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Life in the mid 50s

Started by TelePlay, January 19, 2018, 08:09:58 PM

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TelePlay

Was digging deep in the dungeon today and came across a box of book I'd not seen in maybe 30 years. One of them was titled "Units in Hand Woodworking" that I may have used in High School shop class in the early 60s. The last page was a picture of some of the pieces for which the plans were included in the book. Obviously contemporary 50s stuff at the shop class level and a sign of much different times, that thing hanging on the wall specifically. Everyone had one in their den when I was quite young. The notty pine walls (real wood, not paneling), the fire place, a desk, a couch and the furniture. For me, a blast from the past . . .  ;)

Babybearjs

cool... I love stuff from the 1950's.. especially Christmas lights and décor...
John

WEBellSystemChristian

Cool stuff, John!

I noticed that the picture is reversed. Look at the books displayed on those nightstands...

My Grandparents' house had furniture very much like that. The house was built in 1959, and they insisted on keeping most of the original furniture. Other than the dishwasher (which my Uncle and Dad surprised them with in '09 or '10 I think), I don't think there was a single piece of furniture or appliance that was newer than 1978--the '70s appliance being the microwave that my Dad gave them new for a Christmas present.

My Grandma absolutely would not even consider using anything other than her 1959 top loading washing machine with the original wringer. She even had a plan for the potential day her washing machine would die--she had its twin as an emergency backup stored in her garage! ;D

Anyway, all of the tables and chairs had those legs that winged out like that. Of course, they were all still looking brand new to the day she died.

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I had sort of a similar, semi-unrelated story, but it was a woodworking-related "great momories" moment.

I was reading through an old woodworking magazine that was laying around in our Woods class one day. This was only a year ago, so "old" really isn't that old. I flipped it over, and saw an advertisement for the "new" 1999 Ford F150. I was brought home as a newborn from the hospital in a new 1999 F150, and grew up riding in the back seat of several identical trucks for the next 12 years. That advertisement alone brought back great memories. It's funny how the same feelings someone gets from memories of the '50s can can relate exactly to someone who has great memories of the '00s.
Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford

jsowers

My parents' house was built in 1953 and has lots of knotty pine Pickwick paneling in the kitchen and den. They even added onto the house in 1968 and added more of the same paneling. My dad worked for a building contractor from 1950-1974 and then he was a building inspector for our county until he retired, so he knew what it took to build a house. We never had a gun rack on the wall and mom's taste was more Early American than mid-century modern, but she did have a blonde oak drop leaf dining table and chairs, which she sold a few years ago. She never had a real dining room, so it was set up in the living room the two or three times it was ever used.

Mom's kitchen is still a blast from the past with the knotty pine cabinets and her 1953 40" GE stove. The fridge and dishwasher have been replaced numerous times, but the stove just keeps going. I replaced a blown out Calrod unit on it a few months ago. Her kitchen is open to the den and dining area, separated by a countertop island. Open concept before the name was ever coined.

Mom's on her fourth washing machine and third dryer and none of them had a wringer. That was what my great aunt used next door. I remember it well. It was located in an outbuilding called "the wash-house." There was one electric outlet in that outbuilding--for the washing machine. The water came from the spigot at the pumphouse. I'm not sure how they heated it. Probably a cast-iron kettle with a small fire under it. That's what they used even before the washing machine.
Jonathan