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- Park-O-Meter Parking Meter, circa 1958 - The first parking meters, installed in Oklahoma City in 1935, were invented by newspaper editor and local traffic commissioner Carl Magee. He produced his own design after enlisting the help of engineering professors and students at nearby Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College (now Oklahoma State University). Then he founded Magee-Hale Park-O-Meter Company to manufacture the meters.
- 1953-1963
- Collections - Artifact
Park-O-Meter Parking Meter, circa 1958
The first parking meters, installed in Oklahoma City in 1935, were invented by newspaper editor and local traffic commissioner Carl Magee. He produced his own design after enlisting the help of engineering professors and students at nearby Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College (now Oklahoma State University). Then he founded Magee-Hale Park-O-Meter Company to manufacture the meters.
- Parking Meters: Controlling the Chaos - By the 1920s, automobile parking on city streets was out of control. Parked cars effectively narrowed roadways, restricting the flow of traffic.
- January 18, 2023
- Collections - article
Parking Meters: Controlling the Chaos
By the 1920s, automobile parking on city streets was out of control. Parked cars effectively narrowed roadways, restricting the flow of traffic.
- Twin Parking Meter, circa 1938 - By the 1920s, automobile parking in cities was chaotic. City governments tried widening streets, prohibiting parking near intersections, and marking parking spaces. Finally, it was the parking meter, introduced in 1935, that proved workable and enforceable. This early parking meter, designed for two cars, was used in Hamtramck, Michigan. Parking cost five cents per hour, except on Sunday and holidays.
- circa 1938
- Collections - Artifact
Twin Parking Meter, circa 1938
By the 1920s, automobile parking in cities was chaotic. City governments tried widening streets, prohibiting parking near intersections, and marking parking spaces. Finally, it was the parking meter, introduced in 1935, that proved workable and enforceable. This early parking meter, designed for two cars, was used in Hamtramck, Michigan. Parking cost five cents per hour, except on Sunday and holidays.
- Weston Meters, 1898-1910 -
- 1898-1910
- Collections - Artifact
Weston Meters, 1898-1910
- Dual Brand Parking Meter, circa 1948 - By the 1920s, automobile parking in cities was chaotic. Parking meters, introduced in Oklahoma City in 1935, proved to be the workable and enforceable solution. Carl Magee, inventor of the parking meter with help from local engineering professors and college students, named his company "Dual" -- supposedly because parking meters served the dual purpose of controlling parking and generating revenue.
- circa 1948
- Collections - Artifact
Dual Brand Parking Meter, circa 1948
By the 1920s, automobile parking in cities was chaotic. Parking meters, introduced in Oklahoma City in 1935, proved to be the workable and enforceable solution. Carl Magee, inventor of the parking meter with help from local engineering professors and college students, named his company "Dual" -- supposedly because parking meters served the dual purpose of controlling parking and generating revenue.
- Meter -
- Collections - Artifact
Meter
- Woman with a Coin-Operated Parking Meter, circa 1935 - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, installed the world's first coin-operated parking meters in 1935. These devices brought order to the chaotic parking situation in many American cities at that time. Parking meters simultaneously generated revenue and encouraged turnover in municipal parking lots. In the 1990s, many cities began shifting from coin-operated machines to meters capable of accepting credit or debit cards.
- circa 1935
- Collections - Artifact
Woman with a Coin-Operated Parking Meter, circa 1935
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, installed the world's first coin-operated parking meters in 1935. These devices brought order to the chaotic parking situation in many American cities at that time. Parking meters simultaneously generated revenue and encouraged turnover in municipal parking lots. In the 1990s, many cities began shifting from coin-operated machines to meters capable of accepting credit or debit cards.
- Mercury Meter -
- Collections - Artifact
Mercury Meter
- Parking - America's cars symbolize mobility, but they spend 95 percent of their time parked. Storing cars is a longstanding challenge, and every solution brings new problems. Parking lots and structures transform urban and suburban landscapes, parking meters and tickets exasperate city drivers, and residential garages have moved from the back yard onto the house itself. There are as many as a billion parking spots in the United States -- one heck of a lot.
- January 25, 2023
- Collections - Set
Parking
America's cars symbolize mobility, but they spend 95 percent of their time parked. Storing cars is a longstanding challenge, and every solution brings new problems. Parking lots and structures transform urban and suburban landscapes, parking meters and tickets exasperate city drivers, and residential garages have moved from the back yard onto the house itself. There are as many as a billion parking spots in the United States -- one heck of a lot.
- Meter -
- Collections - Artifact
Meter