Why Harry Bunnell’s Patent Still Matters
The Adirondack chair is one of the most iconic pieces of outdoor furniture ever created, recognized instantly for its wide arms, slanted seat, and relaxed posture. Today it symbolizes leisure, comfort, and timeless outdoor living, but behind its success is a fascinating story about invention, adaptation, and commercialization. At the heart of this history is Harry Bunnell’s 1905 patent, which transformed Thomas Lee’s original family design into a marketable product. While Bunnell did not create the first version of the chair, his decision to patent it, manufacture it, and sell it to vacationers in the Adirondacks ensured the design’s survival and long-term influence. His role demonstrates how innovation alone does not guarantee success—commercial vision, craftsmanship, and timing also matter. To understand how the Adirondack chair became a staple of patios, porches, and backyards, one must look closely at how Harry Bunnell turned a local invention into a national trend.
The Setting: Adirondack Mountains at the Turn of the Century
The Adirondack Mountains of New York provided the perfect backdrop for the creation of the Adirondack chair. In the early 1900s, this region was a popular vacation spot for families seeking refuge from city life. With its rugged terrain, cool summers, and pristine lakes, the Adirondacks became a destination for those who wanted to experience fresh air and outdoor leisure. Families built or rented cabins and spent summers enjoying nature, but the rustic environment posed challenges. Furniture designed for indoor use often did not perform well outdoors, where uneven ground, damp conditions, and rough surfaces demanded sturdier seating. In this environment, necessity inspired invention. Families wanted chairs that could stand up to the terrain while also being comfortable enough for long afternoons on porches or by lakesides. The need for durable, practical, and comfortable outdoor furniture created the opportunity that Thomas Lee would seize with his original design and that Harry Bunnell would later commercialize with great success.
Thomas Lee’s Original Design
In 1903, Thomas Lee, a summer resident of Westport, New York, set out to design a chair that would allow his family to enjoy their time outdoors with comfort and stability. He experimented with wooden planks, cutting and arranging them into prototypes until he achieved a design that satisfied everyone. The chair had a deep, angled seat, wide flat armrests, and a slanted back made of flat boards. This design allowed the chair to remain stable on uneven ground while supporting the body in a naturally reclined position.
Lee’s creation was simple but ingenious, and it quickly became a favorite among his family. What he did not realize, however, was that this design had commercial potential far beyond his own household. He shared the design with his friend Harry Bunnell, a local carpenter, not anticipating that Bunnell would take the idea and transform it into a patented product. Lee may have been the inventor, but Bunnell became the businessman who introduced the chair to the world.
Harry Bunnell Steps In
Harry Bunnell was a skilled carpenter living in Westport, and he recognized immediately that Lee’s chair design filled a real need for vacationers in the Adirondacks. Bunnell saw that the chair was sturdy, practical, and perfectly suited to the environment. In 1905, just two years after Lee had created the prototype, Bunnell applied for and was granted a patent on the design. This gave him exclusive rights to produce and sell the chair for the next seventeen years. The decision was bold, as Bunnell had effectively claimed legal ownership of a chair he had not designed himself. Yet without his initiative, it is possible the Adirondack chair would have remained a family project rather than evolving into a commercial product. Bunnell understood not only the craftsmanship required but also the market potential. By securing the patent, he ensured he could capitalize on growing demand, and his name became forever linked with the commercialization of the Adirondack chair.
The 1905 Patent
The patent that Bunnell received in 1905 described the chair as an “improved chair of the cottage type,” designed for comfort and outdoor durability. The drawings included in the patent highlighted the wide flat boards, the deep slanted seat, and the oversized arms that set the chair apart from others at the time. With this legal protection, Bunnell could prevent others from manufacturing the chair without his permission, giving him a significant advantage in a region where demand was strong.
The patent was more than just a piece of paper—it was a key turning point in the chair’s history. By securing exclusive rights, Bunnell ensured he could establish himself as the primary supplier of these chairs, which he began producing from local woods like hemlock and pine. His craftsmanship and attention to detail made each chair durable and appealing to buyers, laying the groundwork for the Adirondack chair’s broader success.
Building the Westport Chair
The chairs that Bunnell produced based on his patent became known as Westport chairs, named after the town where they were first made. These chairs were rustic and sturdy, constructed from wide wooden planks. Their straight backs and flat arms gave them a distinctive look that set them apart from later Adirondack versions, which would evolve into a more refined fan-back style. The Westport chair was heavier and less sculpted, but it carried a rugged charm that resonated with vacationers in the Adirondacks. Bunnell stamped many of his chairs with his signature, turning them into recognizable products that people sought out for their homes and cabins. Today, surviving examples of original Westport chairs are highly collectible, often fetching high prices at auctions. Their value lies not only in their craftsmanship but in their place in design history as the first commercially produced Adirondack chairs.
Marketing to Vacationers
Bunnell’s success was closely tied to the environment of the Adirondacks, where city dwellers came to escape the hustle of urban life. These vacationers wanted durable, comfortable seating for their porches, lawns, and lakesides, and Bunnell’s Westport chairs fit the bill perfectly. He marketed the chairs as practical, rustic furniture ideally suited to mountain and lake retreats. Their sturdy construction and simple design appealed to homeowners who valued function and authenticity over ornate style.
The chairs quickly became associated with leisure and outdoor relaxation. As more vacationers brought them home from their summer trips, the Westport chair gained recognition beyond the Adirondacks. Bunnell had successfully tapped into a cultural shift toward outdoor living, aligning his product with the growing popularity of spending time in nature. This marketing success laid the foundation for the Adirondack chair’s expansion far beyond its regional origins.
Transition to the Adirondack Chair
Although Bunnell’s Westport chairs were popular, the design would continue to evolve after his patent expired. Other craftsmen and manufacturers began experimenting with the form, replacing the flat back with slatted, fan-shaped boards that provided greater comfort and improved aesthetics. These changes gave rise to the Adirondack chair as we recognize it today. The new versions retained the wide arms and deep angled seats but offered a lighter, more elegant profile that appealed to broader audiences.
The shift from Westport to Adirondack marked an important stage in the chair’s evolution. While Bunnell had commercialized the original, the name change and design refinements transformed it into a cultural icon. The Adirondack chair became more than just rustic cabin furniture—it became a symbol of relaxation across America, appearing on suburban lawns, coastal porches, and resort patios.
Bunnell’s Lasting Contribution
Harry Bunnell’s role in the history of the Adirondack chair is sometimes overshadowed by debates about whether he unfairly patented Thomas Lee’s design. Yet his contribution cannot be denied. Without Bunnell’s patent, production, and marketing, the chair might never have spread beyond Lee’s family. Bunnell demonstrated the importance of recognizing market demand and seizing opportunities, turning an inventive design into a product that could be enjoyed by many. His craftsmanship also gave the chair credibility. Built from solid local wood, Bunnell’s Westport chairs were durable and reliable, qualities that ensured satisfied customers would continue to recommend them. While the design would later evolve, the commercial foundation Bunnell established gave the Adirondack chair the momentum it needed to endure for more than a century.
Collectibility of Original Westport Chairs
Today, original Westport chairs made by Harry Bunnell are prized by collectors and historians. Their rarity, combined with their historical significance, makes them valuable artifacts of early twentieth-century design. Each chair tells a story of rustic craftsmanship, entrepreneurial vision, and the beginnings of what would become a worldwide phenomenon. Collectors seek out chairs stamped with Bunnell’s signature, as these represent authentic examples of his work. These antique chairs highlight the connection between invention and commercialization. They remind us that while Thomas Lee created the concept, it was Bunnell who ensured the chair reached the public. Owning an original Westport chair is like holding a piece of outdoor furniture history, a tangible link to the moment when a simple wooden design began its journey to becoming a global symbol of leisure.
The Commercial Lesson of Bunnell’s Patent
Harry Bunnell’s patent story offers a broader lesson about the relationship between invention and business. Many great ideas never reach their potential because they lack the structure or vision needed to turn them into products. Bunnell may not have been the original inventor, but he saw the opportunity to bring the design to market. His decision to patent, produce, and sell the Westport chair demonstrates the importance of combining creativity with entrepreneurship.
The story also raises questions about ownership and ethics. Some view Bunnell’s actions as opportunistic, since he patented a design created by his friend. Others see him as a savvy businessman who recognized potential where others did not. Regardless of perspective, his role in commercializing the Adirondack chair shaped its history permanently. Without his actions, it is possible the design would have remained a local curiosity rather than becoming a global standard for outdoor relaxation.
The Adirondack Chair Today
More than a century after Harry Bunnell’s patent, the Adirondack chair continues to thrive in countless forms. Wooden, plastic, folding, rocking, oversized, and luxury versions can be found in homes across the world. Its design has been refined but not replaced, proving the strength of the original concept. Adirondack chairs are now available in a wide range of materials, colors, and styles, yet they all retain the DNA of Lee’s prototype and Bunnell’s Westport commercial version.
The fact that the chair remains so popular speaks to the power of good design combined with smart commercialization. Bunnell’s decision to patent and produce the chair ensured it would not fade into obscurity. Instead, it became one of the most enduring and beloved pieces of furniture ever created. His story reminds us that sometimes the people who bring ideas to life in the marketplace are as important as those who invent them.
Why Bunnell’s Story Endures
Harry Bunnell’s story endures because it reflects the interplay between creativity, business, and culture. He may not have been the original inventor, but he played the crucial role of bridging invention and widespread adoption. His patent marked the moment when the Adirondack chair became more than just a clever design—it became a commercial product with lasting appeal. For homeowners today, the history adds meaning to the comfort they experience when sitting in an Adirondack chair. Every slanted back, wide arm, and deep seat carries with it a story of invention, adaptation, and business vision. Bunnell’s decision to patent and sell the chair ensured that it would not be forgotten, and in doing so, he helped create an icon of outdoor living that continues to define patios, porches, and backyards worldwide.
