Guns and Knives at Knott's, September 1969

Today I have five images from Knott's Berry Farm, from September 1969. None of them are very exciting, but maybe when you have five or them, they add up to a semi-interesting post.

A gun was standard equipment in the old west, so it only made sense that Knott's had a gun shop. I can only assume that you couldn't buy a real gun there (can you imagine??). So what was in there? A display of vintage firearms and related paraphernalia? Toy guns? I really have no idea.


You know what grandma needs for her birthday? A knife. The bigger and pointier, the better. Guns scare her, but she can wield a shiv like a pro (from her gangsta days). And when she's done protecting her turf, she can use it to peel potatoes or skin a mule. Mmmmm, mule....


Trees were scarce in the more arid parts of the old west (like Aridzona), so you used what you had, including old shipping crates. The same theory applied to Tom's Treehouse at Disneyland.


The next two images are from the Fiesta Village area. Apparently there were a number of brightly painted aviaries in among what must have been a petting zoo (notice the black chupacabra in the lower foreground). This first cage contained some doves and - look! - on the ground, is a rare, man-eating mallard duck.


We can't see who lives in this aviary; even though this photo is from the end of the 60's, the multicolored design reminds me of many amusement parks of the day (I swear they had something just like this at Hershey Park a few years later).

2 From Fantasyland, November 1960

The Land o' Fantasy is the most "Disney" of all of the lands, with so many attractions based on the classic Disney animated features. As much as I love the current Fantasyland, the pre-1983 version managed to squeeze an awful lot of charm out of those flat, colorful façades.

Here we can see a lady (remember her from before?) standing next to the ticket sign (an "E" ticket attraction cost 50 cents!). She doesn't look tall enough to ride anything for a grownup! Behind her are the teacups and Mr. Toad, with the Carrousel to our right. I love the little ticket booth!


This shot is very similar, with the exception of Dumbo makin' the scene; and check out the construction wall around the Pirate Ship lagoon, resembling a wavy green ocean. Skull Rock was being added! The woman to our left is flipping through her souvenir guidebook... maybe Walt Disney will stroll by, and she can get it autographed.


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Just added! Here is a closeup of the ticket sign. I didn't post a closeup originally (and believe me, I thought about it) because it was not very crisp or clear. I'm pretty sure Daveland or Matterhorn1959 had a much sharper photo of it! Anyway, you can make out some of the text, and all of the pricing, so I guess it's not a total disaster.

Random Thursday

"Random Thursdays" are the bestest Thursdays ever! Say it over and over and you will really start to believe it.

This first photo is a nifty, early look at Frontierland. The trees still look relatively tiny; And shouldn't Harper's Mill be on Tom Sawyer's Island? In spite of Frontierland's rough, unfinished appearance, small details like the wrought iron fence add a touch of elegance that you probably wouldn't find at other parks that wanted to compete with Disneyland.


The 3-car Blue Monorail swooshes over the submarine lagoon in this 1960 image. The shadow of the Matterhorn can't touch it because it's too cool.


And finally, a nice look at Casey Jr. The cars he is pulling are much fancier than the ones he pulled in the movie, with their gold leaf and rococo details. Two very cool guests are wearing hats with the dyed ostrich feathers (to the extreme left)!

4 From the Fair

Here are 4 more random pictures from the New York World's Fair, all dated from September 1964.

We are looking at the China Pavilion (with what I believe is the Polynesian Pavilion to our left). As you might expect, China's pavilion celebrates the country's ancient past with bronzes, porcelain and jade items; calligraphy is showcased, as is "Taiwan Today". And yes, you can get yourself some chow mein in their restaurant.


The Belgian Village was a surprisingly huge part of the Fair, encompassing nearly 4 acres and made up of almost 100 buildings. I think it was bigger than the real Belgium! There were displays of dancers, beer, local artisans, beer, an exact replica of the 15th Century Gothic Church of St. Nicholas in Antwerp, and beer. The lady taking tickets wishes she was somewhere else.


Here is a nice night shot of the "Fountain of the Planets" from the "Pool of Industry". From the guidebook: "About 10,000 tons of water are recirculated during the show and approximately 150,000,000 candle power illuminates the waters with brilliant and changing color-lighting. Fireworks in the display are fired from 464 mortars. Over 1,000 different patterns of water and light effects are produced.". Zowie!


Same fountain, only during the day you only got music and water. But nature creates its own colorful show in the form of a rainbow!

Mickey and Flying Saucers, August 28, 1965

Today's post is a quick one! Let's start with this photo taken in front of the famous floral Mickey Mouse portrait, with Mickey himself and four cute kids. The two boys on the right are styling in their identical shirts and shorts, while the boy on the left assumes a more businesslike air with his white shirt and black leather shoes! The little girl exudes coolness with her hep shades.


For some reason I haven't found any good photos of the Flying Saucers recently, so I'm happy to be able to share this one.

Freight Train, 1957

Zowie, look at the super saturated color in this first photo showing those rustic freight and cattle cars from the Disneyland and Santa Fe Railroad. One car has a herd of human cattle standing in the open (not even shade for those folks). Christmas ornaments adorn Main Street Station, the very same decorations that could be found on many city light posts and telephone poles back in the fittys.


Here's an unusual angle, again looking at the C.K. Holliday. Can anybody tell where it is? I am guessing that the photographer was aboard a Keel Boat, but maybe not... the "rapids" just on the other side of that peninsula look sort of like the Motor Boat Cruise waters. Anyway, as modest as this photo is, I am thrilled by anything different these days!

Fun With Plastics, November 1960

Somebody was mighty impressed with Monsanto's plastic Home of the Future. Won't the folks back home gasp when they see it? One of my favorite touches is the waterfalls and ponds, making it resemble (barely, I admit) a shrunkified version of Frank Lloyd Wright's "Fallingwater".


OK, who's going to build an accurate model of the Monsanto Home of the Future, with a lift-off top so that you can see all the stuff inside? WHO?? Not me. But I wish somebody would, and then they could sell it to me for a reasonable price, or give it to me just because.

Fantasyland Snapshots, December 1964

Today I have four old-fashioned snapshots, just like grandma used to take. They're not the greatest photos in the world either, which makes them even more like grandma's examples.

I like Skull Rock because it looks like it is always throwing up. One too many tuna sandwiches. I know how you feel, pal.


The next three are from the Skyway. I think I am posting them in the order in which they were taken. Might as well get a bird's eye view of that vomiting skull...


... and here we look past the poop deck (heh heh) towards Cinderella's dream castle. She sure has tiny dreams.


And finally, a ho-hum look down at the empty Storybook Land canal and deserted Casey Jr. tracks towards Fantasyland Station. The pirate ship dining area is to our right, beneath the canopy that looks as if it was fashioned from a spare sail.

Vintage Fun in the USA

How about a little detour today? No Disneyland, Knott's, or World's Fair photos. Instead I chose three photos from various places around the country where folks went to have a little fun.

First up is this amazing July 1965 photo of a gigantic woman. She has to be 20 feet tall at least! But that doesn't mean that she doesn't like to have fun just like everyone else. And since she happened to be in Front Royal, Virginia, she just had to see the famous Skyline Caverns. Discovered in 1937, these beautiful caverns are a year-round tourist attraction. OK, I admit that the woman isn't really 20 feet tall (fooled ya!); instead, she is standing next to a miniature train that will take you on a ten minute ride that "...carries you around Horseshoe Curve, across Apache Flats, by Kissing Rock and Sinkhole Overlook, and through Boothill Tunnel." You can still ride that very same train today!


And now, set the wayback machine for October 1958, where (when?) we will visit Michigan's Hillsdale County Fair. In '58 the fair was celebrating its 107th anniverary (it's 158 years old now!!). According to the official website, the fair boasts "a new theme each year... the Fair never fails in its effort to bring the old favorites as well as new additions each year." They refer to it as "The Most Popular Fair on Earth!", and who am I to contradict? I love this photo, a sweet and juicy slice of midwestern Americana.


Now we'll travel to August 1972, and take a look at this photo taken at Weeki Wachee Springs. It's a Florida tourist attraction featuring underwater performances by mermaids that can be viewed in an aquarium-like setting in the spring of the Weeki Wachee River. You'd think that real mermaids would have made the news, but then again I mostly watch cartoons.

Twofer Tomorrowland, June 1959

I never get tired of early views of Tomorrowland (it is my favorite land, after all). The dressed-up pre-fab sheds that make up most of the buildings have a rinky-dink feel, but I love 'em anyway. Maybe because of what was inside; all of those wonderful, obscure sponsored exhibits (among others).


We were in the neighborhood and just wanted to stop by and use the ultrasonic toilet (or whatever it was), but it looks like nobody's home. I knew we should have called first.