View source for Alfred Carlton Gilbert

{{short description|American inventor and athlete (1884–1961)}}
{{about|the athlete and inventor|the sculptor |Alfred Gilbert}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
|name              = Alfred Carlton Gilbert
|image             = Proof of AC Gilbert.jpg 
|alt=Young AC Gilbert in a sleeveless tank top, standing
|image_size        = 
|caption           = AC Gilbert as a young athlete at Pacific University in 1902
|birth_date        = {{birth date|1884|2|15}}
|birth_place       = [[Salem, Oregon|Salem]], Oregon
|death_date        = {{death date and age|1961|1|24|1884|2|13}}
|death_place       = [[Boston]], Massachusetts
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|medaltemplates=
{{Medal|Sport | Men's [[Athletics (sport)|athletics]]}}
{{Medal|Country | the United States }}
{{Medal|Gold| [[1908 Summer Olympics|1908 London]] | [[Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's pole vault|Pole vault]]}} 
}}

'''Alfred Carlton Gilbert''' (February 15,<ref>Gilbert, Alfred Carlton. (1954). ''The Man who Lives in Paradise: The Autobiography of A. C. Gilbert''. Rhinehart. p. 6</ref> 1884 – January 24, 1961) was an American inventor, [[Athletics (sport)|athlete]], [[magic (illusion)|magician]], toy maker and businessman. As the founder of [[A. C. Gilbert Company]], Gilbert was known for inventing the [[Erector Set]] and [[American Flyer|American Flyer Trains]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78453 |title=Alfred Carlton Gilbert |work=Olympedia |access-date=13 March 2021}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Born in [[Salem, Oregon]], Gilbert was educated at the [[Tualatin Academy]] and attended [[Pacific University]] in nearby [[Forest Grove, Oregon]], where he was a member of the Gamma Sigma Fraternity.<ref>Pacific University Heart of the Oak, 1902, page 85.</ref> He left Pacific after 1902 and transferred to [[Yale University]], financing his education by working as a [[Magician (illusion)|magician]],<ref name=Time>{{cite magazine |last= |first= |date=1961-02-03 |title=Toys: Just a Boy |url=https://time.com/vault/issue/1961-02-03/page/76/ |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |location=New York City |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->  |access-date=2022-11-08}}</ref> and earning a degree in medicine.<ref name=Watson>{{cite book |isbn=978-0670031344  |title=The Man who Changed how Boys and Toys Were Made |last1=Watson |first1=Bruce |year=2002 |publisher=Viking Press |pages=1–216}}</ref>{{rp|36–39}} His thesis had the title ''The Genito-Urinary Phenomena of Athletes''.<ref name=Watson/>{{rp|49}}

An accomplished athlete, he broke the world record for consecutive [[chin-up]]s (39) in 1900 and the distance record for the [[long jump|running long dive]] in 1902. He invented the pole vault box and set two world records in the [[pole vault]] including a record for 12′ 3″ (3.66 meters) at the Spring meet of the [[Irish American Athletic Club]], held at Celtic Park, New York, in 1906.<ref>"World's Record Vault by Gilbert of Yale; Collegian Clears Bar at Celtic Park at 12 Feet 3 Inches." New York Times, May 31, 1906.</ref><ref>Yale Alumni Magazine, July/August 2008</ref> In the [[Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's pole vault|pole vault competition at the 1908 Summer Olympics]], he tied for gold with fellow American [[Edward Cook (athlete)|Edward Cook]], setting an Olympic record.<ref name=Watson/>{{rp|48}}

==Career==
Choosing not to pursue a medical career, Gilbert founded Mysto Manufacturing, a manufacturer of [[magic set]]s, with his friend John Petrie, in 1907.<ref name=timeless>{{cite book |title=Timeless Toys: Classic Toys and the Playmakers who Created Them |first=Tim |last=Walsh |publisher=Andrews McMeel Publishing |year=2005 |isbn=9780740755712 |pages=23–24 |access-date=November 12, 2012 |url=https://openlibrary.org/works/OL6039241W/Timeless_Toys}}</ref> This company later became the [[A. C. Gilbert Company]]. Gilbert developed the [[Erector Set]], a construction toy, in 1913 (preceded by the similar [[Meccano]] set conceived by [[Frank Hornby]] in 1898 which he developed and patented as "Mechanics Made Easy" in 1901<ref>{{cite patent |country=GB |number=190100587 |status=patent |title=Improvements in Toy or Educational Devices for Children and Young People |pubdate=1901-11-30 |gdate=1901-11-30 |fdate=1901-01-09 |pridate=1901-01-09 |inventor=Frank Hornby }}</ref>).<ref name=Watson/>{{rp|37–39}} His inspiration was steel construction girders used on the [[New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad]].<ref name=Time/> In 1918, with the United States embroiled in [[World War I]] and the [[Council of National Defense]] considering a ban on toy production, Gilbert argued successfully against it. The press gave him the nickname "The man who saved Christmas." Gilbert had by then contributed to the war effort by becoming one of the [[Four Minute Men]] who gave short lectures to movie audiences, thus encouraging citizens to purchase [[Liberty bond|war bonds]].<ref name=Watson/>{{rp|85–104}}

By 1935, his company had sold more than 30 million of the Erector sets.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}} He also added [[chemistry set]]s, [[microscope]] sets, and other educational toys to his product line, accumulating more than 150 patents during his 50-year career. In 1938, he acquired the rights to the [[American Flyer]] toy train line from W. O. Coleman and moved their production from Chicago to New Haven.<ref name=Watson/>{{rp|160}}  At the same time, he adopted a 3/16 scale for this train line while keeping the three-rail O-gauge track then associated with [[Lionel Corporation|Lionel]], a competitor. Following World War II, O-gauge track was abandoned in favor of two-rail S-gauge track. Gilbert was lauded for his adherence to scale realism, making American Flyer trains look more real and less toylike.{{citation needed|date = September 2021}}

Gilbert is credited with originating the concept of providing [[Employment|benefits for his employees]], including free medical and legal advice and [[maternity leave]].<ref name=Watson/>{{rp|165–166}} In 1915 he founded the [[Toy Association|Toy Manufacturers of America]] trade association and was its first president.<ref name=Watson/>{{rp|56}}

Frustrated that invention was an important part of American society not taught in schools, in 1941, Gilbert opened the [[Gilbert Hall of Science]] in New York City a science and technology museum. It served the dual purpose of promoting interest in science and selling Gilbert's products.<ref name=Watson/>{{rp|160–161}}

In 1950–1951 he marketed the [[Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Laboratory]], which contained radioactive ore samples of [[autunite]], [[carnotite]], [[torbernite]] and [[uraninite]].<ref name=Watson/>{{rp|179}}

==Personal life==
In 1908, he married Mary Thompson, whom he had met at Pacific University. They had three children: two girls and a boy.<ref name=Watson/>{{rp|110}} In the 1930s, they lived in a property in [[Hamden, Connecticut]] called Maraldene which included kennels where Gilbert bred [[German Shepherds]] including one which won the [[Max von Stephanitz]] award. He also owned a nearby 600-acre estate that he called ''Paradise''. He used it for hunting and it housed his big-game trophies. It was a venue for him to entertain clients and guests attending the [[Yale Bowl]].<ref name=Watson/>{{rp|149–159}}

==Later years==
Upon his retirement in 1954, Gilbert turned his company over to his son.<ref name=Watson/>{{rp|163–164}} The same year, he published his autobiography, titled ''The Man Who Lives in Paradise.'' After his death in 1961, the family sold its remaining shares in the A. C. Gilbert Company to [[Jack Wrather]]. It went out of business in 1967, although the Erector trademark continued to be used.<ref name=Watson/>{{rp|189–192}}

==Legacy==
A museum in Gilbert's birthplace of Salem, Oregon, [[A. C. Gilbert's Discovery Village]], is named in his honor. The museum comprises several historic structures, including the house of Gilbert's uncle Andrew T. Gilbert. It opened in 1989.<ref name=Watson/>{{rp|207}}

The television movie ''[[The Man Who Saved Christmas (film)|The Man Who Saved Christmas]]'' is a dramatization of Christmas during the years 1917 and 1918 when America was involved in [[World War I]]. He was portrayed by [[Jason Alexander]]. The film takes several historical liberties. It debuted December 15, 2002.

[[Pacific University]] in Forest Grove, Oregon, has a residential hall named after him that was opened in 2009.

==Publications==
*[https://archive.org/details/MystoMagic ''Gilbert Mysto Magic''] (1919)
*''Gilbert 75 Electrical Toys and Tricks'' (1919)
*''Gilbert Chemical Magic'' (1920)
*''Gilbert Handkerchief Tricks for Boys'' (1920)
*''Gilbert Hydraulic and Pneumatic Engineering'' (1920)
*''Gilbert Knots & Splices with Rope-Tying Tricks'' (1920)
*''Gilbert Magnetic Fun and Facts'' (1920)
*''Gilbert Carpentry for Boys'' (1920)
*''Gilbert Weather Bureau (meteorology) for Boys'' (1920)
*''Experimental Glass Blowing for Boys'' (1920)
*''Gilbert Mineralogy for Boys'' (1921)
*''Gilbert Mineralogy: Fun with Minerals'' (1922)
*''Gilbert Coin Tricks for Boys'' (1938)
*''Roar of the Rails'' (1944)
*''Fun With Gilbert Chemistry'' (1946)
*''American Flyer Instruction Book'' (1952)
*''Gilbert Home Chemistry'' (1952)
*''The Man Who Lives in Paradise'' (1954)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* * [https://www.eliwhitney.org/museum/gilbert-project The Eli Whitney Museum's extensive A. C. Gilbert Project] includes [https://www.eliwhitney.org/gilbert/collections collections], a [https://www.eliwhitney.org/gilbert/bibliography bibliography], and [https://www.eliwhitney.org/gilbert/images pictures of Gilbert]
* [http://www.acgilbert.org A. C. Gilbert's Discovery Village]
* [http://www.acghs.org The A. C. Gilbert Heritage Society]
* [http://hdl.handle.net/10079/fa/mssa.ms.1618 A. C. Gilbert Papers (MS 1618).] Manuscripts and Archives, Yale University Library.
{{Commons category}}
*{{sports links}}
*{{Find a Grave}}

{{Olympic Champions Pole Vault (Men)}}
{{USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners in men's pole vault}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gilbert, Alfred Carlton}}
[[Category:American magicians]]
[[Category:American businesspeople in the toy industry]]
[[Category:Toy inventors]]
[[Category:1884 births]]
[[Category:1961 deaths]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1908 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in track and field]]
[[Category:American men pole vaulters]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1908 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Salem, Oregon]]
[[Category:Track and field athletes from Oregon]]
[[Category:Pacific University alumni]]
[[Category:People from Forest Grove, Oregon]]
[[Category:20th-century American businesspeople]]
[[Category:Yale Bulldogs track and field coaches]]
[[Category:20th-century American inventors]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]