Tom Sawyer Island Tipis

Once upon a time, not that long ago, in the magic kingdom of Disneyland, there was a Native American village. Though blocked off by a fence due to terms of the treaty, the tipis in there were fully themed. Luckily a photographer who worked at Disneyland stepped through the fence and snapped shots of the tipis. Now the tipis are long gone and the space is the dressing space for Fantasmic performers. The slides were all marked Island Tipis, but some may have been located at the Indian Village.

Two Views of Upjohn Pharmacy Main Street USA

Staying on Main Street for a little while the photographer shot two photographs of the Upjohn Pharmacy. I like the nuclear family in the images, especially the man filming with the 8mm movie cameara and then the lady who I think is the man's mom carrying the camera in the next image. Classic 1950s Americana, especially the shirt on the man. The front of the pharmacy was very ornate but then it turned into pretty blank brick.

Bekins Van Line Locker Storage Area

An early morning shot of the Bekins Van Lines area which eventually became the Global Van Lines location. Both locations served as the locker and storage area until the expansion of the Emporium. If you look in the lower right hand corner there is a mannequin wearing a Mickey Mouse Club outfit and a gentleman working. I would also like to state that the ladder is in a very unsafe condition and I hope one of the two workers let someone know about the ladder.

Frontierland Railroad Station

Rare views of the Frontierland Railroad Station prior to the move of the station across the track. Also notice the signs are for the Fast Freight. Enjoy!

The Thrilling Motor Boat Cruise

For the sign fanatics out there, here are two images showing the signage out in front of the thrilling Motorboat Cruise. I did not know that the river you navigated your boat on was the Fantasyland River and that kids under 8 had to have an adult accompany them on the ride. Just think of all the bored parents with young kids who had to run the roaring rapids! It is a good thing that the ride was only a B ticket ride!

Souvenir Friday- CROW Awards

As you can tell one of the things I look for my collection is items given to cast members. These two certificates are given to the crazed Disneyland cast members who get up at 6 AM to paddle the canoes around the Rivers of America. I like that CROW is Canoe Racers of the World but also stands for crowing that the person got up at 6AM to paddle. Also this is one of the few uses of the B'rer animal graphics prior to the opening of Splash Mountain.

Hortie Van on Main Street

During July an auction was held for signs and banners that were once displayed in Disneyland. The items were from a decorating company located in Pasadena, Hortie Van. The company owned a great station wagon with the painted advertising on the side.

And here is a peak into the window display. It looks like they have a small castle in the window.

Posing with Tonto at Corriganville

Once a long time ago there stood a movie ranch located in the Simi Valley area. This movie ranch was filled with Fort Apache, Sherwood Forest and the Lone Rangers Cave. It was once owned by Ray "Crash" Corrigan a B movie Cowboy. On weekends it was open to the public as an amusement park. As can be seen one could pose with various Cowboy stars including this Native American dressed as the Lone Ranger's sidekick Tonto. I love the juxtaposition of the great checked gabardine shirt and slacks on the man and the skirt and plaid blouse with the fringed leather of the Native American. For more information on Corriganville check out B-Movie Westerns.

Some Drivers and A New Driver

Well I fixed the scanner problem by removing the original driver program and downloading the new driver. And to celebrate the success, here are two images of drivers at Knott's Berry Farm. This must have been one of the popular rides as I have seen other images of kids on these old cars. It looks like they are at the outside of the gates to the park.

Another kind of photographs I collect are kids with toys. I like the Christmas ones where the kid is literally swamped by toys and wrapping paper. This one is nice as I have not seen too many with Cecil the Sea Sick Serpent toys. This image is dedicated to my friend Bob and his wife Danielle who collect Cecil toys.

Scanner Problems

Please check back as I am having Scanner problems and will have to repair before I can scan the images I wanted to post today!

Some Sunday Snapshots

Taking the lead from Major Pepperidge and his Gorillas Don't Blog site, here is a smattering of snapshots. The first is a nice overhead view of the rafts at Tom Sawyer Island with construction at New Orleans Square in the background, along with the Disneyland Hotel Tower and the top of the Haunted Mansion. Compare this post with Major's post of today.

The next two snapshots were purchased together. The first is marked on the back Bonnie Disneyland Sept. 3, 1961. Bonnie appears to be wearing a costume for Main Street. Her shows are keds tennis shoes!

The second is probably Bonnie's mom posing on the Chicken of the Sea Tuna boat. She better hold on as the guy who is steering the ship appears to be taking a hard right.

Souvenir Friday on a Saturday-The Disneyland Magazine Summer July 1960

One of my main collecting interests currently is trying to complete a set of the Disneylander magazines. The magazines were a precursor to the current Disneyland Line. The Disneylander was published by the Disneyland Recreation Club for employees of Disneyland as well as the employees of the various lessees in the park. The magazine was published monthly and filled with great information about employees and stores in the park. This issue is the fifth anniversary issue published in July of 1960. Interior articles focus on each division of Disneyland including construction headed by Admiral Joe Fowler, Publicity, Operations, Merchandise and more.

Early Pirates of the Caribbean Press Photographs

Two 1967 Pirates of the Caribbean Press photographs. The first shows the pitched battle between the fort and the ship. Press release on the back reads: In the cross fire of cannonades between pirate ship and Caribbean port, this crew of Disneyland adventurers sail through "Pirates of the Caribbean" as grape shot and cannonballs land around them. The pirate captain on his bridge gives the signal for an eight gun salute. The scene is one of ten action-packed segments in the thoroughly realistic re-creation of buccaneer days.

The second image is of the serenading Pirates along with the howling dog and braying mule. The press release on the back reads: Pirate serenade- A merry buccaneer trio pauses at dockside for another chorus of "It's A Pirate Life For Me" as Disneylnad guests glide by in their adventurous journey with Pirates of the Caribbean, Frontierland's newest attraction. These three are among 119 Audio-Animatronic figures seen during the trip.

I like how Pirates was originally advertised as being part of Frontierland!

The blog will be silent tomorrow as I am off on a quick business trip. I will post souvenir Friday on Saturday.

Snapshots From the Collection

Today I am showing two different snapshots from my collection. Both were purchased without any other photos so I do not know the story or history of the photographers. The first is dated 1967 on the back and is a wonderful view of the Mark Twain from the docks on the back side of Tom Sawyer's Island. It appears the photographer read the Kodak Photo pamphlet on taking photo's in Disneyland by the way the foreground is placed to give the image depth.

The second image is of the Autopia. The photo is stamped on the back for being developed in 1956. Unfortunately the film is red, but the color manipulation gives it a classic old style photo look.

Miss Universe Contestants Visit Disneyland

In the 1950s and 1960's, the Miss Universe contest was held in Long Beach, California. One of the many trips the contestants made during the week prior to the contest was to Disneyland. I am guessing these photographs were taken in 1961 or 1962. The poses are very unusual but fun with the girls lifting Mickey, a photograph of a photographer and the Big Bad Wolf holding up a contestant. I believe that several holes in the ozone layer were created by the hair spray for the bouffant hair dos seen on the contestants.

A Kiss For Security

I have no idea what is going on here. Maybe it was kiss Disneyland Security and get in for free? Or maybe it was an employee event and the wives of the Security Officers were so happy, they spontaneously kissed their husbands? Or maybe it is Bastille day? I do know that the shoulder sleeve patch they are wearing is very rare and I would love to find one. Also the badge is a different badge than the style that was used for many years.

Sunday Mystery- Riverboat

This image was purchased with other Disneyland photographs from a Long Beach newspaper. At first glance it looks like Disneyland. But on a short glance, it is not Disneyland. The question then is where? Is it Freedomland or somewhere else. I do know that Mission Beach in San Diego had the Bahia Belle that was a river boat that would run through the area. I also believe there are/were boats in Newport Harbor and maybe even Long Beach. So where do you think this image was taken and where the boat ran?

Thanks to the genorisity of Sergeant Pepper, here is a scan of the postcard of the boat, the Princess that sailed from Ports of Call.

View of Disneyland From the Disneyland Hotel

Going through some photographs I purchased a year ago, I came across this nice aeriel view of Disneyland taken from the Disneyland Hotel. I do not believe this was taken from one of the towers, but from a flying helicopter over the Disneyland Hotel. However, I could be mistaken. I believe the image is late 1964 or early 1965. Construction can be seen in New Orleans Square and also behind the Haunted Mansion. Over in Fantasyland construction is taking place for It's A Small World. In the lower right corner is a nice overhead look at the Disneyland Hotel Miniature Golf Course. I am sure there is more in this image, class please discuss.

Souvenir Friday- Carnation Lands Ice Cream Shakes Brochure

Moving to Colorado has really decreased the amount of Disneyland and Disney related items I find when I am at Swap Meets and Antique Stores. However once in a while I do find some really great items. Last Sunday I was at the Colorado Springs swap meet and a seller I know has been cleaning out his barn of accumulated items. In the box I spied the words Tomorrowland and Frontierland and knew I had found a nice Disneyland item. The brochure was given away by Carnation Ice Cream and features floats and other Ice Cream desserts inspired by Disneyland. The brochure is dated 1959 and features some great graphics. I love brochures that tie merchandise or sales with Disneyland.

Submarine Voyage Construction 1/1/59

I do not find many commercial photographs of Disneyland, but this is a spectacular shot. In just five short months, this patch of dirt, concrete and rebar would be filled with water, sea creatures, mermaids, a giant sea monster and submarines. Right now the submarine pen and tunnel is just concrete and dirt. In the middle of the lagoon sits the construction office. The workers are taking a break for lunch. The photographer is still alive and I believe the owner of a company called Photomation in Anaheim.

Mark Twain Dock From the River

Here are two unusual views of the Mark Twain Dock taken from the Mark Twain. Behind the flags and the large elk mounts, Frontierland, Sleeping Beauty Castle and the majestic Matterhorn are in the background. The large mounts are now long gone, but the flags still wave. And if you look closely a rare 1890s Pickup truck can be seen in Frontierland! Those settlers were quite the inventors.

Welcome Douglas Families

Two more Douglas photographs. The first spotlights the large banner that hung over Main Street welcoming the Douglas company to their picnic and Day at Disneyland event. I believe this was the same day that Walt Disney and the Douglas Executives christened the new Rocket to the Moon ride under Douglas sponsorship.

The second image shows Mrs. Jean Douglas enjoying the Flying Saucers at night in her fancy dress gown.

And for those asking where the pictures came from, they were part of a large collection of Disneyland items that I bought about 2 years ago. The original owner worked for Douglas and obtained the images from the company when they were cleaning out their files.

Douglas Rocket to the Moon Ceremonies

Two more images from the Douglas Rocket to the Moon Ceremonies featuring Donald Douglas, Jr., Walt Disney, Joe Fowler and other dignitaries. The first shows Douglas and Walt discussing the ride.

The second is of the dignitaries on the stand. The space lady on the left has a wonderful head piece!

Rocket to The Moon Under Douglas Sponsorship 1961

The Rocket To the Moon was originally sponsored by TWA. In 1961, the sponsorship changed and Douglas Aerospace took over sponsorship. I believe these are from August 6th when the Flying Saucers Opened and Douglas took over as the sponsor. The first image is the Rocket Ship at night taken by the Douglas photographers and developed by them.

The next image shows the happy Douglas employees on the ride. In the crowd is the CEO of the company, Donald Douglas Jr. I hope the man smoking the pipe knows it was a non-smoking area with all that rocket fuel sitting under him.

The final image is of Walt speaking to Donald and other employees. The reactions of the employees run the gamut from amusement to intense concentration. I wonder what Walt is saying as he points out the lady's purse.