On this day in 1928, Harriet Burns - the First Lady of Walt Disney Imagineering - was born in San Antonio, Texas. Throughout her illustrious Disney career, Harriet helped design classic Disneyland attractions, including the Enchanted Tiki Room, Storybook Land, the Haunted Mansion, and Pirates of the Caribbean.
Following the advice of architects at Pereira and Luckman, Walt Disney knew early on that his park should only have one entrance and exit to help orient guests visiting the expansive and unfamiliar space. Funneling guests past a row of shops isn’t bad for business either. Walt decided this corridor would be, as described in documents presented to investors, a three-block-long commercial street with “the nostalgic quality that makes it everybody’s hometown.”
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