Lawn-Boy
Encyclopedia
In 1934, the original Lawn-Boy lawn mower
was manufactured by the Evinrude
Company, becoming the first one-handed reel power mower introduced to the American public. Evinrude purchased Johnson Motor Wheel Company from a New York stock brokerage firm a year later, and in 1936 they merged with the Outboard Marine and Manufacturing Company (OMC), continuing production of Lawn-Boy mowers until 1939, when it was temporarily put on hold to manufacture outboard motors for World War II
.
In 1946 and after the war, Joel G. (Jack) Doyle built the first rotary lawnmower for the Rotary Power Mower Company of Kansas City, Missouri. Doyle accumulated orders for these mowers from Sears Roebuck, Gambles, Spiegel, and other businesses. OMC then bought RPM in 1952, and changed the brand of the rotary lawn mower to the Lawn-Boy name.
In the 1950s, RPM facilities were converted to production line manufacturing to meet the high number of orders from bigger retailers such as Sears Roebuck and Spiegel. Also, newer, quieter engines were introduced to reduce sound.
The next couple of decades included a long period of research and development as the company continued to expand, including overseas. Riding mowers, tillers, and snow blower
s were introduced, as well as a new 2-stroke engine in 1970 that produced more power, with less weight and fewer parts.
In 1989, Lawn-Boy was acquired by The Toro Company, and eventually consolidated to the Toro headquarters in Bloomington, Minnesota
. Since the acquisition from Toro, Lawn-Boy has introduced new series of lawn mowers, including a new lineup of walk-behind mowers and an entirely new category of Zero Radius Turning mowers.
Lawn mower
A lawn mower is a machine that uses a revolving blade or blades to cut a lawn at an even length.Lawn mowers employing a blade that rotates about a vertical axis are known as rotary mowers, while those employing a blade assembly that rotates about a horizontal axis are known as cylinder or reel...
was manufactured by the Evinrude
Evinrude Outboard Motors
Evinrude Outboard Motors is a company that builds a major brand of outboard motors for boats. Founded by Ole Evinrude in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1907, it was formerly owned by the publicly traded Outboard Marine Corporation , and is now owned by privately held Bombardier Recreational Products.-...
Company, becoming the first one-handed reel power mower introduced to the American public. Evinrude purchased Johnson Motor Wheel Company from a New York stock brokerage firm a year later, and in 1936 they merged with the Outboard Marine and Manufacturing Company (OMC), continuing production of Lawn-Boy mowers until 1939, when it was temporarily put on hold to manufacture outboard motors for World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In 1946 and after the war, Joel G. (Jack) Doyle built the first rotary lawnmower for the Rotary Power Mower Company of Kansas City, Missouri. Doyle accumulated orders for these mowers from Sears Roebuck, Gambles, Spiegel, and other businesses. OMC then bought RPM in 1952, and changed the brand of the rotary lawn mower to the Lawn-Boy name.
In the 1950s, RPM facilities were converted to production line manufacturing to meet the high number of orders from bigger retailers such as Sears Roebuck and Spiegel. Also, newer, quieter engines were introduced to reduce sound.
The next couple of decades included a long period of research and development as the company continued to expand, including overseas. Riding mowers, tillers, and snow blower
Snow blower
A snow blower or snow thrower is a machine for removing snow from an area where it is not wanted, such as a driveway, sidewalk, roadway, railroad track, rink, runway, or houses...
s were introduced, as well as a new 2-stroke engine in 1970 that produced more power, with less weight and fewer parts.
In 1989, Lawn-Boy was acquired by The Toro Company, and eventually consolidated to the Toro headquarters in Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota in Hennepin County. Located on the north bank of the Minnesota River above its confluence with the Mississippi River, Bloomington lies at the heart of the southern...
. Since the acquisition from Toro, Lawn-Boy has introduced new series of lawn mowers, including a new lineup of walk-behind mowers and an entirely new category of Zero Radius Turning mowers.