Susan Wells
1950's and 60's American Culture: Automobles
The automobile also played an important role in nineteen fifties and sixties U.S. culture as the economy flourished. The average income of the American citizen surpassed the average cost of a car. This photograph is of my Grandmother, Emma-Gene Hastings, posing next to her family’s brand new pink 1953 “Elvis” Cadillac. To own a car at that time and age, especially one of that caliber, was a dream come true for the traditional American family. The average cost for a Cadillac in the sixties was around $4,000, compared to today’s price which ranges from $20,000 to $100,000. Though cars had been introduced roughly in the early 1900’s by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company, Americans did not consider it an essential asset until after World War I, considering that most models were typically unattractive due to their military purpose; i.e. aircrafts, tanks, supply trucks, est. However, the demand for cars increased as trendier designs were introduced to the public. The more appealing model had incredible horsepower, was near to the ground, had a curvier body, varied in color, and was comfortably large. Furthermore, the fifties automobile was not conservative when it came to gas, however gas was cheaper and there was an ample supply back then.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Ford
Young, Nancy and William H. Young, eds. 2004. The 1950s. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press.
1950's and 60's American Culture: Automobles
The automobile also played an important role in nineteen fifties and sixties U.S. culture as the economy flourished. The average income of the American citizen surpassed the average cost of a car. This photograph is of my Grandmother, Emma-Gene Hastings, posing next to her family’s brand new pink 1953 “Elvis” Cadillac. To own a car at that time and age, especially one of that caliber, was a dream come true for the traditional American family. The average cost for a Cadillac in the sixties was around $4,000, compared to today’s price which ranges from $20,000 to $100,000. Though cars had been introduced roughly in the early 1900’s by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company, Americans did not consider it an essential asset until after World War I, considering that most models were typically unattractive due to their military purpose; i.e. aircrafts, tanks, supply trucks, est. However, the demand for cars increased as trendier designs were introduced to the public. The more appealing model had incredible horsepower, was near to the ground, had a curvier body, varied in color, and was comfortably large. Furthermore, the fifties automobile was not conservative when it came to gas, however gas was cheaper and there was an ample supply back then.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Ford
Young, Nancy and William H. Young, eds. 2004. The 1950s. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press.