Things you didn't know were invented in Illinois
CHICAGO (WGN) — When it comes to groundbreaking inventions in the Land of the Lincoln, Illinois is no stranger to life-changing innovations. The Ferris Wheel, the Skyscraper, and even dentistry are just some of the state's key innovations.
But do some exist that you may not know about? WGN-TV has compiled a short list of items that originated in Illinois:
The inventor of the mobile phone, Chicago native Martin Cooper, made the first call on April 6, 1973. The Motorola researcher and executive is primarily regarded as the 'father of the cell phone' because he led the team behind the invention.
According to Britannica.com, following the belief that the cell phone should be portable and not solely operable in automobiles, Cooper and his team developed the DynaTAC (Dynamic Adaptive Total Area Coverage) phone, which was 23 cm (9 inches) tall and weighed 1.1 kg (2.5 pounds).
The phone is often referred to as a brick phone due to its resemblance.
Users paid $3,500 for the phone, equivalent to more than $25,000 in today's dollars, based on inflation.
The delicious 'Golden Child' of Hostess was invented on April 6, 1930, at Continental Baking Company in western suburban Schiller Park.
According to the Hostess, baker James Alexander Dewar was behind the idea of sponge cakes, with the original filling consisting of banana-flavored cream filling, and later replaced by the vanilla cream filling that generations have grown to love.
Dewar noticed shortbread pans not in use and came up with the idea.
The name Twinkie also stems from a billboard near the production plant that bore the name 'Twinkle Toe Shoes.'
The Twinkie now comes in various flavors and remains a popular snack among Illinoisans and beyond.
Edward Seymour is credited with inventing spray paint in west suburban Sycamore in 1949.
According to Seymourpaint.com, Seymour created the first aerosolized spray paint can by inventing a novelty spray can to demonstrate an aluminum paint he had made for painting steam radiators. Based on the same principle as spray deodorizers and insecticides, the device featured a small can of paint equipped with an aerosol propellant and fitted with a spray head.
'Soon after perfecting the first spray can, Ed and the employees of his new company formulated the paint, which was mixed and filled with aerosol using a combination of customized and specially engineered machinery.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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