Spirit of America for 85 years – Central Jersey Archives

WHEN John Lloyd Wright was fired from a building project in 1916 by his father, world-renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright, he turned his knowledge of the construction industry into child’s play. Eighty-five years and 100 million playsets later, those classic brown-stained interlocking Lincoln Logs remain one of the most popular building toys ever created.

Lincoln Logs celebrates its 85th anniversary this holiday season, becoming an American cultural icon.

As Lincoln Logs celebrates its 85th anniversary this holiday season, it remains true to John Lloyd Wright’s original design and has become an American cultural icon. The concept behind the timeless toy was spawned by a son’s burning desire to emerge from the shadow of his legendary father. In 1916, John traveled to Tokyo, Japan, to work on the construction of the Imperial Hotel, which his father designed. To earthquake proof this imposing structure, Frank used a new technique called "floating cantilever construction," in which projecting beams were joined or locked into extending beams from the opposite piers. Relations between father and son deteriorated as work on the hotel progressed, and, after a final falling out over money, the second son of the famed architect returned to Chicago. However, inspired by the innovative construction technique he witnessed in Japan, John conceptualized a building toy. He named it Lincoln Logs to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the U.S. Civil War, during which Abraham Lincoln had served as President. Classic in their simplicity, John’s interlocking log cabin construction sets harkened back (even in 1916) to a simpler time, and they immediately caught on as a holiday season favorite.
When John named his new construction toy after our 16th president, he unwittingly popularized misconception about the impoverished life of the young Abraham Lincoln. In reality, while Lincoln was born in a log cabin in Kentucky, his family owned two farms and a large parcel of land. Their lifestyle was far more comfortable than the perception created by cabins built from John’s classic wooden logs with their flat green roof panels and small red chimneys. Over time, Lincoln became known as our "Log Cabin President" due in large part to the enduring popularity of John Lloyd Wright’s construction toy which bears his name.

Activity sets recently developed by K’NEX include the popular L.L. Railroad set, above.

   Lincoln Logs play sets have also evolved through the years. The enhanced play value of Lincoln Logs award-winning newer sets is credited to K’NEX Industries, which licenses and manufactures the Lincoln Logs product under an agreement with Hasbro. Activity sets recently developed by K’NEX include the popular L.L. Railroad sets. The Sawmill Express and Prairie Express building sets enable kids to build their own themed play lands and then spend hours happily playing with them. Innovative components to the sets include multi-car trains, plastic action figures, a lumberyard, a prairie corral with horses, a milling office, a lumberjack shack, log piles, bridges and tree trunks, as well as some innovative components like "Magic Splitting Logs," a switch track, and a Log Splitting station with lifelike ratchet sawing sounds.
   Considered both fun and educational, Lincoln Logs remains at the top of best-seller list of classic American toys. The playful invention of the frustrated son of a legendary architect continues to serve as a creative building block for aspiring young architects and builders everywhere. Abraham Lincoln and, perhaps, even Frank Lloyd Wright would be proud.
   Lincoln Logs is manufactured and distributed by K’NEX Industries under license from Hasbro.