A Tree Grows in Adventureland

Thanks to the miracle of vintage slides, you can now see what the Treehouse in Adventureland looked like as Walt originally envisioned it, circa 1971 (aka pre-Tarzan).



Naturally I had to zoom into the signage.



UPDATE: For those having a difficult time reading the signage, here's a previously posted crystal-clear shot from 1965:



I used to love seeing all of the Rube Goldberg-esque gadgetry here.



A vertical view...



and more signage closeups.



Not sure where this 1971 image is from, but it shows the attraction poster. The shadow shows an awning, which makes me thing of the Jungle Cruise.



More Swiss Family Robinson treehouse at Disneyland photos at my main website.

POTC circa September 1969

Thanks to the recent acquisition of a batch of September 1969 Disneyland images, I can compare and contrast two scenes from the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. First up is the Captain's Treasure in the grotto area. Surprisingly, it appears that the ceiling has not really changed at all over the years. Even many of the items surrounding the skeleton have stayed in place. Shocking!



The Wicked Wench scene shows a huge change in its main character.



We have gone from Blackbeard to Barbossa. Still, the ship itself is very much the same.



See more vintage (and current) photos from Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at my main website.

Back to Angels Flight, 1953

Another vintage shot of the Angel's Flight Railway, circa July 23, 1953. The photographer was Paul Kutta from West Chester, Pennsylvania (I love it when I have details about these vintage images!).

I believe Ferguson's Cafe is long gone, as is this type of traffic policeman. Check out the ballet-pose he is doing with his feet. Amazing!



More Angel's Flight Railway photos at my main website.

The Front and Back Side of Chicken

Before there was the Blue Bayou, Disneyland had an outdoor Plantation-style restaurant over in Frontierland on the banks of the Rivers of America. The design of the interior "faux" plantation house inside the Blue Bayou is very similar.



This back view of the restaurant shows that it had a completely different motif, rooted more in the adobe-style. Who knew that Disneyland had a restaurant with a split personality?



More Chicken Plantation at my main website.

Market House Interior, 1962

Another one that pretty much caused me to crap my pants when I saw it. You just don't see vintage interior shots of Disneyland, due to the inability of most cameras of the day to get a decent photo without using a flash. Anyone remember those annoying flash bulbs? I digress. Love the interior signage, but especially digging this young man in the hat. He is too cool for school.



A few years back the charming turn of the century interior made way for Starbucks. Gotta' have a good cup of Joe when you're taking the family to the Park.



More Market House photos at my main website.

Vintage TSI Map

Couldn't believe it when I saw this vintage image of a Tom Sawyer map. Hard to believe this beauty was created in an age without the aid of a computer.

This other previously unpublished shot is from 1956.



Zooming into the raft, we can see the cast members dressed as Mark Twain's famous character.



This black and white gem is also from 1956.



More TSI shots at my main website.

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Stuck in the Mud

I have run aground but will be back to regular posting on Monday. In the meantime, savor this vintage October 1958 shot of the Mark Twain in a very dry Rivers of America. Note the track of the Twain, which makes for a perfect journey every time.



More Mighty Mark Twain photos at my main website.

The Scarlet

In 2001, I took my first trip to San Francisco, staying at the Huntington Hotel in San Francisco. This historic gem of a boutique hotel was conveniently located in Nob Hill, just around the corner from The Fairmont. Please excuse the grainy shots from my point and shoot film camera. Yes...film.



Fifteen years later, I returned to the "scene of the crime." Now called The Scarlet, it is still a great place to rest one's weary head.



Same lobby chandelier, but the decor has definitely become a lot more vivid since my last visit.



The Spa area is breathtaking, with a balcony view of the city for hotel guests to enjoy.



Amazing I didn't get vertigo taking this shot.



The room was spacious and like the lobby, the decor was bright, yet uncluttered.



I was digging the bathroom.



The hotel restaurant is called The Big 4, which is a nod to Central Pacific’s “Big Four": C. P. Huntington, Charles Crocker, Mark Hopkins, and Leland Stanford.





The decor here includes a portrait of actor Walter Pidgeon. I'm not quite sure how he fits into the story, but the painting looks right at home.



Would I come back again? Take a look at the view from my room:



What do you think? See more Scarlet at my main website.

Museum of Neon Art, Pt. 2

Back at the Museum of Neon Art...here are some static (but just as cool!) examples of what you can feast your eyes upon here.



So much to see here...it was a little overwhelming, but I loved it.



I'd love to have this one for work.



Pontiac, 1940s, donated by David Bonnet Foundation.



Fox International Theater Marquee from Venice, California, 1953, designed by Carl G. Moeller, donated by Rafigh Pooya.



Academy Awards® Oscar®, April 3, 1978, created by ABC Studios. One of ten created for decor for the 50th Academy Awards ceremonies.



Holiday Bowl, 1958, designed by Armet and Davis, AIA, Architects, donated by The Coliseum Center, LLC, & Axiom Real Estate Investments, Inc. The bowling alley was demolished in 2003.





The Brown Derby, 1929. Donated by Universal Studios CityWalk. From the Vine Street location, The Derby was a "beacon for celebrities and gawkers and found its way into the stratosphere of Hollywood history before its lamented closure in 1985."



More MONA at my main website.

Museum of Neon Art, Pt. 1

On a recent trip to LA I had the pleasure of visiting the Museum of Neon Art, located in Glendale. Signage...neon...vintage stuff...I just had to go. This place may be small, but it sure packs a wallop. I had a great time.



Today's post shows a few of the more "active" signs, captured through the vibrant technology of animated giffery (please don't look that up).











More to come!

More MONA at my main website.