The “Adirondack rocking chair” is a modern hybrid — today’s Adirondack lounge chair frame fitted with rocking runners — that combines two separate furniture lineages that developed centuries apart.
Most people searching for the history of Adirondack rocking chairs actually want to understand two things: where the iconic Adirondack chair came from, and how the rocking variant emerged. The answer is more surprising than a single neat date. One piece was born in a New England village in 1903; the other started rocking more than two hundred years earlier. Here’s the real story, untangled.
The Rocking Chair: A 1710 Beginning
The rocking chair itself has a longer history, with Benjamin Franklin often credited for a 1710 invention (the claim is widely disputed by furniture historians). The first American rockers were handmade from bent wood. By 1840, the Boston Rocker became the first machine-mass-produced rocking chair, spreading the design across the country. These rockers share no direct historical link with the Adirondack chair—they are separate inventions that designers later combined.
The Adirondack Chair: Born in 1903, Patented in 1905
In the summer of 1903, Thomas Lee of Westport, New York, created a prototype outdoor lounge chair from single knot-free planks of eastern hemlock. He wanted a chair that could handle the rugged terrain and harsh weather of the Adirondack Mountains. Its defining features were already there: a low seat, high slanted back, and wide armrests. Lee did not patent his design. His friend Harry Bunnell, a local carpenter, saw commercial potential and secured a patent in April 1905, calling it the “Westport Plank Chair.” The name “Adirondack chair” came later—the Adirondack Mountains were better known than the town of Westport.
The Slatted Back and the Rocking Variation
The chair you recognize today—with its fan-shaped, slatted back—did not arrive until 1938, when Irving Wolpin of New Jersey patented that signature design. The original 1903 model had a solid plank back. Modern Adirondack chairs are built with cedar, pine, or recycled plastic. The first mass-produced recycled plastic versions emerged in 1990 with the founding of Polywood. The “Adirondack rocking chair” is a later adaptation: a standard Adirondack frame mounted on curved rocking runners. There is no single inventor or patent for this hybrid—it evolved organically as craftsmen and manufacturers combined two proven designs.
What the History Means for Buyers Today
If you are looking for an Adirondack rocking chair, the material choice matters more than the historical variation. Cedar and pine chairs cost between $150 and $400. Teak runs $400 to $800 or more. Recycled plastic (HDPE) models sit in the $300 to $600 range and resist weather well. One practical caveat: Adirondack rockers need level ground to rock evenly, and wooden versions can warp in extreme moisture unless treated. Plastic versions are weather-resistant but can be slippery when wet. For a side-by-side comparison of today’s best models from tested brands, check out our roundup of the best Adirondack rocking chairs.
| Material | Typical Price Range | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar / Pine | $150 – $400 | Budget-friendly, classic look |
| Teak | $400 – $800+ | Premium durability, natural oils resist decay |
| Recycled Plastic (HDPE) | $300 – $600 | Weather resistance, low maintenance |
Per the Adirondack chair’s recorded history, the design elements from each era remain visible in today’s market. Whether you prefer a solid back or slatted fan-back, stationary or rocking, every modern Adirondack chair traces its lineage back to that single 1903 prototype in Westport—and the rocking variation adds a comfort innovation that predates it by centuries.
FAQs
Did Thomas Lee invent the rocking chair too?
No. Thomas Lee invented the original Adirondack chair (then called the Westport Chair) in 1903. The rocking chair as a furniture form predates Lee’s invention by roughly two hundred years, with Benjamin Franklin’s disputed 1710 credit being the earliest common reference.
Why is it called an Adirondack chair and not a Westport chair?
Bunnell’s 1905 patent named it the “Westport Plank Chair,” but the Adirondack Mountains were far more famous nationally than the town of Westport. The name “Adirondack chair” stuck as the design spread outside the region, becoming the common name by the mid-20th century.
When did the slatted fan-back design appear?
The slatted fan-back design was patented in 1938 by Irving Wolpin of New Jersey. The original 1903 prototype had a solid plank back, not slats. Wolpin’s innovation became the defining look of the modern Adirondack chair.
References & Sources
- Wikipedia. “Adirondack Chair.” Comprehensive history covering the 1903 prototype, Bunnell’s patent, and Wolpin’s 1938 design.