More Than Just A Swingin’ Seat: The Fascinating History Of Outdoor Rocking Chairs By Tonya Kerniva At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

As more than just a familiar fixture at Cracker Barrel and front porches across the nation, outdoor rocking chairs have a surprising history that was more a happy accident than thought-out invention. Indeed, it wasn’t until the 18th century that the earliest forms of the rounded-bottom seats came into being. See how what began as a baby cradle and child’s plaything in Europe has come to exemplify quaint American nostalgia.

Middle Ages: Rocking cradles are employed for babies, usually made from hollowed out logs

1300s: Rocking cradles appear in Renaissance art, one especially prominent in the work of Italian painter Andrea Mantegna.

1400s: The word “rocker” indicates one who rocks a cradle

1600s: The first rocking horse toys appear in Germany

1700s: Curved skates are first added to existing chairs to make them rock

Early 1700s: The word “rocker” now also means an orator who puts people to sleep

Mid-1700s: Victorian Rocking horses are a popular children’s toy

1726: Outdoor rocking chairs are first brought to the US by Pennsylvania governor Patrick Gordon

1740s: The Windsor (named after the town in England) is one of the first prototypes of outdoor rocking chair in existence; this type is characterized by a spindle back frame bent into a hoop, with spread legs pegged into the seat, and usually painted dark green or black

1750: The American version of the Windsor chair is introduced to the colonies, and these come to be the most beloved and recognizable type of outdoor rocking chairs

1787: The earliest citation of the word “rocking chair” appears in the Oxford English Dictionary

1800s: Adult-sized cradles are constructed to soothe weak and aging individuals; they also help to fight the appearance of bedsores

1800-1890: 6-legged Swedish Gungstol rockers are introduced, later dropping down to 4 legs. This type was traditionally painted black with gold outlines

1830: The exceedingly popular Adirondack chair design comes to the USA by way of England

1840: The Boston rocker, a variation on the Windsor chair, has a high back topped by a large crest rail and seat that curves up in the rear; these are the first mass-produced outdoor rocking chairs

Mid-1800s: other variations are created, including the Salem Rocker, the Shaker Rocker, and the Canadian Rustic Rocker

1850: Wicker, though previously seen in British rockers, appears in American outdoor rocking chairs, and from there the development of using this material ensues

1850: Designers branch out from wood material and metal outdoor rocking chairs, especially wrought iron, take the forefront for the time being

1862: The iron rocking chair is exhibited the World Expo

Outdoor rocking chairs are also associated with some famous folks of yore. According to American legend, Benjamin Franklin is credited with inventing the rocking chair by taking a normal chair and adding rockers to it. Although Franklin is rightly attributed to a number of laudable inventions and ideas, this one unfortunately is completely untrue.

A number of presidents have been associated with the iconic chair as well, including McKinley, both Roosevelts and Eisenhower. However, none is more popular than that of John F. Kennedy, Jr. After incurring a war-related back injury, Kennedy turned to outdoor rocking chairs for relief. His reaction was so popular that he installed the chairs everywhere he went (including Air Force One). Not only did he boost the overall popularity of the chair, he also helped boost the career of wood artisan, Sam Maloof.

Most recently, New York Rangers’ All-Star goalie Mike Richter also has connections to outdoor rocking chairs. After suffering a sports-related back injury, Richter approached woodworker Robert Erickson who handcrafted an ergonomically designed chair for the athlete. Today, ergonomic chairs are some of the most popular models on the market.

Nowadays, outdoor rocking chairs are about as American as apple pie, so it’s interesting to think that their origins stemmed from across the pond. From the first rough designs, artisans molded and crafted unique styles of these iconic chairs into the shapes and styles we love and recognize today.

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