Still innovating
As we drove home to Vermont from Maine on Sunday evening, I couldn't help thinking about the long trajectory from the work of history to that of today.
Scarborough Marsh provides majestic scenes along Route 1 in Scarborough, Maine. (Gareth Henderson Photo)
As we drove home to Vermont from Maine on Sunday evening, I couldn't help thinking about the long, varied, dynamic path leading from the work of history to today’s greatest achievements.
Passing the impressive location of Bath Iron Works, with massive equipment lighting up the Kennebec River’s shores as seen from Route 1, I was struck by the many decades of ship-building and innovation that took place there, starting in 1884, through World War II and the present day. The company's work defined a region and helped shape history.
Today, innovation defines us still. During a pandemic, millions have taken to sewing machines at home and in groups to create masks for hospitals and other organizations. Retail technology has adjusted with the popular shift to curb-side pick-up, and conferences and events will keep innovating further in the virtual realm.
These examples of U.S. ingenuity will only grow in the coming months, and, to be sure, it's a pattern seen in many sectors. A number of advancements we can't fathom yet, and many of them we won't know about for some time. However, we can rest assured they're underway, because when it comes to new ideas for pressing issues, that's what we do as a people. We are problem-solvers, and present challenges will lead to advancements that will impact generations to come.
— Gareth Henderson