Blackfeet Indian Writing Company facts for kids
The Blackfeet Indian Writing Company was a special business that made pens and pencils. It was located on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Browning, Montana, USA. The company started in 1972. It was created to help the tribe's economy. The company grew a lot in 1981. They bought another pen maker called Lindy for $700,000. This helped them earn much more money, up to $6.2 million. The factory opened in 1972 but closed in the early 2000s. In 1992, the tribe transferred the company to its employees.
What They Made
The company made different kinds of writing tools. Their pencils were sometimes made from ceramics. These special pencils were shown in catalogs in the early 1990s. The Blackfeet Indian Writing Company was known for its popular pencils.
Famous Products
One of their well-known products was "The Blackfeet Indian Pencil." These pencils were made from cedar wood and came in different hardness levels. They also made a special ballpoint pen called the "swagger stick." For a while, this pen was an official writing tool used by the US Senate.
The company also created the 'Earth Pencil'. This was a unique pencil without an eraser. It was made entirely from natural materials. Even the ink used for printing on the pencil was soy ink.
Challenges and Closure
After the company was sold to a private firm in 1992, sales became difficult. The number of pencils made dropped significantly to 27,000. The factory where these items were made sadly burned down in 2019.
Their Legacy
Even today, the famous composer John Luther Adams still uses Blackfeet Indian pencils when he writes music. There is a museum in Browning, Montana, that keeps 42 of their pencils. These pencils help tell the story of this unique company.
External links
- A Pencil to the Past (blog post about The Blackfeet Indian Pencil), Adirondack Base Camp, 18 March 2009, retrieved 3 July 2010
