Ever wonder how we ended up with so many types of screws and screwdrivers? Well, different ones have different purposes. And one of the most commonly used types was invented right here in Oregon. Can you guess which one it is?

It’s the Phillips head screw and screwdriver. This type of screw and screwdriver was invented to address the need for screws to screw down tighter and to hold up to increased torque. This was needed due to the greater demands created by the Industrial Revolution, especially the automobile and aviation industries.

Most people don't know it but the Phillips head screw and screwdriver were invented right here in Oregon. Learn more about this cool tool.
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Screws need a matching driver to screw them in.
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Phillips head is the most popular. Other types include the flat head, hex, Torx, double hex, and Robertson.

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You might think that the Phillips head was invented by a person named Phillips. However, it was actually invented by John P. Thompson of Portland. Thompson was born in 1857 in Bismarck, North Dakota. He moved to Portland around 1920.
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Thompson had a variety of professions, including working as an auto mechanic, bank cashier, and in real estate. He invented the famous screw in the early 1930s and received a patent in 1933.
Thompson sold the patent for his invention to a mining company director named Henry Phillips. This is how the screw and screwdriver got its name!
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Since its invention, it helped to transform the assembly line and has become a staple in just about every workshop, toolbox, and tool belt.
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For more information, visit the Oregon Historical Society’s Oregon Encyclopedia Phillips screw and driver website. Come to think of it, why not visit the Oregon Historical Society as well to learn more about Oregon’s history and the fascinating people (and inventions) of our state?

If this is your first time in Portland, make sure you come and stay for a while. Check out one of the cozy vacation rentals in Portland for a relaxing stay.

Leave a comment to let us know what you think of the Phillips head screw and screwdriver. When’s the last time you used one and what for? What other cool inventions do you know about that originated in Oregon?

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