About Us
Frenchman River Model Works is truly a mom and pop operation. It was begun back in 1994 by Jim Cleveland and was produced under the name of JD Innovations. In 1997 Jim's wife was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer on her spine which led to multiple surgeries over the next 7 years and necessitated dropping out of the model railroad industry during this time. Jim's wife passed away in 2003 leaving him with a grown son and 4 daughters at home to raise.
Anna was a stay at home mom with 7 children when her husband was diagnosed with terminal malignant melanoma in the fall of 2003. He passed away in the spring of 2004.
Jim and Anna met in July of 20o4 and were married in August making a family of 12 children. In January of 2006 they welcomed their newest addition, a baby girl, making them truly a "yours, mine and ours" family.
Jim had been working to restart JD Innovations under the current name of Frenchman River Model Works several months before Jim and Anna were married. They now work together to design and produce the high quality kits that you have come to expect from Frenchman River Model Works. Our hope is that you enjoy building our kits as much as we enjoy making them for you. Thanks for stopping by.
All Our Kids
