New York World's Fair, 1964

Off to the Fair, jiggety-jig...

Here's a lovely panorama, taken from the roof of the Better Living Center. To our left is Pepsi Cola & Unicef's "It's a Small World" (with the Tower of the Four Winds); Beyond that is the Eastman Kodak pavilion. In the middle, with a wavy roof (a bit hard to discern) is the "Sermons From Science" building, and above that is the T-shaped Port Authority building, complete with a helicopter on the roof. On the horizone, the Empire State Building's silhouette is clearly visible!


We've seen it before, but can you ever get tired of the incredible façade of GM's "Futurama"?


Inside the Futurama ride is this scene depicting a series of undersea resort. It looks like (had structures like this been realized) visitors would get to them via some sort of elevator... imagine that experience, descending deeper and deeper into the icy water until you are surrounded by absolute darkness (except, perhaps, for some bioluminescent organisms flitting around). Maybe they could attract the many strange deep-water critters with bright lights; imagine if a giant squid went scooting by, staring at you with eyes the size of dinner plates!

Shack of the Future

I have something new for you... and a repeat!

The new thing is this photo of the Monsanto Plastic Home of the Future, circa 1958. I wonder how well this design would scale up? Would it be structurally sound at twice the size? I love the design, even though it's a bit small. I'm also thinking that there doesn't appear to be much space for storage, unless they worked in some of those clever lockers in the floors and ceilings. Seriously, if I won the lottery (any day now!), I would want to build one of these just because.


And now for the rerun (newly scanned); this nice photo of Vesey Walker and the Disneyland Band gathered 'round the flagpole in Town Square to play a concert. It evokes all kinds of nostalgia. I'm guessing that Vesey was unable to stand for long (he had some health problems), which is why he is seated - and probably why the band is seated too.

Special Souvenir Sunday

Today I have more extra-special souvenir items from Disneyland, courtesy of reader Steve Stuart. If you missed his signed Walt Disney Studios commissary menu, check it out HERE!

This time I'd like to feature two rare items of Steve's from "Holidayland", Disneyland's 9-acre picnic area located in a field to the west of the park. Folks could play baseball, pitch horseshoes, and eat or watch shows inside a huge red and white striped tent. They could even buy beer!

Check out this neat brochure, customized for a Farmer's Insurance Group company picnic on June 14, 1958! Holidayland had opened just under a year earlier.


This is the really fun part - that list of activities! Wow... a gunfight between the Marshall and a villain, Roy Williams (aka "The Big Mooseketeer"), the Gonzalez Trio... how cool is that! Plus a good old fashioned tug-of-war (Home Office men vs. the South West Regional Office men). I love the graphics on this item as well.


Maybe I'm weird, but I think I love this humble name tag even more than the flier! Man, I wish I had one of these. Holidayland closed in 1961 to make room for the show buildings for Pirates of the Caribbean" and the Haunted Mansion.


And as an extra bonus, Steve included this scan of a Casa de Fritos matchbook cover, starring the Frito Kid. "Hey, Klondike! Quit eating those Fritos and send up another bag!".


MANY THANKS to Steve Stuart for sharing these amazing collectibles with us!

Anything Goes Saturday - Vintage Christmas 2

It's time for some more vintage Christmas fun!

This young lady is showing off her elegant Snow White doll, along with a complete set of rubber dwarfs (presumably by a different manufacturer). Dopey is usually a favorite with kids, and the little boy is definitely a fan. "Footie" pajamas, I wish I had some. Can you believe the size of that TV screen? It must be almost 20 inches!


Here's a bunch of happy kids who have not even started to open presents yet. And they have their work cut out for them! One can only imagine what wonderful toys are in those wrapped packages. I love the cowboy shirts on the girl and boy, with the embroidered pistols and stars, and a tasteful accent of fringe.


This is a common scene on Christmas morning; grandpa is helping a kid put his toys together ("Some assembly required"). In this case it looks like that cement mixer gramps is working on is part of the "Road Building Set" (notice the box under the table). And oh man, there's a pogo stick, and a fire engine (with a hose that probably really squirts water), and a clockwork monkey, checkers, and all sorts of other goodies!

Disneyland Hotel, September 1961

I love today's first photo, featuring the mid-century wonder that was the Disneyland Hotel! It must have been a hot day... three guests take shelter in the shade of what appears to be an orange tree, while gazing towards the hotel. The yellow Monorail is stopped at the hotel's station, and will soon zoom quietly back to Tomorrowland. As always, I dig the old cars! Who can name them all? Not me.


Now we'll beam over to the Skyway, gliding above a beautiful Fantasyland. If we time it just right, our Skyway bucket will reach Tomorrowland at the same time as the Monorail from the previous photo, resulting in a time warp that will destroy the universe.

Calico Mine Train Postcards, Part Five

Here is the final group of postcards celebrating Knott's Berry Farm's legendary Calico Mine Train ride! (Click on these links to see part one, part two, part three, and part four).

All three cards feature what many consider the highlight of the ride, in which the sturdy little mine trains are lifted to the highest level inside the building and into the cavern (or "stalactite room"), where guests hear heavenly organ music while viewing hundreds of colorful stalactites and stalagmites (glowing under ultraviolet light). The trains actually come to a stop so that you can really take it all in!


Disneyland's Rainbow Caverns is long gone, but we still have the Knott's version!


Things looked a bit run-down the last time I saw this; the large fluorescent black light tubes were plainly visible (with no real attempt to hide or disguise them). You could see them leaning vertically against some stalagmites! I can't believe that it was always that way, but can't say for certain. Even so, it managed to still be wonderful.


I hope you have enjoyed this look at the Calico Mine Train - in postcards!

Santa's Village, Lake Arrowhead - October 1961

Ho ho ho, back to Santa's Village we go. I just made that up, and it's fabulous!

Lake Arrowhead, California - we have a confirmed Santa sighting. Here he is, resplendent in his fur-lined red velvet outfit. I need to wear more velvet, dammit. The adorable little girl is wearing glasses with those inserts that were supposed to straighten out slightly crossed eyes ("Amblyopia", like Linus used to have?). Santa doesn't care though, he loves her just the way she is.

That building does not appear to meet local building codes, but at least it has a slide for quick escapes when the thing starts to collapse.


There's that "Dumbo"-style Christmas tree ride again. The ride vehicles were made of razor-thin, hand-blown glass, just like real ornaments. The tree itself looks like it escaped from Rankin-Bass' "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer".


Beyond the Christmas tree ride, we look towards a cabin with gears on it; Santa's workshop? If so, it is probably full of sweaty elves. Elf sweat is magical and smells like candy canes. They sing in those high, squeaky voices, sort of like Alvin and the Chipmunks, only with a Spanish accent for some reason.

New York World's Fair

Several buildings at the New York World's Fair provided wonderful elevated views of the excitement that was all around - the Better Living Center, the Eastman Kodak "Moon Roof", and most of all, the observation towers of the New York State pavilion!

Here's a great look at the enormous "Futurama" building (brought to you by General Motors). Some folks have remarked on how the building resembles some sort of futuristic vehicle with the world's biggest tailfin, but I have always assumed that that is merely a coincidence. Notice the long line wrapping around the structure, with some added blue and white shaded areas. For those of you who care, that's Grand Central Parkway cutting through the scene.


Here's a rare interior shot from the "Tower of Light" pavilion (see it at night here). The show involved Reddy Kilowatt and Ben Franklin singing about the wonders of electricity. This particular photo was from a segment that lamented the high cost of living, with these "kilowatt birds" extolling the low cost of electricity.


Looking another direction, we see a group of international pavilions in the foreground.


Here is a handy-dandy guide in case you want to know what you are looking at!

Rocket to the Moon, 1958

You know what? I am just feeling lazy today. Much too lazy to post more than a single picture. Call me "Mr. Lazypants". No don't, I changed my mind, that's a stupid name. What were we talking about again?

I'm going to go back to bed, but please enjoy this nice photo of the entrance to the old Rocket to the Moon attraction. I think we can all agree that it is one of the most diatomaceous photos ever.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.........

A Pair From August, 1959

The super-colossal meg-amazing Matterhorn was a mere two months old in August 1959. You can usually discern older photos because the snow line is so much higher than in later pictures. And yes, we've seen plenty of images of this shrunkified Swiss mountain, but it's still pretty impressive here, don't you think?


Of all the ways I could die, I never dreamed I would be flattened by an Omnibus. But there it is, heading right for us! Sure, I could step up onto the sidewalk, but that's just what they expect me to do. And the day I do what they want is the day they pry a churro from my cold dead hand. I think I've made myself clear.