Thursday, March 31, 2011

Grab Bag of Random Pictures

A sampling of some random images. First up is the rocket ship Antares from the Astro Jets.

A shot of Frontierland from the Omnibus. The interesting bit of the image is the sign for the Omnibus and the peak view of the Davey Crockett Arcade.

A glorious color image of the Skyway from Story Book Land. The skill of the miniaturist is evident in this shot.

To finish, a shot of my namesake mountain.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

1965 New York World's Fair Walkways

A selection of walkways from the 1965 New York World's Fair. First up is a view showing the crowd and in the background is the Mormon Pavilion. Be sure to look at the clock in the foreground.

A view of the Chrysler car sculpture and the Moon Dome in the background.

A closer view of the Chrysler car. I really dig the plastic bucket seats with the Mopar logo.

A closer view of the Moon Dome with the snack bar and the auto fountains. The trash cans as barrier is a nice design.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Views Around the Park 1960

A neat little set of views throughout Disneyland in December 1960. First up is an image from Skyway showing the sleek and only a year old Monorail in station. The Monorail still looks modern, it must have been mind blowing to see it in 1960.

A great view of the Skyway in Tomorrowland. The occupants are waving, let's all wave back.

A view of the Matterhorn with the Skyway going through. The mountain is still nice and shiny being only a year old.

A longer view of the Matterhorn and the Skyway from Tomorrowland.

Moving westward, a fully loaded Mine Train is heading out to Nature's Wonderland.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Things From the Gate- 1963 Gate Brochure

The gate brochure from 1963. Some minor changes from 1962 and a new color.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Christmas in Disneyland

I am dedicating this post to Major Pepperidge from Gorilla's Don't Blog who posted Christmas photos yesterday. My images are of the Fantasy On Parade held in the 1960s rather than the Christmas Tree. First up is Goofy with his amazing jalopy. Check out all the writing on the car.

Next up is a Pig and Wolf marching down the street.

A long view of the street with the giant Fantasy On Parade in the background.

The best image is of Donald Duck and a nephew driving a Mr. Toad's Wild Ride car.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

A Trip to Freedomland

Images from a 1963 trip to the short lived Freedomland theme park located in Brooklyn, New York. First up is the Chicago Train Depot for the Santa Fe Railroad which looped from Chicago to San Francisco. The statues around the flagpole are very nice and a nice detailed touch.

Next up a view of the horse drawn streetcar pulling into Old Chicago. The firehouse is where the fire men who helped put out the Great Chicago Fire 3 times a day.

A view of one of the paddle wheel steam boats at dock in the middle of the park, with the Borden's farm in the background.

A great view of the Moon Bowl in the Space Port area of the park. It appears singing nuns are on stage.

A shot of the Santa Fe Train heading down the track.

Family shot in front of a Chinese Dry Goods store in San Francisco.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Souvenir Friday- Swift and Company Tray

One of the coolest souvenir metal trays is this one featuring the inside of the Swift and Company Market House on Main Street. The Market House was a recreation of a general story in the 1890s. The tray is made out of round metal (and it is a little too big for my scanner.) The tray is circa late 1950s when there appeared to be a rage for round metal serving trays.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Frontierland Views

A nice selection of views from Frontierland. First up is a nice shot of the rock formations, watering hole and white tailed deer in the living desert.

A bobcat stuck on one of the saguaro cactus.

The Mark Twain looks full of passenger as she pulls away from the dock.

Last image shows Sheriff Lucky and Black Bart in front of Lillian's petrified tree. It appears that Lucky is making Bart empty his gun. Bart better not shoot the tree as then he would have to speak to Walt.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

World's Fair Wednesday- Overhead at the Fair

Nice overhead shots of the 1965 New York World's Fair. I believe these were taken while riding the Skyway. First up is a nice view of the Unisphere and surrounding locations.

Next up is the Travel Pavilion with the distinctive Moon dome featuring To The Moon & Beyond.

A view of the International area with the unique architecture for each country. I like the House of Japan in the foreground.

A view of New Jersey, at least the Pavilion. The guide book promises many displays, craftsmen, Edison memories and model trains.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Posing In Front of the Chicken of the Sea Restaurant

A popular place to pose for photographs was in front of the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship restaurant in Fantasyland. A lot of the photo groups I find have at least one image of the family (or parts of the family) posing. First up is the female part of one family...Grandma, Mom, older and younger sister posing in the outdoor dining area of the restaurant in 1958.

Next up is mom and son posing on the faux beach that used to be by the restaurant. Note the lovely souvenirs that have been purchased...mom holds a rare Mickey Mouse Club Circus pennant and the young boy holds and Indian Spear and brandishes a Tomahawk.

Here is a close up of the pennant. What is interesting is the photograph is dated February 1957 (almost a year and a couple of months after the circus performed at Disneyland.)

Monday, March 21, 2011

Things From the Gate- 1961 Gate Map

Just a couple of minor changes from 1960 to 1961, the main one being the opening of the Flying Saucers in Tomorrowland. Also, the Disneyland Hotel now makes an appearance on the map.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

One of the Reasons I Love Disneyland

To me Disneyland is a place where people can be other things. Kids can be adults by facing fears of ghosts or adventure while riding along with pirates, as well as run along with Snow White or fly over London with Peter and Wendy. The converse is true. But let's first look at a couple of photographs which came as a group. First up is a "you are there" look at the Sleeping Beauty Castle bridge and moat.

Another photograph from the same trip is this Mark Twain view of the Golden Horseshoe Review. I like the ice cream vendor in the lower right hand part of the photograph.

This image shows that Disneyland allows adults to be kids, a kid wearing a pair of ears and pair of google eye glasses.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Small World Snapshots

A quick post today- two snap shots of It's A Small World. First up is the exterior with the fun Mary Blair designed clock.

Elephant and riders in Africa.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Souvenir Friday- Coke Corner Song Book

In the early years of the operation of Disneyland, many of the small shops actually gave a way paper souvenirs. This song book was placed out on the tables at the Coke Corner and feature songs appropriate for the time period of Main Street. The spot illustrations are examples of the great work done by the graphic designers at Disneyland during this time. Of course this brochure appeals not only to the Disneyland collectors but also the Coca Cola collectors.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Odd Pictures

Some unusual pictures from around Disneyland. First up is a long shot image of a Mermaid sunning herself on the rocks in the Submarine Lagoon.

Next up is a "forbidden" picture (see the flash, remember flash photography is not allowed in the tunnel) of the two Mountain Lions in the Grand Canyon Diorama.

The bobcat is looking to join the guests in the Nature's Wonderland Railroad train.

This photograph shows why you do not pose with the possibility of things going through your head....maybe it was bad timing.

This is my favorite of the series, a double exposure featuring the geysers and mud pots from Nature's Wonderland and Cinderella's Castle from Story Book Land.