Abraham Lincoln was granted Patent No. 6469 on May 22, 1849 for a device to lift boats over shoals and obstructions in a river. The invention was designed to help river boats navigate around obstacles in shallow water.
Lincoln’s patent is significant because he is the only U.S. president to have held a patent. The patent documents provide a unique glimpse into his inventive mind and his concerns with improving transportation and commerce. Although the invention was never manufactured, the patent demonstrates Lincoln’s creative and innovative thinking, and his belief in the importance of protecting intellectual property.