Page 6 - ATD 05 DEC,2015
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U.S. NEWSSaturday 5 December 2015
American Living:
Farmington, Maine celebrates inventor of the earmuff
DAVID SHARP neck, eliminating mussed
Associated Press hair. There are versions with
FARMINGTON, Maine (AP) fleece, fur and down. Some
— Earmuffs have come a have built-in ear buds for
long way in 142 years. music.
Chester Greenwood was It’s worth celebrating. So
a 15-year-old bestowed Greenwood’s hometown
with generous ears when of Farmington, in the
he decided he had had northeastern state of
enough of the biting cold Maine, is doing just that
while ice skating in 1873. this weekend, as it has
The first earmuffs were then for nearly 40 years, with a
born, fashioned from farm parade in which residents
wire with fur sewn on them proudly wear earmuffs.
by his grandmother. “It’s unique. How many
Greenwood made other little towns can
improvements with a steel celebrate earmuffs?
band and adjustable Seriously,” said Nancy
hinges, and sold hundreds Porter, author of the self-
of thousands of “Champion published “Chester: More
Ear Protectors.” Than Earmuffs.”
These days, similar versions While Greenwood is
are still sold. Others wrap forever linked to his
around the back of the signature invention, he
In this December 2015 photo, Ronald Greenwood a great-grandson of earmuff inventor Chester
Greenwood, models a pair of original ear protectors in his barn in Farmington, Maine. Chester
Greenwood’s hometown will celebrate the inventor on Saturday.
(AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
company. His earmuff
factory closed a few years
after his death in 1937.
The legacy of the dapper-
dressed inventor faded
over the years. But it was
revived when the Maine
Legislature declared
Chester Greenwood Day
on the first day of winter in
1977.
Fittingly, the first parade
was held in a snowstorm. A
snowplow led the parade
to clear a path, and
students from the University
In this December 2015 photo, a portrait of Chester Greenwood, of Maine at Farmington
the inventor of the earmuff, hangs at the municipal offices in his
hometown of Farmington, Maine. participated on skis.
(AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) These days, the event is
held on the first Saturday in
also created other things. tea kettle and a device December.
By some accounts, he designed to drill holes in
came up with more than the ends of wooden spools, All parade participants
100 contraptions, but he Porter said.
received patents for only He also was a businessman. must incorporate earmuffs
five of them. In addition He ran a bicycle shop,
to his ear protectors, built a plumbing and in their floats. Afterward,
he patented a rake, an heating business, and
advertising matchbox, a created a local telephone an earmuff flag is raised
at the courthouse. There’s
also a polar dip on
Clearwater Lake, and the
town Christmas tree will be
lighted.q
