Did You Know LEGO Blocks Were Once Made in Colorado?
If there was one toy that I played with the absolute most when I was a child, it would be LEGOs. I had an entire collection of them. When I said a collection, I mean a footlocker trunk full of them. All sorts of colors and sizes of LEGOs could be found all over my room when I was a child.
I loved those blocks and they gave me so much joy as a kid. Then growing up happened and one day I gave them all away to a neighborhood kid for them to enjoy. I sometimes regret that decision because if I still had them, I probably would still be tinkering with those blocks from time to time as an adult.
Colorado's Connection to LEGOs
LEGO toys might not have started in the United States, but they are one of the most popular toys of all time. LEGO originated out of Bullung, Denmark by Kirk Christiansen in 1932. Originally, LEGOs were made out of wood. It wasn't until 1949 LEGO produced the first plastic block.
In the early 1960s, the company known as Samsonite entered into an agreement for exclusive distribution rights in North America. Samsonite started manufacturing LEGOs out of a facility in Stratford, Ontario according to BrickFetish.com. In April 1965, a second facility opened in Loveland, Colorado. The Loveland facility was exclusively manufacturing LEGOs for North America. However, the toy brick factory in Northern Colorado would not be around forever.
By the early 1970s, the rights and distribution reverted back to LEGO from Samsonite. Overall, it is a long story about the history of LEGO in the United States. Nevertheless, Loveland, Colorado played a part in the history of LEGO blocks. If you would like to read more about the history of LEGO, you can do so at BrickFetish.com.