Westward Ho 7 Seas Motel

A short walk across the street from the Little Boy Blue, we now find ourself at this identity-challenged, seemingly budget-minded motel. I guess the name would appeal to those with a nautical leaning while drawing in the Old West type at the same time.

Either way, it looks like the same anti-swimming vibe is present. Glassy smooth pool surface, adults fully dressed and little children packed away somewhere. The pool doesn't close until midnight so perhaps they'll be diving in when they get back from the park. Let's hope they took the free shuttle; it would be quite a walk from here.

The WH7S Motel was located at 415 West Katella Avenue, in between the Rip Van Winkle and Samoa motels. Every room featured a complimentary Philco COLOR TV and direct dial telephones.

About thirty years later, I visited the now Super 8 Motel to see what had changed. I'm happy to report that time has been kind to the grounds and pool area. In fact, it looks like this picture could have been taken the morning after the original.

The Little Boy Blue Motel --- Anaheim, CA

Here's the Little Boy Blue Motel located at 416 West Katella Avenue, near Disneyland. Among the many amenities available at this modern motel were:

Orthopedic Mattresses
Tubs and Showers in Each Room
Electric Air Conditioning
Heated Pool

Once you've had a chance to enjoy these modern features, It was comforting to know that the LBB was "Around the corner from Disneyland and Melodyland." and "Close to Knott's Berry Farm, (Movieland) Wax Museum, new Angel Stadium and beach areas."

In this postcard it looks like two middle aged couples are enjoying the pool area, but apparently forgot to pack their swimsuits. One might ask: Where are the kids and why isn't anyone in the pool?

Fast-forward 40 years. Once again, No child is present on this Summer afternoon. The colorful waterslides have been removed, and it seems like the adults have checked-out as well. Maybe they spent the day at Knott's Berry Farm?

The Little Boy Blue is one of the few Disneyland-area motels to retain both it's original name and layout. It still shares a pool with the adjacent Riviera (formerly Pyramid) Motel, and the funky diamond-shaped entrance archway continues to stand watch...

Travelers Inn Restaurant

Located on the old alignment of Highway 99 (Union Avenue) six miles South of Bakersfield, The Travelers Inn Restaurant was a welcome rest stop for those who were "on the road" in the 50's.

The Coffee Shop was open 24 hours a day and the dining room was REFRIGERATED. For those who were thirtsy, Cocktails were available from 9 A.M. to 2 A.M.

Les & Helen Rose were the hosts and if you wanted to know what the special was before you made the trip, you could dial FAirview 4-2786.


Many hot and dusty days have passed since Les & Helen held court at the Travelers. As the local demographic has changed, so has the focus of many an old eatery along this forgotten stretch of road. Now known as La Villa, the former coffee shop serves up tasty tacos, tortas and burritos. Carne Asada and Al Pastor are the forvorite fillings and an ice-cold Jarritos Pina or Corona Light goes a long way to slake the local thirst.

The building itself appears to be in original, albeit well-worn condition. Even the cement road surface hasn't been paved since the fifties as the same cracks appear in each picture. As is common for August, the late afternoon temperature hovered around 104.

Fly Casting Pool - La Palma Park Anaheim

Anaheim's other large public space is La Palma Park. Back in 1957, this fly-casting pool gave the locals a place to practice their casting without having to leave town. Not sure how many people used this pond for that purpose but sometime between then and now another use was found for this space; a use that speaks more to the Southern California lifestyle...


That more appropriate use was (of course): PARKING!

Here's the fly-casting pool in June, 2007, sporting a glassy-smooth blacktop surface. Probably not the best spot to practice your casting anymore. Some of the parks' current residents were nearby, wandering what was so interesting about this spot that I needed to take a picture...

Anaheim City Park / Pearson Park

Here's a 1957 postcard featuring the Water Lily Pond in Anaheim City Park. The young lady admiring the lilies is now over fifty years old. She must look quite different today. How about the pond itself?

Here we are in June, 2007. The City Park is now Pearson Park having had it's name changed by city resolution in April, 1960. Other than the name, things are much the same around the old pond. Even the river rock shoreline remains as it was; many of the individual rocks can be identified between the shots.

Stay tuned...We'll visit the former Fly Casting Pool at Anaheim's La Palma Park next time here on WalterWorld.

World Famous Tagus Ranch

The Tagus Ranch is located 4 miles North of Tulare on Highway 99 in the heart of California's great Central Valley. This dusty locale once featured banquet rooms, a coffee shop, cocktail lounge, gift shop and a deluxe motor hotel. Later on in life it was the home of a live music theater where country and western acts would put on a show for the locals. But that was another time and place...


Today, the Tagus lies abandoned, a state it's been in for over 15 years. For sale banners have come and gone and the gradual deterioration has escalated in recent years. The adjacent motel is hanging on by a thread...a home to long term occupants and those with little means.