Go to the garage or basement, look back in the corner, covered in cobwebs - see the green, with the red Coleman logo? I knew it, you just found your old Coleman camping equipment!
Remember the green lanterns you had to fill with Coleman fuel and pump up so the bright mantles would light up your campsite? And the green camp stove that folded down compact for travel? They were probably made right here in Wichita, Kansas at the Coleman Factory!
In 1909, W.C. Coleman started selling The Coleman® lantern, farmers and ranchers could now work longer - I am sure they were thrilled!
In World War I nearly 70,000 lanterns were distributed to American forces fighting in Europe.
In World War II, the Army ordered 5000 compact stoves, the plant here in Wichita shipped them out to North Africa in 1942, the Coleman stove was considered one of the two most important pieces of noncombat equipment in the war effort, the other being the Jeep.
After the war was the beginning of the interstate highways, the big cars, and the road trip - and Coleman stoves and lanterns were ideal traveling companions. ~ Coleman History
So keep looking, you might even have some old pictures of yourself using Coleman equipment, say maybe back in 1973...
I started out married life with Coleman. 39 years ago today I started out on a trip, an adventure, which turned out to be one of many exciting adventures.
The Coleman stove was the first stove I used after getting married, cooked my first dinner on the old Coleman. I remember we made popcorn on the Coleman stove on that trip also, it was a comical picture, shaking the big pot back and forth on the little stove.
We left the church on that hot July night (7/7/73), the little red car covered in messages written in shoe polish, the seats filled with rice, dragging tin cans behind, the trunk and back seat filled with camping stuff - tent, sleeping bags, pots and pans, skeeter spray, and of course the trusty Coleman stove and lantern - all the essentials for a camping road trip across country. Thanks for the memories!
