(Palmer Wahl Instrumentation Group: Asheville, NC) -- America’s first instrumentation company, Palmer Wahl Instrumentation Group, is proudly celebrating 175 years of manufacturing industrial instrumentation in 2011.

Originally founded in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1836 by James Foster, Jr., Palmer Wahl has been a consistent innovator since the 19th century, developing the first thermometer made in America—the Foster Cup—in 1852. The introduction of kerosene to the market during the 1850s led to the decline of candle use, but brought with it a host of dangers, as its volatility caused many deaths. The need to improve kerosene safety led Foster to develop the “Foster Automatic Oil Tester,” a closed-cup design instrument known for being the first thermometer manufactured in the United States.

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