Robbinsdale, Golden Valley Share Home-Grown Toy Story
William Herbert “Herb” Schaper was whittling a fishing lure at his Robbinsdale home when he realized it looked rather like a bug.
The year was 1949.
That’s when he realized the wood he was cutting could become a kid’s toy.
Thus, the toy that would later become known as Cootie was born.
“You roll a die, and your piece is according to what number you get on the die,” said Kristi Gibson with the Robbinsdale Historical Society. “And you’re trying to be the first one to complete your bug. So, it is fun, believe it or not. I mean, we play it with our grandkids and they enjoy it.”
The Historical Society keeps a small collection of Cootie toys on display.
“We are really happy to have one copy of the game that was actually made here. And it says Robbinsdale Minn,” Gibson said.
Several Cootie toys sit in a display case at the Robbinsdale Historical Society.
Schaper expanded the business, getting shelf space at Dayton’s. He also expanded the manufacturing, making the toy out of plastic at plants in Robbinsdale, Golden Valley and Minneapolis.
By the mid-1950s, the toy was a big hit.
“By the time he retired in 1957, his company was worth over a million dollars. So what started out small really ended up pretty big,” Gibson said.
Eventually the brand was sold and lost its Robbinsdale connection. However, it’s still alive and well at the Robbinsdale Historical Society.
“It’s something big that happened in Robbinsdale, and again, not a lot of people know that,” Gibson said. “And we kind of consider ourselves the unofficial Cootie museum, because there is no other.”
The Golden Valley and Robbinsdale historical societies are hosting a talk on Schaper and his toys on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at 6731 Golden Valley Rd. The event is free and open to the public.
