I was immediately taken by this February 1958 image of Fowler's Harbor. Sure, it's not the best angle to see the main structure, but it contains a number of rarely seen details elsewhere in its frame. I am guessing that the wooden slide/supports are in preparation of the Columbia arriving for construction, as it would still be four months before its debut when this photo was taken.
Zooming in to the left, you can see the sign for the Indian Village War Canoes. Anybody care to take a spin? You can also see the tunnel for the Frontierland Depot stop of the Disneyland Railroad.
Amazingly enough, the same tunnel is still around today. NOTE: Daveland reader HBG2 pointed out that the tunnel was moved (approximately 1962) to make room for the Haunted Mansion.
See more vintage & current Fowler's Harbor photos on my Fowler's Harbor web page.
Actually, the tunnel was moved, believe it or not, demolished and rebuilt when they moved the whole track further out to make room for the Haunted Mansion.
ReplyDeleteOh, btw, I love Fowler's Harbor, so old pix are always a welcome sight.
Well, that has to be the winner for "Earliest Columbia construction pic"!
ReplyDeleteI love early images of Fowler's Harbor. That first one is awesome with all the supports. I've seen the B&W one before in your photo archive and it's still one of my favorite images of The Columbia.
ReplyDeleteWhat does that say on top of the wooden shack in image 3 (zoom). RECWOTS?
Wow, that corner has sure changed over the years.
ReplyDeleteI remember wishing as a boy, that I could go down and walk around in Fowler's Harbor.
I was pleased recently to find that some of the formerly off-limits walkways have been opened, presumably as a traffic measure to handle the crowds. A childhood dream come true for me. Not often that happens.
I wonder is that sign some kind of internal Disney acronym like MAPO?
JG