Entrance & Streetcar
I'm down to the last few scans from a lot of loose oversized transparencies; some were from late 1955, but I'm going to go ahead and posit that these are from the end of 1956. First up is this nice bright and clear view of the ticket booths, tiny structures marginally bigger than a telephone booth. Perhaps the cast members inside felt cozy! The beautiful passenger train cars are in front of Main Street Station. It's not even 10:00 in the morning, but there aren't many people buying tickets. Perhaps it is a lot more busy inside the park?
Meanwhile, enjoy those Christmas decorations. It's CHRISTMAS IN JULY! I zoomed in because I always get a laugh when I see that "NO PICNIC LUNCHES" sign, how many grandmother's faces fell when they hefted their baskets full of sandwiches? Further to the left (at an angle) is a sign for a Toys For Tots toy drive.
Nope! The park isn't more crowded inside. As many of you know, in the early years, the off-season could mean that the park was almost shockingly devoid of guests; "Jason's Disneyland Almanac" sometimes tells of attendance numbers of 4,000 (or less!), while a busy day just a week or two later could attract nearly 30,000 people. I love this nice shot of a Horse Drawn Streetcar, that kid with his classic Chuck Taylor Converse sneakers hoping aboard. "Hold it, Mac!", he cried, with a candy cigarette between his teeth.
5 comments:
Major-
As I think was determined in the last set of images from this batch [and as you indicate here], the inclusion of the attraction posters relegate the 1st image to no earlier than late 1956.
Boy, does that streetcar image look inviting. (Is that kid wearing argyle socks with his high-tops-??)
Thanks, Major.
In the first pic, I'm trying to figure out what that thing is in front of the train. It looks like it's covered with a tarp. Is that the Kalamazoo hand car?
Yes, not many people at the ticket booths. But there are quite a few on board the train. To me, it looks like the clock says 10:50? Not that it makes any difference; there still aren't very many people entering the Park. I love those Christmas decorations on the clock tower roof.
My, that's a big sturdy-looking horse! I'm sure he could pull two streetcars, easily! He's looking at a ghost sitting on the bench. Horses can readliy see ghosts, while we humans rarely have that ability. Or maybe he spotted a bag of C&H sugar on a nearby water fountain. Lots of older people on the Streetcar. Or maybe they just look old... they're all probably under thirty.
Nanook, I noticed those argyle socks as well. An odd combo.
Nice clear, sunny pictures! Thanks, Major.
Tokyo!, it must be the hand car. It's in the right place. Plus.... it's got wheels!
JB, I was trying to figure out if those wheels were under the thing with the tarp, or were the train's wheels. But now I can see that they couldn't belong to the train.
I'm guessing that the "No Picnic Lunches" sign did not apply to great-grandmothers. ;-)
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