Lee Historical Society will mount a major exhibit entitled “Happy Days: Lee in the 1950’s” at the J. Peter Scolforo Gallery in the Lee Library during the entire month of August. This exhibit, featuring life in the 1950’s, will be free and open to the public during regular library hours.

Only one in 25 Americans today was born early enough to remember the 1950’s, a controversial decade in which President Dwight D. Eisenhower symbolized stability and trust in war and peace before a gyrating baritone named Elvis Presley came along and got us “all shook up.” The 2024 annual exhibit will recall this fascinating decade of contrasts. For the few who can remember the decade, the exhibit will be a walk down memory lane. For those too young to recall, it will be a time to learn about an era that shaped their parents and grandparents.

Our exhibit will look at a decade of peace and prosperity, but one that also produced the frivolous “hula hoop” and the deadly serious threat of nuclear war. Davy Crockett coonskin hats became a fad while Sputnik rocketed us into the space age. And poodle skirts covered up the earth-shaking Brown decision by the Supreme Court.

Closer to home we will learn about life in Lee during the ‘50’s: cleaning up the river, repressive attitudes toward girls, losing part of our heritage, the coming of the Mass Pike, slow response to trendy music, edgy nightlife, bowling together, law and order’s response to rebellious youth and much more.