History of AC: Movie Theaters Were a Large Part

Air conditioning is one of those things that many people in the United States take for granted. We’re used to having cool homes – or the option to cool them – but it wasn’t long ago that air conditioning was considered a luxury. A recent article in Pantagraph titled PFOP:Movie theaters early users of air conditioning tells the story of movie theaters and their early acceptance of AC.

Bill Kemp writes, “Air conditioning is one of those profound 20th century innovations that most of us take for granted. Yet “refrigerated air” has utterly remade the United States. The rise of Houston, Texas, Phoenix, Ariz., and other infernal Sun Belt conurbations, for instance, would’ve been impossible without the advent of air conditioning.

Oscillating electric fans arrived in the early 20th century, and though they provided much relief they could only do so much, especially in large enclosed spaces crowded with people, such as movie houses. In 1902, 25-year-old engineer Willis Carrier developed the first modern air conditioning system for use in a Brooklyn, N.Y., publishing house. His approach involved moving air through water-cooled coils. If Carrier’s name strikes a bell, it’s because the Carrier Engineering Corp., formed in 1915, has remained an industry leader in the manufacturing and distribution of heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

Motion pictures became popular in the 1910s, though theaters often suffered a steep downturn in ticket sales during summer’s sweltering stretches. Paper or folding fans were a necessity for summertime moviegoing, and a crowded theater in sticky weather would be in perpetual motion from the flurry of fluttering fans. In 1925, Carrier installed an air conditioning system in the Rivoli Theater, Paramount Pictures’ showpiece on Times Square in Manhattan. The naysayers were ready to pillory Carrier and his contraption, and many in the audience brought fans. The trial run, however, was a great success, and over the next five years Carrier installed air conditioning systems in some 300 theaters in the United States.”

At AC World we understand that air conditioning is more than a convenience, it’s a necessity. Without it, people die in hot, muggy weather. That’s why we’re proud to offer some of the most innovative options in heating and cooling: ductless air conditioners. Contact us today to learn how a single-zone or multi-zone unit could be the heating and cooling solution you’ve been searching for.