Growing up in Superior, I had lots of time to watch cars and trucks on the streets of Superior. One feature which deserves comment would be a common device call “mud flaps.”

Many highways in the area were unpaved and had gravel surfaces. County roads were also gravel and when there was heavy rain or snow, the vehicles would wear into the surfaces and mud would result. The rotation of the vehicle’s tires would throw mud backward coating the windshield and front of following vehicles.

Most trucks then and today have mud flaps which catch the mud and prevent mud throwing. The early mud flaps were...