53
Basement
furnaces were installed in many Illinois homes during the early
1900s. From a central location, heat was transferred by heated
water, steam, or air to individual rooms. Central heating allowed a
family the full use of their home during the winter months; as
people no longer had to huddle around a stove or fireplace. Except
in remote rural areas, most furnaces were fueled by coal, which was
much more efficient than wood. The intense use of coal in cities
filled the air with noxious yellow smoke.
© Illinois State Museum 31-Dec-96