Tuesday, January 04, 2011

1959 Disneyland, Pt. 2: Frontierland



It seems that vintage Tomorrowland images fetch the most money; for me, old Frontierland is just as good. I get excited whenever I see photos of the original Frontierland Depot...or the Stagecoach...or a Conestoga Wagon...and especially the Indian Village. The rustic quality of the original creation is something that will probably never be duplicated. It originated in a much simpler era when less was more and it didn’t take anything extra fancy-schmancy and high-tech to wow the guests. Not to say that Frontierland was a snoozer; it's just that the entertainment and attractions were of a different appeal. I guess I’m just saying that I'm OLD! First up is the water tower for the original location of the Frontierland Depot.

Look at the crowds packed in to see the Indian Village; today, it would take Electronica and a flashy light show to enthrall a group of kids AND keep their attention for any significant length of time. Oh, how the internet has destroyed our attention spans!



Anyone out there still feel a thrill with the thundering hooves of the horses pulling a stagecoach or a Conestoga wagon?



The Mark Twain is just rounding the bend. Can you imagine a barrier like this today along the Rivers of America? Looks beautiful, but the legal types would have a fit!



No Splash Mountain...no Haunted Mansion...and NO Critter Country! Just to the left, you can see a lightpost from The Chicken Plantation Restaurant. In only a few years, the landscape would change here as everything gave way to New Orleans Square.



See more Disneyland Frontierland photos at my main website.

4 comments:

Connie Moreno said...

Those are BEAUTIFUL shots!!! Hey, it wasn't the Internet that destroyed our attention spans - it was MTV!!

Katella Gate said...

Yes, "barrier psychology" has certainly changed.

It's because people were once rewarded for complying, now they are rewarded for defying.

Major Pepperidge said...

Neat, that third shot actually shows the Yellowstone Coach rather than the Stagecoach. Much rarer!

JG said...

@KG, too true. the rewards are now for vicious stupidity, not creativity.

I am somewhat of a connoisseur of man-made vistas, and have always thought that this corner of Disneyland was among the very best. Standing at that corner of the Rivers of America, it is impossible to have a bad view. Every aspect of this area is the result of careful design study, and it shows.

We will never see it's like again. I give you DCA as my proof.

JG