Tag Archives: Connecticut

November 5, 1974

On November 5, 1974, Ella T. Grasso was elected governor of Connecticut. She was the first woman in the United States to be ‘elected’ as a governor. The other women who had served as governors did so after their husbands had died while in office. Mr. Grasso was very relieved to buck that trend. Close Bookmark … Continue reading

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August 13, 1889

On August 13, 1889, William Gray of Connecticut was issued a patent for a coin-operated telephone. For teenagers today, a payphone was a telephone in a public place where you could put coins in it to call your mom or dad to come and get you. Contrary to common knowledge, there are still some payphones … Continue reading

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July 14, 1868

On July 14, 1868, Alvin J. Fellows of New Haven, Connecticut, patented the spring-click tape measure. This is the one that with a push of a button will return the measuring length back into a circular case. It was recommended that Fellows make two separate types of tape measures. One for men and one for … Continue reading

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July 12, 1870

On July 12, 1870, William W. Lyman of Meriden, Connecticut patented the first rotating wheel can-opener. At his death on November 15, 1891, Fluffy, his large calico cat gave the eulogy. Fluffy explained how Provider of the Moist Food, which is what he called Lyman, would be eternally canonized by the cat-faithful and how human’s … Continue reading

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April 17, 1810

On This Date in TWISTED-HISTORY.com! in 1810 pineapple cheese was patented by Lewis M. Norton. It’s not what you think and it’s not what I originally thought as I screamed “OH GOD NO! Cheese made from pineapples! Not in MY United States of America!” But after a little research I found that Lewis M. Norton … Continue reading

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December 16, 1924

On This Date in TWISTED-HISTORY.com! in 1924, Famed Explorer and Archeologist Hiram Bingham was elected by the state of Connecticut to serve in the US Senate, thereby forcing him to resign as Connecticut’s Governor after serving only one day in office, the shortest term of any Governor in the United States. Hiram Bingham spent more … Continue reading

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