Disneyland August 1958, Pt. 1

This glorious image from August 1958 shows the colorful attraction posters and Mickey Mouse entrance floral just as the E. P. Ripley is pulling into the Disneyland Main Street Train Station.



In Town Square, Vesey Walker is conducting the Disneyland Band as guests relax on the surrounding benches. Below, White Wing Trinidad Ruiz pushes his cart down Main Street, collecting the horse puckey from the Horse Drawn Streetcars.



Last image for today is a shot of the Monsanto House of the Future, perched atop its concrete foundation off Central Plaza.



I’m glad plastic homes never caught on, aren’t you?
 
See more Disneyland photos from my collection at my main website.

Duped at Disneyland

I was excited to receive this first image when I purchased it; granted, it looked a little dark, but I figured I could bring out some detail. Unfortunately, the seller (who took his sweet time in shipping it), also chose to use the word "original” when he listed the slide instead of marking it a “duplicate,” which the slide holder clearly states. It’s still a cool shot of Trinidad pushing his cart down Main Street towards Central Plaza. Note the Ruggles China and Glass Shop on the far right.

What’s that little tent in the alleyway next to the Red Wagon Inn? Not knowing the date of this dupe, it’s hard to say exactly. It could be the Disney Artists Exhibit, which was basically a sale of old Disney animation cels...



Or it could be the promotional area for Edison Square, which never came to fruition.



Today, it’s where you go for First Aid.



See more Disneyland Central Plaza photos at my main website.

Trinidad's Hat

The White Wings was Disneyland’s name for the cast members who wheeled around the Sanitation Department (SD to keep it clean!) carts and swept up the poo from the horses on Main Street. One of the best known White Wings was Trinidad Ruiz, who had a distinctive large mustache. How many Sanitation workers do YOU photograph when you got to the Park today? I rest my case. This guy must have been pretty nice. In this 1957 black and white image, he is not wearing the usual white pith helmet that he sported. I wonder what happened?



This October 1956 Town Square image shows you what I'm talking about.



He looks like he’s ready for a break.



Another 1956 shot of Trinidad, back in Central Plaza.



Just a reminder....“S.D.” does not stand for San Diego.



See more Disneyland Central Plaza photos at my main website.

TPE: Central Plaza

Welcome to Central Plaza, aka "The Hub," because it was designed to be the heart of Disneyland...the central place that guests could meet and enter each of the different lands. "Let's meet at the hub..."

All of the vintage vehicles meet here after taking guests from Town Square. In this particular 1956 photo, you can see where the Matterhorn would eventually be built. I can understand why Walt would want these covered up!



During my vintage visit, there's so much I'd want to do here. First I'd need to get off the Horse-Drawn Streetcar...



Or maybe I would have chosen the Omnibus...I do love that double-decker view down Main Street!





I have to zoom in on this one; the House of the Future, the Hall of Chemistry, signage...oh my!



I would need a snack, so I'd grab a delicious bag of hot freshly popped popcorn:





watch the organ grinder and monkey in action:





I'd want to catch a concert at the original bandstand (before it got moved to Adventureland and then off-premises):



I'd want to make sure I got to see Trinidad Ruiz, the famous White Wing who helped keep the Park spotless.



Central Plaza also seemed to be the place the guests would most likely get to see The Keystone Kops play their vintage melodies. On the right is Bernie Flymen; he played sax & clarinet at Disneyland from 1955–1960 and in Desi Arnaz’s “I Love Lucy” band. Funny how this guest appears to be completely oblivious to them.





I would also want to be in Central Plaza in 1962 when the movie "Forty Pounds of Trouble" was being filmed with Tony Curtis.



More action for the Keystone Kops.



I'd have to make sure I visited during Easter so I could see the La Coquette balloon:



What a cool site from Central Plaza; I wonder if guests were allowed to ride in it?



I'd also want to witness the pageantry often seen in Central Plaza, like the parade that heralded the opening of the Alice in Wonderland dark ride:



And I'd want to see all of the hullabaloo that accompanied the June 14, 1959 unveiling of the Matterhorn, Submarines, Motor Boat Cruise, and the Monorail. Wow...what a year!





Vice President Richard Nixon was on hand with his family:





Disney and Nixon were long-time friends who were a mutual admiration society:



Our Horse-Drawn Streetcar may be heading back to Town Square, but we have new adventures to tackle on Friday! Come back for more!



See more vintage & current Disneyland Central Plaza photos on my Central Plaza web page.

Scholarly Saturdays: Encyclopaedia Britannica & Main Street Pt. 5

Yup, still on Main Street! Shot #1 is from the Swift Market House at the Corner of Main Street and East Center Street. Rumor has it that this will eventually be a Starbucks!

In image #2, the boys are just chewing the fat around the pot-bellied stove inside the market. We have Black Bart, Sheriff Lucky, a Keystone Kop, and I believe Trinidad, one of the White Wings.



It’s pretty obvious that Susie and Bobby have no interest in the Timex store, but the photographer told them to stand in the window and stare.



Susie has even less interest in these little ceramic figures. Check out that sneer! Sure would love to know about what happened to Susie and whether or not her face froze like that!



Time for lunch! Looks like the kids got to have a meal at the Red Wagon Inn, another Swift Enterprise.



A little cut-out character fun in Central Plaza and the kids seem much happier! The lunch at The Red Wagon Inn was probably a factor in those smiles, too.



And so dear readers, I leave you with a view of East Center Street. Only one more installment to go for the Main Street film strip (hang in there William!).



See more Encyclopaedia Britannica photos at my website.

March 1956: Movin’ Up Main Street

Finally: the horses have gotten some energy and they are now pulling us up Main Street. In shot one, 2 Horse-Drawn Streetcars pass each other, right outside of GallenKamp’s Blue Bird Shoes for Children Shop. Looks mighty tight, but the Chemical Wagon is trying to squeeze by on the right. Shot #2 is a nice side view of the Bob Gurr Carnation Truck on Center Street:



Just to be fair, our photographer caught the other side of Center Street, and boy does that popcorn look tasty! Gibson Greeting Cards is the shop behind the cart.



A little further up the street brings us to Central Plaza, where we get our first good opportunity to photograph Sleeping Beauty’s Castle; looks like a White Wing on the left near this particular popcorn cart.



Our photographer seems to be tailing the Chemical Wagon as it makes its rounds of Central Plaza; in the detail shot, you can see that the bandstand in the background has yet to move to Magnolia Park in Adventureland.





Final one for today is still in Central Plaza; the Horse-Drawn Streetcar is resting, and a glimpse of Tomorrowland is visible in the background, with The Monsanto Hall of Chemistry on the right.



Many more to come from this March 1956 extravaganza! See more vintage Disneyland Main Street images on my main website.

Follow Daveland on X/Twitter and Instagram.