The only known full-scale example of Thurber’s typewriter (pictured here) survives in the collections of Worcester Historical Museum, but a patented model is housed at what national museum institution?
WBJ has partnered with the Worcester Historical Museum to run a year-long trivia contest in celebration of the 300th anniversary of Worcester’s founding on June 14, 1722. Readers should email their answer to the question below by June 23 to bkane@wbjournal.com or complete the Google Form below to compete for a special year-end prize package.
Typewriter
Worcester innovator Charles Thurber received a U.S. patent for his typewriter in 1843. Meant to offer ease for both people with some disabilities as well as those struggling to read public documents, Thurber’s typewriter is one of the major innovations leading to the modern-day typewriter, and later the computer keyboard. Although Thurber received a patent for the machine, it was never manufactured in quantity.
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Trivia question: The only known full-scale example of Thurber’s typewriter (pictured here) survives in the collections of Worcester Historical Museum, but a patented model is housed at what national museum institution?
And the answer to last edition’s question: The device invented and patented in 1913 by the Hamblin & Russell Manufacturing Co. was used to slice bread.
