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Let These Old New Yorkers Teach You How To Keep Cool During A Heatwave

PUT A BENCH IN THE CENTRAL PARK LAKE: "1961. Three women keep cool during a heat wave by moving a park bench into the water in Central Park."


MAKE A STREET POOL: "1957. New York children splash about in a flooded street after the police opened the fire hydrants to beat the unbearable heat of summer."


<strong>PROTECT YOUR DOME FROM THE SUN WITH NEWSPAPER</strong>: "1955. An American race-goer improvises protection from the considerable heat at Belmont Park race course." Just don't light your paper hat on fire with your cigarette. (Getty Images)



CARRY A HANDKERCHIEF TO KEEP DRY: "1949. A salesman mopping his face during hot weather in New York City, beneath the Empire State Building."


FIND WATER & WEAR A HAT: We've got rivers, fountains, and plenty of beaches—just find some water and jump in. These 1935 showgirls dodged the heat of Manhattan "by taking to the waters on the beach wearing large straw hats." As demonstrated by these ladies, you'll cool of quicker if your hat is extra large and your "bathing suit" is extra NSFW.

Getty Images

FIND THE CLOSEST ICE MAN: "1935. Ices-man on East 110th Street."

via MCNY


STREET SPRINKLERS: Let's bring these back! "1937. Young children running around under sprinkler in street to cool off during summer, in South Harlem in shot from series of NYC Police Dept.'s Crime Prevention Photos of Juvenile Aid Bureau."