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JULY 2020, Volume 33 No. 11 Florida’s Best News Source for Vintage-ANTIQUE-Collectibles
Antique Shoppetique Shoppe
An
Antique Shoppe
THE

This original condition Garton Toy
Company pedal fire truck, 1937,
was offered on eBay for $6,000.

Garton Toy Company Produced

“SIDEWALK FIRE TRUCKS”

By Larry LeMasters

LeMasters’ Antique News Service
Eusebius Bassingdale Garton, founder of In 1879, the Garton Toy Company Famed architect William C. Weeks designed
Garton Toy Company, was born near Toronto, originated in a small frame workshop situated this facility, and, even though Garton Toys
Canada, in 1843. At the age of 21, E.B. Garton along the north bank of the Sheboygan River, is long gone, the building, now an apartment
immigrated to Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, manufacturing anything and everything complex, was listed on the National Register of
and found employment as an oxen dray driver that a household might need. Garton’s line Historic Places in 2000.
in Richardson’s Sawmill’s lumberyard. Garton of manufactured wooded wares included For more than 95 years, the Garton Toy
immediately began to see the possibilities for washboards, fish boxes, cigar boxes, and, Company was one of Sheboygan’s leading
manufacturing wood objects. eventually, wooden toys. In 1882, Garton Toy manufacturers (employing 150 workers by
Garton legend claims that young Garton had Company introduced America’s first “coaster 1900), and, at one time, the company was
a toy “epiphany” while working for Sheboygan wagon” for children. This wagon was 100% the largest “wheel” toy factory in the world,
Carriage Company where he put four wooden made of wood, including the axles and wheels. producing more toys that required “wheels”
wheels on one of the cigar boxes manufactured Garton Toy Company expanded rapidly, than any other company. Garton Toy Company
at the Sheboygan Carriage. Garton later said, “I and Garton, in 1930 (in reaction to its factory issued its famous toy catalog each year, in time
envisioned a motion conveyance having play burning down in what the Sheboygan Press for Christmas, and was considered by children
value for children.” It was from this “motion called “the day the city went wild”), finally all over America as Santa Claus since it
conveyance” that Garton Toy Company, a true built a new and modern facility at North Water manufactured some of the greatest toys created,
dynasty in its day, began. Street and Wisconsin Avenue in Sheboygan. Continued on Page 2

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