TOWN SQUARE |
PHOTOGRAPHY | ART | EMAIL DAVE | HOME |
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MAIN STREET U.S.A. | ADVENTURELAND | FRONTIERLAND | NEW ORLEANS SQUARE | CRITTER COUNTRY | FANTASYLAND | TOONTOWN | TOMORROWLAND | DCA | WDW |
) (1955—Present) BACKSTORY: Town Square is the heart of Disneyland's Main Street U.S.A. Just like the turn of the century towns that it is based on, it serves as the meeting place and center of the area. Originally, the bandstand was to be here, but once in place, Walt saw that it blocked the view of the Castle and messed with the forced scale and perspective. What you will find in Town Square is The Train Station, The Opera House (home of Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln), City Hall, and The Fire Department. At one time, you could even bank in Town Square, thanks to the Bank of America. The Disney Gallery has replaced the bank, and the old vault now holds artistic collectibles that guests can blow their paychecks on.Every day, guests can catch the patriotic flag lowering ceremony that is held here. |
| BANK PHOTOS | CENTRAL PLAZA | CITY HALL | DISNEY GALLERY (TOWN SQUARE VERSION) FIRE DEPT./WALT’S APARTMENT | FLAG RAISING/LOWERING | OPERA HOUSE |
1955 |
THE LUCKIEST KIDS AT DISNEYLAND |
) ) From the publicity blurb that accompanied these photos:DISNEY-CONDUCTED PREVIEW OF DISNEYLAND, ANAHEIM, CAL. TWO OF THE LUCKIEST YOUNGSTERS IN THE U.S. OF A., SYBIL STANTON, NINE, AND BILLY KRAUCH, 12, ARE SHOWN IN THESE PHOTOS AS THEY WERE GIVEN A PREVIEW OF THAT FABULOUS WONDERLAND, BUILT BY THE MASTER OF FANTASY, WALT DISNEY AT A COST OF $17,000,000 NEAR ANEHIM. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THE CREATOR OF DISNEYLAND, WALT DISNEY HIMSELF, CONDUCTED THE TOUR. AT LEFT: DISNEY AND THE LUCKY BOY AND GIRL RIDE IN THE LOCOMOTIVE OF THE "DISNEYLAND RR." ) THE ENGINE IS AN AUTHENTIC SCALE REPLICA OF THE OLD-TIME PUFFING BILLY. IN CENTER: THEY TAKE A JAUNTED ON A HORSE-DRAWN STREETCAR THROUGH ONE OF THE MODEL STREETS OF THE WONDERLAND WITH DISNEY AT THE REINS. AND AT RIGHT: ANOTHER TYPE OF TRANSPORTATION - PACK MULES AND BURROS TAKE THE YOUNGSTERS AND THEIR FAMOUS GUIDE THROUGH A BIT OF DISNEYLAND. NOTE DISNEY'S FAVORITE CHARACTER, MICKEY MOUSE, ON THE STEED AT LEFT. DISNEYLAND WILL BE FORMALLY OPENED ON JULY 18.7.11.55 |
DAVY CROCKETT-MANIA! |
) ) The photo on the left shows a souvenir stand in Town Square, circa 1955. You can see the Davy Crockett official souvenir song book for sale. David from the excellent blog, Gorillas Don't Blog, sent me photos of the cover and back of an actual songbook.Be sure to check out David's blog for all kinds of excellent vintage Disneyland photos as well as a host of other cool and wacky stuff! Click on both photos to see larger sized-versions of each. |
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) ) CoxPilot & The Bekins Horse-Drawn Truck: The gate between the firehouse and Bekins ledto the alley behind the Main Street buildings and came out at the street next to Coke Corner and the arcade. The backstage photo is that alley. It also continued (in the early days) to Adventureland. The mule team pulling the wagon in the color photo was only around for a few seasons because they were too independent. |
1956 |
LIBERTY STREET |
) From the publicity booklet that heralded the never-built-Libery-Street:Few events on the contemporary American scene have stirred public interest and imagination as has the advent of Disneyland Park. Described by its creator, Walt Disney, as "a place for people to find happiness and knowledge," Disneyland's skillful blending of entertainment and education has resulted in a totally new concept of family recreation. Within fifteen months from opening, Disneyland has become an international institution, attracting more than five million guests from the United States and sixty-three foreigh countries. With public acceptance now an established fact, Walt Disney is directing his creative energies toward a new development for Disneyland — LIBERTY STREET. This brochure contains details on the concept of Liberty Street together with an outline of the way American business and industrycan identify themselves with this significant development. Operational data on Disneyland Park, from July 18, 1955, to October 1, 1956, is also included in the following pages. CONCEPT OF LIBERTY STREET Liberty Street is the result of a personal philosophy that Walt Disney has long shared with many other Americans. It has a belief that we, as Americans, often fail to comprehend the tremendous significance of our heritage, as related to our personal lives and the growth and prosperity of our country. In Liberty Street, Walt Disney intends to excitingly dramatize the events of the Revolutionary War period, and present them in such a way as to give us a better personal understanding and pride in our American way of life. In essence, LIBERTY STREET will tell the story of our American heritage and its relationship to Freedom of Enterprise. One of the enterprises which might be included in Liberty Street is the Glass Shop, which would be in actual operation. Visitors would actually see the making of glassware is it was accomplished in the formative years of American history. |
1957–1958 |
DISNEYLAND WELCOMES CA. STATE LEGISTLATORS, JULY 13, 1957 |
) BACKSTORY: This photo is from July 13, 1957. An account of the event from the following day’s Los Angeles Times:"Walt Disney welcomed members of the California Legislature and their families to Disneyland yesterday, first day's program in a four-day excursion of the lawmakers to Orange County."Disney stood on the steps of the old-fashioned City Hall as the legislative party marched into the town square behind the Disneyland band. He was presented with a framed joint resolution of both houses of the Legislature in appreciation for his creation of the recreation park at Anaheim."Sen. John McCarthy of San Rafael, representing the Legislature, made the presentation to Disney."Orange County's three legislators, Sen. John Murdy and Assemblyman Bruce Sumner and Richard Hanna, served as hosts for the 150-member delegation. "The legislative schedule also includes a trip to the Kaiser steel mill at Fontana today, joint Water Committee hearings in Newport Beach and agriculture sessiosn at State Polytechnic College tomorrow, a Santa Ana River watershed tour followed by a dinner in Fullerton tomorrow night at a Mexican national citrus workers' camp and deep-sea fishing." |
1959 |
1950’s |
1960—1965 |
1966–1969 |
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1970’s |
1980’s–1990’s |
) Dec. 1980 |
) Dec. 1980 |
) 1980 |
) Aug. 1986 |
) Oct. 1993 |
) May 1994 |
2000+ |
MAIN STREET | EAST MAIN STREET | WEST MAIN STREET | CENTRAL PLAZA |
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