Adventure Thru Inner Space at Disneyland

Disneyland's Adventure Thru Inner Space attraction opened in 1967, as a part of the park's "New Tomorrowland."  In this souvenir "Pana-Vue" slide, the ATIS signage is mostly blocked by the PeopleMover, but the Monsanto logo (the attraction's sponsor) can be seen on the right side of Tomorrowland's entrance.

Once inside the building, guests would see a giant microscope ("The Mighty Microscope"), with the attraction's vehicles, a.k.a. "Atomobiles," entering the microscope on the left side.  A glass tube was located on the right side, containing the moving vehicles and their riders in "miniaturized" form.  Those shadow boxes to the left of the elevated walkway contained previews of scenes inside the attraction.  This is another image from a set of souvenir slides that were sold at the park.

When I was in elementary school, a good friend of mine had two of these souvenir booklets, so he gave me one.  I don't remember seeing these at the park, so I don't know if they were sold or if they were given out free as an advertisement from Monsanto.  The front and back covers were actually postcards that could be torn off and mailed.

Front cover:

The back cover featured a depiction of the 1967 updated version of the "Clock of the World."  This was originally located at the exit to Adventure Thru Inner Space.  I wonder why they got rid of it?

The pages inside gave a synopsis of the attraction itself, along with some pretty cool artwork.

This drawing of the unloading and exit area, shows the Clock of the World on the back wall, and also the giant floor-to-ceiling oil lamp (far right).  Sadly, the oil lamp was turned off at some point in the early 1970s.

These last three pages are what make me wonder if this was a free handout from Monsanto.

The exit area to the attraction also included these Monsanto advertisements, which featured some limited animation.  These were similar to the Goodyear advertisements located next to the PeopleMover's entrance and exit Speedramps.

When the attraction opened in 1967, a souvenir record was included in the official Monsanto press kits.  The record contained the original theme song, "Miracles from Molecules," which used to play in both the queue and the exit/display area.

The song was written by the world-renowned Sherman Brothers!

I bought this ATIS Child/Junior ticket in a vintage clothing store, of all places!  It's dated 1968, but I'm not sure how long they continued to include these in ticket books.  I never saw them in any of the ticket books during my childhood visits.  I do remember the attraction being "free" and not requiring a ticket up until 1972.  That was the year that ATIS started requiring a "C" ticket.

Here's a "newer" ATIS souvenir item.  It's an enamel pin that came out in 1998, as part of a "Tomorrowland Attractions" series.  This was before the official "Disney Pin Trading" program began.

Unfortunately, with all of the photos that I have taken at Disneyland over the years, I never took a really good photo of the entrance to the attraction.  This was as close as I came.  (I took this one on July 17, 1981, Disneyland's 26th birthday.)

I've previously posted the following interior photos (taken in 1985), back in February of 2021.  To see that entire post, you can click here:  A Vintage Disneyland Trip Report from February 1985,:

This was my attempt to photograph the "wall of vibrating molecules."  Unfortunately, there was a mirror behind them, which reflected my camera's flash.  But we can see one of the many molecules from that scene, in the upper left corner of the photo.

The same thing happened when I tried to photograph the giant eyeball, which was "watching" guests pass by the microscope's eyepiece.  There was a plastic or glass panel in front of the eye, which reflected the flash and kept it from being captured on film.

This unloading area pic shows a pretty good view of the giant floor-to-ceiling oil lamp, but without the drops of oil running down it's strings.  Even after being permanently turned off, it remained in place until the attraction's 1985 closure.  And if you look at the back of that "Atomobile" on the far right, you can see a sticker......

 ......this sticker, which warned guests to "Please Remain Seated."  I remember a childhood friend's mom had a story about dropping her camera in this attraction, getting out of her vehicle to retrieve it, and then running back to catch up with the vehicle that her family was riding in.  Even at that young age, I knew that was not a very smart thing to do.  The vehicles traveled through most parts of the attraction, at an elevated level.  I remember being able to look down and see the floor along with an occasional "emergency exit" door, located at a level far below the track.  It was also very dark in the attraction, and there were no safety rails alongside the winding track.

The Disney Gallery in New Orleans Square used to have special themed exhibits.  In 1997, there was a "Tomorrowland" exhibit, which included this miniature Atomobile.  The miniature was just one of many that was visible to guests, while waiting in the attraction's queue.

The only other photo I took of that Tomorrowland exhibit was of this replica of the Tomorrowland "Spaceman" costume, from the 1950s.  I did videotape the entire exhibit, but I still need to digitize that footage.

Prior to that 1985 attempt that I made to photograph the giant "eyeball," I had made one earlier attempt.  I took this photo in the summer of 1978, but once again, my efforts were all in vain.  However, the reflection of the flash didn't block out quite as much of the eyeball!

Fortunately, one of View-Master's "Tomorrowland" sets included a view of the eyeball.

The caption for the image is, "Giant's Eye Studies Visitors."  The eyeball would actually shift slightly from left to right. I wish there was some footage of it available.

Adventure thru Inner space was one of my favorite Disneyland attractions.  I have very fond memories of going on it during every single childhood visit, beginning with when it was "free," and then continuing after it required a "C" ticket.  Even after all of the years that have passed since it's closure, I still miss this very unique attraction!

 

Independence Hall at Knott's Berry Farm (55th Anniversary!)

In the 1960s, Walter Knott fulfilled a longtime dream of his, by building his own recreation of Philadelphia's Independence Hall.

He built his full-scale replica across the street from the family's already famous Ghost Town, and Chicken Dinner Restaurant.

The area across Beach Blvd. was known at that time as, "Knott's Lagoon." The Lagoon area included rides such as a miniature steamboat and train, built and run by Knott's "concessionaire," Bud Hurlbut.  By this time, Mr. Hurlbut had already completed construction on his Calico Mine Ride, and would go on to build his Calico Log Ride, both within Walter Knott's Ghost Town. 

The official dedication and opening of Independence Hall, took place on July 4, 1966.  Walter Knott can be seen below, speaking at the dedication ceremony.

Here's a modern day (2017) view of Independence Hall.

Just inside the entrance is the "Tower Room," and this impressive replica of the Liberty Bell.

The bell was faithfully recreated (right down to it's "crack") by Bud Hurlbut, who presented it to Walter Knott as a gift.

Bud can be seen above, and below (far right), along with his father, Ray Hurlbut (far left), and Walter Knott (middle).

Here are some more views of the Tower Room:

Beyond the Tower Room, in the northeast corner of the building, is the Declaration Chamber.  This sign explains the chamber's historical importance.

The Declaration Chamber has been recreated with exacting detail.

Within the Declaration Chamber, guests can experience a "sight and sound" reenactment of the debates, which led to the creation of our nation's Declaration of Independence.

Just to the east of Independence Hall, is a small brick structure.  It was once connected via a covered walkway, to a larger building to the north.  These buildings used to be the starting point for the Independence Hall tours, and where a "pre-tour" film would be shown.  The names of the buildings have changed over the years.  The larger building, was called Heritage Hall in it's earlier days, and was later changed to "Colonial Library," before ultimately being torn down.

This smaller building was also labeled at times, as part of Heritage Hall, but was being called the "Conference Room" by the 1980s, and was the location of my "cash handling" training, as a Knott's new-hire.  We were told that it was also the room where the Knott Family held their "board meetings."

And just south of the "Conference Room" building, is a replica of John Chester French's statue, The Minute Man, recreated by famed Knott's artist, Claude Bell.  The inscription on it's base is the first stanza of Ralph Waldo Emerson's Concord Hymn, and reads:

"By the rude bridge that arched the flood.  Their flags to April's breeze unfurled.  Here once the embattled farmer stood and fired the shot heard round the world."

The statue used to stand at the corner of Beach Boulevard and Crescent Avenue, with Independence Hall centered behind it, in the distance.  The statue was moved to it's present location in 2000, when Knott's built it's Soak City waterpark, right smack in front of Independence Hall.

Now, let's take a look at some vintage Independence Hall "ephemera," starting with a couple of vintage postcards:

The same view today:

 The same view today:

An Independence Hall brochure dated 1969, but reissued multiple times after that date (note the park's Roaring 20s area, listed on the map):

 

 A Liberty Bell brochure:

Most of the brochure gives the history of the real Liberty Bell, in Philadelphia.  I had forgotten some of the history, about how the bell was completely melted down twice and recast, after it's initial cracking.  And also how it's second/final cracking occurred 83 years later!

Individual tickets were available for admission and a guided tour. This ticket stub is from the late seventies and is a personal souvenir, from the very first time I went inside Independence Hall.

 The reverse side:
 

 

This is an older ticket stub, for admission and the tour:

Attraction tickets at Knott's were given a "letter" grade/rating, just as Disneyland's tickets were. The Knott's system of rating was the opposite of Disney's, so an "A" Ticket (as seen below) was the equivalent of an "E" ticket at Disneyland. Tickets for the rides inside Knott's amusement area, could also be used for attractions located outside of the park. As stated at the bottom of this "A" ticket, it could also be used at Independence Hall or Henry's Auto Livery.

This ticket is from 1975. By this time, Independence Hall had been downgraded from an "A" to a "B" ticket.

The Knott's Adventurer's Club was similar to Disneyland's Magic Kingdom Club. Card holders were entitled to discounts on special tickets and ticket books.  Included in a special 1976 Knott's Adventurer's Club Ticket Book, was this extra "Bicentennial Bonus" ticket for Independence Hall.  (I should mention that today, admission to Independence Hall is free to everyone.)

These next items are souvenirs that were once available at Knott's.

An "antique-style" wash bowl and pitcher:

A souvenir silver spoon:

A "half cup," for only "half" a cup of coffee:

A 1976 bicentennial badge/pin (made of plastic):

Here are two newer souvenirs.  In honor of Knott's Berry Farm's 100th anniversary (2020), they have been releasing a series of 100 collector's pins (one per week).  Last July, an Independence Hall pin (#23 in the series) was released, along with a ceramic "Liberty Bell" coin bank:

This year, a Liberty Bell pin (#72 in the series) was released:

Here's a unique souvenir.  It's an actual Independence Hall costume, from the 1970s.  In 1985, the Knott's Wardrobe Department held a sale for employees only, in order to get rid of some of the older park costumes that were no longer in use.  If I am remembering correctly, these dresses were being sold for one dollar.

The matching hair accessory:

Below, are some examples of the 1970s Independence Hall costumes in use:

We will end this post with a couple of related items.

For the 1970 Tournament of Roses Parade, the official Knott's Berry Farm float featured Walter and Cordelia Knott, seated in front of a floral recreation of Independence Hall.

In 1983, the Knott Family converted the Knott's Lagoon area, along with Bud Hurlbut's Lagoon attractions, into a parking lot.  Independence Hall was left standing, along with it's Liberty Bell that Bud had created.  Soon after that, Bud moved his antique Dentzel carousel that had entertained guests for decades at the Lagoon, to Castle Park, his own amusement park in Riverside, California

And in 1987, when the Knott Family got rid of Bud's Tijuana Taxi ride (formerly named "Antique Auto Ride" and "Merry-Go-Round Auto Ride") in Fiesta Village, he moved it to his own park, as well.  Both former Knott's/Hurlbut attractions can still be enjoyed at Castle Park, today.  Additionally, guests to Castle Park will also find Bud's own personal copy of the Liberty Bell, out on display in the park.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Fourth of July!