Nestled away in the corner of Lock 3 sits the Akron Toy & Marble Museum. Many in Akron have no idea that this little museum exists and more importantly, why it’s located at Lock 3. When Akronites think of Lock 3, they think of live entertainment, an ice skating rink and First Night, or maybe even the weekly farmers market during the summer. And fewer actually know that Lock 3 and the city of Akron could very well be the original North Pole.
It’s said that when you dig a hole anywhere in Akron you will probably find a marble. I can personally attest that I have found several marbles while digging on my property in Akron, so it’s true. So why are marbles so prevalent in Akron and what does it all have to do with the North Pole?
“Only the very wealthiest could afford to buy a toy that was handmade. This meant that only the sons and daughters of the wealthiest people could have toys, and the rest of the children they might play with a stick or a stone or piece of discarded rope.” explains Michael Cohill of The Akron Toy & Marble Company, who has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to marbles, toys and the history of Akron. He is a natural storyteller and loves to share his stories about Akron while knuckling down in a game of marbles.
Mass production of marbles started in Akron Ohio, making it affordable for children to buy toys in the United States. Cohill informs us that, “in the early 1880s in Akron Ohio, a gentleman named Samuel Dyke found a way to mass produce toys. And those first toys that were mass produced were marbles.”
Among all of the various toys, a small wizard-like toy was found. It had a blue robe, with a white beard standing with hands held together on his stomach. After researching for years, Cohill realized that “this little Santa is the oldest, three dimensional image of Santa Claus that is known to exist.
Now this is where the story gets interesting. Not only is Akron responsible for first mass produced toys, but it’s also home to the oldest know three dimensional Santa Claus in existence. Cohill makes a very interesting observation and you can go see it all for yourself at the Akron Toy and Marble Museum at Lock 3 Akron. Check out their website for more information at www.americantoymarbles.com
For more information on who made the Blue Santa and why he was blue, check out the mini documentary film on The Blue Santa below.
Source: Bue Green -Akronist
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