Macabre Monday

In this September 1969 image, a father with just my type of humor is shown in an open grave on Tom Sawyer Island. The daughter looks appropriately melancholy. “Oh, Dad! Do we have to jump in the grave?” This is new to me; I don’t recall ever seeing an open grave that guests could pose inside of. The earliest shot in my collection of the “Unknown Guest” marker is from February 2006. By this time, the marker has been smoothed over and the area is not deep enough to climb into. If I had to guess, the year probably changed annually and this was once a picture spot. Probably not sponsored by Kodak though.



Little old me posing outside of the fence in 2006. Always following rules! Any other readers recall this vintage picture spot?

See more Disneyland Tom Sawyer Island photos at my main website.

TGIFort Wilderness!

It’s been awhile since we’ve visited Fort Wilderness at Daveland, so what better day than TGIFort Wilderness Day? Although a version (and that’s the kindest word I can think of) still exists on Tom Sawyer’s Island, the original was a vibrant structure that guests of all ages could explore and run rampant through. First shot is from October 1958. In the closeup below you can see the perfectly themed hand-done signage.



These three lads from June 1962 seem to be having a blast at the Fort.



The entrance, circa September 1963



How about this vintage purse? The design doesn’t ring a bell here, but it looks like some kind of referee. It appears that it might say “Varsity Tote.”



In the woman’s hand, she is holding a Park Brochure with a Tom Sawyer Island brochure sandwiched inside. The portion sticking out shows Tom and Huck’s Tree House.



The supporting evidence:



More from this family’s September 1963 visit to the Fort:



An example of Walt Disney’s beloved Edu-tainment:



The costumed cast member in this September 1969 looks like he just walked off the set of the 1965-67 sitcom “F Troop.”



An interior shot from the same batch:



On the left you have the Union Soldier, on the right, you have an actual member of the military, enjoying a day of leave at the Fort.



A father and his kids:



Sister holds back brother, who probably wants to rip into that bag of Lays chips.



See more Disneyland Fort Wilderness photos at my main website.

The Aerotrain and The Viewliner

The Aerotrain was a streamlined train from General Motors that was introduced in 1955. General Motors demonstrated their new lightweight concept on several railroads in 1956, including the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, with the train operating in California between Los Angeles and San Diego as a San Diegan. Its general problems included a rough ride and under-powered locomotive. As a result, not a single railroad ordered a trainset despite extensive testing on both the New York Central and Pennsylvania. They were eventually purchased by the Rock Island and used in commuter service until 1966. The photo above was dated March 5, 1956 and taken at the Santa Fe Train Station in downtown San Diego. Although the San Diego Electric Company sign is gonzo, the building remains…



and now functions as the 43-story tall Electra Condos.



Even though the Aerotrain was a bust, that didn’t stop Walt Disney and Bob Gurr from being inspired by its sleek design when they built the Viewliner at Disneyland. Running from June 1957 to September 1958, it served as the precursor to the much longer lasting Monorail. The shot of the Tomorrowland Viewliner below is from July 1958.



An overhead shot from the Skyway, January 1958:



The Fantasyland Viewliner, from 1957:



August 1958:



The Fantasyland Viewliner Station:



Another Skyway shot, this one showing the Tomorrowland Viewliner Station, circa 1957:



See more Disneyland Viewliner photos at my main website.