Who Lives on Main Street, U.S.A.?

One of my favorite aspects of Disney theme park storytelling is "placemaking," the art of adding details that go beyond the literal story being told and create a sense that the place in which we find ourselves is real. These details often provide a history or reference elements that can't really be visited or experienced.

As far as the park goes, Main Street is simply a shopping and dining venue Guests pass through on their way in or out of the Magic Kingdom. In our story, though, Main Street is a vibrant community. Sure, there are restaurants and shops here, but it's also a town where people live. The brick facade pictured above includes apartment windows on the second and third stories over the shop. The door that you see doesn't open, but one can imagine it might lead to a stairwell up to the residential part of the building.

There are several doors like this, tucked into the facades along Main Street. None of them are functional, but details like door knockers and mailboxes help make them appear real, as if someone actually lives here. The one above, located next to the Toy Store, might lead up to Miss Joyce's place where she has a doll making business (look for the window ad, a tribute to Imagineer Joyce Carlson).

The green door below can be found adjacent to the Confectionery. Perhaps it's the home of candy maker Thomas McCrumb and his wife, Kitty.

The door by Le Chapeau may lead to the city apartment of cousins Nancy and Julia Carey, milliners and co-proprietresses of the hat shop downstairs.

Even if we can't actually visit any of these residences, imagining that they're there adds immeasurably to appearance and experience of Main Street, U.S.A.