Lincoln Logs facts for kids
A sawmill made from Lincoln Logs
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| Type | Children's construction toy |
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| Inventor(s) | John Lloyd Wright |
| Company | Basic Fun, Inc. (under license from Hasbro) |
| Country | United States |
| Availability | 1916–present |
| Materials | Wood |
Lincoln Logs are a super cool American construction toy that lets you build miniature forts and buildings. They are made of small, lightweight logs with special notches. These notches help the logs fit together perfectly.
John Lloyd Wright, the son of famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright, invented Lincoln Logs around 1916. The toy is named after U.S. president Abraham Lincoln, who famously lived in a log cabin. In 1999, Lincoln Logs became part of the National Toy Hall of Fame because they are such an important and popular toy.
The company Basic Fun, Inc. currently makes Lincoln Logs. They took over manufacturing in late 2017 after K'NEX Industries Inc. had made them for a few years.
How Lincoln Logs Are Designed
Lincoln Logs are about three quarters of an inch (around two centimetres) thick. They are designed just like real logs used to build a log cabin. Each log has notches that allow you to stack them and connect them at right angles. This way, you can easily create square or rectangular buildings.
The toy sets also include other parts to make your creations look real. You'll find pieces for roofs, chimneys, windows, and doors. Some sets even come with tiny animals and human figures that fit the size of the buildings.
Originally, Lincoln Logs were made from redwood, a type of wood, and had different colored roof pieces. For a short time in the 1970s, the company tried making them entirely out of plastic. However, they soon went back to using real wood because that's what people loved most.
The History of Lincoln Logs
John Lloyd Wright invented Lincoln Logs around 1916 or 1917. At that time, he was working in Japan with his father, the famous architect. The idea for the toy came from the way the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo was built. His father designed this hotel with special interlocking log beams in its foundation. This design made the building "earthquake-proof." It was one of the few buildings that stayed standing after the huge Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923.
When John returned to the U.S., he started a company called The Red Square Toy Company. He began selling Lincoln Logs in 1918. In 1920, he received a U.S. patent for his "Toy-Cabin Construction." Soon after, he changed his company's name to J. L. Wright Manufacturing.
The very first Lincoln Log set came with instructions to build Uncle Tom's Cabin and, of course, Abraham Lincoln's cabin. Later sets became bigger and more detailed. Lincoln Logs quickly became a popular toy, following other successful construction toys like Meccano, Tinkertoys, and Erector Set. It's believed that Lincoln Logs were one of the first toys marketed to both boys and girls, encouraging simple, creative play.
In 1999, Lincoln Logs and their inventor, John Lloyd Wright, were honored by being added to the National Toy Hall of Fame. For a while, the toys were made in the U.S., but sets made in 2021 or later are now manufactured in China again.
See also
