Is there anything to be more thankful for than a warm home? New Jersey native Alice H. Parker knew this, and in 1919 invented a furnace that provided central heating for entire homes and buildings, rather than one concentrated area. The design used natural gas rather than coal or firewood, and featured complex air ducts that allowed heat to travel through larger structures.
Parker's idea was considered to be revolutionary, as it enabled people to keep their homes warm without having to use a wood-burning fireplace and laid the groundwork for the elaborate heating and cooling systems we use today.