For those of us who live in South Lake County, one of our guilty pleasures is visiting the quaint, historic town of Calistoga, only twenty minutes from Middletown. There are a million and one diversions Calistoga has to offer, from art to homemade ice cream, and over the years, I have enjoyed them all. But there is one must-see experience Calistoga offers: the Sharpsteen Museum, named after its creator. That, friends, is where my story begins.
Ben Sharpsteen, born in 1895, did what so many other people in his generation did in those days–he spent his summer at a resort. His grandparents owned land in the area, and he began summering there at age seven and continued his annual visits for the next 12 years. Eventually, he grew up, served in the Marines for a time, and then began his true claim to fame as an Oscar-winning animator/director and producer for Walt Disney, when Walt was nothing more than an entrepreneur who loved animation! Ben worked for Walt Disney for thirty years and won eleven Oscars. Needless to say, the man and his team had talent.
And when Ben retired for good, he returned to where so many of his childhood memories came from–Calistoga. Like much of Lake County, Calistoga has always been known for its hot springs and wine country. What’s not to love?…