Fascinating
facts about the invention
of Lincoln Logs by John Lloyd Wright in 1916. |
LINCOLN
LOGS |
|
 |
In the 1910s, American builders were
busy on construction sites in the city and in the playroom. Introduced just after
Tinkertoys and the Erector Set, Lincoln Logs were yet another construction toy to make it
big during the decade. John Lloyd Wright, son of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, brought out
the line of sturdy, interlocking logs in 1916. Wright claimed that the foundation of
Tokyo’s earthquake-proof Imperial Hotel, which he saw while it was under
construction, inspired the shape of his logs. |
| Lincoln Logs turned out to
be a toymaker’s dream. The original sets were an instant success, and after World War
II, sales of Lincoln Logs got another boost from the baby boom. The sets were popular
among postwar parents because they were more sophisticated than plain building blocks but
still challenged children’s powers of concentration and eye-hand coordination.
Ironically, Lincoln Logs—long a favorite of proponents of educational toys—were
among the first toys to be promoted on a television show, 1953’s Pioneer Playhouse.
The ads targeted affluent parents, who were most likely to own a television set and to buy
educational toys. Sometimes a toy that has had a previous life returns to catch the
eyes of children at just the right moment in history. |
TO LEARN MORE
RELATED INFORMATION:
History of Toys
from The Great Idea Finder
Erector Set from The Great Idea Finder
Tinkertoys
from The Great Idea Finder
Frank Lloyd Wright
Biography (Father of John lloyd Wright)
from The Great Idea Finder
ON THE BOOKSHELF:
Lincoln
Logs
by Jules M., Colonel Seletz / Paperback (April 2002) / Denlingers Pub Ltd
Lincoln Logs is historical fiction that describes a town created solely
by the logging industry at the end of the nineteenth century.
Block Building for Children: Making Buildings of the World With the
Ultimate Construction Toy
by Les Walker, Lester R. Walker, Witold Rybczynski (Introduction) / Hardcover (1995) /
Overlook Pr.
Block Building for Children is a great way for kids and parents to play together, and of
course is also perfect for budding young architects. Each project is accompanied by
detailed plans, photographs and a stunning line drawing to fire the imagination, and the
text for each project puts it in its historical context.
Kid Stuff: Great Toys from Our Childhood
(Out of print.)
by David Hoffman, Viktor Budnik (Photographer) / Paperback - 108 pages (1996) / Chronicle
Books
Ever wonder if Barbie had a last name? (It's Roberts.) Who invented Lincoln Logs? (John L.
Wright, son of Frank Lloyd Wright.) Filled with a host of curious facts and little-known
anecdotes about the creation of dozens of timeless toys and games, Kid Stuff is a
celebration of classic playthings, mostly from the 1940s throught the 1960s, that are
still popular today.
ON THE WEB:
The Original Lincoln Logs
Official Lincoln Logs web site operated by K'nex.
(URL: lincolnlogs.knex.com/)
Club K'NEX
You can find lot's to do at this site operated by K'nex. Information on all their
products.
(URL: www.knex.com)
“BETCHA
DIDN’T KNOW”
Lincoln Logs information was compiled by the Communications Department of Toy
Industry Association.
(URL:www.toy-tia.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Library/Betcha_Didnt_Know1/Betcha_Didnt_Know.htm)
Construction
Toy Homepage
These pages are devoted to vintage construction toys of all types. This site is intended
for the enjoyment of its visitors and has no connection with any commercial firm.
(URL: www.chem.sunysb.edu/msl/lego/homepage.html)
The
Construction Site
This site is dedicated to providing a complete selection of high quality blocks and
building toys and accessories. Invemtory includes the entire line from each manufacturer
in stock, including basic sets, extra pieces, add-on sets, and storage bins with many new
and hard-to-find construction toys.
(URL: www.constructiontoys.com/)
lincolnlogs.com
Want to build a Lincoln Log home for big kids?
(URL: www.lincolnlogs.com)
DID YOU KNOW:
- Some toy historians believe that log-shaped blocks
were made by Joel Ellis in the 1860s.
- As late as 1975, Lincoln Logs were still selling at a rate
of one million sets a year.
- The patent for Lincoln Logs #
1,351,086 was issued 8/31/1920.
|
| Reference
Sources in BOLD Type |
This
page revised
February 22, 2007. |
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