Say Cheese?

Many items have found their place in the annals of history but never reached an established subject of research. One such item received its first patent on this day in history.

Source: Days to Remember

The first mouse trap based on Hooker’s patent was called “Out O’Sight” and produced in 1894 by the Animal Trap Company in Abingdon, Illinois. This little trapper was followed by the "Little Nipper" invented by James Henry Atkinson in 1897, which became the prototype still widely used to this day. The Little Nipper slams shut in 38,000s of a second and that record has never been beaten.

Mousetraps in Literature

The subject of mousetraps has made its way into essays, term papers, cartoons, and even historical literature. Such recordings appeared as early as 1602 in Shakespeare's Hamlet. Even earlier than that is reference to a mousetrap found in Ancient Greek The Battle of Frogs and Mice: "... by unheard-of arts they had contrived a wooden snare, a destroyer of Mice, which they call a trap." Of course, mousetraps are a staple of slapstick comedy and animated cartoons with one of the most familiar being Tom and Jerry. Source: wikipedia.org

Betcha' didn't know...

The Patent Office has issued over 4400 mousetrap patents, however, only about twenty of those patents have made any money. Catch a few of the different designs for mousetraps in our mousetrap gallery:  Gallery of Historical Mousetraps

Need something to do on a rainy or boring day...Build a better mousetrap and add your name to the 4400! Afterall...

Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door! ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Also on this day in history & still a little mousy...

2001 - Disney's "Mickey's Magical Christmas - Snowed In at the House Of Mouse" was released on video and DVD.

Related Articles:

History for November 6

History of the Mousetrap

Exploring Mouse Trap History