Where it all started

Dort And Tom Brown, the "Lewis and Clark" of Souvenir Building collecting.

Way back in 1977, the hobby that we now enjoy was born in print. Dorothy Evelyn (Fratzke) Brown published the first reference and value guide to miniature replica buildings. This wonderful 152 page black and white field guide is packed with research concerning not only the replicas but the real buildings as well. Countless hours on the phone and mail correspondence were the tools of the day. The IBM PC was not available until 1981 and the usable internet was two decades away. Two years later Dort published Volume II in the same format and style.

Sadly, Dort passed away on September 6 2008. I am glad I had the opportunity to speak to her and exchange emails, she was truly a delight. Thank you for starting it all Dort! Mike Merwine

Dort's daughter Laurie provided the images and text that follow memorializing one of our founders.