Earmuffs are a Great Farmer Invention
Bone chilling cold experienced in Minnesota this weekend led me to put on some earmuffs and wonder who invented them. Following research of sources including the Farmington, Maine and Franklin County, Maine websites here is the story.
A farm boy turned his blue collar roots into inventing earmuffs in the winter of 1873. Chester Greenwood lived in Farmington, Maine. According to accounts Greenwood dropped out of school to work on his family s farm.
He would walk 8 miles delivering eggs to people. At age 15 Greenwood was going to a nearby pond to try out a new pair of ice skates. His ears were so cold he turned back and ran home. Determined to go skating he took some baling wire and formed a loop on each end. Then he brought the wire and some beaver fur to his grandmother to have her sew onto those loops. He slipped the device over his head and went skating.