Guest Author - Beth Green

Did you know that many of the items that you use everyday were invented or discovered in the Midwest? There are also numerous items manufactured in the Midwest, and several ‘firsts’ that happened here. Here’s just a few of these discoveries, products and ‘firsts’ that have a Midwest connection.

MIDWEST FIRSTS

The first Pizza Hut store opened in Wichita Kansas in 1958 by brothers Dan and Frank Carney.

Cheeseburgers were first served by a restaurant in 1934 in Louisville Kentucky.

The first commercial oil well was located on the Cumberland River in McCreary County Kentucky. This occurred in 1819.

Kentucky Fried Chicken was originally called Sanders Court and Café. The first store operated by Colonel Sanders opened in the front room of a gas station in Corbin Kentucky in 1930.

Buffalo Bill’s first rodeo was held in North Platte Nebraska on July 4, 1882.

The first enamel bathtub was made in Louisville Kentucky in 1856.

In 1899, a plant in Chattanooga Tennessee first bottled Coca-Cola.

MIDWEST INVENTIONS, DISCOVERIES AND PRODUCTS

Kool-Aid was invented and first manufactured by Edwin Perkins in Hastings Nebraska.

At the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904, Richard Blechyden served tea over ice cubes, making the first iced tea.

Ice cream cones were invented at the 1904 World’s Fair. An ice cream vendor had run out of cups, and enlisted the help of a nearby waffle vendor. The waffle vendor rolled the waffles into a cone shape to hold the ice cream.

The 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair also introduced America to Cotton Candy. Two Tennesseans, William Morrison and John C. Wharton sold the spun sugar, then called “Fairy Floss” in boxes for 25 cents.

Chevrolet Corvettes are manufactured in Bowling Green Kentucky. There are many other makes and models of automobiles manufactured throughout the Midwest.

Harley-Davidson Sportster motorcycles are manufactured in Kansas City Missouri.

Winnebago Motor Homes are manufactured in Winnebago County Iowa.

The popular self-stick notes, Post-It Notes, are made in Cynthiana Kentucky.

The swimsuit Mark Spitz wore in the 1972 Olympics was made in Paris Kentucky.

Spam, the canned meat not the junk email, is produced in Fremont Nebraska.

A sandwich made of corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing, and served on Rye bread, was concocted by Reuben Kulakofsy around 1934 in Omaha Nebraska. It was named the Reuben sandwich.

The idea for the McDonald’s Happy Meal came from Dick Brams of St. Louis Missouri. The concept was developed by Bernstein-Rein Advertising in Kansas City Missouri, and the first Happy Meal was introduced in 1979.

The 9-1-1 emergency system was developed in Lincoln Nebraska.

The song “Happy Birthday To You” was created by two Louisville Kentucky sisters in 1893.

Quaker Oats Cereal is manufactured in Cedar Rapids Iowa.

Aunt Jemima pancake flour was created in 1889 in St. Joseph Missouri and was the first ready-mix food sold commercially.

St. Joseph is also home to the Cherry Mash candy bar and Stetson cowboy hats.

The electric light bulb was introduced by Thomas Edison at the Southern Exposition in 1883 in Louisville Kentucky.

The strobe light was invented by Dr. Harold Edgerton of Aurora Nebraska.

These are just some of the creations used today that had their start in the Midwest. There are many more Midwest inventions, firsts, and products not listed here.