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1960s Memories From Our Visitors

When we look back in time small things or words can jog our own memories

Navy And Toys For Tots Making Two Children's Christmas Come True United States

Memory Posted By: luckycharm

I can remmerber in the 60's my Dad got sick and was mentaly ill for a while from when he was in the war and it was Christmas time and mom had two kids to still take care of ,not knowing then but the navy and toys for tots came and gave our Christmas to us and it was alot of stuff not a gift or two we had a alot not know where it came from we were told Santa had gave it to then to bring to us!!! that it has been 45 years now and I know what happen thanks for all you done to make two kids Christmas come true



Buying fresh fish in the 1960s United Kingdom

Posted By Mike

Reading the article below reminded me of the weekly shopping trips with my mum as a youngster, we would go to the following shops each week in our local town.
The local Fishmonger to buy fresh fish most often what ever fish was being caught locally and any local shellfish , because it would depend on the season we could be eating cod, plaice, mackerel, shrimp or skate and often cockles or muscles.
The local Butchers to buy liver, sausages, chicken, A Sunday joint and minced beef
The local Grocer for fresh fruit and vegetables whatever was currently in season and cheap
Shame so many of those local shops have dissapeared as the supermarkets / hypermarkets do not give the same personal touch

Childhood Memories of the fall in the 60's United States

Memory Posted By: Laur

My favorite time of the year has always been the fall. I grew up in a small town in Up- State New York in the Appalachian Mountains. The maple trees in autumn are so colorful and mejestic. Of course fall means Halloween-the holiday I love the most. It was simple in the early 60's. Our costumes were store bought for $.69 or we would make our own ( a hobo or ghost). One year, I went as a space man. The custome was silver with an astronauts mask - I was so proud. I will always remember the crunching leaves beneath our feet as we ran from house to house, the pumpkins on the porches and the chill in the air. There was always one house that was haunted or had a mean old witch lived inside. We were scared to go near it in the case we would never return

Grandchildren Love My 60s Toys United States

Memory Posted By: Art

Christmas finished and grandchildren happy, but one interesting thing happened I showed them a few of my toys from childhood in the late 50's and 60's and they spent more time playing with those than the super duper electronic toys they received for Christmas and even asked to take them home. I decided to say no and that they could play with them whenever they came to visit. Below are a couple of the toys they loved My old red Viewmaster with 3 sets of mickey mouse slides I have checked them out on ebay so may get them one for their birthdays, this picture is from the one on ebay I am looking at.


The other toy they loved was my old set of Roy Rogers cap guns with holsters and belts my brother and I played with, they used the few caps that were left AND THEY STILL WORKED can not find any of those on ebay but found something similar at a toy store. Watching them play took me back nearly 50 years when my brother and I were children

Memory of Childhood Friends in the 60's United States

Memory Posted By: Connie WIlson

I cherish the memory of my childhood friends and I running around in a group singing the songs of the 60's in our neighborhood that was like an island to us. Those truly were the good old days.

43 years ago tonight United States

Memory Posted By: Penguinn

43 years ago tonight - My sister's wedding rehersal was on Feb. 25. My dad and I drove to the town where the wedding was to be held. My mother and sister were already there. We drove through 2 high embankments of snow (one on each side of the road) on a curvy Ozark Mountain road to get there. I was glad when we arrived. i wasn't sure we were going to make it.


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Remembering the 1960s

Man landed on the moon and the immortal words " One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind " were uttered from a man walking on the moon.

The Vietnam War was one of the only wars in history where the men who fought for their country were not greeted as hero's when they returned.

Two charismatic leaders who captured the limelight world wide through the TV were both murdered President John F Kennedy and Martin Luther King

With the realisation of the teenage generation in the 60's that they had a voice that could be used in protest against the Vietnam War the birth of the hippie culture which still lives on from many of that generation as a way of protest against our modern society.

Music 60's
Following on from the 50's rock and roll with Bill Haley and Elvis Presley new groups appear in the 60's who are considered as an alternative music culture but become so popular that they quickly become mainstream, two of the dominant forces being THE BEATLES and THE ROLLING STONES who gain world wide notoriety and popularity with a generation of teenagers who have also found that they can make their voices heard through political protest.

Fashion:
With the more liberal attitudes came fashions that just 5 years earlier would have caused major protests and the birth of the mini skirt which each year became shorter and shorter as the young generation that could show legs wanted to show as much as they could get away with

Please try to speak to parents and grandparents to try to understand how different it was in the 60's and what they can remember from some of the major events from that decade including man landing on the moon, the assassination of JFK and Martin Luther King, The Vietnam War, The Invasion of British Music including the Beatles around the world , if your parents are willing to share memories on The People History please do but if not at least they will have been passed on and not lost.

Columbus Day Storm United States

Memory Posted By:

I had just moved to Winlock from Seattle and I was the first to wear bellbottoms and everyone thought i was weird. But when the storm came it changed me, I Iived in a farm house and i was about 14 at the time and when we were leaving to go to my friends house down the street we saw the roof of our barn fly off and almost kill my mom, sister, brother, dad and me. But when we went to my friends house i left something in my car and i went out to go get it and it was about 110mph winds and it shoved me into the car. And that was the worst thing that happened to me

Growing Up In Philly in the 60's United States

Memory Posted By: charlieklem

I remember my first weekend in my new neighbor hood. My Dad packed us up and moved to South Philly. It was 1966 and I just missed the Beatle concert at JFK stadium ....by a week. I was and still am a Big Beatle fan.That concert was one of their last few. I guess my dad felt bad about it. So he got me some thrill show tickets. This thrill show was for the benefit of kids who lost a parent that was in the police or fire dept.if Iam not mistaking.

The show was also held at JFK .It so happened that a bunch of guys and girls I had just met in my new neighborhood had tickets to the show to.This was big big time for me. I didn't realize the four tops would be preforming at the show. I remember walking with my new friends up Pattison Ave to go to this show...man I was excited.It was a perfect late August night. I was Amazed how huge JFK stadium was...and also thinking the Beatles were just here a few days ago!

Change From 60s Growing Up United States

Memory Posted By: Deb

I can remember when my sisters and I were only about 10 years old and we use to ride our bikes around a country block which was at least 10 miles. There were very few cars that would pass us and they were people we knew and waved to. No one ever bothered anyone. Today we can't let our kids walk to the store alone in few that they will be abducted. How sad.

Growing up in the 60s by Donna United States

Memory Posted By: Donna

Growing up in the 60's was very different from today. No microwave ovens, no cable tv, no video games, we had three flavors of ice cream, vanilla chocolate and strawberry.

One thing that stands out, kids were outside a lot more, skating, riding bikes, boys were building something, usually forts as I recall and my girlfriends and I would play dress up if our mothers lent us some clothes,hats and shoes. We would sing and dance to the songs on our transistor radio. I was a bookworm and was constantly being told to get out in the fresh air and go "play" We were facinated by any creek or body of water and wanted to see what was in there. I remember dressing up our dogs in doll clothes and taking them for a ride in a wagon down the street.

It was an innocent time, in spite of everything else going on in the world,you could let your kids go outside and not constantly worry about someone hurting them. We would take coke bottles that were thrown away that we found and get as many as we could and take them to the store for the deposit,I think it was 2cents a bottle. I was always thinking of ways to make money, I even sold my mother a story I had written and she gave me 10 cents or something like that.

Spring Break and Mardi Gras in 1960s United States

Memory Posted By: "SIU" SKIP

SPRING BREAKS AND MARDI GRAS. THE LATE 60'S MEANT SPRING BREAK AT FT LAUDERDALE BEACH, AND MARDIS GRAS IN NEW ORLEANS. WILD PARTIES, SKINNY DIPPING AND FUN IN THE SUN FOR TWO WEEKS IN FT LAUDERDALE WITH 10 TO 15 KIDS PER ROOM. NEW ORLEANS MEANT NONSTOP THREE OR FOUR DAYS OF DRINKING AND PARTYING IN AND AROUND NEW ORLEANS. GOOD TIMES BEFORE A BAD WAR.

Philadelphia Sqeegies United States

Memory Posted By: Linnie

Maybe this is just a Philadelphia thing!! I'm not sure. i remember getting a small ice cup from the milkman. the cup was colored with hot pink and orange dots. the ice inside was either raspberry or orange. delish!!!!! i think they were called squeegies!!! does anyone remember?????

Memory Triggered by Scent United States

Memory Posted By: Beckett

Many memories for me are triggered by scent. One of the strongest is the scent of hyacinths. The beautiful bright perfume takes me right back to my Polish grandmother's house, my babci, on Easter Sunday.

After doing the Easter bunny chocolate fest and church, we would pile into the car and drive the 50 miles to Babci's house in our new Easter outfits (my mother would take me on the train into Boston to Filene's Basement to get mine in the 60s, before she drove and malls came into the burbs). And as soon as we walked in the door you could smell the hyacinths. All the aunts and uncles and cousins would be there, the adults chattering in Polish. And the table would be spread with a traditional feast of different kielbasas, ham, salads, babka, prune bread, and of course the wonderful beet soup, which my non-Polish mother still makes.

And before dinner, Babci would go around with a plate of chopped hard boiled egg; each person would take a piece and wish her Happy Easter. I loved that ritual. When I went to college I stopped going to Babci's for Easter... too busy at that time of year. And she died right after I graduated... more than 20 years now. But every year in April I buy a hyacinth, let the scent fill my house, and remember those special Easter Sundays at my grandmother's house.

Comment From catey I agree! scents can really bring you back. I love your story about your polish grandmother and the hyacinths. It's really wonderful that you remember her every year on April 1st.<

Comment From Anonymous The Helms Bakery truck....theres an aroma I will never forget-hot fresh donuts and breads. Those back doors being thrown open and the scent wafting over me...buying a package of 5 colored gumballs for a nickel while Mom made her selection.

Childrens Toys From The 1960's

Part of our Collection of Toys from The 1960's

Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots
Manufacturer: Marx
Price: $7.99
Description Boxing robots are hand controlled for hours of fun. Boxers move around, throw left and right punches. When socked on the chin, a spring mechanism pops the head up.

Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots






Old Fashioned Dial Telephone
Manufacturer:
Price:
Description Old Fashioned Dial Telephone, I included this not as much as a toy which it is but as a reminder that every Vintage telephone was designed like this, you dialed the number by turning the dial.
Old Fashioned Dial Telephone






Lionel Train Sets
Manufacturer: Lionel
Price: From $18.66 to $22.66
Description Lionel Train Sets featuring choice of a 5 unit diesel freighter or a Steam Locomotive with 6 units, forward and reverse, headlights, complete with track and transformer.

Lionel Train Sets






Oh Those 60s United States

Memory Posted By: Anon

I remember when life was so much slower and everybody did not spend their whole life running and forgetting to take the time to watch the flowers grow ,

When time was found for family and not to use for carreers which provide bigger and better cars or houses or things we don't need

When time was found to help and care about others or to stand up and let an old lady sit in your seat

When time was found to enjoy the sound of childrens laughter

Is it just me or has life changed so much in the last 40 years

Ghosts and Portchester Castle United Kingdom

Memory Posted By: Steve

After reading the last strange but true from I thought I would add my own strange but true memory. I spent my teenage years living in a village in England called Portchester which has a castle dating back to the 12th century , a number of the old walls still exist together with the main courtyard . This was a favourite haunt for teenage boys to take girls to and try to scare the p???? off them now many times this worked very well we would tell them all about the lady who walked the walls at night with no head. But one night it backfired big time as I was pointing out where she would appear and telling the ghostly tales when the ghost with a white glow walked across the top of the wall and even walked across the part of the wall that no longer existed , I do not know who was more scared ME or the girl I was with !!!! I never did use that place to take girls again and was always slightly scared to go there at night The Webmaster

Memory of Grandma UK

Memory Posted By: Anon

Like many young children when we visited my grandparents we were told to be on our best behaviour as in those times my parents favourit quote was "Children Should Be Seen and Not Heard". My grandad died before I was born but my grandma was sweet and kind, as a young boy I couldn't understand how my grandma was so small and it wasn't till many years later in my life I understood that some older people got shorter as they got older. I do remember when we went to my grandmas she would make some of the most wonderful cakes I had ever tasted and she was always trying to fatten my brother and I up, we never complained.

I had two grandmas both who had both lost their husbands in the second world war, one of my grandmas owned an old fashioned sweet shop, it was the kind of sweet shop very rarely seen in today's world where every kind of sweet you could imagine was kept in glass jars and weighed out by the quarter pound ( 4 ounces ). The shop had rows and rows of jars on shelves all round the shop, when we went to see her she would let us pick the sweets we wanted and weigh them out and give us the bags, many of those sweets are long gone and not made any more, as sadly are both of my grandmas

Comment From Nick I had forgotten how short my own grandma was until I read this and it bought it flooding back , Also how kind and gentle she was and how much I miss her 20 years later

First Girlfriend UK

Memory Posted By: Colin

It's funny what you remember, I can still remember my first girlfriend and first kiss, her name was Wendy and I was 13 years old.

She told me I had to ask her dad if we could go out and I was petrified, anyway the day comes and after a few hours of building up the courage I knocked on her door and was invited in, her dad was sat in a chair and looked at me as if I was the devil which to him maybe I was and asked me questions about where we were going ?, what we were going to do ?, what time we would be home ?, by then I had gone the brightest shade of red and wished the floor would swallow me up. It seemed to take for ever before I got out of the house. And all my big ideas of what we were going to do were somewhat shattered but I did get my first kiss and it was worth all the grilling her dad had given me.



Remember When U.S.A.

Memory Posted By: Grady

The 60s I can remember when Coke was 10 cents a bottle. We used to walk to the corner store and with 25 cents we would buy cokes, bubblegum, candy, all kinds of stuff! I can remember when TV was just going color, and we used to walk anywhere we wanted in safety. I can remember leaving things outside like bikes (my dad would leave the keys in the car alot) and no one would mess with them. Anyone remember the commericials for "lock your car, take your keys"? That was the beginning of the end.



Stealing mom's car U.S.A.

Memory Posted By: Not Telling

I was 12 when I took my mother’s Ford Fairlane. There were 4 of us and we all piled in and laughed. Key was always in the ignition so started her up and she purred into life. I grinned, cradled the gear shift knob in my right hand, used both feet to tap the brakes and accelerator together and we lurched forward. “Here we go, !” We all squealed! and she stalled. “Do it again!” my friends screamed , so started up again once again feet on both brake and accelerator and shoved the gear shift into the PRNDL position. lots of Noise and Smoke. and going nowhere.

So I took both feet off accelerator and brake and we shot out of the drive panic set in so hit both pedals and stopped again with smoke and noise. 10 minutes later we are going along OK have turned a few corners mounting curb most times and then disaster struck when we were at an Intersection with Traffic

Now that's when some idea of what we are up to struck home and it was time to leave so turned car off left but left the keys and hiked home of course when mom got home in the morning she reported it stolen the cops found it still sitting at the stop sign with keys in the ignition and drove it home.

I am going to tell my mom about this and see if when she reads this if she works it out.

Helping the Milkman UK

Memory Posted By: Mick

As I was reading the memory on old fashioned vendors it reminded me of my childhood I Think I was about 12 at the time, on a Saturday and Sunday I would get up at 5.00 AM to help our local milkman delivering the milk , it was an electric milk float and in those days nearly everybody had milk delivered and it was all in Milk Bottles , I was trying to remember the different Types Gold Top, Ordinary, Something in a strange different shaped bottle ( I think it was Skimmed ) but unsure. How things change it would be highly unusual for people to drink Gold Top today as what it meant was had a very high cream content.

For those that have never heard of the old fashioned milkman the customer would put clean milk bottles out every night often with a note saying how many pints of milk they wanted , and at the end of the week they would leave milk checks out to pay for the weeks milk.

At the start of the milk round the float would be fully charged and fairly wizz along but by the end of the day the batteries would be all but flat and it would struggle up the least incline.

I cant remember how much he used to pay me but i think it was about a fiver , it is funny what you remember when reading some of these memories, If anyone can remember what sort of milk was in those tall strange looking bottles would be cool

Growing Up in The 60's and A Super Dad U.S.A.

Memory Posted By: Jewel

I was next to the youngest of five children and a twin. My twin is my brother Johnny. I was in the fourth grade when my mother had a nervous breakdown and was admitted to the state hospital. Our lives changed quite drastically because of this, but one constant in our lives was our dad.

He was self-employed, having his own plumbing business. He worked alone except when doing heavy work, when he would hire on a young for a few days. After mom was hospitalized, Dad continued to get us up in the morning, fix us a hot breakfast, make sure our hair was combed, teeth brushed and htat we were dressed appropriately for school. He would see us onto the school bus and then he would go to work. Our oldest brother, Bill, was in the ninth grade and our oldest sister, Bev, was in the eighth grade. Alot of responsibility for the home and us younger kids was put on Bev, but I never heard her complain. Back then, the laundry was done on Monday and the ironing was done ! on Tuesday.

The three dresses that I had had gathered skirts on them and when Bev ironed them, she pressed the gathers down like pleats. They looked so awful this way. When dad came home that evening, I showed them to him. I know that Bev had tried her best, but I just hated them the way they were. Dad comforted me the best he could. After supper that night, I heard him get the ironing board out. I went into the middle room and there he was, my 6'2" husky dad bent over the ironing board, ironing the gathers on my dresses.

I remember seeing his big, rough hands holding the iron, running it slowly over the gathers, not pleating a-one. I've never forgotten this kindness. It meant so much to me, especially in light of the fact that mom was gone and so much seem out of kilter. But dad took the time after working all day to iron my dresses. He tried so hard to make mom's absence more bearable for the five of us kids in so many small ways.

Growing up in Rural Canada in the 60s Canada

Memory Posted By: Gerald Hodgins

In rural Ontario, coal oil lamps where still in use because hydro wasn't available in some locals yet. The telephone party-line system was the norm. Many farmers still used horses for farm machinery. Milk was held in the cattle water trough before the bulk milk truck picked up the canned milk each day

Comment from steve said. It just blows me away I was a city kid and I thought the whole of the western world had full electricity just goes to show how different things were even in ( supposed civilised countries )

Coming of age in the 60's U.S.A.

Memory Posted By: Maria Guastella

Coming of age in the 60's, a time of innocense and naivety. Even the tv shows were silly and sweet - I Dream of Jeannie, Bewitched and Dick Van Dyke. The only thing to fear back then were the nuns that ran the Catholic schools. Apparently no one made them aware of proper disciplinary procedures! The bad girls back then were the ones who dared to wear their uniforms above the knee - such rebels! What could be better than listening to the Beatles on your transistor radio when your mom picked you up from school in her VW bug? It was most definitely the best of times.

The Innocence of the 60's U.S.A.

Memory Posted By: Thomas T. Bongiorno

It was a time of innocents and pure exhilaration, of first kisses, last dances, sidewalk struts and side ways glances. On any summer night kids and carsroamed State Street in perfect confusion. there was no fear and all things cool were there mixed in that wonderous night air. You need only to be there to embrace it. It was hard to explain that impetuous feeling that drew us like a moth to a flame. And, anyway we could figure all that out later. Right now there's cars to race, girls to chase and the Beach Boys to set the mood

Comment from Anonymous said. Loved your posting - you must be a writer.........you express your prose so eloquently! Maria

The Death of Martin Luther King U.S.A.

Memory Posted By: Anon

I remember the day Martin Luther King got shot.It changed my life forever. Me being a little black boy at the time,and he fighting for my rights made me feel a little safe even though my life was in danger everyday.Then he died and I thought it was over,but thank god he had such an amazing influence on so many people that we was ok after all.It was a good thing he had a dream because without it we wouldnt be where we are today

Sophomore at a Dallas high school when President Kennedy was assassinated United States

Memory Posted By: dave

I was a sophomore at a Dallas high school when President Kennedy was assassinated. Many people in Dallas were conservative and hated Kennedy. I remember hearing about a news advertisement in one of the Dallas newspapers, stating Kennedy was "wanted," like a common criminal. I liked Kennedy. As my mother drove me to school, we listened on the radio as reporters discussed how the Dallas police were covering bridges and over passes in case of any attempts on Kennedy's life. I remarked to my mother how terrible it would be if Kennedy were killed in Dallas. Some of my friends skipped school to go downtown to see the parade.

At one change of class, I saw two classmates listening to a transistor radio. They seemed shocked, very concerned. I asked what had happened and they said Kennedy had been killed. I chastised them for making such a horrible joke. When I got to class, my teacher had her head down on her desk, crying. The principal came on the intercom and informed us what had happened. There were no school lessons that day. We sat in stunned silence as the principal played radio news reports until we were dismissed. Some students said they were glad Kennedy had been killed, but other students shouted them down.

We watched news reports for what seemed like the next several days about nothing else. I remember seeing Ruby kill Oswald, live. What a shock! We kept saying none of this could happen in Dallas. But it did. I have often wondered if Oswald acted alone or if he had others involved in a conspiracy. I now believe he was the shooter alone, but perhaps others were involved in setting him up for the act.

Stones Concert 1966 Canada

Memory Posted By: Stones Fan

I was 16 years old and visiting a friend in Toronto, when his mother announced that she'd bought two tickets for us to see the Rolling Stones in concert at the fabled Maple Leaf Gardens. We could hardly believe our good Fortune. Sure, the Beatles were everyone's favourite, but the Stones were bluesier and dirtier, and had been arrested for urinating on the wall of a British gas station. That had to mean something.

The concert itself was a matinee, and set up differently than what we'd expected. The first half of the programme was devoted entirely to local Toronto bands, none of which I'd heard of. After a lengthy intermission, the house lights came right up and a man in a suit warned us all to stay in our seats and behave, then all was dark again and the curtains opened to reveal our heroes who sang, I believe "Nineteenth Nervous Breakdown", barely beginning to rock before pandemonium broke out in the audience. We had been sitting at centre ice, but, in the excitement that the Stones ignited, we managed to push our way up to the blue line.

At that point, the house lights went up again and the same man issued a second warning. He called us "boys and girls", which did not help. The Stones, with Brian Jones and an almost absent Bill Wyman, who chose to play his bass far off to the side of stage, gave us all of 35 minutes of music. Jagger wore a brightly patterned sports jacket, which he eventually removed to cheers from the crowd. I remember "Lady Jane", which I'd never heard before.

My friend and I were having difficulty believing that it was actually them up on stage, until someone lent us their field glasses. Yup. That's them. The Rolling Stones! Eventually we boys and girls got too rambunctious for the man in the suit, and the concert was shut down. Still, we figured it was worth every penny that my friend's mother had spent!

Remembering College Years in the 60s U.S.A.

Memory Posted By: Jay

When I look back to my years in college and think of how I looked ( Long Hair Beatnik Style ) and the time spent on anti war demos, I wonder how I finished my degree.

As I am typing this up so many things come flooding back , Everyone was wearing Smiley Face Tee shirts, Every Dorm had the Rolling Stones Playing ( old fashioned singles or LP's ) , my life and my parents lives were dominated with the possible draft to Vietnam, the only real news that jumps to my mind was the Vietnam War, The Death of Marilyn Monroe and the Cuban Missile Crisis where we all thought a bigger world war was about to start.

Only now when I look back many years later do I realise how great my parents were to me in those times ( sadly gone now ) they provided support in every way possible and when I finished my degree they paid for a deposit on my apartment, bought me a used 2 yr old Ford Falcon to get to work , I think it cost about $900. I never really thanked them when they were around and I now regret that deeply.

Things were so much cheaper then my first apartment cost $7500 and a gallon of gas was just over a quarter, food was very cheap but things like TV's were very expensive compared with other things , I think my TV for my flat was over $300 which seems silly compared with the price for my apartment can you imagine paying nearly 5% of your houses value for a TV today.

They were worrying times for many and many good young men died through the stupidity of our politicians.

I would like to dedicate this memory to my parents and my friends who never came back from Vietnam.

The Beatles Get MBE UK

Memory Posted By: Kieth

I was reading about the Queen giving the Members Of The Beatles the "Members of the Order of the British Empire" medal in 1965 which reminded me of my parents comments at the time . I was 15 so The Beatles and their music was everything to me . When my parents saw The Beatles being given the MBE their comment was " What Is The World Coming To" when 4 scruffy idiots are given the MBE by the Queen Of England. I of course thought they deserved it and still do today but I suppose that is the Generation Gap