How did people deal with humidity before air conditioning?

In very old homes, built before electricity, there would be large cloth “fans”, with large ropes attached to them which either people or their domestic staff took time to rock in a motion similar to how a large church bell is rung. This works on dry and on humid days.

When did air conditioning become common in Texas?

As the 20th century rolled around, air conditioning began to make its way on to the scene in Texas. In 1912, the First Presbyterian Church in Orange, Texas was the first public building in Texas to have air conditioning.

How did Pioneers stay cool in the summer?

Planting trees All the homeowners had to do was to plant large trees on the east and west sides of the home to block the summer sun before it has the chance to warm the home’s interior. These trees also cooled down the breezes before they entered the porch area.

How did we survive without air conditioning?

8 Things People Did To Stay Cool Before Air Conditioning Kept windows and doors shut at midday to keep hot air out. Delayed cooking, baking, and kitchen chores until the cooler evening hours. Opened windows at bedtime to let in the cool nighttime air. Blew fans across blocks of ice.

How did Cowboys survive the heat?

wear lightweight, light-colored clothes. stay hydrated (though they drank a lot of alcohol back then, due to dirty water) built homes with large windows and high ceilings in the hallways, if possible. napped during the heat of the day.

How did people live in Houston before air conditioning?

In later times, between the early pioneers and air conditioning, houses were built with a lot of windows that opened wide, and big front porches. When it was too hot inside they would be out on the porch. In the evenings the windows would be wide open to let in cooler air.

When did AC come to Houston?

When the city got it start in 1836, air conditioning meant something else entirely. This week, as the feels-like temperature nears 105 degree, it’s hard to imagine living in Houston without access to conventional air conditioning, but in the history of Texas is largest city, A/C is fairly new.

How did Cowboys keep cool?

At night they soaked their bed sheets in water and went to sleep. Many slept outside to take advantage of the wind. During the day, Westerners often took a nice, refreshing dip in irrigation ditches or canals. And they had access to ice—ice plants were around by the 1870s.

When did houses get air conditioning?

In the early 1900s, electric fans first appeared in U.S. homes. The air conditioner was finally invented in 1902. The modern air conditioner was invented by Willis Carrier in 1902, and textile mill engineer Stuart Cramer was the first to coin the term “air conditioning” in 1906.

Did you know that Texas did not have central air conditioning?

Well as miserable as this might sound, it was not that long ago that Texans did not have central air conditioning systems and had to rely upon other ways to remain cool on those sweltering summer days!

How were homes kept cool before air conditioning?

Another way how homes were kept cool before the age of AC was people would keep the doors on upper level rooms closed during the day to help contain hot air and prevent the rest of the home from getting too hot.

How did homes stay cool in the 1950s and 1960s?

It was not uncommon to find homes in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s without any type of automated cooling. To stay cool, people came up with some rather creative “cooling hacks.” People would fill ice chests and place these in the basement. Basements are naturally cool and when the ice melted, it would lower the air temperature even more.

What was the first type of indoor air conditioning?

The coolness of the ice and tub along with the air flow the fan created, resulted in the first type of ancient air conditioning for indoor cooling. If you look at the architecture of homes prior to the invention of the air conditioning, two common traits are high ceilings of ten feet and thicker walls between one and two feet.