Tonka's name is an homage to Lake Minnetonka

Mound Metalcraft was Tonka's original moniker in 1946, established in Mound, Minnesota, where a 3 man startup focused on manufacturing gardening tools using WWII surplus machinery, tools and materials. A local company (Streater Industries) successfully approached the trio with toy patents it had developed for sale, and Mound Metalcraft began making toys on the side under the Tonka Toys moniker in 1947; taking it's name from the Dakota Sioux word "Tanka" meaning "great" or "big." — Read the rest