Officially invented in 1933 by Charles B. Darrow of Germantown, Pennsylvania, and mass produced by Parker Brothers in 1935.
However there is some controversy about the real inventor of the game, some claim Lizzie J. Magie created "The Landlord's Game" in 1904 and this game was further developed by economics students playing the game in Harvard and Princeton.
Regardless of who the real inventor was the current official American monopoly board is based on Darrow's design.
In 1935 Parker Brothers sent a copy to Waddingtons in the UK, the head of the company, Victor Watson, liked the game but decided that the game would be more popular in the UK if the board was anglicized.
Watson's secretary, Marjory Phillips, collected a list of suitable names while out in London. They met at the Angel's Lion Tea House at One Islington High Street, to discuss which london name should be assigned to which square. That tea house is commemorated on the board as The Angel Islington.
The order of squares on the UK monopoly board starting from Go and moving clockwise is listed below including colour and value if any.
Based on London place names
Colour | Square | Value |
---|---|---|
- | GO! | - |
Brown | Old Kent Road | £60 |
- | Community Chest | - |
Brown | Whitechapel Road | £60 |
- | Income Tax | £200 |
- | Kings Cross Station | £200 |
Blue | The Angel Islington | £100 |
- | Chance | - |
Blue | Euston Road | £100 |
Blue | Pentonville Road | £120 |
- | Jail | - |
Purple | Pall Mall | £140 |
- | Electric Company | £150 |
Purple | Whitehall | £140 |
Purple | Northumberland Avenue | £160 |
- | Marylebone Station | £200 |
Orange | Bow Street | £180 |
- | Community Chest | - |
Orange | Marlborough Street | £180 |
Orange | Vine Street | £200 |
- | Free Parking | - |
Red | Strand | £220 |
- | Chance | - |
Red | Fleet Street | £220 |
Red | Trafalgar Square | £240 |
- | Fenchurch Street Station | £200 |
Yellow | Leicester Square | £260 |
Yellow | Coventry Street | £260 |
- | Water Works | £150 |
Yellow | Piccadilly | £280 |
- | Go to Jail | - |
Green | Regent Street | £300 |
Green | Oxford Street | £300 |
- | Community Chest | - |
Green | Bond Street | £320 |
- | Liverpool St Station | £200 |
- | Chance | - |
Blue | Park Lane | £350 |
- | Super tax | £100 |
Blue | Mayfair | £400 |
Based on Atlantic City place names, the following table lists the sequence of place names, the colour of the squares and the values.
Color | Square | Value |
---|---|---|
- | GO! | - |
Purple | Mediterranean Avenue | $60 |
- | Community Chest | - |
Purple | Baltic Avenue | $60 |
- | Income Tax | Pay 10% or $200 |
- | Reading Railroad | $200 |
Light blue | Oriental Avenue | $100 |
- | Chance | - |
Light blue | Vermont Avenue | $100 |
Light blue | Connecticut | $120 |
- | Jail | - |
Pink | St. Charles Place | $140 |
- | Electric Company | $150 |
Pink | States Avenue | $140 |
Pink | Virginia Avenue | $160 |
- | Pennsylvania Railroad | $200 |
Orange | St. James Place | $180 |
- | Community Chest | - |
Orange | Tennessee Avenue | $180 |
Orange | New York Avenue | $200 |
- | Free Parking | - |
Red | Kentucky Avenue | $220 |
- | Chance | - |
Red | Indiana Avenue | $220 |
Red | Illinois Avenue | $240 |
- | B&O Railroad | $200 |
Yellow | Atlantic Avenue | $260 |
Yellow | Ventnor Avenue | $260 |
- | Water Works | $150 |
Yellow | Marvin Gardens | $280 |
- | Go To Jail | - |
Green | Pacific Avenue | $300 |
Green | North Carolina Avenue | $300 |
- | Community Chest | - |
Green | Pensylvania Avenue | $320 |
- | Short Line | $200 |
- | Chance | - |
Dark Blue | Park Place | $350 |
- | Luxury Tax | $75 |
Dark Blue | Boardwalk | $400 |