Monday, May 23, 2022

McHenry Area Historical Society (MAHS)-- Part 3: Those Board Games

Many of the companies who made the early board games started  in Massachusetts, including the two biggies: Milton-Bradley and Parker Brothers.

Parker Brothers started in in 1883.  They are best known for Monopoly, Clue and Risk.  Their first game was Banking.  George Parker joined his brother in Salem, Massachusetts to start this company.

In the 1900s, General Mills bought them out.  In 1983, Parker Brothers had a book published.  General Mills merged with Kenner and then Hasbro bought them.

Milton-Bradley started in the 1800s as a lithography shop.  One of their first games was The Checkered Game of Life which was a forerunner of the Life game that we all know.  It was very religious and featured the good and bad things that you might do.  You didn't want the bad things.

During the Civil War, they produced smaller versions of the game for Union soldiers and they sold for $1 each.   During the Great Depression the company was losing money.  They also had special soldier game kits during World War II.

--CootGame


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