The Woman Who Invented Windshield Wipers: Mary Anderson and Her Wonderful Invention (Inventors at Work!)

Most people can't imagine a car without windshield wipers. How would you possibly see during a snow storm or downpour? But there was a time when drivers had to wipe the windshield themselves to clear it of snow and rain. And boy did they get wet! Find out how Mary Anderson's smart thinking helped her get a patent for the Windshield Cleaning Device.

It’s hard to imagine a car without windshield wipers, but when the first windshields appeared on cars in 1904, drivers had to clean them by hand. And it’s hard to imagine that in a time dominated by male drivers and scientists, it was a woman who invented the first wipers. Although scant information exists on Mary Anderson, this entry in the Inventors at Work series provides enough background on this atypical woman. Accompanied by archival photos and (undocumented) primary source quotes, the book tells how, after riding on street cars in the snow, Anderson patented her design for a window cleaning device. She was never able to sell her patent, but the text describes how windshield wipers eventually became successful and a necessary part of driving. An intriguing look at an everyday device. Grades 2-4. --Angela Leeper