Profile America: First Burglar Alarm

Tuesday, February 20th. We live in an age concerned about security. Many homes display signs warning that they are protected by a certain brand of security system, and television ads extol the benefits of competing brands. The first burglar alarm was patented in Massachusetts in 1853. It featured a battery-powered bell on each window and door to be protected. The patent rights were purchased five years later by Edwin Holmes, who made the first installations on the 21st of this month in 1858. By 1872, he was installing systems in New York City that connected to a central office. Today, installing and monitoring security systems is a nearly $17 billion a year business for nearly 11,000 establishments nationwide.

You can find more facts about America’s people, places and economy, from the American Community Survey, here.