1902 Postcard Showing the Royal Observatory in Greenwich - The Keepers of Time.
This Day in History, March 19, 1918, Time zones were established and Daylight Saving Time was approved in the U.S. and its territories by Congress.
Our time is based on the Royal Observatory in Greenwich England which is called Greenwich Time and Universal Time. Daylight Saving Time was originally intended to save electricity during WWI. DST was repealed the following year but has been reinstated, repealed and extended several times due to war and energy crisis.
The history of standard time in the US actually began in 1883 when Canada and the United States agreed on a set of time zones necessitated by the railroad's need for set schedules.
Time, however was still very much a local issue. Not everyone adapted to the railroad times. Each town had a well known clock, perhaps at a bank or in a jewelers window by which watches and mantle clocks were set. Some states followed DST when it was in effect - others did not. Cities within states chose not to follow DST.
In 1966, uniform time and Daylight Saving Time were mandated by law, States were allowed to exempt themselves from DST, and several did. Currently, however, the only states that have exempted themselves are Hawaii and Nevada,It was transportation and airlines that lobbied for uniform time and for this reason the US Department of Transportation (DOT) has authority over time zones and DST.
Thanks for taking the TIME to stop by! Be sure and stop by Beth's The Best Hearts Are Crunchy for more Postcard Friendship Friday fun!
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13 comments:
What a wondeful card, and thanks for the history lesson! Elkhart IN used to (and maybe still does) opt out of DST for no other reason than it could. Very inconvenient on many levels!
I did NOT know that. Wow--this is just fascinating. It always boggles my mind to think that it's already tomorrow somewhere in the world from where I am.
Wonderful post! Happy PFF!
This year the change to daylight savings time felt like jet lag to me. It's taken me all week to recover! Thanks for an interesting post, and happy PFF!
Great card!
I personally hate changing my clocks twice a year. I wish we could just pick a time and stick with it! Did you know that Arizona doesn't observe Daylight savings time, but the Navajo Nation (located in AZ) does? I think that's right. I might have it backward. We are going to AZ in a couple of months and I remember reading something about that. I thought it was interesting.
...and did you know some time zones are different by 1/2 hour? I did not know that the Dept. of transportation was in charge of time zones.
They may not still do this, but some NE Indiana towns stayed on Chicago time, no matter what their time zone was 'supposed' to be.
Thanks for a great post and a great postcard.
I don't mind setting my clocks ahead one hour but I don't like going ahead in order to end up backwards. I also don't like setting my watch any time--I had to use a pliers to get the stem out.
You are right about Nevada and the Navajo reservation, Aimee and You're right about NE Indiana, Veridian. There are a lot of missing addenda to my short post. I was sooo sleepy I decided to write just the basics and concentrate all my efforts to my speling. Saskatchewan in Canada runs on the half hour too!
I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date! Love the post! Happy PFF!
I'm still not adjusted -- I'm going to bed at the same body clock time I was last week, but I have to get up an hour earlier. I'll probably complete the adjustment around November, when we do it again.
Ditto to what Snap said. I used to say that to my kids all the time.
I didn't know cities could opt out of DST! How confusing is that. I love to fall back, not so much the spring ahead, but I must say it is nice to drive home with daylight...
This was very, very interesting info! Thank you for sharing this with the wonderful postcard!
I still find I have a hard time figuring out what exactly "springing forward" and "falling back" will mean...losing or gaining? :o)
Blessings & Aloha!
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We have yet to change our time to summer time. but it happens this coming weekend, on the night of the 27th. Every year it causes all sorts of confusion with people who are in constant touch with the USA.
Sorry to be so late with my comments this week.
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