Skip to content
ThreadOut
James Lucas@JamesLucasIT · Aug 28, 2025

Life in America 40 to 100+ years ago 🧵 1. This was Los Angeles in the 1950s

22 tweets3 min read♥ 70.6Koriginal

Summary

A nostalgic photo thread showcasing American life from the early 1900s through 1980s, featuring iconic scenes from major cities, everyday activities, economic data from the 1940s, and cultural moments that highlight how drastically daily life and affordability have changed over the past century.

Summarized by ThreadOut AI from the full thread. May miss nuance — read the thread below.

  1. #1

    Life in America 40 to 100+ years ago 🧵 1. This was Los Angeles in the 1950s

  2. #2

    2. In 1954, an average American family could afford a detached house and a private car, relying solely on the income from a single factory job at Ford.

  3. #3

    3. This is what Baltimore looked like in the 20s

  4. #4

    4. Teenagers at a party in Tulsa, 1947

  5. #5

    5. New York City on Easter Sunday, 1929

  6. #6

    6. Back in 1947, a homemaker displayed all the groceries she bought for the week, spending only $12.50. That amount covered meals for herself, her husband, their twin preschoolers, and even the family cat. Adjusted for inflation, it is equivalent to approximately $166 in 2025.

  7. #7

    7. US Navy sailors cool off with a swim beside their aircraft carrier, using torpedo nets to keep sharks away.

  8. #8

    8. This is what grocery stores used to look like: all glass bottles, no plastic in sight.

  9. #9

    9. American football in the 1940s

  10. #10

    10. In 1946, a new car cost around $1,125. The average income for American families was $2,600. The federal minimum wage was $0.40. The average home in America in 1946 was $5,150. A movie ticket in 1946 was $0.55, and First-Class U.S postage cost $0.03.

  11. #11

    11. America in the 1980s

  12. #12

    12. Windows on the World, a restaurant on top of the former World Trade Center.

  13. #13

    13. Blackfeet Indians arriving in New York City in 1927

  14. #14

    14. At the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, the Floral Parade of All Nations featured gondolas gliding through man-made lagoons

  15. #15

    15. New Orleans in the 1920s

  16. #16

    16. Gas prices in the 70s

  17. #17

    17. Fifth Avenue in 1929

  18. #18

    18. JFK on the physical fitness of the American youth, 1962

  19. #19

    19. An automobile leap show, 1922

  20. #20

    20. Summer in Atlantic City, 1908

  21. #21

    Thanks for reading till the end! If you enjoyed this journey, please share the first post of this thread and follow me for more content 👇🏻

    James Lucas@JamesLucasIT · Aug 28, 2025

    Life in America 40 to 100+ years ago 🧵 1. This was Los Angeles in the 1950s

  22. #22

    I write about history in my newsletter! Join over 21,000 readers here: James-Lucas.com/welcome