Our first stop on our long drive from Kansas to New Jersey was in a small town called Marceline in Missouri. Why Marceline? Well, it is the town where Walt Disney grew up and the town on which he based Main Street USA in Disneyland!
In the town, there is a park called E.P. Ripley Park. It was donated to the town by the Santa Fe railroad. Disney played there as a child and named the first steam engine at Disneyland the E.P. Ripley. This train is on display at the park.
I took a picture of the post office to share with the Postal Project account on Instagram! I did not know that in 2003, the building was renamed the Walt Disney Post Office Building, making it the only federal building named for Walt Disney!
The original Main Street USA!
We took our dinner break at the park and stretched our legs!
Although there is a Disney museum in town, we were not there during it’s open hours. However, we were able to check out the Dreaming Tree and Walt’s Barn.
“Although Walt’s original Dreaming Tree fell in 2015, you can still sense the energy that emanates from it’s location. Under it’s once majestic braces, Walt and Ruth Disney would observe the local nature that surrounded them. It was a magical location where Walt first learned to draw, write and dream. In 2004 Walt’s grandson planted a sapling no more than 30 feet from the original cottonwood. ‘Son of Dreaming Tree’ came from a seed harvested from the original tree, and that direct ancestor still grows proudly on the Disney Farm.”
“The barn in Marceline was the setting for Walt’s first venture as a showman. He dressed some of his pets and farm animals in costumes and announced the ‘Disney Circus’ to neighborhood kids charging 10 cents for admission. His audience left unimpressed and Walt’s mother made him refund the admission fees. Walt learned a valuable lesson: ‘Give the audience more than they expect and they’ll be happy customers.’ Walt’s barn came home again in 2001 during a 3 day old-fashioned barn raising. Guests from all over the world have left their message to Walt on the interior walls of the barn.”
The walls were covered with drawings and signatures and there were markers available, so of course we took our part in signing the walls!
Simon took a long time writing and when he finished he told me that instead of his name, he wrote “I’m sorry that my dad farted.” He was rather proud of himself!
And then we were on our way!
