Part-Time Paradise
Is it camping season yet?
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2019
A state that has a highway naming convention that confuses Alabama residents can still hang better WiFi in their State Parks for $30 a night than the Mouse can for $100+ a night
Announcing: The Midwest Meet in Marceline (MMM)
- Thread starter Teamubr
- Start date
bama_ed
It's kind of fun to do the impossible-Walt Disney
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2004
bama_ed
It's kind of fun to do the impossible-Walt Disney
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2004
Run your test tonight and/or tomorrow night at around 930pm and let's see that the results are.
Part-Time Paradise
Is it camping season yet?
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2019
Absolutely. This placed is booked tonight. Lots of lake folks. We're going to have competition for the rowdiest site at night it appears
tigger92662
They're more like guidelines than actual rules
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2015
We are set up. Nice campground, very hiily but spacious. Much like Lake Louisa state park, where you check in and drive darn near to the next town to your site LOL.
Oh, and some of the sites are submersible
Oh, and some of the sites are submersible
Part-Time Paradise
Is it camping season yet?
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2019
Warm day here, but in the shade there's a nice breeze and a little bunny trail down to @tigger92662's site.
Just waiting for @Teamubr to fill his site.
And @bama_ed to finish up with Samuel Clemens.
Just waiting for @Teamubr to fill his site.
And @bama_ed to finish up with Samuel Clemens.
bama_ed
It's kind of fun to do the impossible-Walt Disney
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2004
We made it into the hotel this afternoon and over to the state park to hang with the campers this evening and get caught up. It was great to see familiar faces and to meet Part Time Paradise in person. DW and I have our DD with us on the trip so she got to meet the folks here tonight.
It was nearly 2.5 hours of talk time until we left a little while ago. Plans are to meet up tomorrow morning and head over to Marceline which is about a 30 minute ride or less.
Today we did stop off in Hannibal to see the Mark Twain sites: interpretive center, his childhood home, his best buddy's home (recreation) who was the model for Huck Finn, his little first love's house across the street (who was the model for Becky Thatcher), his father's justice of the peace office, and the upstairs living quarters where the family lived for a time over the pharmacy just down the street from Becky's house.
The last place (one admission price for all) was an actual museum with some of his personal belongings (a writing desk/chair, top hat, white suit coat, Oxford robe he wore when he received an honorary doctorate and more). Two subjects were interesting to me: a copy of his steamboat pilot's license (1859) and a list of the boats he piloted on the river with dates (some he was on a week, others up to eight months):
(he was a riverboat pilot for only 2 years until the outbreak of the Civil War interrupted river traffic)
and several original Norman Rockwell paintings done for later publications of the Tom Sawyer book (example):
and Huck Finn book (example).
Here is a pic of his boyhood house I took.
(the stone wall behind the house was built in the 1930s to protect the house - already a historical landmark - from possible fires from the lumber yard located behind it back in the day)
Hope we see lots of Walt stuff tomorrow.
Bama Ed
It was nearly 2.5 hours of talk time until we left a little while ago. Plans are to meet up tomorrow morning and head over to Marceline which is about a 30 minute ride or less.
Today we did stop off in Hannibal to see the Mark Twain sites: interpretive center, his childhood home, his best buddy's home (recreation) who was the model for Huck Finn, his little first love's house across the street (who was the model for Becky Thatcher), his father's justice of the peace office, and the upstairs living quarters where the family lived for a time over the pharmacy just down the street from Becky's house.
The last place (one admission price for all) was an actual museum with some of his personal belongings (a writing desk/chair, top hat, white suit coat, Oxford robe he wore when he received an honorary doctorate and more). Two subjects were interesting to me: a copy of his steamboat pilot's license (1859) and a list of the boats he piloted on the river with dates (some he was on a week, others up to eight months):
(he was a riverboat pilot for only 2 years until the outbreak of the Civil War interrupted river traffic)
and several original Norman Rockwell paintings done for later publications of the Tom Sawyer book (example):
and Huck Finn book (example).
Here is a pic of his boyhood house I took.
(the stone wall behind the house was built in the 1930s to protect the house - already a historical landmark - from possible fires from the lumber yard located behind it back in the day)
Hope we see lots of Walt stuff tomorrow.
Bama Ed
tigger92662
They're more like guidelines than actual rules
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2015
Today was Marceline day. The Walt Disney Museum is in the renovated train depot in downtown.
There is so much to see here. Stuff from his childhood, his interest in trains, and how it all interconnects to the theme parks
There is so much to see here. Stuff from his childhood, his interest in trains, and how it all interconnects to the theme parks
Part-Time Paradise
Is it camping season yet?
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2019
Someone is waiting for you, Ed
bama_ed
It's kind of fun to do the impossible-Walt Disney
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2004
Bless her little heart ....
I've got some time now to make an update (or two) today. Bottom line is Marceline is Main Street USA and the Walt Disney Hometown Museum is so good it should be at the Disney Resorts around the world for more people to see the connections between Walt, Marceline, and the parks.
The best way to go through the day is chronologically I guess. Way more to share than in Hannibal (which I still enjoyed).
Teamubr led the caravan to Marceline this morning.
Marceline is only 2 miles off the highway and right at a 30 minute drive for us this morning.
The ad-hoc plan was to do the house, tree, and barn first then head to the museum after it opened at 10am (we were coming in at about 945am). However, the lead car blew past the house
and led us to the museum so we had a few minutes to kill. The museum is in the old Santa Fe Railroad Depot.
The E. P. Ripley Park is next to the museum and we headed over to the park when the train tracks on the other side of the depot were LIT UP by a train coming north:
and then followed immediately by one going south (parallel set of tracks).
I will say once that at least 10 trains went by in the two hours we were there.
Ripley was the President of the Santa Fe Railroad in the mid 1950s during the building of Disneyland and the dedication of the park (which was rr property) and an old steam locomotive that is still there. There is a steam loco at DL named for Ripley. It's a nice park with a fountain lake, two bandstands, trees and picnic tables, the steam loco, and its latest attraction.
Some nice lazy susan flowers in the park.
More later tonight. Have to get ready to head over to the campground to kibitz and check on Elsa.
Bama Ed
I've got some time now to make an update (or two) today. Bottom line is Marceline is Main Street USA and the Walt Disney Hometown Museum is so good it should be at the Disney Resorts around the world for more people to see the connections between Walt, Marceline, and the parks.
The best way to go through the day is chronologically I guess. Way more to share than in Hannibal (which I still enjoyed).
Teamubr led the caravan to Marceline this morning.
Marceline is only 2 miles off the highway and right at a 30 minute drive for us this morning.
The ad-hoc plan was to do the house, tree, and barn first then head to the museum after it opened at 10am (we were coming in at about 945am). However, the lead car blew past the house
and led us to the museum so we had a few minutes to kill. The museum is in the old Santa Fe Railroad Depot.The E. P. Ripley Park is next to the museum and we headed over to the park when the train tracks on the other side of the depot were LIT UP by a train coming north:
and then followed immediately by one going south (parallel set of tracks).
I will say once that at least 10 trains went by in the two hours we were there.
Ripley was the President of the Santa Fe Railroad in the mid 1950s during the building of Disneyland and the dedication of the park (which was rr property) and an old steam locomotive that is still there. There is a steam loco at DL named for Ripley. It's a nice park with a fountain lake, two bandstands, trees and picnic tables, the steam loco, and its latest attraction.
Some nice lazy susan flowers in the park.
More later tonight. Have to get ready to head over to the campground to kibitz and check on Elsa.
Bama Ed
Last edited:
bama_ed
It's kind of fun to do the impossible-Walt Disney
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2004
Back from kibitzing....
In the park is an old Santa Fe Consolidation locomotive, a 2-8-0 wheel arrangement. It's a smaller loco but diesels were starting to displace steam and the SFRR was sponsoring the DL train so it was a nice offer and Marceline got their loco.
And of course there was a caboose too.
Tickets for adults are $10 and they are a DEAL if you are a Disney fan.
The museum tells the story of the Disney family that moved there from Chicago when Walt was 4yo in 1906 and left for Kansas City in 1911. Those were Walt's formative years and Marceline was where he "grew up". I'm not going to reproduce the museum but mention a couple things.
He started 1st grade when he was 8yo (yes that's right) because his mom wanted him to start school when his younger sister did (Ruth). When he came back in 1956 as a successful movie and cartoon man with Roy and wives, his 1st grade desk was still in the school. With the WD initials that he had carved in the top. Twice. Now it's in the museum.
An engraved plate on the desk top reads, "School Desk Used by Walt Disney in 1908. First Grade Park School. Marceline Missouri".
That's ten linked photos so we have to roll to the next post.
Bama Ed
In the park is an old Santa Fe Consolidation locomotive, a 2-8-0 wheel arrangement. It's a smaller loco but diesels were starting to displace steam and the SFRR was sponsoring the DL train so it was a nice offer and Marceline got their loco.
And of course there was a caboose too.
Tickets for adults are $10 and they are a DEAL if you are a Disney fan.
The museum tells the story of the Disney family that moved there from Chicago when Walt was 4yo in 1906 and left for Kansas City in 1911. Those were Walt's formative years and Marceline was where he "grew up". I'm not going to reproduce the museum but mention a couple things.
He started 1st grade when he was 8yo (yes that's right) because his mom wanted him to start school when his younger sister did (Ruth). When he came back in 1956 as a successful movie and cartoon man with Roy and wives, his 1st grade desk was still in the school. With the WD initials that he had carved in the top. Twice. Now it's in the museum.
An engraved plate on the desk top reads, "School Desk Used by Walt Disney in 1908. First Grade Park School. Marceline Missouri".
That's ten linked photos so we have to roll to the next post.
Bama Ed
bama_ed
It's kind of fun to do the impossible-Walt Disney
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2004
Of course lots of train stuff in the museum (it is an old depot after all and Walt's uncle was an engineer on the railroad).
I thought it was funny one room had a Magic Band reader with a band there to use on it.
The light spun and the strum sound worked just like at the parks.
Great displays telling you about his family members with letters between them and artifacts. The tv in the picture below has a story.
Of course Walt invited his sister and family to Disneyland's opening day. But Ruth planned to stay home because she didn't like crowds. So Walt sent her money to buy a tv set to watch the opening day events which she did (it was 1955 and she didn't have a tv yet). Decades later Ruth is the primary person who donated much of the museum material. After she died, the museum director was talking to Ruth's son who now had that tv in his possession and passed it on to the museum. The opening day events with Art Linkletter now run on a loop on that tv.
Upstairs is a recreated classroom with original desks from the old Park School that Walt attended. You can draw your favorite Disney character on the chalk board so my DD gave it a try.
It's her hero from Country Bear Jamboree - Big Al. He sings the solo "There was" (blood on the saddle ....). Not a common choice I bet for many but that's my girl.
Also among the models of the Disneyland buildings made by a fan:
was the sign board above this one telling of Walt's unannounced visit to Marceline in 1946 with Lilly and a 16mm movie camera.
They had taken the train to Kansas City and then had a driver take them in secret to Marceline. He filmed the buildings on Kansas Avenue and scenes from his youth for the ideas that he was forming regarding an amusement park (remember this was 1946). From those filmed scenes there evolved many similarities with the buildings on Main Street in Disneyland.
We ate lunch at a little cafe across Kansas Avenue from Zurcher's Store building. The name is still over the door. The Coke mural, originally painted on the side of the building in back and sponsored by the furniture store next door while Walt lived there, has been recreated.
We've hit our 10 linked pic limit again so let's keep rolling.
Bama Ed
I thought it was funny one room had a Magic Band reader with a band there to use on it.
The light spun and the strum sound worked just like at the parks.
Great displays telling you about his family members with letters between them and artifacts. The tv in the picture below has a story.
Of course Walt invited his sister and family to Disneyland's opening day. But Ruth planned to stay home because she didn't like crowds. So Walt sent her money to buy a tv set to watch the opening day events which she did (it was 1955 and she didn't have a tv yet). Decades later Ruth is the primary person who donated much of the museum material. After she died, the museum director was talking to Ruth's son who now had that tv in his possession and passed it on to the museum. The opening day events with Art Linkletter now run on a loop on that tv.
Upstairs is a recreated classroom with original desks from the old Park School that Walt attended. You can draw your favorite Disney character on the chalk board so my DD gave it a try.
It's her hero from Country Bear Jamboree - Big Al. He sings the solo "There was" (blood on the saddle ....). Not a common choice I bet for many but that's my girl.
Also among the models of the Disneyland buildings made by a fan:
was the sign board above this one telling of Walt's unannounced visit to Marceline in 1946 with Lilly and a 16mm movie camera.
They had taken the train to Kansas City and then had a driver take them in secret to Marceline. He filmed the buildings on Kansas Avenue and scenes from his youth for the ideas that he was forming regarding an amusement park (remember this was 1946). From those filmed scenes there evolved many similarities with the buildings on Main Street in Disneyland.
We ate lunch at a little cafe across Kansas Avenue from Zurcher's Store building. The name is still over the door. The Coke mural, originally painted on the side of the building in back and sponsored by the furniture store next door while Walt lived there, has been recreated.
We've hit our 10 linked pic limit again so let's keep rolling.
Bama Ed
Last edited:
bama_ed
It's kind of fun to do the impossible-Walt Disney
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2004
Besides the ears on the street pole, notice the clock on Kansas Avenue in front of the Zurcher Store?
The next similarity between Kansas Avenue and Main Street:
Murray's Department Store was on the ground floor of the Allen Hotel, both of which were on the corner of the E. P. Ripley Park.
The upper floor of the pic above is the model for Hotel Marceline in DL.
I don't remember the Hotel Marceline at DL from my three trips there in the 90s so I had to look it up.
Next was the Opera House.
And finally the Main Street Theater.
Almost done with the Main Street angle.
Let's put a bow on Main Street in the next post then head out to the Disney farm house.
Bama Ed
PS - One funny story in the museum about Walt's oldest brother, Herbert.
He moved with the family to Marceline and his father Elias promised him a share of the profits from the apple orchard on the farm after the harvest came in. But the harvest wasn't a good one and Elias wanted to back off the deal so Herbert took the money he had and went to Southern California to find work. Decades later after Walt and Roy had established themselves as successful movie executives and they offered their brother Herbert a nice cushy studio job.
Herbert turned them down.
He was a postman at the time and all he wanted to do was to continue delivering the mail. That's what he enjoyed.
The next similarity between Kansas Avenue and Main Street:
Murray's Department Store was on the ground floor of the Allen Hotel, both of which were on the corner of the E. P. Ripley Park.
The upper floor of the pic above is the model for Hotel Marceline in DL.
I don't remember the Hotel Marceline at DL from my three trips there in the 90s so I had to look it up.
Next was the Opera House.
And finally the Main Street Theater.
Almost done with the Main Street angle.
Let's put a bow on Main Street in the next post then head out to the Disney farm house.
Bama Ed
PS - One funny story in the museum about Walt's oldest brother, Herbert.
He moved with the family to Marceline and his father Elias promised him a share of the profits from the apple orchard on the farm after the harvest came in. But the harvest wasn't a good one and Elias wanted to back off the deal so Herbert took the money he had and went to Southern California to find work. Decades later after Walt and Roy had established themselves as successful movie executives and they offered their brother Herbert a nice cushy studio job.
Herbert turned them down.
He was a postman at the time and all he wanted to do was to continue delivering the mail. That's what he enjoyed.
bama_ed
It's kind of fun to do the impossible-Walt Disney
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2004
Going slightly out of order but here is what Kansas Avenue looks like now from the corner of Ripley park looking south:
and north which faces the park:
After spending two hours at the museum, I mailed a few post cards home then we headed out to the Disney farm house (which is still privately owned). It's been added onto over the years but the owners are used to people taking pictures from the road (don't knock on the front door though).
The left side of the house in the pic above (with the two dormer windows) was the original portion that was the Disney Farm House.
The house is right on the edge of the town limits (still).
About 100 yards down the side road is some parking for the Dreaming Tree and Walt's Barn (visitors are permitted on that portion of the property).
Moving on.
Bama Ed
and north which faces the park:
After spending two hours at the museum, I mailed a few post cards home then we headed out to the Disney farm house (which is still privately owned). It's been added onto over the years but the owners are used to people taking pictures from the road (don't knock on the front door though).
The left side of the house in the pic above (with the two dormer windows) was the original portion that was the Disney Farm House.
The house is right on the edge of the town limits (still).
About 100 yards down the side road is some parking for the Dreaming Tree and Walt's Barn (visitors are permitted on that portion of the property).
Moving on.
Bama Ed
bama_ed
It's kind of fun to do the impossible-Walt Disney
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2004
Walt used to love laying beneath a large cottonwood tree on the farm near a creek that he called The Dreaming Tree. He and Roy would visit it on their return trips to Marceline.
In the museum there was a sign that said The Dreaming Tree was core sampled in 2002 and was estimated to be 100yo. So some of its seeds were used to plant a new sapling in 2004 called The Son of the Dreaming Tree about 30 feet away from the original tree.
The Son of the Dreaming Tree as it was today.
The original Dreaming Tree finally blew over in 2015. All that's left is a few scraps on the ground behind a small picket fence and a shallow depression where it once stood.
But I am somewhat familiar with cottonwood trees and this large piece of bark in the depression was too big to be from any of the trees around it. Could it be a remnant from The Dreaming Tree?
Walt's Barn just behind the Trees location is a recreation of the barn from his home in California where he ran his backyard railroad.
Here's the interior view.
There is only a little bit left but I will leave that for tomorrow. Need to turn in because we head home in the morning.
Bama Ed
In the museum there was a sign that said The Dreaming Tree was core sampled in 2002 and was estimated to be 100yo. So some of its seeds were used to plant a new sapling in 2004 called The Son of the Dreaming Tree about 30 feet away from the original tree.
The Son of the Dreaming Tree as it was today.
The original Dreaming Tree finally blew over in 2015. All that's left is a few scraps on the ground behind a small picket fence and a shallow depression where it once stood.
But I am somewhat familiar with cottonwood trees and this large piece of bark in the depression was too big to be from any of the trees around it. Could it be a remnant from The Dreaming Tree?
Walt's Barn just behind the Trees location is a recreation of the barn from his home in California where he ran his backyard railroad.
Here's the interior view.
There is only a little bit left but I will leave that for tomorrow. Need to turn in because we head home in the morning.
Bama Ed
Teamubr
From somewhere outside StL
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2010
Ed did an amazing job covering the Disney highlights.
We left the campground before 1pm and made it home around 5 after dropping my niece off on the way home.
I realized after we left that I forgot to take any pics of the campground.
We had a great weekend. Met some more Dis'ers and saw some cool things about Walt's early days. If you get a chance to be in North central Missouri, you should definitely plan a 1/2 day in Marceline.
I'll pull pics from DW and DS' phones and see if we have anything to supplement Ed's fantastic write up.
j
We left the campground before 1pm and made it home around 5 after dropping my niece off on the way home.
I realized after we left that I forgot to take any pics of the campground.
We had a great weekend. Met some more Dis'ers and saw some cool things about Walt's early days. If you get a chance to be in North central Missouri, you should definitely plan a 1/2 day in Marceline.
I'll pull pics from DW and DS' phones and see if we have anything to supplement Ed's fantastic write up.
j
bama_ed
It's kind of fun to do the impossible-Walt Disney
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2004
Jim,
We got home today also at 5pm after a boring 10hr drive (although some heavy rain this morning on the south side of St. Louis on I270).
I'm going to catch up on some sleep tonight then catch up on the trip report tomorrow. Anyone who wants to (tigger92662, Teamubr, PartTimeParadise) can make updates in the mean time and I'll fill in around you with whatever I have left.
Nighty night.
Bama Ed
We got home today also at 5pm after a boring 10hr drive (although some heavy rain this morning on the south side of St. Louis on I270).
I'm going to catch up on some sleep tonight then catch up on the trip report tomorrow. Anyone who wants to (tigger92662, Teamubr, PartTimeParadise) can make updates in the mean time and I'll fill in around you with whatever I have left.
Nighty night.Bama Ed
Part-Time Paradise
Is it camping season yet?
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2019
We're still here at the SP. It's almost empty except for a group that occupied 3 or 4 sites down the hill from Joe's site.
We enjoyed a lazy day today. We capped it with a trip to the asphalt beach (flooded loop road mentioned earlier) and fished a bit. DW landed a decent bass and we enjoyed the quiet evening.
I'll dIg through the camera roll when I get back to port.
Great to meet everyone and I hope we can cross paths again very soon.
PS - Ed, let me know when you're ready for the Phoenix trip spreadsheet. Joe loved the one for this trip...
We enjoyed a lazy day today. We capped it with a trip to the asphalt beach (flooded loop road mentioned earlier) and fished a bit. DW landed a decent bass and we enjoyed the quiet evening.
I'll dIg through the camera roll when I get back to port.
Great to meet everyone and I hope we can cross paths again very soon.
PS - Ed, let me know when you're ready for the Phoenix trip spreadsheet. Joe loved the one for this trip...
Last edited:
tigger92662
They're more like guidelines than actual rules
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2015
After the Worlds Fair, Walt donated tje Midget Autopia ride to the town of Marceline. The have recreated the track in its original design as a path and people who have made a donation to the museum have a commerative plaque placed on it.
Also, one of the original cars is in the museum
Also, one of the original cars is in the museum
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