Structo Toys Trash Garbage Loader

Here on display is a Structo Toys Trash Garbage Loader from the late 1930s to 1940s. Founded in Freeport, Illinois by Louis and Edward Strohacker and C.C. Thompson, the Structo Manufacturing Company, originally named Thompson, began producing toys as early as 1908. The earliest Structo’s toy making can be traced to 1915 with the production of its structural “model building sets” whose designs were sold to British toy maker, Meccano in 1918. These builder sets were eventually marketed in the United States as “Erector Sets” by A.C. Gilbert that are still being produced to this day. By late 1918 and early 1919, Structo had all but abandoned the production of these building sets and had launched a new and revolutionary line of “Auto-Builder Outfits”, which included automobiles, trucks and tractors.

By late 1920 and into 1921, these models and a few new ones were also being offered in a factory assembled “Ready Built” line. The toys were large, heavy, detailed and could take and damage what the original owner could dish out but their children and in some cases, grandchildren. The 1920s began with a number of Structo’s “Auto Builder” and “Ready Built” lines. This line, featured either single or triple spring wind-up motors, included three automobiles, two trucks, a tractor, a tank, a crawler and a Tractor. For the next 55 years, Structo continued to be innovators in the toy making industry, introducing a nice selection of pressed steel construction toys, including lift and grab bucket cranes, clamshell diggers, steam shovels. In 1975, Structo was bought by the Ertl company.