Where the idea first sprang up.

I thought you might like to take a nostalgic look back at a place that is very near and dear to my heart for two reasons. The first:  It's a place of fond childhood memories. My parents would take me on a Sunday afternoon to ride the ponies and then the carousel. Then, when my son came along, as soon as he was old enough, my dad would take him to ride the ponies and then the  carousel. I am talking about the Griffith Park carousel.

This beautiful old carousel has a special place in my heart for a second reason:  Walt used to come here and spend Saturdays with his daughters. As the story goes, he would sit on a bench and eat peanuts while his daughters rode the carousel. I find it hard to believe that Walt didn't ride it himself. After all, he was a master of the child within.

These photos were taken in 2005 during the year that Disneyland celebrated its 50th birthday. I thought it was a good idea to visit the place where the idea for Disneyland first sprang up. At the time, the carousel was being restored and they had a little display dedicated to Walt. I haven't been back since but I'm thinking I need to go. Ya, it's time.

After spending some time at the park, my friends and I went off in search of the location of Walt's first studio. The studio is long gone as you all know but we did find the historical marker.

As a kid, my folks and I would drive up and down this street almost weekly. I remember what it looked like before everything was torn down to build a supermarket. If only I had known at the time that I was passing a historical building!