Friday, March 29, 2013

Souvenir Friday- Yippie Thanks Letter

As most Disneyland historians know, on August 6, 1971 the Yippie party attempted a large scale protest at Disneyland. This reprinted article was sent to all employees to thank them for their handling of the incident.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Columbia Rigging

More somewhat artistic photographs from Disneyland. This time the photographer was riding the Columbia and focused on the rigging. I should mention that these slides are marked October 1974, so the fashion in some of these images are classic 1970s. First up is a shot of the sails.

Next up is the forward rigging with a backside view of the figurehead and in the background Tom Sawyer's Island.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Matterhorn and Flowers

Two artistic views of Disneyland. First up is the Matterhorn load/unload area. Note the lovely single bobsleds on the run and the way the shadow plays and the use of the strong structural elements to frame the image.

A view of one of the planters at the entrance to Tomorrowland with a splash of color.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Merry Go Round Rock and the Old Mill

Two more images from Tom Sawyer's Island. First up is Merry Go Round rock with a crowd of kids. I am digging this image as I can remember spinning on this merry go round with my brothers.

The little landing outside of the old mill with the neat directional sign for the many attractions on the Island.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Tom Sawyer's Island Raft and Old Mill

As I have written before, Tom Sawyer's Island was one of my favorite places at Disneyland when I was growing up. From the early 1970s are these two nice images for Tom Sawyer's Island. First up is the loading of rafts ready to motor on over to the Island. It appears it was a fairly crowded day. Notice in the background is Fowler's Harbor.

This slide shows the old mill on the Island. I have strong memories of this cool and dark area.

Friday, March 22, 2013

Souvenir Friday- Disneyland Round Bracelet

A nice bracelet featuring a round medallion with the classic Tinker Bell and Sleeping Beauty Castle logo. The contrast of the gold on black design is stunning.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Monkeys and Crocodiles, Oh MY!

Two nice views from the Jungle River Cruise. First up is a monkey, the Mmonkey god. Protected by a large venomous spider, the god surveys and rules the jungle.

Next up is a crocodile who has been looking for a hand out since 1955.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Some Disneyland Boats in Black and White

A little grouping of three snapshots showing various boats in action at Disneyland. The first two are blurry but I decided to show all three as a group. The Mark Twain departs from the dock with the panoramic vista of Frontierland in the background.

Next up is an image of a smaller boat that travels the Rivers of America, the Indian Canoes. Still blurry, but still a fun image.

The final image is of the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship in Fantasyland. This view is different than the usual views and shows off the neat effect of bubbling water making it look like the ship is moving.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Jungle Phantom Roller Coaster

A couple nice snapshots of a wooden Art Deco roller coaster named the Jungle Phantom. The train is in station and the cars feature nice chrome Art Deco accents. The name is on the cars, Jungle Phantom. In a quick search of the internets, I could not find any history of this coaster. It may be an older coaster that started with a different name and the name changed. If any of you ACE members out there know the location, please let me know.

Monday, March 18, 2013

A Shoe With a Woman and a Pumpkin Eater

The last two images from the Enchanted Forest feature a woman and a man. First up is the Old Lady Who Lives In A Shoe. The shoe is a nice slide with some fun cut outs of her children.

Next up is Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater's House. I always wonder why his house is a giant pumpkin as wouldn't he eat himself out of his home?

Friday, March 15, 2013

Souvenir Friday- Pocket Knife

With all the discussion around pocket knives and the TSA, I thought I would show a knife that would be now able to be carried on a plane. However, if you shopped all of Disneyland, you would not find such an item. Of course, in the 1950s and 1960s, almost every boy had a pocket knife. This one is more along the line of a Swiss Army knife with lots of attachments and blades. The handle has a small Disneyland metal tag. The knife is pretty small, measuring approximately 1.5 inches.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Pony Ride and School House

Another attraction at the Enchanted Forest was a pony drawn wagon ride. It wound through trees and unfortunately that is where the photographer decided to take the first image. I do like the little girl's pose.

Next up is a shot of the Schoolhouse with a sign design looking like a Richard Scarry drawing.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Bo Peep, Sheep and Hansel and Gretel

Not only were there structures at the Enchanted Forest, but costumed characters would interact with the visitors. Little Bo Peep has her sheep. Unfortunately this slide was rather red and dark so I did the best I could...

Next up is the Witches house where Hansel and Gretel were almost cooked alive. I love the sweets on the outside of the house.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Humpty and the Whale

The Enchanted Forest had a neat tableaux featuring Humpty Dumpty on the wall. I surely hope he does not fall.

Next is a whale which most likely had a fish tank at the bottom. Check out the souvenir crowns on the kids. A visit to the park was a special event as seen by the Sunday Best clothing for the kids and the parents.

Monday, March 11, 2013

A Crooked Man and Jack

Two more images from the Enchanted Forest. First up is the crooked house of the Crooked Man. Note the village of fairy tale houses in the background.

The lovely lass poses in front of the beanstalk with Jack climbing up and a giant looking down, threatening everyone.

Friday, March 08, 2013

Souvenir Friday- Strombecker Casey Junior Railroad Toy

One of my favorite toys featuring Disneyland attractions is this large Casey Junior railroad engine. I love the front of the engine with the face and as you roll the engine, the steam tank moves side to side. The box is a work of art with Mickey Mouse being the engineer for Casey.

Thursday, March 07, 2013

Enchanted Forest Ellicot City, Part 2

Thanks to anonymous, I mis-typed the name of the city as Elliot City Maryland, it is truly Ellicot City. The initial view is of the Practical Pig house made out of brick. You can see a pig leaning out of the building on the opposite side of the picture. Nice crowd of kids looking into the window to see the interior.

The second view is a more general overview of the park. The buildings all look nicely themed and in great cartoon colors.

Wednesday, March 06, 2013

Enchanted Forest Elliot City Maryland 1955

Today I start a series of images of the Enchanted Forest once located in Elliot City, Maryland. The attraction was one of the first Fairy Tale themed amusement parks in the United States. The attraction opened August 15, 1955. Currently parts of the park are located at a farm after being saved from redevelopment. You can read more about the park at Enchanted Forest. The first view is of a lovely young lady posing with the entrance sign.

Next up is a nice image of the Old Mill. The coloration is neat and projects a fairy tale vibe. I love how close the park is to the street in the background.

Tuesday, March 05, 2013

Girl Scout Merry Go Round

Final image of the Girl Scouts visit to Disneyland in 1958. The girls are all posing on Merry Go Round rock which was once found on Tom Sawyer's Island located next to Teeter Totter Rock. Note Fort Wilderness in the background.

Monday, March 04, 2013

Girl Scout Jam on Suspension Bridge

Another view of the suspension bridge on Tom Sawyer's Island. This time it is rather crowded with not only Girl Scouts but also regular guests. The Scouts on the right hand side seem annoyed at the jam of people.

Friday, March 01, 2013

Souvenir Friday- Maxwell House Coffee Shop Coaster

When you ordered your coffee at the Maxwell House Coffee Shop on Main Street, the friendly wait staff would place this on your saucer to catch any errant drops of coffee. A simple coaster is made into a nice souvenir with the line drawing of the restaurant and the advertising tag line.