Back to the Batcave

While the DC Comics Batman was born in Gotham City, the actor who brought the iconic superhero to life on television was born in Walla Walla.

To celebrate his 98th birthday and the legacy of its hometown hero, the city will host another chapter of Adam West Day on Saturday, Sept. 19.

Festivities will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Kirkman House Museum at 214 N. Colville Stree. For a superheroic end to the day, the lighting of the Bat-Signal will take place at 8 p.m. at the Marcus Whitman Hotel.

Born William West Anderson, Adam West attended Walla Walla High School during his freshman and sophomore years before moving to Seattle. He later returned to attend Whitman College.

West was cast as Batman in the 1960s ABC series of the same name and its 1966 feature film.

At a time when superhero TV was still new, West’s Batman became a cultural phenomenon with his Bright Knight aura.

“You hear all these new Batmans being the Dark Knight, but Adam was always referred to as the Bright Knight,” said Jonathan Grant, one of the founders of Adam West Day, in a previous interview.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the TV show and the movie.

“He was never ashamed of where he came from and was always so proud to call Walla Walla his home,” Grant added.

To bring out the cinematic vibes, the Adam West Day venue will have movie cars like the Batcopter, the Batmobile, Herbie the Love Bug and Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine.

“It's just about the kids … adult kids and young kids who come and enjoy the event and have fun,” said Raymond Jacobs, one of the organizers. “They can dress up if they want or just have a good old time.”

There will be food vendors on Colville Street including Baskin Robbins, Domino’s, Sweet Little Bites and Beaver Buzz. Other vendors will be selling T-shirts and merchandise. The Walla Walla Symphony will also have an instrument petting zoo.

“Seeing the smiles on the faces of kids is just amazing," Jacobs said.

At noon, in the front yard of Kirkman, there will be a presentation about the making of Episode 1 of the TV series. At 2 p.m. there will be another presentation about the making of the feature film.

“It's just a fun day for everybody,” Jacobs said.

Adam West Day helps support the Kirkman House Museum by bringing in more visitors. The museum houses an Adam West exhibit, where people can learn about the role Walla Walla played in West’s life while tracing his early years and post-Batman career. They can also take pictures with the Batpoles, used by Batman and Robin to descend from Wayne Manor to the hidden Batcave.

“Just like the TV show, you push a button, and a wall opens up to expose the Batcave,” Grant said.

This article was written by Simmerdeep Kaur and published by the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. Her reporting is made possible with support from Report for America and Walla Walla community members.