The Bonelli house in Kingman, Arizona was built before central air conditioning became common in homes. Temperatures in Kingman regularly reach > 110F (43C) in the summer, yet the Bonelli house was comfortable without air conditioning or fans. To cool the house, a trap door in the center of the first floor was opened, drafting cool air from the deep, unfinished basement, through the intervening floors, and out a roof cupola. The system was passive and still functions today.
Other locals would hang burlap or bedsheets over open windows, periodically dampening the material with a hose. The hot breezes would blow through the wet material, evaporating the moisture, and cooling the air. Many older homes still have the blanket hooks above windows, though residents have long since switched to air conditioners or swamp coolers for cooling.
http://kingmanhistoricdistrict.com/homes/bonelli-house/index...
Other locals would hang burlap or bedsheets over open windows, periodically dampening the material with a hose. The hot breezes would blow through the wet material, evaporating the moisture, and cooling the air. Many older homes still have the blanket hooks above windows, though residents have long since switched to air conditioners or swamp coolers for cooling.