More from August 1969

Here are some more scans from a large group of August 1969 slides; I promise that there are actually some good ones in the bunch - - - just not these! To be honest I am trying to get a lot of the duds out of the way. 

I've never actually walked over to check out Fowler's Harbor when I've been to the park. I assume you can't get very close to it (or else there would be guests all over the place). That Fowler fella was mighty smart to build a little harbor… it's just the thing for fixing your steamboat or your three-masted sailing ship! Does anybody know if any sound effects come out of the buildings? Voices? Banjo music? Grand Theft Auto noises?

I don't know why so many of these pictures are completely "blown out"; maybe it was the camera's settings, maybe it's just that Ektachrome film is nowhere near as great as Kodachrome. Believe it or not, I darkened  this one considerably in Photoshop. and it still looks like a A-bomb just went off nearby. Still, I like this one because of the view of the pond below, formerly part of the beloved Monsanto House of the Future gardens.

The suspension bridge on Tom Sawyer Island is fun, though less fun when you are just one of an endless line of people walking across. At least that has been my experience. Fortunately, these folks are so dazzled by the blinding sun that they don't even know what's going on.

Ringling Bros. Circus, 1951

Today I have a few fun slides from 1951, when the circus came to town! Unfortunately I don't know which town, although there were many other slides from the Detroit area, so make of that what you will.

Just outside the Big Top, various circus performers (they look too fancy to be roustabouts!) relax and catch some rays before the big performance. Those pretty ladies might be aerialists or acrobatic equestrians. Laundry is hanging to dry (when you're on the road, you wash your clothes whenever you can)… do you think that the dozens of buckets to the right were used for washing? Or are they there in case of a fire? I am kind of amazed at the complexity of the many ropes… it's like the rigging on an old sailing ship.

I love this picture… the elephants - walking billboards for popcorn and lemonade - with their pink plumes; and their uniformed handlers… it really evokes another era.

It's almost time for the big show! I wish this one wasn't quite so dark, but it's still fun to look at the people milling about.

There are more pictures from this circus - coming up. Stay tuned!

More Donruss Bubblegum Cards from 1965

Howsabout some more Disneyland '65 bubblegum cards? Let's go!

Card #35: Disneyland Skyway passes through Matterhorn Mountain.

The same photo was used on this Spring 1961 issue of "Vacationland" magazine.

Card #36: Disneyland's Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse towers 80 feet above Adventureland.

Card #37: The wonders of Liquid Space are viewed by passengers aboard the Nautilus, one of the Disneyland Submarine Fleet built with the technical assistance of the General Dynamics Corporation.

Card #38: Brightly canopied launches carry passengers past a native hut in the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland.

Card #39: Disney characters meet in front of Disneyland main gate with a flower portrait of Mickey Mouse.

I wonder if they took photos like this on days when the park was closed?

Card #40: Colorful Disneyland Band marches down Main Street.

25 cards to go!

Kevin and Amber Tribute! 1956

Today's vintage images are dedicated to Kevin and Amber B., who actually found the slides while we were all at a paper collectibles show earlier this year! I'm only posting two today, but there are more to come.

This first one is my favorite of the whole bunch; it's a great shot of the castle, with relatively modest Christmas decorations applied. A few wreaths and some garlands, that's all! The ice cream vendor isn't very busy on this winter day (though, let's face it, ice cream is a year-round treat). Probably what I like most about this photo is the people - and their vintage clothes. So awesome! There are a few kids in the picture, but as is often the case, it is mostly adults populating the park.

While I liked the slightly faded look of the first scan, I wanted to do a bit of color-correction just to show you all what a difference it makes. Not many images appear on GDB without at least a little bit of help from Photoshop! The hues are certainly more vibrant and pleasing.

Meanwhile, over in Frontierland, the day has become cooler and grayer. The top of the petrified tree is in the foreground, while a fully-loaded raft to Tom Sawyer Island is ready to head back to the mainland. The Mark Twain can just be seen through the trees, and just to the left of the mill, people are waiting for the next Keel Boat. The white fencing is always a good indicator of an early Frontierland image.

THANKS to Kevin and Amber for finding these slides!

Murky Views, November 1958

Boy oh boy, I don't know why some of the slides in this bunch from November 1958 are so dark and murky. My thesaurus says that some other synonyms for "murky" would be "gloomy", "gray", "leaden", "dull", "bleak", "sunless", "dreary", and "dismal". Yep, that about covers it! 

Maybe the atmosphere was especially full of Dark Matter that day. See, I knew there was an explanation. Normally the Mark Twain is such a cheerful and dazzling sight, but in this case it looks like it is a Steamboat of Doom.

This one almost looks like a construction zone, somehow. At least the golden spires on Cinderella's Castle manage to give off a gleam or two.

The medieval town where Geppetto lives is normally a place full of charm and whimsy, but in this photo one can almost imagine Nosferatu lurking in the shadows.

I wish I could say that this is the last of the murky pictures, but there are more to come!

Indians along the Rivers of America, 1960

Frontierland's "Rivers of America" is all about the scenery; and back in the old days, there were more Indians to be found along the way.

Over to our left is the Indian Village that the public could access (via a tunnel next to the train tracks). This is where you might watch Indians from various tribes doing their traditional dances, or where you could catch a canoe. I think the Keel Boats launched from there as well.

There's our pal, Chief Wavy! Notice that he has quite a group of warriors to back him up, further up the hill. Just in case! Seems like a wise idea.

Aaaaaand, you know it, you love it, the Friendly Indian Village. This is where peaceful and industrious people grind corn, scrape hides, dry meat, and (in that kid's case) stand on overturned canoes and watch the steamboats go by.

Two Nice Snapshots from the early 1970's

Here are some more nice vintage snapshots from over 40 years ago!

This first one is one of my favorites, taken at the entrance to the New Tomorrowland. The light of the setting sun certainly adds beauty to an already beautiful scene. This version of Tomorrowland never felt sterile, in spite of its abundance of white and shining metal surfaces; I'm sure the swirling flower beds and palm trees helped a lot. I love the Peoplemover heading down into the tunnel to our left; the concept of being able to peek in at many Tomorrowland attractions while aboard the Peoplemover was a stroke of genius.

There's Snow White and one of the seven dwarfs (Sleepy? Bashful?), standing at the site where the Monsanto Home of the Future used to be. As you can see, the attractive waterfalls and pools remained - for many years, in fact. I wonder what goodies could be had at the souvenir stand in the distance?

Swiss Family Treehouse & African Veldt, August 1969

If it wasn't for that little bit of railing at the top of this first photo, the Swiss Family Robinson's treehouse abode is almost entirely camouflaged. Of course that's only from this angle; a few steps in either direction would reveal a huge waterwheel and crazy/ingenious plumbing system, staircases, and several levels of living quarters. 

Once in a while I will see stories online about folks who design real treehouses for well-heeled clients, and some of them are architecturally daring. But none of them is as appealing to me as this one!

Nearby, in the Jungle Cruise, is this scene of the "African Veldt". It sort of reminds me of the opening of "The Lion King", with all of the animals paying their respect to baby Simba at Pride Rock. Only these animals are morbidly looking on as one of their pals is being eaten by a lion. Weird.

Anything Goes Saturday: Around California

I've been sorting through my boxes of slides, and scanned some random vintage images from around Calfornia. Here are a few of them!

This impressive, ornate structure is the old San Joaquin County Court House, in downtown Stockton. Here is some info about it: Built in 1890 at a cost of $257,817.37, it was the last word in design at that time. Everything was on a grand scale. Columns were immense, hallways spacious, ceilings high and lighted by the latest in gas lamps. Woodwork was intricate and in fine mahogany and walnut hardwoods. The floor tile was imported from Belgium, its pattern reflecting the Byzantine period.

The building stood for 70 years before being razed in 1961.

It was replaced with this magnificent architectural delight...

… and this is a rendering of the next courthouse (to be built in a year or two). Some people think it's an improvement on the previous iteration, though it looks like the back of a refrigerator to me.

Here's a picture of a place I had never heard of, "Camp Sacramento" (according to the hand-written label). I found a Camp Sacramento on Google Maps, but it appeared to be more of a children's camp and not a destination for skiing. Who knows. Anyway, I love the busy and picturesque little ski lodge, and the snowy slope with the deep blue sky behind it; And the cars, wow! Especially that unusual pink convertible with the invisible movie star standing next to it (the movie star forgot that her boots would still be visible).  

And finally, here is a stylish couple hanging out at Corriganville. It was a genuine movie ranch (in Simi Valley) that was turned into a tourist destination. See some pictures of it looking less deserted HERE.  I'm not sure why it is so empty, but it would be a fun place to explore when the crowds were away.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit to California!

Friday Instamatics!

Here are a few more Instamatics, from my dwindling supply! It once seemed as though they would never run out.

I love this unusual sunset view of Tomorrowland! This appears to be yet another one in which the Peoplemover is there, but isn't actually moving yet. The lights embedded in the concrete Peoplemover track make me admire the planning that provided for the necessary wiring and (presumably) access points for maintenance. One of Mary Blair's murals can be seen, the colors altered by the reddish glow of the sun, while the Rocket Jets just look wonderful. To our right is the new "Adventure Thru Inner Space", man do I want to ride that!

Mickey Mouse leads the Disneyland Band down Main Street, past the Hallmark shop (notice the golden crown above the curved entrance). This is one of those odd overcast days in which the sky is just a featureless light gray - it's like living in a light box. Random thought: I am impressed that Mickey knows how to tie a bow tie.

I wonder how difficult it was for Walt's Imagineers to find working plans for a real steam-driven sternwheeler riverboat? That paddle wheel is all wood (or at least it looks like wood!), and kind of an impressive piece of carpentry when you think about it. I wonder how often it needs to be replaced? It's probably one of the primary reasons that the Twain goes down for maintenance so regularly.