143 - Toy Museum

Vernon and Rosie Eyman of Kenmare, North Dakota were lifelong toy collectors. After Vernon’s death, Rosie donated the collection to the Lake County Historical Society. At the same time, a three-bedroom home, as well as a couple of adjacent lots were donated to the Pioneer Village by Bob and Kathy Mau. The house was transformed into the V&R Toy Museum. The kitchen and appliances were removed from the house and every inch of the house became Vernon and Roseyn’s collection. One room includes all John Deere, another mostly Case and International. The third bedroom became eclectic in the sense that it hosts many different makes of equipment, airplanes, and the like. Every closet in the house offers glimpses of their hat collection, as well as Vernon’s belt buckles. The living room is home to the model train, which is operational thanks to Golden Melland from the Railroad Museum. The kitchen area includes a thorough farm set-up and walls of toys, including a collection of eighteen-wheelers. The heart of the museum displays the models that Vernon made himself and the drafting table where he laid out his plans. An appraised value of all the toys is estimated at $70,000. The toy museum will no doubt leave you feeling nostalgic. You may even find the toy that topped your Christmas wishlist all those years ago.
