LPWire: Walt's Barn to celebrate the life of Ward Kimball

The public is invited to celebrate the life and contributions of Disney Legend Ward Kimball at the Walt Disney Barn museum on Sunday, July 28. To add to the festive atmosphere, guests are encouraged to wear costumes in tribute to the many interests and creative endeavors of Ward.

Animator Ward Kimball, who died July 8 in Arcadia, CA, at the age of 88 after a brief illness, became one of Walt Disney's trusted "Nine Old Men" and helped develop or refine such characters as Mickey Mouse and Jiminy Cricket. Kimball, who joined the Disney organization in 1934, animated or served as directing animator on such classics as "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," "Pinocchio," "Fantasia" and "Peter Pan." The top animators hand-picked by Disney to work on his classics during this era became known as the "Nine Old Men." Disney sought to improve his cartoons by having the animators attend seminars, take art classes and analyze movement by studying live action films and earlier cartoons. In addition to this career with Disney, Kimball was also an avid railroad enthusiast who influenced Walt Disney’s passion for railroading.

Ward was one of the founding governors of the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society, which operates Walt’s Barn the third Sunday of each month for free public tours. He was often seen at Walt’s Barn in Griffith Park, where he signed autographs and chatted with like-minded railroad fans. He preferred socializing among fellow railroaders who appreciated the preservation of steam-powered puffers of a bygone era.

Guests visiting Walt’s Barn on Sunday, July 28 will have the opportunity to share stories of their experiences with Ward Kimball, hear the music from his Fire House Five Plus 2 Dixieland band, see video footage of Ward’s Grizzly Flats railroad, which was located on the Kimball property, and take part in a tree planting ceremony in memory of Ward Kimball. In addition, guests are encouraged to bring photographs of Ward Kimball or photographs of collectibles, treasures, trinkets that Ward worked on. These photos will be mounted into a collage that will be placed in the Ward Kimball area of Walt’s Barn. For this special event, the Barn opens at 11:00 a.m. and closes at 1:00 p.m.

About Walt’s Barn
In July 1999 the quaint red 1900 era barn, which was the centerpiece of Walt Disney’ s miniature live steam Carolwood Pacific Railroad and served as his personal workshop, was relocated from the family's Holmby Hills property to it s new home in Griffith Park. The Barn is now a living showcase of Walt’s railroad legacy and is filled with his personal railroad memorabilia, plus other scale model railroad displays belonging to Disney Animator Ollie Johnston, the late bandleader, David Rose, and members of the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society.

Walt’s Barn is open for public tours the third Sunday of each month from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Barn is operated by volunteers from the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society (CPHS) on behalf of the Walt Disney Family Foundation. The Barn is located in the Los Angeles Live Steamers facility at 5202 Zoo Drive in Griffith Park, about one-quarter mile east of Travel Town. Admission and parking are free.

For information about Carolwood Pacific Historical Society visit www.carolwood.com. For more information about Los Angeles Live Steamers visit www.lals.org.

--Posted July 18, 2002
Source: Carolwood Pacific Historical Society