Winter Wonders
In February of 1902, it snows 17.4 inches. This is the deepest snow ever recorded in Charlotte. General Electric begins marketing strings of electric Christmas Lights in 1903.
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Fun Facts
Inventions After 1900
Listed below are things that were not invented until after 1910.
Air Bags in cars were invented by German Walter Linderer and American John Hedrik, who both applied for patents as early as 1951. However, it was not until the mid-seventies that automobiles were equipped with airbags.
Ball Point Pen was invented Hungarian, Laszlo Biro in 1938.
Band Aids were invented by Thomas Anderson and Johnson & Johnson employee, and Earle Dickson in 1920.
Things Familiar
Believe it or not, everything has a history, including chewing gum! Listed below are some things you might recognize. Beside each item, is the name of the person or persons associated with introducing or inventing the product, and the year it became popularly known.
French Fries by President Thomas Jefferson - 1700s
Modern Bicycle by John Kemp Starley - 1871
Graham Crackers are associated with the dietary recommendations of the Reverend Sylvestor Graham - 1750
Cost of Living
Click to see the difference in prices of various items from 1903 compared to the cost of the same items in 2017.
New Words
These words are added to the Oxford Dictionary prior to 1910:
Chassis
Club Sandwich
Gamma Ray Orthodontist
Peanut Butter
Rainforest
Speedway
Tractor
First Time Events
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Edwin S. Porter, of the Edison Corporation, produces the first Western movie, The Great Train Robbery in 1903. (Actor Justin D. Barnes firing at the audience.)
- Odeon and Wonderland show the first movie in Charlotte on March 18, 1907 at The Academy of Music.
