Do you know what’s unusual about earmuffs?

They were invented by a kid!

Chester Greenwood wanted to keep his ears warm, so he invented earmuffs. They solved a problem for him. That’s what inventions are supposed to do. Chester’s invention made life easier for millions of other people.

Chester Greenwood, as an adult, still wearing his “Champion Ear Protectors”

Chester invented earmuffs in 1873 when he was only fifteen years old. He lived in Farmington, Maine, and he loved to ice skate. Northeastern winters are very cold and can be hard on your ears—even when you wear a hat. So Chester took a piece of wire and asked his grandmother to sew cloth pads on the ends.

At first Chester’s friends thought his earmuffs looked weird, but they soon changed their minds. Chester could stay outside and skate longer than they did. His ears didn’t get cold!