Sam McKim Receives a Window on Main Street
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Sam McKim Honored With Window on Main Street

Video
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Family, friends, coworkers, and a world famous mouse gathered at the end of Main Street USA in Disneyland to honor the late Sam McKim, one of Walt’s original Imagineers.

Live music, provided by the Side Street Strutters, played a jaunty entrance for Resort President Matt Ouimet. He smiled as he welcomed the crowd to, “honor the great Sam McKim, the legendary Imagineer. We’re going to do that,�? he continued, “by giving Sam his own window on Main Street USA.�? After a round of applause, Matt explained, “This is, perhaps, the greatest honor we can bestow at Disneyland. It goes to those people who dedicated their lives, and certainly their hearts, to make this place the special place that it is.�?

Matt then called on Marty Sklar to make the presentation. In his introduction, Matt referred to Marty as “our Executive Vice President, and the title I want, Imagineer Ambassador.�?

Marty welcomed everyone, with special acknowledgement for Sam’s wife and sons, sitting together in the front row. He said that when he was first called about this tribute, he had written down five words that described Sam McKim.

The first word was talent. Sam’s artistic output for Imagineering was not only prodigious, inspirational as well. Marty pointed out that the very first drawing of Coke Corner, just across the street, was done in 1954 by Sam McKim. Marty also spoke of Sam’s iconic drawing of the Haunted Mansion exterior. Although Ken Anderson and Sam had a good natured rivalry over who actually drew it, Marty assured the crowd it was Sam’s, “because Ken didn’t draw that well.�?

The second word was team. “Sam was a real team player,�? Marty said. He described him as always dependable, with an ability to bring people together and draw the best from them. The third word Marty used to describe Sam was detail. As a designer, Sam McKim was one of the group that brought the kind of detail to the Disney theme parks that made them stand apart from others. Of course, Sam’s great eye for detail was also evident in the series of large scale souvenir maps that he created over the years. Each map not only showed the entire park, but also included a myriad of tiny details that gave the maps their unique charm.