March 13 is Ear Muff Day!

Did you know that March 13 is Ear Muff Day in the United States? I bet you haven’t heard of Ear Muff Day, especially if you live where it’s warm. 

It was on March 13 in 1877 when Chester Greenwood from Farmington, Maine, was awarded a patent for his invention of ear muffs. Four years earlier fifteen year old Chester Greenwood had brilliantly figured out how to keep those two body parts on either side of our head warm by using a bit of wire and cloth. His invention is one of the greatest contributions to cold weather protection.

He came up with the idea after trying to keep his ears warm while ice skating. He had tied his scarf around his head, but it was too bulky and itchy. Then he had an “eureka moment” and knew exactly what to do to solve the problem. When he got home he asked his grandmother to sew up his design.

Chester Greenwood called his new invention the Champion Ear Protector and started a factory to manufacture his invention. Later, the name was changed to ear muffs, and during World War I he made a lot of money selling ear muffs to American soldiers. Chester went on the invent many other things but ear muffs are the invention that people remember him for.

Today ear muffs come in many, many different styles. His hometown is very proud of Chester. In 1977, the town declared the first day of winter, December 21, Chester Greenwood Day.