The Joy of Toys
When I was a boy, I never had a store-bought toy. My dad made me wooden toys. What I always wanted was a train, but I never got one. At about 6 years old, I was at my cousins’ house the day after Christmas. Santa left them an “O gauge” train under the tree. I watched it go round and round on the track all afternoon—I’ll never forget that.
Years later, in 1970, I started searching for old toys and started my own collection. My first piece was a firetruck given to me as repayment for a bad check I received. It was missing parts and needed lots of repair, but I decided I could fix it. That firetruck was the first of many toy restoration projects I’ve taken on over the years. I am now proud to display that truck, alongside hundreds of others, at our toy museum in Fontanelle, Iowa.
My wife and I have lovingly filled our building with treasures since 2016. When you visit, you’ll find toy trains, trucks, dolls, teddy bears, our collection of classic cars and much more. All are welcome to come see us and experience the joy of toys!
- Fred Pickrell
Founder, Curator and Kid at Heart
Fred & Mary Pickrell
Come and play!
Our museum is located approximately
90 miles from Omaha, Nebraska and
65 miles from Des Moines, Iowa.
We welcome guests from Memorial Day through July 4th, and from the last week of August to early November.
Please call 720-312-1813 for availability.
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