Massachusetts has been the birthplace of many inventions, from chocolate chip cookies to volcanized rubber, typewriters to marshmallow fluff. In honor of National Inventors’ Day, here are a few invention stories that originated in the Commonwealth.
Tupperware:
When Earl Tupper invented Tupperware in 1946, it did not immediately become a household essential. Tupperware saw considerable success in the media, with TIME Magazine raving about the plastic product in 1947 and other outlets admiring its design. It did not, however, receive the same immediate reception from its target market: American households. That take-it-or-leave-it sentiment remained until Brownie Wise joined Tupper in selling the product in 1951 through her invented “home parties “marketing technique.” These events were a great way for married women across the country to work in sales while balancing their lives at home. The parties gave women a sense of empowerment and agency over their lives, which boosted Wise to widespread popularity and high regard. As her fame grew in the 1950s, Tupper became jealous. In 1958, he kicked Wise out of the company and sold it for $16 million — approximately $170 million in 2025. Through the combined efforts of Tupper’s invention and Wise’s marketing strategy, Tupperware has become a staple in households across America.
Vulcanized Rubber:
Vulcanized rubber came about using obsession. A Massachusetts inventor, Charles Goodyear, was interested in rubber when it was seen as a new “miracle” substance in the early 1830s. He foresaw its widespread modern usage and went even further, committed to the idea that nearly everything would be made from rubber, at least in part. His view was not shared, as untreated rubber melts at hot temperatures and cracks at cold temperatures, making it impractical for commercial use. Goodyear made it his mission to stop rubber’s natural processes to make it more lucrative. All his tests proved futile as he worked toward his goal throughout the late 1830s, treating rubber with sulfur and nitric acid. That was until 1839 when he accidentally dropped sulfur-treated rubber on a hot stove and discovered the vulcanization process. This process strengthens and stabilizes rubber, giving way to its modern use in tires, shoe soles, erasers, insulation, and much more. His name still lives on through Goodyear Tires, which applied Goodyear’s invention to its most popular usage, car tires.
Basketball:
In Springfield, James Naismith, the head of physical education at the town’s YMCA, created a game that would become basketball in 1891. Naismith needed an indoor game to keep his students occupied during the winter between baseball and football seasons. He nailed two peach baskets on either end of the YMCA’s gym and divided his students into two teams. He told them the game was called “basket ball” and the goal was to get a ball into the opposing team’s basket. Following simple instructions, the students tackled, punched, and kicked each other to score points. Naismith added 13 rules to counteract the chaos. These rules both prevented violence and transformed the game into its modern form. Basketball debuted in the Olympics in 1936, and Naismith threw the first jump ball between France and Estonia. It’s no wonder the Boston Celtics, playing in the state where the game was born, have won the most NBA championships.
It’s hard to imagine a world without the inventions that have come out of Massachusetts. While each invention has its unique history, one thing brings them together — they have all had major impacts spanning the Commonwealth and beyond.
