Man Turns Love Of Vintage Sleds Into Museum In N.J.
MOORESTOWN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) – Sledding is a popular snow day pastime, and one man is such a fan he created a museum just for sleds.
A colorful piece of plastic is all you need. But of course, sleds used to have more substance, because they were built of wood and steel.
"It's just the perfect design," Sled Museum curator Phil Snow told CBS2's Steve Overmyer in this week's Snapshot New York.
Steve Overmyer: "Did anybody ever think you were crazy to do this?"
Phil Snow: "Well, I think my wife thought I was crazy for collecting so many sleds... It's a great, fun thing for people to come see."
A trip to the museum is a ticket to wintertime fun, because nothing conjures up nostalgia like an old fashioned sled.
"It takes you back to your childhood days and brings back those memories and the fun that you had as a kid," Snow said.
Some sleds are new, some are 100 years old, some can sit a family, and some just a baby.
The Sled Museum pays respects to the invention that changed sledding forever – the Flexible Flyer.
"You didn't buy the Sears sled or the Lightning Guider sled, you bought the Flexible Flyer. Why? Because it was local to the community," he added. "But the name was what counted – it was a Flexible Flyer."
Since 1908, the Flexible Flyer has been the pride of Moorestown, New Jersey. The halls of the local library are home to a history of the sled that changed everything.
Overmyer: "This has got to be the most impressive sled you have here. How many people fit on this thing?"
Snow: "Well, it's designed for six people. It's the largest sled ever made."
Overmyer: "Would you feel confident taking any of these 100-year-old sleds out there on a hill?"
Snow: "I would take them out today."
Stokes Hill is where the designers of the most famous in the world tested it.
"It's so much fun. It takes you back to when you're a kid," Snow said. "For me, whenever I jump on a sled, I'm seven again."
At its peak, Flexible Flyers sold about 10,000 sleds a day. Now, the vintage sleds can run thousands of dollars.
