The Earmuff Empire of Farmington
A winter-warmed tour of the streets, workshop traces, and town lore behind Chester Greenwood’s most famous idea.
Before the town unfolds…
In 1873, Farmington teenager Chester Greenwood is said to have tired of freezing ears while skating and devised a simple remedy with wire, cloth, and beaver fur. He received a U.S. patent for his improved “ear-mufflers” in 1877, turning a cold-weather annoyance into a durable invention. Farmington mattered because Greenwood did not merely invent here; he built here, employing local workers and attaching his name to the town’s streetscape. Over time, the earmuff became both a product and a civic emblem, tying winter ingenuity to local industry and pride. Today the town still honors him with Chester Greenwood Day, proving that some inventions leave a warmer cultural afterglow than others.