What building toy did Frank Lloyd Wright's son John invent?

Frank Lloyd Wright’s son John Lloyd Wright invented Lincoln Logs. The wooden construction toy uses short, square-notched logs that interlock to form cabins, forts, and other structures.

John Lloyd Wright developed the idea around 1916 while working in Japan with his father. The toy’s interlocking-log design was reportedly inspired by the construction methods associated with Frank Lloyd Wright’s Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. The younger Wright later marketed the product in the United States through his Red Square Toy Company.

Lincoln Logs reached the market in 1918, and John Lloyd Wright received a U.S. patent for a “Toy-Cabin Construction” in 1920. The name refers to Abraham Lincoln, who was famously associated with a log cabin. Early sets included instructions for building both Lincoln’s cabin and Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

The toy is sometimes confused with Tinkertoys, LEGO, or the Erector Set because all are construction systems. Their designs and inventors were different. Lincoln Logs were inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1999.