What Would You Say If I Told You That A Museum Has A Mouse Trap That Was Manufactured In 1869?
This antique mouse trap is still catching mice today!
A mouse trap is a device designed to capture rodents. The earliest traps date back to ancient Egypt and China. In the United States, they were used to prevent rats from spreading diseases such as typhoid fever.
Museum curator, Dr. David L. Miller, discovered this antique mouse trap at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC. He believes that this particular trap is the oldest known example of its kind. “This is an extremely rare find”, he says. “They are quite beautiful, but they are also very useful because they actually work”.
The mousetrap dates back to the early 19th century and it was made in New York State. According to Dr. Miller, the design is similar to those used by gold prospectors. It consists of two parts: a spring mechanism and a wooden box with a hinged door. When activated, the door opens and closes rapidly, trapping the rodent inside. Afterward, the trapped animal can be released easily.
The mouse trap measures approximately 32 cm x 16 cm x 7 cm. It weighs about 1 kg. The Museum acquired the trap in 2005 after receiving information regarding its existence.
Although the trap looks old, it works perfectly. As soon as the door opened, a small rodent ran into the trap.
The Museum decided not to purchase the trap because there are already many other examples of these devices in their collection. They believe that people should learn more about history instead of acquiring useless items. However, they did keep the trap for educational purposes.
In addition to this antique mouse trap, the museum also owns another one that was manufactured in Pennsylvania in 1846. Both traps were found in attics or basements across the country.