Independence Daze: A History of July Fourth
In the early days of our nation, July Fourth wasn’t an official holiday at all. In fact, it wasn’t until 1938 that it became a paid day-off. So how did the Fourth become the holiest day on our secular calendar? Historian Pauline Maier offers some answers, and explains how radically the meaning of the Declaration [...]
The Ice King
The following audio clip is excerpted from the BackStory episode “Climate Control: A History of Heating & Cooling.” You can listen to the entire episode here. The story of Frederic Tudor, the “Ice King,” who made his fortune harvesting New England ice and–in the process–transformed the American ideal of comfort. [Audio clip: view full post [...]
The Stove Revolution
The following audio clip is excerpted from the BackStory episode “Climate Control: A History of Heating & Cooling.” You can listen to the entire episode here. Historian Howell Harris explains why the Franklin Stove was mis-named, and what winter was like in the North before the stove revolution caught fire. [Audio clip: view full post [...]
“Climate Control” Transcript
This is the transcript of “Climate Control: A History of Heating and Cooling,” broadcast in March 2010. You can listen to the entire episode here.
Climate Control: A History of Heating & Cooling
What was life like before the era of the thermostat? And how did America become the “land of comfort?”
