Tonka Toy History

The familiar, seemingly indestructible yellow trucks known as Tonka trucks by children and adults everywhere had their beginnings in a garden tool company and some unsuccessful truck designs. Now having celebrated the company's 60th anniversary, Tonka continues to improve, redesign and add to their product line. Tonka's lifetime guarantee of an indestructible toy continues to hold to this day. Each holiday season, the Tonka division of Hasbro toys sends a life-sized Tonka Mighty Dump Truck out on tour to gather toys and donations for those less fortunate.

History

In 1946, three men set out to create a metal implements and tools business on the shores of Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota. They called their company Mound Metalcraft. Fortunately for little boys everywhere, they were more successful with toys than with gardening tools, their intended product. Having only a couple of tie racks as products, the men decided their garden tool business might need a secondary product and so they tried their hand at toy truck design based on the failed designs of the previous building owners.

Significance

The owners made some changes to the original designs created by the former owners and decided that the logo for the toy division of their new garden tools company would be the word "Tonka" placed on the metal toys. Tonka is a Dakota-Sioux Indian word meaning "great" or "large." The first year, the young company only created two designs of toy metal vehicles, a crane and a steam shovel. However, in that first year, the company managed to sell 37,000 metal toy cranes and steam shovels.

Function

The huge success of their first year led the partners to set aside the garden tools business and make metal toys their primary product. The partners focused on making the most durable and sturdy toy on the market for its value. The Tonka brand metal vehicles earned high praise and ever increasing sales. Their popularity skyrocketed. In the year following WWII, inventory sold out in just a few months. In November 1955, as sales continued to climb, the company changed its name to Tonka Toys Incorporated.

Types

The first Tonka dump truck was introduced in 1949. The most popular Tonka truck ever manufactured was the Mighty Dump Truck introduced in 1964. In 1965, Tonka began to manufacture the Mighty line of toys. From then to present, the Mighty line of vehicles continue to be popular. The significant changes, outside of a few decals, over the years have been the reduction in steel content and an increase in plastic parts. However, today's Mighty Tonka Dump Truck still carries a lifetime guarantee and assurance of durability.

Identification

In 1991, Hasbro bought Tonka Toys. Throughout the 1990s, several other vehicle-based products were added including mini cars, books and talking trucks. Tonka also produced several non-vehicle products such as some doll-like creations such as Star Fairies and Pound Puppies along with developing computer games such as Tonka Raceway. One little known expansion of the Tonka brand label occurred in 1964, when the company acquired a manufacturing company and began producing barbecue grills. These grills carry the brand name Tonka Firebowl.

Resources

• Collector and history site