The Fire Hydrant

A modern pop-culture icon representing the 20th century would be the iconic red fire hydrant. Apart from its unique look, the above ground pillar-type hydrant could be considered an interesting application of engineering, with it being utilized since the 19th century, with its predecessor (the underground fire hydrant) being used in Europe and Asia since the 18th century. Utilizing this system made the occupation of a fire-fighter much safer.

Being a novel invention for its era, one would wonder who was behind this marvellous device, however we cannot name a specific individual with much confidence as the patent office in Washington DC which housed all records of this patent burned down on 1836, resulting in it becoming an obscure mystery.

In conclusion, despite not knowing the inventor behind this fire hydrant, it could be accepted that this device played (And still plays a major role) in shaping our society.