Cooling Your Car Before A/C |
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If your living in Arizona this summer, you have undoubtedly seen how hot cars can get in the sun. You may be wondering how people kept their cars cool on hot days before A/C was an option. One way was the automotive evaporative cooler! This device is attached to the outside of the passenger window and could blow cool air into the car. The device consisted of a water pan, a sponge on a spring-loaded axle, and a cord. The cord was attached to the axle, and pulling it spun the sponge. The sponge was dipped in the water pan, so the spinning covered the axle with water. The window was rolled down an inch or two for the cooler vent to pass through. |
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"Firestone" automotive evaporative cooler at PCHM. |
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You operated the cooler by adding water, and then pulling the cord to spin and wet the sponge. As you drove, air would blow into the cooler, over the sponge, through the vent, and into the car. As the air passed over the sponge, the water would evaporate, and the air would be cooled. There were a few disadvantages to this device. Water always had to be added, and the water had to be distilled to avoid a mineral buildup. It also didn't work well in humid weather, as there would be little evaporation. When A/C became an option for cars these devices largely disappeared (although you can still buy a newer one on Amazon!) To see one of these devices look for it on the north wall of the museum. |
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Gift Shop Items of the Month: Books for Kids! |
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Kids or grandkids cooped up in the house trying to stay out of the heat? We have some great books for them to read! We have a nice selection for varying ages and starting at $5. We also have some unique candies to go along with a book. |
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We are closed the month of August, except for the First Saturday of the month, August 5th. Stop by and see us on our family day from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. We have AC!
Our doors will reopen on September 1st, and we welcome the public to see us Tuesday-Saturday, from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.
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Five C's of Arizona Speaker Series |
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One of our many exciting activities this season is our Five C's of Arizona Speaker Series! PCHM and Viney Jones Community Library are partnering to bring fascinating speakers on the second Friday at 10:00 am in September, October, January, February, March, April, and May. All programs are held at the Viney Jones Community Library (778 N Main St). Read more about our first two programs and keep an eye out for our August Program Reminder for our full 2023-2024 activities!
9/8/23: The History and Mystery of the Gila River by Chris Reid
Many people know about Arizona’s most famous river, the Colorado, but the often-forgotten Gila River also has a rich and somewhat hidden history. Starting in central New Mexico, the Gila makes its journey through eastern and most of southern Arizona before joining the Colorado. Personal memoirs, field journals, and anecdotes of the missionaries, explorers, adventurers, and pioneers who followed or settled it, will bring the human side of the Gila to life. This program shows how the Gila River provided life-giving water for agriculture, transportation, recreation, and inspiration for generations of people.
10/13/23: For the Love of Turquoise by Carrie Cannon
Turquoise has a long-standing tradition amongst Native cultures of the Southwest, holding special significance and profound meanings to specific individual tribes. Even before the more contemporary tradition of combining silver with turquoise, cultures throughout the southwest used turquoise in necklaces, earrings, mosaics, fetishes, medicine pouches, and made bracelets of basketry stems lacquered with piñon resin and inlaid turquoise. In the southwest, used decoratively for millennia, this iconic art form has a compelling story all its own. This talk explores a long tradition of distinctive cultural styles, history, and transition of this wondrous stone. This program is made possible by Arizona Humanities.
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July 15, 1948: On this date, Arizona indigenous people gained the right to vote in United States elections. Before this, Native Americans were considered under federal guardianship. In 1948 Frank Harrison and Harry Austin tried to cast their votes and were turned away. They went to court, and on July 15th, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled in their favor, opening the door for all Native Americans from Arizona to vote.
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Pinal County Historical Museum
715 South Main Street
Florence, AZ 85132
520-868-4382
WEB: https://pinalcountyhistoricalmuseum.org/
EMAIL: pchsmuseum@yahoo.com
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