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| Photo Credit: Tricia Malchow |
As you’ve walked down Main Street U.S.A., how many times have you passed this post along the side of the street–or any of the others like it. Have you wondered what they are, or why they are there?
Main Street U.S.A. is a turn of the 20th-century small town street, right at the time the transition was happening from horses and horse-drawn vehicles (like the Horse Drawn Street Car) to the newfangled horseless carriages (cars). When cars drove into town, they could park along the curb, but if you rode your horse, what would you do while you went into the stores?
During the turn of the century, shop owners were responsible for purchasing and maintaining the hitching post in front of their shops. For this reason, the posts could vary in appearance (and quality), which is why there are some different styles of them on Main Street U.S.A.
Older or more rural towns would have more of these, and they would have been simpler–wooden railings lashed together with leather. Cast iron was quite popular in cities during this time, though, so more elaborate and “modern” ones like the one in the photo above were placed in front of some shops by their owners.
The hitching posts stand as a reflection of the history of this town, adding a layer to the backstory without most guests ever being consciously aware of it.
For you to discover: One other land in Disneyland has hitching posts. Which one?
For you to discover: One other land in Disneyland has hitching posts. Which one?
You can read more from Randy on his blog, Faith and the Magic Kingdom and listen to his unofficial Disney podcast, Stories of the Magic. Find him on Twitter (@Belgarion42) and on Facebook.
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