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 Charles B. Darrow, was a sales rep for a engineering firm, when the stock market crash of 1929 took place. Like thousands of Americans, he lost his job, and could only keep food on the table by doing small mechanical work for people, like fixing irons, and other small items. He even walked dogs, and began Making Jigsaw Puzzles, and other game inventions in his spare time. None of which ever made it anywhere. |
| However in 1934, his wife and him were expecting there second child, so he needed to do something to increase the income of the family. |
| So Mr. Darrow sat down and remembered when his wife and him took a trip to Atlantic City, a few years before the loss of his job. Remembering the city, the street names, and the whole image of Atlantic City so clearly in his mind, he decided to design a game after this city that he remembered so well. |
| He began drawing squares on a piece of tile, and adding colors to those squares with what ever paint he could find at the local hardware store. He then decided that he would let the players of this game be able to buy these streets, and own them. And in a sense own part of Atlantic City. He eventually came up with the game we all know as Monopoly®. |
| However some feel that he was not the original inventor of this game. Some people point to a game made in 1904 by a lady named Lizzie J. Magie, called " The Landlords Game " |
| The Landlords Game was very similar to Monopoly®, with the purchase of properties, utilities, a public park square, and a " Go to jail " square. Many feel Darrow just added items to this game and improved some features. |
| When Charles Darrow brought his game to Parker Brothers, they played the game, and after two weeks, Parker Brothers wrote Darrow, and told him that his board game is being rejected, for breaking the ground rules set up for " family games " by Parker Brothers. But more important then that, for having fifty-two fundamental errors. |
| Parker Brothers felt a family game should last approx. 45 minutes, and have simple and easy to understand instructions, as well as a have a clear winner. None of which Parker Brothers felt this game had. These where just a few of the errors. |
| However Mr. Darrow was selling his game to friends, and family around the state at a very rapid rate. So Darrow decided to get a local printer to make 5,000 sets of this game, and he managed to sell them to a store in Philadelphia called Wanamakers, in late 1934. |
| After hearing wind of the deal struck with Darrow and Wanamakers, Parker Brothers re-thought there decision, and quickly signed an agreement in early 1935, and by mid February where selling 20,000 sets of this game per week. |
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| Monopoly®, the distinctive design of the game board, the four corner squares, as well as each of the distinctive elements of the board and the playing pieces are trademarks of Hasbro,Inc. for its real estate trading game and game equipment. ©1935, 1936, 1947, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1961, 1973, 1984, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 Hasbro Inc. |
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