Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    Banner
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
      • Playlists
    • Television
      • Shows by Decade
        • 1950s Television
        • 1960s Television
        • 1970s Television
        • 1980s Television
        • 1990s Television
      • Shows by Genre
        • Comedy
        • Drama
        • Kids TV
        • Variety
        • News & Sport
        • Advertisements
      • Shows by Country
        • UK TV
        • USA TV
        • Australia & NZ TV
        • Canada TV
        • Europe TV
        • Japan TV
      • Shows A to K
        • Shows A
        • Shows B
        • Shows C
        • Shows D
        • Shows E
        • Shows F
        • Shows G
        • Shows H
        • Shows I
        • Shows J
        • Shows K
      • Shows L to Z
        • Shows L
        • Shows M
        • Shows N
        • Shows O
        • Shows P
        • Shows Q
        • Shows R
        • Shows S
        • Shows T
        • Shows U
        • Shows V
        • Shows W
        • Shows X
        • Shows Y
        • Shows Z
      • Shows 0 to 9
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • 1950s Music
        • 1960s Music
        • 1970s Music
        • 1980s Music
        • 1990s Music
      • Music A to K
        • Music A
        • Music B
        • Music C
        • Music D
        • Music E
        • Music F
        • Music G
        • Music H
        • Music I
        • Music J
        • Music K
      • Music L to Z
        • Music L
        • Music M
        • Music N
        • Music O
        • Music P
        • Music Q
        • Music R
        • Music S
        • Music T
        • Music U
        • Music V
        • Music W
        • Music X
        • Music Y
        • Music Z
      • Music 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • 1950s Movies
          • Movies 1950
          • Movies 1951
          • Movies 1952
          • Movies 1953
          • Movies 1954
          • Movies 1955
          • Movies 1956
          • Movies 1957
          • Movies 1958
          • Movies 1959
        • 1960s Movies
          • Movies 1960
          • Movies 1961
          • Movies 1962
          • Movies 1963
          • Movies 1964
          • Movies 1965
          • Movies 1966
          • Movies 1967
          • Movies 1968
          • Movies 1969
        • 1970s Movies
          • Movies 1970
          • Movies 1971
          • Movies 1972
          • Movies 1973
          • Movies 1974
          • Movies 1975
          • Movies 1976
          • Movies 1977
          • Movies 1978
          • Movies 1979
        • 1980s Movies
          • Movies 1980
          • Movies 1981
          • Movies 1982
          • Movies 1983
          • Movies 1984
          • Movies 1985
          • Movies 1986
          • Movies 1987
          • Movies 1988
          • Movies 1989
        • 1990s Movies
          • Movies 1990
          • Movies 1991
          • Movies 1992
          • Movies 1993
          • Movies 1994
          • Movies 1995
          • Movies 1996
          • Movies 1997
          • Movies 1998
          • Movies 1999
      • Movies A to K
        • Movies A
        • Movies B
        • Movies C
        • Movies D
        • Movies E
        • Movies F
        • Movies G
        • Movies H
        • Movies I
        • Movies J
        • Movies K
      • Movies L to Z
        • Movies L
        • Movies M
        • Movies N
        • Movies O
        • Movies P
        • Movies Q
        • Movies R
        • Movies S
        • Movies T
        • Movies U
        • Movies V
        • Movies W
        • Movies X
        • Movies Y
        • Movies Z
      • Movies 0 to 9
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Radio
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Pop Culture»Toys & Games
    Toys & Games 2 Mins Read

    Tonka Toys

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    There might not be a toy that says “boy” more! Boys love their Tonka Trucks. Love to hold them, love to smash them into other Tonkas, love to take chips out of the wall plaster with them, love to personalise them with “vroom vroom” sound effects. Tonkas are an inside and an outside toy – they’re sturdy and virtually unbreakable.

    There are plenty of moving parts, but not a lot of separable parts, so there’s no need to worry about things getting lost. There are enough models in the product line to make a complete collection seem just barely attainable – instilling the Truck aficionado with a yen for more and more Truck acquisitions (in toy company land, this consumer’s sense of quest means a promotion for everyone in the marketing department).

    In 1947, a small fleet of Minnesota teachers set out to make and sell gardening tools from a schoolhouse basement. Their green thumb equipment didn’t produce much green though, unfortunately, and so they decided to start a little toy venture with their leftover building materials.

    They named their product after the nearby Lake Minnetonka, which means “great” in Sioux. The earliest trucks were the No. 100 steam shovel and the No. 150 crane.

    Later years saw many other truck and Jeep models, based on designs from the US Army, from the Air Force, and from commercial lines like John Deere and Humvee.

    In 1965, the Tonka Mighty Dump Truck roared onto the scene in all its bright yellow glory, and it remains the best-selling truck today.

    There are trucks for building, for transporting and for just plain old cruising around. Whatever a kid has in mind, whatever mini-city he’s erected with Star Wars figures and Lego bricks, whatever ramp, whatever obstacle course – a Tonka Truck can navigate right through it or smash it to kingdom come – it just depends on the truck driver’s mood that day.

    Tonka was purchased by Hasbro in 1991. They’re still heartily manufactured and sold, still a staple for any little boy’s toy compilation.

    Their collectors are many, by the way, and if you happen to stumble upon these grown-up boys in an unguarded moment, you just may catch them making “vroom” noises across the carpet with bright yellow dump truck in hand.

    Video

    Related Posts

    • originalstarwarsfigures
      Star Wars Figures
      Director George Lucas passed up an extra $500,000 in director fees when he made Star Wars (1977) in exchange for retaining…
    • Planet of the Apes figures
      Planet of the Apes figures
      Few science-fiction concepts were as durable as the one that fueled Planet of the Apes. The success of the first…
    • lonerangeraction0
      Lone Ranger action figures
      Gabriel Toys introduced the Lone Ranger toyline in 1973, creating a vast array of action figures, horses, and playsets based…
    • seamonkeys000
      Sea Monkeys
      There have been plenty of toys that allowed children to put their natural creative energies to work. Lego, Erector sets, and countless…
    • breakout7
      Breakout
      Designed by future Apple Computer founder Steve Jobs (though Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak reportedly did the bulk of the work),…
    • Major Matt Mason
      Major Matt Mason
      "Mattel’s Man in Space!" Space exploration was the dream of many a young mind in the late 1960s, and Major…
    • Six Million Dollar Man Action Figure
      Six Million Dollar Man Action Figure
      If there was ever a television series that demanded a toy line for its merchandise, it was The Six Million…
    • Action Figures
      Action Figures
      What??? A boy playing with a doll??? Are you insane? These weren't dolls, they were 'Action Figures'. There's a big…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleTiny Tears
    Next Article Tootsie Toys

    Comments are closed.

    NC Radio Player
    Search the site
    Nostalgia Central has been a labour of love since 1998. The site carries no advertising, and I rely on donations to help with running costs and to keep the site running for your entertainment and education.

    If you find the site informative or enjoyable, please consider a donation – no matter how small.
    Thank you so much. Enjoy your trip in the time machine!
    You may also like

    • bumpnjump000
      Bump 'n' Jump
      You just had to love a game whose entire philosophy on life was summed up in its three-syllable title: Bump…
    • lonerangeraction0
      Lone Ranger action figures
      Gabriel Toys introduced the Lone Ranger toyline in 1973, creating a vast array of action figures, horses, and playsets based…
    • Major Matt Mason
      Major Matt Mason
      "Mattel’s Man in Space!" Space exploration was the dream of many a young mind in the late 1960s, and Major…
    • captainaction002
      Captain Action
      With a change of clothes and mask, Captain Action could alter his identity into some of the mightiest heroes on…


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Copyright © 1998, 2023 Nostalgia Central. Run by volunteers. Funded by donations.
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.