Dennis and Sandy King married and flew to San Francisco for their honeymoon (12/05-12/13).
The Golden Gate Bridge’s lights were out all night due to a power failure (12/14)
Richard Nixon was president and Time’s Man of the Year.
The last televised cigarette advertisement aired on the Tonight Show.
One of the earliest appeared in 1949–the year of my birth.
The Soviets manned the first space station for 23 days.
Alan Shepard played golf on the moon (Apollo 14).
Walt Disney World opened.
Most watched TV shows included:
And just a couple of my favorites
Beverly Hillbillies, Mayberry RFD, Hogan’s Heroes, Green Acres and Ed Sullivan ended.
Song of the year
Tradition!
Miss America – Phyllis George
The average U.S. taxpayer gave the government $400 for defense, $125 to fight the war in Indochina, $40 to build highways, $30 to explore outer space, and $315 for health activities ($7 for medical research).
Life expectancy: 71.1 years.
The Pittsburgh Pirates won the World Series.
No Pulitzer Prize awarded for a fiction book.
Madge softened hands in Palmolive dishwashing liquid.
Tide and a new Speed Queen washer took care of 3-year-old Bradley’s dirty shirt.
Woolite safely soaked pants and other fine washables clean in 3 minutes.
Uphill, the engine of the Datsun 1200 Sports Coupe generated such instant pep, you wouldn’t hold up a line of angry cars.
You could take a quiet break with a Ford LTD.
You could get an 8 cents off coupon for Easy Off Oven Cleaner.
The average new house cost $25,200.00
The average income was $10,622.00 per year.
A new car cost $3560.00
A movie ticket cost $1.50.
Gas was 40 cents a gallon.
A stamp cost 8 cents.
Fresh baked bread was 25 cents a loaf.
Eggs were 45 cents a dozen.
Women could buy a 2-piece bonded knit pantsuit for $9.98.
You could get 4 “bright, beautiful” place mats and matching coasters for any 10 Stokely labels.
Sources
The Year That Was
1971 Remember When
Those were the days!
Copyright © 2009 by Sandra Heska King
Thank you for the trip down memory lane…and happy anniversary!
Blessings!
Melinda
Sandy, I do remember those days! What fun to have some concrete reminders of the specifics. God has blessed your marriage, and those of us who are lucky enough to know you. You are a gift to us all. Thanks for the link to this site, dear girl!
I really enjoyed this. Times sure were different. A doctor smoking and a house for $25,000. Wow. How things changed!
I spent most of the day walking down this lane. There were heavy things going on in the world, but life seemed oh so carefree.
@Melinda: You are such a blessing in my life.
@Elizabeth: I'm blushing at your comment. You are a treasure and inspiration to me.
@Madison: That Camel ad just blew me away!
Thanks, all, for sharing the fun.