The Windows Of Main Street U.S.A.

Most guests who walk down Disneyland’s Main Street U.S.A. only notice the detailed building facades, signs, and attraction logos. Although the not-so-average Disneyland guest would notice that some windows above Main Street serve as not only decoration, but also as a place to honor those who helped Disneyland continue to grow.

Walt Disney instituted the idea. He used the second, and third levels of Main Street buildings to give to his friends and associates. For example, Walt had a window made for his father, Elias Disney, as gratitude for being a great father.

Although, there is evidence of Walt Disney’s life throughout Main Street. It represents a turn-of-the century town. The “Main” Street may have come from his childhood memories of his hometown, Marceline Missouri. Speaking of Marceline, he named a Hotel on Main Street, the Marceline Hotel.

The following is a list gathered from all the windows on Main Street. Some even have pictures.

Milt Albright
Location: Above the Opera House
Inscription: Milt Albright – Entrepreneur – No Job Too Big – No Job Too Small

Milt Albright was the original manager of Holidayland, the short-lived picnic grounds just to the west of Disneyland. At HolidayLand, families or corporations could have a picnic or visit the circus tent where characters or the Mickey Mouse Club would sometimes perform. Initially, Holidayland was a separate admission, but eventually the price included admission to Disneyland. During that time there was an entrance on the west side of Disneyland, the only time there has been a second entrance into Disneyland (other than the Monorail, of course). Milt also developed and was the first manager of the Magic Kingdom Club.

Charles Alexander
Location: Above the Market House
Inscription: Carpenters & Joiners – George Mills – Ray Conway – Chas Alexander

Charles Alexander was the field supervisor of the Disneyland Contruction Department

C.F. Allen
Location: Above New Century Timepieces
Inscription: C. F. Allen, MD – C. V. Patterson, MD

Many have tried to determine who is honored by this window. Unfortunately neither Walt Disney Imagineering or the Walt Disney Archives have been able to answer this puzzle.

Ken Anderson
Location: Above the Market House
Inscription: Ken Anderson – Bait Co.

Ken Anderson was recruited from the studios to join WED and help create Disneyland. He is one of the major figures of Disneyland history. His contributions include design and painting on the original Fantasyland dark rides and design of the miniatures of Storybook Land. He also did lots of early development of the Haunted Mansion including development of the original story behind it.

X. Atencio
Location: Above the Opera House
Inscription: The Musical Quill – Lyrics and Librettos by X. Atencio

X. Atencio joined WED and became an expert show script writer. He wrote the script for dventure Thru Inner Space, worked on the script for the Haunted Mansion and wrote the lyrics to “Yo Ho (A Pirates’ Life For Me).” He also contributed to the Figment character from Journey Into Imagination at EPCOT. By the way, the X stands for Xavier.

Renie Bardeau
Location: Above Main Street Photo Supply
Inscription: Kingdom Photo Services – Renie Bardeau Photographer, Archivist

Renie Bardeauwas the official photographer of Disneyland. He is known for his many photos of the famous dignitaries and celebtrities who’ve visited Disneyland as well as his many, many pictures of Walt in the Park including the famous “Footsteps” photgraph depicting Walt walking through the castle. Renie has taken more than 1 million photographs for Disneyland.

H. Draegart Barnard
Location: Above the Disney Clothiers
Inscription: Real Estate — Houses Bought and Sold, H. Draegart Barnard

Walt Disney’s ear, nose and throat specialist.

Wally Boag
Location: Above the Carnation Company
Inscription: Golden Vaudeville Routines – Wally Boag – Prop.

Wally Boag was the original Pecos Bill in the original Golden Horseshoe Revue. He also wrote the show for the never materialized Chinatown project described in the Nickel Tour. You can still hear him as he did the voice for Jose in the Enchanted Tiki Room.

Chuck Boyajian
Location: Above the Market House
Inscription: Royal Care Co. – We Keep Your Castle Shining – Chuck Boyajian – Prop.

Chuck Boyajian was the superintendent of Disneyland first Janitorial Department.

Charles Boyer
Location: Above the Emporium
Inscription: Partners Portrait Gallery – Charles Boyer, Master Illustrator

Charles Boyer was know as Disneyland’s master illustrator. He is well known for his Normal Rockwell style paintings. You can click here to read more about Boyer and his window dedication ceremony.

C. “Randy” Bright
Location: Above Castle Bros.
Inscription: Photographic Stuido – C. “Randy” Bright – Proprietor

Randy Bright started at Disneyland as a park cast member. He was one of the Spacemen dressed in a space suit in Tomorrowland’s early days, as well as a cast member on the Columbia and Monorail. Later, he became an imagineer which led to his position as Vice President of Concept Development at Walt Disney Imagineering. He was instrumental in developing the concept for a simulator ride, that ride would eventually become Star Tours.

Harriet Burns
Location: Above Carriage Place Clothing Company
Inscription: The Artisans Loft – Handmande Miniatures By Harriet Burns

Harriet Burns was an early WED Imagineer working in the Model Shop. She designed and feathered the birds of the Enchanted Tiki Room as well as sculpted models for Storybook Land.

Claude Coats
Location: Above the Emporium Annex
Inscription: Coats & Co. – Claude Coats Proprietor

Claude Coats was an early member of WED. Among others, he worked on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, the Grand Canyon Diorama, the Haunted Mansion and helped design Adventure Thru Inner Space. He also painted some of the sets for the original Fantasyland dark rides, created the Rainbow Caverns and worked on the design of the Pirates in Pirates of the Caribean.
Alastair Dallas: Claude Coats’ claim to fame is he was one of the world’s first black light artists, creating fantastic effects with fluorescent paint. Big, quiet man-think Chuck Connors. A real unsung hero in my opinion.

Royal Clark
Location: Above the Carnation Co.
Inscription: United Audit – Book Keeping – Accounts Auditor – Royal Clark – Mgr.

Royal “Mickey” Clark is a former treasurer of Retlaw Enterprises and WED.

John Louis Catone
Location: Above the Mad Hatter
Inscription: John Louis Catone — Locksmith

Catone’s window title of “Locksmith” refers to his many years in Disneyland Communications Services and his long-standing role as the man who literally held all the keys to the Magic Kingdom..

Renie Conley
Location: Above the Carnation Cafe
Inscription: Milady Fashions Renie — Dressmaking, hemstitching & picating

Renie Conley was Disneyland’s original costume designer.

Ray Conway
Location: Above the Market House
Inscription: Carpenters & Joiners – George Mills – Ray Conway – Chas Alexander

Ray Conway worked in the Construction Department of Disneyland..

W.H. Cottrell
Inscription: W.H. Dennis Cottrell, Detective Agency, Private Investigator. “We Never Sleep”
W.H. Cottrell was the president of the newly formed Walt Disney Imagineering when Disneyland opened and is the former president of Retlaw Enterprises, a private firm owned by Disney’s family. His title as detective is in honor of his interest in Sherlock Holmes.

Don Dagradi
Location: Above the Market House
Inscription: Ship Models – Bushman & Dagradi – Mfgs.

Don Dagradi worked on the initial construction of the park. He was also a storyman and writer for the studios on films including Pinocchio, Fantasia, Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty, Mary Poppins and many others.

Marc Davis
Location: Above Disneyana
Inscription: Far East Imports – Exotic Art – Marc Davis – Proprietor

Marc Davis’ contributions to Disneyland (and the Disney company in general) cannot be overstated. He is one of the nine old men. Some of his characters include Maleficent, Sleeping Beauty, Cruella De Vil and Tinker Bell. He conceived the America Sings attraction. He worked on the design of the Haunted Mansion, Small World, Pirates of the Caribean and the Tiki Room among others.

Marvin Davis
Location: Above Main Street Bank
Inscription: Richard Irvine – Marvin Davis

Marvin Davis was an Art Director for WED. He worked on Tom Sawyer Island, as well as assisted with the earliest layout of Disneyland.
Alastair Dallas: Marvin Aubrey Davis joined WED in 1953 (from 20th Century-Fox) and was the man who laid out the park. Earlier concepts by Harper Goff were nothing more or less than backyard train layouts and Davis started with these. But when the scope of the project expanded, about the time that the Stanford Research Institute got involved (July, August, 1953), it was Davis who scaled things up to 60 acres. Herb Ryman started with Davis’ layout when he spent the weekend drawing the famous aerial view. Davis was heavily involved in master planning for Florida in the 1960s, but I believe he left WED around 1970 when Richard Irvine died. I read an interview with him in the early 1990s (I think of Dennis Hopper when I recall the photo) in which he discussed his general lack of recognition as Disneyland’s master planner.

Elias Disney
Location: Above the Emporium
Inscription: Elias Disney – Contractor – Est. 1895

Elias Disney was Walt’s father and was a general contractor in the mid-west, and opened his contracting office in 1895. He also participated as a building contractor, and manager for part of Disneyland’s original construction.

Ron Dominguez
Location: Above the Market House
Inscription: Orange Grove Property Mgt. – “We Care For Your Property As If It Were Our Own” – Ron Dominguez – Owner

Ron Dominguez was raised on a grove where the Rivers of America is now. He began working at Disneyland in its early days and eventually became Executive Vice President of Disneyland and “Mayor of Our Community.”

Peter Ellenshaw
Location: Above Main Street Photo Supply Company
Inscription: Plaza School of Art – Instructors – Hebert Ryman – John Hench – Peter Ellenshaw

Peter Ellenshaw was a painter at WED. His most famous Disneyland work is the classic rendering of Disneyland that Walt Disney pointed to on the Disneyland show prior to the park’s opening. He also painted the diorama for Space Station X-1. Peter was also a matte painter at the studios on such films as Mary Poppins and 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. In fact, two of his paintings for 20,000 Leagues were a part the 20,000 Leagues Exhibit at early Disneyland.

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