A Toddler and His Tonka Truck

I always hate to admit how old I am, but I had Tonka trucks when I was a boy!

The company was started in Mound, Minnesota in 1946. It originally was going to make garden implements, and its first item to hit the market was a metal tie-rack. However, the previous owner of their building made metal toys, so the 3 owners thought it would make a fine side business. In November of 1955, Tonka Toys was created. The name comes from an Indian word meaning "great" or "big." Probably their most well known toy was a giant (10-12 inches high) dump truck.

The company was bought out by Hasbro in 1991, and in 2001, the company was voted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in Rochester, New York.

There you go...EVERYTHING you ever wanted to know about Tonka Trucks.

With a big load (get it? like a big truck load) of thanks to my model Merrick.

P.S. This Tonka truck is only about 4 inches long.