America's Main Streets
This neighborhood business sold fresh bread, cakes, cookies, and pies.
Answer: What is a bakery? Many neighborhood bakeries delivered fresh bread every morning.
Many families gathered around this kitchen appliance to listen to music, news, and baseball games while cooking
Answer: What is a radio?
Before the feature film began, moviegoers often enjoyed one of these short films starring characters like Bugs Bunny or Popeye, these animated features were called this
Answer: What is a cartoon?
Fun Fact: Cartoons were once a regular part of nearly every movie theater visit.
You spread this on the sand before sitting down to enjoy the sunshine.
Answer: What is a beach towel?
Fun Fact: Large colorful beach towels became especially popular during the 1960s.
This chocolate candy melts in your mouth, not in your hand.
Answer: What are M&M's?
Fun Fact: M&M's were first sold in 1941 and were originally created for soldiers because they traveled well
Before supermarkets became common, many families bought meat from this specialty shop.
Answer: What is a butcher shop?
Fun Fact: Butchers often knew their customers by name and would cut meat to order.
This colorful kitchen appliance became a symbol of the 1950s and kept leftovers cold without needing a daily delivery of ice.
Answer: What is a refrigerator?
Fun Fact: Bright colors like pink, turquoise, and butter yellow were popular appliance colors in the 1950s.
Snack has been the king of movie theaters for generations.
Answer: What is popcorn?
Fun Fact: During the Great Depression, popcorn was an inexpensive treat that helped keep movie theaters in business.
This striped structure provides shade and is often planted in the sand.
Answer: What is a beach umbrella?
Fun Fact: Brightly colored umbrellas make it easier for families to find their spot after swimming.
This chewy candy comes in yellow wrappers and is flavored like caramel.
Answer: What are Milk Duds?
Fun Fact: They got their name because the first batches weren't perfectly round—they were "duds!"
If you needed a prescription filled, you visited this type of store, which often had a soda fountain in the 1950s.
Answer: What is a drugstore (or pharmacy)?
Fun Fact: Drugstores were popular gathering places where people enjoyed ice cream sodas and milkshakes.
Before dishwashers became common, dishes were often dried with this item hanging near the sink.
loth item hanging near the sink.
Answer: What is a dish towel?
Fun Fact: Flour sacks were often sewn into colorful dish towels after the flour was used.
Before the movie started, the coming attractions were known by this.
Answer: What are movie previews (or trailers)?
Fun Fact: They were called "trailers" because they originally played after the feature film!
This shellfish is famous for making pearls, although finding one is very rare.
Answer: What is an oyster?
Fun Fact: Only a tiny percentage of oysters naturally produce pearls.
This candy bar has peanuts, caramel, nougat, and milk chocolate.
Answer: What is a Snickers?
Fun Fact: Snickers was introduced in 1930 and was named after the Mars family's favorite horse.
This neighborhood business developed rolls of film and printed your vacation pictures.
Answer: What is a camera shop (or photo shop)?
Fun Fact: Before digital cameras, families often waited several days to see their vacation photos.
This countertop appliance made breakfast easier by quickly browning slices of bread.
Answer: What is a toaster?
Fun Fact: Automatic pop-up toasters became household favorites after World War II.
Joan Blackman starred opposite of this star in three movies, including Blue Hawaii and Girls! Girls! Girls!
Elvis Presley
Fun Fact: Elvis made 31 feature films during his movie career.
Children often use a bucket and this digging tool to build sandcastles.
Answer: Bucket or shovel (or spade)?
Fun Fact: Some sand sculptures are so elaborate they can be taller than a house!
This peppermint candy is famous for the hole in its center.
Answer: What are Life Savers?
Fun Fact: The candy was named because it looked like a life preserver used on boats.
This store sold records, sheet music, and sometimes the latest 45 RPM singles by artists like Elvis Presley.
Answer: What is a record store?
Fun Fact: Many teenagers spent hours listening to new records before deciding which one to buy.
This sturdy cookware was a type of skillet a favorite for frying bacon, eggs, and Sunday chicken.
Answer: What is a cast-iron skillet?
Fun Fact: Well-seasoned cast-iron pans can last for generations and are often handed down in families.
Before home video became popular, many people would say they were going to "catch" one of these two-word showings held in the afternoon, often at a discounted price.
Answer: What is a matinee?
Fun Fact: Saturday matinees were especially popular with families and children, often featuring cartoons, serials, and a feature film
Before sunscreen became common, many beachgoers used this tropical-scented oil to help them tan.
Answer: What is coconut oil (or tanning oil)?
Fun Fact: In the 1950s and 1960s, many people believed a deep tan was a sign of health and vacation fun, long before the dangers of too much sun exposure were widely understood.
This chocolate-covered candy is famous for its bright orange wrapper and comes in a small box that's easy to share.
Answer: What are Junior Mints?
Fun Fact: Junior Mints have been sold since 1949 and became one of the most popular candies at movie theaters across America.