Keeping Cool

As we begin the month of July, we are in the midst of summer, we can expect it will be warmer, if not downright hot. The Heritage Center is one of the coolest places in town. We have to keep it cool and dry to protect the collections. Today, most homes and business have air conditioning, but, how did people cope with heat in the past? Houses were built with windows and doors facing prevailing breezes; some only one room wide. West walls were often solid, or with few windows. Older homes had shades and shutters which could be closed to fend off the afternoon heat. Shutters were louvered to allow for air flow, but it was still hot.

Cooling structures was not the only issue. What about keeping food from spoiling? Food, prior to refrigeration was preserved by drying, smoking, salting, pickling and other means. And there were ice houses. Some were pits below grade and covered with straw and other materials to keep the ice from melting. There were also large buildings insulated with sawdust, straw or seaweed. Ice was cut in large blocks from frozen ponds, rivers and lakes during the cold months and hauled to the ice house, stored and used sparingly until the next winter. In the mid-1800s, "iceboxes" were developed. They were heavy wooden cabinets, lined with tin or zinc. Ice was put in a compartment at the top, the cold air circulated downward keeping food cool. At the bottom, there was a drain and pan to catch the water from the melting ice. In towns and cities, icemen delivered blocks of ice and the boxes stayed cool, enough to keep milk from spoiling and other items fresh, like large picnic coolers. The first home refrigerator was made in 1913 and freezers came into being in the 1940s.

One thing is sure, people will find ways to be more comfortable. The Heritage Center is a cool place!