MAIN STREET U.S.A. |
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| “For those of us who remember the carefree time it recreates, Main Street will bring back happy memories. For younger visitors, it is an adventure in turning back the calendar to the days of their grandfather’s youth.” Walt Disney (July 17, 1955–Present) BACKSTORY: Inspired by Walt’s hometown of Marceline, Missouri & “Lady and the Tramp,” Main Street, U.S.A. is designed to resemble the center of a turn-of-the-century American town. According to Harper Goff (who worked on Main Street with Walt), Walt liked the photos of Goff’s childhood home of Fort Collins, CO., and many of the features of the town were incorporated. Walt’s personal apartment is above the firehouse; fully furnished but off-limits to the public. A lamp is kept burning in the front window as a tribute to his memory. Guest Relations is next door in the City Hall building. The buildings along Main Street, U.S.A. use forced perspective to appear taller than they really are. The false second stories of all the buildings are slightly smaller than the first stories, a few feet short of full size, and the third stories are even smaller than the second. If the original Disneyland architects had made the buildings a full two stories high, they would have looked incongruously tall compared to the castle in view at the end of the street. The shops are planned to take advantage of the fact that people tend to walk on the right side of the street: along the right of the street (as guests enter the park) are shops selling cameras and film, hats, and other items more likely to be purchased by someone starting their day at the park; along the other side of the street are shops selling toys and souvenirs and other items more likely to be purchased before departing. The names painted in the windows are credits for some of the many people who contributed to the creation of Disneyland. Largely they appear as fictional businesses (gyms, realtors, dentists and the like), and they often refer to a hobby or interest that the person in question had.
Most photos available for purchase as enlargements. Email your request. Photos presented in the order you’d see them traveling South to North on Main Street. To view photos, allow popups in your web browser & click thumbnails below. |
Main Street U.S.A.: overall photos, 1950’s |
Main Street U.S.A.: overall photos, 1960’s |
Main Street U.S.A.: overall photos, 1970’s–Present |
) July 1970 |
) Nov. 1970 |
) Nov. 1970 |
) Date unknown |
) March 1975 |
) Nov. 1978 |
) 1979 |
) 1979 |
) 1980 |
) Nov.1980 |
) 1985 |
) August 1986 |
) 50th Anniversary Light Fixture, June 2005 |
) Feb. 2007 |
) June 2008 |
) April 2009 |
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East Main Street | West Main Street | Town Square | Central Plaza |
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