Celebrating my own 50th!

[Jiminy Cricket]

In August it will be 50 years since I visited DL. I thought I would share with the old timers, and the rest of the members, what was happening back then:

Cost of things:

House: $22,000
Average income: $4,137
Ford car: $1606-$2944
Milk: $.92
Gas: $.23
Wonder Bread: $.18
Baseball Cards: $.05 for 10 cards and a big piece of bubble gum
McDonald Hamburger, Fries, or real milk shake $.15
White Castle Hamburger: $.12
Hershey Bar: $.05
Postage stamp: $.03
Sirloin chops: $ .69 lb.
Pot Roast: $.43 lb.
Eggs, doz.: $.61
Coffee: $.93 lb.
Milk, ½ gal. $.43
Potatoes, 10 lb. bag: $.53
Starkist Tuna, 6 ½ oz. can: $.25
Oreo cookies, 11¾ .oz pkg: $.39
Potato Salad, pint: $.29
Cracker Jack, 24 pac: $1.49
Apple cider,½ gal.: $.49
Gum Drops, 1½ lb. pkg: $.29
Ivory Soap, 2 bars: $.29
Mickey Mouse lunchbox: $.88
Slinky: $.88
Nylons, pair: $1.00
Home permanent: $1.50
Baseball Glove: $9.95


What Happened in 1955:

January 18, 1955 Kevin Costner was born
January 19, 1955 "The Millionaire" TV program premiered on CBS
January 19, 1955 President Eisenhower was the first president to have a news conference for TV
February 12, 1955 President Eisenhower sent the first US advisors to South Vietnam
February 15, 1955 First pilot plant announced that they produced man made diamonds
March 3, 1955 Elvis Presely made his first TV appearance
March 19, 1955 (Walter) Bruce Willis was born
April 15, 1955 Ray Kroc started the fast food chain, McDonalds
April 18, 1955 Albert Einstein, developer of the relativity theory, died
April 22, 1955 Congress ordered all US coins to say, "In God We Trust"
May 5, 1955 US performed nuclear test at Nevada test site
May 14, 1955 US performed nuclear test in the Pacific Ocean
May 31, 1955 Supreme Court ordered school integration "with all deliberate speed"
June 19, 1955 Mickey Mantel hit his career home run, number 100
June 23, 1955 Walt Disney's "Lady and the Tramp" was released
June 27, 1955 First automobile seat belt legislation enacted in Illinois
July 2, 1955 The "Lawrence Welk Show" premiered on ABC
July 17, 1955 Disneyland, first opened its gates

Disneyland was opened to the public on Sunday, July 17, 1955. The opening ceremonies were televised nationwide and anchored by three of Walt Disney's friends from Hollywood: Art Linkletter, Bob Cummings, and Ronald Reagan.

Opening day did not go smoothly. The park was overcrowded as the by-invitation-only affair was plagued with counterfeit tickets. All major roads nearby were congested. The high temperature was over 110 degrees Fahrenheit, and a plumbers' strike left many of the drinking fountains dry. The asphalt that had been poured just the night before was so soft that ladies' high-heeled shoes sank in. Vendors ran out of food. A gas leak in Fantasyland caused Adventureland, Frontierland, and Fantasyland to close for the afternoon. Parents were throwing children over the shoulders of crowds to get in line for rides such as Dumbo.

The park got such bad press for opening day that Walt Disney invited members of the press back for a private 'second day' to experience the true Disneyland, after which Walt held a party in the Disneyland Hotel for them. Walt and his executives forever referred to the first day as Black Sunday.

August 12, 1955 President Eisenhower raised minimum wage from $0.75 to $1.00 an hour
August 15, 1955 JC's family visits DL and Knott's Berry Farm
August 20, 1955 The first airplane exceeded 1800 miles per hour
September 24, 1955 President Eisenhower had a heart attack while vacationing in Denver
September 26, 1955 The New York Stock Exchange had the worst price decline since 1929
September 30, 1955 James Dean was killed in an automobile crash
October 3, 1955 The "Mickey Mouse Club" first premiered
October 3, 1955 The Soviet battle ship "Novorossiisk" struck a World War II mine in the Baltic Sea
November 3, 1955 The first virus was crystallized
November 7, 1955 Supreme Court of Baltimore banned segregation in public recreational areas
November 29, 1955 The comedian Howie Mandel was born
December 1, 1955 Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a city bus
December 19, 1955 Carl Perkins recorded "Blue Suede Shoes"
December 29, 1955 Barbara Streisand first recorded "You'll Never Know" at the age of thirteen

[jarmitc2032]

Happy 50th

[Stitch]

Another cool thing about 1955...both my parents were born!

[tiggerguy]

Another cool thing about 1955...both my parents were born!

I was a twinkle in my momma's eyes in 1955

[crashbunny]

same here

[olmec26]

Gas: $.23

It's time to play...

NOW and THEN!!

THEN = 1995

Gas Then: $0.23
Gas Now: $2.23

Compare...