Did you know that an Ohioan invented the world’s first cash register? Most people don’t. It’s a little-known piece of Ohio history that’s downright fascinating. James Ritty of Dayton, Ohio is credited with inventing the cash register and it was first used in the Miners’ Supply Co. in Coalton, Ohio. Here’s how this one-of-a-kind machine got its start in Ohio:

Although inventor James Ritty was born in Dayton, his famous machine made its debut in the humble town of Coalton.
Dan Keck/Flickr
Big things happen in small town Ohio. With just under 500 residents, the village of Coalton, Ohio in Jackson County is home to a unique landmark that took part in world history.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Miners' Supply Co. is famous for using the world's first cash register. You'll find it along OH-93 in Coalton.
Don O'Brien/Wikimedia Commons
After suffering from employee theft in his Dayton saloon, Ritty sought out to invent a machine that could keep track of his sales, according to the Ohio History Connection. He got help from his brother, who was a mechanic, and patented his invention on November 4, 1879. He called it "Ritty's Incorruptible Cashier."

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Interestingly enough, Ritty's cash register did not have a cash drawer. His cash register just recorded the number of sales and the amount of each one.
Luz Bratcher/Flickr
To view a picture of the Ritty's cash register, visit the Ohio History Connection's website.
Pictured is a monument dedicated to the cash register in Coalton. It also pays homage to John H. Patterson, an Ohio investor who bought Ritty's patent and founded the National Cash Register Company in 1884.
Don O'Brien/Flickr
Today, the cash register has extensively evolved and the Miners' Supply Co. still stands as the proud home of the world's first cash register.

Did you know about this unique piece of Ohio history? Share your thoughts with us!

For more interesting but little-known pieces of Ohio history, check out our previous article: Most People In Ohio Don’t Know About Our Old German And Italian POW Camp.

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