The Inventor of the Fire Hydrant Is Unknown

In a profound twist of historical irony, the identity of the inventor who created one of the world's most crucial firefighting tools was lost to a fire. On December 15, 1836, the U.S. Patent Office in Washington, D.C., went up in flames, destroying an estimated 10,000 patent records. Among the documents and models turned to ash was the patent for the modern fire hydrant. Because the records were completely lost and no duplicate copies were kept at the time, the official credit for this life-saving invention was permanently erased from history.

Prior to the invention of the cast-iron hydrant, access to water was a far more destructive process. Firefighters, part of what were called "plug uglies," had to dig down to buried wooden water mains and hastily bore a hole to access the water (Review) flow. After the fire was out, they would seal the main with a wooden stopper, or "plug," which is where the nickname "fire plug" originates. While the patent fire prevents definitive proof, most historians credit Frederick Graff Sr., chief engineer of the Philadelphia Water Works, with developing the first pillar-style, above-ground hydrant around 1801. His design was a revolutionary step forward, but without the patent, his vital contribution remains officially uncredited.