It’s A Little-Known Fact That The Alarm Clock Was Actually Invented In New Hampshire

I admit that when I was a young kid, I used to sleep away half the day. I'm sure I wasn't alone in this. But as I got older, I found that some assistance was needed at times to get the brain and body moving for the day ahead. This assistance came in the form of an alarm clock and while this device is a common device and is a part of our everyday lives now, it wasn't always so. It's also one of a handful of New Hampshire inventions that you may not be aware of.

Before getting into timepieces, Levi Hutchins served in the military as a fifer in the American Revolutionary War. He served under his father and was a witness to the burning of Charlestown, Massachusetts.

After his time in the military, Hutchins returned to Concord, New Hampshire where his family lived, before attending school in Massachusetts.

Around 1880, after an apprenticeship in watch repairs, Hutchins and his brother Abel returned to Concord and set up shop on Main Street. It was during this time that he created the world's first alarm clock.

In 1808 he relocated to West Concord Village and continued to build brass clocks and surveying compasses, among other precision instruments.

Even though we may have a love/hate relationship with alarm clocks, depending on how much we like to sleep, they have become an indispensable tool for keeping our lives on track.

I have to wonder what Mr. Hutchins would think of the modern age where we now have tiny computers to wake us up and keep us reminded of things.

In addition to the alarm clock, New Hampshire also holds its place in history for several other firsts, including the first mountain-climbing train and the first tavern restaurant.

If you still need a little help getting going in the morning, perhaps one of these alarm clocks will do the trick.