[Pictures] Disneyland Hotel: Very Rare, Very Early Photos

[oldhotelguy]

While conducting research recently, I found the following photographs which are no doubt personal photographs and show the Wrather family (Chris, Jack III, undientified lady) at the Disneyland Hotel during construction and very early on (my guess 1955 or 1956). These are very unique and rare photographs and I hope to find more of them.

Photo below shows construction on the restaurant/administrative wing of the Hotel which would have been late 1955 to early 1956. The station wagon that Chris and Jackie are standing next do is the same one that is on the Disneyland Hotel postcard which I will add at the bottom of this thread.

Photo shows Jackie Wrather and the power lines at the south end of the Hotel property
Photo shows Chris and Linda Wrather with unidentified lady at the original structures at the Disneyland Hotel. This five building complex housed the very first guests at the Original Disneyland Hotel and were built in 1955.I just noticed I had the original photograph that was used for this postcard however this one is black & white.

[SparkChaser]

Re: Disneyland Hotel: Very Rare, Very Early Photos

That is amazing!!!! Nice research, how on Earth did ya find those pictures?



See ya walkin' right down the middle of o'l Main Street USA

[oldhotelguy]

Re: Disneyland Hotel: Very Rare, Very Early Photos

That is amazing!!!! Nice research, how on Earth did ya find those pictures?



See ya walkin' right down the middle of o'l Main Street USA

I had access to quite a few more boxes of material courtesy of Chris Wrather. I made about 400 new scans of old material. I have so much material now, it is getting difficult to maintain.

[oldhotelguy]

Re: Disneyland Hotel: Very Rare, Very Early Photos

Another picture from my recent find. Jack Wrather standing next to a map of the Disneyland Hotel. There was a picture of Jack with each of his business holdings featured in the background.

[oldhotelguy]

Re: Disneyland Hotel: Very Rare, Very Early Photos

[oldhotelguy]

Re: Disneyland Hotel: Very Rare, Very Early Photos

Most of the latest scans are from the 1970's & 1980's which I was really lacking a lot of information on. That's all changed now!

[JulieMouse]

Re: Disneyland Hotel: Very Rare, Very Early Photos

Nice finds, thank you for sharing!!

[swampymarsh]

Re: Disneyland Hotel: Very Rare, Very Early Photos

Most of the latest scans are from the 1970's & 1980's which I was really lacking a lot of information on. That's all changed now!

When you start posting them, it will be interesting to see vistas I once saw.

[jasmineray]

Re: Disneyland Hotel: Very Rare, Very Early Photos

Amazing pictures, thank you for posting them!

[themur]

Re: Disneyland Hotel: Very Rare, Very Early Photos

Thanks again for sharing your finds.

[penguinsoda]

Re: Disneyland Hotel: Very Rare, Very Early Photos

Love it! I love seeing a visual history of the resort!

[Mr Wiggins]

Re: Disneyland Hotel: Very Rare, Very Early Photos

Don, your finds are increasingly amazing. I can't wait to see what else you post! :thumbup:

[whitestrat]

Re: Disneyland Hotel: Very Rare, Very Early Photos

Don, your finds are increasingly amazing. I can't wait to see what else you post! :thumbup:

I agree with this!

I've never come across any photos from that early on. It's amazing to see those small, two level "Motel" type buildings.

Another thing I love in those old photos is, anytime there is a picture of someone standing in the parking areas or grounds of the hotel, if you can see over their shoulder, its just a vast expanse of nothing in every direction. Its rather amazing when you compare it to more recent photos of the area.

It also gives me the sense of it being really hot for some reason.

[calsig31]

Re: Disneyland Hotel: Very Rare, Very Early Photos

Great photos, as always. Thanks for sharing.

[oldhotelguy]

Re: Disneyland Hotel: Very Rare, Very Early Photos

I am hoping to go back through the box that had these photos and find more. I found them late in my visit and did not have as much time as I would have liked. These could quite possibly be from 1955 which would be very rare indeed. More likely from 1956 though. I am going to compare construction progress to other construction photos I have to better date these. 1955 would have to be October through December (Hotel opened on Oct. 5, 1955) and not likely Jackie would be wearing shorts in those months but you never know.

[Mr Wiggins]

Re: Disneyland Hotel: Very Rare, Very Early Photos

I am hoping to go back through the box that had these photos and find more. I found them late in my visit and did not have as much time as I would have liked. These could quite possibly be from 1955 which would be very rare indeed. More likely from 1956 though. I am going to compare construction progress to other construction photos I have to better date these. 1955 would have to be October through December (Hotel opened on Oct. 5, 1955) and not likely Jackie would be wearing shorts in those months but you never know.

Shorts were a possibility -- highs in Los Angeles the last week of September and first week of October 1955 ranged from 70 to 83. Ditto the first week of November 1955.

[oldhotelguy]

Re: Disneyland Hotel: Very Rare, Very Early Photos

OK, just did some detective work and snooping through other pictures.

The Hotel is open for business with guest cars parked in parking stalls so definitely after October 5, 1955.

Chris and Jackie are wearing the exact same clothing so most likely, photographs were taken on the same day/high probability.

First photograph taken near where the Monorail station would be added in 1961 at the site of the original lobby/administartion building.

Upstairs had not been extended over to the cinder block base (near Jackie's head and rear of car in photo) and wood framing still exposed. Wood framing in other photos I have was covered by facia or other features by January, 1956.

Based on the state of construction in the very first photograph in this post and having compared this to other construction photographs in various stages of completion.....I would say these photographs are from December of 1955.

In all, I am guessing I have over 7000 photographs in my collection from the history of the Disneyland Hotel. In all those photographs, less than 10 show construction or first five guest rooms open from 1955 and now I have found another three. This is a pretty significant find.

[oldhotelguy]

Re: Disneyland Hotel: Very Rare, Very Early Photos

Also just found an entry in Jack Wrather's 1955 day timer dated December 15th, "visited Disneyland Hotel."

[oldhotelguy]

Re: Disneyland Hotel: Very Rare, Very Early Photos

Also an entry from February 1956 that says "visited Disneyland Hotel with kids" so now, I don't know what to think.

[swampymarsh]

Re: Disneyland Hotel: Very Rare, Very Early Photos

In all, I am guessing I have over 7000 photographs in my collection from the history of the Disneyland Hotel. In all those photographs, less than 10 show construction or first five guest rooms open from 1955 and now I have found another three. This is a pretty significant find.

How do you organize your photo collection? By date or digitally with multiple tags of location, subject.....?