Reliving Fond Memories
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I show up to the park early. . It is a beautiful winter afternoon, the slanted sunlight creating long shadows along the painted sidewalks. I have an hour before I meet my friends for dinner. I head to my favorite spot to pass the time: The Frontierland Shootin’ Gallery.
Frontierland, these days seems a neglected “land�?. Especially with Big Thunder closed down. I always enjoyed the Fort Apache entrance, log cabin shops giving way to the Dodge City western town prosperity. In the 50’s, the Western and the independent, free-wheeling cowboy was very popular with audiences. Frontierland was also to be a showplace for Disney’s smash sensation, Davey Crocket. Nowadays, the place is a little lost. It could use another attraction.
As I walk past the Indian Teepees at the fort entrance, the full throated sound of the Mark Twain steamboat greets me. I remember the shop to the left used to be a leather works, personalizing leather belts and bracelets. I loved the smell of leather; it worked well with the rough exteriors of a frontier outpost. As a kid, I remember there was a place to buy hats, including civil war slouch caps, in the blue or gray. And, of course, the coonskin cap.
The shooting gallery isn’t too full with sharp shooters. It usually is one of the busiest places in Frontierland. I duck into the candy store next door and break up my 20$ bill. After getting some tokens I go to work.
For awhile, the fifth rifle from the right worked best for me. The sight was straight and easy to draw a bead on any target, even the one on the back wall, releasing the ghost rider in the sky. I take up the rifle, check the sight, and drop 2bits.
How fitting: The sound of gunfire in the town of Little Thunder. Once I hit a target, and the Mariachi Band that used to play in front of the old Casa Mexicana would strike up a stirring tune, as if celebrating my skill.
Forts and teepees really take me back to my childhood. It reminds me of the toy fort, made by Marx Toy Co. I used to spend hours playing with in my backyard. One of the joys of Disneyland as a pup was the entire place seemed like my toy sets made large, like I had become one of the plastic knights, or cowboys.
As a budding history buff, this place was magic. I had already a growing interest in ghost towns. Though Disneyland was the shiny, family safe version, I could still imagine the tumbleweeds and saloon signs swinging in the dusty winds. Even now, shooting vultures on the wing and setting loose the ghosts from boot hill I can access the little kid who waited breathlessly for Roy Rogers to come on weekday afternoons and enjoy a cactus cooler while Roy and trigger save the day. And sharpen up my shootin’ skills to boot.
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-- David Mink
Reliving Fond Memories is normally posted the third Wednesday of each month.
The opinions expressed by our David Mink, and all of our columnists, do not necessarily represent the feelings of LaughingPlace.com or any of its employees or advertisers. All speculation and rumors about the future plans of the Walt Disney Company are just that - speculation and rumors - and should be treated as such.
-- Posted January 21, 2004