Chapstick is perhaps one of the most widely recognized household names in the U.S. In fact, it’s one of those brand names whose name is synonymous with the actual product. “Do you carry Chapstick?” is essentially the same question as “Do you carry any lip balm?” Few people realize that Chapstick was actually invented right here in Virginia. But have you ever wondered who invented Chapstick? Despite the product’s unconventional beginning, we owe a lot to Dr. Charles Browne Fleet and the town of Lynchburg for pioneering this product, one of the most impressive and ubiquitous Virginia inventions.

Have you ever asked yourself, " Where was Chapstick invented?" Well, we're here to tell you all about it! Lynchburg, Virginia is filled with history and surrounded by natural beauty. Yet few people realize this mountain town is the birthplace of Chapstick.
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As for the Chapstick history, Sometime during the late 1890s, a man by the name of Dr. Charles Browne Fleet, notoriously known as a “pharmacological tinker," created the original Chapstick formula.
Visit Lynchburg, Virginia / Facebook
A trained pharmacist, Dr. Browne could often be found working away at his office on Main Street. He was dedicated to finding products that would improve the lives of his patients.
Visit Lynchburg, Virginia / Facebook

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Ironically, Dr. Fleet was never able to make his Chapstick profitable. The amount of effort that it took to create the product himself simply wasn't lucrative.
Lynchburgmuseum.org
Shown above is the original product packaging, which is said to have resembled a candle without a wick.
In 1912, Dr. Fleet approached his colleague John Morton and offered the ownership of his lip emollient. The price? Just five dollars!
Kipp Teague / flickr
Photographed above is a group of workers at Morton Manufacturing assembling Chapstick tubes in 1961.
Needless to say, Mr. Morton jumped at the opportunity. He and his wife experimented with the ingredients they had been given. It was Mrs. Morton who had the idea to use brass tubes to mold the Chapstick into the form we recognize today.
Visit Lynchburg, Virginia / Facebook
The new packaging led to success, and sales of the product soared. The business was relocated from the Mortons' home to a new factory: Morton's Manufacturing off of Hudson Street.
The familiar Chapstick logo is also rooted in local history. In 1936, Mr. Morton asked the commercial artist and Lynchburg native Frank B. Wright, Jr. to design the product logo.
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Today, Chapstick remains one of the most recognizable products to come from the U.S. In 1996, Chapstick made nearly $63 million in revenues. Many believe that Mr. Morton made one of the most successful investments of all time.

So, there you have it — this history of Chapstick! Did you realize that Chapstick was invented in Lynchburg, Virginia? What are your favorite inventions to come out of our great state? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. For related content, be sure to check out this list of famous inventions from Virginia — you might be surprised by some of them.

For more Virginia history, I suggest you take a tour! The Full Day Historic Guided Tour to Jamestown and Yorktown with Lunch on Viator seems like a great option.

 

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Virginia Inventions

Sarah M. | December 30, 2022

What are some other famous Virginia inventions?

Virginia has made her fair share of contributions to the world, and the following are just some of the many famous Virginia inventions we're proud to claim:

  • Microphones. Prince Edward-born James West is responsible for creating foil-electret transducers for sound recording and voice communication. Translation? Basically he created the technology used in 90% of all microphones and most new phones used today. He’s the reason when the Verizon guy says, “Can you hear me now?” You can. West is also a National Inventors Hall of Famer with 47 U.S. patents and nearly 200 international patents. He’s pretty much earned the right to, ahem, drop the mic.
  • Tree and Bark Camo. While working as a teacher in Alexandria, Jim Crumley, began developing an idea. An avid hunter his entire life, Crumley started thinking that there had to be a better way to blend in with his surroundings while hunting. Thus “tree and bark” camouflage was born – and Crumley is now the owner of a multi-million dollar industry. He is hailed as the “father of camouflage” for his signature Trebark pattern. Pretty cool, right?
  • Smithfield Ham. A Virginia delicacy, if you haven’t had it, you should. The curing process for this now-famous country ham was developed in Smithfield in the 1700s, with the first receipt for a commercial sale dating back to 1779. The techniques used to make the ham are based on Native American curing processes learned by settlers of the region in the 1600s. Since then, it’s become a local treasure and can only be produced within the town limits of Smithfield. Really. It's an actual law. The law was made to guarantee consistent flavor thanks to Smithfield's unique combination of air quality, humidity and airborne enzymes that flavor the rind.

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