The Most Famous Invention From Each State

By Anna Collins 1 year ago

1. Wyoming: Christmas stockings

Image source/ InsiderIn 1995 Joan Sheridon patented ornamental Christmas stockings. Although Christmas stockings had been around since about 1823, Sheridon was the person who commercialised and popularised the idea of the patterned stocking being used as a Christmas decoration.

2. West Virginia: Steamboats

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Steamboats have been around probably longer than you would anticipate. James Rumsey first invented the steamboat in 1787. Since then, they have become an essential method of transport to ship goods across the world and are still used frequently today.

3. Wisconsin: Blenders

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Stephen Poplawski from the state of Wisconsin invented the blender. So, it's thanks to him that we can have smooth soups and healthy smoothies. Blenders really revolutionised how we consume food and drink and have become a staple in our everyday lives.
1922

4. Washington DC: Morse Code

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Morse code is a way to encrypt text and a way to communicate through sequences and signals and it is made up of symbols such as dots and dashes. It was invented in Washington DC by Samuel Morse in 1844. Morse Code became a secret way to communicate during the war.

5. Washington: Hiking backpacks

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Hiking backpacks are now used all over the world as the best way to carry equipment and food during hikes or exercise or even now for traveling. They were invented in Washington by in 1922 Lloyd Nelson. They used to be used by the wealthy who could afford them for activity weekends.

6. Vermont: Pennies

In 1785 Vermont became the first state to open a mint and start producing copper pennies. The copper coin was first invented here and then became a hugely commonplace form of money used in everyday interactions. In the modern world, their use is becoming less and less.

7. Virginia: Lip Balm

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Imagine the days before lip balm...the chapped lips throughout winter. Thanks to the state of Virginia, they invented the first ever lip balm which was created to soothe and moisturise dry lips. Something in today's world, we can't imagine not having.

8. Utah: Traffic Lights

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Lester Farnsworth Wire who was a policeman in Utah invented the first even traffic light system in 1912. Cars were becoming more and more common, and Wire saw that there would be a future problem with cars on the road and no system. Without one, it would be very dangerous and so he came up with the idea of the internationally used traffic lights.

9. Texas: Electric Typewriters

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Before the electronic typewriter there was a manual typewriter which people used to get words to paper. But James Field in 1912 invented the electronic typewriter which became at the time the most efficient way to be able to write and was used by authors and printing presses.

10. Tennessee: Cotton Candy

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Cotton candy... can you imagine a fair ground without it? It was Jon C Warton in 1897. Nashville Tennessee that invented to cotton candy by spinning sugar very fast so that it forms the unique texture which is now loved and enjoyed worldwide and has become a carnival speciality.

11. South Dakota: Cyclotron

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Ernest Lawrence invented what is called the cyclotron in 1932. It became a hugely important invention, and it was actually used in the discovery or certain cancer treatments. Lawrence, due to his invention of the cyclotron, has influenced modern day science hugely.

12. South Carolina: Submarines

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Submarines are used by the Navy today. But they were invented in 1964 by Horace Hunley. This was the invention of military submarines, as standard submarines were already in existence in one form or another. After the invention, they were used during the Civil War.

13. Rhode Island: Diners

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Walter Scott is the person we can thank for inventing the diner format of serving food, in 1872. He actually started by selling food out of a horse carriage. Since them, the diner structure was taken up and transformed into what we have and know today.

14. Pennsylvania: Ferris Wheel

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George Ferris, from Pennsylvania, invented the Ferris Wheel in 1892. The concept and existence of the pleasure wheel was already around in Bulgaria from the 17th century. But it was Ferris who individualised the concept of the Ferris wheel and for this reason they were named after him.

15. Oregon: Maraschino cherries

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University professor Ernest H. Wiegand developed the perfect Maraschino cherry recipe. Before this, they still existed however they would turn to a mushy consistency or not last very long. But he perfected the recipe which he then sold, and Maraschino cherries were then conserved whole for a long time.

16. Oklahoma: Shopping carts

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Shopping carts were invented in Oklahoma in 1937 by Sylvan Goldman. Before the shopping cart, people would only use baskets. The cart offered a solution so that people could buy more things without having to carry it, making shopping much easier and efficient.

17. Ohio: Superman

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The men behind the iconic Superman character who is just as adored today as then, were Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in Ohio. The pair of them were in Glenville, when they invented the character. They then sold the rights for $130 to DC Comics in 1938.

18. North Dakota: Rolls of films

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Photography was something which used to involve a difficult procedure. But things progressed when brother Peter Houston and David Houston invented both the first film roll and flexible fill roll ever. This totally changed the game of photography and made it a much more accessible hobby.

19. North Carolina: Airplane

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Airplanes have changed life, making travelling across the world possible. The Wright Brothers were the first people to successfully invent an airplane which could complete a flight. This happened over a decade ago in 1903. Now, there are thousands of flights happening each day.

20. New York: Toilet Paper

Image source/ New York Post
We cannot imagine not having toilet roll - or what happened before it was a thing. But, in the past there was no such thing. Thanks to Joseph Gayetty who commercialised toilet roll - it made things a lot more hygienic and safer. Toilet roll quickly became an essential in every person's life.

21. New Mexico: The atomic bomb

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Scientists for the Manhattan Projects detonated the first atomic bomb in 1945 in New Mexico. It was the first time ever that the atomic bomb had been created and successfully detonated. Of course, the atomic bomb symbolises the start of huge creations of dangerous warfare.

22. New Jersey: Air Conditioning

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In 1902 Willis Carrier from New Jersey invented air conditioning which is no used all over the world. Now, in many countries we could not imagine life without air conditioning being able to keep our homes and business areas cool whilst in unbearable heats.

23. New Hampshire: Alarm Clocks

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Before alarms on our phones and alarm clocks, people had to rely on body clocks and natural lighting to wake up in the morning - which could lead to some late starts for some people. Levi Hutchins, realising there was a need for an alarm, invented the alarm clock in 1787, New Hampshire.

24. Nevada: Blue jeans

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Blue jeans... aren't they just a staple in everybody's wardrobe. Although, they were not once. Not until 1871 when they were invented in Nevada. And the creation of the blue jean became an essential both for formal and informal wear and it is not one of the most commonly sold items of clothing ever.

25. Nebraska: Ski lifts

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It was in Nebraska that ski lifts were first invented by a man named James Michael Curran. The first ski lift he invented was back in 1936, Now, ski resorts revolve around the use of ski lifts to be able to transport people to the top of the mountains.

26. Montana: Holter heart monitors

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A very important invention came out of Montana in 1962 and it was all down to Norman Jeff Holter and Bruce Del Mar. Together, the two of them worked to invent the first ever heart monitor which has been used and expanded on for many years, helping save countless lives.

27. Mississippi: Pine-sol

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Pine Sol was first invented in Mississippi by Harry A. Cole who was a chemist who lived near a forest and used it as inspiration for his creation. He used materials from the forest to establish Pine Sol in 1929. The pines had natural qualities great for deodorizing and cleaning things.

28. Missouri: Vacuum cleaners

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What would be do without vacuum cleaners? They offer the most effective and fast way to clean. The person who invented them was named John S. Thurman, who created the very first vacuum in 1898. Of course, it was much larger than the sleek ones today.

29. Minnesota: Rollerblades

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Rollerblades by no means may be classed as a necessary creation - but they are a LOT of fun. They were first invented by two men, Scott and Brennan Olsen, who were brothers. They created the first pair in 1980 and have been being used worldwide ever since.

30. Michigan: Road lines

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Edward N. Hines created road lines in 1911 when he came up with the concept to make roads safe for multiple car users as cars were becoming more popular. Without the lines on the road partitioning the opposing flows of traffic, the system would not be able to function safely.

31. Massacheutetts: The World Wide Web

MIT Professor Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web in 1990. The World Wide Web has changed the world and our lives for ever, with knowledge at our fingertips and all the information we could possibly want, available at just the click of a button.

32. Maryland: Bottle caps

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It was William painter from Maryland that invented the bottle cap in 1891. It was important in being able to store liquids. Then, the bottle cap was turned to plastic. Now of course, plastic bottle caps are trying to be limited due to the effect of single use plastics on the environment.

33. Maine: Diving suits

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In 1934, Leonard Norcross from Maine invented rubber diving suits. Before this, there were metal diving suits in existence. However, rubber allowed a light weight and waterproof material where the dover could actually swim and move around with flexibility.

34. Louisiana: Binocular microscopes

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John Leonard Riddell, from Louisiana, in 1852 invented binocular microscopes. Binocular microscopes allowed us to study science in a totally new way and really progressed our knowledge by allowing able to look close up at cells and study things we were never able to see before.

35. Kentucky: The Happy Birthday Song

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The Happy Birthday song which has become known internationally was actually first invented in Kentucky by sisters Mildred Jane Hill and Patty Smith Hill. They composed the tune in 1893 as a birthday celebration song and it has remained THE birthday song that we sing today,

36. Kansas: ICEEs

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In Kansas, a man named Omar Kendrik came up with ICEEs. He owned a shop with a soda fountain which broke. So, for a brief time, he started putting them in the freezer and the customers loved it which led to him creating a machine which made the beloved ICEEs.

37. Indiana: Gas pump

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Before the gas pump, gas had to be poured into vehicles by hand. Then, Sylvanus Bowser from Indiana in 1855 invented the gas pump. The pump model was then used and installed more and more until eventually gas stations as we know them were established.

38. Illinois: Zippers

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Whitcomb L. Judson came up with the zipper in 1893, which really made things easier when it came to jackets and coats - rather than having to button everything up individually, you could now just simply pull up the zipper. It's certainly an invention which has stood the test of time.

39. Idaho: Television

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It's hard to think of a time without TV. Television has become such a huge industry and important feature in today's world that it is hard to picture life before its existence. But, in 1927, Philp Taylor Farnsworth invented the first TV. Which of course, was black and white and much bigger than we see now.

40. Iowa: Tractors

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John Froelich lived in the country and developed the first tractor in Iowa in 1892. Despite looking slightly different to how they are today (they were much bigger contraptions initially), they are still used just as frequently now especially for the farming industry.

41. Albama: Hearing aids

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Hearing Aids changed the life of a huge segment of the population who are hard of hearing or deaf. They were invented by Miller Reese Hutchinson in Alabama in 1895. They have progressed a huge amount since their invention when they were huge in comparison to the discreet fittings we have today.

42. Georgia: Cotton gin

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Eli Whitney invented what is known as a cotton gin in 1794. It is a machine which separates the cotton fibres from the seeds in the plant. Which for the production of cotton goods such as cotton string, made things much easier. It was used a lot back before we had electronic machinery.

43. Florida: Gatorade

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The football team coaches at the University of Florida asked the scientists at the University to research why members of his team developed heart conditions. This led to the discovery of the importance of electrolytes. Which, led to the scientists creating Gatorade, a sports drink to replenish electrolytes.

44. Delaware: Kevlar

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Kevlar is a bullet-proof material which is now a staple material used by armies or police forces. It was invented by Stephanie Kwolek from Delaware in 1965 and has remained an essential material in establishing safety uniforms and equipment used then and now.

45. Connecticut: Can openers

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Can openers completely changed the game when it comes to storing food because tinned food can last for many years. However, they are very difficult to open without using the contraption. So, in 1810 Ezra Warner from Connecticut invented the can opener.

46. Colorado: Tampons

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Dr. Earle changed women's lives forever in 1929 when he invented the tampon which is used today in one form or another resembling the original product. It finally gave women access to a product which could allow women to discreetly go about their day without being inhibited.

47. California: iPhones

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The iPhone...most of us will remember the invention of the iPhone by Steve Jobs and Apple in 2007. Now, it had become the most used phone in the entire world as well as one of the biggest franchises in the world. Apple dominates the modern market with its technology.

48. Arizona: Tasers

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In 1974, NASA invented Tasers which are used to shock people. Tasers are now used around the world for a variety of purposes such as a defence mechanism for police officers. In most countries, tasers have to be used by certified people who have been trained.

49. Arkansas: Movies that have sound

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Movies were around as silent movies long before sound got introduced. But in 1923, Freeman was the man who first put sound to movies. Since then, we have had movies with sound thanks to Freeman who changed our experiences of film and the industry forever.

50. Alaska: Ranch dressing

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Ranch dressing is one of the most popular and used dressings today. The precise recipe of the Hidden Dalley ranch dressing was established by Steve Henson in 1949. Buttermilk recipes were around way before this, but Henson homed in on the exact Ranch recipe.

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