History: Keeping Cool in the Early Days

Residents of Sheridan recently experienced one of the hottest summers on record, with several high temperature records being broken.

At least today most of us have air conditioning of some sort, but our ancestors had to make do with what nature threw at them. Before electricity, keeping homes cool in the summer was a difficult task.

Homesteaders had to cook using coal or wood stoves, which heated up the house as well as the food. Many times, they used food that had been canned the previous year and stored in the root-cellar or basement. Many grew gardens and used that produce when it was in season, to avoid much cooking.

Some ways of keeping back then cool included opening windows and screen doors at night to let in the cool air and then closed during the heat of the day. Window blinds and shades were used to keep out the heat. Trees around the house and vines growing over windows helped to keep the homes cooler. Pouring water on vine leaves acted like a natural air-conditioner. Sometimes, wet sheets were hung on open windows to cool down houses as the breeze came through them.

Handheld fans were another way of keeping cool, and they could also be fashion statements.

The Lusk Herald, December 24, 1886

There is quite a distinction between fans used in the summer and those that appeal in winter. The former are usually light and simple. Feathers do not seem appropriate for day use. But as fans are seldom used at this season of the year except for evening, feathers are not only appropriate but also beautiful.

This year the stiff quills of the swan have been dyed to suit the color of the dress, and consequently are very popular. But these new fans, destined especially for the use of young ladies, are provided in gauze to match the color of the toilet, and be sprinkled all over the surface or in a series of lines with spangles of silver, steel, or moonlight, according to the taste of the purchaser.

For the wealthy there are no lack of the costly lace fans, in which diamonds are introduced as monograms. Some of the newest transparent black lace fans have a cascade of black lace on the outer rib, fastened here and there with diamond brooches, so that, if possible, they are rather prettier closed than when open.

The lyre-shaped fans with pearl handles are very popular, and the feathers employed for them are very beautiful, especially the tufted marabout. Among the popular styles m the folding fans are those made of gauze mounted on ivory or wood sticks. Some of those are hand-painted in artistic sketches, flowers, landscapes, birds, or figures, and a combination of all. A special novelty m Japanese folding fans is shown m painted crape. The mount has gold or silver figures m bright colored designs on the crinkly surface of the crape, and the effect is very pretty.

Of course, for those with money, they could go on a vacation to get away from the heat, as this advertisement in The Democratic Leader (Dailyed.), August 19, 1886

Ice cream, either at the local soda fountain, or hand-churned at home, was one popular way to help to beat the summer heat. This from the Laramie Weekly Sentinel, June 26, 1886

A time honored tradition to help beat the heat is swimming. From time immortal, people have jumped into creeks, lakes, and, later, swimming pools to cool off, at least for awhile. In rural Wyoming almost anything could serve as a home swimming pool, including stock ponds and stock tanks.

This from The Cheyenne Daily Sun, July 17, 1892

Soon, cities around the country began installing municipal swimming pools. Today, Sheridan and Buffalo each have a fine city pool, as does Dayton.

This from The Sheridan Enterprise, July 22, 1919 – Sheridan Should Have A municipal swimming pool, one that is sanitary, one that the boys and girls and even the grownup could enjoy. Great Falls. Montana has two, cities all over the country are building them and Sheridan could well afford to have an up-to-date swimming pool. It would be a big advertisement for our city. The boys and girls would certainly appreciate it and the sooner it is built, the more enjoyment our citizens will have and themore favorable comment we will receive.’

Of course, as more and more homes installed electricity, more and better fans were manufactured to keep homes cool.

Here is an advertisement in the Cheyenne State Leader, July 25, 1915 for Cheyenne Light, Fuel & Power Co. 1708 Capitol Avenue Phone 16

Warm Weather And Electric Fans Go Hand In Hand – Why suffer with the heat when for a small amount you can secure an electric fan for the home, office or store. In the home use the small oscillating fans. They are easily moved from room to room.

In the kitchen one will make your life worth living. In the dining room the meals will be much pleasant. In the living room it means comfort. For the office — A 12- or 16-inch oscillating fan placed upon your desk will make your work far easier, and less tiresome. At evening when you go home you will have comfort knowing that you have done a full day’s work in comfort.

For the store— Specially nice to keep the flies away from fresh fruits, meats, vegetables, etc. The large fans are the better for this service. Electric ceiling fans will he far more effective in keeping out flies than the ordinary screen door.

We Rent Electric Fans – You can rent a fan during the hot months for a very reasonable cost if you do not wish to own a fan the year around. The rent will he attached to your regular light bill each month. Just tell us you want one and we will send it up. You owe it to your family to take one one home, especially if you have sickness in your home, or any one susceptible to discomfort from heat.

Here is just an idea of the rental and purchase price of the fans at that time. An 8-inch fan to rent, per month, $1.00; two months or more, $ .75 per month.

Fan prices were, 22-inch Ceiling fans, $21.00, 8 inch desk fan, $8,50. Portable fan, $22.75

Cheyenne State Leader, July 26, 1914. As well as fans, electric stoves, rather than coal or gas, were advertised.

We can be thankful, today, that we have many different ways to make ourselves more comfortable no matter what nature throws at us. We, as humans, have learned ways to keep at least fairly comfortable no matter what the weather is outside.

Although hopefully, the worst of the hot weather is behind us, everyone stay cool out there.