How do you keep cool with out air conditioning or electric fans?
Did you know that Victorian ladies would often use their plant atomizer to mist their faces to cool down. Windows were covered with heavy drapes to block the sun and other windows were open to let in a breeze from the shady sides of the house. If one paid careful attention to the sun and windows were open or closed and the right times a comfortable temperature could be obtained.
In the summer most homes had outdoor kitchens. Or summer kitchens. Depending on location and social status a summer kitchen could be a large room with rooms above for slaves or it could be a open fire outside. Some summer kitchens were in enclosed back porches off the kitchen where windows could be opened on 3 sides to encourage air flow. Usually the summer kitchen was adjacent to the main kitchen. The summer kitchen was a place to do canning and early morning baking or cooking of meals that could be enjoyed cool throught the day. Often breakfast was served in the summer kitchen at day break and supper was served at sunset. And the noon meal was served in the field or outside (unless it was raining or very windy as is the case on the Midwest plains of the USA).
The summer kitchen usually had a smaller size stove that would not have a big fire.
Years ago I went into a large old store in a small town and it was very cool in the store. I said something to the owner about how expensive it must be to cool such a large building and he said oh no it's free, heat rises pulling cool air from under the main level through vents in the floors. He showed me a vent in the floor which had cool air coming from it. I wish I would have asked more information about the way it worked because I'm sure there must have been more to it then just opening vents. But maybe not. 🤔
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