THE COLORADO TOWN WHOSE STREETS INSPIRED DISNEY'S MAIN STREET USA

The iconic Disney attraction has its roots in historic Fort Collins
One of its designers, Harper Goff, was born in the sleepy Colorado city
Goff even went back to photograph old buildings while working on the project

Disney's Main Street, U.S.A. may seem like the stuff of dreams, but the iconic attraction actually has its roots in a quaint Colorado city.

While it may seem like it was designed to resemble a generic 20th-century American town, the 'themed land' was particularly inspired by two influences.

One was Walt Disney's hometown of Marceline, Missouri; and the other was historic Fort Collins, where one of the attraction's principal designers, Harper Goff, was born.

Goff relied on his childhood memories of the buildings in Old Town while sketching designs for Main Street, U.S.A.

During the 1950s, Goff and the park's namesake himself got together to begin crafting the attraction.

Goff even returned to Fort Collins to photograph buildings that would serve as models for his drawings.

He later admitted in an interview that the city hall and bank in Disneyland were copied from Fort Collins, along with a few other features.

Several of the designer's inspirations have since been demolished, while others were refurbished and slicked with a new coat of paint.

These include the Union Pacific Railroad Station, the firehouse on Walnut Street, and Linden Hotel, and a row of buildings lining the 200 block of Jefferson Street.

The first Main Street, U.S.A. opened in 1955, when Disneyland in Anaheim welcomed visitors.

Goff died in 1993, aged 81, but his influence lives on through his designs. The Fort Collins Museum of Discovery also has two of Goff's artworks in its collection.

Among them are a concept sketch for Disneyland's unbuilt Discovery Bay, which was announced in 1976 but ultimately fell to the wayside.

Fort Collins, the fourth most populous city in Colorado, boasts over 20 restored historic buildings, circa-1800s homes, and a trolley.

It is also home to a bustling art, music and theater scene as well as miles of hiking trails.

2024-04-23T16:41:28Z dg43tfdfdgfd