These fascinating photographs from Leon Reed were taken by his father Walter Reed that show what life of the U.S was like in the 1950s.
“I've traveled since I was young. My parents used to take a long vacation every summer in our trailer, and by the time I was 14, I had been in all 48 (lower) states, every province of Canada except Newfoundland, and much of Mexico.”
Washington, DC. Pennsylvania Ave., 1956 |
Washington, DC. Crowd lined up for White House tour, 1956 |
Washington, DC. Library of Congress and Capitol parking lot from East Front of US Capitol, 1956 |
Washington, DC. White House, 1956 |
Wyoming. Playing in the snow at Powder River Pass, June 1956 |
Florida. At Bok Tower, 1952 |
Florida. On the beach, circa 1956 |
Indiana. In front of Howard Johnson's at Ft. Wayne, 1951 |
Kentucky. Beach at Cumberland Falls State Park, 1954 |
Kentucky. Beach at Cumberland Falls State Park, 1954 |
Kentucky. Jumping rope, trailer park in Lexington, 1954 |
Massachusetts. Faneuil Hall Market, Boston, 1957 |
Massachusetts. Faneuil Hall Market, Boston, 1957 |
Massachusetts. Faneuil Hall, Boston, 1957 |
Massachusetts. Meat and produce shops in downtown Boston, 1957 |
Massachusetts. Street scene in Provincetown, 1957 |
Michigan. Christmas exhibit at Ford Rotunda, 1955 |
Michigan. Family at campground, Hayes State Park, 1954 |
Michigan. Flooded street, Iron Mountain, 1951 |
Michigan. Ford Rotunda, Dearborn, December 1955 |
Michigan. Kellogg's parking lot, Battle Creek, 1955 |
Michigan. Lineup of horses and carriages, Mackinac Island, 1959 |
Michigan. Mackinac Island ferry, St. Ignace, 1951 |
Michigan. Ship in locks, Sault Ste. Marie, 1959 |
Michigan. Store and wooden Indian, Greenfield Village, 1955 |
Michigan. Walking toward tour area, Kellogg Cereal, Battle Creek, 1955 |
Michigan. Warren Dunes, 1954 |
New Hampshire. Railway up Mount Washington, 1957 |
New Jersey. Atlantic City beach and waterfront, 1959 |
New Jersey. Atlantic City boardwalk and beach, 1959 |
New Jersey. Family at beach, 1955 |
New Jersey. Looking at beach in Atlantic City, July 1959 |
New York. Boat ride on Fish Creek Pond, 1955 |
New York. Campsite along St. Lawrence River, Alexandria, July 1959 |
New York. Circle Line boat, lower Manhattan, and Brooklyn Bridge, from Staten Island Ferry, 1959 |
New York. Corning Glass Center, 1955 |
New York. Empire State Building from the top of Rockefeller Center, 1959 |
New York. Frontiertown in the rain, August 1955 |
New York. Mom looks off overlook at Rock City, 1951 |
New York. New York Coliseum and Soviet Cultural Exhibit, 1959 |
New York. On a toboggan at Lake Placid, 1955 |
New York. Pile of firewood, Adirondacks, 1955 |
New York. Stagecoach, Frontiertown, 1955 |
New York. Standing on the top of the RCA Building, Rockefeller Center, 1959 |
New York. Times Square, well before the cleanup, 1959 |
New York. Times Square, well before the cleanup, 1959 |
Ohio. Airstream factory, Jackson Center, 1959 |
Ohio. Central Christian strawberry festival, 1955 |
Ohio. Helping dad mow the lawn, May 1951 |
Ohio. Hiking in the snow at Bullhead Pond, Warren, December 1959 |
Ohio. Kindergarten class at Emerson school, 1954 |
Ohio. Playing in the snow in the driveway, 1951 |
Ohio. Playing on the beach at Cedar Point, 1954 |
Ohio. Posing in front of the house, December 1959 |
Pennsylvania. Amish harvest, Lancaster Co., July 1957 |
Pennsylvania. Carnegie Museum and church, Pittsburgh, March 1959 |
Pennsylvania. Cathedral of the Pines, Cook Forest, 1959 |
Pennsylvania. Independence Square, Philadelphia, 1959 |
Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Monument, Gettysburg, July 1957 |
Pennsylvania. At Carnegie Park, 1952 |
Pennsylvania. Statue of Ben Franklin and Mall, Philadelphia, 1959 |
Pennsylvania. Trail at Cook Forest State Park, 1955 |
South Dakota. Corn Palace, Mitchell, 1956 |
South Dakota. First boardwalk of the trip, Yankton, 1956 |
Utah. Main street, Brigham, 1956 |
Utah. Parking lot and roller coaster at Saltair Park, 1956 |
Utah. Swimming in the Great Salt Lake at Saltair resort, 1956 |
Vermont. Campsite with Esso station at Mount Bromley, 1955 |
Vermont. Street scene with church, Middlebury, 1955 |
Virginia. Colonial Williamsburg, 1957 |