Village Of Norwood New York Museum-Part 2

I was touring the village museum in Norwood, New York (see also Part 1, posted yesterday) and came to the kitchen, which was filled with old time implements:

A hand cranked washing machine and washboard:

I was told that this was the bedroom of the former home owner, a doctor and Civil War veteran, much as he had left it:

This bureau, which matched the bed, must have been expensive in its day, but something a doctor could afford:

There was a military room, filled with photos, flags, helmets and a wheelchair:

And uniforms from various eras:

A children's room with toys:

And children's clothing:

This gruesome and frightening contraption was a hair curler. Oh, the prices women paid to try to look beautiful!

Women's clothing and dolls:

More women's clothing, including a scout leader's uniform:

The Norwood Fire Department is well known for its marching band, the Brass Fireman. They were honored at the museum with artifacts, photos and trophies. But this was the end of my museum tour. I thanked the historian and made my way outside to begin the drive home:

Part 3, Potsdam Museum Toy Exhibit

I continued on my tour of the Potsdam Museum's toy exhibit with this multistory Barbie and Ken abode:

And at its base was a Barbie camper bus:

There was a G.I. Joe display. This was one toy which was far too recent for me to remember:

A Rin Tin Tin and Lone Ranger exhibit. Now these were from my era and brought back lots of memories:

Fess Parker as Davy Crockett and Smokey Bear, more memories from my childhood:

Lincoln Logs and Gunsmoke:

Gene Autry. Finally, some things even older than my childhood!:

More Roy Rogers and Dale Evans memorabilia:

I didn't see any date for this tricycle, but I'd guess it was from the 30s or 40s:

A 1950s Murray "Trac," a chain-drive pedal tractor. These I remembered, though I didn't have one:

I was really fascinated by this tiny, cast iron wood stove and its equally tiny pots:

A Singer "Touch and Sew" sewing machine. I'm not sure, but my sister may have had one of these.

And Lionel Trains. This incredible set dated back to the 1930s:

Trivial Pursuit, Spirograph, Gilbert Puzzles, Erector Sets and Art Linkletter's "People Are Funny." I certainly had at least one Erector Set as a boy and loved it dearly:

And, as the final entry in my presentation of the toy exhibit, a Mickey Mouse Wall Clock, a giant imitation of the wrist variety. I sure enjoyed the Potsdam Museum's display and I hope that you enjoyed seeing it here:

Part 2, Potsdam Museum Toy Exhibit

I was really enjoying my tour of the Potsdam, New York Museum's toy exhibit and many toys reminded me of my childhood. Worse, some toys reminded me of eras in which I was already an adult. Oh, to think that I have reached an age where my childhood toys are museum artifacts! For instance, my sister and I used to have this "Barrel Of Monkeys" toy:

Metal doll house furniture:

More metal toys and a doll:

And View-Masters. I still have one in my closet, and I think it's even older than these as it takes a straight picture card, not a round one. And of course they still sell Etch-A-Sketch. At least I think they do:

Easter bunnies and toy kitchen appliances:

Space toys, including both Star Wars and The Return Of The Jedi. These were from my children's era:

This roller coaster must have been from about the 1950s as I think I remember either having one or at least seeing one:

The Seven Dwarfs. I still remember the special occasion when our mother took us to see Walt Disney's "Sleeping Beauty" at a downtown theater:

Baseball and race cars:

And Popeye. Who could forget Popeye?:

A collection of cuddly bears on a Victorian settee:

A Schoenhut toy piano. The Albert Schoenhut toy company manufactured toy pianos from 1872 to 1912:

This was during the Christmas season and the stockings were, indeed, hung by the chimney with care:

Space toys, including the Jetsons:

Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, heroes from my childhood. But I wasn't done yet. I'll post Part 3 tomorrow:

Part 1, Potsdam Museum Toy Exhibit

When I saw that the museum in Potsdam, New York was offering a special Toy Exhibit, I knew I had to go see it. My first two attempts were foiled, first by a local band offering holiday songs, and then by groups of school kids, being read stories by the museum staff. But the toys looked so interesting that I gave it another try:

The first thing I saw was this exquisite collection of Victorian dolls. I remembered, from my previous trips to the museum, learning that Potsdam had been a boom town in Victorian times:

There were ethnic dolls:

And Amish dolls. There are lots of Amish folks around here:

There was an entire display of Fisher Price toys:

This hook and ladder firetruck was from the 1950s:

This toy fire truck was from the 1940s. It was made by the Marx Company of New York City, which began manufacturing pressed steel toys in 1919 and was the largest toy manufacturer in the world by the 1950s:

A 1940s motorcycle policeman, also from the 1940s:

A 1920s "Buddy-L" aerial ladder fire truck:

Lots more toys: A rocking horse, a camper truck pulling a boat, and a plush toy horse:

This black pony carousel horse was manufactured by the Charles W. F. Dare Company, sometime between 1867 and 1901. Mr. Dare emigrated to the United States as an 18 year old in 1824 and began making toys in New York City:

This carousel music boxfrom the 1970s was made in Hong Kong. It played "The Carousel Waltz" and the horses moved up and down as it rotated:

I didn't notice any date on this baby carriage, but suspected that it was one of the oldest artifacts in the museum. The child's potty and the high chair seemed to be from a similar era:

A toy farm, a toy which I remember seeing as a kid. The Scottish doll looked familiar and I pondered it for awhile, finally remembering it that it was the spokesperson for Campbell Soups once upon a time. But I was just getting started in the toy exhibit. I'll post Part 2 tomorrow: