Lincoln Logs were first produced in 1916 by company founder John Lloyd Wright, son of architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Records show that the J. L. Wright Company of Chicago, Illinois, obtained its patent for the design on August 31, 1920 and had the Lincoln Logs name registered on August 28, 1923. Building logs of similar designs had been produced by several other toy companies since the civil war but John L. Wright's version was very successful from the beginning and has remained so to this day. His design was copied, and some say improved upon, by the Halsam Products Company, also of Chicago, with their American Logs. In 1943, the company was sold to Playskool who makes the building sets today. This nice Lincoln Logs Double Set  was probably made in the 1930s.  Included is a 16 page Design Book  full of building ideas. Lincoln Logs made Lincoln Bricks and Lincoln Mortar. This illustration  showing their logs used with their bricks is  from the  Design Book. The company also made  a playhouse for kids.

Lincoln Logs ad from 1926 Child Life magazine.  Click on thumbnail to see bigger image.

Lincoln Logs ad from 1928 Child Life magazine.  Click on thumbnail to see bigger image.

Lincoln Logs ad from 1934 "The Toy Parade".

Abraham Lincoln's Birthplace Kentucky 1809 Log-Cabin A German-made Lincoln Logs set based on a "Dec 17, 1918 Patent in U.S.A."  This set was obviously manufactured to be sold in America Click on thumbnail to see bigger image. German Set's Photos courtesy of David Zitzmann

Are there any Lincoln Log collectors out these who will help me with the Lincoln Logs story?