Tracing Our Roots
Ticonderoga pencils have a long and storied history. As one of the first pencil brands in the United States, our story starts in the early 19th century. Since then, we’ve set the standard for quality and innovation – making high quality pencils available to all for over six generations.
1799
It Starts with Joseph Dixon
Joseph Dixon was born in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Naturally curious and entrepreneurial, he enjoyed inventing new tools from an early age. At just 13 years old he made his first pencil prototypes by baking the graphite in the oven at home.
1822
The First Dixon Pencils
Dixon was heavily invested in making pencils, which he constructed out of cedar slabs, graphite, and clay. Thus, the first Dixon pencils were born – and sold for the modest sum of 5 cents apiece.
1827
Graphite Becomes Big Business
Over the years, Dixon developed numerous other inventions, including a crucible that could withstand the heat of 2,780 degrees. It was this crucible that allowed Dixon to expand his business ventures. So, in 1827, he founded the Dixon Crucible Company in Salem, Massachusetts.
1847
Dixon’s Company Expands
Dixon’s specialized heat-resistant graphite crucible became widely used in the production of iron and steel during the Mexican American War (1846 - 1848). This invention was so successful that, in 1847, Dixon built a crucible factory in New Jersey.
1866
Demand for Pencils Fuels Innovation
During the American Civil War (1861 -1865), the popularity of pencils started to take off. Soldiers needed something more battlefield-ready than quill pens for writing letters home. Rising demand prompted Dixon to develop a machine capable of producing 132 pencils per minute.
1872
Pencil Production on the Rise
At the time of Dixon’s death in 1869, the Joseph Dixon Crucible Company was the largest manufacturer of graphite products in the world. By 1872, the Dixon Crucible Company was making a staggering 86,000 pencils per day. Erasers were added to the pencils in 1876.
1913
The Classic Yellow No. 2
In 1913, the yellow No. 2 Ticonderoga pencil was introduced. The pencil was originally manufactured with a brass ferrule, but it was temporarily changed to green plastic due to metal rationing during World War II. The now-iconic color scheme continued after the war on a metal ferrule.
1919
A-List Ads
Dixon’s ad manager, John J. Leckie, engaged a number of famous American artists to create paintings depicting heroic deeds tied to Fort Ticonderoga (the pencil’s namesake), as well nostalgic images of the pencil itself. Perhaps most notably, Norman Rockwell painted several advertisements for Ticonderoga pencils, including a work called His First Pencil in 1919.
1943
Pencils on the Radio
Dixon sponsored a series of dramatized announcements called “Ticonderoga’s famous radio minutes.” These radio programs were part history lesson, part news reel. Designed to both entertain and inform, the company produced a total of 53 programs.
1963
A Special Anniversary
In celebration of Ticonderoga pencil’s 50th anniversary, the company created “colorful do-it-yourself pencil kits.” The kits were sent to dealers, newspapers and others as part of a year-long campaign to commemorate the pencil’s anniversary. The DIY kits remain highly collectable to this day.
1982
New Partnerships
Dixon Crucible Company merged with Bryn Mawr Corporation, a Pennsylvania transportation and real estate company, to create the Dixon Ticonderoga Company. The company still operates under this name today.
The Dixon Ticonderoga Company would go on to merge with and/or acquire other stationery, paper, and art supply brands. This includes Pacon, Prang, Strathmore, and Canson – just to name a few.
2005
Joining FILA Group
In 2005, Dixon Ticonderoga Company joined the FILA Group, where it continues to sell over 700 million pencils to students and writers each year. Later, in 2019, Dixon Ticonderoga Company officially moved their headquarters to Appleton, Wisconsin.
2024
Staying Sharp
Ticonderoga introduced the Two-Hole Pencil Sharpener, featuring a German engineered design and capable of sharpening standard, MyFirst, and Laddie pencil sizes.
Ticonderoga believes creativity and self-expression can change the world. We are proud to produce pencils for all kinds of writers – past, present, and into the future.
That’s why Ticonderoga is The World’s Best Pencil!
Ticonderoga Pencils of the Past
Selling over 700 million pencils a year, Ticonderoga pencils mark a century of popularity with writers, artists, students, and teachers.
