One of the really cool features of the early souvenir books from Disneyland and Walt Disney World, were pages near the end that always showcased upcoming projects. The 1959 Walt Disney's Guide to Disney provided a glimpse of an area called Edison Square. It was one of a few different concepts for a "street" that would extend off from Main Street.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Lost Imagineering: Edison Square
One of the really cool features of the early souvenir books from Disneyland and Walt Disney World, were pages near the end that always showcased upcoming projects. The 1959 Walt Disney's Guide to Disney provided a glimpse of an area called Edison Square. It was one of a few different concepts for a "street" that would extend off from Main Street.
Edison Square was not a "London-themed" street, but rather an American city in transition from the gaslamp to the electric light, a celebration of the inventions and technology of the 20th century, and particularly the wonders of "the Electric Age." The idea evolved over time into Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress.
ReplyDeleteI stand corrected!
ReplyDeleteI'll revise and update in the near future. Thanks for the info!
My uncle and aunt Noel and Hazel Finster visited Disneyland in the early 1960s (?) and brought me a park map. This was back when park maps were park maps: carefully crafted pen and ink 2'x3' drawings, not the hokey hide-the-empty-spots things we have today. "Edison Square" is clearly shown on this map, branching off from Main Street USA to the east. There was another area too, which I cannot remember right now, but something tells me it was patriotic-themed and eventually made an appearance as Liberty Square.
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