Greetings family, friends and Disney buddies! Today's little story is about the oldest attraction in Disneyland. You may be surprised!  

Disneyana Vignettes 

DISNEYLAND’S MINERAL HALL

Most seasoned Disneyland guests are aware that the oldest attraction in the park isn’t the Teacups, Casey Jr., or the Dumbo Flying Elephant ride but is the fifty to seventy million year old petrified tree displayed in Frontierland near the Mark Twain River Boat Landing. The popular  story behind the impressive artifact is that Walt purchased the five ton stump as an anniversary gift for his wife, however since it was “too large for the mantle” so she happily donated it to Disneyland where it’s been on display since 1957. Walt’s $1650 purchase of the five ton petrified redwood stump during a 1956 family vacation to Colorado’s Peak region was originally intended for a Natural History Exhibit called Mineral Hall that he envisioned for Frontierland. The giant stump finally arrived from the privately owned Pike Petrified Forest near Cripple Creek nearly a year later and was installed overlooking the Rivers of America on the occasion of Walt and Lillian’s 32nd Wedding Anniversary. Sensing a potentially big sale, a representative of Pike Petrified Forest contacted Walt a few months after the family visit  reporting that the entire property of petrified trees was for sale and would make a spectacular Disneyland attraction! Unfortunately Walt’s Natural History Exhibit was never fully realized, however guests disembarking from the Natures Wonderland Mine Train ride were encouraged to visit a more compact version of Mineral Hall in the little town of Rainbow Ridge where an automatic timer would dim the lights every few minutes revealing the colorful ultraviolet black light mineral and rock display. UV paints, dyes and black lights were for sale in the small shop along with kid sized mini rock and mineral collections. The popular Casa da Fritos began squeezing out the static rock exhibit and in 1962 Walt’s Mineral Hall was replaced by the enlarged Mexican restaurant, offices and storage space. After much legal wrangling in Colorado, Pike Petrified Forest and twelve other private property owners in the region were folded into Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. In Anaheim, Disneyland’s oldest attraction silently stands vigil over the Rivers of America while nostalgic park guests can spot the original Mineral Hall sign still visible near Big Thunder Mountain.   -Bill 

https://www.waltdisney.org/blog/walt-disneys-humor-petrified-anniversary

Mineral Hall