Bank of America Brochures
Let's look at some wonderful vintage Disneyland ephemera! Today we'll check out two brochures from Bank of America.
Here's the front cover - notice the 1955 copyright at the bottom. It's an early one!
Unfolding the first four panels, we get a map of California, showing some of the many B of A branches in the State, especially in the large cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles. To the right, a nice line drawing of the Main Street branch, the color of liver. Yum.
This section advertises Bank of America money order certificates - note that they are unique to Disneyland. I've only seen a few of these pop up on the collector's market over the years, so they must be very rare. I'd love to have one of each (or better yet, 1000 of each)! There's more nice line art too.
In the 1955 version of this brochure, there is a simple cartoonish map of the park, divided into five "lands" by color. Looking at the list of shops and attractions, I see a few interesting details; under “Main Street” I’m wondering about the “Random Parts” Jewelry and Tobacconist. Under “Frontierland” the Buckboard is listed as a ride, though I am still unsure if it ever really was - it must have been for a very VERY short time if so. There’s an Arboretum under the “Adventureland” listing. And “Tomorrowland” has “Stratosnak”. Great name!
I isolated the little spot illustrations because I like them so much.
In 1956, Bank of America released an updated version of the brochure; one side is exactly the same as the '55 version. But the other side features this really wonderful map! I left my usual watermark off of this scan (multiple scans needed to be stitched together) for your viewing enjoyment.
I hope you enjoyed these Bank of America brochures.
20 comments:
Major-
I keep forgetting about those money orders. What a fun souvenir.
As for the "Random Parts" Incorporated reference for both the Fine Tobacco & Jewelry Store(s) - that was the lessee who operated both locations. Seems an odd choice for a name, but I suppose - why not-? (That name also appears in the 'original' guide book: The Story of Disneyland).
That line art is so delicious - seemingly lost to the ages.
Thanks, Major, for sharing this delightful brochure.
The map alone, is worth the price of admission. What a great brochure, it has it all. I too, am on the lookout for a Disneyland money order. I love the art here, so 50s cool and colorful. Great stitch work on the map, thanks Major for sharing these scans.
In the 5th scan, I recognize those five cute little "drawings" - they were cut out and glued (rubber-cemented) to my parents' 1956/1957 Disneyland Trips scrapbook. Now that I see where they originally came from . . . oh my!!!!!
I LOVE the map in the last scan! Great colors and drawings - I especially like the swans. I see under #8 - they have "bakery, puffin" listed. Puffin must have another meaning other than a type of bird. Or is it a bakery for birds??
I gotta run, but will have to spend more time, later, looking at these terrific scans of the brochure (that I don't have a complete one of). Thanks, Major!
Sue
Every part of this brochure can teach you something about the park at the time, and the wonderful illustrations allow you to grasp that Disneyland was stating that it wasn't just another amusement park. Thanks for this!
I find it interesting that you were able to take seven (count 'em) different types of overland transportation in Frontierland according to this brochure: buggy, backboard, conestoga, mule pack, stagecoach, surrey, and Yellowstone coach. I highly doubt that there were actually that many attractions.
UPT Concessions probably didn't last very long; I wonder if anyone ever trademarked "stratosnak..."
During the Disneyland SemiCentennial, I bought a matted map in the Park that seems to have been based on your last image. Cool to know the inspiration. Now, if I could just find the darned thing...
Andrew, if nobody did, I will. Ahem...
I call "Stratosnak!" I called it first! Finders keepers! Nyah, nyah, nyah nyah nyah!
There. Try to legal your way out of THAT!
I have the 1955 BofA Disneyland Guide. It's one of my favorite pre-INA guides. Always loved the graphics and printing on this one.
Those money orders would be cool to have. The only money related items I have from Disneyland are three Disney Dollars, a $1, a $5 and a $10 bill. Anyone remember those?
Van Camp's "Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship"? I wonder if you could get a side of pork and beans with your tuna salad sandwich?
Always love the ephemera when you share it. Thanks, Major
Those Disney Dollars came back a few years ago, but are gone again (at least in Orlando)
As a real bank we could get a checking account there. The checks would state the Disneyland branch. Many employees used it as their main branch. KS
@ Sue-
The official name was the Puffin Bake Shop, the lessee was Ready-to-Bake Foods, Inc. (Refrigerated Foods Division of General Mills, Inc., lasting thru June, 1960). Thanks to Daveland, Look Here to see a lovely shot of the original facade of the shop - sitting between Sunny View Farms Jellies and Jams (Sunny View Farms, Inc., lasting thru October, 1957), and the Penny Arcade.
The more you know...
@ Andrew-
UPT Concessions was another lessee - and a rather important one, at that - as it was a subsidiary of American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres. And, nicely-summarized on Wikipedia... In 1954, AB-PT made a deal with Walt Disney to provide capital for his proposed Disneyland amusement park. For $500,000 in cash and a guarantee of $4.5 million in bank loans, AB-PT acquired a 34.48% interest in Disneyland, Inc. and secured an agreement with Walt Disney Productions to provide programs for the ABC-TV network. AB-PT's subsidiary, UPT Concessions, Inc. was enlisted to operate Tomorrowland's Space Bar (original name Stratosnak) and various other concession stands in Disneyland. (I need not remind you of The Original Mickey Mouse Club, and the granddaddy of Disneyland TV shows - [that would become, in 1961] The Wonderful World of Color: Walt Disney's Disneyland; renamed in 1958: Walt Disney Presents).
@ Andrew (II)-
I should've mentioned - it's probably a safe bet that UPT operated the Fan 1 & Fan 2 food service locations in Fantasyland...
I love the graphics on both of these! On the second map, I'm curious about the spot on Main St. labeled "Real Estate"(#14). Also, I never new there was a "Refreshment Stand" in the train station (#2).
Thanks for taking the time to "scan and stitch" for us, Major!
Nanook, I admit that I have not given my “Story of Disneyland” guidebook a good look for many years, but it is interesting that they both mention “Random Parts”. And yes, it IS an odd name for a lessee!
Jonathan, I have seen a few of those money orders on eBay, but they tend to go for a LOT. I think Van Eaton Gallery had some in one of their auctions too.
Lou and Sue, how funny, I’m glad that this post helped solve the origins of the pictures from your parent’s scrapbook. A bakery for birds, no wonder it didn’t last that long on Main Street! Didn’t Walt know that birds don’t carry money?
Andrew, most of those modes of transport were available in Frontierland, although the “buggy” never made an appearance that I know of, and the surrey was used on Main Street. And as I mentioned, the buckboard seems to have only been used for the briefest time, probably because it looked very dangerous.
Chuck, was the matted map a print, or the real McCoy? It has to be around somewhere! I hope you make millions with “Stratosnak”.
K. Martinez, I think I only have one Disney Dollar, and probably got it as part of a lot of other stuff. I know people really love those, and collect the different designs. What a great idea! Print your own “money” that people don’t even want to spend!
Dean Finder, I actually did not know that they brought back Disney Dollars at all!
Nanook, I like Sue’s idea better.
Nanook, thank you for the details about UPT Concessions, I had never heard that before!
Nanook IV, more interesting info.
TokyoMagic!, there used to be a real estate shop on Main Street, and you could buy a small plastic bag of genuine Disneyland “land” (dirt), along with a deed. Both are very rare now, though the deeds are EXTREMELY rare. I think Matterhorn1959 blogged about his years ago. I have heard about a refreshment stand in Main Street Station, but never knew if it was a real thing.
Now, I finally have some free time to more-closely look at today's post . . .
Scan #1: Why is the teepee inside the fort? If that's really the outside, then why is the Mark Twain on the inside?!?!
Back to Scan #5: I also now know what those little pictures really look like - without rubber-cement that's seeped through and stained them. I'm still upset about that!
Last Scan: Maybe I'm overlooking it, but I don't see the outside flower "shop" listed. It was there, then, wasn't it?!
Nanook, thank you for the information on Puffin Bake Shop. I actually think it was named that because a cute little puffin owned it. I like their colorful beaks.
Major, you mentioned the Disneyland "dirt" (real estate) that you could buy . . . I'm not sure if you are serious, but I now want some Disneyland dirt. The next time I go there, I am seriously bringing a baggie and taking some . . . good luck stopping me. :)
Speaking of Disney dollars, my dad has one hundred $1 Disney dollars that came banded together - in mint condition. I have never seen anyone try to sell a banded bunch like that. Any suggestions for selling the bunch? Van Eaton's??
Sue
@ Sue-
The Flower Market didn't appear until sometime in 1958, according to my sources. The first time it appeared in any guide book, however, was the one with a ©1961; but, there's plenty of photographic proof placing it there in at least 1959, if not by the 1958 date.
Lou and Sue, ya gotta give ‘em a break… artistic license! I’m sure the artist just wanted to include a little bit of everything, teepees, steamboats, and such. Rubber cement was invented by Satan, I’ve seen SO many paper items ruined by it. I don’t think the flower market was there in the earliest days, but couldn’t say with 100% certainty. And don’t give Disney any ideas! Frankly I’m surprised that they haven’t marketed bags of dirt again. It seemed pretty cheeky in the 1950’s, but now it would be a joke! As for that stack of Disney Dollars, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to contact Van Eaton Gallery and ask them if they think it is worth putting up for auction - I’m not familiar with the market for those unfortunately.
Oops, sorry Nanook! Thanks for the 1958 date on the Flower Market, somehow I thought it would have been there before ’58, but I trust your research.
Major-
My gut feeling would have been, well of course, the Flower Market was there from the start. But, there are also plenty of images from 1955 and 1956 showing a rather naked Center Street West.
Sue, I think that Frontierland image is actually referencing early concept art showing teepees outside the stockade entrance to Frontierland rather than Fort Wilderness, which wasn't built until 1956. Further reinforcing that idea is the Mark Twain facing left, which is backwards from what you would see from Tom Sawyer Island but correct if you were viewing it from the "mainland" (although artistic license is in play here, too).
Some terrific stuff here, as noted by the prior posters. Thinking of the printing lead time and the age of the brochure, it's no surprise that there are some conflicts with attraction and shop names.
All I can add is love for those little line art sketches. This kind of illustration style seems lost to the ages.
Also, it appears that the Space Mountain was originally intended for Adventureland.
@Chuck, at some point, there were tipis outside the Frontierland gate IRL. I'm too lazy to hunt for a photo, but pretty sure Daveland will have some.
I remember that we used to bank with BofA when I was very young, and Dad dropped them and went to UCB after some kind of difficulty. Ag financing was (and still is) a specialized branch, apparently BofA didn't offer the best terms to farmers.
I'd love to see the California Map in greater detail to see if my hometown branch is shown.
Thank you Major.
JG
Post a Comment