Chester Greenwood (1858-1937) of Farmington, Maine, USA, is the inventor of the ear muff .

Greenwood, Farmington's most celebrated resident, came up with the idea while ice skating at age 15. He made ear shaped loops of wire, and had his grandmother sew fur to them, creating the world's first earmuffs.

Greenwood patented an improved version using metal bands ("Improvement in Ear Mufflers" US Patent No 188,292 March 13, 1887), and manufactured them as Greenwood's Champion Ear Protectors.

Greenwood patented over 100 inventions in his life, including the spring steel rake, wide bottom whistling kettle, and the mechanical mousetrap, and is acknowledged by the Smithsonian Institution as one of America's 15 Outstanding Inventors.