Presented by Richard Franklin Donohue, Cromwell Town Historian.
The J & E Stevens Company was formed in 1843 by brothers John and Elisha Stevens in Cromwell intending to manufacture cast-iron hardware, hammers, and a few iron toys but eventually they became the largest manufacturer of cast-iron toys in the country. Producing their first cast-iron mechanical bank in 1869, today those original cast-iron banks sell for thousands of dollars at auctions.
Mr. Donohue exhibited his personal collection of banks, telling us about their history and sharing amusing tales that inspired their design.