Germs from people’s mouths, bugs and bird doo-doo could fall inside the water supply.īut some of the original Bubbler designs still exist. One of the problems with the early bubbler was public health concern. The original version was modified after several years to shoot water in an arc instead of straight up. Kohler also gave the new product its name and The Bubbler was born.
The device was picked up and patented by what was then called Kohler Water Works and today is the plumbing fixture giant Kohler Company of Kohler, Wisconsin. It had a spout that shot a little stream of water about an inch in the air so people could slurp it up. There were certainly other types of drinking fountains in existence, but Huckleby’s design was unique. I know, the name Harlan Huckleby sounds made up, but it was 1889 and that’s what names were like. The twist is that – with bubblers – it just happened to be good regional branding.īack in 1889, a man named Harlan Huckleby designed the very first bubbler. We call drinking fountains bubblers for the same reason everyone calls tissues Kleenex and inline skates Roller Blades – good branding. You can get that information in our article Maybe We Were Wrong – A Closer Look at Why We Call it a Bubbler in Wisconsin. What’s more peculiar is the fact the we Wisconsinites aren’t the only ones…īefore you read any further – please realize that we have since discovered new information about the origins of the bubbler and the history of the word’s use in Wisconsin. The explanation for this linguistic phenomenom, which is almost exclusive to the Badger State, actually makes a lot of sense. Or perhaps an out-of-towner has asked you where they could find the nearest water fountain, and you were momentarily puzzled, picturing a statue of a little boy peeing.įor some strange reason, the thing seemingly every other state in the nation calls a drinking fountain or a water fountain is a bubbler to us. They look at you like you’re speaking Klingon. You’re absolutely parched and ask a friendly looking stranger….”Where’s the bubbler?” It’s happened to just about all of us when we travel outside the state.
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