Fascinating bit of history found at gizmodo.com regarding advertisements for the Commodore Hotel (first opened in 1919) and the fact that they had alarm clocks in every room!
Of course, what may blow us away technologically today is something far, far above what may have been a technological wonder to people over a century ago. And the graphics presented above clearly illustrate this.
But I have an even more interesting story!
A few years back I was visiting St. Augustine, whose founding in 1565 makes it the oldest continuously occupied and European established city in the entire United States. Many years after the founding, industrialist Henry Flagler built a hotel there. Called the Ponce De Leon Hotel and opened in 1888, the Hotel still stands today, though it no longer operates as a Hotel and is now part of the Flagler College.
When I visited the area and was on one of those informational excursions, we were told that when the Ponce De Leon Hotel opened, it catered to the very wealthy friends of Mr. Flagler and was one of the first structures (I hope my memory is correct here!) to actually have electricity.
However, because electricity was a relatively new invention at the time, it didn’t work quite as… safely as we’re accustomed. Hitting a switch to turn on, say, a light, was an iffy proposition and there was a good chance you would get shocked in the process. Naturally this was not a good thing to have happen to the upper echelon of society that were guests in the Hotel!
Flagler’s solution?
He hired staff to attend to the various switches. Whenever a guest wanted lights, the staff member would hit the switch rather than the guest him/herself and if any shock was to be experienced, it would be to the help rather than the upper crust!
Ah the wonders of modern technology!