As an excuse to post some of my more recent Frontierland shots, I am dipping back into the archives and revisiting some photos from previous posts, starting off with a few from July 18, 1955, the first day that Disneyland was open to the general public. Frontierland sure looks bare, but naturally, the set design people thought enough about the details to include a few tree stumps for authenticity, making the fort look that much more natural in its rough setting. Shot #2 was most likely taken from the Mark Twain; anybody know what the spheres on the right hand side are that appear to be over Tomorrowland? Interestingly enough, in the detail shot, it doesn’t appear that the Wooden Indian had made his debut in Frontierland yet.
Moving forward to December 26, 1955, this shot was taken over by the Frontierland Station. Note the descriptive sign for the Mike Fink Keel Boat attraction in the detail shot:
One more from December 26, 1955 features the Miniature Horse Corral and the Frontier Trading Post—still no Wooden Indian!
Moving forward to the present, I took these shots a few weeks ago. The crowds were somewhat low, which gave me time to focus on a few areas I may not have noticed in the past.
Even today, it’s still about the details for me; the items hanging on the stockade leave you with a somewhat haunting feeling that the owners may be back at anytime to retrieve them.
See more vintage & current Frontierland photos at my regular website.
Dave, in the earliest Tomorrowland postcards you can see large round balloons tethered to the ground (or to buildings?), presumably to distract you from the fact that the land was mostly unfinished.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos as always, Dave!
ReplyDeleteDid they get rid of the giant boulder that held the gate up to the right of the stockade?
That second shot looks more like it was taken from the balcony of the Golden Horseshoe. Though, I can't say I ever remember there being a miniature horse corral.
ReplyDelete