Main Street U.S.A.
When entering Disneyland, guests must journey past the ticket booths, through the turnstiles, and under the railroad tracks, before stepping into the Victorian past and onto Main Street U.S.A. This first themed area visitors encounter when visiting the park was inspired by Walt Disney’s boyhood town of Marceline, Missouri, and it seeks to transport guests back to Victorian-era small town America. Brimming with nostalgia, Main Street U.S.A. captures the charm of the Victorian zeitgeist, with an optimistic energy and image of a simpler way of life in a close-knit community, and it has featured at most of Disney’s other ‘Disneyland’-style parks worldwide.
Fond Memories of the Past?
The Main Streets of Victorian Reality
In his dedication of Disneyland, Walt Disney told the world that 'here age relives fond memories of the past', as older guests could stroll down Main Street U.S.A. and nostalgically recall their youth. However, just how historically accurate is this Disney version? What were the real American Main Streets like? Is Main Street U.S.A. simply 'poor history'? Read on to find out...
Heartline of America:
The Rise, Fall, and Revival of the American Main Street
At the turn of the century, Main Street was seemingly part of small town America's DNA. This all changed in the post-war years as traditional Main Street communities declined. Nevertheless, since the 1980s the American Main Street has been making a comeback, with national revitalisation programs and commercial ventures bringing Main Street back to the mainstream.
