Quantcast

Toys from the past on display

By Joe Brostek

With so much stress and turmoil in today’s world, I want to share something which might evoke joy and bring back some happy childhood memories.

As a trustee of the Queens Historical Society, I had the honor of creating an exhibit which is currently on display at the 230-year-old landmarked Kingsland Homestead in Flushing’s Weeping Beech Park.

It is called “Toys & Games from the Attic & Beyond!” and it includes over 150 toys and games – antique and relatively new – along with many panels explaining their histories and origins.

There are Matchbox Cars, Lionel Trains, Beanie Babies, Star Wars collectibles, Legos, the Cabbage Patch Kid, Hess Trucks, Victorian toys, POGs, Antique dolls and on and on. All visitors can take away a copy of the National Toy Hall of Fame Register.

In addition, there is a beautiful panoramic display of the history on the house, as well as the family that lived in it.

In 1968, the house was moved to its current location to make room for the Murray Hill Shopping Center. Real estate development had threatened its destruction. It was saved by a group of concerned citizens and eventually became the Queens Historical Society, which today has borough-wide scope and impact.

Visit Queenshistoricalsociety.org for additional information.

Joe Brostek

Trustee/Exhibit Curator