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AudibleNod t1_jd2nc16 wrote

Before time zones but after timekeeping was common towns would set noon to the zenith of the sun from the local clocktower or church or observatory. After railroads made travel between towns quick, it became very clear that a standardized format would be needed. The US hosted an international conference and time zones were born.

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Equivalent_Tear_456 t1_jd32o3g wrote

So basically, before time zones everyone was just living in their own personal time warp.

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AudibleNod t1_jd33puq wrote

Yes.

Sometimes towns were that were due north-south of one another, they'd have wildly different times. Shipping ports realized the importance of accurate time sooner than inland towns since sailors needed accurate time for ocean navigation. Hence why the US Naval Observatory keeps time for the US.

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