Disneyland July 1956 Gems

A few gems from Frontierland, circa July 1956. These two well-behaved children are standing outside the Frontier Trading Post. It sure is fun taking a peak inside the windows at the merchandise.



Over at the queue for the Pack Mules attraction a cast member looks a bit bored.



You can see maintenance working on something in this detailed view:



Over at the Rivers of America, some of the scenery near the Indian Settlement is still under construction:





The complete tableau, from 1957:



The tents are still very plain at this time, without any decor.



A much more vibrant Indian Settlement is seen in this September 1959 shot:



See more photos at my main website.

Mother Murphy’s at Disneyland

Mother Murphy offered meals at all hours at Disneyland as can be seen in this July 1961 image. Located in the mining town of Rainbow Ridge, guests who took a ride on the Nature’s Wonderland attraction were able to see her little boarding house from the train. Where else in Disneyland could you get “nice beds” for only $1?



This April 1962 gives a little more perspective as to where Mother Murphy was located, between Miner’s Hardware and the El Dorado Hotel.





Another angle, circa May 1963, which includes a cast member:



This December 1963 image also shows the train:





Even further back, circa May 1964:



By the 1970s, Mother Murphy bit the dust and was replaced by Appleseed’s Groceries. I wonder what caused this change in proprietors?






See more Disneyland Nature’s Wonderland photos at my main website.

Mine Train Monday

Let’s travel back to a time in Disneyland history when attractions promoted other attractions…where they overlapped each other, affording guests previews and teasers of what they could experience on their next adventure. Welcome to the Nature's Wonderland Mine Train, circa March 1973. The Mine Train is circling around Cascade Peak (with a view of the Rivers of America on the opposite side), on its way through a tunnel that will take them back to the Rainbow Ridge. I included this detailed view of the cast member in case one of my readers knew him.



The next consecutive shot from March 1973 shows the same Mine Train, a bit farther along in its journey.



I am assuming these were shot aboard either the Mark Twain or the Columbia.



This June 1971 image shows the little town of Rainbow Ridge. To the left is the Pack Mule attraction, which had about two more years left before it was removed.



Another view of the Mine Train and Cascade Peak, circa March 1976:



When this shot was taken, the Mine Train only had about a year left before it was shut down for the construction of Big Thunder Mountain. This cast member must have known his days were numbered; he’s not waving.



An undated shot of Rainbow Ridge:



The Christmas Star atop the Matterhorn at least tells us the time of year.



See more Disneyland Nature’s Wonderland Mine Train photos at my main website.

Frontierland Friday: Cascade Peak

When Disneyland first opened, the banks of the Rivers of America were positively barren. Dirt on both sides did not make for very interesting views. Tom Sawyer Island was a welcome addition on the left side; on the right, as you can see, there was nothing but a bank of dirt next to the Mark Twain dock. In the Spring of 1960, that would all change.



The following undated photos below show the initial construction for Cascade Peak (aka Three Sisters Falls), a 75' tall addition to the Park that was built to coincide with the nearby Nature’s Wonderland attraction upgrade.



The overhang you see in the detail shot below was built for the Nature’s Wonderland Mine Train to be able to pass through underneath the Peak’s thunderous waterfall.



This recently acquired undated image also shows the construction of the new “mountain.”





By October 1960, Cascade Peak had been entertaining guests for months.



The water added movement to the Park and much needed aeration to the river!



A November 1960 shot of the Mine Train about to enter the short tunnel underneath the falls:



The structure that formed Cascade Peak and its waterfalls was demolished in 1998 after it was found to be suffering structurally from the decades of water that flowed over it. This was during the era of cheap, when Paul Pressler was the President of Disneyland. Deferred maintenance contributed to the demise of this beautiful structure, while the cost-slashing of Pressler was the final death knell. The shot below is from 1994, just four years before the peak was removed.



This April 2012 shows the empty bank. With the growth of the trees in this section of the Park, the 75' peak would have been difficult to view anymore. 



See more Disneyland Cascade Peak photos at my main website.

Cameras at Rainbow Ridge

Image #1 for today was taken from Disneyland’s Mark Twain riverboat and features a lovely panorama shot of the quaint mining town of Rainbow Ridge. This detailed show really illustrates the power of forced perspective. When you see the workers next to the buildings at the top of the town, you realize just how small they are. 



In this second image from the same batch, Sheriff Lucky guards over the Nature’s Wonderland attraction, keeping guests safe from that nasty bandit, Black Bart.



It appears that there was some professional filming going on at the time this photo was taken:



Panning to the right, an early example of graffiti, giving a shout-out to Pecos Bill.



This previously posted image shows another photo opportunity in the works at Rainbow Ridge, with some camera equipment that is a bit less spectacular!



See more Disneyland Nature’s Wonderland photos at my main website.

More Nature's Wonderland?!? Say it isn't so...

I first saw this image and thought “I don’t need another image of the mine train for Nature’s Wonderland.” Then I looked at my collection and realized I didn’t have any beautifully clear shots like this one from 1956 when the attraction first opened. Drat the completist in me!

I love reading the little signage on Pat Casey’s Last Chance building. I wonder what Clementines Flight was? And just what kind of “Professional Entertainment” was offered there? Could give a whole new meaning to “Last Chance.”



How about the little girl waving for the camera and the too-cool-for-school young man in the dapper monogrammed black hat from the Park? Probably would be worth a pretty penny today. And there’s the cast member at the back of the mine train giving his spiel.



See more vintage Disneyland Nature's Wonderland attraction photos at my main website.

The Best Seat for The Mine Train!

For these two little boys from March 1962, there is no better seat on The Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland than the ones they are occupying right now. Look at those smile!

A closeup for all gear-heads!



This detailed view shows guests on pack mules riding by some of the buildings in the quaint town of Rainbow Ridge.



This previously posted shot, also from the 1960’s, shows another family that is also very happy about their seat on the attraction. And how about those hats!!



See more photos at my main website.