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== A Brief History of the Baby Stroller ==
== A Brief History of the Baby Stroller ==
William Kent is widely considered the father of the modern baby stroller, designing a carriage for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733. But was this really the first baby stroller?
Architect William Kent is widely considered the father of the modern baby stroller, designing a carriage for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733. But was this really the first baby stroller?


=== Before the modern era ===
=== Before the modern era ===
[[File:Theft of Apollo's cattle.jpg|alt=Theft of Apollo's cattle|thumb|Theft of Apollo's cattle, Etruscan, 520 BCE<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki>  </ref>]]
[[File:Theft of Apollo's cattle.jpg|alt=Theft of Apollo's cattle|thumb|Theft of Apollo's cattle, Etruscan, 520 BCE<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki>  </ref>]]
There are a few references to conveyances used to carry babies and children earlier that 1733. A 520 BCE Etruscan vase depicting Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle is said to depict Hermes as a baby in a wheeled conveyance—although this looks more like a wheeled cradle than a stroller.<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki>  </ref>
There are a few references to conveyances used to carry babies and children earlier than 1733. A 520 BCE Etruscan vase depicting Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle is said to portrays Hermes as a baby in a wheeled conveyance—although this looks more like a wheeled cradle than a stroller.<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki>  </ref>


Oddly, there are no references to wheeled baby carriages in Egyptian, Roman or Greek historical documents—most babies were carried during this part of history. However, wheeled toys were quite common.
Along that same vein, a Japanese painting from the 14<sup>th</sup> century also shows a Chinese baby in a carriage with wheels pulled by a rope.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>
 
Oddly, beyond this vase and painting there are no references to wheeled baby carriages in ancient historical documents—most babies were carried during this part of history.  
[[File:14th Century Chinese Baby stroller.jpg|alt=14th Century Chinese Baby stroller|thumb|14th Century Chinese Baby stroller<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>]]
[[File:14th Century Chinese Baby stroller.jpg|alt=14th Century Chinese Baby stroller|thumb|14th Century Chinese Baby stroller<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>]]
Along that vein, a Japanese painting from the 14<sup>th</sup> century shows a Chinese baby in a carriage with wheels pulled by a rope.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>
Wheeled toys have been found in Egypt, Rome and Greece as well as India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and even Meso-America. This has lead some to believe that wheeled carriages and carts were also common. However, it wasn’t until improvements in roads and pavement that chariots, wheeled carriages and large wagons were used broadly. In England, enclosed carriages for passengers were first introduced in 1555.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/technology/coach-horse-drawn-vehicle</ref>


Wheeled toys were also found in India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and even Meso-America, leading some to believe that wheeled carriages and carts were also common. However, it wasn’t until improvements in roads and pavement that chariots, wheeled carriages and large wagons were used broadly. In England, enclosed carriages for passengers were first introduced in 1555.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/technology/coach-horse-drawn-vehicle</ref>
That’s not to say parents didn’t adapt carts and small wagons to multiple uses including carrying children. An example are the hop wagons in Kent in the UK, which were imported from Europe in the 16<sup>th</sup> century.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>
 
That’s not to say parents didn’t adapt carts and small wagons to multiple uses including carrying children. An example are the hop wagons in Kent in the UK, which came from Europe in the 16<sup>th</sup> century.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>


==== First known baby carriage ====
==== First known baby carriage ====
A watershed moment in baby strollers came in 1733. A landscape architect working for the Duke of Devonshire, William Kent, designed the first baby stroller as a way to “amuse his children in transit.”  
A watershed moment in baby strollers came in 1733. A landscape architect working for the Duke of Devonshire, William Kent, designed the first baby stroller as a way to “amuse his (the Duke's) children in transit.”  


Designed to be pulled by ponies, dogs or goats, the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth Serpent Pram was named for snakes that adorned the carriage (the Duke of Devonshire’s crest has snakes). Given the extravagant cost of the carriage, this one-off creation wasn’t intended to spur an industry of baby buggies.
Designed to be pulled by ponies, dogs or goats, the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth Serpent Pram was named for snakes that adorned the carriage (the Duke of Devonshire’s crest includes snakes). Given the extravagant cost of the carriage, this one-off creation didn't actually spur an industry of baby buggies.


It would take another century—and the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the middle class—before strollers became standard parenting equipment.
It would take another century—and the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the middle class—before strollers would become standard parenting equipment.


Fast forward to the 1830’s when the first craftsmen began building and selling baby carriages. The Industrial Revolution and world-wide trade made it possible to build quantities of baby carriages. Benjamin Potter Crandall and his son Jesse marketed the first baby carriages in the US in the 1830’s. Jesse later invented several improvements including a brake and parasol.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref>
Fast forward to the 1830’s when the first craftsmen began building and selling baby carriages. The Industrial Revolution and world-wide trade made it possible to build quantities of baby carriages. Benjamin Potter Crandall and his son Jesse marketed the first baby carriages in the US in the 1830’s. Jesse later invented several improvements including a brake and parasol.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref>


At the same time, the US market for baby carriage makers was booming. Many of these companies were located in Massachusetts. In Greenfield, MA, J.P. Prentice built a baby carriage for his daughter, who was born in 1835. Greenfield later became known as a center of baby carriage manufacturing as fellow stroller makers Henry Warner, J. Morris Munson and Frank and Samuel Boylston set up shop in the area.
At the same time, the US market for baby carriage makers was booming. Many of these companies were located in Massachusetts. In Greenfield, MA, J.P. Prentice built his first baby carriage for his daughter, who was born in 1835. Greenfield later became known as a center of baby carriage manufacturing as fellow stroller makers Henry Warner, J. Morris Munson and Frank and Samuel Boylston set up shop in the area.
[[File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg|alt=the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum|thumb|Selection of antique and vintage strollers in the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).]]
[[File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg|alt=the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum|thumb|Selection of antique and vintage strollers in the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).]]
Meanwhile in Europe, the Germans began making carriage strollers in Zeitz, Germany in 1846 when Albert Naether founded his workshop. It later grew into one of Europe’s largest maker of baby carriages and prams.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref>
Meanwhile in Europe, the Germans began making carriage strollers in Zeitz, Germany in 1846 when Albert Naether founded his workshop. It later grew into one of Europe’s largest maker of baby carriages and prams, the Naether Stroller Factory.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref>


==== Push not pull ====
==== Push not pull ====
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Instead of keeping children at home, popular English pastimes like Sunday promenades for health and social interaction promoted introducing children to the outside world sooner. The baby carriage made that interaction much easier for stylish young parents.
Instead of keeping children at home, popular English pastimes like Sunday promenades for health and social interaction promoted introducing children to the outside world sooner. The baby carriage made that interaction much easier for stylish young parents.


The British became leaders in pram production in the late 1800’s. You can find numerous examples of British prams at historical museums with their very high wheels, suspensions, bassinette-style wicker baskets, leather hoods and brakes (PHOTO from German Museum). Seat belts were patented for baby carriages in 1884.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref>
The British became leaders in pram production in the late 1800’s. You can find numerous examples of British prams at historical museums with their very high wheels, steel frames, suspensions, bassinette-style wicker baskets, leather hoods and brakes. Seat belts were patented for baby carriages in 1884.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref>


In 1888, African American inventor William H. Richardson patented the first reversible carriage basket and in 1894 the British patented a reversible handle.<ref>https://patents.google.com/patent/US405600A/en</ref>
In 1888, African American inventor William H. Richardson patented the first reversible carriage basket and in 1894 the British patented a reversible handle.<ref>https://patents.google.com/patent/US405600A/en</ref>


==== 19th Century ====
==== Early 20th Century ====
[[File:Allwin Folding Stroller.jpg|alt=Allwin Folding Stroller|thumb|Allwin Folding Stroller, circa 1904]]
[[File:Allwin Folding Stroller.jpg|alt=Allwin Folding Stroller|thumb|Allwin Folding Stroller, circa 1904]]
The first patent for a folding baby stroller in the US was issued in 1904. The Allwin was made by the Sidway Mercantile Company in Elkhart, IN. They were also called the “Go-cart from Elkhart.”<ref>https://mcleodhistory.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/2BAD2E47-9031-4E9A-9167-150378652989</ref>
The first patent for a folding baby stroller in the US was issued in 1904. The Allwin was made by the Sidway Mercantile Company in Elkhart, IN. They were also called the “Go-cart from Elkhart.”<ref>https://mcleodhistory.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/2BAD2E47-9031-4E9A-9167-150378652989</ref>


By the 1920’s Britain boasted over 200 pram makers and with three million units in use by 1923.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/d44d4702-7cc5-39e9-910f-06d0017ec3fc?seq=1</ref> Wheels in the 20’s and 30’s got smaller and the first pushchair, ancestor of the modern stroller, first appeared. Pushchairs were not as popular as prams, however.
By the 1920’s Britain boasted over 200 pram makers and three million units in use by 1923.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/d44d4702-7cc5-39e9-910f-06d0017ec3fc?seq=1</ref> Wheels in the 20’s and 30’s got smaller and the first pushchair, ancestor of the modern stroller, first appeared. Pushchairs were not as popular as prams, however.


Meanwhile, in the US, several famous baby carriage makes continue to prosper.
Meanwhile, in the US, several famous baby carriage makes continue to prosper.
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F.A. Whitney Carriage Co. was founded in Leominster, MA in 1858 and patented a reversible handle in 1876.
F.A. Whitney Carriage Co. was founded in Leominster, MA in 1858 and patented a reversible handle in 1876.


Up until 1881, the company made the baby carriage bodies out of wood. In 1881, F.A. Whitney began experimenting with wicker (made of willow). Later in 1904, the company began making paper wicker (“twisted paper pregnated with glue sizing”) pg 23 which they patented. The paper lasted longer (if taken care of) than the willow reed wicker, which dried out and cracked.<ref>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=1</ref>
Up until 1881, the company made the baby carriage bodies out of wood. In 1881, F.A. Whitney began experimenting with wicker (made of willow). Later in 1904, the company began making paper wicker (“twisted paper pregnated with glue sizing”), which they patented. The paper lasted longer (if taken care of) than the willow reed wicker, which dried out and cracked.<ref>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=1</ref>


Many of US baby carriage makers didn’t survive the Great Depression and rationing of materials during World War II. F.A. Whitney closed its doors in 1952.
Many of US baby carriage makers didn’t survive the Great Depression and rationing of materials during World War II. F.A. Whitney closed its doors in 1952.


=== Baby Boom: Post War Surge in Baby Gear ===
== Baby Boom: Post War Surge in Baby Gear ==
[[File:Taylor Tot, 1940s.jpg|alt=Taylor Tot, 1940s|thumb|Taylor Tot, 1940s]]
[[File:Taylor Tot, 1940s.jpg|alt=Taylor Tot, 1940s|thumb|Taylor Tot, 1940s]]
Imagine adding 4.24 million babies to the US population every year. That actually happened between 1946 and 1964.<ref>https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/postwar-era/a/the-baby-boom</ref> With that many babies born each year (and that’s just an average per year; some years had more), it’s no surprise that baby products from cradles to high chairs to strollers also surged during that period. Immediately after the war, baby carriages continued to be popular, but by the 1950’s to 1960’s, strollers started to make inroads with young parents.<ref>http://www.faqs.org/childhood/Pa-Re/Pram.html</ref>
Imagine adding 4.24 million babies to the US population every year. That actually happened between 1946 and 1964.<ref>https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/postwar-era/a/the-baby-boom</ref> With that many babies born each year (and that’s just an average per year; some years had more), it’s no surprise that baby products from cradles to high chairs to strollers also surged during that period. Immediately after the war, baby carriages continued to be popular, but by the 1950’s to 1960’s, strollers started to make inroads with young parents.<ref>http://www.faqs.org/childhood/Pa-Re/Pram.html</ref>
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This stroller featured a metal chair, frame and wheels—more like a tricycle with a push handle than a modern stroller.
This stroller featured a metal chair, frame and wheels—more like a tricycle with a push handle than a modern stroller.


=== Rise of the Imports: British Invasion ===
== Rise of the Imports: British Invasion ==
[[File:Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s.jpg|alt=Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s|thumb|Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s]]
[[File:Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s.jpg|alt=Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s|thumb|Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s]]
In 1965, British engineer Owen Maclaren, a former test pilot, designed the first “umbrella” stroller, made of lightweight, aircraft aluminum and designed to fold into a compact design similar to an umbrella. Maclaren imagined his new stroller would allow parents to travel the world more easily.<ref>https://shop.maclarenbaby.com/history-heritage?ctr#:~:text=In%201965%20in%20rural%20England,baby%20wheeling%20around%20a%20bulky</ref>
In 1965, British engineer Owen Maclaren, a former test pilot, designed the first “umbrella” stroller, made of lightweight, aircraft aluminum and designed to fold into a compact design similar to an umbrella. Maclaren imagined his new stroller would allow parents to travel the world more easily.<ref>https://shop.maclarenbaby.com/history-heritage?ctr#:~:text=In%201965%20in%20rural%20England,baby%20wheeling%20around%20a%20bulky</ref>
[[File:Peg Perego pram, 1970s.jpg|alt=Peg Perego pram, 1970s|thumb|Peg Perego pram, 1970s]]
[[File:Peg Perego pram, 1970s.jpg|alt=Peg Perego pram, 1970s|thumb|Peg Perego pram, 1970s]]


On the heels of the British invasion, the Italians came to the US as well in the 60’s—Italian stroller maker Peg Perego set up shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana to be close to their largest customer, Sears.
On the heels of the British invasion, the Italians came to the US as well in the 60’s—Italian stroller maker Peg Perego set up shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana to be close to their largest customer, Sears.
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The post-World War II economy saw another development that impacted the stroller market: the birth of baby gear companies.
The post-World War II economy saw another development that impacted the stroller market: the birth of baby gear companies.


Unlike companies that specialized in one product, these corporations expanded into a myriad of baby gear companies. Among the earliest was Evenflo, which started in 1920 as the Pyramid Rubber Specialty Company in Ravenna, Ohio making rubber baby bottle nipples. By pairing the nipples with glass bottles made by nearby glass manufacturers in Pittsburgh, the Evenflo baby bottle was born. Soon Evenflo expanded into other categories like nursery furniture and strollers.
Unlike companies that specialized in one product, these corporations expanded into a myriad of baby gear categories. Among the earliest was Evenflo, which started in 1920 as the Pyramid Rubber Specialty Company in Ravenna, Ohio making rubber baby bottle nipples. By pairing the nipples with glass bottles made by nearby glass manufacturers in Pittsburgh, the Evenflo baby bottle was born. Soon Evenflo expanded into other categories like nursery furniture and strollers.


In 1955, Graco introduced the first wind-up swing—and soon expanded into other baby product like strollers by the 1970’s.
In 1955, Graco introduced the first wind-up swing—and soon expanded into other baby product like strollers by the 1970’s.
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Another early pioneer of modern strollers was Century, which got its start in 1961 with the launch of a baby seat/carrier called the TotToter. This eventually morphed into the first infant car seat with a stay-in-the-car base, launched in 1986.
Another early pioneer of modern strollers was Century, which got its start in 1961 with the launch of a baby seat/carrier called the TotToter. This eventually morphed into the first infant car seat with a stay-in-the-car base, launched in 1986.


Century then paired this infant car seat with a stroller to become the first travel system in the early 1990’s.  
Century then paired this infant car seat with a stroller to create the first travel system in the early 1990’s.  


== Rise of the Imports: Japan ==
== Rise of the Imports: Japan ==
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The two biggest Japanese stroller makers, Aprica and Combi, were popular in the 1980’s for their high-end, lightweight strollers. By 1985, Aprica was selling 200,000 strollers a year in the US. These premium strollers sold for $200 in 1985 or about $545 in today’s dollars.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/12/business/now-japan-s-stroller-invasion.html</ref>
The two biggest Japanese stroller makers, Aprica and Combi, were popular in the 1980’s for their high-end, lightweight strollers. By 1985, Aprica was selling 200,000 strollers a year in the US. These premium strollers sold for $200 in 1985 or about $545 in today’s dollars.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/12/business/now-japan-s-stroller-invasion.html</ref>


The Japanese strollers took the Maclaren umbrella stroller and replacing the two handles with a single handle that could collapse. Made of lightweight aluminum, these strollers weighed as little as 7.7 lbs.
The Japanese strollers took the Maclaren umbrella stroller and replaced the two handles with a single handle that could collapse. Made of lightweight aluminum, these strollers weighed as little as 7.7 lbs.


Ultimately, US stroller companies figured out a way to make lightweight strollers at lower price and the Japanese strollers declined in popularity in the 2000’s.
Ultimately, US stroller companies figured out a way to make lightweight strollers at lower price and the Japanese strollers declined in popularity in the 2000’s.
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Sometimes fitness crazes translated into stroller advancements. Case in point: jogging.
Sometimes fitness crazes translated into stroller advancements. Case in point: jogging.
[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984|thumb|The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984]]
[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984|thumb|The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984]]
Even though the jogging craze got its start in the 1960’s, it really took it off the 1970’s. Runner Phil Baechler wanted to take his baby with him on runs, so he thought of marrying air-filled bicycle tires with a stroller with a sling-style seat. The Baby Jogger was born in 1984.
Even though the jogging craze got its start in the 1960’s, it really took off the 1970’s. Runner Phil Baechler wanted to take his baby with him on runs, so he thought of marrying air-filled bicycle tires with a stroller with a sling-style seat. The Baby Jogger was born in 1984.


== Rise of the Imports: New Zealand and the All-Terrain Stroller ==
== Rise of the Imports: New Zealand and the All-Terrain Stroller ==
New Zealand engineer Alan Croad saw a picture of the Baby Jogger in a parenting magazine and thought about adapting it for outdoor adventures in New Zealand. He swapped the large tires with smaller wheels and (eventually) a turnable front wheel. The all-terrain, tri-wheel stroller Mountain Buggy Jungle debuted in 1992.
New Zealand engineer Alan Croad saw a picture of the Baby Jogger in a parenting magazine and thought about adapting it for outdoor adventures in New Zealand. He swapped the large tires with smaller wheels and (eventually) a turnable front wheel. The all-terrain, tri-wheel stroller named the Mountain Buggy Jungle debuted in 1992.


Fellow Kiwi stroller maker Phil & Teds added to the all-terrain craze with an “in-line buggy” that could transport two kids.
Fellow Kiwi stroller maker Phil & Teds added to the all-terrain craze with an “in-line buggy” that could transport two kids.
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The rise of industrial designers and daddy bloggers brought another new type of stroller in the early 200’s: the Dude Stroller.
The rise of industrial designers and daddy bloggers brought another new type of stroller in the early 200’s: the Dude Stroller.


Designer Max Barenburg conceived a stroller as part of a college design project that eventually became the Bugaboo. Unlike other strollers on the market at the time, the Bugaboo was aimed as a luxury purchase for urban parents, including dads frustrated with too-short stroller handles (the Bugaboo had a height-adjustable handle).
Designer Max Barenburg conceived a stroller as part of a college design project that eventually became the Bugaboo. Unlike other strollers on the market at the time, the Bugaboo was intended as a luxury purchase for urban parents, including dads frustrated with too-short stroller handles (the Bugaboo had a height-adjustable handle).


The Bugaboo was a modular stroller with bassinet and stroller seat that could be interchanged on a stroller frame.
The Bugaboo was a modular stroller with bassinet and stroller seat that could be interchanged on a stroller frame.
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About the same time in Germany, designer Martin Pos launched Cybex to “marry design and technology in one.”
About the same time in Germany, designer Martin Pos launched Cybex to “marry design and technology in one.”


The success of the first Bugaboo (the Frog) brought a host of  knock-offs, including UPPAbaby. Their main innovation was the addition of a second seat—making the single-to-double stroller a category upon its own.
The success of the first Bugaboo (the Frog) brought a host of knock-offs, including UPPAbaby. Their main innovation was the addition of a second seat—making the single-to-double stroller a category of its own.


With moms waiting till later in life to have babies, the turn of the century also saw a new trend called age compression: having children closer in age than before. To address this, modular strollers like the UPPAbaby Vista entered the market. One stroller that could expand to accommodate a second baby was a hit.
With moms waiting till later in life to have babies, the turn of the century also saw a new trend called age compression: having children closer in age than before. To address this, modular strollers like the UPPAbaby Vista entered the market. One stroller that could expand to accommodate a second baby was a hit.
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== Rise of Imports: China. ==
== Rise of Imports: China. ==
[[File:Delta Luv Buggy stroller, 1980's.jpg|alt=Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s|thumb|Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s]]
[[File:Delta Luv Buggy stroller, 1980's.jpg|alt=Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s|thumb|Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s]]
The rapid growth of Chinese-made baby strollers had its roots in the 1980’s. Among the first US hits was the Delta Luvy Buggy that was among the first metal strollers that could quickly fold.
The rapid growth of Chinese-made baby strollers has its roots in the 1980’s. Among the first US hits was the Delta Luvy Buggy, one of the first metal strollers that could quickly fold.


By the 2010’s, China became the number one source for the manufacture of baby strollers. Goodbaby (among others) dominated the manufacture of strollers and later decided to market their own strollers to consumers.
By the 2010’s, China became the number one source for the manufacture of baby strollers. Goodbaby (among others) dominated the manufacture of strollers and later decided to market their own strollers to consumers.
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== 2020’s craze: Stroller Wagon ==
== 2020’s craze: Stroller Wagon ==
[[File:WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quad Stroller Wagon.jpg|alt=WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon|thumb|WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon]]
[[File:WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quad Stroller Wagon.jpg|alt=WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon|thumb|WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon]]
By the 2010’s and 2020’s, a hybrid of strollers and wagons gained popularity. First debuting with Keenz and Wonderfold, the stroller wagon could hold up to four kids but still could be pushed or pulled with a handle.
By the 2010’s and 2020’s, a hybrid of strollers and wagons gained popularity. First debuting with Keenz and WONDERFOLD, the stroller wagon could hold up to four kids but still could be pushed or pulled with a handle.


Storage is a big plus with stroller wagons allowing parents to pack enough snacks and accessories to get through excursions to the zoo, the beach and more.<references />
Storage is a big plus with stroller wagons allowing parents to pack enough snacks and accessories to get through excursions to the zoo, the beach and more.<references />

Revision as of 16:53, 21 August 2023

Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers. Pardon our dust . . . we are working on building this site!

This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):

Did you know . . .
The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.
The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.

A Brief History of the Baby Stroller

Architect William Kent is widely considered the father of the modern baby stroller, designing a carriage for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733. But was this really the first baby stroller?

Before the modern era

Theft of Apollo's cattle
Theft of Apollo's cattle, Etruscan, 520 BCE[1]

There are a few references to conveyances used to carry babies and children earlier than 1733. A 520 BCE Etruscan vase depicting Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle is said to portrays Hermes as a baby in a wheeled conveyance—although this looks more like a wheeled cradle than a stroller.[2]

Along that same vein, a Japanese painting from the 14th century also shows a Chinese baby in a carriage with wheels pulled by a rope.[3]

Oddly, beyond this vase and painting there are no references to wheeled baby carriages in ancient historical documents—most babies were carried during this part of history.

14th Century Chinese Baby stroller
14th Century Chinese Baby stroller[4]

Wheeled toys have been found in Egypt, Rome and Greece as well as India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and even Meso-America. This has lead some to believe that wheeled carriages and carts were also common. However, it wasn’t until improvements in roads and pavement that chariots, wheeled carriages and large wagons were used broadly. In England, enclosed carriages for passengers were first introduced in 1555.[5]

That’s not to say parents didn’t adapt carts and small wagons to multiple uses including carrying children. An example are the hop wagons in Kent in the UK, which were imported from Europe in the 16th century.[6]

First known baby carriage

A watershed moment in baby strollers came in 1733. A landscape architect working for the Duke of Devonshire, William Kent, designed the first baby stroller as a way to “amuse his (the Duke's) children in transit.”

Designed to be pulled by ponies, dogs or goats, the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth Serpent Pram was named for snakes that adorned the carriage (the Duke of Devonshire’s crest includes snakes). Given the extravagant cost of the carriage, this one-off creation didn't actually spur an industry of baby buggies.

It would take another century—and the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the middle class—before strollers would become standard parenting equipment.

Fast forward to the 1830’s when the first craftsmen began building and selling baby carriages. The Industrial Revolution and world-wide trade made it possible to build quantities of baby carriages. Benjamin Potter Crandall and his son Jesse marketed the first baby carriages in the US in the 1830’s. Jesse later invented several improvements including a brake and parasol.[7]

At the same time, the US market for baby carriage makers was booming. Many of these companies were located in Massachusetts. In Greenfield, MA, J.P. Prentice built his first baby carriage for his daughter, who was born in 1835. Greenfield later became known as a center of baby carriage manufacturing as fellow stroller makers Henry Warner, J. Morris Munson and Frank and Samuel Boylston set up shop in the area.

the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum
Selection of antique and vintage strollers in the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).

Meanwhile in Europe, the Germans began making carriage strollers in Zeitz, Germany in 1846 when Albert Naether founded his workshop. It later grew into one of Europe’s largest maker of baby carriages and prams, the Naether Stroller Factory.[8]

Push not pull

Prior to 1848, all baby carriages were pulled by pony, dog or goat. Charles Burton, an American inventor, designed the first baby stroller that could be pushed by an adult. He took his design to London in 1848, where he successfully introduced it to the British. He adopted an existing expression for “walking about” to name his stroller—perambulator, later shortening the term to pram.[9]

The word “perambulator” dates back to the 1560’s:

“walk through, about, or over," 1560s, from Latin perambulatus, past participle of perambulare "to walk through, go through, ramble through," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + ambulare "to walk, go about" (see amble (v.)). Related: Perambulated; perambulating.[10]

Changes in parenting styles (and the expansion of the middle class in England) also factored into the rise of the stroller.

Instead of keeping children at home, popular English pastimes like Sunday promenades for health and social interaction promoted introducing children to the outside world sooner. The baby carriage made that interaction much easier for stylish young parents.

The British became leaders in pram production in the late 1800’s. You can find numerous examples of British prams at historical museums with their very high wheels, steel frames, suspensions, bassinette-style wicker baskets, leather hoods and brakes. Seat belts were patented for baby carriages in 1884.[11]

In 1888, African American inventor William H. Richardson patented the first reversible carriage basket and in 1894 the British patented a reversible handle.[12]

Early 20th Century

Allwin Folding Stroller
Allwin Folding Stroller, circa 1904

The first patent for a folding baby stroller in the US was issued in 1904. The Allwin was made by the Sidway Mercantile Company in Elkhart, IN. They were also called the “Go-cart from Elkhart.”[13]

By the 1920’s Britain boasted over 200 pram makers and three million units in use by 1923.[14] Wheels in the 20’s and 30’s got smaller and the first pushchair, ancestor of the modern stroller, first appeared. Pushchairs were not as popular as prams, however.

Meanwhile, in the US, several famous baby carriage makes continue to prosper.

F.A. Whitney Carriage Co. was founded in Leominster, MA in 1858 and patented a reversible handle in 1876.

Up until 1881, the company made the baby carriage bodies out of wood. In 1881, F.A. Whitney began experimenting with wicker (made of willow). Later in 1904, the company began making paper wicker (“twisted paper pregnated with glue sizing”), which they patented. The paper lasted longer (if taken care of) than the willow reed wicker, which dried out and cracked.[15]

Many of US baby carriage makers didn’t survive the Great Depression and rationing of materials during World War II. F.A. Whitney closed its doors in 1952.

Baby Boom: Post War Surge in Baby Gear

Taylor Tot, 1940s
Taylor Tot, 1940s

Imagine adding 4.24 million babies to the US population every year. That actually happened between 1946 and 1964.[16] With that many babies born each year (and that’s just an average per year; some years had more), it’s no surprise that baby products from cradles to high chairs to strollers also surged during that period. Immediately after the war, baby carriages continued to be popular, but by the 1950’s to 1960’s, strollers started to make inroads with young parents.[17]

Why? Americans moved to the suburbs, had more leisure time and had more money to spend.

The suburbs had miles of paved sidewalks and streets—and the stroller boom took off.

The post World War II baby boom gave rise to baby gear companies like Evenflo (which started as a bottle maker) and Graco, which launched in 1957 with a swing.

Unlike the bulky prams of the 1930’s and 40’s, new strollers were smaller and more compact. A good example was the Taylor Tot, made by the Frank Taylor Company of Cincinnati, OH.

This stroller featured a metal chair, frame and wheels—more like a tricycle with a push handle than a modern stroller.

Rise of the Imports: British Invasion

Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s
Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s

In 1965, British engineer Owen Maclaren, a former test pilot, designed the first “umbrella” stroller, made of lightweight, aircraft aluminum and designed to fold into a compact design similar to an umbrella. Maclaren imagined his new stroller would allow parents to travel the world more easily.[18]

Peg Perego pram, 1970s
Peg Perego pram, 1970s

On the heels of the British invasion, the Italians came to the US as well in the 60’s—Italian stroller maker Peg Perego set up shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana to be close to their largest customer, Sears.

Birth of Baby Gear Companies

The post-World War II economy saw another development that impacted the stroller market: the birth of baby gear companies.

Unlike companies that specialized in one product, these corporations expanded into a myriad of baby gear categories. Among the earliest was Evenflo, which started in 1920 as the Pyramid Rubber Specialty Company in Ravenna, Ohio making rubber baby bottle nipples. By pairing the nipples with glass bottles made by nearby glass manufacturers in Pittsburgh, the Evenflo baby bottle was born. Soon Evenflo expanded into other categories like nursery furniture and strollers.

In 1955, Graco introduced the first wind-up swing—and soon expanded into other baby product like strollers by the 1970’s.

Another early pioneer of modern strollers was Century, which got its start in 1961 with the launch of a baby seat/carrier called the TotToter. This eventually morphed into the first infant car seat with a stay-in-the-car base, launched in 1986.

Century then paired this infant car seat with a stroller to create the first travel system in the early 1990’s.

Rise of the Imports: Japan

Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s
Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s

Along with the British and Italians, the 1980’s saw the rise of another successful stroller import: Japan.

The two biggest Japanese stroller makers, Aprica and Combi, were popular in the 1980’s for their high-end, lightweight strollers. By 1985, Aprica was selling 200,000 strollers a year in the US. These premium strollers sold for $200 in 1985 or about $545 in today’s dollars.[19]

The Japanese strollers took the Maclaren umbrella stroller and replaced the two handles with a single handle that could collapse. Made of lightweight aluminum, these strollers weighed as little as 7.7 lbs.

Ultimately, US stroller companies figured out a way to make lightweight strollers at lower price and the Japanese strollers declined in popularity in the 2000’s.

The Jogging Stroller

Sometimes fitness crazes translated into stroller advancements. Case in point: jogging.

The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984
The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984

Even though the jogging craze got its start in the 1960’s, it really took off the 1970’s. Runner Phil Baechler wanted to take his baby with him on runs, so he thought of marrying air-filled bicycle tires with a stroller with a sling-style seat. The Baby Jogger was born in 1984.

Rise of the Imports: New Zealand and the All-Terrain Stroller

New Zealand engineer Alan Croad saw a picture of the Baby Jogger in a parenting magazine and thought about adapting it for outdoor adventures in New Zealand. He swapped the large tires with smaller wheels and (eventually) a turnable front wheel. The all-terrain, tri-wheel stroller named the Mountain Buggy Jungle debuted in 1992.

Fellow Kiwi stroller maker Phil & Teds added to the all-terrain craze with an “in-line buggy” that could transport two kids.

The Dudes Arrive: Daddy Designers

Bugaboo Frog, 2001
Bugaboo Frog, 2001

The rise of industrial designers and daddy bloggers brought another new type of stroller in the early 200’s: the Dude Stroller.

Designer Max Barenburg conceived a stroller as part of a college design project that eventually became the Bugaboo. Unlike other strollers on the market at the time, the Bugaboo was intended as a luxury purchase for urban parents, including dads frustrated with too-short stroller handles (the Bugaboo had a height-adjustable handle).

The Bugaboo was a modular stroller with bassinet and stroller seat that could be interchanged on a stroller frame.

About the same time in Germany, designer Martin Pos launched Cybex to “marry design and technology in one.”

The success of the first Bugaboo (the Frog) brought a host of knock-offs, including UPPAbaby. Their main innovation was the addition of a second seat—making the single-to-double stroller a category of its own.

With moms waiting till later in life to have babies, the turn of the century also saw a new trend called age compression: having children closer in age than before. To address this, modular strollers like the UPPAbaby Vista entered the market. One stroller that could expand to accommodate a second baby was a hit.

Rise of Imports: China.

Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s
Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s

The rapid growth of Chinese-made baby strollers has its roots in the 1980’s. Among the first US hits was the Delta Luvy Buggy, one of the first metal strollers that could quickly fold.

By the 2010’s, China became the number one source for the manufacture of baby strollers. Goodbaby (among others) dominated the manufacture of strollers and later decided to market their own strollers to consumers.

Goodbaby started out as a manufacturer for other brands before purchasing the Evenflo and Cybex brands to have more control over the supply chain.

2020’s craze: Stroller Wagon

WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon
WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon

By the 2010’s and 2020’s, a hybrid of strollers and wagons gained popularity. First debuting with Keenz and WONDERFOLD, the stroller wagon could hold up to four kids but still could be pushed or pulled with a handle.

Storage is a big plus with stroller wagons allowing parents to pack enough snacks and accessories to get through excursions to the zoo, the beach and more.

  1. ↑ https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15  
  2. ↑ https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15  
  3. ↑ https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294
  4. ↑ https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294
  5. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/technology/coach-horse-drawn-vehicle
  6. ↑ https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294
  7. ↑ https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936
  8. ↑ https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum
  9. ↑ https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936
  10. ↑ https://www.etymonline.com/word/perambulate
  11. ↑ https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum
  12. ↑ https://patents.google.com/patent/US405600A/en
  13. ↑ https://mcleodhistory.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/2BAD2E47-9031-4E9A-9167-150378652989
  14. ↑ https://www.jstor.org/stable/d44d4702-7cc5-39e9-910f-06d0017ec3fc?seq=1
  15. ↑ https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=1
  16. ↑ https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/postwar-era/a/the-baby-boom
  17. ↑ http://www.faqs.org/childhood/Pa-Re/Pram.html
  18. ↑ https://shop.maclarenbaby.com/history-heritage?ctr#:~:text=In%201965%20in%20rural%20England,baby%20wheeling%20around%20a%20bulky
  19. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/12/business/now-japan-s-stroller-invasion.html
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