America in 1957: Elvis Presley ruled the airwaves, “Leave It to Beaver” premiered on television, Chevrolet’s Bel Air cruised the streets, and the Little Rock Nine faced down segregation in Arkansas. It was a year on the cusp of the swinging sixties, yet still stuck in the ways of the past. These photos show just how different life could look in 1957 depending on where you were in terms of both status and location.
1. A Group of Friends at the Drive-in Theater
2. 22-Year-Old Being Dropped Off for Naval Flight Training in South Texas
3. NASA Scientists With Their Board of Calculations
4. Queen Elizabeth II Driving Prince Charles and Princess Anne
5. Kids on a Movie Date
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6. Audrey Hepburn Casually Grocery Shopping With Her Pet Deer
7. A Mother With Her First 11 Kids — She Went on to Have Six More
8. The Runner-Up in a Shirley Temple Look-Alike Contest
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9. Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
10. Sightseers at Niagara Falls
11. The First African-American Stewardess in the U.S., Ruth Carol Taylor
12. Open Air School in the Netherlands
13. The Original TV Remote
14. Mingling With Bears at Yellowstone
15. ‘The Power Mower of the Future Had Its Own Generator, Running Lights, Radio, Television, Air-Con, and It Even Mowed the Lawn’
16. Roadside Meals While Traveling
17. Listening to Music at a Record Store
18. Getting Cooled Air Piped Into the Car While Eating at a Drive-in Restaurant
19. Selfie: 1957 Style
20. Teenage Beatles Members Performing as Wedding Singers
21. Bride and Groom
22. Danish Zookeeper Watering the Emperor Penguins
23. A Couple’s First Christmas Together
24. Daytona Beach
25. Joe Pesci at 14 Years Old
26. Woman in One of Nine Stores She Opened
27. Family Pool Day
28. Elizabeth Eckford, One of the Nine Black Students Who Integrated Into Little Rock’s Central High School
29. Oh, You Know, Just a Llama in Times Square
30. Jayne Mansfield With Miss Hollywood
31. That’s a Pretty Solid Christmas Haul
32. Illegal Drag Racing in the L.A. River Basin
33. High School Students in Texas Working on a Project
Interested in more ’50s content?
- 33 Vintage Photos From the 1950s That Just Make Sense — These pictures capture the decade in all of its glory, from 1950 to 1959.
- 14 Photos of 1950s Tupperware Parties — Take a look at these 14 photos that capture the nostalgia and wonder of Tupperware parties.
- 15 Vintage Menus From the 1950s — We rounded up some of our favorite retro menus — from roadside staples to upscale establishments — to show what dining out was like during the 1950s.
