History after Disney: The Significance of "Imagineered" Historical Places

Abstract

The recent confrontation between the Walt Disney Company and Preserve Historic America (PHA) concerning the proposed construction of Disney's America near Haymarket, Virginia, captured much attention, but has tended to obscure the important role that Disney-inspired theme parks play in history education. Although it was reported that PHA opposed the development solely on the grounds that it would compromise the historic integrity of a historic rural Civil War battlefield site, the subject of Disney's portrayal of the past does indeed remain an issue for both public and academic historians. This essay urges that we look more closely and dispassionately at the Disney Parks' role in historical interpretation, for it can tell us much about popular perceptions of history and historic places. As a historical geographer with a background in public and academic history, the central question that I shall address here is how theme parks interpret the design of historic landscapes they supposedly re-create. In earlier studies, I have noted that shapers of popular culture like Walt Disney (1901-1966) often replicate(d) essences of historic environments (historic architecture and historic landscapes) through a complex process of selection and abstraction of landscape features or elements. Moreover, these elements are often stylized or stereotyped to enhance their effect. Much the same process occurs in the creation of film sets, as the visual aspects of place are essential in conveying the atmosphere of both time and place. Knowledge of how this process operates is essential to understanding how public/ popular education occurs in environments that are both entertaining and educational--or, as the trade now calls them, places of edutainment.