Marceline: Where Walt Found the Magic
Marceline is the hometown of Walt Disney, where he spent a great deal of his childhood years.
Main Street USA at the Disney theme parks are inspired by downtown Marceline. A walk down this original Main Street USA gives visitors the same feeling that Walt experienced as a boy.
The beauty of Marceline is further enhanced by its small town friendly and casual atmosphere. Located in North Central Missouri, we’re 3 miles south of US36 and halfway between St. Joseph and Hannibal.
Marceline was founded in 1888 by the Santa Fe Railway as a division point on its Kansas City-Chicago route. The name, Marceline, came at the request of a director of the new railway whose wife had the Spanish name of “Marcelina.” Marceline’s Santa Fe depot houses the Walt Disney Hometown Museum.
One Hundred Years of History
1901
December 5
1901
- December 5, 1901 – Walt Disney is born in Chicago.
- “Walt Disney remembered nothing of his early years in Chicago, but the memories of Marceline stayed with him throughout his lifetime.” – Bob Thomas
1906
April 5
1906
- Walt’s father, Elias Disney, moves his family to a farm in Marceline, Missouri.
- Elias purchases a farm from the estate of Civil War veteran William Crane.
- The Disney’s and their neighbors, the Taylors’, become close friends.
- Walt receives his first payment for a drawing from Doc Sherwood.
- Walt attends a presentation of Peter Pan, reprising the role at his elementary school with Roy manning a block and tackle so Walt could fly.
- Time spent with Uncle Mike Martin, Santa Fe engineer, fuels Walt’s lifelong interest in the railroad.
- Walt experiences the magic of many childhood firsts in Marceline.
1920
January 27
1920
- Walt makes his first animated film featuring barnyard animals he knew as a boy in Marceline.
- Traveling back and forth from LA to New York on the train Lillian Disney would say, “It got to be embarrassing, when the train would stop in Marceline Walt would go through the cars announcing, ‘That’s my hometown, that’s my hometown’”!
1938
September 2
1938
- Walt writes to The Marceline News, “To tell the truth, more things of importance happened to me in Marceline than have happened since – or are likely to in the future.”
1946
1948
November 29
1955
July 17
1956
July 4
1956
- Walt and Roy Disney return to Marceline to dedicate the Walt Disney Swimming Pool and Park.
- Walt and Roy hold the Midwest premiere of The Great Locomotive Chase at the Uptown Theatre. During remarks Walt tells the children of Marceline, “You are lucky to live in Marceline, my best memories are the years I spent here.”
- Walt conceived the idea of purchasing his boyhood home and farm to develop a rural experience around it.
- RETLAW begins purchasing land for the Marceline Project.
1960
October 3
1960
- Walt returns to Marceline to dedicate the Walt Disney Elementary School. At the dedication Walt states, “I’m not a funny guy, I’m just a farm boy from Marceline who hides behind a duck and a mouse.”
- Walt donates a flag pole from the Squaw Valley Olympics, and a Disney artist decorates the interior of the school with Disney murals.
1966
July 4
1966
- Walt and Roy relocate the Midget Autopia Ride from Disneyland to Marceline. The attraction is a one-of-a-kind gift that has never been repeated by the Disney Company.
- The Disney’s are scheduled to dedicate the ride in July. Walt cancels at the last minute for health reasons. He dies 3 months later and the Marceline Project comes to a halt.
1968
September 11
1980
January 1
1980’s
- Three Japanese Disney specials are filmed in Marceline.
1998
July 14
1998
- The Disney Company hosts the premiere of The Spirit of Mickey in Marceline. Mickey, Minnie and all their Disney character friends travel to Marceline for the event, attended by 18,000 excited Disney fans.
- Marceline announces they will honor Walt Disney in 2001 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his birth.
- Walt Disney’s Hometown Toonfest is held for the first time.
2000
July 7
2001
December 5
2001
- Marceline hosts Walt Disney’s 100th Birthday Party.
- BNSF Railway brings Disney family members, Missouri legislators, the Governor and his family, Mickey, Minnie and the Disneyland ambassador to Marceline on a 1950’s executive train. 13 members of the Disney family attend.
- Walt’s barn is rebuilt on the Disney Farm during a 3 day barn-raising.
- The Walt Disney Hometown Museum is dedicated.
2003
July 7
2003
- Son of Dreaming Tree sapling is planted on the Disney farm by Brad Lund, one of Walt’s grandsons, and three Walt Disney World Ambassadors with soil from the hub at the Magic Kingdom and water from the Rivers of America.
2004
August 23
2004
- Marceline’s Post Office building is renamed the Walt Disney US Post Office, the only federal building in the country named after Walt Disney.
- Marceline Heritage Program is presented to cultural representatives from Hong Kong.
2005
October 27
2008
November 14
2008
- Marceline Heritage Program is included in the Disney Company Leadership Conference.
2009
July 7
2009
- Marceline Heritage Program is given at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
2010
July 7
2011
August 12
2011
- The Walt Disney Hometown Museum and Walt’s Marceline Barn celebrate their 10th anniversary.
- Marceline attends D23! Yippee!
2015
2017
July 7
2018
2019
September 14
2019
- Return of the Midget Autopia Walking Trail in new EP Ripley Park extension.