The paper drinking straw was invented by Marvin Stone. U.S. patent granted January 3, 1888.

Marvin Stone

Before Stone’s straw, people literally drank from straws — straws from rye stalks. But these straws affected the taste of drinks — drinks tasted like grass.

Stone worked in factory that made paper wrappers for cigarettes. One day he took one of the papers from the factory, wrapped it around a pencil, coated it with paraffin to keep it from leaking and getting waterlogged. Voila: a new “straw” was invented.

Marvin Stone lived in Washington DC. He died in 1898.

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Joseph Friedman enhanced drinking straw construction by adding scores that make it easy to bend the straw. U.S.patent granted September 28, 1937.

Joseph Friedman

http://invention.si.edu/straight-truth-about-flexible-drinking-straw

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There are also plastic drinking straws now. Here’s a fascinating video showing how they are made:

http://mentalfloss.com/article/81004/watch-how-plastic-drinking-straws-are-made