Walt Disney Birthplace

During my first visit to Chicago this past October, I was fortunate enough to go on a guided tour of the Walt Disney Birthplace on the outskirts of the city. Built by Walt Disney's father Elias in 1893, it was in the upper-story master bedroom of this house on December 5, 1901 that Walt Disney was born. Although the restoration of the home is not yet complete, it was an incredible experience to walk through the home and imagine Walt Disney living there as a young child. If you're not aware, the home was a private residence until 2013, and this Yesterland article gives good insight into the restoration process and the state the house was originally in.  Unfortunately, my camera battery had died the previous day, so I have to make do with phone photos for this post. But it's all good!

The part of the house with the cream-colored siding is the original portion, with the two additions in the rear added after the Disneys left the house. As a result, these parts are currently used for work and storage space.

Purchased by Brent Young and Dina Benadon in 2013, a decade of restoration work has brought the house back to its 1893 appearance, the year Roy O. Disney was born. The reconstructed porch fronts the street just as it did 100 years ago, replacing the aluminum siding that covered what was once a plain duplex.

The house sits along Tripp Avenue, but the city has rechristened the street as Honorary Disney Family Avenue.

The birthplace has started doing public tours on the last Saturday of every month, but this was a private tour with the National Amusement Park Historical Association.

Our tour guide said the house was likely a model for other homes built by Elias’ carpentry business. A few other Disney-built homes remain in the area and provided a model to replicate the Birthplace’s stair balustrade. The stairs are believed to still have their original wood. Elias also worked as a carpenter during the construction of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, which occurred shortly after he moved the family to Chicago.

Looking out the front door, you can see the front walk with engraved pavers from people who supported the birthplace's restoration.

Two of the bay windows have plaques with the names of Alice Davis and Bob Gurr on them, another example of the naming opportunities for people who donated to the house's restoration.

Completed efforts include reconstructing the front porch, reconfiguring doorways, and molding replica trim. As only one photograph exists from the time the Disneys lived in the house, the restoration required careful attention to scars left behind from previous renovations.

The next step in the restoration is refurnishing the interiors to evoke their appearance during Walt Disney’s childhood.

This is the only known photo of Walt Disney when he lived in the house. I do not know the history of when the front porch was added or removed, as it doesn't appear to be in this picture.

Plaques around the house allow people to take a self-guided tour during open days when the number of visitors exceeds the capacity to do guided tours.

Most of the rooms are unfurnished, but there is a guestbook to sign.

Here are Brent Young and Dina Benadon who purchased the house in 2013. I used to listen to Brent on the Season Pass Podcast, and I remember him talking about the restoration. Who knows how long this house would have remained a private residence if they had not purchased it!

Future plans for this room include a scrim placed over the former window frame on the right that is now blocked by a later addition to the house, depicting the former backyard and street with atmospheric noises.

One of the first impressions upon entering the house is the small size of the original floorplan. Ignoring the additions that were tacked on to the house later, this picture was taken at the rear wall of the original floorplan and essentially captures the entire ground floor.

Here's Walt's tiny bedroom on the second floor! The Disneys moved to Marceline, Missouri in 1906 before Walt's fifth birthday, so he was no more than four years old when he lived in this house.

As the stairs are original, it is pretty cool to stand at the top and imagine Walt Disney running up as a toddler to his bedroom.

The plaque says that we are "reasonably sure" that Walt was born in the master bedroom, and that's the case with most of the historical info--it's largely guesswork.

The master bedroom is by far the largest room in the house.

The candle in the window is lit annually by the winner of an art contest at neighboring Nixon Elementary School during a caroling event on Walt Disney’s birthday.

This trapdoor has an interesting backstory, as explained by the plaque. The hatch's purpose was unknown until Rebecca Cline, archivist at the Walt Disney Archives, came forward with a box that is known to have once contained Disney family documents. The box would have fit in the compartment, making it likely that the Disney family kept their valuables in a box underneath their bed.

With the aid of a $25,000 grant from the Walt Disney Company, the Birthplace was able to complete additional projects, including the front door. Animatronic firm Garner Holt Productions was contracted to build a door identical to the one in the picture of Walt and Ruth on the front porch, with the transom featuring the Disney family crest in stained glass. Elias could only wish to afford a touch as stylish as this.

This unrestored cubby underneath the stairs is likely where the original toilet was located.

Here's the background on Walt Disney's toilet!

Hope you enjoyed this visit to the Walt Disney Birthplace! I was not expecting it to be so cool. More posts on some of the other places I visited in Chicago will come later.