On this day in heating history...

Erin Holohan Haskell

On this day in heating history: On March 12, 1888, a record-shattering blizzard descended on New York City. As most people ran out of coal, customers of the New York Steam Company, the brand-new district-heating company, were the only ones to stay warm. District steam heating changed the face of American architecture because, with steam under the city streets, there was no longer a need for chimneys.

Want more? Here's a year's worth of heating history: https://heatinghelp.com/blog/a-years-worth-of-heating-history/

Jamie Hall

Same storm caused New York to put all the telephone lines underground -- and later electric power lines. Was quite a mess!

flat_twin

I enjoyed reading all those entries. Thanks Erin!

The history and development of central heating is really interesting.
I researched our 1835 Greek Revival style house and found the names and dates of everyone who ever lived here. The lady who owned the house just after electricity came to this small town, was a widow but she had the means financially (during the depression) to have a coal boiler and ten cast iron radiators installed. My family has been here since 1965, benefiting from her investment every winter. Thank you Edna!

Erin Holohan Haskell

Thanks, @flat_twin. And I enjoyed your story as well. Good thinking, Edna!