Manual lawn mowers have been a quiet, environmentally sexy alternative, but it’s thanks to Lewis Miller’s horse-drawn Buckeye Mower and Reaper that lawn owners aren’t donning a black cloak and scythe. Miller put the sickled blade to death in 1856 after working on his improvement to McCormick’s reaper for six years under Aultman, Miller & Co. The operator, safe behind a cutting bar, could raise and lower the blade, allowing maneuverability on uneven terrain or accessibility through barn entryways. The U.S. Agricultural Society awarded Miller’s design gold at a field trial in Syracuse, New York, in 1857. Thousands of Miller’s machines poured out of Canton and Akron factories to gobble up Ohio fields by the 1870s, making more than $1.5 million.
Why It Matters: Today, there are countless versions of the modern mower, but this advancement was a significant step in making it more usable for everyday homeowners.
Cleveland Inventions: Lewis Miller Made The Mower Safer
Admit it, we all hate mowing the lawn. But thanks to Lewis Miller, the arduous process is a little bit easier.
