Welcome to Frontierland! I love the rustic entrance. Walking over the "bridge," you have time to transition (mentally) from Main Street to the wild untamed area that is supposed to be a tribute to the pioneers of the past.

Today, I might reterm the theming as "refined" rustic! Here's a shot from 2008:



The Davy Crockett Frontier Arcade was originally designated to be a museum that housed the miniatures that Walt had created when his original concept of Disneyland consisted of a number of dioramas that guests would put quarters in to view.



The same building is now home to the Pioneer Mercantile, where you can load up on Disney merchandise:



It may not be fancy, but I like the Pepsi banner proclaiming the name of the popular show playing inside the saloon:



Poor Slue Foot Sue; nothing but a distant memory at the Horseshoe of today:



Things look slow over at the Frontier Stage Depot; these cast members look positively bored stiff!



On another note, Imagineer Collin Campbell recently passed away. Moe Collins (former Disney cast member & Daveland reader) remembers:

He was a quiet, unassuming and versatile talent who never complained about anything and always loved talking about anything to do with Disneyland and WDW in particular. Whenever I escorted dignitaries through WDI (called WED back then), they were invariably mesmerized by his work. Great freehand artist, and even could build models.

Inside Club 33 is a harpsichord that features a beautiful tableau hand-painted by Campbell:



Follow my Daveland updates on Twitter. See more vintage & current Disneyland Main Street U.S.A. photos at my regular website.

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When I hear about layering and Disneyland, my mind typically goes to Tomorrowland, where at one time the Skyway, Monorail, and Submarines were all traveling at the same time, with the motion of the Autopia, Motorboats, & Matterhorn within spitting distance (literally!). That’s a lot of action! In this vintage undated photo, we see a lot of layering going on in Frontierland: The Mine Train attraction, a Stagecoach, and way up yonder are some guests riding the Pack Mules. In addition, this area also saw the Conestoga Wagons meandering through its barren pathways.

If you look closely towards the top of the photos, you can see a little detail of a miniature pueblo community on top of the rocks:



Kinda' like Storybook Land, only western-style!

See more vintage & current Frontierland photos at my regular website.

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Last Saturday, I gave you a plethora of Twain shots; today, we begin with a few that show what Bobby & Susie saw on their trip around the Rivers of America. First image is the original Fort Wilderness, before it became re-fangled as a Home Depot "special."

There seem to be fewer Indian figures at the Indian Settlement during these early years at the park:



Rare shots of the short-lived Stagecoach & Conestoga Wagons in action. It’s probably hard for the youth of today to imagine, but back in the 1950’s, thoughts of exploring "the old West" were a dream come true...sort of the equivalent of the excitement kids today have about sitting on their asses and playing video games.





Now we’ll add a little speed to the mix by boarding the Mine Train—what a journey this will be!



I hope Susie is hiding her little red purse while they journey through "the badlands"!









And we’ll end today with another shot of the Coach & Wagon. Wow! I’m exhausted!



See more Frontierland photos at my website.

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Looks like Dorothy has just joined the group, with today’s Frontierland August 1956 entry. Black Bart is welcoming the gals who are just tickled pink to be photographed with this scalawag! Hard to imagine this smiling romeo in a daily shootout with the sherriff, isn’t it? I have included a close-up of the signage touting all of the wonderful Frontierland attractions that guests could enjoy.



Yesterday, we learned that the Golden Girls loved fast vehicles; once they got a glimpse of the Mark Twain from the E.P. Ripley, they had to see it up close to find out if it was the right mode of transportation for them.



The up close and personal view:



Although the Keel Boat was considered, I can’t imagine these gals spinning around the Rivers of America in such a tiny and cramped vehicle. Surely they picked the Twain, so as not to muss their outfits.



The Stagecoach has just pulled into town, with Rainbow Ridge in the background.



Last photo for today features the rarely seen Conestoga Wagon. With the wide open and undeveloped spaces of 1956, this area truly looks like a Frontierland.



See more vintage & current Disneyland photos at my regular website. “Sleeping Beauty,” the Platinum Edition, is about to hit the streets. The section of extras on the Disneyland Sleeping Beauty Castle Diorama is not to miss. Pick it up on Blu-ray at Amazon.com as well as regular DVD at Amazon.com.

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