9 Ingenious Methods People Used to Stay Cool Before Air Conditioning

During one of 2021’s intense heatwaves, Boston matched its historical high of 97°F on June 28, a temperature previously recorded in 1901 and 1991. Back in 1901, a year before Willis Carrier introduced air conditioning, transforming how we manage heat today, a resourceful Boston Globe journalist interviewed notable locals about their strategies for coping with the extreme heat.

“I don’t,” replied J.B. Smith, the governor’s private secretary, giving the reporter a look he described in a surprisingly contemporary manner: “How the—do you expect anyone to stay cool in this weather?”

Smith’s exasperation likely resonated with everyone then, and anyone now, who lacks access to A/C. It’s no wonder people have developed an array of clever, unconventional, and occasionally drastic yet impressive methods to endure the summer heat. Here are eight notable examples.

1. Fan Chairs

John Cram, a Philadelphia-based musical instrument maker, created an innovative (though cumbersome) cooling device in the 1780s, attracting notable customers. During the sweltering summer of the constitutional convention, George Washington purchased one for 32 shillings and 6 pence and had it delivered to Mount Vernon, where a replica is still exhibited. Users operated the overhead fan with their feet, similar to how one would use an old sewing machine. Benjamin Franklin is said to have owned one too, though the device never gained widespread popularity.

2. Sleeping Porches

William Howard Taft, another president keen on staying cool, had a 'sleeping porch' built on the White House roof in 1910. These screened-in porches, popular in the early 20th century, offered a cool sleeping spot during hot weather and access to fresh air, believed to have numerous health benefits. A 1916 issue of Popular Science even featured a child-sized sleeping porch, similar to modern window A/C units, designed for urban high-rises to give children fresh air and free up busy mothers for housework.

3. Canvas Awnings

When examining old photos of iconic buildings before A/C, one striking feature is the abundance of awnings over nearly every window. Dating back to ancient times, awnings were essential for blocking the sun's heat. By the late 19th century, new colors and patterns transformed canvas awnings from mere necessities into stylish home decorations. 'As to colors, quite the richest and most effective combinations are shades of orange and brown,' The Ladies’ World magazine noted in 1896. Tassels were also considered a charming addition.

4. DogTrot Homes

Enthusiasts of American vernacular architecture and viewers of Magnolia Network’s Barnwood Builders are familiar with the cooling benefits of dogtrot log cabins, which were widely used in 19th-century Appalachia. These homes featured a breezy central passageway that separated the often sweltering kitchen from the sleeping quarters, offering a refreshing area to unwind.

5. Punkahs

Originating in colonial India, these manually operated ceiling fans required thousands of seasonal laborers, often coerced or contracted, to spend endless hours pulling cords to move fabric back and forth for the elite. The practice also reached the pre-Civil War American South, where enslaved individuals, including Booker T. Washington, were forced to perform this task. Washington, as historian Dana Byrd recounts, used overheard conversations to gauge the progress of the Civil War, demonstrating how such exposure could fuel hopes of freedom for himself and his community.

6. Drinking Buttermilk

The Indian subcontinent introduced the world to a cooling solution for intense heat: buttermilk. Even now, various spiced buttermilk drinks like chaas (or doogh) are enjoyed across Southeast Asia and by global diaspora communities. In late-19th and early 20th-century North America, it was a popular beverage, even endorsed by doctors. 'The demand for this summer drink has been met enthusiastically by shopkeepers,' the Brooklyn Daily Eagle noted in 1892. 'Beyond its immediate refreshing effect, it provides an invigorating boost, elevating buttermilk to the status of a divine nectar.'

7. An 'immense pressure blower' and 'an ice chamber of tremendous proportions'

If it sounds extravagant, elaborate, and theatrical, it’s no wonder this cooling system was employed in theaters. During the 1880s and ‘90s, theater owners experimented with ventilation systems that used electric fans to draw in outside air, cool it over ice-filled underground chambers, and distribute it through floor vents in upscale venues like New York’s Star Theatre on Broadway and 13th. As an added touch, a 'large sponge soaked in perfume' was incorporated into the system, likely to mask any lingering odors in an era when underarm deodorant was just gaining popularity.

8. Sash Windows

Today, most people either keep their windows shut, slightly open them, or open them fully. However, the Victorians had a clever method for cooling rooms using sash windows. Unlike standard windows, sash windows can open from both the top and bottom, allowing cooler air to enter from below while pushing warmer air out through the top.

9. Not Stressing About the Heat

Thomas Darlington, M.D., New York’s Health Commissioner from 1904–1910, was a prominent figure in public health, known for his strong advocacy for professional inspections (though his involvement in the 'Typhoid Mary' case was controversial). His advice to The New York Times in 1910 on staying cool and sleeping well was surprisingly simple. 'Much can be achieved by leading sober, orderly lives: avoiding haste, taking life calmly, staying composed, and not getting worked up,' he said. 'Worrying or obsessing over the weather only agitates the mind and nerves, making sleep impossible.'

This story originally ran in 2021; it has been updated for 2023.