5 ways people cooled off in the summer before air conditioning
Beating the scorching heat was much different before air conditioning was commonplace, and many people had to be creative when trying to stay cool and comfortable on a hot summer afternoon.
A boy and a dog sit in the shade near a lake in MacArthur Park. (Photo by USC Libraries/Corbis via Getty Images)
Air conditioning is a comfort that many people take for granted when temperatures soar during the summer. However, before electricity or the widespread use of home cooling systems, people had to get creative to beat the heat.
Here are five ways people across the United States stayed cool before air conditioning was invented.
Water fountains
Water fountains in big cities were popular spots to cool off in the summer before air conditioning was widely available, especially for children. On a hot summer day, an oasis would be busy with children looking to take a dip.
Children playing at 'Civic Virtue Triumphant Over Unrighteousness,' a sculpture group on the Angelina Crane Fountain outside New York City Hall in Manhattan, New York City, New York, circa 1925. (Photo by UPI/Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)
While fountains like these made it easier to find some relief from the heat, they also made it easier to contract an illness. Not only were many different people using these fountains, but sometimes horses and other animals would use them as well, often rendering them unsanitary.
Ice blocks
Planning ahead during the cold winter months paid off during the dog days of summer, providing some relief from hot weather without the need for a refrigerator. Ice harvested from frozen lakes in the winter was stored in naturally cool buildings called ice houses, where it sat until being distributed months later.
A group of children licking large blocks of ice on a hot summer day in New York City on July 6, 1912. (Library of Congress)
Although using ice to cool down was efficient, it wasn't always reliable due to the variability of winter weather. If the winter was warm, less ice would be available for harvest, making it a rare commodity when temperatures spiked in the summer.
High ceilings
Creative architecture was another way to prevent indoor conditions from becoming stifling and uncomfortable.
Because hot air rises, some buildings were constructed with high ceilings. The hot, rising air would then escape through windows near the ceiling to create a natural airflow, although the flow of air would not be as strong as a breeze generated by a fan.
Front porches
Architects also incorporated front porches onto houses to give homeowners a place to escape and relax from the inside of a hot home. People could sit outside during the evening and early in the night when it was cooler outside than inside the house.
Family on the front porch of a small house, relaxing, reading, with dog, 1920. (Photo by Melvin E. Diemer/Wisconsin Historical Society/Getty Images)
The porch eventually became a place to socialize with friends and family while cooling off after a long, hot day.
Napping in the shade
One of the simplest ways to beat the heat before air conditioning was to take a nap in a grassy area under a tree during the hottest part of the day.
Battery Park on hot day, between circa 1910 and circa 1915. (Photo by Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images)
Trees could be found almost everywhere, even in the heart of New York City, and provide plenty of shade for people nearby. Taking a nap in the afternoon also meant not doing any strenuous work when temperatures were peaking, reducing the threat of dehydration, heat stroke and heat exhaustion.
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