Visiting The Walt Disney Hometown Museum Was A Enjoyable Time

The Sonic BOOMER

There are many individuals, particularly in Florida, who think about themselves to be bona fide Disneyphiles. They journey to the theme parks recurrently, accumulate all method of Disneyana and are digital encyclopedias of data with regards to Disney motion pictures, cartoons and merchandise.

To these folks, I say hie thee to Marceline, Missouri. (Yes, “hie.” I mentioned it.)

Marceline is referenced in lots of Disney biographies because the place the place a younger Walt Disney was happiest. He lived on a farm simply outdoors of city from ages 5 to 9. And he himself mentioned, “More things of importance happened to me in Marceline than have happened since — or are likely to in the future. I’m glad I’m a small-town boy, and I’m glad Marceline was my town.” He additionally credit Marceline with offering the fodder for what Main Street USA seems like.

So, I figured I’d higher see it.

The city itself is disappointing. Like many small cities, it has fallen on onerous instances. Then I discovered the Walt Disney Hometown Museum. What a treasure trove of surprising stuff! Housed within the massive, brick practice station (model new when the Disney household first stepped off the practice there), there may be room after room of Marceline-related memorabilia.

There are images and signed correspondence from when Walt and Roy Disney got here out from California to dedicate the Walt Disney Elementary School and the Walt Disney Municipal Park and Swimming Pool, each funded by residents of Marceline.

There is slightly “drivable” automotive from the unique Autopia at Disneyland. When the California journey was up to date, Disney gave the previous journey to Marceline for set up in Walt Disney Park, one thing he’d by no means completed earlier than or since. Needless to say, youngsters rode that factor into the bottom and now, solely one of many authentic vehicles is left.

There is a recording Walt made on an LP file, utilizing Disney know-how, of his mother and father on their fiftieth anniversary. I by no means thought I’d hear their voices! The museum additionally chronicles the lives of Walt and Roy’s different two brothers, Herbert and Raymond, and their sister, Ruth. Ruth loved trend. Herbert was a postal provider. And Raymond? He was an insurance coverage salesman who supplied insurance coverage for Disney enterprises. As if that fee weren’t sufficient, he would roam the halls inferring that Disney staff should purchase insurance coverage from him or their jobs possibly/may/simply might be in jeopardy. He was ultimately banned from the grounds.

But my favourite story got here from a filmed interview with a Marceline resident who mentioned she had the one home with air con on the time Walt was coming to city for a dedication. There was no lodge, so the town requested if she could be OK with Walt staying at her house. She mentioned no (!!) as a result of she and her husband had over-extended themselves on the constructing of the house, so it contained solely their previous, hand-me-down furnishings. A council member mentioned, “Well, I just got new furniture — I’ll loan it to you!” And there’s a giant image of 1 resident transferring her stuff into the opposite resident’s home!

So, Disneyphiles, I don’t suppose you may say you’ve “seen it all” till you’ve been to Marceline. Postcards: one greenback.