OHIO COUNTY, W.Va. (WTRF) – A 116 year old tree outside the Kruger Street Toy and Train Museum recently had to be removed, thanks to termite damage.
This particular tree was special. Not only is it over a century old, but it was one of three special Linden Trees brought over from Germany, and it was the last of the trees to survive. Thousands of children played under this tree when the museum was a school, and it served as a centerpiece for the museum, so they were very sad to see it go.
But as the tree was removed, they discovered something remarkable from the past.
“They found several toys that were inside of the tree, it was kind of embedded in the tree. And we were able to get them loose so that we could keep them. They are 1955, a little toy soldier and a horse, which we’re told the horse is pretty rare so that’s pretty exciting. But they had a little worn on them, but otherwise they were a beautiful reminder of the tree and how the kids played underneath of it.”
Lynn Maguire, Manager, Kruger Street Toy and Train Museum
The toys were made by The Louis Marx and Company, which at one time had a manufacturing plant in Glen Dale, West Virginia. Other vintage Marx toys are on display at the museum.
