I was recently contacted by Traecy, who went overboard on the generosity scale by sharing these treasured images from 1958 which show her Dad's first visit to Disneyland at age 10 and a half. The family had just moved to Santa Barbara from New Jersey and they took his New Jersey Grandma to Disneyland. As Tracey tells it, “He remembered being enraptured and it felt like such a magical experience. The music was playing even in the parking lot, and he felt like he was in another world. He remembered being tall enough to ride the rides (he is the oldest boy in the photos).”
The best part is that it appears that the numbers of the photos correspond with the day's progression, as their journey to the attractions makes total sense. Grab that popcorn and let's travel back to 1958!
Interestingly enough, the Space Couple in Traecy's family shot is the same couple in one from my collection dated July 1958. It must have been their summer to greet guests!
The Autopia!
I figured a detailed view of the gas pumps was in order:
The train parked at the Tomorrowland Depot:
Don't worry, the family hasn't left Tomorrowland. They're just enjoying the Astrojets:
The real gem of this collection is this closeup view of the family in the Viewliner:
Time to sloooooooow things down a bit with the Motor Boat Cruise:
Two from Alice in Wonderland:
And a beauty showing the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship:
You can just about make out the prices on the sign in this detailed view. It would seem that Paco the Parrot bore the brunt of being the "Free Exhibit."
The motion of the swirling teacups caught mid-spin; they are obviously having a blast!
A shot taken from the Mark Twain, or perhaps the newly christened Columbia?
The Stagecoach through Frontierland:
The Pack Mules, back when Disney allowed "live" animals to add a bit of unexpected excitement to the Park.
This makes me ache. To be able to go inside Fort Wilderness again...
The last two show the childhood joy of whizzing about on the Midget Autopia:
Words alone cannot express the gratitude of Traecy for reaching out and sharing these INCREDIBLE family photos!
See more vintage and contemporary Disneyland photos at my main website.
4 comments:
This is a massive treasure chest of pics. My thanks to you and Traecy, both.
I am the little boy, Chris, in the red t-shirt. I remember this trip to Disneyland as the highlight of the year. I was five. After riding the spaceship ride I was aghast that my parents were sitting around the perimeter waiting for us kids to come out. They were sitting in the blast zone of the rocket engines!!!
Chris - these photos are incredible. So grateful that your family shared them!
I'm of the same vintage and boy do these shots bring me back. For some reason I really thought I was driving those little midgets. Something one never forgets. KS
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