Thursday, November 22, 2007

Main Street, March 1958

Main Street, U.S.A. has seen its share of changes over the years, but they have mostly been subtle. Stores have come and gone, color schemes have evolved; but overall, this "land" looks very much like it did 50 years ago. And yet, this picture has a 50's feel...it must be the people in their vintage duds. And maybe those scraggly young trees!

I've always wondered why the Carnation building has that fenced in area on the roof. Is it purely decorative, or was that in place to prevent the occasional TV camera operator from plummeting to his death? That would be a primo place to sit and enjoy a parade!


Sorry for this slightly blurry image! As you can see, a hatless Vesey Walker is standing in front of the Gibson Greeting Cards shop in a candid moment, talking to a fellow in a kilt. (Insert man-in-kilt jokes here!). This picture was taken two months after the first one, and you can see a sign is now up for the Grand Canyon Diorama.

4 comments:

Matterhorn1959 said...

The slide of Vesey is real interesting. I would love to have listened in on that conversation....maybe they were planning a Scottish Celebration day?

Merlinsguy said...

Very nice shots. The Gibson Card shop is rarely seen full on, as well as the little peek down Center St.

Anonymous said...

The signage itself helps lend an air of the 50's too. Swift, Eastman Kodak and so forth. Plus look how uncrowded the park appears to be!

Anonymous said...

From Wikipedia:

A widow's walk (or roofwalk) is a railed rooftop platform, typically on a coastal house, originally designed to observe vessels at sea. The name comes from the wives of mariners who would watch for their spouses to return. In some instances, the ocean took the lives of the mariners, leaving the women as widows; who would often thereafter gaze out to sea wishing beyond hope that their loved ones would return home and hence the name widow's walk was born.