Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Artesian Air Conditioning

HOT! It is hot here with temps hovering around 100 degrees F. and heat indexes in the 110- degree range. Our air conditioner is running nonstop, still unable to keep up with the heat and humidity by mid-afternoon. So, how did people survive this weather in the 19th Century in a sticky, swampy environment?

At Cahawba, E.M. Perine pumped cold water from an artesian well through pipes in his mansion, creating the first air-conditioned house in Alabama. The house is long gone, but the well is still there, and this sign at Old Cahawba Archealogical Park marks the spot.

4 comments:

simon kutcher said...

I am constantly amazed at the things we say we cannot do without. I love reminders of the past when things were a little more "difficult", however this also highlights human ingenuity

Annie said...

It's as hot here as it is there - and likely as humid. Thank goodness for air conditioning. I often wonder how my grandparents tolerated the heat in August when they were harvesting their crops - and canning things too. They didn't have Perine's money or artesian air conditioning.

magiceye said...

ah the temp here in Mumbai has dropped to comfortable 24c after the continuous rains..

isa said...

...and they wore much more clothing than us ;-)

But seriously, they just knew to "take it easy" in this heat, not like us, running around like chickens with our heads cut off!

Plus, let's face it, they were tougher than us - we are soft and unconditioned ;-)