Saturday, June 18, 2011

Remembering Erector Sets-- Part 3

"Through creative , the toy inspired several generations of children to become architects, engineers (Dilbert?) and tinkerers during a century when America significantly expanded its infrastructure of roads, bridges, pipelines and dams."

Gilbert also had chemistry and microscope "toy" sets. In 1938, the company began manufacturing American Flyer toy trains.

Jugle received his first Erector set as a toddler growing up in Elmhurst, Illinois, and began collecting them in the 1950s. When toy stores went out of business, Jugle and his brother would buy out all things A.C. Gilbert.

Jugle is considered to be the nation's premier A.C. Gilbert historian and has a collection of 2,4000 company documents.

There is even an annual A.C. Gilbert Heritage Society convention (something I'd sure like to attend).

Build It and They Will Come. --Cooter

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