59 Years Ago Yesterday...

Not long after exiting the Main Street Train Station, Walt and Company convened in Town Square for the official dedication ceremony. Using photos from the USC Digital Archives as well as some from my own collection, I am presenting a variety of views from this special July 17, 1955 event.



A few setup/casual photos before the actual event occurred. Walt is without his tie; I can only imagine the heat on this July day! The lineup (from left to right) is Mrs. Goodwin J. Knight and her husband, the Governor of CA, Reverend Glenn D. Puder, Walt, and…I'm not quite sure!



A nice overview shot of Town Square during the ceremony:



That flag post looks dang tall!









For those that engage in the debate of whether 7/17 or 7/18 is Opening Day, I will point out that it was 7/17 that Walt made his historic speech.



Just sayin'…

See more vintage Disneyland Opening Day photos on my main website.

59 Years Ago Today...

59 years ago today, Walt Disney shattered the idea of what an amusement park was and raised the bar to new heights. The action all began at the Main Street Train Station with Art Linkletter and Ronald Reagan on the platform for the ABC Broadcast.



Thanks to the USC Digital Archives, we can see a series of photos that document Walt's Opening Day Grand Circle Tour aboard the E.P. Ripley on July 17, 1955.



Here, Goodwin J. Knight (Governor of California), Walt Disney, and Fred Gurley (President of the Santa Fe Railroad) wave to onlookers as they pull into the station aboard the E.P. Ripley and Retlaw-1. A costumed Mickey Mouse character is right up front.









Giving an equal opportunity to all, the trio switched sides of the train to wave to guests near the entrance.





At the end of the trip, the trio looks positively drunk with excitement as they exit the Main Street Train Station into Town Square with Art Linkletter trailing behind them. I love seeing Walt's cap sitting slightly askew.



Can you imagine actually being there on Opening Day? Happy 59th Anniversary, Disneyland!

See more vintage Disneyland Opening Day photos on my main website.

Grand Circle Tour at The Disney Gallery

On my most recent visit to Disneyland, I was pleased to see the exhibit "All Aboard…A Grand Circle Tour of the Trains of Disney." The Disneyland Railroad is one of my favorite parts of the park; it is a rare occasion that I go to Disneyland without experiencing it. Many of the items at the Town Square Disney Gallery were very fun to see. The hat in photo #1 was presented to California Governor Goodwin Knight by Walt for him to wear on the inaugural run of the E.P. Ripley on July 17, 1955.



Here is the letterhead, envelope, luggage tag, and excursion pass for The Carolwood Pacific Railroad, Walt's own live-steam backyard railroad:





A MAPO/Walt Disney Production Builder's Plate built for the Fort Wilderness Campground at WDW; sadly, this railroad is no longer in existence there:



A 1961 Vice President Card for the Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad, given out by Walt to certain guests:



A park map from 1955 given to guests traveling aboard the Disneyland Railroad:



Railroad Hat Badges, which are highly coveted by collectors:



One of my favorite parts of the exhibit are the miniature of Walt's Barn and a miniature pot-bellied stove that Walt built himself in 1950. Originally built for the yellow caboose of his Carolwood Pacific Railroad, Walt also had a number of copies made and gave them to key animators at The Studio.





Naturally, it wouldn't be a true train exhibit without a model train running overhead:



On a similar topic, David Leaphart has recently published 2 books about the aforementioned Fort Wilderness Railroad. Although it no longer exists in Orlando, these fascinating books cover the complete history of this beloved Railroad.





Exhaustively researched and filled with rare photos, these books are a must-have for any Disney Railroad enthusiast.



One thing I learned from this book was that the trashcans shown in this Disneyland Indian Village photo were "recycled" and shipped off to Orlando for the Fort Wilderness Campground after the Indian Village closed down in Anaheim.



The first edition of these books is no longer available; the second edition is planned for release in a couple of months. You can email David for up-to-date information at: dleaphart@steelwheelonsteelrail.com

Don't want to wait? Leave a comment on today's blog, mention the Fort Wilderness Railroad books, and you'll automatically be entered to win a set. Leave your comment before noon (Pacific Standard time), Monday 12/12 and you'll be entered into the random drawing. Your name will be announced on today's blog post. What a deal!

See more vintage & current Disney Gallery in Town Square photos on my Disney Gallery web page.

Opening Day at Disneyland, July 17, 1955

These 2 kids, Michael Schwartner and Christine Vess Watkins, seem to have no idea how cool it was to be the first children through the turnstiles on opening day...and to be greeted by none other than Walt himself! Note the Smoke Tree Ranch tie that he is wearing.

In shot #2 you have a birds-eye view of the opening ceremonies held in Town Square. I have also included a closeup of the area where Walt and the others were standing.





This photo gives you a much better look at Walt & Co.; Mrs. Goodwin J. Knight and her husband, the Governor of California, are on the left. I am sure somebody out there can identify the guy standing next to Walt.



My previously posted color shot of the ceremonies and a closeup of Walt (blocked by a lamppost) and others:





Walt, sans tie, is giving his famous opening day speech:



See more Disneyland Opening Day photos at my website.