Walter B. Gwyn was an Asheville attorney, real estate man and…
inventor?
United States Patent No. 414,527, dated November 5,1889 appears to be…
…drum roll please…
a brush with a hook on it!!!
Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best I suppose. He had some big local names willing
to sign on as supporters of the Toilet Article.
He had some other ideas for various tools. Here is his “claw bar” from 1894
Charles E. Lyman was mostly known for his poetry. We have five of his books here in the NC Room.
In addition to waxing poetic he also applied his creativity to more practicle matters.
In 1917 he had an invention that became quite a success.
Asheville C-T Sept. 11,1923
Browsing old microfilm, I see many articles on pedestrian injuries and deaths. There was definitely a need for something to keep pedestrians safer.
Asheville’s Mayor Cathey even wrote to the New York Times to disabuse them of the idea that this traffic signal was invented by…gasp!…a Frenchman.
Posted by Lyme Kedic
