Joe Fowler | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1894-07-09)July 9, 1894 Lewiston, Maine, U.S. |
| Died | December 6, 1993(1993-12-06) (aged 99) Orlando, Florida, U.S. |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1917–1948 |
| Rank | Rear Admiral |
| Battles / wars | World War I World War II |
Joe Fowler (July 9, 1894 – December 6, 1993) was arear admiral of theUnited States Navy, who after his retirement had an important role in overseeing the construction ofDisneyland andWalt Disney World. Joe Fowler attended the United States Naval Academy and later earned a master's degree from theMassachusetts Institute of Technology in Naval Architecture. He retired from the Navy in 1948 though he was recalled briefly during theKorean War. In 1952 he was appointed by President Truman to reduce wasteful military spending.[1]
In 1954Walt Disney was looking for a naval expert to help with the building of thepaddle steamerMark Twain, for the then under-construction Disneyland. ThroughC. V. Wood, he found the retired admiral supervising the construction oftract homes in theSan Francisco Bay Area. Fowler was hired by Walt as the construction boss for the entire Disneyland project, not just a paddle steamer.[2] After Disneyland was completed, Fowler stayed on as General Manager of the park for its first 10 years, and assisted with the construction of Walt Disney World.
"At one point during the Florida project, Joe held three posts, simultaneously: senior vice president, engineering and construction, forWalt Disney Productions; chairman of the board of WED Enterprises, now known asWalt Disney Imagineering; and director of construction for Disney’sBuena Vista Construction Company."[3] He retired fromThe Walt Disney Company in 1978, though he continued to work for the company as a consultant.[3] In 1990, Fowler was honored as aDisney Legend.[3]
The dock for the two large ships in Disneyland'sRivers of America, located across fromThe Haunted Mansion is named Fowler's Harbor. In 1999, one of the ferries that crosses theSeven Seas Lagoon taking guests from the Ticket and Transportation Center to theMagic Kingdom was renamedAdmiral Joe Fowler in his honor; it was originally known as theMagic Kingdom I.[3]
  | This biographical article related to the United States Navy is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
