Chick-a-Pin Hill

Chickapin Hill or Chick-a-Pin Hill is a location from the 1946 Disney movie, Song of the South. It appears in the Disney Parks under the nickname of, "Splash Mountain" where it is central location of said attraction.

Description[]

Chickapin Hill is a rocky incline located somewhere in the Southern United States. The region in which Splash Mountain is located is sometimes identified as "Critter Country", a locale established in the year 1889. Around the 19th-early 20th century, Chickapin was home to a wide variety of different anthropomorphic critters.

The Hill acquired its nickname of, "Splash Mountain" due to its high quantity of rivers and waterfalls, created from the result of a flooded dam. The waters of the hill were frequently used by rowboats, hollowed out logs, and the Zip-A-Dee Lady steamboat. Chickapin Hill also had a local newspaper known as "Rabbit Tales".

Features[]

Exterior[]

Barn: A barn in the side of the mountain, decorated with art of various hill inhabitants. The barn connected to a dock-like waterway for hollowed-out logs. The owner of the barn is unknown though it seemed most heavily affiliated with Br'er Frog. Outside of the barn was a wooden sculpture of Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear cluelessly looking for Br'er Rabbit sitting overtop of them and laughing, a sculpture which appeared to have been carved from a single tree. Many birds lived in birdhouses hung on trees around this barn.
Br'er Bear's Cave: Located nearby Slippin Falls, this was the cave of Br'er Bear.
Brer Beaver's Lodge:
Br'er Fox's Lair: A hollow tree at the top of Splash Mountain located overtop of a small den was the home of Br'er Fox. After Chickapin Hill became Splash Mountain, a waterfall was formed coursing through Br'er Fox's lair. Br'er Fox has been known to use the hollowed-out tree as a lookout.
Brer Roadrunner's Home:
The Briar Patch: The Briar Patch is a large thicket of thorns growing from the bottom of Chick-a-Pin Falls.
- Br'er Rabbit's Home: Br'er Rabbit had a burrow-like home with an interior connected to the briar patch. There are multiple locations showing the entrance to Br'er Rabbit's Briar Patch home which are visible around Splash Mountain. One is by Slippin' Falls, another near the Fishin' Place, another is at the end of the attraction near Doo-Dah Landing, and the last is outside of the Briar Patch shop.
Catfish Bend:
Chick-a-Pin Falls: Chick-a-Pin Falls is a fifty-two foot waterfall visible pouring down the hill, earning it the name of Splash Mountain.
Doo Dah Landing: Doo Dah Landing is located around the backside of the mountain, along the waters coming from Chick a Pin Falls. It is a riverboat landing used by the Zip-A-Dee Lady steamboat. Several critters had homes in Doo Dah Landing.
- Boat Rental:
The Fishin' Place: The Fishin' Place was a watery area used for fishing, primarily by various geese, Br'er Frog, and Br'er Gator.^[1] Part of the Fishin' Place had a stone bridge passing overtop of the river. "No Fishin'" signs could be found in this location which the inhabitants of Splash Mountain obviously did not adhere to.
Fowler's Cellar:
Grandma Sara's Kitchen:
Hoot & Holler Hideout:
The Old Mill Pond: The Old Mill Pond is a lumber-mill is located on the waterfall side of the mountain.^[2]
The Old Swimmin' Hole: The Old Swimmin' Hole was a swimming hole right by the Fishin' Place.
Pansy, Poppy, and Petunia's Tree: This was a tree along the rivers leading to the Laughin' Place which was home to the three opossums, Pansy, Poppy and Petunia.
Porky Pine's Home:
Professor Barnaby Owl's Photographic Art Studio: This was a business in a wooden building located along the base of Splash Mountain. The business was run by Professor Barnaby Owl, identified as selling images of "Wildlife Portraits" and "Scenic Views". Professor Barnaby Owl's business would specialize in taking photographs of critters who would ride logs down Chick-a-Pin Falls then sell the images to them.
Rabbit Tree: This was a tree which served as the home to two small rabbits, with a farm outside.
Rainbow Ponds:
Railroad: The Disneyland Railroad passed through Chick-a-Pin Hill going through tunnels in the mountain, over a bridge on Doo-Dah Landing, then out the mountain through a tunnel onto a bridge passing over Critter Country, along Critter Country's Hungry Bear Restaurant.
Sammy's Recycalatin' Corner:
Slippin' Falls: Slippin' Falls is a relatively small waterfall with a rope-bridge passing overtop. At the base of the waterfall was a rocky opening leading to the Fishin' Place. The waters connecting the Old Mill Pond to Slippin' Falls were lined with the homes and gardens of various critters. A wagon selling "Critter Elixir" as well as tanks of "Muskrat Moonshine" could be found in said area as well.
Splashdown Photos: Splashdown Photos was a photography studio and dry goods store located at the base of Splash Mountain, nearby the barn.
Tall Tale Tunnel: A tunnel in the vicinity of Splash Mountain which was home to Br'er Owl. It has been said that "If ever there's one critter in all of this country, that knows the comings and goings of those who live in and about Splash Mountain, he's the one who knows what's what".

Interior[]

Predominately subterranean portions of the mountain.

Br'er Fox's Lair: Located at the peak of the hill and the mouth of Chick-a-Pin Falls, this was the lair of Br'er Fox. The lair could be accessed from a lift-hill in the mountain's caverns, with various thick roots where the Boothill Boys were known to perch.
The Laughin' Place: The Laughin' Place, possibly also known as "Rainbow Hollow", is a series of caverns filled with beehives, giant mushrooms, and geysers. It is primarily accessed through a waterfall in a briar-patch.
Mother Possum's Burrow:
Mother Rabbit's Burrow:
Railroad tunnel: This is a cavernous tunnel which passed through Splash Mountain and which was used by the Disneyland Railroad. Partway through, the tunnel exited into a pathway above Doo-Dah Landing.

Fauna[]

Alligators:
Bears:
Beavers:
Bees:
Bluebirds:
Cats:
Chickens:
Dogs:
Fish:
Fireflies:
Foxes:
Frogs:
- Bullfrogs:
Geese:
Muskrats:
Opossums:
Owls:
Pigs:
Porcupines:
Rabbits:
Raccoons:
Roadrunners:
Spiders:
Storks:
Terrapins:
Turkeys:
Vultures:
Weasels:

History[]

Background[]

Origins[]

The newspaper explaining Splash Mountain's backstory

Chick-a-Pin Hill is a wooded hill which served as home to many critters. The time this occurred is described as "Long, long ago" in a time when "The critters were closer to the folks, and the folks were closer to the critters...and you might even say things were better all around".^[3] The peak of the hill was marked by a dead-tree, which was home to the conniving Br'er Fox. Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear were often known to go about plots to capture the crafty Br'er Rabbit in hopes of eating him.

At some point, a raccoon named Rackety used the woods near Chickapin Hill for his moonshining, only for this to cause an explosion; with it being speculated that he used too many blueberries. The explosion destroyed the recently constructed dam of the Beaver Brothers, resulting in a flood which drenched Chickapin Hill and transformed it into what locals renamed as, "Splash Mountain".^[4] According to Br'er Owl, who was born within Chick-a-Pin Hill, Br'er Rabbit was one of the main individuals who began to dub Chick-a-Pin Hill as Splash Mountain. These events appeared to have occured by the 1850s/early 1860s and became local lore.^[5]

Splash Mountain[]

At some point, Br'er Rabbit decided that he wanted to leave his burrow on the hill, something which he explained to Br'er Terrapin. Br'er Terrapin decided to accompany Br'er Rabbit, packing his things in a bindle to look for fun. On the rabbit's journey away from home, Br'er Fox attempted to set a trap for him only for the rabbit to trick Br'er Bear into going into the trap in his place. Br'er Rabbit proceeded to trick Br'er Bear into going to, "His laughin' place", a series of caverns where the bear was swarmed by bees. While here, Br'er Rabbit was attacked by Br'er Fox and trapped within a beehive.

Br'er Fox brought the rabbit up to his lair, planning to gruesomely kill him to eat, with the likes of Mother Rabbit, Mother Possum and the Boothill Boys assuming that he was sure to be killed. Br'er Rabbit pleaded not to be thrown over the waterfall into the briar patch. Br'er Fox decided to give-in and threw Br'er Rabbit into the briar patch, not realizing this was the rabbit's plan to escape as he was born and raised in the briar patch.

River Belle Chorus' welcome celebration for Br'er Rabbit

When Br'er Rabbit escaped, he returned back to his home where he was met with fanfare to welcome him home including: the River Belle Chorus aboard the Zip-a-Dee Lady steamboat, the Swamp Boys providing accompaniment, the Collegiate Quartet in a wagon, as well as Br'er Raccoon & Porky Pine playing music nearby. At his home, Br'er Rabbit happily sang with Mister Bluebird. After Br'er Rabbit escaped, Br'er Fox attempted to free Br'er Bear from the Laughin' Place only to have his tail bitten by Br'er Gator who attempted to drag the fox into the water, presumably to eat. It is unknown whether Br'er Fox survived this alligator attack or not.

Later history[]

After these events, people (particularly humans) started using hollowed out logs to go over the waterfall for fun. Professor Barnaby Owl was known to take daguerreotype photographs of those going down the falls to sell to them as souvenirs from his photographic art studio. Br'er Frog would also tell the story of the story of Br'er Rabbit going down the falls of Splash Mountain to his grandchildren, which was observed by some of these human critters.

In 1889, the region surrounding Chickapin Hill seemed to have become established as "Critter Country".^[6] Critter Country is described as having been made for critters, though always welcome for humans to stop in for a spell.^[7]

Critter Country appeared to be home to individuals such as the musical bear revue the Country Bears of Critter Country's Country Bear Playhouse and who were also associated with the Hungry Bear Restaurant. Around the 1920s/1930s, Critter Country was also home to animal and stuffed-animal friends of English child Christopher Robin from the Hundred Acre Wood, connected to a barn nearby Splash Mountain while the various characters were also associated with the "Pooh Corner" shop seemingly across from Splash Mountain, which Mr. Bluebird lived just outside-of.

Development history[]

Chickapin Hill is a location from Disney's infamously controversial and racist 1946 film, Song of the South, where it solely appeared as Br'er Fox's lair. For the attraction Splash Mountain, based on the film, Chickapin Hill was reimagined as the eponymous "Splash Mountain" and merged with the Briar Patch from the movie.

Splash Mountain was largely developed by imagineer Tony Baxter. Much of the mountain's critter population were made using audio-animatronics repurposed from extinct Tomorrowland attraction, America Sings. This is because the characters of America Sings were designed by animator Marc Davis who had also designed animal characters for Song of the South. The attraction got its name from the 1984 mermaid film Splash, which executives had wanted the ride to be based on.

In 2023, Splash Mountain was closed in the American parks due to attention surrounding its Song of the South origins. Splash Mountain was transformed into Tiana's Bayou Adventure, based on the 2008 film The Princess and the Frog. The structure which represented Chickapin Hill/Splash Mountain was changed to depict an abandoned salt-mine in the bayou outside of New Orleans which was previously owned by the Southern Dome Salt Company, and later purchased by Tiana's Foods. The barn was changed to Tiana's Foods offices, the Briar Patch became exterior parts of the bayou, the Fishin' Place became interior portions of the bayou, the Laughin' Place became the Ranitas Verdes Club, Br'er Fox's lair became Mama Odie's home, and Doo Dah Landing became Princess Tiana's home Fleur du Bayou.

Splash Mountain[]

Chickapin Hill is the titular setting of this attraction.

The Briar Patch[]

This shop was set within the briar patch of the hill. In the Magic Kingdom, Br'er Rabbit's home was visible in the upper levels.

Trivia[]

Many of the characters found in Chickapin Hill are recycled from defunct Tomorrowland attraction, America Sings. However, America Sings' central characters Sam the Eagle and Ollie the Owl notably do not appear.
Catfish Bend was named after a cancelled animated Disney film planned to have been released in 1981.
Parts of Critter Country has/had shared theming between Splash Mountain with The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and The Country Bear Jamboree, implying the rides/characters could have connections to Splash Mountain.
- A sack of mail has appeared on a shelf of the Briar Patch containing various letters between Winnie the Pooh and his friends.^[8]
- A washboard found near the end of Splash Mountain in the Magic Kingdom was labelled as coming from Brother Ted, a character affiliated with playing the washboard in the Country Bear Jamboree.^[9]
- In 2018, an area called, "Sammy's Recycalatin' Corner" was added near Splash Mountain's exit. This area was named after Sammy from the defunct Country Bear Jamboree, and featured art of the character.
- While in the Magic Kingdom's Frontierland and not Disneyland, the Briar Patch in the Magic Kingdom had a small plush of Winnie the Pooh in the upper levels.^[10]^[11]
- Letters from and to various Hundred Acre Woods characters appeared in the Briar Patch shop.^[12]
A framed photograph in Disneyland's Splash Mountain and Professor Barnaby Owl's showed Mickey Mouse in a log going over the falls.^[13]
In the Magic Kingdom's Splash Mountain, there were washboards that connected to guests' MagicBands. One came from Remus Washboard Co., referencing Uncle Remus from Song of the South, another "Aunt Tempy's Best" from referencing Aunt Tempy from the same movie, and, "Baskett McDaniels" which references Uncle Remus and Aunt Tempy's performers, James Baskett and Hattie McDaniels.^[14]
The signs in the queue for Splash Mountain were taken from Uncle Remus' quotes from the Song of the South.
Fowler's Cellar is a tribute to Admiral Joe Fowler who assisted in Disneyland's construction. He is also paid tribute in Critter Country by Fowler's Harbor.
It is unknown if the sign for "Hither", "Thither" and "Yon" near Porky Pine's home referred to neighbours or the name of the location.
Outside of a part of Pooh Corner in Disneyland is a sign for "Critter Country", establishing it as having been established in the year 1889. This is an allusion to 1989, which is the year that Splash Mountain opened.
- This would also make the founding of Critter Country take place after the events of The Song of the South.
Given how Critter Country was had some shared theming to be representative of a single region, it is possible that Chick a Pin Hill was also located in the vicinity of Fowler's Harbor, Harbour Galley, Pelican Landing, and the Davy Crockett themed attraction Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes though this is speculative.
- If true, it could be possible that Fowler's Cellar in Chick-a-Pin Hill has some connection to Fowler's Harbor in Critter Country.
Br'er Bear's snoring from his cave was a tribute to the removed cave of Rufus the Bear cave of Bear Country. When Splash Mountain first opened, the cave was still identified as belonging to Rufus.
In Walt Disney World, the shape of the rocks to the left-side of the Chick-a-Pin Falls Drop resembled the side-profile of Mickey Mouse.
Equipment visible in the Laughin Place scene may have implied that there may have been mining activity within Splash Mountain.
The Southern US state in which Chick-a-Pin Hill was located is unknown. In the Magic Kingdom, the geography of Splash Mountain's area was made to resemble Texas. The 1946 movie The Song of the South, took place in Georgia.
In the bayou of Tiana's Bayou Adventure, there is a dead tree which fireflies pass through which has a strong resemblance to the dead tree atop Chick-a-Pin Hill.