Culture

Lego turns 50

by Rob Peters | February 11, 2008 at 10:51 am

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The Lego company is certainly doing something right. The little interlocking brick we all know and love is now fifty years old, despite video games, movies, and the countless new toys available to kids. I'm still a little jealous myself whenever my nephews get a new set, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

March 10, 1962: After four years of lagging sales, one of the designers has the idea to add a second color to the set.

May 15, 1965: Lego scientists create a momentary tear in space-time by building a giant Lego brick out of Lego bricks.

Aug. 24, 1968: Following a long and difficult struggle, Legoland's constitution is ratified.

June 6, 1971: Lego care package is sent to brother in Vietnam.

Oct. 19, 1974: The first Lego human minifigure journeys through the human digestive system.

June 23, 1989: CEO of Megablox accidentally refers to own product as "Legos."

Jan. 21, 1998: Story rights for blue, red, and green Lego bricks optioned by Dreamworks.

Dec. 9, 2007: The company estimates that there are more than 2 billion Legos on the floor of living rooms around the world that need to be picked up.

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cynthia yoo

at 11:52 on February 11th, 2008

Lego is awesome, possum!

benwildeboer

at 18:27 on February 11th, 2008

A Lego Chewbacca at F.A.O. Schwarz in New York City.

benwildeboer has contributed a photo to this story.

rediv

at 20:28 on February 11th, 2008

This is actually the second version I built. I wasn't satisfied, and the fanboy inside me was beckoning tenaciously. I didn't work on it non-stop; so, in the end, it took me about 3 or 4 months to create. I've also been a huge Lego fan since I was 4-years-old. I think of Lego pieces as a medium for art and science.

rediv has contributed a photo to this story.