Tonka facts for kids
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Formerly
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| Joint venture | |
| Fate | Acquired by Hasbro in 1991 |
| Founded | June 22, 1946 in Mound, Minnesota |
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| Headquarters | , |
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Key people
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Russell L. Wenkstern |
| Products | Toys and games |
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Tonka is a famous American brand known for its tough toy trucks. The company started making these toys in 1946. For many years, Tonka made its own popular steel toy trucks and construction vehicles. In 1991, a big toy company called Hasbro bought Tonka. Today, Tonka toys are still very popular with kids who love playing with strong, durable vehicles.
Contents
The Story of Tonka Toys
Tonka began as a company called "Mound Metalcraft" in 1946. It was located in Mound, Minnesota. Three friends, Lynn Everett Baker, Avery F. Crounse, and Alvin F. Tesch, started the company. They worked in an old schoolhouse.
How Tonka Started Making Toys
The building they used had been home to another company, Streater Company. This company had made some toy trucks before. The owners of Streater Company were not interested in making toys anymore. So, they offered their toy designs to Mound Metalcraft. The three founders thought making toys could be a good extra business.
Alvin Tesch improved the toy designs. A new logo was created by Erling Eklof. Soon, selling metal toys became the main focus of the company. The logo was designed by Donald B. Olson, who later became a chief engineer for the company. The name "Tonka" comes from the Dakota Sioux word tanka. This word means "great" or "big."
Changing the Company Name and Logo
In November 1955, Mound Metalcraft changed its name to "Tonka Toys Incorporated." From 1947 to 1957, their logo was an oval shape. It showed the "Tonka Toys" name in red. Below it were blue ocean waves with seagulls flying above. This design honored nearby Lake Minnetonka.
Later, the logo changed a few times. From 1958 to 1961, the seagulls were removed. The colors became white, grey, and red. In 1963, the colors changed to red and gold. By 1978, the oval was gone. The company just used the name "Tonka" on its toys.
Growth and New Owners
In 1964, Tonka bought Mell Manufacturing Company in Chicago, Illinois. This allowed Tonka to make barbecue grills, which they called Tonka Firebowl. In 1968, Tonka moved its main office from Mound to Minneapolis.
In 1987, Tonka bought another toy company called Kenner Parker. This deal also included a big UK toy company called Palitoy. Tonka borrowed a lot of money for this purchase. Because of the high cost, Tonka itself needed to find a buyer.
In 1991, Hasbro bought Tonka. Tonka's headquarters moved to Hasbro's facilities in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. In 1998, Hasbro made a deal with Funrise Toys. Funrise started making and selling Tonka trucks. These trucks often had cool features like lights and sounds. This agreement ended in 2019. Now, Basic Fun! makes Tonka toys. Basic Fun! also makes other popular toys like Care Bears and My Little Pony.
In 2024, Basic Fun! filed for a type of business protection called Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This means the company is working to pay back its debts while still operating.
Tonka's Toy Products
Tonka has made many different kinds of toys over the years. While they are most famous for their trucks, they also made dolls. Some doll lines included Star Fairies, Bathing Beauties, and Hollywoods.
They also made other toys for both boys and girls. For example, they produced Keypers and Pound Puppies. For boys, they made action figures like Gobots, Supernaturals, and Rock Lords. Tonka was the first company to make the popular Pound Puppies toys.
Tonka and Video Games
Tonka also got into video games. They created games under the name "Tonka Video Games." One game was called Tonka Raceway. They even bought the rights to sell and market the Master System game console in the US. However, Tonka was new to video games and struggled to market them well.
In 2001, Tonka trucks were honored. They were added to the National Toy Hall of Fame in Rochester, New York. There is even a museum in Winifred, Montana, called the Winifred Museum. It has a collection of over 3,000 Tonka toys!
In 2002, Ford worked with Tonka for the first time. They created a special concept truck called the Mighty F-350.
Tonka in Movies and TV
Tonka toys have also appeared in different types of media. This includes video games, TV shows, and movies.
Video Games Based on Tonka Toys
Many video games have been made based on Tonka toys. These games were released between 1996 and 2006. Most of them were published by Hasbro Interactive or Infogrames Interactive. Some popular titles included Tonka Construction, Tonka Search & Rescue, and Tonka Garage. There were also games like Tonka Monster Trucks and Tonka Firefighter.
TV Shows and Movies
Tonka toys have inspired several TV shows and movies.
- TV Series:
* Challenge of the GoBots (1984-1985): This was a cartoon co-produced with Hanna-Barbera Productions. * Pound Puppies (1986-1987): Another cartoon co-produced with Hanna-Barbera.
- TV Movies and Specials:
* Star Fairies (1985): A TV special. * Pound Puppies (1985): A TV movie.
- Films:
* GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords (1986) * Pound Puppies and the Legend of Big Paw (1988) * Tonka Tough Truck Adventures: The Biggest Show on Wheels! (2004): A direct-to-video computer-animated film.
In 2012, there were plans to make an animated movie based on Tonka trucks. It was going to be produced by Sony Pictures Animation and Hasbro Studios.
