A nice candid shot of Dwight D. Eisenhower and his wife Mamie along with two of their grandchildren, Dwight D. Eisenhower II and Susan Elaine Eisenhower. I believe the image is from 1959 based upon the ages of the grandchildren. Mamie is very fashionable with her large tree of life handbag, most likely made by Collins of Texas. And Dwight II makes a bold statement in his plaid suit. His sartorial style must have let him capture the heart of President Richard Nixon's daughter Julie whom he wed in the late 1960s.
I wonder if Walt personally escorted the Eisenhower family around the park? I would imagine that he would be pretty proud to have a President at his park, especially one that he supported. And what kind of security was necessary back in those days? Not that the Eisenhower family had to wait in any lines, rubbing elbows with the regular guests!
ReplyDeleteEisenhower visited Disneyland with his family (grandkids and all) on December 26, 1961. Walt wasn't around, but Tommy Walker and Ed Ettinger and a few others led them around for six hours. I'd wager a guess that the holidays had something to do with it, because Walt escorted a lot of other VIPs around the Park!
ReplyDeleteI thought you would have the exact date Progressland. I was trying to go with the age of the grandkids and also that the engine is the Gurley which was one of the latest additions to the Disneyland steam trains.
ReplyDeleteMatterhorn: Daveland also has a photo from Main Street of the same day.
ReplyDeletehttp://davelandweb.com/matterhorn/images/
12_26_61_Eisenhower.jpg
I remember being there, and seeing Ike, and thinking how tired he looked.