It Started With da Vinci

There’s a good reason for that, though: there is no single inventor. Many different people designed and built precursors to modern automobiles. Some may say the idea should be credited to Leonardo da Vinci, who made models of various transport vehicles. However, because he never successfully built a full version, it’s harder to say he “invented” it. Da Vinci merely laid the groundwork for others to follow.

In 1769, Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot from France built the first self-propelled, steam-powered vehicle. It was a three-wheeled tractor meant for military use and reached a top speed of 2.5 MPH. While not a car, it was an automobile that could be driven on the roads. Cugnot was followed by Robert Anderson, a Scotsman who created an electric carriage sometime between 1832-1839. During that period, American Thomas Davenport worked on his own electric vehicle.

Three Wheels or Four?

However, all three men are largely overshadowed by Karl Friedrich Benz, who unveiled his gas-powered vehicle in around 1885-1886. This is largely considered the first “real” automobile, with an internal combustion engine that is still widely used today. It had three wheels, four cycles, and the engine and chassis formed a single unit. In other words, it most closely resembled what we consider to be a modern car, just minus one wheel.

Around the same time, also in Germany, Gottlieb Wilhelm Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach built their own gasoline-powered automobile. This one did have four wheels and was named the “Cannstatt-Daimler.” They would reuse the engine for many other vehicles over the years, including trolleys and the world’s first motorboat. Eventually, Benz and Daimler merged their companies, becoming what is today known as Mercedes-Benz.

From that point onwards, most early automobiles used gasoline as fuel. For instance, George Baldwin Selden patented a carriage with a built-in combustion engine in 1895. It was never manufactured, but Selden did collect royalties. Two years prior, Charles and Frank Duryea made the first successful gas-powered car and set up America’s first car manufacturing company.

Henry Ford and the Future

Of course, all these men have been greatly overshadowed by Henry Ford and his Model T. While Ford did not invent the automobile, he’s widely considered to have perfected it (for the time) and made it accessible to the greater public. The Model T itself was awarded Car of the Century in 1999, and standardized many features we now take for granted, like different speed gears and parking brakes. For this reason, fairly or not, Henry Ford is believed to be the father of the modern automobile.

Plenty of other advancements have happened in the world of automobiles. Pickup trucks and vans became available and eventually commonplace. Station wagons grew in prominence before falling out of fashion. Peugeot produced the first hardback convertible in 1934. Tesla has released a line of plug-in, all-electric vehicles, with the Tesla Model S being named the new Car of the Century. (Time will tell if it’ll keep that title.)

The history of the automobile is complex, with no one person behind it. Perhaps that’s why it has evolved and changed greatly over the years. Whether you credit its invention to Ford, Benz, da Vinci, or somebody else, one thing is agreed upon: the world would be drastically different without it. For that, we have a long list of names to thank.

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Electronic Instruments

The building of instruments has been around for a while. We’ve all grown up building makeshift drum sets out of pots and spoons, or a guitar from a tissue box and a paper towel roll. There are also artists like Reed Ghazala, who is known as “the father of circuit bending,” which he accidentally discovered in the 1960s. He used the technique to build instruments for groups like The Rolling Stones, Simon and Garfunkel, Blur, and the Blue Man Group.

Then there’s Bart Hopkins. In 1985, Hopkins published a magazine called Experimental Musical Instruments. Hopkins himself was an instrument builder, both traditional and custom. Seventy issues were published until 1999 when the name instead went to a book series on the same topic. Hopkins himself also produced a few tie-in CDs.

One of Hopkins’ many collaborators is Yuri Landman, a Dutch inventor of electric string instruments. His creations include the Moodswinger, the Springtime, and the Home Swinger–all custom variants on traditional guitars. The Home Swinger proved to be his greatest success, and he began offering workshops teaching guests how to build their own version. This eventually spun off into courses for all types of instruments, from kalimbas to triochords. The Moodswinger and Home Swinger were also inducted into the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona.

The DIY Instrument Movement

This gave rise to the DIY instrument movement, a subset of the maker movement. Many organizations have sprung up catering to this audience, like STEIM and Death by Audio. Landman frequently partners with these groups. Maker Faires often feature homemade instruments, ranging from laser-cut ukuleles to kits to build-your-own Theremin at home. Indeed, sets to build instruments at home are becoming increasingly popular, both among kids and adults. These kits predominately feature electronic instruments like synths, but acoustic versions exist as well.

There is a great deal of overlap between electronic musicians, the EDM scene, and the maker movement. What better embodies the idea of DIY than creating entire songs from scratch using nothing but a computer? After all, one of the main goals for the maker movement is to make various crafts and art forms more accessible and to encourage the advancement of technology. Programs and devices like Garage Band and Launchpads are a natural fit for those ideals. Even the Nintendo Labo system could be seen as an example, as pianos and guitars can be built from cardboard and then played through the Nintendo Switch console.

It’s important to remember that, despite the level of creativity on display, musicians in the maker movement aren’t necessarily creating new instruments. Rather, they’re adapting existing tools to fit their needs. That’s the core of inventing: finding a need and fulfilling it. The guitar may have already existed, but George Beauchamp cranked it to eleven with his creation of the electric guitar. The results give way to unique sounds that would’ve been impossible without a spark of creativity.

I mean, let’s be honest…Would the guitar solo in “Stairway to Heaven” be as memorable on an acoustic?

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Built-in Apps and the App Store

In 1997, the Nokia 6110 included a built-in version of the basic arcade game “Snake,” which many consider the first mobile app. The first iPod would also come with built-in games: Solitaire and Brick.

Back in 1983, however, a young Steve Jobs first envisioned the App Store…or at least a very basic version of it. Jobs imagined a place where software could be bought over phone lines. Shortly after Apple’s introduction of the iPod, the iTunes store launched, acting as a precursor to the Apple App Store. The iPhone was released in June 2007 to critical and commercial success. Native apps were developed, and just over a year later…the App Store was launched.

The original App Store launched with 500 apps, meaning there is no “true” first app. Nevertheless, as new varieties of smartphones were unveiled, different app clients were introduced. Google Play, the Amazon App Store, and Blackberry’s App World also give more people the ability to enjoy various apps on their phones. It’s also worth mentioning that each store had both paid and free apps from the beginning, meaning premium and “freemium” content was always a factor.

Angry Birds

Also noteworthy? Angry Birds. The first installment in the wildly popular franchise was released in December 2009 and quickly became a runaway hit. By 2015, over three billion downloads were amassed between all entries in the series, making it the most successful freemium software of all time. Countless spinoffs and merchandise were created. Movies, theme parks, and soft drinks were everywhere; and while not as popular as they were at their peak, these birds still dominate the market today.  They even made it to NASA:

App was voted “Word of the Year” for 2010, on the eve of some of the biggest changes in the app market. Apple revealed almost 300,000 jobs were added to the US economy since the iPhone’s debut, calling it “the app revolution.” Facebook acquired Instagram for $1 billion in April 2012, an unprecedented move in the world of technology. Flappy Bird was introduced and quickly pulled from the market, but not before becoming an enduring meme.

2014 showed a shift in app usage, from fun games and social media to entire lifestyles. Snapchat reported 700 million photos were shared each day. Smartphones continue to sell, and apps alongside them. Not that you need a phone to use apps anymore, thanks to smartwatches, smart appliances, and smart clothes (well, maybe not the latter…yet). Apps have become so integral to everyday life that there are few who don’t use them on a regular basis. On a personal level, apps allow for families and friends to connect even when miles apart. They also keep you in touch with professional colleagues and informed of what developments are happening, even when you’re not on the clock.

Apps aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. They’ve become so ubiquitous it’s difficult to imagine what the world would be like without them. In 2009, Apple ran a commercial saying “There’s an app for that.” A self-fulfilling prophecy or a prediction of what was to come? You decide.

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Since the 1800s, the telephone has gone through hundreds of changes. Some are minute, others are complete upheavals. No matter what form the phone takes, however, it still completely revolutionized how society communicates and interacts with each other and continues to impact culture to this day.

Due to the vast history of the phone, only a few major highlights will be covered here. For starters, the first phone with the ability to dial a number was invented in 1905. Almon B. Strowger is credited with creating the first rotary phone, eliminating the need for switchboards and operators. Despite this, they didn’t catch on until the 1920s. The Frankfurt “Bauhaus” is considered the first mainstream rotary phone.

Jumping a few decades ahead, advancements like touchtone dialing and cordless phones are growing more commonplace in the 1970s. Around that time, AT&T began experimenting with a telephone that could transmit images during a call. It was deemed too bulky and expensive but laid the groundwork for what would eventually become video calls and text messages.

The 80s were a major turning point in the evolution of phones. Caller ID was being implemented. VoIP services were going into testing. And biggest of all, the first mobile phones were in development. Well, “mobile” in the sense that they could be brought with people and had a larger range than traditional cordless phones. They were still bulky and clunky, a far cry from the sleek models that rule today’s markets. The release of the Motorola MicroTac9800X in 1989 was the first modern cell phone, with its slim case and flip design.

Cell phones would grow to be more mainstream and accessible throughout the nineties but wouldn’t reach the popularity they enjoy today until the new millennium. Still, the first smartphone was being developed, long before the term even existed. The IBM Simon was a revolutionary device that combined a telephone with PDA elements, making it a precursor to devices like the Blackberry and iPhone.

In the past two decades, the advancements made to phones have been massive and rapid. It’s amazing to think that when the iPhone was first introduced in 2007, it was unprecedented. Now, even phones with full keyboards are considered dated. Skype was integrated into both smartphones and computers, giving people even more communication options. New operating systems were being developed, each more sophisticated than the last. Built-in phone cameras also improved, capable of capturing pristine pictures and later video. It wasn’t long before books, movies, and even games could be enjoyed from a phone, making them all-in-one entertainment devices. Assistants like Siri and Cortana gave phones more accessibility and, to some at least, a personality.

The future of the telephone is bright. Almost every person on the planet owns at least one, even if they aren’t strictly of the latest model. Resources will continue to be poured into developing new software and hardware and improving existing technology. The telephone has come a remarkably long way since that fateful day in 1876, much farther and faster than Graham Bell could’ve anticipated. We may take them for granted now, but the technology behind smartphones is staggering. And it all began with a few simple words: “Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you.”

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Long before traditional cameras, people employed camera obscuras. Images projected using this natural phenomenon were larger than normal but inverted. Functionally, it was like our modern projectors. Some artists would use the projected image as a guide or even trace the image, much like a lightbox. This was the only way to preserve the image after turning the device off.

In 1816, Nicephore Niepce successfully made a partial photograph using a camera he built, and a paper coated with silver chloride. Unfortunately, he hadn’t figured out how to remove the untreated silver chloride, meaning the image was eventually darkened completely by the light needed to view it. In the mid-1820s, Niepce used a new sliding wooden camera (created by Charles and Vincent Chevalier) to experiment with Bitumen of Judea. Only one of the photos from this experiment, View from the Window at Le Gras, has survived.

Louise Daguerre continued to experiment with cameras after Niepce’s death in 1833, resulting in the first practical photographic process in 1837. Dubbed the “daguerreotype,” it used silver-plated copper treated with iodine vapor to create images. It was wildly successful after debuting to the public in 1839, where both it and the calotype began introducing photography to the masses. Normally, having portraits taken was an activity exclusive to the upper classes. The cost and amount of time needed to produce such works were unreasonable for most working-class people. The speed of the camera, which only increased as time went on, made it possible for anybody to have quality portraits.

When photographic film hit the market in 1888, cameras truly began to resemble the ones we know today. George Eastman began selling his Kodak cameras, which were affordable and small enough for the average consumer to consider. The film inside could hold up to 100 photos, and the entire device would have to be sent back to the factory for processing and printing. In 1900, he introduced the Brownie camera, introducing the snapshot to the public. It was during this time that movie cameras went from expensive toys to tools with legitimate commercial use.

Another common type of film was 35mm. Typically, cheaper cameras used roll film, whereas higher-end would utilize 35mm. Eventually, even lower-grade cameras were equipped with 35mm film, although the least expensive cameras would still use roll film. Famous camera company Canon had its start during this period, gaining popularity with other Japanese cameras after the Korean War. Single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras were also gaining traction with the public as the technology made them less bulky. Both SLR and twin-lens reflex (TLR) cameras were available previously, but mostly appealed to professionals due to both size and cost.

Instant cameras, such as the famous Polaroid, first appeared on the market in 1948. The simple nature and ability to print and view photos within minutes made them popular with families, even with higher prices at launch. Automatic exposure followed a similar story: expensive at first, but quickly catching on among consumers and lowering in cost as time went on. All of these elements combined would lead to the earliest digital cameras. Unfortunately, the history of the digital camera is far too dense to cover in its entirety here, but to give you a rough idea of where they started: the very first digital cameras stored their images on floppy disk.

It’s hard to imagine where cameras will go from here when now professional-grade images can be produced with nothing but a timer button and a selfie stick. At the same time, however, it’s fascinating to think that just over 200 years ago, photographs, as we know them, were still experimental. Technology can change drastically in a short amount of time; maybe in ten years’ time, we’ll have camera eyes.

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But what is the maker movement? It’s the technological side of DIY, with an emphasis on creating new hardware and tinkering with the old. There is some overlap with hacker culture, but hackers are more concerned with software rather than physical tech. Everything from robotics and 3D printing to metalworking and arts-and-crafts have their place in the maker movement. As the name implies, it’s about creating something new, rather than depending on the old. It’s about creativity and invention.

Obviously, none of these activities are new. Inventors and creative types have existed since the dawn of humankind. But the maker movement is the first time such a large and dedicated base is devoted to invention and production. Previously, inventors were considered odd and quirky, operating outside of normal trends. Now, they’re everywhere, and seen as visionaries. Revolutionaries, even. It all depends on who you ask.

That said, these modern inventors still face many of the problems their predecessors did–namely, securing funds. Not everybody is able to become an eccentric billionaire with a mansion full of strange devices. This is where Kickstarter comes in. An individual or group comes up with a product, technological or otherwise, and builds a prototype. They’re unable to convince any companies to buy and produce their product. Instead, they turn to Kickstarter, where anybody interested in their idea can invest in making it a reality and gain a few perks along the way.

Kickstarter was founded by Perry Chen, Yancey Strickler, and Charles Adler in 2009. It was an immediate success, with the New York Times calling it “the people’s NEA.” Reportedly, more than $4 billion in pledges have been made, across more than 250,000 projects. The very first successful Kickstarter was darkpony’s “Drawing for Dollars,” which exceeded its goal of $20 by 75%. Compare this to the most successful project, the Pebble Time smartwatch, which made over 4000% of its funding. Humble beginnings, indeed.

For the most part, it’s a win-win scenario. Inventors can promote their product and offer incentives for higher donations. Interested consumers can pay what they want, often getting an early version of the product in return. The inventors get funding, the consumers get the product. With Kickstarter’s policy of money only going to the host if the project is completely funded, there’s an extra layer of security in case of failure. And failures there have been- most notably, Central Standard Timing, which raised more than a million dollars before being canceled due to mismanagement.

Still, for every bomb, there’s one that manages to succeed. This has opened the door for hundreds, if not thousands of members of the maker movement to bring their creations to life. While this does saturate the market to a degree, it’s also allowed for some amazing advancements in just a few years. For example, coding was once a hobby for only the most dedicated computer nerds, requiring advanced knowledge of multiple programming languages. Now, kids can learn to code their own websites or games using toys or online tools. This, in turn, inspires a new generation of the maker movement.

Kickstarter and similar sites are not exclusive to the maker movement, nor are they the root source of the cause. Rather, the two coexist and work together to improve lives. Quite literally in some cases- a successful Kickstarter might help both the inventor pay their rent and result in a device that helps those with a disability. Yes, the platform has flaws, and the maker movement isn’t devoid of failure either. For every success story you hear, there’s at least a dozen more that have flopped.

The maker movement will only continue to grow over the next decade as new generations with interests in technology and creativity come of age. Some may even be so young as to not remember a time when Kickstarter was commonplace. There’s a new era of self-made millionaires out there, just waiting to be discovered. You just need to find the right link to their page.

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EARMUFFS

At the humble age of 15, Chester Greenwood just wanted to go ice skating. But when he got on the ice, he quickly retreated back to his house because his ears were too cold. He asked his grandmother to sew two bunches of fur between loops of wire. The manufacturing of these ear protectors, now known as earmuffs, kept his hometown of Farmington employed for nearly 60 years.  In fact, the first Saturday of December is designated as Chester Greenwood Day to celebrate the man and his invention.

DOWN JACKETS

The earliest known use of down feathers for insulation was in the 1600s- a Russian document lists “bird down” as being sold to Dutch merchants. Down feathers now typically come from domesticated geese but historically could be from anything from ducks to seagulls. It was first patented in the United States by none other than Eddie Bauer in 1940 and would become his most successful and iconic product. As the decade progressed, Bauer made several other products with down: comforters, pillows, a “sleeping robe” and a sleeping bag he guaranteed to keep people warm in temperatures as low as -60 degrees F.

SNOWSHOES

Snowshoes were invented in Central Asia, taking inspiration from the evolutionary traits of winter animals. The version most are familiar with- webbed with lacings- was created by Indigenous people. These consisted of flat leather surfaces and rounded wooden blocks and were meant to help the user walk over a large area without their foot sinking into the snow. Although a necessity when first invented, today they are more used for recreation and their design has changed accordingly.  Today’s modern snowshoe was created by Gene and Bill Prater in 1972 and is made out of aluminum and nylon.

GLOVES (AND MITTENS)

It’s hard to tell when wearing gloves for protection from the cold started, but most theorize it to be as old as clothing itself. Mittens, meanwhile, date back to Latvia around 1000 AD and actually keep your hands warmer than gloves. The story behind mittens is rather unique. When getting married, Latvian women were gifted with a hope chest filled with mittens, each with a different pattern to bless their homes, their husbands, their families and the world around them.  Side note: mittens with the string attached so they don’t get lost are called idiot mittens. Make of that what you will.

ELECTRIC BLANKETS

In 1912, physician Sidney Russel invented the first electric blanket. It was designed to be placed under a mattress and send heat upwards to the person in bed. The more traditional kind that let you snuggle directly underneath was developed by George Crowley in 1930. The addition of a thermostat to control temperature was added in 1936. Today, we can snuggle up under heated quilts and rest our heads on heated pillows… here’s hoping one day we’ll have a heated mattress. And while electric blankets may not seem like outdoor winter wear, tuberculosis patients were given them to keep warm while they slept outside for treatment…making them a mandatory piece of survival.

THERMAL UNDERWEAR

Thermal underwear, or “long johns,” were first introduced to the British public in the 17^th century. It wasn’t until the next century that they caught on as sleepwear. These garments were meant to be worn not only for sleeping but also under normal clothing to keep warm and insulate the body. Traditionally wool was used, but a much less itchy cotton or cotton-poly blend are commonly used today.

BALACLAVA

During the Crimean War, the battle of Balaclava was fought. Due to the name and location, the facemasks the soldiers wore were nicknamed “balaclavas.” While primarily used for protection from the elements, the garment was designed to be multi-purpose. The modern ski mask is a variation of the balaclava meant for the wear and tear of sports.

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VAXXWAGON

For many developing countries, being able to distribute vaccines is a challenge. If the medicine gets too warm, it could lose its effectiveness. Anurudh Ganesan, a then 15-year-old student, knew firsthand how lucky he was to have received a polio vaccination in his home country of India. The struggles his grandparents went through to get him the shot led him to build the VAXXWAGON, a modified bicycle with a thermos kept cold by user pedaling.

BAND-AIDS

Mr. and Mrs. Earl Dickson lived at the turn of the century and were, by all accounts, quite a loving pair. Mr. Dickson was indeed so caring he sought to help his wife deal with the many cuts and burns she gave herself while making dinner. Using his skills and resources from working at Johnson & Johnson, he attached gauze to pieces of surgical tape, prepared for whenever she was injured. The result? The earliest adhesive bandages.

MADAME CJ WALKER

The daughter of former slaves, Sarah Breedlove Walker struggled during her life but never lost hope. After developing a lotion to deal with her hair loss, she began selling her product door-to-door before establishing a college in Pittsburgh. The Walker System, as it came to be known, revolutionized the sales industry and gave African-American women a chance to provide for themselves. Today, she’s recognized as the first female African-American self-made millionaire.

LEONARDO DA VINCI

The creations of Leonardo da Vinci are well-documented and discussed, but few talk about just how ahead of his time he was. From birth, he was considered different (being born out of wedlock during an age of strict religious ideas). His interpretations of religion in paintings like The Last Supper flew in the face of societal norms. And of course, his inventions- including scuba suits and modern tanks- are still being perfected today. He may be a Renaissance man, but his work is far from ancient.

GUNPEI YOKOI

Long before they manufactured video games, Nintendo made Hanafuda cards. One day, the president visited the factory Gunpei Yokoi was working at and noticed a toy Yokoi had made. The extending arm, later dubbed the Ultra Hand, was then rushed into production and became a smash for Nintendo. Yokoi continued to develop toys for Nintendo, including the first in the lucrative Game Boy line of consoles. He’s also known for the creation of the control pad, a staple on many gaming consoles to this day.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

When he wasn’t busy being a founding father, Benjamin Franklin enjoyed experimenting. His discovery of electricity, if somewhat misattributed, is common knowledge. But what about the Franklin stove? The lightning rod? Indeed, not all of his ideas were amazing- he wanted to make the national bird the turkey, for example- but what makes him inspiring was his stance on his inventions. He never patented his inventions because he believed everybody should be able to use them.

DISHWASHER

Josephine Cochrane wanted to make life easier for her servants by lessening the work they had to do to clean the dishes. She built a machine with a motor spinning a wheel inside of a copper boiler. This was the first automatic dishwasher to use water pressure. After her alcoholic husband left her with debt after his death, she patented the creation in 1886 and used it to open her own factory and revolutionize households forever.

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STRING LIGHTS

While they might be a hassle to get untangled, prior to their release, people would decorate their trees with live candles. As you can imagine, this was actually pretty dangerous, so Edward Johnson sought to create a safer alternative. Johnson, the protégé of Thomas Edison, debuted his electric Christmas lights to the public in the late 1800s and the tradition of wrestling with them each year has persisted ever since.

GIFT CARDS

These popular stocking stuffers and gifts from relatives you don’t really speak with first debuted in 1998. Nancy Gensburg and Carol Jacobsohn of Swift Gifts in Illinois combined the magic of modern credit cards with store-specific gift certificates and gift cards were born. They were an instant hit and now most retailers have some version of a gift card.

YULE LOGS

Few people burn actual yule logs anymore. The tradition started as a pagan ritual to celebrate the winter solstice, usually burning pine, birch, oak, or aspen (with each type of wood having a different meaning). The modern equivalent is the yule log cake or “Buche de Noel.”  A chocolate sponge cake is rolled around cream and decorated to look like a traditional yule log. It was first created by a French pastry chef in the late 1880s.

THE DREIDEL

Before becoming the game of choice at Hanukah gatherings, the dreidel started as a top popular in Germany during Christmastime. The Jewish community soon adopted the toy, changing the letters on the top from German to Yiddish. Some stories also suggest that they were used as a cover-up after illegally reading the Torah while hiding from the Seleucids.

CANDY CANES

White sugar candy sticks were popular treats, but in 1670 the choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral decided to bend them to look like shepherd’s crooks. They were handed out to children to keep them quiet during services. It wasn’t until the 1900s that the peppermint flavor and iconic red stripes were added, making them the wintertime snack we all know and love.

GREETING CARDS

Surprisingly, Hallmark had nothing to do with the first Christmas card, although they did help popularize them years later. The first card was designed in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole and his friend, artist John Horsley. The inscription was a simple “A Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You.” Believe it or not, the card was actually quite controversial because it included an image of a child being given a glass of wine. But one controversial card didn’t stop this fad. Today, thanks to sites like Shutterfly, many families send out personalize cards with family photos so you can see just how much everyone has grown in the last year.

WRAPPING PAPER

We have Hallmark to thank for wrapping paper, naturally. People traditionally wrapped their presents in fabric or plain papers, but the Kansas City, Missouri Hall Brothers store ran out of the latter one day in 1917. They started offering patterned envelope liners as an alternative. Shoppers loved it and gift wrap hasn’t been the same since. Today, you can find gift wrap decorated with everything from donuts to dinosaurs, and it’s become an art to match the gift wrap with the receiver’s personality.

ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREES

While going out as a family to pick out the perfect Christmas tree is considered iconic, nowadays many pull the artificial one from the basement. Early artificial trees were made in Germany out of wire covered in green-dyed feathers. In the 1930s, the plastic tree most are familiar with was introduced by Addis, a toilet brush company and the first trees were made out of, you guessed it–toilet brush bristles. We’ve come a long way since then and now you can get trees pre-lit, snow covered and in all colors of the rainbow.

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