A History of the Corkboard
Author: Wes Fernley

Cork has been around for millennia. Cork bottle stoppers
have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs. In ancient
Greece, many items such as fishing net floats, sandals and
bottle stoppers were made with cork. It was not until the
end of the 19th century, however, that corkboard was
invented.

Throughout the ages, cork was produced same as it ever was,
with much of the cork going to waste. In 1890, a German
company began collecting the waste cork particles and using
a clay binder to create an agglomerate cork sheet. The
next year an American by the name of John T. Smith improved
upon the process. Instead of using a clay binder, Smith's
process used heat and pressure to combine the waste cork
together, created a pure agglomerated corkboard.

Initially, corkboard was used primarily as insulation.
This all changed in 1924 when George Brooks, a resident of
Topeka, Kansas, patented a new use for corkboard: as a
bulletin board you could stick tacks into. A simple yet
brilliant idea which has impacted the way we post messages
to this day. Also known as pinboards, bulletin boards and
of course cork boards, George Brooks' invention is a
mainstay in homes and offices around the world.

Unfortunately, little is known about these earliest
pinboards aside from the patent issued by Brooks. Most
likely he manufactured and marketed it on a small scale for
the Topeka area. However, history tells us word did
eventually spread to other parts of the country, and today
corkboards are a universal phenomenon around the world.

In those days, the lifespan of a patent was only 17 years.
Thus, the patent for George Brooks' invention ran out in
1941. From then on, anyone would be able to create and
market their own versions of the product.

In 1940, the first major innovation upon the corkboard
concept emerged. Another George, George E. Fox received a
patent for a similar construction which could hang from a
wall. Rather than using cork board, however, his pinboard
used foam rubber with a cardboard backing.

Popularity of corkboards and pinboards grew rapidly. By
the mid 1950's, use of push-pin bulletin boards was fairly
common among businesses throughout much of the United
States, whether they be corkboard bulletin boards or George
Fox's foam rubber version. In 1956, a new update to the
design was developed. Earl Knudson with the Modern Display
Co. took Fox's design and replaced the foam rubber with
fiberboard.

As popularity at workplaces grew, the corkboard soon began
to become a common fixture in the home as well. Spouses
could easily post notes to each other, or notes for
children. Today, as technology continues to progress with
computers, the Internet and more, bulletin boards are
becoming less ubiquitous, however they remain a mainstay in
offices and many homes throughout the world.


About the Author:

Classy Boards is your source for custom framed cork boards
providing both a functional and decorative element for home
or office. Display your Classy Board cork board proudly
and ditch that ugly thing hiding around the corner. More
information can be found at http://www.classyboards.com