120 years ago in 1904, transcribed as originally published in the Youngstown Vindicator:

Sweltering humanity had trouble finding cool spots on Sunday. Hottest day of the summer. Whole families tenemented in foreign quarters slept on porches and in their yards.

Youngstown sat around in its shirt sleeves or less yesterday and tried to keep cool. It was the warmest day of the summer. Church attendance fell off woefully, while street cars, attraction parks, and refreshment places were rushed to distraction. The weather man lost no time Sunday, but started in early. At 8 o’clock in the morning the thermometer at Rhoads’ drug store, Public Square, registered 90 degrees in the shade. This was maintained until about 5 in the evening when there was a sudden drop. After the sun went down the remainder of the day was comparatively cool.

Out in the sun the heat was something terrific. The sky was clear with the exception of a few minutes about noon. The sun beat mercilessly down and all who ventured out from cover were in danger of prostration. The few men working at the mills making repairs were barely able to accomplish anything. One boiler maker at the Republic who had put in a few hours in the morning said he never suffered so from heat.

People flocked to Idora and Avon Park in such crowds the cars were barely able to accommodate them. Those who lived near drug stores hastened out for a bit of ice cream, while peddling vendors soon sold out their supply. Wick Park and other breathing spots were filled with sweltering humanity glad of a chance to get away from hot houses.

During the time from 7 to 10 o’clock the outside air was cool and there was a good breeze going. This, however, did little to cool off super-heated rooms and apartments which had been accumulating hot air all day. Many people moved out on the porches and sat up till midnight rather than go to bed in baking upstairs rooms.

The garbage question is becoming a difficult one since the weather is so warm. The loose regulations for collection are offensive to people who are forced to pass a vile smelling wagon either in the business district or on a fashionable residence street. In a walk of three blocks four uncovered, vile, stinking wagons without a sign of cover, were passed in Federal and Phelps streets this morning. They exuded the worst kind of odors of refuse which had been left over from Saturday until Monday, probably rotting in the boiling sun back of someone’s kitchen.

The sanitary police have received instructions to pay close attention to sanitary conditions during the heated period, but they cannot accomplish [the work unless] there are better regulations for collection and disposal of garbage.

Compiled from the Youngstown Vindicator by Traci Manning, Mahoning Valley Historical Society curator of education.