The history of a camper’s favorite dining seat: the picnic table

By Gail Marsh
Holding your food proved to be somewhat problematic, so eventually a blanket was introduced to the outdoor dining experience. The blanket had its drawbacks, and picnickers everywhere dreamed of a device that would hold not only their food, but themselves up and off the ground. It was time for a novel invention. A picnic table! And here’s how it happened.

Victorian age

In the Victorian period, outdoor picnics became popularized. Genteel ladies and gents of that era often took food to a grassy field or meadow. There, they spread a blanket on the ground, sat, and commenced to eating.

The problem with the blanket concept was that ants and other creepy crawly creatures often invaded the picnic, therefore ruining the serene atmosphere. (Who can be expected to keep her fascinator on straight whilst smacking ants with her fan?)

The meadow grasses were often wet with dew or rain, as well. This dampened the experience for everyone involved. And then, too, there was the problem of comfort. (How does one go about sitting serenely on a blanket while wearing a long gown that features not only a tight corset but a bustle, as well? I can’t imagine.) And surely the Victorians would frown upon anyone so boorish as to recline upon the blanket to eat! What was a proper Victorian to do? It was indeed a conundrum. Until…

1903

Charles H. Nielsen of Kreischerville, New York, stepped up to tackle the picnic problem. Nielsen experimented with different designs for a collapsible table that could be easily transported. He based his design on the X-shaped legs of an 18th century sawbuck table, featuring a table board that rested on top of the X braces. Then Nielsen incorporated built-in seating. He received a patent for his collapsible picnic table in 1904.

Needs some tweaking

Nielsen soon discovered that his picnic table needed some refinement. Any weight imbalance caused the table to collapse! Nielsen quickly came up with a way to resolve the tip-over flaw in his original design. He added braces to his structure for the fix.

Picnic table upgrades

In 1918, Harold R. Basford refined Nielsen’s original picnic table design. With the popularity of the automobile increasing, more and more families ventured out of the cities to picnic in the country. Picnic sites sprang up all around, often advertising “Automobile parking with free picnic tables!” Soon, fire rings were added to the sites, as well. (Hmmm. Almost like a camping spot…)

Today’s picnic table

Most state and national parks today feature a simplified version of Nielsen’s and Basford’s table designs. This modern version first appeared in 1926, in California’s Lassen National Forest. Soon, forest rangers across the country referred to the tables as Lassen tables. This is the table you probably used for last night’s dinner in the campground. Victorians surely would have approved!

At a recent staff meeting, editors and writers talked about our favorite picnic table of all time—the one with the best view. As you think about that very topic, what picnic table location would you crown as your very best? Share your favorite in the comments below.

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