Take Paradise & Put Up a Parking Lot
I found a neat old board game at a garage sale today which (according to the Wiki) is from 1954 by Milton Bradley. I paid $2 for it and couldn't pass it up. Why? Its the essence of pop culture from a time before I was born, and it really reflects that post WW II, baby-booming, escalated-consumerist mindset that we are just starting to get over (well sort of) more than 50 years later. The object of the game is pretty much what the title of the game box says (see photo below). The artwork is classic 50s Leave it To Beaver-perfect nuclear family cliche. The game must have been a hit because they came out with a second version updated for the 60s (click here to see it). Amazingly, I found a site that details the genesis of this odd gem -- it comes from Allentown ,PA and was designed initially to "promote the use of parking lots in the Allentown downtown shopping district, instead of automobiles having to park on the streets." Wow. That is kinda wacky! You should read more of the history at this link here. It all makes me wonder how many kids who played this in their youth grew up to be aggressive drivers in parking lots. You know that driver.... the one who swoops in to take the spot you were waiting patiently for.... hopefully its not you! ;-)
Click to view