Northern Virginia is a pretty snazzy spot so it makes sense that some neat inventions and innovations have come from this little nook of the U.S. To preface, there are some technicalities on this list— I.E a lot of these creations originate in ancient times, but patents for them as products emerged out of NoVa. Nonetheless I’ve compiled a list that gives Northern Virginia credit where credit is due.
Camouflage
North Virginia didn’t really invent this print, the story is a bit more complicated— technicalities and all that. Camouflage had been around since 1914 when a French artist created the pattern for WWI. Then Britain adopted the ‘advance technology’, with the U.S following suit. Now this was mostly used within military context; hunters could use these military camo options, or traditional plaid garments, but that was about it. In 1980 Virginian, Jim Crumley, launched a brand of camo called Trebark. Trebark was made to look like— you guessed it— tree bark. And let me tell you, it’s a perfect mimic. This was the birth of the first camo made specifically for hunting. Now, more technicalities, Crumely was from south Virginia, but he spent a whole lot of time in Alexandria during college and thereafter. Let’s keep that between us and say it counts.
Combined Broiler and Oven
Now here’s one you won’t find by a simple google search. Digging through Internet Archive and various Patent registration archival material, one will find a patent registered by a Mary E.A.W Evard of Leesburg. It’s pretty impressive that, in 1868, NoVa can proudly say that the region granted a woman a right to her work. Rare for the times that’s for sure. Mary’s invention is described as a ‘an improvement in broiling apparatus’ but in simpler terms she invented the two-in-one oven and broiler. It’s not something we dee in our kitchen’s today, but her prototype has was the first steps to the standard ovens in households across the U.S today.
First Use of DNA Evidence to Convict a Murderer
Technically invention right? Technically not the first use of DNA within crime and punishment. That honor goes to law enforcement in Florida who arrested serial burglar Tommie Lee Andrews. But serial killer Timothy Wilson Spencer, from Green Valley, VA, who murdered and raped multiple victims from Richmond and Arlington was the first to be convicted for murder through DNA testing.
AOL
This is one a lot of people do already know, but if you don’t then welcome to the club! AOL provided people with internet access in the late 90s’ and early 2000s. ‘You’ve Got Mail!’ is a hard greeting to forget and reminds many of the good ole’ days with AOL. Anyway— the headquarters for this start-up began in Tysons Corner in 1985 and eventually, as they ran out of room at this location, they moved to Dulles in 1996. William von Meister left the Big Apple for college and came to D.C, living right around NoVa for the remainder of his like; he died in Great Falls. In 2007 the Dulles AOL location was destroyed and their headquarters moved to N.Y.C.
Sixteen-Sided Barn
Underwhelmed? Well, guess who made it. (Hint: a Mount Vernon resident— and the first president of our country). Maybe it’s not an intensely useful invention, or one we see everyday, but it’s pretty dang cute isn’t it? That’s got to count for something. Not only is it pleasing to the eye, but it’s quite useful too. The sixteen-sided barn is efficient in housing horses which Washington would use to process grain through a treading process which would separate the itty-bitty seeds from the straw. The treading process was mostly outdoors due to lack of space for horses, but the sixteen-sided barn changed that which gave the process better weather protection too. Not useful today of course, but back then it was all the rage.
Earliest African American Inventor
Okay, yes, this breaks the rules of the list. Traverse B. Pinn has the first known record of African Americans in the U.S holding patents. His specific patent was of an improvement to file holders. Pinn was from Alexandria and on June 29th, 1880 he filed for a patent for his improvement, which got approved. His design was the predecessor to our modern day filing cabinet.
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Photo Credits:
"Sixteen-Sided Barn" by randwill is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
"File:16 sided barn 05 - Mount Vernon.jpg" by Tim Evanson is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
"AOL Creative Center 2 (CC2)" by joe-manna is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Patent Photos: N. Peters, Phptp-Lithographer, Washington, D.C.
"Typefaces, much?" by Seth W. is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
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