Baby Boomer Alert: Happy Birthday to the View Master! (VIDEO)

It is impossible to imagine that this little toy was considered to be a high-tech innovation when it was invented in 1939!

The View Master was first showcased at the 1939 New York World's Fair.  Within a couple of years millions of units were sold (oddly enough, most of the first customers were adults).  The first "photo series" were of the Grand Canyon and National Parks.  The U.S. military bought 100,000 unites to be used by serviceman in training trying to identify enemy aircraft.

In 1951 the View Master company got involved with Walt Disney studios and the money really began pouring in.  Many a baby boomer got a View Master for Christmas or their birthday with view cards featuring Davy Crockett, the Disney movie features or even scenes from the just opened Disneyland in California.

It is estimated that since its creation in 1939 that there have been more than 25 versions of the hand held "clicker", 30,000 different titles and more than a billion photo reels made.

Again I say.  It seems almost impossible to imagine that this was considered a sophisticated toy back in the day.  Give this to a 7-year old today.  He'll say "how do yo turn this thing on?"

Did you have a View Master?