Today in Wheeling History: September 1--The Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum opened to the public in the restored Victorian schoolhouse in Elm Grove (1998).
The Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum stands as one of Wheeling's most cherished attractions, housed in a beautifully restored 1906 Victorian-era school building at 144 Kruger Street in the Elm Grove neighborhood. The museum officially opened for business on Tuesday, September 1, 1998, and boasts over 100,000 toys and trains in its collection, making it one of the largest toy museums in the world.
The museum's origins trace back to the middle 1970s when Allan Robert Miller and his son Allan Raymond began actively collecting toy trains, starting with Lionel Trains and expanding to include prewar trains and Louis Marx and Company products. Their collection grew to encompass classic 1950s playsets, dolls, dollhouses, and various other items. The Eibel Corp., founded by Allan Robert Miller, his son Allan Raymond Miller, Beth Ann Synowiec, and Leona Ann Miller and named after Allan Robert Miller's mother's maiden name, purchased the structure and surrounding property for $253,000 during an auction held March 18, 1997. The corporation then invested several hundred thousand dollars in renovations using primarily local contractors.
The museum features multiple floors of exhibits, including operating train layouts, frequently changing displays, and specialized rooms dedicated to different types of toys. Notable attractions include one of the world's largest collections of Monopoly games with about 400-500 games, and the world's largest commercially made puzzle with 40,320 pieces. The building itself preserves historical elements, including original tin ceilings made by Wheeling Corrugating and the original school bell weighing nearly one ton.
To learn more: Wheeling Toy Museum Promises Fun for Kids of All Ages - Wheeling News-Register (https://tinyurl.com/6zy43fae), Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum Official Website (https://tinyurl.com/4be6np7s), Visit Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/bdec9y39), TripAdvisor Reviews (https://tinyurl.com/3ze4fv8v)
Photo credits: Wheeling News-Register, Google Maps
The Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum stands as one of Wheeling's most cherished attractions, housed in a beautifully restored 1906 Victorian-era school building at 144 Kruger Street in the Elm Grove neighborhood. The museum officially opened for business on Tuesday, September 1, 1998, and boasts over 100,000 toys and trains in its collection, making it one of the largest toy museums in the world.
The museum's origins trace back to the middle 1970s when Allan Robert Miller and his son Allan Raymond began actively collecting toy trains, starting with Lionel Trains and expanding to include prewar trains and Louis Marx and Company products. Their collection grew to encompass classic 1950s playsets, dolls, dollhouses, and various other items. The Eibel Corp., founded by Allan Robert Miller, his son Allan Raymond Miller, Beth Ann Synowiec, and Leona Ann Miller and named after Allan Robert Miller's mother's maiden name, purchased the structure and surrounding property for $253,000 during an auction held March 18, 1997. The corporation then invested several hundred thousand dollars in renovations using primarily local contractors.
The museum features multiple floors of exhibits, including operating train layouts, frequently changing displays, and specialized rooms dedicated to different types of toys. Notable attractions include one of the world's largest collections of Monopoly games with about 400-500 games, and the world's largest commercially made puzzle with 40,320 pieces. The building itself preserves historical elements, including original tin ceilings made by Wheeling Corrugating and the original school bell weighing nearly one ton.
To learn more: Wheeling Toy Museum Promises Fun for Kids of All Ages - Wheeling News-Register (https://tinyurl.com/6zy43fae), Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum Official Website (https://tinyurl.com/4be6np7s), Visit Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/bdec9y39), TripAdvisor Reviews (https://tinyurl.com/3ze4fv8v)
Photo credits: Wheeling News-Register, Google Maps
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