1. Minnesota – Pop-Up Toasters
The humble pop-up toaster feels like it’s always been around, maybe the product of a national appliance brand. But it was invented in 1921 by Charles Strite in Stillwater, Minnesota, according to Kara Sorensen from Minnpost. He was frustrated with the burned toast at his company cafeteria, so he created an automatic toaster with a timer and spring-loaded ejection. That invention kicked off a breakfast revolution.
Strite’s toaster became the model for the Sunbeam and Toastmaster brands. Minnesota’s cold mornings probably made warm toast extra appealing. Before this, toasting bread was a manual (and usually smoky) ordeal. A simple fix changed breakfasts everywhere.
2. Illinois – The Dishwasher
You might assume the modern dishwasher was dreamed up by a tech company in Silicon Valley or maybe even a European inventor. But it was actually invented by a wealthy woman named Josephine Cochrane in Shelbyville, Illinois, in the 1880s, according to Adrian Naves from Classic Chicago Magazine. She was tired of her servants chipping her fine china and decided to take matters into her own hands. Her invention was first shown at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.
Cochrane’s dishwashing machine eventually became the foundation for KitchenAid. While her design was initially sold to hotels and restaurants, it eventually became a household staple. Illinois can definitely lay claim to this time-saving miracle. And yet, most people have no clue where it really started.
3. New Jersey – The Motion Picture Camera
Hollywood gets all the credit for the film industry, but the very first motion picture camera was born in New Jersey. Thomas Edison and his assistant William Kennedy Laurie Dickson created the Kinetograph in his Menlo Park lab in the 1890s, according to Daniel Terdiman from CNET. This device was a major leap toward the movies we watch today. And it happened right in the Garden State.
Edison even opened the world’s first film production studio—Black Maria—in West Orange. It was a bizarre, rotating, tar-paper-covered building that followed the sun for natural lighting. New Jersey was essentially the first Hollywood before California stole the spotlight. So the next time you enjoy a blockbuster, give a nod to Jersey.
4. Iowa – The Vending Machine for Gum
Vending machines are often associated with busy Tokyo subways or New York City break rooms. But one of the earliest versions of a gum vending machine came from a small town in Iowa. In the late 1880s, Thomas Adams’ invention got commercial traction thanks to some creative entrepreneurs who installed gum dispensers in Iowa drugstores. These became a staple long before vending machines went high-tech.
It may not sound flashy, but this twist on gum distribution was revolutionary at the time. Iowa helped prove that unattended machines could handle money and deliver a product—something foundational for today’s vending economy. From gumballs to iPhones, we have humble beginnings to thank. And Iowa quietly led the charge.
5. Massachusetts – The World Wide Web (Sort Of)
Tim Berners-Lee is credited with inventing the World Wide Web, and he did so while working in Switzerland. But long before that, key groundwork for internet infrastructure was laid at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Pioneers like Leonard Kleinrock developed the theory of packet switching here, which made digital communication possible. ARPANET, the internet’s grandparent, had many of its roots in Massachusetts research labs.
So while the Web’s official birthday belongs to CERN, Massachusetts had already planted the seeds. The state was a hotbed of tech innovation in the ’60s and ’70s. It hosted the minds and machines that made modern networking feasible. It’s safe to say the web wouldn’t exist without it.
6. Missouri – Ice Cream Cones
Ice cream cones feel like a classic part of summer, maybe even something with Italian or French flair. But they actually became a hit in St. Louis, Missouri, at the 1904 World’s Fair, according to Robert Moss from Serious Eats. Legend has it that an ice cream vendor ran out of bowls, so a nearby waffle vendor rolled up his pastries to help out. The crowds loved it, and the cone was born.
Multiple vendors claim credit, but Missouri is where the trend exploded. Before that, ice cream was mostly served in dishes or wrapped in paper. This impromptu collaboration changed the way we eat dessert forever. So next time you enjoy a cone, thank the Show-Me State.
7. Pennsylvania – Bubble Gum
Bubble gum might seem like a kid-friendly invention from a candy lab in California. But it was actually created in Philadelphia by Walter Diemer in 1928. He was an accountant at the Fleer Chewing Gum Company who stumbled upon a less-sticky formula for gum. And just like that, bubble gum was born.
The first product was called Dubble Bubble and was wildly successful. Diemer even taught sales reps how to blow bubbles so they could show customers. It was pink because that was the only dye available—talk about a happy accident. Pennsylvania popped this one into history.
8. Wisconsin – The Typewriter
You’d think something as transformative as the typewriter came from New York or London. But it was invented in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by Christopher Latham Sholes in the 1860s. He developed the QWERTY layout to avoid mechanical jams, and it stuck. The first commercial model was even produced by Remington, a gun company turned keyboard manufacturer.
Wisconsin may be better known for cheese, but it shaped modern communication in a big way. Sholes’ invention revolutionized everything from offices to journalism. And its design still lives on in your laptop keyboard. Quietly, Wisconsin typed itself into history.
9. Georgia – Coca-Cola
Many people think Coca-Cola was born in some massive corporate lab. But it was actually created by a pharmacist named John Pemberton in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1886. He originally designed it as a medicinal tonic containing coca leaf extract and kola nuts. The drink caught on quickly and evolved into the iconic soda we know today.
Atlanta is still home to Coca-Cola’s headquarters, so it hasn’t strayed far from its roots. Yet people around the world often assume it came from some mysterious branding empire. Nope—it started behind a pharmacy counter in Georgia. A little Southern syrup went global.
10. Michigan – The Modern Shopping Mall
You might picture the first mall somewhere in California or maybe even Europe. But the modern enclosed shopping mall was invented in Michigan. Southdale Center in Minnesota was the first fully enclosed mall, but its blueprint was designed by Victor Gruen, who tested his ideas in Detroit-area developments. His early concepts shaped the rise of suburban retail.
Michigan’s role in shaping consumer culture was no accident. The auto industry made suburbs more accessible, and malls followed the people. This combination created the American shopping experience as we know it. So if you’ve ever wandered a food court, thank Detroit.
11. Texas – Frozen Margaritas
You might guess the frozen margarita was perfected in a Mexican beach town. But it was actually invented in Dallas, Texas, in 1971. A restaurateur named Mariano Martinez modified a soft-serve ice cream machine to blend the perfect frozen margarita. It became an instant hit and helped launch the Tex-Mex craze.
The original machine now sits in the Smithsonian. Texas wasn’t just borrowing from Mexican culture—it was innovating on it. The frozen margarita helped define the modern bar experience. So next round, raise your glass to Dallas.
12. Ohio – The Airplane
Everyone associates the Wright brothers with North Carolina thanks to that iconic “First in Flight” license plate. But the truth is, Orville and Wilbur Wright were born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, where they designed and built the first successful airplane. Their shop and testing grounds were all in Ohio long before Kitty Hawk came into the picture. So really, Ohio should be the state taking a victory lap in the skies.
Ohio’s aviation history doesn’t stop with the Wrights, either—it’s also home to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. The state has long been a hub for aerospace innovation. Yet North Carolina tends to get the spotlight just because that’s where the first flight physically happened. Sorry, Tar Heels—Ohioans had the blueprints.
13. Kentucky – The Gas Mask
Gas masks are typically linked to European battlefields or modern military gear. But one of the earliest versions was developed by Garrett Morgan, a Black inventor living in Cleveland, Ohio, who was originally from Kentucky. His “safety hood” was designed for firefighters but proved useful in mining and war zones. It became the prototype for modern gas masks.
Morgan’s invention saved countless lives and showed the world how to protect workers from deadly fumes. Kentucky’s contribution to safety tech often flies under the radar. But its legacy is deeply woven into industrial and military history. So give credit where it’s due.
14. California – The Hula Hoop
Despite its island vibes, the hula hoop isn’t Hawaiian. It was actually commercialized in California by a company called Wham-O in 1958. Inspired by wooden hoops used in Australian gym classes, the founders made them out of plastic and launched a full-blown craze. Millions were sold in just a few months.
California’s marketing machine turned it into a national phenomenon. Kids were spinning hoops in every driveway across America. It wasn’t an ancient cultural relic—it was a SoCal toy innovation. Proof that sometimes fun is born in the garage, not the rainforest.
