Making History Blog
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The Slinky – “A spring, a spring, a marvelous thing!”
During the height of World War II, a U.S. Naval engineer accidentally invented one of the world’s most popular and celebrated toys. In 1943, Richard T. James, a 1939 graduate…
5 Toys From Your Childhood That You Might Not Remember
“Lady Lionel” train set In the early 1950s, the Lionel Company had its best years of sales, but by the decade’s end, the company struggled to stay relevant. They produced…
“Sandy Andy” & “Sunny Suzy” from the Wolverine Toy Company
Close up of a Wolverine Toy Company toy on display in the Toys of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s exhibition. The Wolverine Supply and Manufacturing Company, later known as the…
The Childhood Toy You Wish You Had
Take a moment and think back to your childhood. What was the one toy you desperately wanted but never received? Maybe you remember flipping through a catalog and circling it…
Doll or “Action Figure”
With the success of Barbie for Mattel in the early 1960s, the Hasbro Company saw an opportunity to break into an untapped market – dolls for boys. The only problem…
Mr. Potato Head Funny-Face Kit
This Mr. Potato Head kit belonged to George Lerner, who invented the popular toy. Lerner had trouble interesting toy companies in his invention in the late 1940s as war rationing…