Seniors, what did you do before air conditioning? (marriage, 2013, retirees)

[jean_ji]

We do not have AC in NY. Old house, big trees and we've survived for 31 years. It's probably why the heat doesn't bother us in FL, we do have AC there. An occasional heat wave vs months of heat is the difference.

We keep our AC at 78-80 in FL and are comfortable with ceiling fans. In NY In the winter we kept the temp at 65-68 in the winter. Keeping the inside environment in stark contrast to what is going on outside, eventually makes people more intolerant to both heat and cold, IMO.

We learned long ago to cope with extreme heat and cold and live with whatever is going on weather-wise. It makes life easier and happier in the long run for us; I realize we are not the norm.

[loves2read]

Grew up in central Texas--no AC until my parents bought room AC when I was in high school-in mid 60s...my college dorm was AC--
when I started teaching in Houston in 1970--there was NO AC in the building--just jalosy type windows and my room caught afternoon sun in a corner where there was NO air flow...

the kids would smear the ink on their paper writing because it was so hot...
and this was low-income sociodemographic where personal hygene was often lacking...

plus my car had no AC---AC in cars was usually an add-on and expensive option...

[Jo48]

I grew up in a Manhattan apartment. No cross ventilation at all. I took long cold baths. We turned on fire hydrants on the streets. We went on the roof to try to catch a breeze. Remember that old song? It's true.

Sometimes we would walk down to the piers or take a ride on the Staten Island Ferry at night to cool off. Yes, we went to AC movies and department stores just to cool off. The subways were even worse. Climb down the stairs and the heat down there would hit you in the face. In the Summer Heat Waves it had to be over 100 degrees in the subways. Horrible.

When home window AC came out, my Mom (hated the heat also) bought one for every room in the apartment except the bathroom. lol My Dad was constantly worrying about blowing the fuse with all those air conditioners. I guess electric rates must have been cheap back in those days.

Perhaps my childhood experience is why I still cannot stand the heat even today. That is one reason why we are moving out of Florida, even with AC. I doubt I could put my AC down to the 50's which is my perfect temperature.

[daynet]

The reverse is true, too. Artificial heat dries everything up, our skin, our hair. Comb your hair and it's static electricity (we heat with very expensive electricity)

[TwinbrookNine]

Lower Michigan can, at times during the summer, feel like Biloxi, MS. I can't for the life of me conceive of sleeping in that weather, no A/C, not even a fan (my dad had an attitude about fans - I think he was thinking 1930's - 40's when the crappy brittle cords on those things (and other small appliances) were, to him, a fire hazard).

Today, I cannot sleep in a room over 70 degrees and I'm talking, with low humidity.

And after daytime play in hot humid weather, mom would lovingly put "crotch powder" on us kids (aka "Argo Corn Starch") on us to prevent chafing....how thoughtful.

But other than that yellow box with the blue corn cob squaw on the front, relief from hot sultry weather amounted to a blow- up pool (about 6" deep) or just running down the block through the sprinklers.

At least it was summer and school was out. That alone made life tolerable, no matter what.

[SunGrins]

I ran through the sprinkler in my underwear.

Now we have "drip irrigation"...spoil sports.

[Littlelu]

When I was growing up there was no air conditioning in the homes so how could I want what didn't exist! You just dealt
with it and used fans. And I was raised in Phoenix. I can't imagine living without a/c now. We are so spoiled!

[tamiznluv]

Good thread! Grew up in MA mid '50s-early '70s and never had a/c. Heat didn't bother me when I was a kid. I spent the summer days riding my bike, running through sprinklers, drinking Kool-Aid, lemonade, playing in the basement, under the large oak tree and "swimming" in a kiddie pool. I don't even remember fans in the house. I do remember my grandparents had a big floor fan out in their back screened porch for when there was no breeze and listening to Red Sox games with Bampa on Saturday afternoons. They had a sun room too that had all windows and was heated too. I loved to sleep in there in the summer.

Now my place has central a/c but I don't use it. I use a portable a/c for when it's too humid and hot. Heat and MS don't get along. Right now I have the blinds down where the sun is and have no windows open with just a fan going. Cool enough for me.

I used to work in a factory with no a/c while running a machine up to 500°F!! I did that for 16 years. That was tough but good money. So I can stand being uncomfortable for a little while now until I reach my breaking point.

[ackmondual]

I lived in an non-air conditioned dorm for a semester in Maryland. It wasn't pleasant, but you get used to it. I actually did homework in the communal bathroom since it was large, and with 2 open windows, you'd get a solid breeze which was like A/C. Otherwise, I would hang out in places with A/C (which wasn't something you'd be able to do given the past that the OP's talking about, but I went with it) like the library, gym, computer lab, or other dorms.

One apartment I lived in during school didn't have A/C for a few weeks. Similar deal. Here, I would take cold showers several times a day to cool off. You really did wake up and felt like you were in hell.

[Gunluvver2]

I remember an Uncle that rigged a squirrel cage type fan with an intake that passed air over water and it fit on the lip of a window and blew cool air into the passenger compartment. Some body told him to get the idea patented. He was all excited but the next year a Great Uncle bought a new car with factory air. Ten years earlier and my Uncle might have been a millionaire.