Highlighting History Through the Decades
August 24, 2018
Highlights of the 1930’s
The 1930s were marked by the Great Depression, where worldwide economic decline reached its worst point in the century. However, it was also anointed with cultural figures that are still relevant to this day. In the 1930s, we were introduced to Betty Boop in Max Fleischer’s “Talkartoon” animated series. It’s commemorated and celebrated the flapper style of the earlier decade, such as Helen Kane and Clara Bow.
We also saw the United States embarking on an ambitious program of public work to regenerate the economy. This effort also included the construction of the Boulder Dam, colloquially called the Hoover Dam.
Highlights of the 1940’s
After the crushing Great Depression, we saw a new wave of patriotism as the economy picked up in the 1940s and the incoming decades. In 1941, the heralded Mount Rushmore sculpture was finally completed, and President Franklin D Roosevelt signed the G.I. Bill to provide financial assistance to World War II veterans. The patriotism didn’t end there, it continued in the form of the finished construction of the Pentagon building in 1943, and we saw an uprising take place in the Warsaw Jewish ghettos against the Nazis, with Poland being liberated from the Nazi occupation. In 1945 we finally saw World War II come to an end as Allied forces make their way towards Germany and liberating concentration camps. In this era, there is pain and strife, but American nationalism and patriotism moved us forward.
Highlights of the 1950’s
In the 1950s, we saw quick changes. With the Great Depression becoming a faint memory, and with a new generation of youth who do not have a living memory of the Great Depression, families started to move out into the suburbs, and kids watched Howdy Doody on 12-inch black and white television sets, spending Saturday afternoons watching cartoons at Manatees. Times were gentler, we pulled ourselves from an economic trench, and the consumer revolution gained way. Median family income in the 1950s was about $3300 a year, and milk was still being conveniently delivered to our doorsteps.
Highlights of the 1960’s
In the 1960s we elect the youngest person to have been elected president, Democrat John F. Kennedy. The space race also gets underway under this administration, with Alan Shepard becoming the first American in space. Race relations have been trampled in past decades, but we see a glimpse of equality, with James Meredith becoming the first African-American student to enroll at the historic University of Mississippi, a state that was once grappling with intolerance. In 1964 Ford motor company begins to produce the iconic Ford Mustang.In 1966 we were introduced to the first episodes of the cultural juggernaut, Star Trek, right before the Rolling Stone publishes its first magazine issue. In 1969 Neil Armstrong become the first man to arrive on the moon during NASA’s Apollo 11 mission.
Highlights of the 1970’s
The 70s saw massive inflation worldwide which was caused by the oil crisis in the Middle East. However, we see the ramifications of digital technology and consumer products, including the first calculator. As technology advanced, home appliances improved. If you remember PONG, then you remember that it was a table tennis sports game with two-dimensional graphics. Manufactured by Atari, PONG was the norm in the corner of any festival or playroom.
At Encore, we strive to create atmospheres within our community that gives residents who took part in these events throughout history a way to reconnect with a past that feels familiar to them.
To take the next steps in ensuring your loved one’s happiness into the future, schedule your tour of Encore at Avalon Park Assisted Living & Memory Care today. Contact us at 407-270-7500 for more information.
