The Town Where Toys Disappeared

In the late 1950s, a small town in Oregon experienced a bizarre phenomenon: children’s toys began vanishing overnight. Parents blamed pranksters, but some claimed they found their dolls miles away — arranged in perfect circles, staring at the sunrise.

Local radio host Ed Halloway recorded a chilling broadcast one night, laughing as he said:

“If they want to play, let ’em play.”

His transmission ended mid-sentence. When police arrived, his studio was empty — except for a single pull-string cowboy doll on his desk.

Pixar’s Toy Story began development 30 years later. The animators said the concept came from “imagining what toys do when no one’s looking.” Maybe someone already knew.