Tonka Trucks

Oh I’m having so much fun with this blog! Now I can share all of the real-estate knowledge I have with you, my readers. I hope you will learn more of why I love real-estate and Lake Minnetonka. There is so much rich history about the like that I love to learn about. A lot of great business started around Lake Minnetonka. Did you know that Tonka Toys started in Minnetonka?

Tonka Toys

In 1947, the first TONKA brand toy trucks were designed and manufactured by the Mound Metalcraft Company, a business then located in a small schoolhouse basement near Lake Minnetonka in Mound, Minnesota, that specialized in manufacturing garden tools. With a staff of just a half dozen people, Mound Metalcraft turned out a total of 37,000 metal trucks in two designs in its first year - a steam shovel and a crane.

(”TONKA” means “great” in Sioux.).

first tonka crane

This is one of the first toys that tonka toys built. This is a great site dedicated to the love of tonka toys.

This is a brief history of tonka trucks from hasbro, the toy company who owns tonka trucks.

Just an interesting tidbit about Lake Minnetonka.

Did you ever own a Tonka truck? I never did but I think my brothers owned a few.

Virginia Lord

Raising the Bar in Real Estate

612.799.1700

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2 Comments Leave a comment.

  1. On March 14, 2008 at 10:02 am Brad Blanski Said:

    The Tonka Trucks I had were always well played with. They were the most beat up toys I had. I guess they are collectible items now and worth some money. Like the 1956 Flare Side Truck in great shape at http://www.odinartcollectables.com/mediumtonka.asp

    The truck has the same picture logo of Tonka you displayed on the side of the truck.

    I guess I am rather lucky to live in Minnesota

  2. On March 14, 2008 at 2:06 pm sitaji Said:

    Target was selling cool vintage t-shirts recently with “Tonka” written on them. Not quite like this image:

    http://www.80stees.com/images/products/Tonka_Brown_80stees-T-link.jpg

    Just the logo, but still very cool. I got one form my brother at the Target in St. Louis Park on Hwy 100.

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