Otis Singleton
Before electricity, cooling methods were limited. The first source of energy was the sun, which provided heat and light. Wood was the first source of energy consumption in 1775, followed by coal in the 1850s. Kerosene stoves were used for cooking, and wood was burned to heat homes. The second floors of homes were often unheated, except for the heat that came up through floor grates from the first floor. Food was preserved through canning, smoking, and fermenting, and refrigerators were iceboxes that could only store a small amount of food.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Food preservation methods | Canning, smoking, fermenting, salting, and storing food in cool root cellars or iceboxes |
| Food sources | Farm families primarily produced their own meat, vegetables, and fruit |
| Cooking methods | Wood-burning stoves, kerosene stoves |
| Entertainment | Listening to the radio, playing the phonograph, playing cards, singing |
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What You'll Learn
Iceboxes kept food cold
Before the advent of electricity, iceboxes were used to keep food cold. These were compact, non-mechanical refrigerators, usually made of wood and lined with tin or zinc. They were insulated using materials such as cork, sawdust, straw, or seaweed. A large block of ice was stored in a tray or compartment near the top of the box, and cold air circulated down and around the storage compartments in the lower section.
The ice used in iceboxes was harvested during the winter from frozen lakes and stored for use in the spring and summer. This practice of ice harvesting dates back to the mid-19th century, and iceboxes began to make their way into homes during this period. By the end of the 19th century, many American households used iceboxes to store perishable food. The icebox manufacturing industry also played a role in improving the design of iceboxes, with the introduction of air circulation to improve cooling.
The use of iceboxes allowed for the storage of perishable foods for longer periods, without the need for lengthier preservation processes such as smoking, drying, or canning. It also provided a way to store leftovers, which previously might not have lasted beyond one meal. The development of electric refrigerators in the 1930s eventually replaced the use of iceboxes, offering more space and longevity for food storage.
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Cellars were used for storing food
Before the advent of electricity, food preservation and storage were achieved through various methods. Cellars were used extensively for storing food, as they provided a cool environment. In the context of plantation complexes in the Southern United States, certain structures were dedicated to the processing and storage of crops and food.
Cellars offered a natural cooling mechanism, particularly useful for perishable foods. The temperature in cellars was lower than in the rest of the house, making them ideal for short-term food storage. For instance, vegetables were often stored in root cellars during the winter months. This method of using cellars for food storage was also employed by farm families, who kept food items like vegetables and meat in cellars for a few days at a time.
The use of cellars for food storage was a common practice, especially in the absence of modern refrigeration. However, other techniques were also employed to preserve food for longer periods. Smoking meat, for example, was a widely used method in smokehouses on plantations and farms. Meat from cows, pigs, and chickens was preserved through smoking and salting. Additionally, canning meat and vegetables was essential for farm families to ensure a steady food supply during the winter.
Beyond cellars and smoking, ancient civilizations also utilized natural environments for food preservation. In Northern Europe, for instance, ancient peoples would submerge butter in bogs, taking advantage of the cool, low-oxygen, and highly acidic conditions to extend the shelf life of dairy products. Similarly, some ancient peoples would deposit large pieces of meat in small ponds, where they would remain edible for several months. These innovative solutions to the challenge of food preservation demonstrate the ingenuity of pre-electricity societies in maintaining their food supplies.
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Meat was preserved in smokehouses
Before the advent of electricity, meat preservation was a crucial challenge, especially during the hot and humid Virginia summers, which could cause meat to spoil in mere days. To prevent this, various techniques were employed, including the use of smokehouses.
Smokehouses were commonly built from hewn logs or bricks and played a vital role in preserving meat, typically pork, beef, and mutton. The process began with the slaughter in the fall or early winter, followed by the application of salt and sugar to the meat, marking the start of the curing process. This curing process, an essential preservation method, utilised salt to dehydrate the meat, inhibiting bacterial growth and extending its shelf life.
After curing, the meat was slowly dried and smoked in the smokehouse by a fire that generated smoke without adding heat to the structure. This smoking process, conducted at temperatures below 100 degrees Fahrenheit, imparted flavour and created a smoke barrier that further protected the meat from bacterial spoilage. If the external temperature was cool enough, the smoked meat could be stored in the smokehouse until consumption.
In addition to smokehouses, other methods were used to keep food cool before electricity. For instance, ice harvested from frozen lakes during winter was stored for use in spring and summer, providing temporary refrigeration in iceboxes. Cellars, with their cooler temperatures, also served as places to store food for a few days.
The absence of modern refrigeration techniques meant that significant time and effort were dedicated to preserving meat and other foods, ensuring a supply throughout the year.
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Kerosene stoves kept kitchens cool
Before electricity, plantation kitchens were often unbearably hot in the summer due to cooking stoves that burned wood. These stoves also produced smoke that blackened the walls, and the ash box needed to be emptied regularly.
Some farm wives had kerosene stoves, which had controls to regulate the heat and made for a cooler kitchen. In the early 1900s, an Ohio entrepreneur, Francis E. Drury, owner of the Cleveland Foundry Company, approached John D. Rockefeller with a proposal to sell kerosene-fueled stoves as an alternative to cast-iron wood or coal-burning stoves. Thanks to early marketing help from 300 Standard Oil salesmen, a foundry in Cleveland, Ohio, manufactured millions of "Perfection" stoves that burned kerosene.
Kerosene stoves were promoted for their convenience and economy, offering "emancipation from overheated kitchen drudgery in hot weather." By 1922, more than 3 million Perfection kitchen stoves were used in U.S. homes. Kerosene stoves were also safer and more efficient than wood-burning stoves, which produced smoke and ash.
The Primus stove, the first pressurized-burner kerosene stove, was developed in 1892 and earned a reputation for reliability and durability. Kerosene stoves use a series of wicks, usually made of loosely twisted or woven cotton, to draw fuel from the tank to the burner. However, an inherent problem with wick-type stoves is that the tank can heat up when used for an extended period, leading to an explosion.
Overall, kerosene stoves played an important role in keeping kitchens cool before the widespread availability of electricity, offering a safer, more efficient, and convenient alternative to traditional wood-burning stoves.
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Phonographs were hand-cranked
Before the advent of electricity, plantation houses were cooled through architectural design. The houses were often built with wide porches and large windows to allow for better airflow and cross-ventilation. Additionally, thick walls and high ceilings helped to insulate the house and keep the interior cool.
In the absence of modern refrigeration, food was preserved through various methods such as smoking, drying, and canning. Ice harvested from frozen lakes during winter was stored and used to keep food cold in iceboxes, which served as "refrigerators" before electricity. Cellars, with their consistently cool temperatures, were also utilized for food storage.
Now, moving on to the topic of phonographs, these devices played a significant role in entertainment before electricity. Phonographs, also known as record players or turntables, were hand-cranked devices used for recording and replaying sound. Invented by Thomas Edison in 1877, the phonograph was the result of his work on the telegraph and the telephone. Edison's initial recordings involved indenting sounds onto a tinfoil-wrapped cylinder using a vibrating stylus. The tin foil, however, tore easily, leading to distortions and limited playback.
The hand-cranked phonograph, as described by a user on the Marathon County Historical Society website, required physical effort to operate: "We had this old-fashioned Victrola record player. The records were about six-seven inches long and they were round (cylinders) and we had to crank it up. After a while, we had the flat records but we still had to crank it up because we didn't have electricity." The hand-cranking mechanism served as a precursor to the later electric-powered motors introduced to phonographs.
The Psychophone, invented in 1927, featured an electric-powered motor, marking a shift from hand-cranked operation. It is important to note that the hand-cranked phonographs, while requiring manual effort, provided a source of entertainment and a sense of community for families, who would gather around the phonograph or radio for listening sessions.
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Frequently asked questions
Before electricity, plantations used iceboxes to keep food cold. Ice was harvested in the winter from frozen lakes and stored for use in spring and summer.
Meat was smoked in a smokehouse by a fire that did not add any heat to the smokehouse itself.
Some cooks used kerosene stoves, which had controls to regulate the heat and made for a cooler kitchen. Others used wood stoves, which made kitchens unbearably hot in summer.
Houses were cooled by keeping the windows open and using fans.
