The Dark History of Ouija Boards and Why You Should Beware
Shame on Hasbro and Parker Brothers, the latest in a long line of companies touting this board as a game for unsuspecting families.
The board’s dark forces evident from the beginning
Although I’ve researched Ouija before, this article by Baltimore Magazine by Ron Cassie shows the fighting, backstabbing events surrounding its origin and its growth. It shouldn’t be surprising.
According to Baltimore Magazine, the first prototypes were created by a furniture maker turned coffin maker, turned undertaker. The idea was soon claimed by a dishonest businessman with an office down the hall who took an interest in this new wooden board game. He soon left Baltimore with a plan. With his sister-in-law on board, they filed for a patent and started the first company to sell it.
Yet the drama continued decades later. Bitter blood between family members, exclusions from profiting, deathbed promises, and fatal accidents from those that acted on the advice they got from the board are just some of the misfortunes those who brought the game to the masses suffered. Eventually, I suggest that you read the article for yourself when you’re done here. The complete history is fascinating.
The Opinion from skeptics like my husband and younger son:
