George Washington Packer's patented rock and stump pullers, Mystic

George Washington Packer’s patented rock and stump pullers, Mystic, ca. 1870
– Mystic Seaport and Connecticut History Online

Nutmeg ingenuity ranges from seemingly humble innovations that have changed the way we live to first-of-a-kind inventions. In the 19th century, for example, Elisha Root’s die casting techniques helped usher in standardized mass manufacturing, which, in turn, often lowered prices so that more consumers could afford items once reserved for the well-to-do. Other notable Connecticut inventors include Mary Kies (the first woman to receive a US patent), Samuel Colt, and even Mark Twain. More recently, teams of researchers in corporate and university settings have pioneered medical, technological, and other advances. One of the state’s best-known “firsts” is the USS Nautilus, the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine.

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“Connecticut Patents Project.” 2016. Connecticut State Library, Museum of Connecticut History. http://museumofcthistory.org/2015/09/connecticut-patents-2/ (March 12, 2012).
“The Eli Whitney Museum and Workshop.” 2016. http://www.eliwhitney.org.
“The Museum of Connecticut History.” 2012. Connecticut State Library. http://museumofcthistory.org/ (March 12, 2012).
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