The very first buggy was designed by William Kent in 1733. His design caught on in high society, and the buggy started appearing in the societies highest social circles. These buggy's were quite decorative, and really considered works of art.
As time went on, the buggy was redesigned to have handles. This was where the buggy took its first step towards convenience for the parent rather than amusement for the child.
On June 18, 1889, William H. Richardson walked into a patent office with an idea that changed the design of a stroller forever. He made several changes to the axles. One of these changes was allowing each wheel to turn separately, allowing for a much smaller turn radius. Before his changes, the front wheels and back wheels turned together, requiring a large radius for turning around. One of his other ideas was for a special joint that allowed the bassinet to face outward or toward the person pushing; essentially creating the first reversible stroller. Many of his ideas are still in use in strollers today.
Shortly after World War I, there was a baby boom. Manufacturers took advantage of this boom, and the stroller market exploded as a result. It was during this time that safety recall really became an issue, and safety features were added. The footbrake became standard for all strollers, the basket in which the child was held became deeper (thus more difficult to escape from) and the stroller itself was made shorter, so that children who did escape their strollers would have a shorter trip to the hard ground below.
In 1965, Owen Mclaren developed the first lightweight aluminum buggy that could fold into a more compact shape after listening to his daughters concerns about her large, awkward buggy. Because this stroller would be transporting his grandchild, he made sure it could safely handle the load placed on it. His design modernized the baby buggy into what we commonly see as the stroller today.
The most recent renovation of the stroller took place in 1980 by Phil Baechler. He was a running enthusiast. He felt the plastic wheels on his child's stroller would never withstand the running trips he planned. He decided to replace the plastic wheels with bicycle wheels. After a couple renovations of his design, the three wheeled jogging stroller was born.
From Kent in the 1700's to Baechler in 1980, strollers have really come a long way.
