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Walt Disney’s Boyhood Missouri Home Town Hosting ‘Toonfest’
WALT DISNEY’S BOYHOOD HOME IN MARCELINE, MO.
BY MARK FETTERS
Families planning a weekend trip in September might do well to circle Marceline, Missouri on their maps. Marceline is the boyhood home of Walt Disney and will be holding the 10th annual Toonfest on Sept. 20. This year’s event features fun for the whole family, including a parade, games, food, special activities and a host of internationally acclaimed cartoonists.
The Disney family arrived in Marceline in 1906 aboard a Santa Fe train. At the time young Walt was only five years old but he maintained a fascination with trains ever since. It is fitting that the present-day train depot, built in 1913, has been renovated and is now home to The Walt Disney Hometown Museum. On display are numerous exhibits, with hundreds of personal belongings, letters, artifacts and memorabilia that proudly tell the Disney story.
Although the farmhouse where the Disney family lived for five years remains a private residence, the town of Marceline rebuilt the Disney barn in honor of Walt’s 100th birthday in 2001. Walt Disney often referred to this barn as his “Happy Place.” Since then thousands of visitors from around the world have left signatures, comments, and accounts of special memories on the barn walls.
Disney also spent many of his childhood hours playing beneath a magnificent cottonwood tree he called his “Dreaming Tree.” The tree was struck by lightning several years ago, but is still standing as a monument to the spirit of creativity and imagination. In 1956 Disney returned to Marceline when the town decided to name its new pool and recreation center in his honor.
Later that same year, Walt and Roy Disney also journeyed to Marceline for the world premier of their film The Great Locomotive Chase. Walt Disney personally greeted children at the door of the Uptown Theater with his warm smile and delightful personality.
When Walt stepped onto the stage he told the audience, “My best memories are the years I spent in Marceline. You children are lucky to live here.” The Uptown Theater still shows first-run movies and also serves as a bed and breakfast. It is the ideal place for an overnight stay when visiting Marceline.
Walt Disney would make one more famous trip to Marceline in 1960 for the dedication of Walt Disney Elementary School. He reportedly cancelled an overseas trip to attend and showed his appreciation by cheerfully donating playground equipment and sending a leading animator from the Disney Studio to decorate the school with Disney characters. The artwork is currently on display in the lobby and gymnasium.
Although Walt Disney died just six years later, in 1966, his memory and spirit live on in the charming town of Marceline. A walk along the original Main Street USA allows visitors to witness a glimpse of the inspiration embedded in the fabric of the Disney movies, cartoons, and theme parks.
Marceline is located in north-central Missouri just a few miles south of US Highway 36. To find out more about the 2008 Toonfest visit www.ToonFest.net. Sept. 20 just might be the perfect time to share in “the magic.”
