Here's a souvenir LP from a long-lost attraction in California called Welch's Mountain Fantasy. There's not a whole lot of info floating around out there on the internet about it, but it appears to have been a sort of time capsule located in the California mountains. Best date I could find for the theme park/ghost town attraction was post-1979, but it certainly feels a bit older. The music here is nothing special, just a collection of music boxes playing some of the usual Christmas tunes. But the idea of a release from a short-lived attraction on the other side of the country is pretty appealing to me. If that sort of thing appeal to you as well, download it and give it a listen. If anyone can fill in the details of this place, please do. No artist is listed, as is typical of these music box releases, so I think I listed Welch's as the artist. There's a good chance this is a reissue of a music box collection recorded and released elsewhere, but maybe they really did record their own collection for this release. This is
Welch's Mountain Fantasy Presents The Christmas Music Box (Custom Fidelity for Welch's Mountain Fantasy CFS-3031, Stereo).
1. Jingle Bells
2. White Christmas
3. Silent Night, Holy Night
4. Oh Come All Ye Faithful
5. Hark, The Herald Angels Sing
6. The Monastery Bells
7. Skater's Waltz
8. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
9. Song From "The Tyrolean"
10. Silver Bell Song
11. Wiener Blut
12. Ave Maria (Prayer)
13. The Holy City Song
14. On Sonetissima (Christmas Song)
MEGA
This is exactly the sort of thing that appeals to me!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know anything about it until after I bought it. You never know until you do a little research.
DeleteHi Ernie,
ReplyDeleteWell if you say 1979, I would have been 3+ years old. I loved cowboys, indians, and the old west. I still do, currently I am listening to the Lone Ranger OTR as I organize. That being said, I have never heard of this place and my parents never offered to take me there, even though I "love " ghost towns too. A mystery indeed.
I don't think it was around for long, and it certainly didn't leave much of a trail. There aren't a lot of mentions of it out there in the internet.
Deletewell, well, well...
DeleteI checked various things myself, but...
I also checked Ghost Towns of California and nothing. I am just wondering if it was a shop near a Ghost Town and the ower was hoping a tourist would stop by to see artifacts and the like. Maybe he sold this album as a souvenir. If you ever drive out in those lonely areas you see buildings of one type or another abandoned for one reason or another on lonely or not so lonely roads.
I think I remember seeing another LP besides this one that they released. Don't remember what it was though. Wish this one were songs instead of the music box stuff, I've got more than enough of that.
DeleteAt first I thought it had something to do with Welchs grape juice and jelly brand. Then I thought it might have to do with Welchs and Son music boxes.
ReplyDeleteThen I downloaded this share and read the information. Talk about a boring place to go to, for any age.
I can understand about music boxes. While I have those that you have shared, and a few others, they are okay in small doses, at least for me that is. That was my least favorite attraction in Disneyland California to visit. I cannot remember if Disneyland Florida had them. I was there several times too.
I don't remember any music boxes at Magic Kingdom in Disney World, Florida. But it's changed a lot over the years as things came and went. There was never a record store or women's lingerie store in Florida, but I believe Main Street in Disneyland had those originally as well. :)
DeleteWell this was finally in my pile of MP3 goodies yesterady, and the last one to listen too. It was well worth it. These are my favorite music box songs to listen too playing them from a disc. At least this sound that way to me. These just have a warmth to them, compared to standard modern day versions.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed it. These music box records all sound alike to me.
DeleteWell, in Disneyland California, if my memory serves me, they were located on Mainstreet. They also had a small cinema showing flickers I guess they are called, silent films, of course with Mickey Mouse and Steamboat Willy.
ReplyDeleteThe other place my father took me was this neat boardwalk and arcade that had them. I cannot remember if you put a nickel or a dime in them to play the tune. I just remember they were noisy and fun to watch in small doses.
Only been to Disneyland once, and that was more than 60 years after opening day. I'm sure they had lots of old-timey stuff on Main Street that's not longer around.
Deletewell, i was there a couple of times between 1985-1990. So, that would be I guess 30-35 years old for them. So, things change, for better or worst.
ReplyDeleteI hear the prices are just outrageous now for both California and Floridas parks. I only went to the Paris one once in the late 1990s. Their prices do not seem as high, but?
I worked at Magic Kingdom here in Florida for a couple of summers and holidays, so I've been there a hundred times or more, but not in quite a few years now. It always brings back good memories, even outside of the fact that it's the happiest place on Earth. And it's those high prices that have kept me from going back in a long time. It always was expensive, but it's just gotten to the point of being ridiculous.
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