4406 West Kingswell Avenue is now a “Los Angles Historical Cultural Monument”
Firstly, I am a huge fan of Disneyana and love tracking Walt’s whereabouts during major moments in his life. And, back in the day, Walt and his brother Roy Disney made many stops in and around Los Angeles.
Secondly, you can visit many of those spots in LA. However, many have been razed and very few (if any) are designated official landmarks.
But one of Walt Disney’s former haunts (and an important one at that) will soon be restored. Historic preservationists will return the home to how it looked when Uncle Robert and Aunt Charlotte Disney owned the bungalow in the 1920’s.
Not Your Average Bungalow
Today, a movement is afoot to bring the building back to its Disneyfied roots.
Deadline’s Bruce Haring reported:
Plans are to restore the house to its 1914 Craftsman bungalow standards, down to the shed where Walt allegedly finished his “Alice Comedies,” which launched his career. The Alice Comedies are a series of animated/live-action shorts created by Walt Disney in which a live-action little girl named Alice (originally played by Virginia Davis) and an animated cat named Julius have adventures in an animated landscape.
Legend has it that Walt’s aunt and uncle offered to let Walt Disney board in their home at $5 per week in 1923. The two-bedroom, 1458 square-foot home stayed in the Disney family for 30 years.
Saved From Demoltion
The home was set to be demolished, but it seems the willingness of the then homeowners and the Disney-loving community kept the place intact.
Thank goodness. The address hosted the wedding of Roy Disney to Edna Francis and was one of the first spots Walt and future wife Lilian Bounds were ever photographed.
Moreover, Justin Scarred, a well-known YouTube host and Disney enthusiast, visited the house twice over the past decade. There, and also with permission (in 2016?), he filmed inside the home. He also checked out the location of the backyard barn, where the beginnings of the Disney Brothers Studio occured.
Several years earlier (2013?), Justin also included a stop at the bungalow; all the while creating a tour of the greater Los Angeles area in search of important stops on the Disney timeline.
Meanwhile, the LA Conservancy explained of the house:
The house at 4406 Kingswell Avenue remains highly intact and features original windows, a wrap-around front porch, and a shingle-clad exterior with wide, overhanging eaves. The interior retains original woodwork and a fireplace mantel featuring rough-hewn stone.
The property remained in the Disney family for 30 years. Its association with the Disneys is well documented, including family home movie footage depicting the family in the front yard.
Finally, and perhaps one day soon, one of us from The DisInsider will get to report from the porch!
About Post Author
