Categories: This Day

December 29, 1800 – Charles Goodyear is born

Charles Goodyear didn’t found Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, but it is named after the self taught chemist. Goodyear, born on this day in 1800, became obsessed with natural rubber and its properties. Commonly referred to as gum elastic in the 1830s, rubber made up many products at the time, including life preservers. Unfortunately these products suffered from poor durability, as they’d disintegrate after just a few months. Then Goodyear stepped up to the plate.

The young chemist developed a life extending process for rubber, which became known as vulcanization. It involved the heating and mixing of chemicals to strengthen the original material. For his method he received a patent in 1844. However, an Englishman by the name of Thomas Hancock filed for a patent for a similar process eight weeks prior in the UK. Manufacturers favored Goodyear’s method, ultimately giving him credit for inventing vulcanized rubber.

Top: Charles Goodyear. Above: Early rubber automobile tire manufacturing.

Fast forward to 1898, 38 years after Goodyear died, Frank Seiberling founded Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, naming it in honor of Charles. The company’s new automobile tires became popular due to their durability and the simple process required to change them. As of 2017, Goodyear was one of the top four global tire manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone, Continental and Michelin.

Brian Corey

Recent Posts

December 15, 1969 – The last Plymouth Superbird

The story of the Plymouth Superbird and its development is fairly well-known, so we won't…

1 week ago

December 14, 1987 – AMC Eagle production ends

1983 AMC Eagle Wagon. By Christopher Ziemnowicz The history of American Motors Corporation (AMC) begins…

1 week ago

December 13, 1939 – The first Lincoln Continental

A first generation Lincoln Continental When Edsel Ford requested a personal luxury vehicle to use…

1 week ago

December 12, 2000 – GM announces end of Oldsmobile

At the time Oldsmobile closed its doors in 2004 it was the oldest surviving American…

1 week ago

December 11, 1990 – The 1990 I-75 Fog Disaster

The 1990 Interstate 75 fog disaster stands as one of the most tragic and impactful…

2 weeks ago

December 10, 1915 – The 1,000,000th Ford

Ford Model T c.1915 Henry Ford had one goal: put the world on wheels. To…

2 weeks ago