The toy that walks down stairs was invented on the Delaware waterfront, at the old Cramps Shipyard in Port Richmond.

One day in the 1945, a naval engineer at the Cramps Shipyard named Richard James was experimenting with ways to steady delicate instruments on a rocking ship. One particularly fine wire coil fell off the table and did some usual things. The Slinky was born.

James chose the name Slinky from a Swedish word meaning “gracefully flowing.” In November, 400 Slinkys went on sale at Gimbel’s. They were a hit, and drew more fans at the 1946 American Toy Fair.

Richard James later moved to Bolivia, leaving the business in Betty’s capable hands. Betty moved the Slinky factory to Hollidaysburg, Pa in the 1960s, where it remains today under the ownership of POOF-Slinky Inc.

Source:

Yates, Melissa. “Biography of Betty James.” www.cbsd.org/pennsylvaniapeople