Mammoth Cave Brochure

I love caves, and have a large collection of cave brochures from across the country. I'd gladly use them in posts more often, but the previous times I've posted something cave related it's always one of my least popular pages.

Since there doesn't seem to be much interest in caves, I'm not going to bother posting every page from this Mammoth Cave National Park brochure...

That cover looks dated, like something from the 1950's, but it's not. Well I'm sure the brochure was originally designed in the late 50's, but this cover was still used into the 1980's.

Actually it's kinda cool I think, also they probably used this cover because of the classic thriller that was filmed at Mammoth Cave...

The movie Mammoth! (1956) was made by the same team that created Niagara (1953) three years earlier. It's a movie that's not very well known even by movie buffs. It's not too bad, and anything with Peter Lorre is always worth a look. Add it to your Netflix queue, and be sure to let me know how you liked it.

Strange Change Machine

So that was a fun summer... let's see if I can get this blog back on track now.

In the late 60's the mighty Mattel toy company introduced the "Strange Change Machine" which was a fun little toy that was basically an electric hot plate with a plastic dome on top. You could heat up special little plastic cubes which unfolded into monsters and dinosaurs.

Check out the awesome commercial...



Man, I love that narrator and groovy science fictiony music. Indulge me while we watch the "extended dance mix" of the same commercial (but unfortunately worse video quality)...



Anyway, there are a lot of sites out on the vast interweb if you wish to know more about this toy, but what those sites don't have are big clear scans of Strange Change Machine instructions...


... and on the flip-side of the instructions, a full-color "landscape map" of The Lost World.

I shall return... hopefully

For anyone who may be wondering what's going on, I haven't died (well, not yet). Life has been extra crazy for me lately (and not in a good kinda crazy), but I'll try to return to my semi-weekly posting schedule once things settle down.

Thanks.

What's the deal with the audio on the Studio Canal logo?

Is the sound designer a mad genius, or was this odd sound mix a "happy accident" as Bob Ross might have said?

Happy 4th from 1976

Here's the Sears summer catalog from our country's bicentennial year. How much patriotic red, white and blue type of stuff is in there? Not as much as you might think...

There's some red, white and blue polyester & cotton pants outfits.

The red, white and blue Chuck Taylor knockoff in the center of the page catches your eye, but it's those shoes on the bottom of the page that you need for the summer of '76...

It's 1776 Casual for Men and Big Boys.

If you quickly flipped by this page of "novelty print knit tops" you would have missed the biggest patriotic item in this catalog...

It's a George Washington tee shirt.

It's very possible this red, white and blue playground equipment was always manufactured in this color and has nothing to do with the bicentennial, but I'm gonna take what I can get. Also I'm wondering if those merry-go-rounds are still being sold. I never had one, but it seems like a product that could cause a great deal of injury.

More Rock City

Here's a retro brochure for Rock City. Above is either the front/back, or the back/front.



This page of the brochure touts the Rock City Restaurant - "The Restaurant Built Around a Rock." I'm not sure if this restaurant is still operating. If anyone reading this knows if this restaurant is still in business please leave a comment.

Above is the exact same brochure, but with a different type face for "Rock City." Nothing that interesting, just being a completest.

Your Guide Through Rock City

This is guide to Rock City from the 1970's, but the layout looks like it was designed in the 1950's. I assume they got a lot mileage out of this guide, and updated the individual pictures when necessary. For example the family in #5 "Goblins Underpass" is less modern looking than the happen'n 1970's ladies in #10 "See Seven States."

If you'd like to learn more about Rock City, Jill over at Jill's Quirky Landmarks has nice little writeup, and a wonderful a picture post of her 10 year wedding anniversary at Rock City. Wow Jill, I sure hope your husband appreciates a wife who's dream is trip to Rock City.

Anyway this guide was also a multitasker. After you were done using it you were urged to use it as a postcard to send to a friend.