Today's post takes you back 56 years to 1959, providing a simulated photo journey of Disneyland as it looked way back when. Your car journeys down Harbor Boulevard and then turns into the entrance of Anaheim's famous theme park.
Let's approach the ticket booths from the right side, as seen in this November 1959 shot:
The park entrance is decorated with the flags of many nations:
A closer look lets us see the Kalamazoo Handcar and the population board showing that 10,000,000 guests have gone through the turnstiles.
For guests who can't wait to get their first Disneyland souvenir, this little Town Square booth is perfect!
A closer look so we can see the 25¢ guidebooks:
as well as the construction of the Matterhorn:
Let's climb aboard the Horse-Drawn Streetcar and explore each land of the park:
The entrance of Adventureland, circa November 1959:
Frontierland is very patriotic looking in the summer of 1959:
New Orleans Street is bustling, May 1959:
Zooming in we can see a glimpse of Aunt Jemima through the trees, wearing her red checked top and yellow apron, standing in front of her restaurant:
Popcorn anyone?
A good crowd has gathered for the Ceremonial Dance at the Indian Village:
Continuing to move in a clockwise direction we find ourselves in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle, painted in lovely subdued hues:
Dumbo’s ears may not flap, but as of October 1959, they still appear to be hinged:
Over in Tomorrowland, more international flags can be seen:
In June 1959, guests appear to be lining up for something; anyone figure out what it could be?
Forget the crowd; I want to get closer to see the Tomorrowland Skyway Station:
So ends our journey back to 1959; let's board the Monorail and head home!
See more Daveland vintage & current Disneyland photos at my main website.
These are all beauties, but that second image of the Disneyland Parking entrance is a gem. Thanks, Dave.
ReplyDeleteWow, Dave. Nice work.
ReplyDeleteI'd have to guess that queue is for either of the newly opened attractions: the Submarine Voyage or the Monorail. The position's about right anyway.
This post today almost brings tears to my eyes - it so typifies what a day at Disneyland would have been like for my family back in 1959. Oh, what I wouldn't give for a time machine!
ReplyDeleteAnd for real zoomy geekiness I think I see the footbridge that crosses the river feed from Adventureland to the Rivers of America over at the extreme right of the picture of New Orleans Street.
ReplyDeleteWow Dave, those are a lot of exceptional images! It's hard to pick a favorite, though the souvenir stand is awesome, as is the one of Main Street Station - and the entry gate and the Tomorrowland pic, and... I guess I'm just going to list them all.
ReplyDeleteThat first photo shows that Disneyland was closed Mondays and Tuesday. That would be inconceivable today!
ReplyDelete