Time Travel Iowa: Peter-Mar Toys

This Iowa company made wooden toys for children during World War II.

Shane Straka, Host: When you were growing up, was your favorite toy fancy? Simple? Homemade? Mass produced? Maybe it was a part of Iowa history. 

There's an old saying, start from scratch. But in this case, it was start from scraps. In 1941, Ralph Lohr and his partner, C.C. Hakes, of Muscatine, started manufacturing wooden household items. When lumber was limited to government contracts during World War II, the partners faced the choice of closing the business or starting another product line. The duo decided to use scrap lumber, much of it from the nearby Mississippi River, to create wooden toys. Thus, Peter-Mar Toys was born. 

The Peter-Mar name came from Ralph Lohr's son Peter and C.C. Hakes' daughter Mary. At first, they made military style Jeeps and guns. Then, they expanded their toy line. 

Leo Landis, State Curator, State Historical Society of Iowa: The Peter-Mar Company also made different color tractors and then a green farm cart and a green farm wagon that would illustrate work on a farm in the Midwest or in Iowa.

Straka: In 1945, Peter-Mar increased production with other toys like a trolley, Ferris wheel and a Noah's Ark. 

Landis: This Peter-Mar toy actually came from a Muscatine family that had purchased it. Noah's Ark's were a really common toy dating back to the Victorian era. They reinforced Judeo-Christian tradition, stories of being obedient and following the will of God. They continued that tradition of making a Noah's Ark toy. 

Straka: At its peak, the company employed nearly 50 workers. About 85% of the toys produced were shipped to major cities nationwide. The Peter-Mar products were known for their craftsmanship and the quality of the toys has stood the test of time. 

Landis: The size of them makes them I think easy to handle for a lot of younger children. I like that about them. The wood was fairly durable and simple and so affordable, also the colors have remained vibrant after 70 plus years, 75 years or more. 

Straka: But, its production was short-lived. Peter-Mar Toys closed after World War II. With other materials becoming more available again and more commonly used, it was difficult for the company, which was founded on wooden toys, to survive. 

The Peter-Mar Toy Company is a great example of how toys have changed over the years. They often represent the era in which they are produced. We all remember our favorite toy. What was yours?