Chester Greenwood Day2026 · Date · History
Maine law designates 21 December each year as Chester Greenwood Day, directs the governor to issue an annual proclamation, and traces the section to Public Law 1977, chapter 262.
About Chester Greenwood Day
Chester Greenwood Day is a Maine commemorative day observed on 21 December each year in honor of Farmington inventor Chester Greenwood.
Maine law requires the governor to issue an annual proclamation inviting people in the state to observe the day with appropriate ceremony and activity.
Why Chester Greenwood Day matters
The day recognizes Greenwood’s inventive work and his place in Maine history, especially his association with patented ear-mufflers.
The statutory December 21 observance is distinct from Farmington’s community celebration, which the Maine State Museum describes as taking place on the first Saturday in December.
History of Chester Greenwood Day
Maine Revised Statutes Title 1, section 117 designates December 21 of each year as Chester Greenwood Day.
The statute’s section history traces the designation to Public Law 1977, chapter 262.
Maine’s governor continues to issue annual proclamations; the 2025 proclamation again designated December 21 as Chester Greenwood Day.
The Maine State Museum describes Greenwood’s patented ear-protector work and separately notes Farmington’s annual first-Saturday-in-December community celebration.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
State of Maine
Public Law 1977, chapter 262, codified at 1 M.R.S. §117
Governor of Maine
The statute directs the Governor to issue an annual proclamation, and current gubernatorial proclamations continue that practice.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
6 fields not established in reviewed sources
Also known as
Chester Greenwood (Earmuff) Day
How to Observe Chester Greenwood Day
Read the Maine statute and current governor’s proclamation for the legal observance.
Explore Maine State Museum material about Greenwood’s inventions and Farmington history.
If attending Farmington events, check the local annual programme because the community celebration is scheduled separately from the statutory December 21 date.
Use patent and museum sources to distinguish documented inventions from later folklore.
Recognize local history without implying that Chester Greenwood Day is a federal holiday.
Chester Greenwood Day Facts
Maine law designates December 21 of each year as Chester Greenwood Day.
The law directs the governor to issue an annual proclamation.
The statutory section history cites Public Law 1977, chapter 262.
Farmington’s community Chester Greenwood celebration is held on the first Saturday in December, a different scheduling rule from the statutory day.
Greenwood received a U.S. patent for an improvement in ear-mufflers in 1877.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Remembrance Civic Context Care.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Maine Legislature — Title 1 §117 Chester Greenwood Day (opens in a new tab)
State Legislature
Maine State Museum — Chester Greenwood & Earmuffs (opens in a new tab)
State Museum
Office of Governor Janet T. Mills — Chester Greenwood Day 2025 (opens in a new tab)
State Governor Proclamation
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is Chester Greenwood Day?
21 December annually in Maine The documented recurrence rule is: 21 December.
Does Chester Greenwood Day fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is Chester Greenwood Day an official public holiday?
Within the reviewed scope, it is identified as Maine statutory commemorative day honoring inventor Chester Greenwood; “Earmuff” in the canonical page title is descriptive rather than the statutory title. That status is not automatically extended to other countries or jurisdictions.
Who established or recognizes Chester Greenwood Day?
The reviewed sources identify State of Maine as the proclaiming or establishing body. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as Governor of Maine.
Is Chester Greenwood Day international or country-specific?
No single country is assigned to this observance. Its documented scope is: Maine statutory commemorative day honoring inventor Chester Greenwood; “Earmuff” in the canonical page title is descriptive rather than the statutory title. Use that scope rather than assuming worldwide or country-specific status.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-10-01.
When is Chester Greenwood Day?
Maine law designates December 21 of each year as Chester Greenwood Day.
Is the Farmington parade always on December 21?
No. Maine State Museum material says Farmington holds its annual community celebration on the first Saturday in December; that is separate from the statutory December 21 observance.
Who formally recognizes the day?
Maine law requires the governor to issue an annual proclamation inviting people in the state to observe it.
When was the Maine designation created?
The current statute’s section history cites Public Law 1977, chapter 262. The exact enactment date is not asserted here because it was not established in the reviewed sources.
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