Looking Back on the Fabulous ’50s of Grand Rapids

Ah, the fabulous '50s! Rock 'n Roll, Elvis, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, the Purple People Eater, and on and on. Pacemakers were developed, as well as antihistamines, black and white, 19 inch TVs, TV stations signed off at midnight, and, you only got three or four channels anyway. And, you had to get up to change the channel! Oh, the horror of it all.

We drank water from the tap, not a bottle, didn't wear seat belts in cars, kids shared coke from one bottle, parents couldn't reach us ( what's a cell phone? ) and most of the day we would be out playing with friends, and parents knew we would be safe with hardly any weirdos wandering the streets. We were allowed to be kids.

And then, of course, we always shopped downtown with our families. It was glorious with the big stores, Herpolsheimer's, Wurzburgs, Gantos, Houseman's, Woolworth, and the hustle and bustle of shoppers. Christmas time was so exciting when all the decorations were put up throughout all the streets, and when Santa arrived on his sleigh in the Christmas parade, oh WOW!

Here's how it looked in 1953!

Oh, and I forgot the milkman. He always came to the door to deliver milk, cream, and butter. Those were the days.