It's My Way or the Skyway

I hope you are in the mood for some incredibly awesome photos taken from the Skyway! Because sooner or later there will be some of those on my blog. Not today though. Sorry.

Monstro is the hungriest whale ever, he just snarfs boats full of people down like mini tacos. Chomp! They need salsa. 

Just a second or two later, this picture was snapped. That façade for It's a Small World is just plain massive. I'm assuming that most of those nice shade trees are in heaven now.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1965

Today's post will probably only be of interest to people who are fans of vintage Los Angeles.... but maybe a few others out there will find it interesting too!

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (or "LACMA") is a place that I have visited many times over the years; you can easily spend three or four hours looking at great works of art, and still not see it all. It just depends on your tolerance for "museum feet"! It has recently been announced that there are plans from the museum's directors to raze the remaining original 1965 buildings, which were designed by William Pereira. He designed many buildings of note, including San Francisco's Transamerica Pyramid, the original Disneyland Hotel, and the futuristic "Theme Building" at the Los Angeles International Airport (with Charles Luckman).

I thought I would share some images from when LACMA was brand-new, sparkling and clean, and the pride of the city. I wish I could find some info about the jagged sculpture, but I Googled and Googled, with no results. If you look closely, you can see a yellow and red poster in the lower left corner.

Hey, there it is! It was created for the museum's opening by Alexander Calder (an artist I especially admire). Those colorful shapes remind me of his playful, kinetic mobiles. 

As you can see, the buildings are very much a product of their time; one writer said that they ...convincingly capture the cultural optimism of the 1960's. I completely agree! Over the years, other structures have been added, in varying styles; they've increased the amount of exhibition space, but they have also turned the place into an odd jumble of contrasting aesthetics.

The pond and fountains are long-gone... until I saw these pictures, I had forgotten that they were ever there! The proposed new building (designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor) is a huge amorphous shape that has already been nicknamed "The Black Flower". You know what? I don't hate it! In fact I think it's kind of neat.

So much of "vintage L.A." has been destroyed, I don't like the thought of losing the original 1960's Pereira LACMA buildings. But I am also intrigued by what may replace it (you can read about it here and here). Many Parisians hated the Eiffel Tower when it first went up! I have no idea how well the Black Flower will function as museum space, but it could become a beloved architectural landmark - in time. As you can tell, I am completely wishy-washy about the whole subject.

Fastest Miniature Train in the World, August 1957

I am always happy to see the Viewliner... it's kind of an oddball attraction that isn't exactly futuristic, even though the design is cool - half 50's automobile and half streamlined train.

In this first photo, we just get the tail-end of the blue 'liner as it passed over a bridge that allowed Motor Boats to putt-putt their way around the water; presumably those are MoBo cast members with the striped shirts. 

This scene is similar to the first, but with the orange structural steel we can see that it is a different bridge. Of all the things that might be said about the Viewliner, the powers that be decided that its speed was the sexiest. I get why it was replaced, but it is a shame that the trains didn't survive somehow. Walt probably didn't want his unique locomotives operating elsewhere, but they deserved a better fate than the scrap yard.

Notice the motor boats name, "Minnie Mouse"!

River Craft, August 1996

I am down to the last few photos from a lot of 35mm negatives given to me by my friend "Mr. X"; the remaining pix are all similar to images that we've already seen, but I still think they are worth sharing.

How can you not love this great photo of the Bertha Mae (I've always liked that faded turquoise color) as she sails past one of Cascade Peak's waterfalls? Just beautiful. Notice that the windows now have ropes across them to prevent a repeat of THIS.

Next we have two racing canoes, a splendid sight. I've always wondered, do the guests really power these things? I would assume that their paddling would be so uncoordinated that the brunt of the work would have to be done by the two cast members. Just think of the muscles they would have after a Summer season of canoeing eight hours a day!

And finally, from a slightly different angle, one more canoe as it passes a different waterfall, as well as the abandoned Mine Train tracks.

Licensed Product Time

Today I am sharing an unusual (and possibly rare?) Disneyland toy that I was very happy to acquire several years ago. How many of you remember "Rub-Ons"? The Hasbro toy company produced Rub-Ons from the early 1960's up into at least the 1970's. I had a "Zorro" set when I was a kid, my grandparents gave it to me when I was sick, and I loved it.

The "magic" was in the full-color picture elements that were printed on translucent pieces of paper. Kids could transfer this artwork onto pre-printed backgrounds by rubbing it with a high-tech wooden tongue depressor, and voila! Instant customized happiness.

Little did I know that there was a Disneyland version of Rub-Ons - awesome! The box is undated, but we can place it somewhere between 1962 (because the Swiss Family Treehouse is represented) and 1966 (when the Flying Saucers went bye-bye). Here is the box... a bit warped, but not too bad....

I am a sucker for Disneyland maps, and even though this barely qualifies as a map, I still think it's neat. Look at all of that empty space, just begging to be filled with itty-bitty people, ride vehicles, and characters! As the box says, this piece unfolds to an impressive 36 inches long - ordinarily Rub-Ons were much smaller, which might explain the use of the word "PICTURAMA" for this set. I had to knit several scans together to get this composite.

This toy was complete with all five unused sheets of Rub-Ons. The paper is a sort of parchment, leaving the artwork looking kind of foggy or waxy until it is transferred... then it turns bright and beautiful! I adjusted the photos to try to enhance the way they look. 

The first sheet on the left is devoted solely to moms, dads, boys and girls (of the "Leave it to Beaver variety) - with a few tour guides and so on. The sheet on the right has various characters from Disney animated classics - Sleeping Beauty, Dumbo, Alice in Wonderland, etc. And there are natives, hula dancers, jungle critters, a skyway bucket, and more.

On the left, more classic characters. You know them well! To the right, more jungle pals, denizens of Nature's Wonderland, motor boats, Autopia cars, Tinker Bell... even a swan.

The last sheet incudes the helicopter to the Disneyland Hotel, two Astro Jets, the Town Square cannon, a few Flying Saucers, some teacups, and hey, I just noticed the newer rectangular Skyway bucket in the lower right corner. That would help to date this to 1965, I believe.

I hope you have enjoyed these Disneyland Rub-Ons!

Megenta Tormenta

Once again, I present two slides (and one closeup) that, as it turns out, I have already shown on this blog. Ever since I bumped my head, I have been so very very dizzy. These were both a lurid shade of magenta, and I have done my best to make them acceptable.

First up, from 1958, we have this shot taken from the Skyway load area looking down on the Autopia. There's a nice shot of one of Disneyland's locomotives, with the old yellow passenger cars that look so great. Traffic is light on the Tomorrowland highway.

I was wondering what that thing is in the lower right corner, and now I think it might be a bundle of tarpaulins, which could have been used to cover the cars in inclement weather. I suppose that the wheeled "clothes rack" would have been a convenient way to move the heavy bundle around. Clever! If some of you think it might be something else, please chime in.

This next slide is from June 1961, and it shows the then-brand-new Snow White Grotto (which opened in April of that same year). Weary guests can relax to the sound of waterfalls and fountains, as well as the ringing bell and the song "I'm Wishing" from the nearby wishing well.

Around Fantasyland, 1959

Disneyland has lots of impressive eye candy, from castles to Swiss mountains to old-timey riverboats. But I think this first picture, featuring King Arthur's Carrousel, is pretty sweet! I like all the funny little flags and shields, and the particular blue of the sky; there is also something fun about seeing the park on a busy day... in a way the people add movement and color that brings the place to life. Is the "tent" over the carrousel made of metal? I've always wondered. Maybe it was a real cloth tent that was then "glassed" with fiberglass. Quick, the President needs to know!

Later in the afternoon, Sleeping Beauty Castle is looking fine. It was a busy day, but I still would love to magically zap myself there!

Random Sunday

It's time for a little "housecleaning"; I'm going to sweep out the dust bunnies and remove some cobwebs, and throw out that giant bag of Confederate money that I found above the bedroom closet. And I'm going to share some scans that have been sitting around, eating my food and running up my phone bill. They have to earn their keep!

As I continue to scrounge through old previously-ignored slides, I keep coming back to this little family's photos. And while this one had turned an unpleasant pink, I still loved the fact that it was a rare night photo of the beloved Carnation milk truck. It's hard to tell, but the kid is wearing his souvenir Donald Duck "squeaky" hat.

This next photo is from September 1976, and is taken from right about where that kid was in the first picture. We are looking past some faux flowers at the Century Clock Shop, which is where the Upjohn Pharmacy had been until 1970. The clock shop opened in 1972.

And finally, a look at Tom Sawyer Island and "Castle Rock", looking very raw and new in this undated photo. Look at all the kids and grownups enjoying themselves!

Tahquamenon River Trolley, Michigan

If you happen to be visiting the upper peninsula of the great state of Michigan, you might want to head over to Soo Junction to take a ride on the "Toonerville Trolley". Named after the beloved trolley seen in the long-running (1906-1955) "Toonerville Folks" comic strip by Fontaine Fox, this scenic railway started touring the Tahquamenon River area way back in 1927. The 5.5 mile trip takes visitors through thick forests full of bear, meese, deer, and rare white snozzles.  

I love today's photos (late 1950's, I would wager) showing the colorful rolling stock; the train looks like a giant toy, which is apt since there were so many toy versions of the comic strip version of the Toonerville Trolley. As you can see, thee seats are basiclly simple wooden benches, much like one would find in any park.

Once you have completed your trolley trip, you can board a boat that takes you on a narrated 21-mile trip up the river to the beautiful Tahquamenon Falls. The official website sez: The Captain gives commentary on river history, Indian lore, and points out any wildlife that is spotted along the way. Then stopover for a nature hike (5/8 mile) through virgin forest to view the mighty falls. 

I would totally do this! TOTALLY.

Portrait Artists, East Center Street

Here are two fun photos taken a few years apart over on East Center Street, where portrait artists rendered likenesses in pastels for a unique souvenir.

This first one is from August 1965 and features an elegant young lady doing her darnedest to stay still. It's not easy! The artist is working on a double portrait, and from what I can see, he has captured the woman's likeness pretty well. A partially obscured Main Street cast member (with the long skirt) can be seen just over her shoulder.

Now we'll jump ahead to July 1968, for a remarkably similar shot. This time the artist's subject is a young lady with a distinctly more "mod" look. She has an umbrella... maybe it was to keep the hot July sun off (a hat would ruin her "That Girl" flip). I wish we could see more of the portrait (another double)!