It's often stated that Main Street, U.S.A. is based on Walt Disney's boyhood home of Marceline, Missouri. While this may not be literally true (the street owes more of its design to the Fort Collins, Colorado home town of Imagineering art director Harper Goff), it is certainly true in spirit. In making Main Street the opening scene of the Disneyland show, Walt set out to create a warm welcome for his Guests. This romanticized vision of a midwestern small town at the turn of the last century produces a sense of nostalgia for days gone by and immediately sets visitors at ease.
For those more familiar with Main Street at the Walt Disney World Resort, you'll notice that Main Street at Disneyland is more "small town" compared to the Magic Kingdom's Victorian "big city."
The Hotel Marceline, a tribute to the town Walt Disney called home from 1906-1910, can be found along Center Street. Spend some time on this side path, halfway down Main Street, and you'll discover some fun audio details which help tell the story of the town and those who "live" here.
The Disneyland Main Street also comes with its own elements of nostalgia, having seen 54 years of park history come and go. Over the years, many different shops and exhibits have been featured here, some quite unusual by today's souvenir standards. There was the Wurlitzer shop on the corner of Town Square, where you could try out a piano or organ, then order one to be delivered to your home. Further along was the Upjohn Pharmacy, doling out free bottles of vitamins, and the Pen Shop, featuring a display of recreations of historic documents all written in... well, in pen.
Perhaps the most unusual Main Street store of them all was the one formerly located beyond the porch in the photo above. This location was once home to the Intimate Apparel shop, hosted by Hollywood-Maxwell Brassiere Company. Yes, Disneyland Guests could buy ladies' underwear right here on Main Street, as well as enjoy an exhibit of viewing boxes displaying a history of undergarments. The self-proclaimed "Wizard of Bras" didn't stay long. The shop closed in January 1956. Today, this space is home to the China Closet.
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