Earmuff Patent
National Earmuff Day is today! Earmuffs were patented by Chester Greenwood of Farmington, Maine, in 1877. He was fifteen years old when he invented the Champion Ear Protectors. He had his grandmother add some fur to the ends of a piece of wire. He received Patent Number 188,292. His invention became a factory, employing community members. Children can view the patent at: Earmuff Patent.
President Rutherford B. Hayes
First telephone in White House was installed in 1877. President Rutherford B. Hayes had the phone placed in the telegraph room. Few people had phones, so the phone seldom rang. Its phone number was “1.” President Herbert Hoover had a telephone installed in the Oval Office on March 29, 1929.
Wimbledon tennis championships were held for the first time in 1877. The competition, held at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, started on July 9 and featured 22 male players. Spencer Gore won the competition. Ladies’ Singles and Gentlemen’s Doubles were added in 1884. Ladies’ Doubles and Mixed Doubles premiered in 1913. Children could learn more at: Wimbledom.
Phobos
Phobos, one of the two moons of Mars, was discovered by Asaph Hall of the United States Naval Observatory in 1877. The moon was named after the Greek god Phobos, meaning fear. The small moon actually orbits Mars faster than Mars rotates. Experts believe Phobos may eventually break apart and form a ring around Mars. Children could learn more at: Phobos.
Phonograph was invented in 1877 by Thomas Edison. The first phonograph certainly differs from today’s music options. Children could view a timeline of audio recordings at: Timeline. They could draw the different stages of development and then predict what the next stage will be.