Dutch ovens were an important tool in frontier history dating back to the early 1800's. The Pioneers were very limited in the amount of equipment they could pack in moving westward. Dutch ovens, although heavy, had multiple cooking uses and could be heated and cleaned quickly. The Dutch oven proved to be an easy way to bake bread, fry fish or make stew without causing much delay to your travel time.
Because Paul Revere had a pattern for making a Dutch oven almost identical to the ones used on the frontier, he is often credited as their creator. The Dutch, of course, argue that the frontier Dutch oven was patterned after their iron kettles brought to the colonies by tradesmen and that the popular ovens are named after them. Everyone agrees that at that time the Dutch oven was one of the most efficient cooking utensils ever built...and it still is!