Last year we created a “bring one in and trade it for another of any size” puzzle exchange. We have received many jigsaw puzzles donated to our school.  There are 100, 300, 500 and 1,000 piece puzzles to choose from. If you are a puzzle lover, we could have an interesting puzzle for you to choose from.

John Spilsbury, a map engraver, created the first puzzle in 1762 out of a map he had glued to a chunk of wood. He donated this to a local school so that the children could learn about geography. Of course at this time, they were not called Jigsaw puzzles as the Jig Saw had not yet been invented.  They were referred to as dissected puzzles. In 1880 the jigsaw was invented and the puzzles soon became known as Jigsaw puzzles. 

At the end of the 1800’s, jigsaw puzzles saw a big expansion in their popularity because of new printing techniques called Lithographic printing. This form of printing was more sophisticated and allowed the woods surface to have better adhesion and the images to have brighter colors, which made the puzzles more attractive. Also there was Plywood, which was easy to cut intricate designs in and was cheaper. When the Tredle jigsaw became available, puzzlers were given an even harder challenge, as it added even more intricate designs to the puzzle layout.  

In the Great Depression years of the 1930’s, puzzle building exploded with popularity. Building puzzles became a way for citizens to forget the hardships and issues that were happening around them.  

Several companies became interested in puzzles as a way to promote their industry, such as cruise ships and railroads. Some even made postcard size replicas as souvenirs for their customers.  During the 1930’s, puzzles were boxed and their finished image was adorned on the outside. Before this, you did not know what you were creating. 

When plywood became scarce during WW2, cardboard was used to start making puzzles. To begin with the puzzles were of poor quality and did not last long, yet they were cheaper to produce.  Today you can go online and create your own puzzle masterpieces and share them with friends and family!  If you are looking for a beautiful puzzle that will give you hours of enjoyment, stop on up to the Henning Public Library and checkout our supply.  We are glad to share them with you.  

We are open to the public on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons following the school calendar from 3:30-5:30 p.m.