The Long, Twisted History Of Daylight Saving Time

Air Date:
Heard On The Morning Show
Dan LaMoore wheels a clock away from the test area as it is prepared to be shipped to a Tennessee school at the Electric Time Company in Medfield, Mass., Thursday, March 10, 2016. Most Americans will lose an hour of sleep this weekend, but gain an hour of evening light for months ahead, as Daylight Saving Time returns this weekend. The time change officially starts Sunday at 2 a.m. local time. Charles Krupa/AP Photo

Time in the U.S. used to be totally lawless and warped. You could take an hour’s drive from Ohio to West Virginia and pass through seven different time zones. Something had to be done. Enter: the federal Committee for Time Uniformity in 1966. Half a century later, daylight saving time has basically become standard time; it’s the clock we go by most of the year, and Florida just announced that this year, it’s going to spring ahead and then stay there — forever. This hour, we take a look at the long, strange and frequently confusing history of daylight saving time with a guest who’s written an entire book on the subject. (Oh, and don’t forget to set your clocks an hour ahead today if you haven’t already.)

Episode Credits

  • Kate Archer Kent Host
  • Colleen Leahy Producer
  • Michael Downing Guest

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