The Unusual Story of the Quaker Oats Land Giveaway in Connecticut

Get ready for a fun nugget of history from a chapter in the state of Connecticut! Picture this: it’s the early 1900s, and Quaker Oats, in a burst of creativity, decides to spice up their marketing game.

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According to History Oasis, in 1902 Quaker Oats began putting a big surprise into their oatmeal boxes—deeds to very small plots of land, right here in Connecticut. While it was a marketing stunt, these deeds were real and valid.

However, the pieces of property only measured 10 x 10 feet, and were dropped into select boxes of oatmeal, allowing lucky consumers to claim their very own “oatmeal lot” in the planned Liberty Park neighborhood of Milford, Connecticut. It was like winning a ticket to your own patch of land, complete with a legal claim! Although the ambitious plans for Liberty Park never came to fruition, a handful of adventurous folks—some even kids—sent in their coupons to stake their claim.

Now, here’s where things get insanely messy. Although most of these tiny plots were never developed and didn’t bring in any tax revenue, they certainly stirred up some issues for local tax collectors and property overseers. Imagine the confusion as they scrambled to keep track of countless postage-stamp-sized lots scattered across a largely empty subdivision! It was a classic case of trying to manage a fun idea that turned into a logistical nightmare.

What started as a clever way to boost sales transformed into a super weird chapter in Milford's history. So, next time you enjoy a bowl of oatmeal, just think—somewhere in Connecticut, there are a few tiny lots of land, all thanks to a clever marketing stunt!

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I can't even get a free parking spot in this state. WTF!?