| You use them every day, time and time again, but you | | | | doors. |
| likely don't appreciate the hinges that are at work in | | | | Eventually, hinges became more commonplace. The |
| your home. Think about it, if you want to go outside, or | | | | kind of hinges we are used to became very popular in |
| come inside, you rely on hinges to open your door. If | | | | the new world. In the American colonies hinges were |
| you want to make a meal, you are going to rely on a | | | | everywhere. While some of the colonies were trying |
| number of hinges for the refrigerator, the oven and all | | | | to cut their ties to England, they still wanted to make |
| the cabinets in the pantry. How did we possibly get | | | | sure the hardware pieces, such as hinges, were able |
| along without hinges? | | | | to make it to the new world, to make their lives a little |
| They have been around for a while, but not forever. | | | | easier. Eventually, blacksmiths in the new world took up |
| Originally, it was a lot tougher to get in and out of the | | | | this calling, making hinges for the masses. |
| house. In 6000 BC people rolled rocks or propped big | | | | You may only think of hinges in homes, but they were |
| hunks of wood and stone in front of the opening to | | | | a big part of the western exploration travels in the US. |
| their home as a 'door'. That made for a major workout | | | | As all those coaches and carriages started looking for |
| every time anyone wanted to go outside, or come | | | | new opportunities, they needed a way to get out of |
| back in and 'shut the door' | | | | those coaches. Yes, they needed hinges. It is no |
| Around 1600 BC someone got the bright idea that they | | | | surprise there were a number of shops setting up |
| could move things a little easier if they used something | | | | along the cities in the exploration routes that offered |
| close to a hinge. There are ancient buildings that show | | | | hinges among the other items one would need to keep |
| there were sockets in a stone wall where large | | | | their coach in tip-top condition. |
| wooden doors were hung, making it easier to let your | | | | Since then, the market for hinges has continued to |
| troops out, and close the doors and keep the enemy | | | | boom. Not only are they a simple piece of hardware |
| from coming inside. | | | | that can make previously hard tasks easy, but they |
| The idea of hinges started to spread, but only among | | | | also are able to be decorations. The designer market |
| those with money or status. For many centuries, the | | | | has latched on to hinges and started to create them in |
| only hinges noted in history were those for sacred | | | | a number of ornate styles so they are not just a |
| buildings, then public spaces. In the Old Testament it is | | | | functional piece of hardware to help you open your |
| mentioned that King Solomon's Temple had hinged | | | | cabinets, but also an attractive addition to them. |