December 1937: A car abandoned in the snowstorm that covered the Southern Counties of Wiltshire, Dorset and Hampshire. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)

There's no doubt that this winter has been a tough one, but imagine life before modern snow plows. Through the years, we've learned to cope with lousy weather conditions with the development of snow tires and the placement of snow removal programs in cities and suburban communities throughout the country.

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In the 1800s and early 1900s, cities resorted to horse-drawn carts and the labor of hundreds of shovelers to remove snow from streets. But as the automobile was introduced to the public, a more thorough system for snow cleanup was needed. During a snow storm in Kansas City in March 1912, tolleys equipped with rotary sweepers helped to clean up 25 inches of snow, according to Snow in the Cities: A History of America's Urban Response by Blake McKelvey. The first snow plow fit for a motor vehicle was developed in 1913.

View the above slideshow to see the commuting struggles of winters past.