Friday, October 30, 2015

Souvenir Friday- Town Square Realty Grant Deed and Packet of Dirt

One of my favorite unusual Disneyland souvenirs is the packet of dirt that was given away by Town Square Realty. The lessee promoted real estate and development in Orange and Los Angeles County. A visitor could stop by and view information on suburban tracts and also own a small packet of California dirt. The packets of dirt do show up, but the accompanying deed and envelope never show up. The deed is nicely illustrated and has a neat embossed seal.

The packet features a graphic of Sleeping Beauty Castle on one side and a clear view of the dirt the guest now owns.

The mailing envelope is very simple and almost crude in it's design.

10 comments:

K. Martinez said...

Interesting. There's no five digit zip code on the envelope. Did they not start using zip codes until the 1960's?

outsidetheberm said...

Rare indeed! And your copy is very clean. I've always wondered if the dirt might have come from the actual Disneyland site. The deed almost implies as much.

Brad Abbott said...

I've seen a few versions of the dirt pouch, but never seen the actual deed. Thanks so much for sharing this, it truly is rare and pretty amazing!

Matthew said...

What a great "Souvenir Friday!" I never knew they gave out a Grant Deed nor that there was a "Town Square Realty." PJ, do you know where it was located on Main Street?

I still believe that the Disney Vacation Club "vending carts" (that take up places where benches used to be... there he goes again about the benches) should be removed and that DVC should take up a "residence" like this one on Main Street (and if necessary other lands). Blend them into the "theme" of the area instead of a cart showing you pictures of Hawaii... in Tomorrowland.

Chuck said...

Ken - ZIP (Zone Improvement Plan) codes didn't come about until 1963. I love how this envelope has the street address below the city and postal zone - "Oakland 5" - and yet it was still delivered. I wonder if that would happen today? (Time for an experiment...)

K. Martinez said...

That answers my question about the ZIP. Thanks, Chuck!

Nanook said...

@ Matthew-

If you faced Bank of America, Town Square Reality was located to its left, and a part of the same building as BofA. It was there thru some time in 1960. Later used as the projection room for Babes in Toyland, and then incorporated into the lobby of Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. Still later that space turned into the lobby for the Walt Disney Story.

MIKE COZART said...

An interesting note regarding Disneyland's TOWN SQUARE REALITY: Hong Kong Disneyland's Main Street USA is almost identical in design to the original Disneyland 1955 Main Street - most of the original color schemes are duplicated as well. Compared to all the odd-ball and poorly designed attachments and extended roof lines that were added to Disneyland California's Main Street to accommodate things like LIGHT MAGIC and other tacky shows, Hong Kong Disneyland's Main Street USA looks more like original Disneyland than the current Disneyland does!!

Anyway, at Hong Kong Disneyland's block of buildings that are a match for the most part to Disneyland USA's MAD HATTER SHOP - OPERA HOUSE and BANK (the bank building in Hong Kong is called the J. HENCH BUSINESS BLOCK and the MAD HATTER building in Hong Kong is THE TOWN SQUARE REALTY!!! complete with new 1901 house plans on display and a few architecture models in the windows - since the building is currently a unused facade - a sign hanging in the front window of the entry doors reads "out to lunch - be right back!"

Matthew said...

@Nanook & Mike Cozart

Thank you both for your commentary. So, if I Understand correctly, the location in California was originally in, what is now the lobby of Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. And In Tokyo it is in the Mad Hatter Shop. Gotta love those Japanese for holding on to tradition and including the shop. Can not wait to visit Japan one day.

Always your pal,
Amazon Belle

MIKE COZART said...

Matthew:
Hong Kong Disneyland -China . Not Tokyo Disneyland Japan. Tokyo Disneyland's World bazaar uses mostly Walt Disney World Main Street facades and about a dozen TDL specific ones.