"Why are the U. S. Time Zones Where They Are?"

Walter Nugent, University of Notre Dame
January 26, 2001, 3:30-5:00pm

Time zones in the United States were first created in the 1880s to facilitate railroad and steamship travel. During the twentieth century, the boundaries of time zones have been frequently altered, usually to the westward. This paper explores who moved the time zones and why. Were they moved to clarify the nature of America's regions? For the convenience of railroads? Or for some other reason altogether?

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