Old Orchard

The Genco Manufacturing Company's 1932 creation, Old Orchard, is a notable addition to the early days of pinball history. It is a pure mechanical, all-metal tabletop/counter game based on the old standby of bells-and-fruits slot machine symbols, with an optional metal stand available at extra cost. Harvey Heiss, then a salesman for an aluminum castings company, designed the casting used in this game; the project led to him being hired by Genco full-time, where he went on to design most of the company's future games.

Mechanically, Old Orchard operates on basic principles of pure mechanical gameplay, with no electronic components to distract from its raw simplicity. Players navigate the game's layout, using skill and strategy to propel the steel ball through the machine's mechanisms.

Not much else is documented about Old Orchard beyond its mechanical specifications and production date, and it has no specific theme or artwork to speak of. Enthusiasts will need to rely on the machine's historical significance and its connection to designer Harvey Heiss's start at Genco to spark their interest, but it remains an important piece in the larger narrative of pinball's development.