An Illinois farmer named Joseph Glidden patented barbed wire on November 24, 1876.

Joseph Farwell Glidden, a New Hampshire native who moved to Illinois in 1843, is credited with patenting barbed wire in DeKalb.  Using a coffee mill to help construct his model, Glidden was able to fixate pointed barbs onto metal wire and twist another wire around it to keep the barbs in place.

Glidden created the Barb Fence Company, which wound up making him one of the wealthiest men in America before he died. The versatile material has had numerous historical uses such as fencing in cattle and livestock, defending borders during times of war and as fence topping on prison grounds.

Glidden’s original patent has remained largely unaltered as contemporary versions of barbed wire continue to follow his model.

Learn more:
The History of Barbed Wire
View the original patent picture here