Although its walls were streaked with red crayon and cobwebs clung to the corners of the rooms, she wanted it. And at $2.50, it was a bargain.
Killion, a computer training consultant in Brown's Development Office, collects the Fisher-Price "Little People" and the various settings for them, like airports, castles, hospitals and homes.
She found the apartment at a yard sale earlier this month. "This is not an easy set to find," said Killion.
The toys became collectors items after the line was discontinued in 1990 when the pieces were deemed a choking hazard to youngsters.
Killion first discovered the underground market for "Little People" when she stumbled upon an Internet web site this year and learned that the toys can be purchased over the international computer network.
The toys interest her both as a collector and a mother. Under her supervision, her 19-month-old son, Matthew, plays with the them, she said.
When purchased over the Internet, individual "Little People," like the crowned king of the castle, can cost $6.50, and complete sets like the amusement park and its figures can sell for upward of $400, Killion said. The pieces also turn up at yard sales and consignment shops at cheaper prices. "Part of the fun is the hunt for them," she said.
When Fisher-Price began manufacturing "Little People," they were wooden with straight bodies, resembling a dowel with a head on top, said Killion.
But during the three decades they were on the market, the figures became more individualized. Some got glasses, others wore a frown. Sea captains grew beards and a motorcyclist donned a helmet. The "Little People" also began to represent different ethnic groups.
"I like them because as simple as they are, they've got a lot of character," said Killion during a recent lunch break in her office. "It's a hobby and it's not as expensive as a lot of hobbies."
A new line of "Little People" appeared on toy store shelves after the original line was recalled, but the newer figures are about three times larger, chunkier, and not as detailed as the originals, said Killion.
Her collection now includes a zoo, marina, circus train, airport, neighborhood and mini-mart as well as the apartment building.
The cobwebs and crayon that had once detracted from the apartment came off with a little baby shampoo and lemon cleaner, applied with a toothbrush, said Killion.
Beneath that grime "is a slice of Americana," she said.
Anyone with available "Little People" may contact Killion by e-mail. -- Kristen Lans