MidAmerica Nazarene University
The great thing about these United States is that every state has contributed to the success of this country. Sure, Florida is perpetually fucked up on Flakka and skin cancer, but The Sunshine State wasn’t always zooted out. Florida had hopes, dreams. I bet you didn’t know that back in 1981 Florida invented the personal computer. Yep, sure did. But all we ever hear about is a naked guy running in traffic and biting off someones face. Poor Florida.
In any event, MidAmerica Nazarene University (a real school with a website) set out to highlight the most impactful contributions of each state. Some are obvious–Alaska invented the kayak, Hawaii the surfboard, etc. But others are a bit more surprising. Did you know Colorado invented the tampon? Well I think it was just a really big joint that was used as one, but nonetheless, good on you Colorado.
Here are the most impactful inventions of all 50 states.
Alaska – Kayak
Inventor: the Inuit (indigenous Alaskans)
Invention date: N/A
Alabama – Electric Hearing Aid
Inventor: Miller Esse Hutchinson
Invention date: 1895
Arkansas – Sound-Cinema
Inventor: Freeman Owens
Invention date: Pre 1932
Arizona – Taser
Inventor: NASA Scientists
Invention date: 1993
California – iPhone
Inventor: Steve Jobs & Apple Engineers
Invention date: 2005 – 2007
Colorado – Tampon
Inventor: Dr. Earle Haas
Invention date: 1929
Connecticut – Vulcanized Rubber
Inventor: Charles Goodyear
Invention date: 1845
Washington D.C. – Telegraph & Morse Code
Inventor: Samuel Morse
Invention date: 1844
Delaware – Kevlar
Inventor: Stephanie Kwolek
Invention date: 1965
Florida – Personal Computer
Inventor: Don Estridge & the IBM team
Invention date: 1981
Georgia – Cottom Gin
Inventor: Eli Whitney
Invention date: 1794
Hawaii – Surfboard
Inventor: Joseph Banks
Invention date: 1769
Iowa – Tractor
Inventor: John Froelich
Invention date: 1892
Idaho – Television
Inventor: Philo Taylor Farnsworth
Invention date: 1927
Illinois – Digital Computer
Inventor: John Vincent Atanasoff
Invention date: 1937
Indiana – Gas Pump
Inventor: Sylvanus Bowser
Invention date: 1885
Kansas – Helicopter
Inventor: William Purvis & Carles Wilson
Invention date: 1909
Kentucky – Gas Mask
Inventor: Garrett Morgan
Invention date: 1914
Louisiana – Binocular Microscope
Inventor: John Leonard Riddell
Invention date: 1836 – 1850
Massachusetts – World Wide Web
Inventor: MIT professor, Tim Berners-Lee
Invention date: 1990
Maryland – Latex Medical Gloves
Inventor: William Stewart Halsted
Invention date: 1894
Maine – Dive Suit
Inventor: Leonard Norcross
Invention date: 1834
Michigan – Assembly Line
Inventor: Ransom E. Olds
Invention date: 1902
Minnesota – Implantable Pacemaker
Inventor: Earl Bakken
Invention date: 1957
Missouri – Vacuum Cleaner
Inventor: John S. Thurman
Invention date: 1898
Mississippi – Nystatin
Inventor: Rachel Fuller Brown & Elizabeth Lee Hazen
Invention date: 1950
Montana– Heart Monitor
Inventor: Norman Jeff Holter
Invention date: 1962
North Carolina – Airplane
Inventor: Wright Brothers
Invention date: 1903
North Dakota – Cream of Wheat
Inventor: Wheat Millers
Invention date: 1893
Nebraska – Ski Lift
Inventor: James Michael Curran
Invention date: 1936
New Hampshire – The Farmer’s Almanac
Inventor: Robert B. Thomas
Invention date: 1792
New Jersey – Air Conditioning
Inventor: Haviland Carrier
Invention date: 1921
New Mexico – Atom Bomb
Inventor: Scientists for The Manhattan Project
Invention date: 1945
Nevada – Blue Jeans
Inventor: Jacob Davis & Levi Strauss
Invention date: 1873
New York – Credit Card
Inventor: Frank McNamara
Invention date: 1949
Ohio – Automobile
Inventor: John Lambert
Invention date: 1891
Oklahoma – Parking Metor
Inventor: Holger George Theusen & Gerald A Hale
Invention date: 1935
Oregon – Computer Mouse
Inventor: Douglas Engelbart
Invention date: 1968
Pennsylvania – Fire Hydrant
Inventor: Frederick Graff
Invention date: 1801
Rhode Island – Diners
Inventor: Walter Scott
Invention date: 1891
South Carolina – Military Submarine
Inventor: Horace Hunley
Invention date: 1863
South Dakota – Cyclotron
Inventor: Ernest Lawrence
Invention date: 1932
Tennessee – Supermarket
Inventor: Clarence Saunders
Invention date: 1916
Texas – Electric Typewriter
Inventor: James Field Smathers
Invention date: 1912
Utah – Electric Traffic Light
Inventor: Lester Farnsworth Wire
Invention date: 1912
Virginia – Camouflage
Inventor: Jim Crumley
Invention date: 1912
Vermont – Paddle Wheel Steamer
Inventor: James Field Smathers
Invention date: 1921
Washington – Artificial Heart
Inventor: Robert Jarvik
Invention date: 1982
Wisconsin – Space Suit
Inventor: Siegfried Hanson
Invention date: 1950s
West Virginia – Steam Boat
Inventor: James Rumsey
Invention date: 1787
Wyoming – Shovel Handle
Inventor: George C. Choate
Invention date: 1879
[h/t The Chive]