where did hashtags even start?

Hashtags are 6 years old and are now the most hated, yet praised, introduction of social networks… and it all started on Twitter.

Do you know where the hashtag on Twitter came from?

It all started with a tweet from Chris Messina, co-founder of BarCamps and presently Google+ UX Designer.  At the time, there was a mission to create groups on Twitter. Despite the idea of using hastags for groups, it was used for identifying events.  It made tweets shorter, first of all, then Twitter decided to make hashtags clickable, therefore making a promotional tool for events.  

(from http://hashtags.ws/hashtag-tips-50-facts-about-twitter/ , photo from keep.com )