Where did the ongoing ‘do a good deed and the mayor of the town congratulates you with the key to the city’ in movies & shows come from? Was that ever a real thing?

Question

I’m watching family guy & Peter found a missing kid and as a reward the mayor gave him the key to the city (or town hall?).
I’ve also seen this happen in a few other movies.

Was this ever a real thing? Is this an inside joke I’m not aware of?

In: 2567

Answer 1

Yes it was basically a free way to kiss someone’s ass and have photo opp but there is good reason why they don’t do it anymore, sometimes the people that get such an award later turn out to be a giant piece of shit like the time[ Saddam Hussein was given the Key of Detroit.](https://www.clickondetroit.com/features/2019/11/27/the-odd-list-of-those-awarded-key-to-the-city-of-detroit-over-the-years/)

I always thought it was stupid as a kid, I still think it was a stupid idea.