China Closet and Fort Wilderness 1958

Two more views from January 1958. First is a nice view of the China Closet porch. The family is posing for a photograph and all the other guests have stopped on the sidewalk to allow the photographer take the image. Also it looks like the grandmother figure is not on the porch.

The second image is the interior of Fort Wilderness on Tom Sawyer's Island. This image is filled with so much goodness, the kid is holding a Tom Sawyer's Island map, another young guest is wearing a yellow Keppy Kap, the lovely clothing worn by all the guests and the escape tunnel from the fort.

Christmas On Main Street

With Denver receiving more snow and Orange County having a hale storm that looked like snow, I am in a Christmas Holiday mood. These two images are from January 1958 according to the handwritten information on the box of slides. First up is a nice view of Main Street with all the pedestrians walking or posing on the sidewalks. I really like the two boys posing in blue on the corner. It appears there was a recent Southern California rainstorm.

The second image shows the Disneyland band marching down Main Street. The fire wagon has pulled off Main Street and is parked on East Center Street.

Frontierland and El Zocalo Park

Two interesting images featuring Frontierland. First up is a view from the Frontierlnad stockade with Main Street in the background.

Next up is a nice view of the El Zocalo sign and park. It appears the crowd is watching the Gonzalez Trio performing in the park. I am drawn to that lovely themed trash can.

Souvenir Friday- Frontierland Magic Slate

Finally found the last magic slate I own, which is for Frontierland. The graphics are fantastic showing the Mark Twain, Train, Mike Fink Keel Boat, and the Indian Village.

Here is a recap of my collection of Disneyland Magic Slates:

Scenes Along a Jungle River

Two more nice snapshots from the same trip I have been posting the last couple of days. This time the photographer was in Adventureland at the load and unload area at the Jungle River Cruise. First image shows the Ganges Gal being unloaded. Note the kid in the fantastic red shirt (with musical notes) is wearing a yellow Keppy Kap.

Next up two Jungle Cruise guides poses for the photographer. In the early days, before OSHA, the Jungle Cruise guides wore sandals to work. The shirts are great especially the red shirt with the bamboo design. The skipper in the color striped shirt looks like Neil Patrick Harris and the other skipper looks like Kevin Kidney. The flag on the back of the boat is the flag of East Turkistan (and also the flag of the Great Khanate.)

Scenes in Fantasyland

Two more nice color snapshots from Disneyland. The first view is of the dining area in front of the Chicken of the Sea Pirate ship. This is another great view of the colorful umbrellas used to shade the tables. Note that this image is prior to the construction of Skull Rock.

The second snapshot is of the Sleeping Beauty Castle courtyard. Note the colorful information/ticket booth in the left hand side.

Disneyland Entrance

Two snapshots of the entrance to Disneyland in color. The first image is of the Main Street Station, Floral Mickey Mouse and the attraction poster fence. Three nice posters are on display, Autopia, Astrojets, and Art Corner.

The photographer turned around and snapped a photograph of the ticket booths and information booth at the entrance. I am drawn to the many flags on top of the ticket booths including the orange flag with Mickey Mouse and blue and white flag with the large Gothic D. Also I am drawn to the great design of the information booth.

Aunt Jemima's Pancake House Disneyland Circa Late 1960s Photograph #7

The last image in the collection showcasing the Aunt Jemima Pancake House restaurant is another rare interior. The shot shows the set of tables around the interior fountain area. Check out the floral pattern on the curtains and valances, which matches the tabletops.

Souvenir Friday- Aunt Jemima's Bowling Team Shirt

Continuing the Aunt Jemima theme of the last week, today's souvenir is a bowling team shirt Disneyland has a long tradition of sponsored bowling and other sports teams. The teams would consist of employees for individual stores, attractions or even a division such as custodial or maintenance. This shirt is for the team made up of employees from Aunt Jemima's in Disneyland. I have heard tales that Sunkist would specifically hire baseball players from local colleges to make sure they would win the softball league.

Aunt Jemima's Pancake House Disneyland Circa Late 1960s Photograph #6

Today's post is a rare color interior shot of the restaurant. The interior features great wrought iron and exposed brick. The tables scream 1960s with the floral pattern. And the sugar, salt and milk creamer containers are hobnail milk glass with silver titles.

Aunt Jemima's Pancake House Disneyland Circa Late 1960s Photograph #5

A black and white photograph of the Aunt Jemima kitchen with guests in the park. The image was taken on the Rivers of America, I believe the photographer was on a small boat. The view shows the building with great landscaping and of course the clapboard sign. The bank is very realistic with plants and rocks, now the bank is more sterile.

Aunt Jemima's Pancake House Disneyland Circa Late 1960s Photograph #4

Switching to black and white, this panoramic view of Aunt Jemima's with the Treehouse on the right is gorgeous. My eyes are drawn first to the directional signpost with a listing of the attractions found in each land. But then looking closer, the view of the Swiss Family Treehouse is nice and the closed up outdoor vending in the background also adds interest.

For those who want a closer look at the sign. Note that there is no Pirates listed but Haunted Mansion is listed.

Aunt Jemima's Pancake House Disneyland Circa Late 1960s Photograph #3

Another early morning photograph of Aunt Jemima's Pancake House in Disneyland. I really like this with the large matterhorn in the background and a nice view of the Aunt Jemima's Pancake House sign. Another great image in this series.

Souvenir Friday- Mark Twain Ship In the Bottle

A really cool collectable from 1967 is the Mark Twain as a ship in a bottle. A nice sculpt of the Mark Twain in a great bottle. The really cool aspect is the stand marked for New Orleans Square and The Mark Twain. Based upon the New Orleans Square title, I would date this to 1966. The bottle and modeling reminds me of the Pirates of the Caribbean snowglobe. Thanks to a local collector friend for this fantastic souvenir.

Aunt Jemima's Pancake House Disneyland Circa Late 1960s Photograph #2

Another lovely early morning image of Aunt Jemima's Pancake House in Frontierland. This view is farther down the way closer to the Rivers of America. A nice view of the structure housing the restaurant and some of the surrounding scenery. I like the composition of the photograph with the tree in the foreground.

Aunt Jemima's Pancake House Disneyland Circa Late 1960s Photograph #1

A fixture on the banks of the Rivers of America for many years, the Aunt Jemima Pancake house looks stunning in this picture. Based upon the lack of guests (or cast members) and the light, this photograph was taken early in the morning before the park opened. This building now houses the Riverbelle Terrace, still one of the best places to begin your visit to Disneyland. On the left hand side in the background is the Swiss Family Tree House and on the right hand side you can see the signage for the park.

Storybook Land

Today I am feeling in a Monstro mood, so here is a greatest hits of Monstro, the iconic entrance to Storybook Land found in Fantasyland. First up is a nice 1956 view of Monstro with large teeth.

It appears that posing as a group in front of Monstro was a "thing to do." Check out the various groups in front of Monstro...

To finish this Monstro post is Walt checking the construction of Monstro.

Portraits in Tomorrowland

Two portraits of guests in Tomorrowland. The first image is of a man standing in front of Tomorrowland with the Monsanto House of the Future and Sleeping Beauty Castle in the background. I like this shot as it shows a very early Disneyland morning.

The second image is of another guest from the same group with the early Tomorrowland building. I like the neutron atomic symbol on the building...and the neat design of the wall.

Souvenir Friday- Swift's Restaurant Tray

My favorite serving tray in my collection is this one used at various Swift's restaurants in Disneyland. The tray features the three Swift's locations, the Chicken Plantation, Market House, and Red Wagon Inn. The tray features a great map of the park with the locations highlighted. The same image was used for the liners on the trays. This tray was purchased from a welder who worked at Disneyland building the steel frame of the first structure for the Pirates of the Caribbean when the attraction was going to be a walk through attraction.

Two Attractions at Nature's Wonderland

One of the unique aspects for Nature's Wonderland was the way two different rides intertwined throughout the same attraction footprint. The most popular and easiest ride was to jump aboard a lovely yellow train to take a leisurely trip through desert, forest and lovely caverns.

The second ride through Nature's Wonderland was on the back of pack mules. Not as popular and slower the mules transported guests on trails through desert and forest. The pack mules were removed from the park in 1971.

Nature's Wonderland Railroad Rainbow Ridge

Two nice views of Rainbow Ridge from Nature's Wonderland. First up is Pat Casey's Last Chance Saloon, with Doc Holliday dentistry on the second floor. I like the Notary Public sign for Johnny Inkslinger.

The second image is of the El Dorado Hotel. I like the sign for beds with an extra cost for sheets. Both of these images feature the yellow train cars in the bottom of the image.

Disneyana in Use

As a collector of Disneyana, I enjoy seeing photographs of the vintage toys and items I collect in use by kids. The first image is of the Mickey Mouse Club Clubhouse. A rare piece of Disneyana because the clubhouses were large and set up. Setting up the clubhouse often damaged the cardboard construction of the toy.

The second image is of a bow tied youngster sitting on his stairs waiting for the bus, holding the Disney bus lunch box. Based upon his outfit and that a photo was taken, I would guess this was the first day of school.

Sleeping Beauty Castle- The Drawbridge

One of the nice features of the Sleeping Beauty Castle design is the moat and drawbridge. This architectural element allows for a separation between the Victorian Main Street and the Medieval Fantasyland. The drawbridge also makes a nice photographic element allowing guests to pose in front of the castle without the castle being overwhelming. Here is a shot of a crowd heading over the bridge into Fantasyland and the castle courtyard.

The drawbridge is also photogenic from the side and the moat is a great place for swans to relax.