Oregon or Bust!

That was the slogan on the side of the Conestoga Wagons that were once an attraction in Frontierland at Disneyland. This 1956 shot shows the blue wagon riding along the trail with a Stagecoach right in front of it and the Mark Twain in the background.

It would appear that there were two wagons, as my collection has shots of both a blue and a red/rust colored wagon. This shot is from April 1958.

This July 1959 shot shows the slogan “Westward Ho.” Does this signify a third wagon in the fleet, or just a different covering that was exchanged for the other one? Another mystery waiting to be solved.

Hoping our friends in Oregon are ok with all the wildfires going on these days.

See more Disneyland Conestoga Wagon photos at my main website.

Frontierland On A Monday

November 14, 1957...on a day much like what Southern California is currently experiencing...overcast, possibly a bit wet...I present to you: FRONTIERLAND!! Closer...



and closer! The lonely security guard just wanders through an empty Frontierland. You can just barely see the corner of the Pepsi Cola banner at the Golden Horseshoe Saloon.



LOVE this overhead shot of the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train attraction with the Conestoga Wagon and Stagecoach in the foreground.



Westward Ho!



See more Disneyland Frontierland photos at my main website.

30¢ For the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train

Although it no longer exists, The Rainbow Caverns Mine Train attraction still lives on in the memories of those who were fortunate enough to enjoy it during the first few years of the park. Debuting on July 2, 1956, it existed where the current Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attraction now operates. So, let's gather up our 30¢ ticket and travel back in time to experience it again courtesy of the Daveland archives!



This vintage panoramic view shows both the Pack Mule and Mine Train attractions, which both saw much of the same scenery on their journeys.



In this July 1959 shot we get a closer view of the Rainbow Ridge Mining town:



Another 1959 view:



Looks like the guests were able to enjoy a little live music while waiting in line:



We have now boarded our Mine Train and are on our way to the Rainbow Desert, circa August 7, 1957:



November 1958:



Summer 1959:



A May 1958 photo shows a cast member giving his attraction narration; the next three images were shot sequentially by our vintage photographer:





The Devil's Paint Pots:



Anyone know what this little structure is?





Another November 1958 image, showing a little Frontierland layering with the Conestoga Wagon nearby:



The Seven Dwarfs were honored with this cacti tribute:







The highlight of the attraction was the journey through the colorful (albeit dark) Rainbow Caverns, shown here in two vintage publicity images:





Back to Rainbow Ridge:



Watch out for those explosives!



Hope you enjoyed your trip and felt that your 30¢ was well spent! Want more? Ride on over to my main website and see more photos of Nature's Wonderland at Disneyland.

Conestoga: more than just a wagon

Conestoga is the name of the high school that I attended many moons ago. On the side of the building, there was a metallic cutout of a Conestoga wagon, and fittingly, our mascot was a Pioneer. This 1979 photo shows our high school band, ready to march in the 1980 Rose Bowl Parade (yes, we had some good trips!).

You can see a very disinterested me, 4th from the right, with the rest of the saxophone section. The tall hat really sucked; balancing it was a pain in the a#$.



My dad drove me crazy taking photos of us during the games; of course now I treasure these.



The band trip during my senior year included a detour to Walt Disney World in Orlando. Couldn't complain about that.



On graduation day in June 1982, you can see my high school in the background.



This vintage April 1958 Disneyland image shows a Conestoga Wagon, which once graced Frontierland and provided a very bumpy ride for guests looking for an authentic old west experience.



Zooming in for a closer look:



This shot shows the Wagon barreling out of the loading queue area:



Unfortunately, this attraction bit the dust a few years before I was born, so I am unable to say that I've actually been on a Conestoga Wagon. However, the name of it sure provides a few warm memories of my high school years.

See more Daveland vintage Disneyland Conestoga Wagon photos at my main website.

Frontierland Transportation

From 1955 until approximately 1960, Disneyland guests had a choice of three vehicles in which they could tour Frontierland. First up is the rarely seen Yellowstone Coach, of which I only have 3 shots of in my vintage collection, starting off with this 1955 image.

Image #2 from my Yellowstone collection:



And this black and white shot, taken before opening:



A 1959 image of a stagecoach:



Zooming in on the guests inside:



Here's a vintage August 1956 view of a Conestoga Wagon.



A closeup of the driver:



A December 1955 newspaper ad for Disneyland trumpeted:

“You will ride the Conestoga Wagon in Frontierland—one of the most picturesque and vital vehicles in history. It was the Conestoga, not the Covered Wagon, that developed the West. The great wagons were first built in the Conestoga Valley of Pennsylvania, with water tight bottoms that permitted safe crossing of rivers. You will also ride authentic stage coaches, pack trains, and buckboards in this remarkable re-creation of the old West.”

A Buckboard is the name for a four-wheeled wagon drawn by a horse. The "buckboard" itself is the front-most board on the wagon that could act as both a footrest for the driver and protection for the driver from the horse's rear hooves in case of a "buck."

Before somebody chimes in, "But Dave, the ad says they also had a Pack Train! That means there were four types of vehicles!" A Pack Train is just a fancy way of saying mules. Although not a mechanical vehicle, yes, they do deserve to have a photo in this post:



See more vintage & current Disneyland Frontierland transportation photos from my collection on my main website.

Public Transit: The Frontierland Way

Main Street wasn't the only area that had a fleet of vehicles for guests to enjoy. Frontierland had its fair share of fun on wheels, too. Running until approximately 1960, the Stagecoaches and Conestoga Wagons gave guests a taste of what it was like to get around in the old West, back when the "roads" weren't exactly smooth. Note the "Oregon or Bust" on the Wagon shown in this 1950's image. Apparently, the original phrase was "Pike's Peak or bust!", which referred to the 1850's Colorado Gold Rush. Later, the phrase was adapted to basically be a catch-all to signify that you would do whatever it took to get where you were planning to go.

This 1958 shot shows the Stagecoach riding through what is now the Big Thunder Mountain attraction area. Hard to believe that Frontierland ever looked so "rough" or undeveloped as it does in this photo.



One more (slightly obstructed) view of the Stagecoach, dating from about 1956 or 1957:



If you want to ride a Stagecoach, you can always head over to Knott's Berry Farm where the Wells Fargo Stage Lines still take guests around the park:



How about you — do you miss these slightly rough and tumble modes of transportation?

See more vintage Disneyland Stagecoach & Conestoga Wagon photos on my Stagecoach web page.