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Found 206 Stories
A middle-aged woman sitting on a barrel next to an outside staircase. She is holding a sketchbook.
Blog

Immigrant Lili Réthi Revealed the Drama of Construction

Graphic illustrator Lili Réthi depicted engineering, construction, and industrial projects with sensational realism.

Detail of cover of a brochure showing different types of egg crates, about 1900
Blog

Egg-citing Inventions

The egg carton traces its origins to the early 20th century, with inventors from Great Britain, Canada, and the United States contributing to its evolution.

Title page of Hopkins’s address to manufacturers
Blog

Licensing the First US Patent

Inventions do not sell themselves.

Detail of cartoon drawing of men sitting around an old-time general store. One man is nailing up a sign that reads, in part, “Pump Salesmen Wanted. Must be experts upon water meters, filters, . . . engines . . . compressors . . . etc.”
Blog

Looking Beyond Steam Pumps

Buried inside the unprocessed papers of a steam pump manufacturer were drawings and illustrations illuminating the work culture and life within the company.

The reverse side of the John Scott medal, inscribed, “THE SCOTT PREMIUM TO THE MOST DESERVING To John McMullin [sic] of Sinking Valley, Huntingdon County Penna. for a Knitting Machine 1835.”
Blog

Knitting Stockings by Machine

John McMullen and Joseph Hollen, Jr. patented a machine for knitting stockings in 1831 that promised a greater facility in shaping the work, the production of firmer and more even fabrics, and “the employment of children” to attend the operation.

12 contemporary textile pins made by W.H. Bagshaw Co. arranged in a radiating circle
Blog

Innovation and Employment

Pin-making machines and creative destruction

Frick Ice logo as seen through bricks of ice
Blog

Keeping Cool With Frick

A look at the short-lived but technologically vital age of ice-making plants.

American eagle made out of knives and forks
Blog

The Cutting Edge

Scissors, shears, skates, and more—exploring the history of Herder Cutlery Company

Patent tag for Paper box by Charles E. Bolchini, 1879.
Invention Stories

Boxed Up

Attributed to a factory mistake, the folding carton came on the scene in 1879 courtesy of the Robert Gair Company of Brooklyn, New York. Read more about the history of the folded carton, an item we encounter almost everyday.

A box of various connectors 3D printed by Spark!Lab's Tim Pula
Spark!Lab

The Great Connector Quest

With its high-volume visitation, Spark!Lab is always on the lookout for durable materials that complete our activities. Sometimes though, we have to invent them ourselves.

A crutch made up of various 3D printed pieces
Spark!Lab

Has 3D Printing Become a Crutch?

My go-to tool in designing and maintaining activities for Spark!Lab is a 3D printer. I've designed and printed over 100 different parts. Is 3D printing a crutch?

Armory of the Colt’s Patent Fire-Arms Manufacturing Company in Hartford, from across the Connecticut River.
Places of Invention

A Day at the Armory

One of the most exciting aspects of historical research is the thrill of finding a truly great primary source.

Mark Twain
Places of Invention

Yankee Ingenuity: The Inventors of Hartford, Part 2 (of 2)

In the 1800s, New England was the home to dozens of iconic inventors and hundreds of lesser-known, but highly skilled machinists and toolmakers.

Underwood Typewriter Model #5, 1914
Places of Invention

Yankee Ingenuity: Hartford, CT

If you have ever wondered why people refer to "Yankee ingenuity," read this.

Archival photo of boys at their desks, 1911.
Invention Stories

Timeless and Enduring Skills

The need for a skilled and educated work force is a frequent topic in current discussions about revitalizing the economy. This is not a new concern.

Chuck Popenoe in his basement workshop
Places of Invention

A Basement Workshop . . . and So Much More

Chuck Popenoe, inventor of the SmartBolt, gave us a tour of his special space of invention.

Visitors on a behind the scenes tour during the Color of Invention symposium examine textiles.
Symposia & Conferences

The Colors of Invention: An Exploration of Color, Technology, and Culture

From the 1997 Lemelson Center Symposium

Logo for the Modern Inventors Documentation database, showing a stylized head with words like creativity and innovation written on different parts of the brain
Archives

Sohmer & Co. Records, 1872-1989

Inventor Name Sohmer & Company

Logo for the Modern Inventors Documentation database, showing a stylized head with words like creativity and innovation written on different parts of the brain
Archives

Burton-Humphreys Oil Production Collection, ca. 1912-1920

Inventor Name Burton, William and Humphreys, Robert

Logo for the Modern Inventors Documentation database, showing a stylized head with words like creativity and innovation written on different parts of the brain
Archives

Coal and Gas Trust Investigation Collection, 1858-1929

Inventor Name Unknown

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