Lincoln Logs
John Lloyd Wright, the son of famous architect Frank Lloyd
Wright, invented Lincoln Logs in 1916. The idea came to him during a
visit to the building site for one of his father's architectural
wonders in Japan.
He saw the crew moving several large timbers into place using a
process called 'floating cantilever construction'. This process
entailed placing these logs together in an interlocking fashion to
create structures. The younger Wright saw the potential for a great
child's toy in a miniaturised version of the process and set to work
create a toy that would bring the joy of 'floating cantilever
construction' to the pee-wee set.
The finished toy set consisted of miniature hardwood logs cut
into various lengths. Small indentations in the middles or ends of
these logs allowed enterprising junior architects to lay them end to
end to create buildings of their own. Wooden blocks made in roof and
chimney shapes were also included so the young master builder could
top off their creations in the proper style. One of the easiest
buildings that could be made with this original set was a log cabin.
Since it looked like something Abraham Lincoln might have lived in,
Wright decided to call the toys 'Lincoln Logs' as a tribute to the
former US President.
Lincoln Logs were introduced to the public in 1924. They quickly
became a big hit because they were simple enough for young children
to enjoy, but could also offer enough challenges for the
imaginations of older children. As the years passed, more complex
Lincoln Logs sets were developed, incorporating new items like
square logs, bricks and wheels. Since their introduction, over 100
million sets of Lincoln Logs have been sold around the world.
Today, Lincoln Logs continue to be a popular item at the toy
store. Hasbro, Inc. and K'Nex Industries, Inc. forged a licensing
agreement in 1999 that allows K'Nex to sell the classic Lincoln Logs
construction set. Thus, there is no doubt that Lincoln Logs will
continue to bring the joy of construction to children around the
globe for many years to come.
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