Cornelius Swartwout
Cornelius Swartwout, (1838 – Dec. 17 1910, in Kings County New York) was the inventor of the waffle iron. He was born in Troy, New York, the grandson of the American Revolutionary War military veteran Cornelius Swartwout.
Waffle iron and US Patent
The earliest waffle irons were not the work of Mr. Swartwout; instead, they originated in the Netherlands circa 14th century, and Swartwout family lineage goes back to the Dutch Low Countries. They were typically made of two hinged iron plates connected to two long wooden handles, the plates often imprinted elaborate patterns on the waffles, coat of arms, landscapes, religious symbols, and the like. These waffle irons were held over a hearth fire for baking.
American entrepreneurialism won out when Cornelius Swartwout patented the first U.S. waffle iron on August 24th 1869.[1] His invention looked nothing like the slick electric models we plug in today, but its design revolutionized how waffles were made. Fashioned to sit on wood or gas stoves, the cast-iron plates were joined by a hinge that swiveled in a cast-iron collar.[2]
National Waffle Appreciation Day
In memory of the Cornelius Swartwout receiving a patent for his waffle iron, National waffle day in the United States is celebrated on August 24th each year.