July 15, 2022: Eighty-seven years ago, July 16, 1935, the world’s first parking meter was installed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was invented by Carl C. Magee as a solution to the growing problem of insufficient parking as automobiles gained in popularity and were found in ever-increasing numbers on America’s streets.

The invention was controversial but wildly successful. Over 140,000 parking meters were present in the U.S. by the early 1940s.