8 Changes And Inventions Connecticut Contributed To The History Of The World
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Lisa Sammons
Author
We all know that the Nutmeg State is pretty great. But it’s pretty neat just how many things have been invented in Connecticut! Check out a few of our favorites:
Now, this one's a bit of a contentious claim, with several other joints claiming to be the inventor of the hamburger. However, the Library of Congress sides with Connecticut and that's good enough for us. Louis's Lunch served the first hamburger in 1900. You can still grab an old-fashioned burger there today - just don't ask for ketchup! Louis's Lunch believes that excessive toppings detract from the taste of the meat, so you'll only find cheese, onions, and tomatoes as options here.
The Frisbee has a long history, but Connecticut is an important part of its origin story. Back in the 1940s, Yale University students were fond of tossing empty pie tins from the locally-based Frisbie Pie Company at one another. The idea sparked the development of the plastic discs that we know and love today.
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We've actually got a statue to commemorate this one! There's a statue of Noah Webster in front of the Noah Webster House in West Hartford. Webster's first dictionary defined over 65,000 words.
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While candy on a stick has been around since the Middle Ages, New Haven's George Smith is credited with inventing the modern-day lollipop.
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The first American patent for a household can opener didn't come around until 1858, though food had been tinned for nearly a century at that point. Oddly enough, both the first lever-type can opener and the first rotating wheel can opener were patented in Connecticut.
In 1776, the first functioning submarine (called the Turtle) attacked a British ship anchored in New York Harbor. The Turtle only held one person and went underwater by admitting water that was then slowly pumped out by hand. It was made of oak and armed with a torpedo.
Ever wondered why Connecticut is called the Constitution State? It is thought that the colony's 1639 Fundamental Orders was the first ever written constitution.
Back in 1771, a wealthy philanthropist ordered a collection of 200 books to be shipped over from London. Colonists could check these out from the local city hall, read them, then return them for later circulation. This was the first example of a free public library open to all!
How many of these were you familiar with? Do you know of any other famous inventions from Connecticut? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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