The Story of the Disneyland Petrified Tree is now for sale!

The story begins with a very dear friend of our family, a man named Jack Baker.
Jack gave us this collection many, many years ago.  He passed away in 1994.  
I was privileged to deliver the eulogy at his funeral.


Jack owned the Pike Forest Fossil Beds in Teller County Colorado, and operated
it as a theme park or tourist trap until 1961.  In 1969 or 1970 (depending on who you
believe), it became the Florrisant Fossil Beds National Monument.


On July 11, 1956, Walt Disney visited Jack's forest.  Below is a picture of Walt
(taken by Jack), with Jack's homely mutt and the petrified trees that Jack
nicknamed The Trio.  This 8x10 photograph (no negative exists) is Item 1.  I have
always thought that it was odd that Walt would have allowed his picture to be taken
in another man's tourist trap.  Maybe Walt didn't know he was being photographed? 

Jack was very proud of this picture and applied this image to some of his tourist trinkets
items, including this plate.  The plate is not for sale.


Walt signed Jack's guest book on July 11, 1956.  The Pike Petrified Forest Guest Register
with Walt Disney's signature is Item 2.
   

In 1956, Jack sold one of the petrified trees from his forest to Walt Disney to put in
Disneyland.  Contrary to what you may have read in some books on the subject, this was
never intended as an anniversary present for Mrs Disney.  More than anything, that is what
probably motivated the federal government to appropriate Jack's tourist trap.  My friend
Eric Campbell, took this picture for me in September 2008.  
Of all the features in Disneyland, this tree seems completely out-of-place.


I am not certain who this youngster is.  Jack employed a local kid to give the nickel
tour to tourists.  This is a clear image of the tree before it was crated and loaded
onto the truck.  These two  8x10 photographs (no negatives exists) are Item 3a and 3b
   

Walt sent Jack a letter confirming the delivery details.  This letter, with
Walt's signature is Item 4.  Jack framed this letter and displayed it in his gift shop.
He never told us why he obscured the price.  We can only speculate that he was
ashamed for selling the tree for such a high price, or perhaps he was embarrassed
that he didn't charge more for it. Or maybe Walt asked that they keep the price
"just between friends".  This letter has been personally inspected by Phil Sears and
includes his Certificate of Authenticity.

Here are some pictures of Jack and my uncles loading the tree onto Jack's truck
for the trip to Disneyland.  No negatives exist.  These 8x10 photographs are
Items 3c, 3d, 3e, and 3f.  Jack is pictured below in the upper left photo, the upper
right photo, and operating the crane in the lower right photo.
  
  

This is the Bill of Sale for the tree, showing the purchase price.  This is Item 5.


What trip to Disneyland would be complete without checking out some of the attractions?
Evidently, Jack could not resist.  This group of Jack's 1956 Disneyland tickets is Item 6.


Lastly, we have a piece of the tree itself.  Item 7.  Jack highgraded 4 pieces of the original
tree.  We snuck one piece into Jack's casket before we laid him to rest.  One piece, we are
keeping.  Another piece we are selling with Jack's fossil collection - probably the largest
collection of Florrisant fossils in private hands.  Obviously, it is impossible to prove definitively
that this piece of fossil wood came from the Disney Tree.  I can only convey what Jack told
me.  It is now illegal to collect fossils at The Monument.



Summary:  
This collection, offered only as a set, The Story of the Disneyland Petrified Tree,
consists of the following items:
     $10,000 USD

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