Barbed wire changed the face of the American West. By the mid-19th century, traditional fence materials had become scarce and expensive. In 1874, after seeing a wooden rail with sharp nails along its sides at a fair, De Kalb resident Joseph Glidden was inspired to invent a successful barbed wire. Although more than 500 other barbed wire formats were also patented, Glidden is considered to be the "father" of barbed wire.