You Won’t Believe The Stories Behind These Minnesota Inventions!
You’ll never believe these everyday items that were invented in Minnesota! These are the stories behind inventions that changed the world. 😲🌎 #MinnesotaInventions #HiddenGems #InnovationNation
Minnesota may be known for its stunning lakes, frigid winters, and friendly folks, but did you know it’s also a hotbed of innovation? From the tools we use to the toys we play with, the North Star State has left an indelible mark on our daily lives. Get ready to be amazed by these 8 game-changing inventions that you never knew came from the land of 10,000 lakes!
The Nerf Ball: Bringing the Fun Indoors 🏀
Remember the age-old rule of “no playing ball in the house”? Well, a clever St. Paul ad man named Reyn Guyer decided to challenge that notion. In the late 1960s, Guyer and his team were tossing around some foam rocks from a failed dinosaur-era game when they realized how much fun it was to break the household rule.
They partnered with Parker Brothers, and in 1970, the Nerf ball was born, marketed as “the world’s first indoor ball.” Thanks to Guyer’s ingenuity, generations of kids have enjoyed the thrill of indoor play without the fear of breaking mom’s favorite vase.
Alvin, the Deep-Sea Explorer 🌊🚢
You might be surprised to learn that General Mills, the company behind Cheerios and Betty Crocker, once dabbled in the world of deep-sea exploration. In the 1960s, the Navy approached them to design a submersible that could take humans deeper into the ocean than ever before.
Minneapolis native Bud Froehlich stepped up to the challenge and led the development of Alvin, a tiny sub that could carry three people and reach depths of 14,000 feet. Launched in 1964, Alvin is still making waves today, even capturing the first high-quality images of the Titanic in 1985.
Automatic Elevator Doors: A Lifesaving Innovation 🚪⬆️
Have you ever wondered who came up with the idea for automatic elevator doors? It turns out, we have a Duluth barber named Alexander Miles to thank for this lifesaving invention. Before 1887, elevator doors had to be manually opened by either an operator or the passengers, resulting in many tragic accidents.
Miles set out to solve this problem and devised a system of belts, drums, levers, and rollers to automate the opening and closing of doors. His patent laid the foundation for the modern elevators we use today, ensuring a safer ride for millions of people worldwide.
Tilt-A-Whirl: Spinning Up Thrills Since 1927 🎡
If you’ve ever been to a state fair or amusement park, chances are you’ve experienced the dizzying delights of the Tilt-A-Whirl. This spinning sensation made its debut in 1927 in Faribault, Minnesota, thanks to the inventive mind of Herbert Sellner.
He described his creation as an “apparatus” that would move riders “in general through an orbit” and “unexpectedly swing, snap from side to side or rotate.” Sellner built the first 14 Tilt-A-Whirls in his backyard before demand required a factory. Nearly a century later, thrill-seekers still can’t get enough of this classic ride.
Bobcat Skid-Steers: Revolutionizing Farm and Construction Work 🚜
The Keller brothers, Cyril and Louis, were running a machine shop in Rothsay, Minnesota, when a local turkey farmer came to them with a problem. Standard loader tractors were too heavy and unwieldy to clean out his barns effectively. The Kellers put their heads together and, using parts from junkyards and even bars from the old Rothsay jail, created the first three-wheel front-loader in just six weeks.
The skid-steer was an instant hit, and by 1962, the first four-wheeled Bobcat skid-steer hit the market. Today, Bobcat is a multinational company, with its machines making farm work and construction projects easier across the globe.
GPS: Navigating the World with Minnesota Ingenuity 🛰️🗺️
Next time you use your phone to navigate to a new restaurant or find the quickest route home, take a moment to thank Bradford Parkinson. Born in Wisconsin but raised in Minnesota, Parkinson is considered the “father” of the Global Positioning System (GPS).
As a young Air Force colonel in the 1970s, he led a task force that synthesized elements of competing navigational systems into a single, viable concept. The first GPS satellites launched in 1978, paving the way for the technology that now guides us through our daily lives.
Softsoap: Cleaning Up the Hand Soap Game 🧼
While liquid soap has been around since 1865, it was a Minnesota company called Minnetonka Corp. that made hand-pumped liquid soap dispensers a household staple. Entrepreneur Robert Taylor came up with the idea for Softsoap on his drive to work one day, realizing that homes could benefit from the liquid soap dispensers found in public restrooms.
Taylor touted Softsoap as an innovative product that eliminated the mess and waste of bar soap while leaving moisturizers on the skin. The product was a huge success, and even after Colgate-Palmolive bought Softsoap in 1987, it continued to be produced in Chaska, Minnesota, until 2000.
Infant Changing Tables: Making Diaper Duty Easier 👶🍼
Any parent who’s ever been out and about with a baby knows the importance of a clean, safe place to change a diaper. Minnesotan Timothy Burt made this task a whole lot easier when he invented fold-down changing stations in 1985.
Burt got the idea after talking with a friend who worked for McDonald’s about the need for changing tables in their restrooms. After a successful trial run, McDonald’s gave Burt the green light to sell his Diaper Decks nationwide. Thanks to Burt’s innovation, parents everywhere can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that a convenient changing station is never far away.
Conclusion
From farm equipment to foam balls, Minnesota’s inventions have made our lives easier, safer, and more fun. The next time you use a GPS, ride a Tilt-A-Whirl, or change a diaper on the go, remember the ingenious Minnesotans who made it all possible. Who knows what world-changing idea will come out of the Land of 10,000 Lakes next?
🗣 Did we miss any other Minnesota inventions? We’d LOVE to hear from you in the comments section below. ⬇️
