He was the inventor of, and his company manufactured, both the Flexible Flyer sled and Planet Jr farm and garden equipment.

For over one hundred years these products were the best selling and most famous market gardening tools and American sleds.

[2] In 1861, Allen moved to Ivystone, his father's farm near the community of Westfield in Cinnaminson Township, New Jersey.

However, the early versions of the sled were likely tested on Stokes Hill, which led to Allen fine tuning his invention.

In order to provide year-round employment for his workers producing farm equipment, Mr. Allen sought to create a product that could be sold during the winter.