By Michael E.C. Gery

• Introduction
• The First Air Conditioner
• The "Hot Weather Blessing"
• Download the article as a

The “hot weather blessing”

North Carolina’s electric cooperatives began promoting air-conditioning systems in 1965. Carolina Country magazine (then called “The Carolina Farmer”) in June 1965 carried a special edition of its section “The Carolina Homemaker” devoted to window-mounted air-conditioning units. “Homemaker” editor Jennie Layne began this way: “Will this be your first summer of living with an air conditioner? Congratulations – you’ve a wonderful summer ahead of you.” The piece proceeds to advise people on where, how and when to use the systems, including suggestions along the lines of “Grandma’s tricks” such as completing indoor, heat-making activities, such as baking, before the day reached its peak warm temperature.

Even in 1967, the cooperatives continued basic instruction and advice about “this hot weather blessing” of air conditioning. “The Carolina Homemaker” in June 1967 issued a question-and-answer feature entitled “Puzzled About Air Conditioning?”

Today, most North Carolina cooperative members — even those in the mountains — consider air conditioning essential.
A 2000 survey of North Carolina cooperatives revealed that 90 percent of us have air conditioning at home. But there are still plenty who remember the days and nights before we could simply set a thermostat or turn a dial to keep our rooms or cars cool in summer. And some of us still prefer just to open a window.