The Franklyn Taylor Collection: Frontierland, Pt. 1

Chris Taylor has kindly allowed me to post some historic photos that his father, Franklyn, shot of the park during the early years. The photos posted today are from Frontierland, showing how it looked in 1956. Previously, you may have seen the amazing photo that Chris' father snapped of Walt outside of the Mickey Mouse circus. Here's the background in Chris' own words from that first trip to Disneyland:

In 1956 my father was transferred by his employer, Goodyear, from Akron to Los Angeles. We drove across the country on Route 66 in a Buick sedan with four kids, then spent the summer in a Long Beach motel right along the beach waiting for our new Anaheim house to be built. The weekend before we moved into the house, we splurged and stayed at the Disneyland Hotel, which we had heard all about on the Disneyland TV show the previous year while still in Akron. While at the Disneyland Hotel, we, of course, visited Disneyland for the first time. Again, we had heard all about this wonderful place for the last year while watching the Disneyland TV Show.

Of course I had to zoom in on the silver mask hanging outside of the Frontier Trading Post:



A few shots of the Pack Mules, sauntering through Frontierland:







Nothing like riding the Mark Twain while being serenaded by live music:



Look at the lines in front of the Golden Horseshoe; almost looks like the crowds you'd find in front of Star Tours!



A few of the E.P. Ripley and the Cattle Cars, with the first shot showing some kind of construction crane in the background; for the Disneyland Hotel, perhaps?





Zooming in, I am assuming that these are "live" Native Americans sitting amongst the guests, and not statues.



Last one shows a Stagecoach making its route in the golden glow of sunset.





More gems to come from this fantastic collection. I would also be remiss if I didn't wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day!

See more Franklyn Taylor Disneyland photos on my Taylor collection web page.