Steam Powered Toys
Steam Powered Toys
Saturday afternoon, during a recent high school reunion weekend in PA, we drove to Auburn Heights, Delaware to check out Stanley Steamer Cars and “Steamin” Trains in a beautiful preserve that was the ancestral home of Tom Marshall. He has donated the property and his “toy collection” to the Delaware Parks Department. Louie Mandich was the host for this really unique and fascinating experience.
A volunteer named Dan gave us a lift up the hill in his little jitney and RoseAnne was our tour guide. She literally let down the barriers so I could feel everything from the really cool 1910 Stanley Steamer car from bumper to steam whistle, to brakes, to pistons, to water tanks, and kerosene lanterns.
In the parlor display, I touched the top-of-the-line coal/wood stove with nickel high-lights, dough box and fire-box. I learned the difference
between a flat iron and a round iron, a milk pail and lunch pail, and even checked-out the cherry pitter. I also have a certificate to prove I conducted
the steam-powered orchestra.
Mr. Marshall did a demonstration on how to fire up a steam powered car with it’s intricate valves, fuel tank, water reservoir,
levers, and burners to heat the water.
There were opportunities for young and old to ride a steam powered bus, model train, and electric car. The steam powered popcorn popper was complete with a little clown
“pulling” the lever to make the whole thing work.
There were several antique cars on display and I was chagrinned to find that a 1952 Chevy was among them. My first car was a brown and tan 1954 Chevy we called Charlie!
Unfortunately, it rained the whole time we were touring in and out of the buildings and grounds, but we had a lot of fun and really appreciated
how accommodating Dan, RoseAnne and all the volunteers were. I heartily recommend a visit to the Steam Museum the next time you’d like a special trip with or without your
children/grand-children. For more information, contact:
www.auburnheights.org.
Copyright © 2009 by Kate Chamberlin