Mr Potato Head used to require a real potato — here’s how the famous toy has changed since 1952
Most recent posts
Home designs & decor from the 1950s
Fashion & beauty in the fifties
Mr Potato Head used to require a real potato — here’s how the famous toy has changed since 1952
Mr Potato Head started with real vegetables and push-pins in 1952 -- and became the first toy ever advertised on TV. Here's the full story behind the famous spud.
Bonanza: The fascinating story behind TV’s biggest Western hit of the 1960s
Bonanza almost didn't survive its first season. Here's how the show went from near-cancellation to the No. 1 Western on TV -- and what ended it for good.
These evaporated milk recipes from the 1950s are surprisingly good & still worth making
Evaporated milk recipes from 1955 that prove a can of shelf-stable milk could do a lot -- from frozen orange dessert to a quick, no-roux cheese sauce.
George Washington’s dentures: The strange, painful truth behind a founding myth (1700s)
George Washington's dentures weren't wooden -- they were made of hippo ivory, gold springs and human teeth. Here's the real (and uncomfortable) history.
TV remote control history: How a luxury gadget from 1950 became a living room essential
The TV remote control went from a wired ankle-hazard in 1950 to an ultrasonic curiosity to an infrared staple -- here's how it all happened.
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.
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.
Buddy Holly died tragically at 22, but his legendary influence on rock music just kept growing
Buddy Holly packed more into 30 months than most artists manage in a career. Here's the story of how a kid from Lubbock changed rock and roll forever.
Hawaiian luau parties swept American backyards in the late '50s and '60s -- here's the real history behind the roast pigs, paper leis and pineapple punch.
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.
40 vintage cake mixes you can’t get anymore — and the wild flavors we lost along the way
Burnt sugar, chocolate malt, pink lemonade, black walnut -- vintage cake mixes once offered flavors you'd never find on shelves today. Here's how it all happened.
Vintage jukeboxes ruled American bars, diners and drugstores for decades -- here's the full story of the machines, the makers and the music that defined an era.
Before the microwave, there was the gas range -- and in the 1950s, it came with automatic pilots, built-in timers and two-tone colors to match.
Miracle Whip once convinced Americans that peaches on lettuce were a real salad (1950s)
Miracle Whip launched in 1933 as a Depression-era mayo alternative -- and by the 1950s, it was turning canned peaches into "salad." Here's how that happened.
Alice in Wonderland: A look back at Disney’s wonderfully weird 1951 movie masterpiece
Walt Disney spent a decade on Alice in Wonderland, called it a disappointment in 1951, then watched college kids turn it into a midnight cult hit.
Why the vintage wall paneling in these 1950s & 1960s homes still works
This gigantic collection of vintage wall paneling from mid-century (and beyond) makes for a surprisingly delightful scroll down nostalgia lane!
Mad magazine: How a wicked 1952 comic book taught America to mock everything
Mad magazine launched as a 10-cent comic in 1952 and grew into America's most influential humor mag. Here's the wild story behind Alfred E. Neuman.
Card tables started out as elegant colonial furniture and ended up in nearly every American home. Here's how they got from one to the other.
What old drive-in movie theaters were like in the 1950s & 60s – and why they were so popular
Drive-in movie theaters were everywhere in the 1950s and '60s -- but how did they rise, and what finally brought them down? Here's the full story.
Betty White's dog advice from 1958 covers everything from choosing the right breed to training tips -- straight from a woman who once had 26 dogs at home.
‘Happy Days’ brought the 50s back – plus see the opening credits & popular theme song
Happy Days starred Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham and Henry Winkler as Fonzie, and showed life in 1956 - or at least the 1956 some like to believe existed.
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.
1950s bathroom tile: The bold pastel design era that transformed a generation of American homes
1950s bathroom tile turned the postwar bathroom into a design statement. See the pastels, the patterns and the ideas that defined an era.
James Garner: From reluctant actor to treasured Hollywood mainstay (1950s-2014)
James Garner rose from Oklahoma to become a beloved TV and film star, known for Maverick, The Rockford Files and a career built on authenticity.
These popular 1950s board games show exactly what was on America’s mind in the postwar era
The range of 1950s board games surprises people -- cold war strategy to Candy Land. See the vintage ads and box art from a prolific decade of family game night.
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.
Bold 1950s linoleum flooring: See how the postwar bathroom floor became a fantastic design statement
1950s linoleum flooring and vinyl were bolder than you'd expect -- see 20 real bathroom floors from some of the decade's most creative designs.
1950s Nash cars had some crazy ideas that Detroit ignored — and some of them actually worked
Nash cars were unlike anything else on the road in the 1950s. See the ads and photos that show what made the Airflyte, Metropolitan and Ambassador so unforgettable.
Pretty Easter bonnet cake with strawberry jam frosting from 1958 is a simple show stopper
This Easter cake's pink jam frosting and red filling come from fresh berry preserves, and make a perfect addition to a white or yellow cake.
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.
