Taking You Back In Time

Cooking and Heating Back in The Twenties

2012-08-05T10:44:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be good to take a trip back in time today to the mid 1920s,

The add is for a manufacturer "Kalamazoo" who sold cookers, heaters and a furnace targeted at the Farming community.

The cooking ranges included, oil, Coal / Wood and Gas and starting from $37.95 . ( about $600 in today's money )

The Furnace was $59.95 and the heater was $27.95

Much of the farming community bought clothes, furniture, appliances, toys and just about everything else through catalogs which is why the Sears and Montgomery Ward catalogs were so popular, Sears were based in Chicago where they still are today and the catalogs featured everything from a toy car to a semi assembled house that was delivered to your door.

Because Catalog Sales were so dominant in the sale of anything and everything manufacturers who were not included would sell direct to the public through Newspapers and Magazines, this is a great example

Home Computer From Then To Now

2012-08-02T12:03:00.001-07:00

While researching I often find things that trigger my own memories, this is one of those , featured is a Tandy TRS80 Home Computer System.

Like so many of those in my age group 60+ this was our introduction to the world of computers

If you remember those days you can also remember the thrill of getting it to work and the frustration of spending hours entering in code by hand for a basic game from a Home Computer Magazine and it failing.

If there were no mistakes in the code in the magazine and "You Made No Mistakes" during typing it in and The Tape Player was saving well with clean tape head and the computer did not crash during your data entry then you might end up with a game where you could shoot an alien on a blocky screen

So what did you get for your money and how much did it cost

For a TRS 80 with screen, keyboard and tape player etc. you were looking at between $600 and $1,000 ( in today's money that is between $2,000 and $4,000

The processor was a Z80 the current processor found in most basic tablets is up to 200 + times faster

Memory ranged from 4K to 48K the Galaxy Tablet for example has 16 million times more memory

Video was 128x48
lets call it pixels per screen about 6,000 then today the screen I am typing this on has 2073600 pixels

Tape / Game Load Speed was diabolical no other way to describe it it could take up to 35 minutes to load a game and that was if you were lucky enough no errors encountered while loading the tape

I should mention the Tandy was just one of a few home computers at the time, others included the Apple II, the Commodore Pet, Heath Kits, Ohio Scientific, Processor Tech and many others

The Apple II was considered by many to be the best of them all and was priced at around $2,000 or in today's money up to $6,000

From the late 1970's to the early 1990's I had more than 15 different home computers as each year they would become better and more efficient with more ways to load S/W , I believe many are still in my mums loft today.

It was due to my interest in home computers that led me into a career in the computer industry which served me well for 25 years

Today's
Taking You Back In Time
moment

Marlboro Man Advert 1980s

2012-08-01T06:48:00.000-07:00

As we continue with our research for The People History sometimes I come across something I think is worth sharing

This is a 1980 Advert for Marlboro Cigarettes, Every where you looked from the 1920's through to the 1990's Cigarette Advertising was used heavily in all forms of media but one of the longest and most successful campaigns was for Marlboro Cigarettes using a Cowboy ( Marlboro Man ) , this add is a great example, the logo for the product does not detract from the great photograph of a cowboy on his horse.

I think this add features the rancher / cowboy Darrell Winfield who was used for nearly 20 years up to the mid 1980's in Marlboro Man adds. ( Please correct me if I am wrong )

As I look through our research material I am struck by the fact nearly 1 in 4 adds in magazines of every type was for cigarettes,

Others who were used in Marlboro Man Adds included Wayne McLaren, David McLean and Dick Hammer who all died of Lung Cancer,

Food We Ate in The 60s

2012-07-30T07:04:00.000-07:00

Posted By
Donna, USA, Food My Mum Cooked in the 1960's

Food in the sixties, my mother cooked about every meal we had, we rarely went to a restaurants, except when we were on vacation. This was before there was a mcdonalds on every corner. We had creamed chicken with rice or toast, meatloaf and something mama called porcupine balls made out of ground beef too. Chicken was usually fried and cut up by my father, not sure why. Mama made composed salads out of a pear or peach half on a lettuce leaf and it had some mayo in the cavity with grated cheese on top of it. The only crackers i recall are saltines. we had potato chips and fritoes to go with our sandwiches which were made out of white bread and bologna, never ham or turkey or the healthy things we have today. Or maybe peanut butter or egg salad. No one had ever heard or seen yogurt, it would have been labeled a foreign food. And as far as those go, pizza was not everywhere either, I remember my mom making a pizza from a boxed mix like Chef Boy AR Dee and she put cheddar cheese on it! I do not remember seeing a lot of overweight people like we have today even though we ate a lot of fried food and used real mayonaise in our potato salads. My mom always had cookies around, she baked pretty often, usually oatmeal or peanut butter. I do remember being told to eat my peas, couldn't stand them as a child, but i LOVE them today. I wonder what the kids today are going to remember.

Traditional Milkman

2012-07-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Posted By
Milkmans Son, United States, My father was a traditional milkman

My father was the traditional milkman. Up at 3:00 a.m., got to the dairy by 4:30, on the milk route by 5:00, home be 5:30 p.m. He had (and still has some) of the original wooden milk crates and glass bottles w/caps. He would be given bottles of "booze" in the milk shoots as gifts from his customers. No matter how much snow or ice, he would get the milk/cream/etc delivered to everyone. I treasure those days when I would get up early with him and eat breakfast and watch the sun rise. He taught me a great work ethic and you do not have to make alot of money to have a happy life. He is 80 now, and his granddaughter is interviewing him for her 4th grade project on being a milkman. He still roller skates/dances and can bike up to 20 miles per day. I thank God for him.

TV shows I watched in the 70s

2012-07-28T16:42:00.000-07:00

Posted By:
John, USA, TV shows I miss from the 70's

I was remembering some of the TV I watched as a child and missing them , just a few of my own favourites I can remember below

Chips
2 officers from the California Highway Patrol riding their motorcycles through southern California

M*A*S*H
About Field hospital based in Vietnam during the Vietnam War

Added By Webmaster for The People History
Vietnam should read Korean War as pointed out by our visitors in comments

Sanford & Son
Sitcom based around father and son junk dealers

Happy Days
Teenage life in the mid-1950s. featuring The Fonz who can forget thumbs-up gesture,"aaayyh!", and leather jacket

The Muppetts
The Waltons
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Bob Newhart

If you look at the list not one was based on violence how times have changed

I am sure I missed some others that I can't remember right now so please leave your comments with your own favourites

Remembering Back Music 60s and 70s

2012-07-17T15:11:00.000-07:00

Posted By Webmaster

While working on This Day In History I came across the Date
24th March 1973 that Pink Floyd released Dark Side Of The Moon which reminded me about a time in my 20's when the album came out.

What it reminded me of most what not just what a fantastic album it was, but how I played it full blast on an old player for LP's until the album became so scratched It would spend more time skipping tracks than listening .

I wonder how many remember that back in those days you only had to slam a door for the stylus to skip or scratch, or how compared with the sound from a modern CD player even a Walkman so much was lost , but thank you for those great albums from those days

Just a few that were played full blast in my teens and early 20s bring back great memories

The Beatles "Abbey Road"

Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall"

Pink Floyd "Dark Side Of The Moon"

The Who "Tommy"

Bob Dillon " The Freewheeling Bob Dylan"

Creedence Clearwater Revival "Bayou Country"

Jimi Hendrix "Electric Ladyland"

Simon and Garfunkel " Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme"

The Beatles "Abbey Road"

The list could go on forever and I am sure I Have forgotten many great great albums without even touching on 45's what great great times for music

Many I have replaced with CD's but I think I miss something when I think of my old LP's

Steve

Life must have been so cool In The 60s

2009-03-03T04:22:00.000-08:00

Posted By
jackee lynn, United States

well i wasn't alive in the 1960's but i have researched it thoroughly and i have to say life must have been so cool! and lots of cool inventions were made in those years.from playdoh to zip codes....and all the stuff you got away with like no seatbelts and hanging out with who ever you want..i would have loved it.and also back then they had the best music that the words of the song really had an exact feeling and meaning.

50s Book Of Memories

2009-03-03T04:20:00.000-08:00

Posted By
Book of Memories, United States
My passion for my memories of the 50' and 60's grew into a rather large collection of nostalgic items (incluuding a costume actually worn by Bozo The Clown in the 1960's, he is now my close friend).

I also spent several years on an oldies radio staion playing the music I loved and interviewed hundreds of celebrities from the 50's and 60's, some of whom are no longer with us but survive on tape.

From all that came two and a half years of writing that culminated in something called "Nostalgia: The Big List". It is a compilation of EVERYTHING nostalgic. Nearly 8,000 entries from tv and movies, to hairdo's and fads, cars and clothes and everyting else in bewteen.
You can take a serious walk down memory lane with this book. It's cheap too because it is available on compact disc reducing the cost of printing a book. Pop it into the computer and read it there or print it out.

Visit www.waxstuff.com for information on ordering.

I Want To BE Friendly

2009-03-01T04:49:00.001-08:00

Posted By

wrs, United States

I remember going to church play in the summer inthe late 30s. They would have us sing a song I beleive named I Want To BE Friendly. I guess it was a song to stay out of war. Any one remember the words?

Remember Those Great Seventies

2009-02-26T18:49:00.000-08:00

Posted By
Sue, United Kingdom

I remember the fashion of flares, platforms & wedge shoes, liking school, hating school,

Dib Dab Sherbert sweets,

The Partridge Family Show, The Osmonds (Cartoon) Show, Land of the Giants, Lost in Space,

Getting my first record player & playing my compilation album hits such as The Sweet, Alvin Stardust, The Glitter Band....oh my goodness!!

We played outside without a care in the world, playing snails, hopskotch, rounders, piggy in the middle, american skipping. There was loads to keep us kids entertained.

No computers, mobile phones, iPods or PSP's. We made do with paper doll cut outs from comics & made outfits for our dolls out of mums old clothes.

My favourite food was chips (french fries) from the van that used to come round the area, you could smell it before the siren was sounded. That vinegar & chips smell was delicious.

I remember the 70's well, loved it better than the 80's.

An Unamarican Hippy

2009-02-20T04:57:00.000-08:00

Posted By
Sassy, United States

growing up in a small town in kentucky was so exciting in the 60s.
i remember writing a paper in high school on why i thought the vietnam war was wrong.i was expelled for 3 days.
my father was really mad at me.
i remember him calling me an unamerican hippie.
the 60s were my growing up years and i have such wonderful memories of them.i still love the music from that era.

The Dustbowl Years

2009-02-19T11:29:00.000-08:00

Posted By
Elizabeth, United States

I was born in 1923 and grew up during the dust bowl time. Mom, my brother and I lived with my grandparents.
We lived on a farm, which turned out to be the best thing we could have done. As a result, we had beef, pork, chicken, turkeys, mutton and eggs. We were never hungry like lots of folks that lived in small towns nearby. However, we did not have any money. But with cream and egg sales, my folks were able to buy occasional sugar and flour. Our trips to the small town were made about each week, as we could not keep the cream any longer.
When there was a dust storm imminent, the western sky turned a sickly yellow. The sun was blotted out, and a little later we could see a boiling, angry cloud arising on the western horizon. Grandma would call to us all, that there was a dust storm coming. Grandpa would hurry to the barnyard to see that all the livestock was put into barns and sheds.
I remember that I went to try to get the poultry into the henhouse. Mom and my brother were getting in the horses and sheep.
Meanwhile Grandma was hanging any dampened cloth available over the windows, and stuffing the cracks around windows and doors with rags.
When it came mealtime, Grandma would cook, using pots she could keep the lids on to keep out the dust.
The table was set with all the china turned upside down. We turned it upright only when we were served in order not to get too much grit in the food. The dirt was so fine like talcum powder that it filtered into everything. When the storm was over, which sometimes was several days, there were drifts, like snow drifts, but it was all the fine dirt. There was a sifting of dirt over everything in the house. Sweeping the floors took several attempts to get it all out. And all the bedclothes had to be washed.
We kids were kept home from school, and we only went out of the house to water and care for the animals and fowls. We did have two good wells, one for the house, and a windmill for the farmyard. Mom liked to grow flowers, and she hand pumped water every day to keep them alive. After a dust storm, she would go out to the garden and use a broom to try to sweep the dirt away from the plants so they would not be smothered by the dirt. We had only vegetables that we could grow in our garden. During the drouth during and after the dust bowl days, it was hard to get anything to live. One year we had only a few potatoes, and other tough vegetables.
The green beans, however, did bear a good crop. Most of the produce that we could harvest was canned for winter's use. That year we had only meats, some potatoes, and lots of green beans. It took me 10 to 15 years before I could eat green beans again. It was a hard time, especially for anyone living off the farms. And for the farmers, too, because they had no crops (mostly wheat in our area) to sell. We lived along the Kansas, Oklahoma border north of Wakita, Ok. Our farm was north in Kansas along the border road.
A few years after the storms had subsided, the government helped farmers plant "windbreak" trees. Even today in some part of the dust bowl area you will see several rows of trees lining the sides of fields. That and contour farming helped keep the wind from picking up the dust and blowing it away.

Reflecting Back To The 60s and 70s

2009-02-10T13:12:00.000-08:00

Posted By Sun Village --Chester Pa. United States

The things I remember growing up in the 60's & 70's are having to be in when the street lights came on,
In the Summer Playing release / Olie olie ox infree as in playing tag, YOUR IT! or Jail and someone on there teem had to come and release them with out getting caught them self or playing Army with out leaving a city block running through the alley's on the block, riding our bikes as we had gotten a little older as in around 10 years old and gosh at the age of 12 being able to venture out for about a five mile ride was like leaving the country, LOL and in the winter at christmas time walking to the boy's club on the Avenue and seeing Mr. Jones playing Santa giving out candy kanes Boy were did the years go!

Ed Video memory

2009-01-31T18:58:00.000-08:00

This is truly a fantastic memory from a Man who helps us to understand what is was like in the depression years of the 30's and needs to shared

I had Very vivid memories of my childhood some good some bad, when I was little a circus came to town and I wanted to see it , I had no money so I snuck in under the canvas the circus and I got caught. So as a result they made me part of their act and they put me on this horse and I didn't know it put they put pants on me that were big and lifted me up and the pants fell off. I can always remember my mother used to make zachinky and that's a poor food, and I hated it , she didn't have any money to make it was just boiled dough as thick as your finger and that's what we ate and that was horrible stuff. We lived in a poor section of Amsterdam New York and for Christmas my mother gave me a little red wagon, I knew that we were poor so I just made it a point to go into the city and to go into the back yards of furniture stores and so forth to pick up these boxes for heating and I remember one day I was near a police station and the policeman took my hand and I thought he was going to arrest me for taking these boxes and instead he put a bushel of food into my wagon and I thought that was pretty good so we had some food.

I spoke to Edd for a while after this video was made and he truly is a wonderful man who should be an example to us all and help us realise how lucky and privileged we are today. We take for granted so many things like education which he did not have the opportunity of until a few years later

I would like to thank him so so much for sharing his memories for this and future generations.

Label Memories From The 1930's

30s dust bowl

2009-01-31T17:12:00.000-08:00

Memory From:

Debbie , USA The Dust Bowl Years

I didn't live during the 30s, but my Mother did and she experienced the dust bowl.
It may have only impacted Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado and Kansas directly, but it was a major event which isn't mentioned on the this sites list of events.
Many farmers lost their farms and they and their families were made homeless and the migration to California began. Dust storms so severe that the sun was blocked out were daily occurences.
It was a big deal, partly caused by irresponsible land developers and farming techniques that weren't appropriate for the time.
Any dust bowl survivors out there? I'd like to see your memories here

I Hate Green Beans

2009-01-31T16:19:00.000-08:00

Posted By
Greybeard, USA, I Hate Green Beans
I remember a frozen food product marketed to help Parents of picky eaters eat vegetables...They were called I Hate Green Beans, Corn, Beets and Peas. They were french fry type food I think made from those vegetables.

Does anyone else remember these or am I the only one

Best Years Of My Life

2009-01-31T10:12:00.001-08:00

b. February 26 , 1931 ; lived thru Great Depression era ; on a small [ 160 acre ] country farm ; no electricity , one line party line phone w/ 1 ring ; kerosene lamps & lanterns ; 2 room school house , 42 students total ; 8 grades ; no radios , TV , cell phones , etc ; no sports or swimming pool , gyms , etc ; well water by hand pump ; Saturday nite bath ; etc. every SPRING & FALL I rode with my GRANDFATHER 10 MILES to have the team of horses shod ;fished in the brook with wood pole and worms ; etc.

BEST YEARS of MY LIFE

GEORGE , RETIRED TRIAL LAWYER and Real Estate investor
MASSACHUSETTS - 12-18-2008

http://www.MySpace.com/georgetet

HAPPY SEASONS GREETINGS to ALL

The Thirties

2009-01-18T05:58:00.000-08:00

Posted By

Inscho, United States

My grandmother was born in Kansas in the early 1900's.
Our family had farms and were respected members of the communities they lived in.
My grandmother married and became a teacher.
During the 30's her husband lost his job.
She worked as a teacher, traveling from town to town, sleeping in other people's homes. Eventually, they relocated to Oregon.
Once there the two divorced.
She had other family members that made the move, as well. She like to tell me this story about her cousin and her husband who rented a room and everyday for dinner they would cook a potato on a hot plate. He'd have her cut it into two pieces and she would always give him the larger half.

From Webmaster Thank You So Much Inscho
Some of these memories passed down from family members provide truly great insight into much harder times and one of the reasons I set this site up was to allow the sharing of these special memories so they are not lost for future generations

Steve The People History

The 70s were best decade

2009-01-15T11:08:00.000-08:00

Posted By
Samantha, United States

Playing outside, Races, Bike ramps, hide and go seek,
Saturday morning Cartoons,
The Music was the best, all I wanted to do was dance.
I helped my Grandfather on Saturday mornings and he'd pay me a little money.
I also remember collecting pop bottles to get the refunds on them.
Building go-carts out of Big Wheel tires.
Going from door to door asking if they wanted their yards cut (for a fee of course).

Most of all FRIENDLY PEOPLE!!!

Best Memory

2009-01-15T11:07:00.000-08:00

Posted By
Samantha, United States

One of my best memories growing up was when
I woke up on Christmas morning and found the bike I was waiting for forever!

Our First VCR

2009-01-05T12:04:00.000-08:00

Posted By
Beth, United States

I can remember my family getting our first VCR.
I was so excited at the idea that I could watch any movie any time that I wanted.
Our neighbors had gotten one a few year earlier when VCRs first came out and costed a fortune. My sister and I were invited over the day they set it up.
Everyone just sat around amazed at this great new technology.

Living In The 80s

2008-12-19T07:58:00.000-08:00

Posted By
Stephanie

Well if you lived in the 80s it was a whole new era "For Sure For Sure"
and the boy sitting next to you was
"Totally Awseome Dude"
Like Totally!Only if we could go back to those days and relive them I wouldnt change a thing! I had such a blast making memories with my friends and going to the movies and watching "Fast times At Ridgemont High"
and Spicoli ordering pizza and having it delivered in class!Like Oh My God! If you can remember these days you have lived!
Rock on to the people that made the 80s for what they were! Like Totally

Glad To Be A Kid In The 70s

2008-12-10T08:41:00.000-08:00

Posted By
What Happened, USA

Hi All. I'm 37 years old, and I grew up as a child in the mid-to-late 1970s.
We all have are own experiences as kids growing up when we did, but all I can say is...I'm glad I was a kid when I was.
I wouldn't want to be a kid growing up today.
I remember when staying out and running in the field in our backyard, and playing outside was the only things you could really do then.
We didn't have the cell phones, and the video games like they do today. Atari was just starting to come around in the early 80s, but we didn't have it until a bit later.
But we had to actually "do things" to have fun. Our mom had to actually yell for us to come inside the house.
Now it seems you can't get any kids' out of the house and off the sofa. I was watching some old archival footage of the 1950s and 1960s, and wow, I had a great time growing up when I did, I can just image from the footage I've seen and heard about those days, that it must have been soooo great!
I remember the t.v. shows too from the 70s...nothing like they are today. We had little house on the prairie, and sanford and son, and grizzly adams...so I guess all I can say is, what happened? Glad I grew up when I did :)

Kids Back Then

2008-12-10T08:38:00.000-08:00

Posted By
The Kids back then, United States

I was 8 years old in 1979. I remember being able to roam around my block as much as i wanted without my mom having to worry about where I was.
I also remember how much "cooler" the older kids were back then. By older I mean...14-15 years old. I remember one day I was looking at something that was in a small puddle by the side of the street.
It was probably nothing really important, but I remember that bubbles seemed to be coming up from the bottom for some reason. Two older kids, I would say about in the 14-15 year old range came by on their bikes.
They were the "cooloest" bikes to own back then...the bmx ones with the plastic mag. wheels. One kid wore a gold chain around his neck. I remember them stopping by me and asking me what's up. I was a really quiet kid then and pretty shy, but I was able to show them the puddle and what it semmed to be doing. They got off their bikes and watched the bubbles for a short time and then got back on their bikes.

They then just said something like, "take care man," and left. They didn't bother me at all. So kids just seemed to be alot "cooler" then. But, that's just my opinion from back then.