JAN/FEB 2026 RETA Breeze

The Refrigeration Historian Volume XXXIX

As I paused to quench my thirst, I marveled at the simplicity and genius of my water fountain. A simple device, no glass, no pitcher, and particularly important to me, no water in my beard. However, it is genius in its design and construction. While my fountain is not an original Luther Haws design, it certainly honors the memory of the man who invented the

place near Battle Mountain, NV, a railroad town in Lander County. Luther migrated to the great state of California. Specifically, near the modern town of Berkeley. The exact date of his migration is unknown. But Luther appears on the first census of Berkeley, in 1880. Berkeley was incorporated in 1878. On Aug. 31 of 1892, Luther married Rose Glueck. Undoubtedly, she was smitten with his 5 ft. 4 in. frame, blue eyes and brown hair. Their union would be blessed with three children. Luther supported his growing family as a self-employed master plumber, and as a sheet metal contractor. But it would be his work as a Berkeley sanitation inspector that would lead to Luther’s immortality. As he was performing an

water fountain: Luther T. Haws.

Luther Terry Haws, to be

Building upon this success, the Haws Sanitary Drinking Faucet Company was founded in the city of Berkeley in 1906. On Aug. 30, 1910, Luther would submit a patent for the sanitary water faucet. Patent #985757 was granted on Feb. 28, 1911. Luther would have but a few more years to improve his invention. Luther would be called before our Lord on Nov. 4, 1918, at the age of 49. His final breath was drawn in Oakland, CA. The Haws family extended Luther’s legacy and expanded his impact on the world. The faucet line was eventually expanded to eyewash and safety showers as well as other humanitarian products. Luther’s astute observations and his ability to act upon his observations has saved thousands of lives. What greater epitaph can a man achieve? His company survives today as the Haws Corporation. The company remains the property of the Haws family, currently managed by the fourth generation. This article included information from historical notes and articles, including information from the Haws Company website. The information used to generate this article is believed to be factual. Should you have any corrections or additional information pertaining to this article please forward them to the editor. The Refrigeration Historian wanders around his extensive refrigeration library, lamenting on Refrigeration and HVAC History, and socializing with “Molly,” varmint eradicator of the archives.

precise, was born in Nevada in 1869 to Alpheus Haws and Betsy Dunn Haws. His birth probably took

Luther T. Haws

inspection at a public school, possibly the Jefferson School, recently constructed, or the McKinley School (though this cannot be confirmed), Luther observed children drinking from a communal tin cup. This was common for the day. Growing up, we had a blue enameled tin cup hanging from the spicket in our milkhouse. While this was common it certainly wasn’t sanitary. As a skilled sanitation inspector, Luther recognized the inherent sanitation risks associated with this practice. Luther was inspired to develop a solution to the risk. Report edly using common parts, he designed and constructed the first drinking fountain. The idea was presented to the Berkeley School Department. They quickly agreed to the installation of the prototype

design, authorizing the installation of several fountains.

Patent submission diagram of Luther T. Haws’s Sanitary Drinking Faucet.

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026