A Revolutionary Invention: The Barbecue Grill.

One revolutionary invention that has changed the way US inventors celebrate the Fourth of July is the Barbecue Grill.

Native Americans were the first to cook what they called “barbacòa,” using a frame of sticks.

Adaptations of this method of cooking continued to be used through the next centuries until they became especially popular in the late 1940s.

At this point in the timeline, US inventor George A. Stephen comes into the picture. In the late 1940s, he was an employee at Weber Brothers Metal Works and enjoyed grilling at his home. In fact, he lived in a house that had an open brick barbecue.

But the more he used his grill, the more frustrated he became with its design. It produced uneven heat and too much smoke to prepare food in the way he wanted. Working on a daily basis with metal parts, Stephens had an idea to create a metal grilling device specifically designed to solve the problems he was currently experiencing with his grill.

The new product was a success, and in 1952, Stephen, now a famous American inventor, formed a new barbecue division in the Weber Brothers factory until the late 50s when he bought out the entire company.

The newly founded Weber-Stephen Products Company went on to specialize in the manufacture and sale of the Weber kettle, this famous American inventor’s product.

Of course, Stephen is not the only inventor who ever set out to create a new grilling product. However, his story remains a great example of how product development makes a difference in our lives today and specifically in the way we celebrate our independence.