From April 1956 its Popular Science. This issue has a focus on the “Home Show” with all kinds of ways to improve your home.
While there is no actual reference to Disneyland, I can bet you’ve figured out what the feature article is about…. Yup, homes for Tomorrow(land)!
This is an amazing five page article all about the “Plastic House of the Future”. The little plastic house was just a sparkle in Walt’s eye at this point, in fact, did Walt even know about it in April 1956?
The multiple configurations are really neat, I want a “Mansion” made of plastic! “The Plastic Mansion” the Disneyland attraction that never was….
How about some classic advertisements? Popular Science appears to have a few more color ads than Popular Mechanics. I guess Science is more profitable than Mechanics.
From Tokymagic: “I bet the Evinrude outboard motor is where Disney animators got the name for the dragonfly character in The Rescuers....the one that powers the leaf/boat for Bernard and Bianca. It couldn't just be coincidence could it?” Brilliant observation!
Formica, the 50’s wonder material! My Kitchen counter has red Formica under the 70’s tile, one day I need to get it outta there!
“J-Wax” sounds like a 50’s DJ! Safe for clear coats? I don’t think so…
Outdoor appliances include the “Blitz Burner” burns leaves, paper, garden waste and was and also available with a grill & charcoal set. Burn your trash and BBQ lunch at the same time!
Here are the first two pages of the article together so you can see the complete artwork. It really did turn out pretty much like the drawing.
And from the Fall of 1957, here’s the House of the Future at its permanent (for 10 years) home at Disneyland.
If you missed this issue of Vacationland from my October post, here it is again.
Disneyland Holiday Fall 1957 – 39mb
Thanks again to TokyoMagic for this great article!
4 comments:
Yeah, this is a great one! It would be fun to have one of these plastic houses (as a vacation house maybe!) on a hillside in some scenic area! When I win the lottery...
Thanks for sharing this article with us. I knew it existed, and I've seen a few random illustrations from it, but it's nice to see the whole article in one place.
It's a beautiful concept house, and maybe suitable for people who've curbed their acquisitive impulses, but for the average American family, with 30 tons of junk and a shoe collection worthy of Imelda Marcos, I think the parade passed by for this house in 1965.
I would happily give up most of my useless possessions for the chance to live in one of those babies. I want one so much. I wonder whether you could build one today? It would require a remarkable amount of insulation if you didn't live in just the right place. Maybe the exterior could be covered with solar panels?
But then it wouldn't be white. :(
On other business, I notice that for all the classic furniture of the era, Midcentury Man (and Woman) seems to have spent a lot of time sitting on the floor (judging from ads--which, of course, are 100 percent accurate).
--Indisibb
Thank. It makes me feel great when I read all these stories. It helps me from hopelessness and make me more stronger to fly… thank… for everything.
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