According to author Meghan
McCarthy, “Chester Greenwood may not have been the first inventor of earmuffs, but he was probably the youngest.” After testing various versions of his earmuffs, he
devised a tight steel band that held his “mufflers” in place. At age nineteen, he received the patent for his ear-mufflers. And now, 138 years later, Chester and his champion ear
protectors are celebrated each December in Farmington, Maine.
Learn more about what makes Chester Greenwood unique in McCarthy’s nonfiction book, Earmuffs for Everyone! How Chester Greenwood Became Known
as the Inventor of Earmuffs. This book is excellent for teaching both nonfiction and research to elementary students. With her thorough research process,
McCarthy examined primary sources, dozens of earmuff patents, and old advertisements. Today, Chester is known and celebrated as the inventor of earmuffs, but his patent only made
improvements to the invention. The other inventors of head-muffs, ear-protectors, ear-mufflers, ear-flaps, and ear-slippers have been forgotten. However, since it’s still
unclear as to who first invented the earmuff, “Chester Greenwood is a good person to represent them all. . . don’t you think?”
