Vintage Disneyland Postcards: Main Street U.S.A.

, 9 Comments on Vintage Disneyland Postcards: Main Street U.S.A.

Over the years I have shared selections from my vintage postcard collection, from Palm Springs to Portland, but I have never shared any of my vintage Disneyland ones! Today that changes! This is the first in what will be a series of five posts, each themed to one of the lands of Disneyland. Today we begin with Main Street USA, “Here is America in 1890-1910, at the crossroads of an era. Here the gas lamp is giving way to the electric lamp; and the newcomer, the sputtering horseless carriage, has challenged Old Dobbin to the streetcar right-of-way” as Walt puts it in one of his “pictorial souvenir” booklets. I’ve also included a few general Disneyland ones and any that pertain to the Disneyland Railroad.

An arial view of Disneyland, with Sleeping Beauty's Castle in the middle, and each of the lands radiating out from the middle. "Fabulous Disneyland" is written across the bottom.

Another 4 image postcard, featuring Sleeping Beauty's Castle, the Mark Twain Riverboat, the dock of the Jungle Cruise, and a look at Main Street's City Hall.

A look at the Main Street Train Station, with "Greetings from Disneyland" across it. A floral version of Mickey greets guests.

The Main Street Train Station with its clock tower.

One of the Disneyland trains as it departs the Main Street station.

Long neck dinosaurs are part of the what Guests see as they go back in time to the Primeval World as part of their train journey along the Disneyland Railroad.

One of the Disneyland trains rounding a corner.

A look down Main Street, with colorful buildings reflecting the late 1890s and early 100s, fanciful Victorian buildings, a horse-drawn streetcar boards Guests.

A red horseless carriage in front of the Opera House.

Disneyland's City Hall, which features a tower in the middle, and is made up of brick.

Two Victorian looking ladies ride in a horseless carriage in front of City Hall.

Disneyland's Omnibus, green with red wheels, takes Guests up and down Main Street.

A yellow horseless carriage for Guests to ride in up and down Main Street.

A vendor along Main Street sells popcorn to a trio of little girls all dressed alike.

A look at one of Main Street's corners, which features a Wurlitzer shop.

The Horse-Drawn Streetcar goes down Main Street. Pastel Victorian buildings stand tall in the background.

Down of Main Street's allies which is full of flowers.

A unique location along Main Street USA was that of the Upjohn Pharmacy, which showcased what a pharmacy would have looked like at the turn-of-the-century, and they even offered free samples of vitamins.

The Upjohn Pharmacy that used to be along Main Street. A blue and white building with a large stained glass mortar and pestle lamp.

Inside the pharmacy, with a potbelly stove and warm wood walls and old bottles lining the walls.

Inside the pharmacy, warm with light colored wood and cold bottles along the back.

The Upjohn Pharmacy was there on opening day in 1955 and lasted until September 1970. Today the location is the Fortuosity Shop.

Mickey Mouse leads the Disneyland Band down Main Street.

The Casey Jr. float from the Main Street Electrical Parade.

A unique item I have is a large folding postcard set that feature panorama views of various locations in Disneyland, and I quite enjoy this one of Disneyland.

Large panoramic of Disneyland's Main Street, sweeping from the train station on the left, followed by City Hall, then the Emporium, and the Wurlitzer shop on the left.

When it comes to the holidays, Main Street USA certainly gives you that old-timey Christmas vibe. These three postcards are the only vintage ones I have run across featuring any part of the park decorated for Christmas.

Another look at one of Disneyland's tall Christmas trees.

Christmas parade at Disneyland, with toy soldiers marching down Main Street.

Disneyland's tall Christmas tree.

Disneyland used to have a real tree each year, but with growing fire and safety concerns they switched to an artificial tree in 2008.

And here is a little bonus…a look at Disneyland’s lost land, Holidayland!

Holidayland - Disneyland's lost land. Another 4 image postcard, featuring the entrance to Holidayland of a ride and white stripe tent, the activity tent, which is another large red and white stripe tent, the picnic area with yellow and white umbrellas, and the children's play area.

From 1957 to 1961 Disneyland offered Holidayland as a picnic and recreation area, featuring tables, baseball diamond, horseshoe toss, and more. It could also be rented out for special events, two of which were Dairy Day, featuring live cows and dairy farmers, along with a beauty contest, and took place August 22, 1959, and Car Club Day, which was booked by the Road Lords Car Club, but co-sponsored by a police advisory council to add a level of civility and credence, due to car clubs’ reputation for unruly teenagers, and took place September 5, 1959. The area closed due to several reasons, but ultimately to make way for what is now New Orleans Square. You can read more about Holidayland from the Disney History Institute here.

I hope you enjoyed this vintage look back at Main Street USA! Next time we’ll venture into the wilds of Adventureland!

Other Vintage Disneyland Postcard Posts
Adventureland
Frontierland
New Orleans Square
Tomorrowland
Fantasyland

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9 comments on “Vintage Disneyland Postcards: Main Street U.S.A.”

  1. This was a fascinating look. I can’t wait for Frontierland and Adventureland. You might be able to guess some of my favorites based on that!
    I also wanted to say that you’ve really upped your blogging. Lots of posts on lots of different, interesting topics. I don’t often…maybe ever!…comment here (but do occasionally on IG), but I wanted to acknowledge the new changes & let you know that I really love them. I bet lots of others do too.
    P.s. This is based on your last post but I want to send a pic of the amazing gold mining jewelry set I found a couple of years ago. Your the only person I can think of who would get its awesomeness!!!

    Reply

    • Thank you so much for your kind words! This revamp was a long time coming, and I really wanted to shift the focus away from vintage fashion for a variety of reasons, and it is so nice knowing the shift is welcome and appreciated!!

      Reply

  2. Ok, I didn’t think there was anything new I could learn about Disneyland, but I had legit never heard of “Holidayland.”

    Thanks for sharing these!

    Reply

    • It was so shortly lived, and it is said to be the least photographed thing at Disneyland, so there is little evidence of it.

      You’re welcome! I hope you enjoy the rest! Stay tuned!

      Reply

  3. Great post! Especially liked the Upjohn Pharmacy and holiday parts! Wonder what they did with all the beautiful light fixtures, bottles, scales, signage, etc. from the pharmacy. Shame they didn’t leave it intact! Thanks again!

    Reply

  6. My parents are in one of your postcards. The red head and husband standing next to the yellow street car. They were on their honeymoon. We have this post card, they went back a few years later and saw the post card with them on it.

    Reply