Interesting Inventions And Foods First Created In Maryland

CALIFORNIA, Md. — Maryland is a state of innovation, and it has been that way for centuries. There are many fascinating products and contraptions that hold their birthplace in Maryland, and quite a few were first invented in Baltimore City. Between the spooky Ouija Board and delicious treats like the Sno-Ball, here are the five coolest things invented in Maryland.

Ouija Board

Ouija Boards are talking boards that allegedly help you communicate with spirits, and though their name is on the newer side, talking boards have been used for centuries before the Maryland patent.

The Ouija Board was named in Baltimore City around 1890. Charles Kennard and Elijah Bond claimed to have invented the Ouija Board, though the latter’s sister-in-law, Helen Peters Nosworthy, helped name and patent the product in Baltimore in the late 1800s, solidifying its place in American culture.

Ouija Boards are a recognizable spiritual tool or novelty item, depending on who you ask. Despite controversy, the boards remain to this day one of the most well-known ways to attempt to make contact with spiritual entities.

Dental School

Dentistry is an essential profession in the 21st century, and Maryland was a big part of the field’s growth. The Baltimore College of Dental Surgery was originally founded around 1840 in Baltimore City, making it the very first dental school in the world.

Chapin A. Harris and Horace H. Hayden co-founded the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, which was subsequently renamed the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. Even today, this historic institution is the only dental school in the state of Maryland.

Clean and healthy teeth are important, so dental school is one of the most noteworthy things to have been invented in the Old Line State.

Sno-Balls

Sno-Balls are a delicious frozen treat that are especially popular in the American cities of Baltimore and New Orleans. The story goes that children would follow wagons of ice shipped through Baltimore in the 1800s to collect the shavings, which they would then take to their parents to top with flavoring.

Today, Sno-Balls are sold as a frozen food throughout Baltimore City, and they have become quite popular throughout the country, too. Modern Sno-Ball stands and shops offer a plethora of exciting flavors, including marshmallow toppings, allowing every customer to purchase a treat that fits their desires.

If you like ice cream or frozen desserts in general, then you are probably a big fan of Sno-Balls. Luckily, businesses like One Sweet Moment offer local options in Baltimore.

Crown Cork

The Crown Cork, better known today as a bottle cap, was an invention of William Painter in Baltimore in the late 1800s. Painter ran the Bottle Seal Company, and after he patented the Crown Cork, it became a popular way to seal bottles around the country.

With the growth in popularity of carbonated beverages throughout the 1800s and 1900s, the Crown Cork would become an essential part of beverages manufactured in the United States.

Bottle caps, as conceived by William Painter, have become so widespread that they have even been adapted as the main currency in the post-apocalyptic Fallout video games and TV show, further solidifying the Crown Cork’s place in modern American culture.

Old Bay Seasoning

Old Bay is a popular seasoning in Maryland, and it is featured in numerous recipes in restaurants around the state, especially in Baltimore City. It is a complex salty flavor, but more than that, Old Bay is a staple for Maryland cuisine.

The seasoning was invented around 1940 by a German-Jewish refugee named Gustav Brunn, who created the Baltimore Spice Company. Old Bay was originally called the Delicious Brand Shrimp and Crab Seasoning, and it became a hit success around the city.

Eventually, Brunn’s seasoning was renamed Old Bay after a line of passenger ships, and it has retained that name to this day. The Old Bay brand is currently owned by McCormick & Company.

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