Comprehensive History and Development of the Parking Meter

The Parking Crisis of the Early Twentieth Century

  • Oklahoma City's Parking Crisis (Early 1930s):

    • Automobile population in Oklahoma grew by 500%500\% between the early 1900s and mid-1930s.

    • Physical availability of parking spaces remained unchanged.

    • Drivers routinely ignored the mandatory 1-hour parking limit.

  • Commuter Impact:

    • Office workers monopolized street spots for entire shifts (7:007:00-8:008:00 AM until 4:354:35-5:365:36 PM).

    • Other drivers continuously circled blocks searching for open spaces.

    • Retail merchants protested because blocked spots prevented shopping customers from parking.

  • Failed Enforcement Methods:

    • Police marked vehicle tires with chalk to track duration.

    • Drivers evaded chalking by moving cars forward or backward by 66 to 8 inches8\,\text{inches}.

    • Chamber of Commerce formed a special committee to find a solution and named Carl McGee as chairman.

Carl McGee and the Conceptualization of the Parking Meter

  • Carl McGee's Background:

    • Editor of the Oklahoma City News (Scripps Howard Company) and a licensed lawyer.

    • Direct problem-solver who believed any obstacle could be overcome.

  • The Concept:

    • Conceived a mechanical device to sell pavement space for fixed time slots.

    • Realized the machine required an integrated timer for enforcement.

    • Attempted an initial home prototype using alarm clock parts.

Collaboration with Oklahoma State University and Technical Challenges

  • University Partnership:

    • McGee sought engineering expertise at Oklahoma State University (OSU) in Stillwater.

    • Consistently drove to meetings in person rather than calling on the phone.

    • Partnered with Professor Holger Thussen, head of OSU's engineering department.

  • Design Requirements:

    • Simple operation and low manufacturing cost.

    • High resistance to break-ins and theft.

    • Slug-proof mechanism to prevent fake token usage.

    • Reliable performance across extreme heat and freezing winter temperatures.

Student Competition and the Development of Black Mariah

  • Student Contest:

    • McGee funded a student contest with a $500\$500 prize pool out of pocket.

    • Selected the top 33 student prototypes to refine into a single design.

  • The "Black Mariah" Prototype (Summer 1933):

    • Built by Professor Thussen and a fellow instructor.

    • Used a spring-loaded clockwork system.

    • Inserting a coin and turning an exterior knob compressed an internal spring.

    • Released spring dropped the coin into a secure chamber and moved a time pointer display.

    • Pointer gradually moved back to zero as the spring unwound.

The Park-O-Meter, Legal Battles, and Municipal Adoption

  • Legal Challenges:

    • McGee named the device the "Park-O-Meter" and filed for a patent.

    • Opponents argued charging for public street parking was illegal double taxation.

    • City council litigated and won the legal challenge in court.

  • Municipal Rollout (July 1935):

    • Oklahoma City installed the nation's first operational parking meters.

    • Generated $60,000\$60,000 in revenue in the first year, aiding city finances during the Great Depression.

Global Impact and Conclusion

  • Widespread Adoption:

    • Cities worldwide adopted parking meters following Oklahoma City's success.

    • Established a standard system where all motorists pay for street access.

    • Successfully eliminated extreme urban parking gridlock.