In 1975, Paul was a carpenter and Georgean was a data processor. We had been married for five years, were hand-building our own house in the hills northwest of Austin, Texas and were looking for a way to start "Living the Good Life" we had read about in the columns written by Scott and Helen Nearing in the Mother Earth News. We rented an 8' x 20' space in a craft mall, quit our "real jobs" and started making wooden toys. Our opening day was appropriately April Fool's Day, 1975. By the end of the month, we had sold $150 worth of our original hand-crafted designs. No one was impressed but us -- but that was all that mattered. In 1976 we made our one and only expansion when we moved to our current "expansive" location of 442 square feet.

Now in the 21st century, we are still hand-making the same simple, safe and sturdy wooden toys that have delighted preschoolers for more than three decades. Children who grew up with our toys now have children of their own that they bring to our shop. We have been honored by two generations of Rootin' Ridge customers, and we are looking forward to making toys for a third!