Imagine Memphis in July 1926. Temperatures climb into the 90s, the Mississippi River adds its familiar humidity—and your house probably doesn’t have air conditioning.
So where did Memphians go? For many families, the answer was outside.
By the mid-1920s, Memphis had developed an extensive system of parks, playgrounds and recreation facilities. Public playgrounds gave children places to play while parks offered families an escape from crowded homes and hot city streets.
The automobile was becoming increasingly common, but many Memphians still depended on streetcars to reach parks and other attractions.
Summer recreation was also highly organized. Playground programs, athletic activities and community events were becoming part of municipal life as cities across America embraced the idea that public recreation contributed to healthier communities.
And summer evenings mattered.
Before television, families might listen to WMC radio, attend a movie downtown, sit on the porch or visit neighbors. Electric fans offered some relief indoors, but air conditioning would not become commonplace in Memphis homes for decades.
It is easy to think about history through elections, wars and famous people.
Sometimes a simpler question brings the past closer:
What did you do when it was 95 degrees outside?
For a Memphian in 1926, the answer was very different from ours.