Ever wonder what chaos ensues when two best friends throw caution to the wind.

And a dart at the map?

So I did a little recon on where the dart hit.

And it is Bucklin, Missouri.

Join me, Michael Mackie.

And me, Lonita Cook As we navigate the unknown in a new episode of Get Lost.

Buckle up, folks.

It's going to be a wild ride.

Let's find ourselves by getting lost.

Right here on Kansas City PBS.

Oh, girl.

Now, traveling has long been in my blood.

I traveled relentlessly with my parents growing up.

Now they have both passed on, but they remain my central inspiration for having a deep, deep connection to the open road.

The same is true for me to accept.

My parents only traveled for bowling tournaments Bowling tournaments?

We never flew.

We pile in the Buick and just drive across the country straight to the hotel.

They'd bowl, and then we'd hop back in the wagon and head straight home.

I'd like to just travel for leisure or for pleasure.

But to be honest, I haven't even explored our hometown the way I should.

Okay, well, girl, I got you because since the dart hit the map in Bucklin, Missouri.

Wait, what do you know about Bucklin?

Because I got nothing.

I got even less than that.

But I'm always up for new discoveries.

Okay, well, perfect.

Because it's time to broaden those horizons and.

Well, should we let the map guide us or just use our dazzling sense of direction?

Map, Schmap, Map, Schmap.

I want to follow my heart.

Of course you do.

All right, well, like I said, I got you.

Are you ready to get lost, girl.

Girl So I did a little recon on where the dart hit And it is Bucklin, Missouri, which is in Linn County, which is way northeast.

Kind of like God's country.

So but fun fact, the town that is before the town, that's before Bucklin is wait for it.

Marceline.

What?

Marceline?

The childhood home of one Mr. Walt Disney.

Yeah.

If you search the interweb.

Search the what?

The interweb.

The interwebs.

It will tell you that Kansas City is the childhood home.

Okay.

But then Marceline also claims.

Okay, now I have heard and correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there some weird connection to Walt Disney and the West Bottoms?

Or is it the East Bottoms?

Hmm.

Well, let me take a look.

Okay.

You take a look on the interwebs.

Hot dog.

Hot dog.

Hot Diggity Dog.

You are right.

The electric park where we're headed now is a little bit before Disney's time, but the second electric park is the big bad bogey that inspired Disneyland.

Oh two Electric Park.

That sounds like a Prince song.

To childhood homes, two electric parks.

Two Electric Parks Yeah, this sounds like a get a little confusing, but I think I know just the person who I can put a call into who is shake the shadows of this mystery.

I put in a call to Butch Rigby, founder of the Thank you Walt Disney Foundation.

He's going to meet me for lunch and we'll get the 411 and Mr. Walt Disney.

Oh, the man, The Met, the legend.

Okay, well, while you do that, I'm going to take a twirl around Electric Park, because you know what?

It's electric.

Boogie Woogie Woogie.

It's like that Cyndi Lauper movie from the eighties Vibes.

Oh, I love that movie so much.

I used to watch that, like, every single day.

I love Cyndi Lauper.

But that Jeff Goldblum.

Oh, he is one hot Hushpuppy.

Wait, Hushpuppy is a vegan?

Because if it ait vegan you can't eat it.

Oh.

In 1899, Kansas City was still formally segregated.

A condition of our history that makes it difficult to gaze on the past with complete joy.

But thinking on Electric Park gets us close.

Existing for seven years, the East Bottoms before needing to expand.

It was a wonder this trolley park with flat bottomed boat rides, looped loops and its namesake 100,000 electric lights.

And the best part?

Beer Electric Park became so popular that they had to move.

Creating Electric Park 2.0.

The second Electric park was a massive upgrade from super to Supercalifragilisticexp Whether it's vaudeville, girls, penny parlors, Nickelodeon's and even more flat bottomed boats, it's no wonder it became the source inspiration for Disney's legendary theme parks.

Okay, Butch, as a Walt Disney historian and preservationist, maybe you can clear up this mad confusion, too.

Walt Disney grew up in Kansas City or in Marceline, Missouri.

Well, he actually was born in Chicago, Illinois, and he was there till he was about four years old and does not really talk much about Chicago at all.

He moved to Marceline, five years old through about nine years old, and he has many great recollections or had many great recollections of Marceline.

I think those four years are like 40 years for all of us growing up.

But he had that idea like boyhood in a small town in Missouri and with the farm.

And I think he learned a love for animals and some of the characters they drew over the years.

He loved Main Street U.S.A. but then he came to Kansas City at age nine, and he sort of learned about the realities of city life and maybe getting up at five in the morning to deliver the Kansas City Star with this father.

A feast.

Yeah.

Bring that popcorn over here from the movie guy, you know?

Here have a piece.

Oh, thank you so much.

That's good.

No.

What's the magic of the amusement park that Disney drew on to design this entire legacy?

Well, when Walt Disney was growing up here and starting as a nine year old boy, he would go to the electric park and he'd go to the second version of the electric park.

Electric Park, of course, was developed and owned by the Heim Brothers as a way to sell beer, the very place we sit this day.

And they built their second, bigger, better park at 47th and the Paseo.

And Walt was often quoted as saying that he loved going there as a boy and he wanted to do something just like that.

But he wanted his can be even better.

And he didn't want carnival barkers and he didn't want dirty boardwalks and he didn't want some of the things he wanted, the perfect version of his memory.

And so not only did he build a wholesome, family, friendly and very clean park, but he built one that reminded him of his boyhood in Marceline, Missouri, with Main Street, U.S.A..

If you look upstairs, you'll see his father's name, Elias Disney, on a window.

And if you look in another part of the park, you'll see Laugh-O-Gram studio from Kansas City in a window.

And he did something that no one had ever done.

He transformed what we had as a memory of the park, and he made it match his childhood vision in memory.

And believe me, everything from your childhood is remembered much better than it ever was, really?

Without history.

We don't have much of a city, and I think that Kansas City is retelling a story and people like the Reiger and Ryan Mabee and you know, people all over this town always remember that history tells a beautiful story for the next century.

Hey, I got you a small token of my esteem.

Look what I got you.

It matches what you're wearing.

Oh, look, I.

Love it so much.

It says whiskey business.

That's right.

It speaks to me.

But I got you something super cool, too.

Oh, would you get lunch?

Oh, thank you.

Baby.

Jesus, Mama, I need to eat.

Oh.

Here we go.

All right.

Let's go.

Well, you know what's on the way, My friend, is Excelsior Springs and the Elms Spa.

You know what I mean?

What do you need?

No idea.

No what I need.

What do you need, Spa Day!

I am so excited for the Healing Water facial.

What the hell is that?

Well, I mean, I guess you had me.

Healing also Waters.

Also facial and the elms.

Hot stone massage.

Ooh.

And really, who can live without a cord sound.

Ritual and a long soak in the hot tub?

Oh, and then after that, we can go on the Elms Ghost tour.

Ghost tour?

Yes.

They're famous for their ghost tours.

Girl, did you not know that this place is haunted?

Well, allegedly.

Yeah.

My muscles are begging to stay stiff.

Oh, have a great time.

Deuces.

Okay.

Bye, honey.

Hi.

Hi.

How you doing?

Hi.

You must be Jay.

I am.

It's nice to meet you.

What are we doing today?

We'll go.

Find some.

Ghosts.

Okay.

So fourth floor is the creepiest floor.

This floor has the most activity.

around the hotel.

Especially this end.

What's the worst room?

That's this room right here 425.

Oh, okay.

So 425, You've been hyping this room since I got here.

What is the deal with this particular room?

425 as the busiest room in the hotel?

As far as I'm concerned.

I've gotten more stories off of this room than any other people telling me.

They felt somebody sit on the end of the bed.

They look up, nobody's there.

Shadows in the room.

The alarm clock was shut off to unplug it.

I've been called for the AC and the heat more times than I can count.

I get up here, it's working fine.

About 12 years ago, I ran into four women checking out at the front desk at 1130 in the evening, which is highly unusual.

I walked up to them.

I was like, Is everything okay?

Is there anything I can do for you?

They told me the story of how they were sitting in the living room.

Door handle started moving.

We were a busy hotel that night.

There are people everywhere.

And so they yelled out.

Wrong room door handle stopped and then started moving again.

Again, the out wrong room.

When looked out the peephole, nobody there opened up the door, looked up and down the hall.

Nobody there.

So they got freaked out.

So that's enough of that, which is where I ran into him.

Check it out.

I had to be the one to tell him.

Door handles are actually independent.

You move the outside, handle the inside handle doesn't move.

I had to tell them the ghost is trying to get out.

And with that, I think it's time for me to get out.

Back in one piece, I see.

I ait afraid of no ghost.

m checking you for ectoplasm.

Oh, That sounds dirty.

You drive Okay, let's go.

m ready to go.

I'm out.

I used to travel extensively with my parents.

We would travel all the time.

I would travel all the time with my folks.

And we would always get into, like, the nooks and crannies of everything.

I mean, we were.

I mean, we would if there was some place off the beaten path, we would go like, you know, go to see like the world's largest ball of twine or I'm telling you, there were times when I would spend hours just throwing rocks into the creek beds in Colorado.

That little kerplunk sound would bring the infinite amount of joy.

I've got you.

I got you.

Take this exit to.

Oh, oh.

Where are we going?

Where are we going?

Where?

I am taking you to see the world's largest spool of thread.

And guess where?

Where?

Hamilton, Missouri.

Shut up.

Alexander Hamilton.

Alexander Hamilton.

Hands on the wheels.

Okay.

Where do you want to go first?

Let's call our friend, Mayor Keith Gilbert and see what he has to say.

Okay, Call him.

Let's call him.

Hello?

This Keith.

Hey, Mayor Gilbert.

it's Lonita and Michael.

Hey, friend.

You guys in town?

Not only are we in town, but we're going to need a tour guide.

Are you game.

Show my friends around.

Hamilton is my favorite sport.

We'll be there in two shakes.

Just a sec.

After getting the mayor's advice, we decided our first stop needed to be the J.C. Penney Museum.

And what better way to get there than actually riding in J.C. Penney's 1947 Cadillac convertible, a gift from J.C. to his wife, Carolyn.

Welcome in the J.C. Penney Museum.

Thank you for having us.

Hi, friend.

How are you?

And thanks for having us.

Michael nice to meet you, you to Well, welcome to the museum is almost 50.

Years old now.

Okay.

And mainly built because this was Mr. Penney's boyhood home that was actually his very first store was in Wyoming.

He said he would never open a store in Hamilton and tell the people that he learned the business from.

And Hamilton closed and went out of business.

That was awesome.

Okay, so world's largest spool of thread next?

Worls largest spool of thread it is.

Okay, That way?

Mayor Gilbert, this has been to Cool for Spool.

Oh, I see what you did there.

He says.

Hey, Mr. Mayor, thank you so much.

We appreciate you showing us around town and being so hospitable.

Thank you so much.

We're going to go learn how to quilt.

So my pleasure.

And it's quilting time.

It is.

It is.

Quilts.

It's a quilt playing games with my heart.

I'm quilty as charged.

after a quick look through at the Quilt Museum.

It was time for us to do a little quilting of our own.

We just need to learn how first.

Okay.

Miss Thang.

Okay, we are ready.

We are ready.

So you lay way one on top of the other.

Just like.

Okay.

Just like them.

Okay.

You're just going to sew that little seam.

Sigh.

Okay, here we go.

So there's your piece.

I know.

All right.

Founded in 1854, along the Hannibal and Saint Joseph Railroad, this entire nook and cranny city was, yes, named for the Alexander Hamilton, as well as the military leader who succumbed to the war of 1812.

Joseph Hamilton.

But Hamilton's only claim to fame is it naming it after the Treasury secretary turned musical theater icon, but also for its famed tourist trap, Missouri Star Quilt Company?

It feels like the whole town has been draped in fabric.

If you are a quilter, you will certainly find your people here.

Checking into the historic Shoal Creek bed and breakfast in Hamilton.

And folks, this place is dripping with charm.

Built back in 1904, the stately home boasts all the trimmings of yesteryear.

Think grand oak staircases, intricate woodwork, and those dreamy, stained glass windows.

I don't know if you're going to get me to leave this place, It's movie night and guess what topping our must watch list.

That's right.

Vibes, starring the legendary duo Jeff Goldblum and Cyndi Lauper.

And after a night of laughter and nostalgia, it's time to recharge for day two.

A good morning.

Good morning to you, too.

I got you coffee.

Thank you so much.

Let's go.

Let's go.

We're going to ease on down.

Ease on down the road.

I don't know.

The man might be a local, but he's all that ease on down the road.

All good wave.

Oh.

Oh.

Who doesn't love a little M.J.?

I'm talking to you.

Oh, yeah, you are.

Well, you know what?

Michael Jackson was back in the eighties.

He was a force to be reckoned with.

I mean, he was omnipresent.

And I'm not just talking about Thriller because I think didn't did he not have a ride at Epcot, or am I making that up?

You are thinking of Captain.

EO.

Captain EO George Lucas directed Anjelica Houston, starring Space Odyssey that Michael Jackson did for Disney.

Disney, Disney.

Oh, you know where we going?

Marceline.

Marceline.

Oh, wow.

Wow.

It's amazing.

It looks.

Just like Main Street.

USA but lived in Lived it like the fantasy is real.

Yeah.

Oh, as I live and breathe Princess Mayor Sallie.

Morning and welcome to Marceline.

Good to be here, my friend.

You okay now is there a parade every day I feel like there is a parade every day.

But we have been pretty frequent.

What is it?

What is it like living in Walt Disney's imagination?

It's a wonderful Marceline is a great little town.

Everybody is so happy, so helpful.

We just really enjoy being here.

It's a very safe community and we just really, really enjoy Marceline Well, Disney is one of the world's most adored Imagineers.

Tell us about preserving his part or your part of Disney's legacy.

We have, as you know, a tremendous museum at Disney Museum.

Do you think we can go to the museum?

Oh my goodness, I do.

It on the agenda today.

Come on, let's go.

All right, come on.

We trust that Marceline Mainstreet is the inspiration for the main street design in the Disney parks.

But let's take a closer look and hear their side of the story.

Hi, everybody.

Welcome to the Walt Disney Hometown Museum, would you like a tour.

I would love a tour Les go.

And, Mayor I have some questions for you.

Les go.

Okay, so that right here is what we call the Marceline project.

Okay.

So in 1956, Walt Disney comes back to Marceline and he becomes friends with Russ Johnson.

Him and Russ Johnson became business partners here on a project called The Marceline Project.

Okay, So what this is, is Walt Disney said there was a going to become a time of day where a child isn't going to know what an acre of land is or they're not going to know what happens when you put a seed in the ground.

So Walt wanted to do was he wanted to take the actual farm that he grew up on as a kid.

Those 40 acres, and turn it into a living history farm.

And unfortunately, what passed away before this project was completed.

All right.

So this was actually a personal sketch Walt did.

what he kind of thought the idea would look like.

But this was such an important thing for Walt that this sketch right here, which is actually done by Walt, was on his desk the day that he died.

So Marceline was always with him all the way.

Please tell me somebody found this sketch.

It said we're going to make it happen.

Well, I'll tell you this.

The original 40 acres that the Disney family lived on, it's not a living history farm.

However, those 40 acres have been preserved and people are able to come to that 365 days a year from sun up until sundown.

Can you take us to this farm?

Absolutely.

Can we see the farm?

Okay.

Okay.

All right.

If you were a betting woman, how many visitors do you get annually to Marceline?

I would say definitely.

In the thousands that come specifically?

Well, not specifically for the museum, but they certainly tour it while they're here.

They come in by the busload.

And so I know it's it's up toward 10,000 probably a year.

Do you get international visitors?

Absolutely.

Where's the furthest place that someone's been from?

I know some folks that have been here from Japan, Japan.

Who are Disney fanatics.

Absolutely.

When you come in here, what are some of the highlights that we need to hit?

The people, the desks that were standing right in front of?

Actually, this is the desk, that Walt used at the school, which is also named Walt Disney Elementary.

We will see his initials here, WD.

And so those four years sat in the school in a glass case and it comes to the museum.

I think it kind of travels back and forth.

This here is actually a really cool story.

So this is a television set.

It's from 1955, but more specifically in 1955 is when Disneyland opened, Walt Disney invited his sister Ruth and her family to the opening of Disneyland.

Ruth did not like crowds, though, so she declined the invitation and Walt said, Well, that's okay.

You can watch it on TV at home.

And this TV was actually a gift from Walt to his sister so that she could watch the opening of Disney.

Oh, my gosh, He loved her.

So much.

Is that I'm a accommodate you and I got something even better.

So we show the opening of Disneyland loop here as a tribute to what this gift meant.

Oh, hey, you guys.

I have never been so dazzled in all my life.

Oh, it's taken me to the Disney family farm You want to come with?

Sure.

Is there food?

Because I'm starving.

Oh, my goodness.

How about some homemade chili?

It was Walt's favorite.

Oh, let's go.

Were there?

Come on.

Come on.

Though the farm is no longer in the Disney family, the spirit of Disney remains in it.

This is where the young toddler moved with his family.

And according to Walt himself, found the magic of his life.

So how do you all know that chili was his favorite?

Yeah.

So Walt actually used to carry around cans of chili with him.

Wherever he would go.

He would carry cans of chili with him.

And so actually, it got to the point where he would be going to these fancy restaurants, and he didn't want anything to eat at the restaurant, but he would pull out his own can of chili and ask the chefs if they could heat it up for him.

Oh.

Yeah.

Well, here's Let's raise a spoon to Walt.

Cheers.

Cheers.

To Walt.

Princess Mayor Sallie Back in the day, what was your favorite, like, Disney era?

It would have been several years ago when I was a young child watching the Mickey Mouse Club on probably a black and white TV.

So my era was, I guess, after the Disney heyday, more into the Disney animated feature presentation, Beauty and the Beast.

Oh, yeah.

The Disney Renaissance.

Yeah.

Okay.

So all right, so I'm not the only one.

Definitely.

Oh, my gosh, this has been so magical,.

Thank you.

I am going to remeber you forever?

Oh, my God.

This entire trip just touched my soul.

Thank you so.

Much.

You are so very welcome.

I loved every part, but.

Marceline Oh.

Marceline.

Oh, yeah.

Arrow gave us the gift.

Yeah, Arrow gave us.

What do you think it is?

Oh, you want to open it?

Let's open it.

Are you ready?

Oh, whoa, That's so cool.

Little arrow.

Got a little.

Arrow?

A little Arrow strikes again.

See what I did there?

Oh, hey, we're doing it again next week.

I'm hoping.

I'm guessing we're going to do it again next week.

You can bet your bottom dollar all.