://www.yesterland.com/aerial1955.html
I’m going to wager that the photo depicts the train exiting the straight leg of the track that borders Frontierland, and is entering the curve at the NW corner of the Park, heading into the northern border. The crossing seems to enter at an angle and parallels the track for a bit. In the link above, an industrial building stands to the west, which would be visible through the crossing. The berm to the right protects the view from the ROA.
I'm positive this is the Fantasyland access road Mike mentioned above.
Check out this aerial photo from 1955. Find the "melted figure eight" that is the waterway for Canal Boats of the World in the upper center of the photo. Track upwards from the upper-left (northwest) "corner" of the waterway and you can see where the roadway penetrated the Berm.
You can see the segment of roadway that paralleled the tracks before crossing them. You can also see the "creek" (really a ditch) that begins about dead center north of the Canal Boats and then meanders off to the eats and eventually flows into Tomorrowland Lake where the Phantom Boats were. That "creek" is juuuust visible between the camera and the locomotive.
I am as puzzled as Mike about what the photographer was doing back there, though. Perhaps it was much easier to wander off backstage in the early days. Or maybe he bought a clipboard and hard hat to Disneyland with him that day.
Well, wait a minute. After reading Steve's comment, I'm not positive anymore. That curve doesn't work in my original proposal. I think Steve is right. There is an access road visible there in the photo we both linked.
Well, we don't know that the photographer was a guest. Could have been a CM with a camera, or even a third-party vendor.
Mmmm, tallow and sorghum, my favorites.
I love these mystery photos, but I can’t contribute anything to this discussion, except a question… is the stagecoach driving through the future location of Cascade Peak?
I’m sure the GDB collective brain trust will sort this out. Thanks Major!
JG
Exactly- that’s why I mentioned it was most likely the original Frontierland access road …. It would have provided access to the first locomotive shed … which later became the cycle shop when the larger roundhouse was relocated to its present site. This road also led to the original stables and wagon livery. In later years the road was mostly used by landscaping and some mechanical maintenance… the tunnel that was later added to lead to the 2 locomotive shed had been used in the last 30-40 years as truck access over the abandoned siding and the tunnel was boarded up during its last 25 years ….as I mentioned earlier , now completely demolished .
The re-routed but surviving Fantasyland access road now leads to the current train roundhouse …. But originally he would have accessed the backstage gasoline station and vehicle maintenance- mostly Autopia , parade float tractors and Main Street vehicles. In the late 1990’s an all new vehicle garage was built south of the parade storage and north of the cycle shop to maintain main st. vehicles , security carts , parking lot trams and service fleet vehicles …. This was also demolished and relocated because of GALAXYS EDGE . So much of original backstage Disneyland support areas dating from 1955 survived - and were still in use until GALAXYS EDGE ….now mostly all located offsite East of Disneyland .
Nanook, that was my first guess too, but I’m just too discombobulated. It seems to make sense with the track-crossing though.
JB, the image isn’t flopped! It looks like Disneyland to me, I mean, that’s definitely the Disneyland RR, but it’s from such an odd angle. I prefer weevils to meal worms, but that might be a regional thing. I have no doubt that the willow is long gone, probably removed not long after that photo was taken.
TokyoMagic!, I would not be surprised at all if these photos are pre Tom Sawyer Island development. Man, I need to look at an aerial view again, I would never have thought that Storybook Land could possibly be to the right in that first pic!
Anon, Chris Merritt called that green structure the Ice House, and I believe that it is still there today.
Nanook, why so shy?
Mike Cozart, it looks like there are warehouses beyond the tracks, which would make Frontierland a likely location, since there were so many backstage offices and workshops back there. And the pony farm (a bit more to the north), of course. Still, I found myself looking at an aerial of the park from 1955 - I see a spot that *might* be correct, but the resolution of that photo is just too poor. It’s the only spot that really works though. It’s so strange to see that corner of Frontierland with basically nothing there except for the RR track! Not even an Indian Village (or would that be there, but out of frame?). I agree, if the aerial photo location is correct, it would seem that the photographer was standing in an off-limits area. NO IDEA.
Mike Cozart, I forget when I became aware of the Stagecoaches; it might have been from that “First Quarter Century” book. But I think I truly noticed them when I started collecting vintage postcards from the park. Things like the Stagecoach, the Clock of the World, and the House of the Future, blew my mind! All these years later those things are so familiar, but it was not always that way for me.
Steve DeGaetano, you can’t argue with an air compressor! Believe me, I’ve tried. I could sort of see why they’d only want the crossing gate on one side of the tracks, it’s such a modern thing to have on the rustic “Frontier”. And being private property, maybe they could get away with some unusual rules.
Steve DeGaetano, yes, I was thinking that the photographer was standing just a bit north of that notch that is Fowler’s Harbor. There’s even a hill to the right of the tracks that could be the one in the photo. And looking at the angle that the photographer saw, it looks like those outbuildings beyond the tracks would have shown through the gap just like in the picture. I have to admit that this has been a fun one to talk about!
Chuck, first of all, who melted that figure eight? Was it teenagers? I’ll bet it was. And I’ll bet they needed haircuts. I thought about the Storybook Land canal too, but just couldn’t make it work, especially since there were still orange groves beyond the northeast corner of the park, and not warehouses. Upon closer inspection, I did finally notice that bit of water just below the locomotive, but did not know if it was the big river or what. I love a mystery, though!
Chuck, yes, I think I tend to think that this was more along the Frontierland side of things.
Steve DeGaetano, if only I had lots more unusual angles from that same photographer!!
JG, tallow has 1001 uses, I comb it into my hair, use it on chapped lips, use it to make soap… it’s amazing! I do think that the Stagecoach is roughly where Cascade Peak would eventually be built.
Mike Cozart, I truly do think it’s a shame that some of those very early backstage structures were torn down for “Galaxy’s Edge”, which I essentially like, I just don’t like what it “cost” as far as removal of trees, planters, widening of walkways, the shortening of the river, etc. But I also understand that real estate is limited in Anaheim, and if they want to do any sort of meaningful expansion, they’re going to have to do something drastic. Hopefully never as drastic as the WDW Frontierland, which kills me even though I have no personal connection to WDW.
Walt Disney World is about to make a TERRIBLE mistake ……
Post a Comment