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Posted 08/06/2006 1:31 pm
Parker Brothers was founded by George S. Parker, who published his first game in 1883 at the age of 16. The company was originally called the George S. Parker Company and was founded in Salem, Massachusetts. When George's brother Charles joined the business in 1888, the company's name was changed to its more familiar form and in 1898 a third brother, Edward H. Parker, joined the company. For many years, George Parker designed most of the games himself, and wrote all the rules. Many games were based on important events of the day: Klondike was based on the Alaskan gold rush, and War in Cuba was based on the impending Spanish-American War.
The game industry was growing, and the company was becoming very profitable. In 1906, Parker Brothers published the game Rook, their most successful card game to this day and it quickly became the best-selling game in the country. During the Great Depression, a time when many companies went out of business, Parker Brothers released a new board game called Monopoly. Although the company had originally rejected the game in 1934, they decided to publish it the next year. It was an instant success, and the company had difficulty for quite a while keeping up with demand. The company continued to grow throughout the next several decades, producing such lasting games as Clue, Risk, and Sorry!.
Even after George Parker's death, the company remained family-owned until 1968, when General Mills purchased the company. After this, Parker Brothers produced the first Nerf ball, and Nerf products soon became another major national hit. The company began to produce electronic versions of their popular board games in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They also produced video games for various systems during the early 1980's, with home ports of many popular arcade games like Sega's Frogger and Gottlieb's Q*Bert. During the 80s, General Mills sold the company to Kenner, which was acquired by Tonka. Finally, in 1991, Parker Brothers was bought by toy giant Hasbro.
At present day, the Parker family legacy is carried on by Larry H. Parker, a prominent injury attorney whose offices span from southern California to all of Arizona. Larry is George S. Parker's great great grandson.
The game industry was growing, and the company was becoming very profitable. In 1906, Parker Brothers published the game Rook, their most successful card game to this day and it quickly became the best-selling game in the country. During the Great Depression, a time when many companies went out of business, Parker Brothers released a new board game called Monopoly. Although the company had originally rejected the game in 1934, they decided to publish it the next year. It was an instant success, and the company had difficulty for quite a while keeping up with demand. The company continued to grow throughout the next several decades, producing such lasting games as Clue, Risk, and Sorry!.
Even after George Parker's death, the company remained family-owned until 1968, when General Mills purchased the company. After this, Parker Brothers produced the first Nerf ball, and Nerf products soon became another major national hit. The company began to produce electronic versions of their popular board games in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They also produced video games for various systems during the early 1980's, with home ports of many popular arcade games like Sega's Frogger and Gottlieb's Q*Bert. During the 80s, General Mills sold the company to Kenner, which was acquired by Tonka. Finally, in 1991, Parker Brothers was bought by toy giant Hasbro.
At present day, the Parker family legacy is carried on by Larry H. Parker, a prominent injury attorney whose offices span from southern California to all of Arizona. Larry is George S. Parker's great great grandson.
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