Three and a Half From November 1964

Today I have a selection of photos from November, 1964 for you.

First up is this rather gloomy looking scene of Tomorrowland, probably taken from the Disneyland Railroad. The crowds are light - it is the off-season, after all - just think of all the attractions you can ride! The Matterhorn looks especially massive for some reason.


Now we're outside the Enchanted Tiki Room, which had opened only about a year before. The little blond girl looks like she is dressed for church, and if she isn't careful, she's going to dump the ice cream out of that cone! If you look up above...


... it's the Barker Bird (blue version!). How often do you see a bird wearing a straw hat and bow tie?


You may have heard stories about real ghosts that haunt Disneyland. The spirits of lonely children are seen (or heard) after hours, and vaporous apparitions have been spotted on various attractions. Now I can finally offer a photo of one of the most famous ghosts - - the "Man in White"! I think I saw him once, but when I did a double take, he was gone. Strangely, he has never been seen in the Haunted Mansion, although it may be his spirit seen standing on the roof occasionally. Spoooooooky!

Sweet Music at Disneyland! July 1968

Hooray for Everything! The Kids of the Kingdom have performed at Disneyland and Walt Disney World for many years, starting in the late 60's (1968 is the earliest mention that I could find), and continuing in various iterations into the 2000's. For all I know, they are still performing! They seem to have been modeled after some other well-known easy listening groups such as "Up With People" and "The Doodletown Pipers" (I kid you not). Clean cut and ruthlessly upbeat, even grandma could smile and clap along to them. They released an album in 1968, and with thanks to Nancy, I can tell you that they performed songs such as: "What the World Needs Now", "Say a Little Prayer", "I Love a Parade", "The Bare Necessities", "Thoroughly Modern Millie", "The Look of Love", and as the old K-tel commercials used to say, much much more! (What, no "Helter Skelter"?)


I thought this might be the Strawhatters, but the slide was labeled "Royal Street Bachelors", so I stand corrected. If one banjo is good, then THREE banjos is even gooder. I say they are playing "Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey". These city slickers in their straw boaters and plaid jackets are tearing it up, Dixieland style, in New Orleans Square.

Sunday Stuff

I've got three random slides for you today, leftovers if you will.

Here's an undated photo of Main Street, apparently taken from the upper deck of the Omnibus. I'm surprised that I don't have more photos with this elevated perspective, but as far as I know this is the only one. Judging from the leafless trees and the sweaters and overcoats on the guests, this is probably from around February. As for the year, I can only guess that it is the early 60's. Those of you with a knowledge of fashion history might be able to narrow it down more precisely! I don't recall ever noticing the trash cans placed in such an orderly manner before.


Whoa, this one scanned oddly. You can't really tell that this is the green Monorail, but it is, I swear on a stack of flapjacks. The bubble dome is the place to be! Love the erector set steel girders, colorful banners waving in the breeze, and the uniformed attendant striking a "Kraftwerkian" pose.


From 1957, we're riding through the Painted Desert. The vantage point seems rather high in this photo too, could it have been taken from the top of the Stage Coach? We'll never know.

Frontierland, 1960

Let's mosey on over to Frontierland! I think I hear the cheerful sound of a banjo being strummed, it must be the Strawhatters! I want to sit up front and yell "Free Bird!" (waving my Bic lighter) because it is my favorite dixieland jazz song.


Cascade Peak. Keel Boat. Columbia. What more is there to say?


Of all the homes made out of animal skins and wooden poles, the venerable teepee (tipi?) is the best. Sorry, fans of ghotis, yarangas, and lavvus! The Major has spoken.

Main Street USA, June 1960

Here's a nice photo of good ol' Main Street USA (pronounced "oosa"), looking vibrant and fun. Don't you wish you were there right now? You are close enough to the famous drinking fountain to take a sip. Go ahead, I'll wait. At least there are no bothersome C&H sugar bags in the way this time (thanks to Vintage Disneyland Tickets). You can also see some of the neat lamp post signs for some of Disneyland's latest attractions, including Nature's Wonderland. The banner overhead also celebrates "America the Beautiful" and "The Art of Animation".


If I zoom in slightly, you can see that there is a pink striped construction wall. Any idea why it might be there? Sure wish I could read what is written on it.


The omnibus. Why would anybody ride down below? Rabies, that's why. I love it when the vehicle has one of these banners, and would love it even more if I owned one of the banners!! Matterhorn1959 probably has a closet full of them.

Mark Twain, July 14, 1964

If I had a nickel for every "Mark Twain" photo I've seen, I'd be typing this post on the veranda of my spacious mansion (preferably haunted). But I'm not complainin'!

July 14, 1964 looks like a perfect day to visit Disneyland. The park will be 9 years old in just three more days! The Disneyland Band is on deck, and there's Vesey Walker, the grand old man himself.


There she goes! I guess we still call the Mark Twain "she", don't we? So confusing. I like the people who are perfectly happy looking off of the stern... some folks want to see where we're headed, others like to see where we've been. To our left you can make out the big green wall that is hiding the early New Orleans Square construction.


Here's where the Twain "sleeps" sometimes! Fowler's Harbor, named for Admiral Joe. It's full of rafts and one Keelboat. I certainly looks different with all of the lush plantings... compare it to this one from 1956!

Trip to Disneyland, July 1958 - Part Two

Continuing from yesterday, we are still exploring Main Street U.S.A. First up is this nice overview from the steps of the train station.


What a great shot of Main Street! I love that banner for the Columbia overhead. The two gentlemen to the right in vests and shirt sleeves must be cast members, probably having something to do with the various Main Street vehicles. That's my guess, anyway!


The Fire Department building looks comfortingly solid and sensible. Did that bell on top ever ring? Who knows, Walt might've been up there in his apartment when this picture was snapped. I'm wondering if that balcony area to the left was used by the Disney's while entertaining guests?


Good old City Hall... I don't know what went on there back in 1958; I believe that you could sign the guest book, at least. With the tri-colored bunting and bright sunshine, it would be pretty easy to believe that this was a photo from some real midwestern town around the fourth of July.

Trip to Disneyland, July 1958 - Part One

Today is the first of several posts featuring some nice images, circa 1958! I'm going to begin with the obvious starting place... the family's arrival in the old parking lot, and the approach towards Main Street Station.

I love this first shot, you can sense the anticipation that our photographer was feeling! There's plenty of parking, and you can see the old tram with its yellow and blue striped roof. And those cars! Wowee.


We're getting closer. No need to take the tram, we can just walk. It appears to be about 10:15, presumably the park just opened, and it's a fine sunny day.


Population: 10,000,000. I hope they're not all here today!


We've finally walked through the tunnels beneath the train tracks, and have turned around for one last picture of the station (with the old 48-star flags a-flyin'). If it was me, I would head up the steps for a ride on the train. But that's not what this photographer did! Stay tuned tomorrow.

Main Street at Sunset, 1970

1970 is probably right around the time that I was getting pretty interested in Disneyland. Of course I liked going there, but I also wondered about how the place was built, how they did the effects in the Haunted Mansion, what the rides looked like with the lights on... stuff like that.

This is an unusually vivid and colorful picture of the Opera House taken as it is bathed in the last brilliant golden rays of sunshine. I like the way the reflected light on the street shows in hues of red/violet while the shaded areas are cobalt blue. Makes me wish I was there!


This picture was probably taken mere moments later (it's 7:26!), but the sun has already dipped so low that only the topmost peak of Main Street Station is still directly lit. You can see that the lights have come on, including the small rows of lights that outline the eaves of the station. This is always my favorite time of day... the park cools down, some people head for home, and the whole place takes on a different atmosphere.

Pack Mules, July 1959

Today I am featuring three photos (plus a detail) of the Pack Mules and that Living Desert (this was pre-Nature's Wonderland, dontcha know).

Ah, the heady aroma of fresh mule, sagebrush, leather, and Hai Karate (because that's what that one guy on the end is wearing)... it can only mean one thing. A ride on the Pack Mules! Here's a team of seven mules (not including the "scout") about to embark on a trip through the scenic desert. If we get lost, we may have to eat our mules... it happened at least six or seven times over the years.


You never know what you might see in those strange deserts, and I doubt that many people expected to see these bubbling pots of mud. Ever wonder what that mud really was? Well, as it turns out, it was basically... mud! A kind of slurry of water and clay. If you are hooked on phonics like me, you can read about it at the Vintage Disneyland Tickets blog here!


You can see the tracks of the Conestoga Wagons and the Stagecoach (was there more than one Stagecoach?)... though I believe that both of them would permanently close in September, as the area was expanded and improved for Nature's Wonderland in 1960. There is also a dry watering hole, surrounded by lots of bones. Apparently the water was poison, probably full of alkalai! There is a crude wooden sign...


.... placed here as a warning to fellow pioneers. Unfortunately, an extreme blowup still doesn't render it very legible. I can make a guess as to what it says, more or less: "Look at this! The water here is poison and we lost all of our cattle. Do not let your cattle drink in this (illegible)". If anyone knows what it actually says, don't be shy.