I spent a day in Winifred, Montana and my first memory is that of Tonka trucks!
When I drove in to Winifred it was early on a Saturday. The busiest place in town was the Winifred Cafe. There were so many cars in front and surrounding the cafe, I wondered if a large meeting was going on. I realized that it was just a good sign that this is a great breakfast spot.
This small community was fortunate to have a former resident donate what some folks think may be the largest collection of Tonka trucks in the world. Even if it isn’t, you will still be amazed at the quantity, the variety, and at the beautiful way these toy trucks are displayed. I believe there is one of every model ever built.
The museum has also just received a large collection of photos dating back to early days of cattle roundups. When you think about it, there probably weren’t many photographers on the trail with this type of activity. The photos were fascinating and appear to be in very good condition.
The museum building is newly constructed which usually isn’t the case in Montana.
A sizeable donation funded construction of the facility and a local museum board oversees it’s operation. I was impressed with the craftmanship throughout the building and also with the beautiful tile floor that has become a fund raiser for the museum. In Montana, brands are a part of life and many of these contributor tiles bear that statement.
In addition to the Tonka truck collection and photo collection, you’ll find many other interesting displays ranging from dinosaur bones to early day history.
Don’t be fooled by the US Post Office sign on the building. Yes, it is the Winifred post office but it is also the Winifred Museum and the Winifred Community Hall. Enter through the front door and you can access them all. The lower level of the building has a huge open space for meetings and receptions and an outside picnic area.
It just might be time to put a visit to Winifred on your bucket list!