Today, Crayola crayons are everywhere, but that wasn't always the case. In 1885, two cousins, Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith, formed a business partnership. In 1900, they purchased a stone mill in Easton, Pennsylvania and began to produce slate pencils for schools.

With schools accounting for a large percentage of their business, the cousins started to research non-toxic and colorful drawing media for kids. They had already invented a new wax crayon, which was used to draw on crates and barrels, but it was loaded with carbon black; that made it too toxic for children.

Still, the pair were confident that the pigment and wax mixing techniques they had developed could be adapted for a variety of safe colors.

In 1903, they introduced a new brand of crayons that contained both superior color and child-friendly ingredients. The name "Crayola" was coined by Binney's wife, Alice; it comes from "craie," the French word for chalk, and "ola," or fat/wax-like. There were originally only eight colors: black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, violet, and yellow.

Now, Crayola has become the crayon standard, and it boasts 23 reds, 20 greens, 19 blues, 16 purples, 14 oranges, 11 browns, 8 yellows, 2 grays, 2 coppers, 2 blacks, 1 white, 1 silver, and 1 gold.