Rain Bird - History

History

Rain Bird had its origins in early 1933 when California citrus grower Orton Englehardt developed the first prototype of the horizontal action impact sprinkler. The new design offered slow rotation and more efficient watering that other sprinklers of that era, features that were long sought after by local irrigators. Orton's friend and neighbor Clement LaFetra began helping him make and market the sprinklers and urged him to patent the invention. The patent (U.S. Patent No. 1,997,901) was awarded on April 16, 1935. Englehardt preferred farming, so in 1935 he sold the business to Clement and Mary Elizabeth LaFetra, whose descendants still operate the company today. The name Rain Bird was taken from the Native American legend of a bird that brought rain, in reference to the "bird-like" appearance of the impact sprinkler in action. Since its beginnings, Rain Bird has offered irrigation products for farms, golf courses, sports arenas, commercial developments, and residential landscapes worldwide. Rain Bird has been awarded hundreds of patents. Rain Bird also offers education, training and services for the industry and the community. Rain Bird maintains manufacturing assembly facilities in the United States, France, Sweden and Mexico.