The question remains: Will the hard hat remain the iconic symbol of the construction site 10 or 15 years from now, or will the safety helmet be just as accurate of a depiction? Only time will tell.

Edward W. Bullard invented the hard hat in 1919, then patented it in 1929. It's credited with saving lives on job sites while also becoming a symbol of working-class America.

Hence the "hard boiled" name. The original hat cost all of $3. Her great grandfather used the doughboy helmets from World War I as inspiration, and added cotton straps for suspension.