Monday, October 04, 2010

Main Street & Fantasyland 1956

Here are two tasty, early photos!


A small gathering of guests is charmed by the sight of a real brass band gathered around the Town Square flagpole. This might be the flag-lowering ceremony, but it's so gloomy that it's hard to tell if evening approaches. I can't recall if those great lamp posts are genuine antiques, or just convincing reproductions - but I really like them. The feel like the kind of fixture one might have seen at the 1893 Columbian Exposition (which was the first time some people had ever seen electric lights). I think Walt's father Elias was a construction worker for that fair, btw.


Even that glowering sky can't keep Casey Jr. down! He still thinks he can. I've always loved the look of this colorful little locomotive. Train enthusiasts love to be as accurate as possible with their miniature layouts, but it might be fun to go in a completely fanciful direction instead. Yes, I could definitely see myself piloting one of these around my acreage!


8 comments:

Chiana_Chat said...

Main Street is lookin' rather authentic here. There's a temporary booth on the right. A hat stand? It looks almost exactly like the Fantasyland ones we've seen recently, but with some more Main St. trim accents looks like. Red Sweater Boy on the left is watching the band, because he is thinking since he is also wearing a bright red top he could be one of them.

Casey Jr on your acreage? I think you can!

Connie Moreno said...

I'm not sure about those lamp posts but I do know that the flag pole base is a genuine antique. I remember back in the late 70s the Disneyland guidebook had a little blurb about it getting knocked down by a vehicle in some small town and Walt's scouts scooped it up for the Park.

Vintage Disneyland Tickets said...

I'm always charmed by the band, its mesmerizing!

I've heard those gas lampposts are indeed genuine antiques and that Walt bought them by the pound/ton for next to nothing - seems believable...

Casey Jr. actually picks up a decent speed after the "I Think I can hill" kind of surprising - and fun!

Andrew said...

The house Elias Disney built in Chicago in 1893 during the Columbian Exposition is still for sale. It is going cheap at $195k. Needs some TLC.

How about one of your fine readers buy it and open it up as a museum!

Here is the current real estate link:

http://www.urbanrealestate.com/property/2156-N-Tripp-CHICAGO-IL-60639-HQTKDHYTITI4O.html

Rich T. said...

I've never seen another recreation of a cartoon character as perfect and charming as the Casey Jr. engine. I hope the ride never leaves Disneyland; It's one of the park's true treasures.

And I totally agree: If I had an estate and a backyard railroad, I'd go all whimsical with it.

Nancy said...

nice pics today, even with the gloomy skys. they cant keep a Disneyland fan down!

JG said...

My dream job would be to be an engineer for Casey Jones. I could spend all day looking at Storybook Land. Am I a sap? I hope so.

JG

Major Pepperidge said...

I don't think that wanting to be the engineer for Casey Jr. makes you a sap!