Christmas In The Magic Kingdom, December, 1983

Sue B. (of "Lou and Sue" fame) sent me a large group of scans from photos taken by her father, Lou Perry. He was at the Magic Kingdom back in December of 1983, and Lou seems to have been really taken with the holiday decor along Main Street U.S.A. Who can blame him? There are ten pictures, and that's not even half of the batch.

We're looking back toward the train station, which is mostly hidden behind a colossal Christmas tree. Lavishly-decorated! It may be December, but at least one guest thinks it is warm enough for shorts. There is a blue-draped area, I wonder if that's where the Candlelight Processional would take place?

Classic wreaths and garlands line the street, much like the kind you might have seen on the main street of a real city. 

Ladders and scaffolding above the Elgin shop are there (presumably) because they are still decorating. The potted poinsettias on the upper balcony are a nice touch.

The Horse-Drawn Streetcar is passing by the front of Cinderella Castle. Where are all the crowds?? 

Extra! Extra! Mike Cozart sent me this neat photo showing Mickey and Debby Dane Brown (WDW's first Ambassador) waving to throngs of media members (I assume). Throngs, I say! The panel behind them looks much more ornate than it does in Lou and Sue's photo.

The rest of today's photos are all about the Christmas tree. This one looks to be about five stories tall, just like the ones I put in the atrium of my manse. Where can I get some of those XXL ornaments? 

Oh boy, big presents! The gold package probably contains my TV/Stereo console, with wood paneling and speakers covered with gold-threaded cloth. That baby will have a screen almost 20 inches across!

I guess somebody thought that the tree trunk was unsightly, so they wrapped it. The enormous tree is partially supported by guy-wires (and girl-wires), but I'm not sure what is holding the trunk. Is there a hole in that planter that is filled in most of the year?

A beribboned teddy bear rides a wooden hobby horse - a giant toy for giant children. I can almost hear their thundering footsteps coming down the stairs!

I like these miniature wooden soldiers that look just like their human-sized counterparts in the parades. What a nice souvenir one of those would be - make the darn toddler walk, and put one of those in the stroller! I think I see the tracks that are for a toy train that presumably went 'round and 'round the tree, a nice touch.

The soldiers might be singing a nice Christmas carol, though to be honest they look like they are astonished about something. Somebody probably put one of their friends in a stroller.

Many thanks to Lou and Sue!

 

Doc and Happy, October 1967

For some reason, I rejected today's slides when I originally looked at them many years ago. But I found them while going through one of my old boxes, and now I think that they are worth a look. Hopefully you'll agree.

Our photographer was standing in front of the castle on an overcast October day. There wasn't much going on (and certainly not very many guests), when all of a sudden, Doc from "Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs" made an appearance. He'd probably had a snack at the Carnation Plaza Gardens and thought he'd say hello to some of his fans. The man in the white shirt may or may not be an armed handler.

Happy also joined in on the fun. The kids want to greet him, and touch him, and maybe steal a lock of his hair, but they're a little overwhelmed by this great celebrity. Happy knows that if he stands there and doesn't make any sudden moves, the kids will relax. 

The peep-hole in the hat looks like a frightening third eye, black as obsidian. Is Happy a denizen of Mordor? The little girl doesn't know what Mordor is, but she has the willies even so.

 

Random Sunday Pix

The Monorail was (and is) a popular attraction at Disneyland, but a long line was never too much of a hassle. Look at the view guests had from up there! Submarines coming and going, Autopia cars putt-putting by, Skyway gondolas (not visible here of course)... a real treat for one's eye bones. 

And here's a perfectly nice, perfectly snoozeworthy shot of the exterior of the Golden Horseshoe Saloon. 1871! A line has formed, presumably folks are waiting for a show to end and for that audience to leave. I actually don't know how often Wally Boag, Betty Taylor, and Don Novis performed each day. Three times? Four? It sounds exhausting! But, if you have showbiz in your blood, maybe it was invigorating for the long-time cast members.

Benson's Wild Animal Farm, New Hampshire - 1960

Today's group of slides feature a small amusement park that was located in Hudson, New Hampshire. Benson's Wild Animal Farm! According to Wikipedia BWAF opened way back in 1926. The zoo was founded by John Benson in 1924 as an animal-training center, and was opened to the public in 1926 with animal exhibits, a miniature train, games and exhibits. Hooray, we're here!

A magnificent fairytale castle charms these children. After opening to the public in 1926, Benson's was expanded in 1932-33 with the addition of a permanent Wild Animal Circus. A special "Jungle Train" ran from Boston to Hudson on Sundays, with admission to Benson's included in the ticket price. By 1934 the parking lot could accommodate 5,200 cars. In 1940 animal trainer Joe Arcaris began his association with the zoo, performing acts with lions and other animals till the late 1970s.

A little car ride reminds me a lot of Disneyland's Midget Autopia. After opening to the public in 1926, Benson's was expanded in 1932-33 with the addition of a permanent Wild Animal Circus. A special "Jungle Train" ran from Boston to Hudson on Sundays, with admission to Benson's included in the ticket price. By 1934 the parking lot could accommodate 5,200 cars. In 1940 animal trainer Joe Arcaris began his association with the zoo, performing acts with lions and other animals till the late 1970s.

It's the world's most interesting grandfather clock. In 1946... the property was purchased by a syndicate from Boston consisting of Boston Garden-Arena Corporation executives Raymond Lapham, Walter A. Brown, Charles I. Keene, and Harry G. Collier. The farm was managed by Collier, who had previously worked for Ringling Brothers and the Brockton Fair. The park was closed to the public during World War II and re-opened in 1945. Starting in the 1960s, it went into a period of decline in maintenance and attendance.

I can find little about the amusement rides that were in Benson's Wild Animal Farm. In this photo there's a small merry-go-round in the background, and a Caterpillar (or "Jolly Caterpillar") ride - it generates a significant amount of centrifugal force, causing the riders on the inside of the seats to crush the riders on the outside of the seats. The first one debuted back in 1925, and used to be found in nearly every amusement park and carnival. Wikipedia says that today there are only two Caterpillars known to be operating (though there might be a few more in storage). 

Benson's Wild Animal Farm had a sad end: Toward the end of its existence as a zoo, it had a wide variety of animals, including trained lions, bears of several different species, llamas, a gorilla, elephants, monkeys, and many kinds of birds. With declining finances in the 1980s, the park added features to add family interest. After an unsuccessful association with outside investors, (the new owner) filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1985. In 1987, he changed it to an amusement park, whose full name was "New England's Playworld Amusement Park and Zoo", notable for a huge statue of Mighty Mouse. This change failed to stem the decline, and the park went out of business at the end of the 1987 season.

I hope you've enjoyed your visit to Benson's Wild Animal Farm!

Two Beauties From July, 1969

Happy Friday! I am glad to present two nicer-than-usual photos from July 1969, starting with this great view showing guests as they approached the entrance to Adventureland. The crowd looks clean-cut, but brighter colors are starting to appear on clothing - even men's clothes. 

We can observe the transition of the buildings on our left from Main Street gingerbread to bamboo and palm fronds. Wave hello to Uti, proudly standing guard above the Tiki Room.

Next is a swell look at Casa de Fritos, fashioned from artisanal adobe. I have always liked the way the building looked like a mini-Alamo from one angle, and from others it resembled some of the Indian adobe settlements around the Southwest. The bougainvillea adds an informal touch of color. I wonder if that outer fireplace was ever used? Pardon me, I'm going to go in and get a beef taco and a chicken enchilada.

 

Frontierland Shops, 1978

The Mysterious Benefactor delivers once again, with more rare shop interiors from Frontierland, circa 1978!

These first two are very unusual, showing a display of vintage firearms, presumably the kind that one might have found out West in the 1800s. I'm unclear as to where exactly one would have found this feature - although I know I have read about such a display somewhere. Any ideas? I'm guessing that this could have been from inside the Davy Crockett Arcade. Notice that it's the young men who are especially interested!

If you wanted to be cool, you wore a bucket hat. You couldn't fight it. Another boy gazes at old flintlocks, Colt revolvers, Winchester rifles, Henry rifles (just a guess on all of those), sabers, powder horns, and other accoutrements. There is a black sign with white lettering just above his head, and while it is mostly illegible, I can sort of make out the words "The Firearms.... George Custer...". 

 

We've seen a similar view before, with people to our left taking aim, so it's safe to say that this definitely is from inside the Davy Crockett Arcade. I wish we could see the merchandise at the counter more clearly. What are those colorful things hanging from that one support? Hats I guess? 

These sculptures definitely have the look of the kind of decor you might have found in some homes in the '70s. There's a tough, cigar-smoking Cavalry soldier, and what might be the town Sheriff, complete with gun belt and holsters. Don't even think about breaking the law in his town!

THANK YOU, Mysterious Benefactor!

Post Sugar Crisp Railroad Emblems

Here's something a little different! Years ago, my mom used to frequent a thrift shop nearby, and she would occasionally find some nice treasures. One of the boxes she brought home had 15 little metal signs featuring various railroad emblems. I didn't know what they were or when they were made, but I thought they were very cool.

Cut to a few years later, when I rediscovered the signs while going through some boxes, and I decided to do some research. It turns out that they were given out in packages of Post's Sugar Crisp cereal from 1954 through 1955. There are a total of 28 signs (from four sets of seven) - that would involve eating a LOT of Sugar Crisp! Luckily there was also the option to send one box top and 25 cents for a set of seven emblems, alonog with a 36-page booklet about Railroad Fun. 

Here's a neat vintage ad:

Once I realized that I needed 13 more emblems to complete my set, I went on eBay and acquired the rest over a few months. The satisfaction of having a complete set is pretty great! And now I'm going to share them all with you. Here are the emblems for Set #1, including my favorite, the keystone-shaped Pennsylvania Railroad sign. I photographed the back of one sign so that you could better see the embossing. To give a sense of their size, the B&O emblem is 3 inches in diameter.

Here's Set #2. Apparently the metal dies were later (1970s) used by other companies to create reproductions, though information on them is almost nonexistent, assuming that the rumor is true. My favorite of this bunch is the Chicago and North Western System, though the Rock Island herald is pretty neat too.

Set #3 has some of my favorites, including the Southern Pacific Lines, Union Pacific Railroad, and Santa Fe. Some of these seem to cost a little more than the others on the aftermarket, I'm not sure if that is due to scarcity or desirability.

And here's Set #4. Notice the two different versions of the C&O emblem. The black and yellow design is the one that shows up on vintage Sugar Crisp ads, so perhaps the blue and yellow example is one of those repros from the 70s. 

I really get a kick out of these little tin signs; almost all of the railroad companies are gone, either out of business or absorbed by other companies. As far as I can tell, the Reading Line, Grand Trunk Western Railroad, and Union Pacific still operate in some capacity. With the ever-growing popularity of the automobile, many companies probably saw the writing on the wall by the 1950s.

I hope you enjoyed these railroad emblems from Post Sugar Crisp cereal!

Bre'r Fox and Bre'r Bear

Happy December! Only one month to go until 2020 is over. Today's post doesn't appear very Christmasy at first glance, but (as far as I can tell) the photos are from the same batch that we saw last year, featuring a wonderful Christmas parade. See those HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE!

Oh, did I mention that the photos are from the Dream Team? Irene, Bruce, and James, that is. Folks are gathered around Br'er Bear and Br'er Fox, who are putting on a little dance show while the Pearly Band accompanies them.

Br'er Bear has got some moves! I wouldn't want to be challenged to a "dance off" by him. 

It must be tough for the person in the costume to deal with the bulk and oddly-distributed weight of that head! As I said in the original parade posts, these photo prints were undated, and I speculated that they could be from the 1980s, but I believe that they could even be from the late 1970s. Fashion experts, what do you think? There's a person in the background holding what appears to be a giant yellow crescent wrench.

I'd wager that we'll never see these characters at a Disney park again, for obvious reasons. I'll miss them.

MANY THANKS as always to Irene, Bruce, and James!

Greyhound Snapshots 1956

Here's something a little different - a small comb-bound photo album with "Greyhound dated snapshots". Snapshots of what? Disneyland, of course! 1956, to be specific.

I don't know if the photos were placed in any kind of order, but they seem to go from later (darker) to earlier. Some of the pictures were very washed-out; some of them required a little Photoshop help, not that it did a whole lot, but at least this first one feels like evening. We can see the globes and popcorn lights on Main Street Station, and a barely-visible ticket/souvenir/information booth in the foreground.

Town Square looks nearly deserted - I wonder if the park was going to close soon? The lit signs of the Emporium, Wonderland Music, and the Wurlitzer shop glow feebly in this image, as if fighting through a fog.

There's the familiar entrance to Adventureland, made of woven leaves and bamboo poles lashed together, as if the professor from Gilligan's Island made it.

Now we're looking across the open waterway as the Disneyland Band goes marching by, performing for almost nobody. It looks like a scene from a Fellini movie. I'm sure the ice cream vendor appreciated them. Do you think that the scaffolding just beyond the band is for the Carnation Plaza Gardens? It opened on August 18th, 1956, so perhaps that gives us a clue - presumably these photos would have been taken several months earlier.

This one is my favorite, I don't think I've ever seen an accordion player in Frontierland before. He's enjoying a smooth, relaxing cigarette, which kind of suprises me. I've seen Stagecoach drivers with cigarettes as well, I suppose that the general smoking ban for cast members was a bit relaxed in Frontierland. I see a sign reading "Petite Salon" over the musician's shoulder.

Here's a distant look at the Mark Twain - it's strange to see so much grass in this area that is now completely devoid of any lawn. Grass doesn't put money in the coffers! I'll bet the fellow with the white shirt leaning against the bandstand is a cast member.

Sometimes you just want to ride a mule, ya know? It's nothing to be ashamed of. But it's so hard to find a good mule. Disneyland used to have them, though, and they were the Happiest Mules on Earth. 

I like that sign, which (as far as I can tell) says: Ride the PACK MULES through the fascinating and historical MOTHER LODE country of the OLD WEST. 

And finally, one last shot of the buildings of Frontierland, with the Golden Horseshoe to the left. A banner hangs from the balcony railing, "Welcome SUPER MARKET (illegible) Delegates". Hmmmm. There is a partially-obscured sign that might be for The Oaks Tavern. I think we'll be able to find a place to sit.

I hope you have enjoyed these Greyhound Dated Snapshots!

Jungle Critters, June 1963

It's time for another sleepy Sunday blog post, and that means that I get to use up some less-than-amazing photos while most of you are off doing something else. 

Both of today's pictures are from June of 1963, and were taken from the Jungle Cruise. Most details from this ride are so familiar to us today - I wonder if there's anything that did not show up in photos, typically? 

Both of today's pix are more mundane. Here's "Old Smiley", a crocodile with a lively sense of humor. He's laughing out loud (in deep resonant tones much like James Earl Jones). I wonder if some of those trees with the "exposed roots" are actually trees placed upside-down, as has been mentioned in some books?

Elephants love to bathe, so it's lucky that they got a sacred bathing pool for Christmas and not that air fryer that the kids wanted (they love pizza rolls and French fries). It must have been some task to sculpt those huge animals - presumably they reused the same mold for all of the youngsters, and probably some of the other pachyderms as well.