Yet the end of another Daveland series, with today’s entry located in Frontierland. The majestic Columbia is sitting at the dock, awaiting another journey around the Rivers of America. If I were a betting man (and for the most part I’m not), I would bet that this shot was taken from the tables in front of Don DeFore’s Silver Banjo BBQ Restaurant, looking out at the Bandstand on the Rivers of America. The Strawhatters are keeping the guests entertained in this shot.



If you were to sit in this area today, this is what you’d see:



Back to August 1958, we have a view of the Canoes, manned by real Native Americans (known as Indians back then). Note guests doing some actual fishing on the pier, before this activity was removed from the park.



Naturally, it wouldn’t be a Frontierland series without one of the Mark Twain:



Naturally, this shot arrived AFTER I did my post on the Petrified Tree. This one gives a view of the signage for the Frontier Gun Shop:



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



“Sleeping Beauty,” the Platinum Edition, is about to hit the streets, and boy is it a beauty (pun intended)! 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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One of the more oft-told stories about Walt & Lillian concerns the Petrified Tree sitting in Frontierland on the Banks of the Rivers of America. As the story goes, Walt & Lillian were near Colorado Springs in June 1956; Walt saw a sign that said "Petrified Trees for Sale” and promptly pulled over. Leaving Lillian in the car, he checked things out for himself. Photo #1 was supposedly taken of Walt surveying the petrified goodies; I have included a close-up of “Walt’s” face; you be the judge.



About an hour later, Walt returned to Lillian, who had been waiting in the car the whole time. Knowing that he was in deep, Walt quickly said, “Lilly, I just bought you a wonderful present—a petrified tree.” The 5-ton marvel was shipped to the Disney’s Holmby Hills home just in time for their July 13, 1956 anniversary. I could say that Lillian was enthusiastic, but you’d know I was being a smartass. Other than Walt, how many people would have been enthused about a 5-ton Petrified Tree?!? It sat in her garden until Lillian “graciously” donated it to Disneyland about a year later. More than likely, this is where Walt wanted it in the first place. Here are two previously posted photos from November 1960 showing the tree and its original descriptive signage:





Here are a few shots of the Petrified Tree as it looks today:









See more vintage & current Petrified Tree photos at my regular website. For all you Pirates of the Caribbean movie fanatics, you can order the complete trilogy on Blu-ray for under $60 at Amazon.com.

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