Disneyland has now reached the ripe old age of 57. Frankly, in the great scheme of things, 57 isn't really
that old, and yet as the years go by, it gets increasingly harder to imagine what the rural town of Anaheim was like before Disney. When news first broke of a permanent "amusement park" coming to town - even one devised by the "Master Showman of the World"-- not
everybody living here was enthusiastic. Before Disneyland, amusement parks were widely regarded as dirty, rowdy places and some residents feared that the park could have a negative impact on day-to-day life.
Even as the finishing touches were being put in place and opening day drew near,
the
Anaheim Bulletin published the following editorial in one final effort to smooth out any
lingering concerns by extolling the economic benefits of having Disneyland for a neighbor.
