Typewriters killed penmanship, according to these fed-up critics from 1922 & 1950
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Typewriters killed penmanship, according to these fed-up critics from 1922 & 1950
Critics blamed the typewriter for ruining penmanship in 1922 and again in 1950. See how the machine took over the office and what happened to cursive.
Life Savers candy history (plus see a list of 30+ classic flavors)
A Cleveland candy maker invented Life Savers candy in 1912, and it has outlasted a world war and five corporate owners since.
How to create a classy retro hairstyle with pin curls like they did in the 1940s & 50s
Pin curls turned bobby pins into a full hairstyling kit for 1940s and 50s women, no salon or hot tools required. See how the technique actually worked.
Box social auctions: How a secretly decorated lunch box could win you a spouse (1940s-70s)
A box social turned home-cooked lunches into community fundraisers and courtship rituals across rural America for nearly a century.
Classic cake recipes for every occasion: The ultimate vintage collection with over 100 ideas to try
Explore more than 100 vintage cake recipes spanning decades, from chocolate and lemon to bundts and holiday favorites.
Get the original Rice Krispies treats recipe from 1940 & its delicious history
The original Rice Krispies treats were invented in the 1930s. By 1940, the recipe was known across the country -- and their popularity has hardly waned since. Here, get the original version of the treats recipe, along with some modern variations!
California wine history spans a gold rush, Prohibition & a stunning Paris upset (1940s & 50s)
Vintage ads show California wine's uphill climb from Prohibition wreck to postwar dinner table staple, decades before it beat France at its own game.
Public support for a woman president soared from 33% to nearly 90% across the decades
Polls tracked Americans' views on a woman president from a 33% yes in 1937 to over 90% today, spanning Woodhull to Harris.
X-ray shoe fitting: The wild & questionable fad that put radiation in every shoe store (1920s-50s)
X-ray shoe fitting once let shoppers watch their toe bones glow on screen. Here's how the fad took over shoe stores, then eventually vanished.
Books in a home once signaled that the residents were intelligent, worldly, and could afford to collect their favorite volumes. Look back at some vintage bookshelves from the past!
Toothpaste through the decades, from tube concept to the fluoride breakthrough
A century of vintage toothpaste ads and tubes, from 1890s tooth powder to Crest's fluoride breakthrough and beyond.
Dining room sets from the 1940s & 50s: The compact chrome dinettes that fit postwar life perfectly
Vintage dining room sets from the '40s & '50s were compact, colorful and built for small postwar homes. See 50 original chrome dinette ads and photos.
Cinnamon apple cream cake from 1940 proves vintage baking had some brilliant tricks
This 1940 cinnamon apple cream cake layers whipped cream, egg whites & red cinnamon candy-spiced apples. A vintage fall dessert worth reviving!
Jigsaw puzzles: The fun & addictive fad that took over American living rooms — more than once (1908)
Jigsaw puzzles swept America not once but twice -- first in 1908, then again in the Great Depression. Here's the wild history behind the hobby.
International long-distance calls cost $75 in 1927 and $12 in the '60s -- which was considered a bargain. Here's the history of how we got connected.
D-Day diary: A World War II paratrooper’s account at Normandy, hour-by-hour (1944)
A D-Day diary from a 508th paratrooper captain -- the broader story of June 6, 1944, with a grandfather's firsthand account of his first hours in Normandy.
Full service gas stations were once the American standard -- attendants, windshields, oil checks and all. Here's the history of how they rose, ruled and faded.
Golf ball history: The sport’s evolution from stuffed leather to space-age science
Golf ball history goes from hand-stuffed feathers to rubber cores to space-age solids -- and the story is wilder than you'd expect.
Young James Dean: The ordinary Indiana kid who became Hollywood’s ultimate rebel (1931-1955)
Young James Dean was just a regular Indiana kid before Hollywood changed everything. See rare childhood & teen photos plus a look back at his legendary career.
Colorful 1940s bathrooms: See some retro restrooms in rainbow hues
The 1940s bathroom got a serious glow-up -- colorful, coordinated fixtures & bold style that set the stage for the midcentury home design craze.
Over 200 vintage license plates from every state show off decades of bold, forgotten design
Vintage license plates tell the real story of American car culture — from wild state designs to a 50-state size standoff. See 200+ examples here.
Marshmallow bunny cake from 1941 is still the most irresistible Easter birthday idea
This marshmallow bunny cake from 1941 is a proven Easter birthday hit -- pink frosting, gumdrop accents & hand-assembled bunny candle holders included!
Nikola Tesla helped shape the electrical age with AC power and bold wireless experiments. Explore the inventor behind the headlines.
Where did the candy hearts with sayings come from? The romantic history of these sweets
Everyone knows the pastel little Valentine's Day sweets that say Hug Me, Cutie and more. Where did those candy heart sayings come from? Look back here!
These California postcards from the 1930s & 40s made the Golden State look like paradise
See vintage California postcards from the 1930s and ’40s that captured the state’s growing appeal to tourists during the rise of American car travel.
Retro versions of classic board games: 11 hits of yesteryear you can get again
Here, see a dozen old-fashioned classic board games that are freshly-made, but look just like you remember... or, at least, pretty close.
Photos with Santa from decades ago don’t really look all that different
The official photos with Santa - once called 'sitting on Santa's lap' - has been around for generations. Here's a look back at this Christmas ritual!
100 vintage Christmas scenes so charming and old-fashioned, you’ll wish you had a time machine
Step back and time and enjoy these charmingly vintage Christmas scenes celebrations from the 1940s through the 1970s, showing holidays that were picture perfect.
Bad vintage Christmas ads: 20 wild pitches and hilarious missteps that you’d never see today
There's a reason that advertising has evolved over the decades - and these bad vintage Christmas ads from years ago show you exactly why!
Ovaltine promised better sleep, more energy and extra nutrition in vintage ads from the 1920s to the 1980s -- see how this chocolate drink made its case.