Who could forget watching legendary stuntman Evel Knievel make his first jump on Wide World of Sports on ABC in 1967?
The infamous entertainer appeared on the program a number of times, including in 1975 when he jumped 14 Greyhound buses at Ohio’s King’s Island amusement park. Five of his seven appearances on the show rank in the program’s top 20 of all time.
Talking to the Operator
Can you believe that there actually used to be a human at the other end of a telephone line who would help you find and connect with a phone number you were looking for?
The number for getting in touch with them varied occasionally, but “0” was always a good bet. Some people probably still press 0 on occasion, old habits and all.
Watching Bonanza
"Bonanza" was one of the very first TV programs that came on color TV, and that was a big deal. Color TV sets, on the other hand, weren’t so common at first. But, those who didn’t have one at home could always make friends with someone who had one!
The show first came out in 1959 and became NBC’s longest-running western, as well as the second-longest-running western series on U.S TV, spanning more than 430 episodes into 1973, meaning many boomers grew up watching it!
Loving v. Virginia
It may seem shocking, as someone living in the modern world in 2021, that there was a time when there were bans on interracial marriages – but that time, unfortunately, and actually existed.
But in 1967, a couple named Richard and Mildred Loving had enough of the band and took their case straight to the supreme court in what would become Loving v. Virginia. Now, Loving Day is celebrated every year on June 12 to mark the momentous occasion.
Five-and-Dime Stores
Five-and-dime stores came into existence in 1879, created by a failed department store chain, Woolworths. But back in the day, they were extremely popular, that is until Walmart and Amazon, and other mega-stores ran them out of business.
Still, many look back and miss the days of shopping at the cheap and cheerful neighborhood five-and-dime. There may still be a few sprinkled here and there, and you may find one if you’re lucky, but the majority have been closed.