1920's - 1940's
During prohibition, these illegal bars ran by mobsters were one of the only ways to drink alcohol.
What are speakeasies?
These were the waitresses that would roller-skate to your car and take your order.
What are car hops?
By 1965, one hundred million dollars of this doll's merchandise was sold.
What is Barbie?
Chemists at General Electric working with silicone stumbled across this material that can be kneaded, bounced, and stretched.
What is Silly Putty?
Real ants were put in a glass framed case with dirt and paths for the ants to follow. It was fun to watch as your insects interacted on the farm.
What is an ant farm?
Created in 1965 by Andre Courreges, a leading French fashion designer, Nancy Sinatra helped popularize this footwear with "these boots are made for walking".
What are go-go boots?
They smoked, drank, danced, and voted. These people broke away from the conservative image of womanhood that prevailed at the time.
What are flappers?
This was popular black licorice flavored gum.
What is Blackjack?
Invented by Craven Walker in the mid 60's, people were entranced with this device that consisting of illuminated glass cylinder within which a colorful, wax like substance was heated.
What is a lava lamp?
With the Help of President Roosevelt and less income to spend on leisure due to the depression, this activity became very popular in the 30's.
What is stamp collecting?
Although the candy themselves were out in the 20's, the recognizable dispensers for the candy started showing up in the 50's.
What are PEZ?
This is an electric toy-racing car that ran on a grooved track.
What are slot cars?
Started by a professional stuntman, He did it on a dare in 1924, and it soon caught on nationwide. It became a spectator sport, and he eventually set the World Record at 49 days with a crowd of 20,000 people watching.
What is flagpole sitting?
The name for this contraption came from the Hawaiian dance its users seemed to imitate.
What is a hula hoop?
Norman Stingley conducted experiments with highly resilient synthetic rubber. He accidentally produced an astonishing new toy. When compressed under extreme pressure, the substance would bounce like crazy.
What are superballs?
This message appeared mysteriously all over Europe and the Pacific during World War II. It was scrawled on desolate beachheads, notable landmarks and the walls of buildings. It often was discovered by the first American Troops entering an area that had been occupied by enemy troops.
What is "Kilroy was here"?
College students all around the country were stuffing themselves in these for years in this decade.
What are telephone booths?
In 1957, Harold von Braunhut discovered a true freak of nature and recognized its potential to become one of the greatest marketing opportunities in history, the creature known as Artema nyos, a relative to the brine shrimp.
What are sea monkeys?