You probably don’t think twice when you encounter parking lots, but they actually have a surprisingly interesting history, including a significant impact on the women’s suffrage movement in America!
Early Days of Cars
Automotives were invented late in the 19th century, but it took a long time for them to become popular. Public transit was more accessible to the wider public, and horse drawn wagons were produced at a higher volume than cars until 1914. Only 15 years later, there were over 20 million registered cars in the United States.
From about 1939 and onward, specifically in America, cars were the number one form of transportation, according to The MIT Press Reader. We as society changed how we view city planning – cities weren’t built on simple grids anymore, and suburbs became even more desirable as accessibility was increased. And along with all this change came the creation of parking lots!
Parking Lots: Born From Traffic Laws
One of the most famous individuals involved in modernizing traffic control and traffic regulations throughout our country is William Phelps Eno. Eno helped craft revolutionary traffic plans for places like Paris, London, and New York City. He also created the Eno Transportation Foundation, which worked with governmental agencies from 1919-1924 to make a nationwide set of traffic laws. Significant articles on ranking, parking, and stopping were among these traffic codes.
Most parking in America and major cities was parallel parking against curbs throughout the streets. This proved problematic as the number of drivers increased, limiting available parking spaces. As a solution, parking lots began popping up in more densely populated city areas – interestingly enough, Eno was not a fan of this design choice. He believed that parking structures were the superior design option and would actually cause an increase in customers for the businesses nearby these larger garages.
The Twist!
So, here’s potentially the most surprising element of the history of parking lots–they’re connected to the women’s suffrage movement!
In 1920, Los Angeles was struggling with a population boom, which brought much more traffic into the downtown areas. According to The MIT Press Reader, 90 percent of these drivers were actually women who often took care of the household shopping. The LA City Council decided to ban any private vehicle from parking in downtown Los Angeles, which simply drove these women away from local. In just nine days following the ban, LA businesses were down almost 40 percent, said The MIT Press Reader. In just over two weeks, the economic impact was so severe that the city reversed its ban, helping legitimize the power and influence of women in America.
Modern parking lots might seem boring or insignificant, but as with any human innovation, they have a surprisingly interesting history. And even today, advanced regulations have added essential parking lot stripes and other markings to make them safer than ever. Ultimately, parking lots were invented to support local businesses, so keeping everyone safe and happy while driving through one is a must.
