Looking Back: Lincoln Logs and American Plastic Bricks give way to Legos

by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society
 

Last week, I introduced the Flexible Flyer, one of many toys you will find on display at the Grain Valley Historical Society Museum during this Christmas Season.

Before, Legos at least two other companies were making educational toys.

Lincoln Logs were invented in 1916 by John Lloyd Wright, son of the famous American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and they have been entertaining children for over a century. One hundred and seven years later, Lincoln Logs can still be purchased at numerous toy stores. They even have them at Walmart!
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And it was ELGO, not LEGO, that first build plastic bricks.

​In what has to rank as one of the more bizarre semi-coincidences in the history of registered trademarks, ELGO Plastics, Inc. was actually established as a division of Chicago's Halsam Products Company in 1941—long before LEGO entered the American marketplace (1961). The company produced building blocks under the name American Plastic Bricks and was the dominant American supplier from 1946 through the 1950s.  

Did you own Lincoln Logs or plastic bricks?  My brother had both and played with them for years. (So did I.) As he got older, the designs became more intricate, just like LEGO construction today. I remember visiting my aunt and playing with her son’s bricks when I was young. As I recall, Don (Fristoe) also had tinker toys! I was never very good at building with those. My imagination just didn’t go there.

Visit the Historical Society in December and see our toy exhibit. We’ll have Lincoln Logs and bricks. You will also see Tinker Toys, and some vintage plastic buildings which Grain Valley children played with in the 1950s.

The Historical Society will be opened and filled with toys on December 6, 13, and 20 from 10:00am - 3:00pm and Saturday,  December 9 from 10:00am - 1:00pm. We will be serving Hot Punch, Coffee, Teas, and homemade Christmas Cookies! Come have fun with our toys!