Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Pinocchio, Dumbo, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan. These familiar names typically bring people fond memories of watching popular animated Disney films over the years. Initially, these films had no connection to the BC Forest Discovery Centre, until the curatorial team came upon an old letter written to Gerry Wellburn by a man named Ward Kimball.
For years no one had noticed the connection, until BCFDC Board President, Alf Carter, recognized the name. Ward Kimball was one of the 9 animators, (known as the Nine Old Men), on the original animation team put together by Disney himself. Kimball is best known for creating loved characters such as Jiminy Cricket, the Seven Dwarves, the Mad Hatter, and many more. He was also a talented trombonist in the Dixieland jazz group called the Firehouse Five Plus Two. The band was comprised of 7 of the animators on staff, and since they practiced at the firehouse, chose the very fitting band name.
In addition to his popular characters and love for jazz music, Kimball was known for his creative family Christmas cards which often featured nods to his many interests and sense of humour. In an interview, Ward shares a memory dubbed “the gorilla incident.” One Christmas, instead of dressing as Santa, Ward rented a full gorilla suit and surprised his young children and dog when he arrived at home. The dog chased him out of the house and his daughters refused to speak of the incident ever again.
Kimball developed a love for trains early in life and is even credited with helping Walt Disney with the inspiration for the Disneyland Railroad at Disneyland California. An avid collector of railroad ephemera, Kimball owned and operated his own steam locomotive on his private 3-acre property. In 1967, he came to the BCFDC with his wife, Betty Kimball, to visit Gerry Wellburn and see his locomotive collection, which is where the letter found in the BCFDC collection came from. Even though the BCFDC does not have Mickey Mouse, between our mascot Rusty the Squirrel and our railroad, we’re practically the Walt Disneyland of the North!
