Posted on 11/20/2022 11:41:47 PM PST by DallasBiff
Against the backdrop of major events in American history like the Civil War and the Great Depression, “The Toys that Built America” shares a different story—one that brings new products and nostalgic toys to the forefront as driving forces behind untold cultural and economic shifts
(Excerpt) Read more at history.com ...
I’d have to give it to Erector Sets.....I remember hours and hours of fun as a boy with them.
Grandpa here with nearly grown grand children. Wife and I gathered up all the Legos in the house to do something with and they filled a 2 cubic foot plastic tub. All single pieces.
Testors Corp., Nylint, both HQ’d in Rockford, Illinois…
We were idiot kids, so we removed the magazine spring and follower and put a small paint thinner-burning lamp (a small Testor's paint bottle with a cotton wick in the lid) in its place and we put a small .22 magnum fired case made into a small rocket in the breech with a piece of wire in the end of the rocket to convey the heat to the propellant and then pointed it at each other.
After a fairly long wait, the rocket would go sizzling out of the muzzle and hit and leave a bruise wherever we aimed the thing.
Unfortunately, the dad who owned the rifle was pretty upset that we scorched the rifle's stock and likely lost several key parts while building our little monstrosity.
That was pretty creative! My Dad ended up giving it to one of my cousins- I was pissed, I wanted it for the historical value. My cousin had it modified to serve as a hunting rifle, last I heard.
Oh well. I do have a bayonet for it, however.
.
I used my big yellow metal Tonka dump truck to learn how to walk when I was a wee tyke.
I was out in front of the house, and took off down the sidewalk pushing and leaning on my Tonka.
I actually got a few blocks away - stopped - and an old lady on her front porch
in a rocking chair asked me: "Little boy, does your mommy know were you are?".
Right on queue, Mom came running down the sidewalk after me.
She was watching me play infront of the house, turned away for a moment -
and BAM - I was gone that quick!
Luckily, I escaped a spanking due to my excellent performance!
Remco army toys, Matchbox, Corgi, and Tootsie Toys miniature vehicles; Minitanks, Kenner Girder and Panel, Aurora HO slot cars, Tonka, Erector Set, Flintstones Building Boulders (the Styrofoam squeaking was awful), Lionel HO trains.
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