For as long as humans have gathered around campfires to tell tales of the unexplainable, there have existed ghost stories.

Halloween itself came from the ancient Celtic tradition Samhain, which took place Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. The Celts believed that on those two days, the dead were able to roam the Earth among the living. They also dressed themselves in dead animal furs as a way to confuse evil spirits – it’s how we arrived at our tradition of dressing in costume on Halloween night, in fact.

The big questions

Dr. Favin Martin of the private school Arcadia University in Pennsylvania is an expert on legends and lore. He says that although ghost stories are used to frighten and delight audiences, they also represent society’s larger questions about death and related topics.

“I would argue that ghosts are cultural agents, tasked with explaining the meaning of life and the afterlife,” Martin said in a 2024 article on the university’s website. “However, I would also point out that ghost stories allow us to think about our anxieties on death, the unknown, and unresolved conflicts. To that end, the perception of ghosts varies from being scary and evil, to lost wandering souls, with each story portraying the ghost differently.”

It’s never been difficult for us to picture ghosts – they usually are portrayed as being comprised of an airy, misty material; according to the Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology, the early belief among many cultures is that ghosts were “the person within the person” – the person’s spirit – which appeared as “a white mist upon exhaling in colder climates.”

The golden age of ghost stories

Though the oral tradition of telling ghost stories by a campfire might best bring spooky tales to life, the technological innovations born from the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th and early 19th centuries helped spread them even further. Now, magazines (and later, books like pulp novels) could bring the dead to life, so to speak. They were published in periodicals like Good Housekeeping (hey, no one ever said those houses couldn’t be haunted).

Historians generally agree that the golden age of the ghost story began with the closing years of the Industrial Revolution in the early 1830s and ended with the start of World War I – a period of nearly 90 years. Many historians maintain that writers like Edgar Allan Poe ushered in this golden age; this age also gave us Washington Irving’s short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” written in 1820, in which the bashful schoolteacher Ichabod Crane is relentlessly pursued by the villainous and otherworldly Headless Horseman. Another Victorian author who would go on to achieve literary fame, Charles Dickens, wrote perhaps the most beloved ghost story in English literature, “A Christmas Carol,” a tale with a much happier ending in which Ebenezer Scrooge sees the error of his miserly ways after being visited by the ghost of old Jacob Marley and a trio of spirits soon after.

Petula Clark’s 1964 hit song “Downtown” made neon signs the nucleus of a dizzying world of excitement and thrills. Sing along if you know the words:

Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city
Linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty
How can you lose?
The lights are much brighter there
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares

 

So go downtown
Things will be great when you’re downtown
No finer place for sure, downtown
Everything’s waiting for you

By the time Clark’s now-iconic ditty made the Billboard Top 100, Vegas Vic had been beckoning travelers to the Las Vegas Strip for more than a decade. And though Sin City is synonymous with the electric hum of neon signs, it’s got some colorful competition in Cincinnatti, Ohio, which, like Vegas, boasts a museum entirely devoted to vintage signage. More on that later. First, let’s take a few steps backward in time as we examine the history of neon signs.

This story’s a real gas

Neon gas, found only in trace amounts in the Earth’s atmosphere, emits “a striking, reddish-orange glow” when electrified inside a sealed glass tube, according to the UK-based blog Neon Creations. Though the British can claim the discovery of neon in 1898, it was nearly five years later when French engineer Georges Claude invented neon lamps by applying high voltage to sealed glass tubes filled with neon gas. By 1910, Claude had demonstrated the first neon sign in Paris for a local business.

We here in the United States were first exposed to these new signs in the early 1920s, purchased for a Los Angeles car dealership.

“From there, neon exploded in popularity across major U.S. cities, lighting up iconic spots like Times Square in New York and the casinos of Las Vegas,” according to Neon Creations. “Neon signs became symbols of innovation, nightlife, and glamour throughout the 1920s and 1930s.”

And, like nearly every technological innovation in the early 1940s, production of neon signs was paused in the interest of the U.S. and European war effort.

Part of the local culture

“Neon signs’ popularity dipped around World War II due to the war, but in the booming 1950s, neon was revived again with the Doo Wop style of design in architecture,” according to the New Jersey-based “Preserving the Wildwoods” blog. “Large, garish neon signs were used to draw customers into restaurants, commercial businesses, and motels. Towns like Las Vegas and the Wildwood became defined by their use of neon signs.”

The neon sign’s popularity reached its peak in the 1950s, with roadside motels increasingly using them to advertise vacancies. Beginning in the 1960s, however, neon signs began to fall out of favor with advertisers and consumers alike.

“By the mid-20th century, neon signage began to wane due to the rise of cheaper LED technologies, changing advertising trends, and urban decay in certain areas,” according to Neon Creations.

The box office success of James Gunn’s new film “Superman,” which soared into theaters last month, has once again thrust comic books and comic book characters into the spotlight of public consciousness.

One might think this highly collectible form of ephemera is on the downswing, but recent studies have revealed otherwise. A June 2025 article from Fortune Business Insights shows that the market’s value is projected to reach 17 billion by the end of the year and reach 26 billion within the next seven years. Whether in printed or digital form, there are plenty of reasons to crack open a new issue.

“The growing production of comics with engaging stories and attractive graphics to help illustrate the content is driving the popularity of comics worldwide,” the article states. “These books help readers improve their vocabulary, improve their creativity, and build a strong value system through a positive message.”

Kiddin’ around: Comics at the turn of the century

Comics and comic books as we know them can be traced back to the mid-1890s, with the full-color publication of “Hogan’s Alley” and its flagship character, The Yellow Kid. First published in Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World newspaper, gave rise to the phrase “yellow journalism,” which referred to stories that were sensationalized for the purpose of boosting newspaper sales. The bald, barefoot boy, dressed in a raggedy yellow nightgown, lived in a tenement ghetto in New York City, and was described as being “sweet and generous, with a sunny disposition.” The comic made use of thoughts and speech being represented in word balloons that appeared above its characters.

The comic book as we know it – a monthly printed book of comics titled “Comics Monthly” – wasn’t printed until nearly 30 years later, in 1922.

Hope for a world in need of a hero

Like so many forms of entertainment, comics of the 1930s were intended to act as a form of escapism for a Depression-weary American public. Enter National Allied Publications, the pre-cursor to DC Comics, from Jerry Siegel and Joel Schuster, a New York-based duo who, in early 1935, published its first comic. The next few years were dedicated to developing the character who would change the face of comics and pop culture forever. They named him ‘Superman,’ branding the industry’s first superhero as a beacon of strength, perseverance, and hope in a world being darkened by the prospect of a world war on the horizon. The Man of Steel would make his great debut in June 1938.

In those early years, comic books’ Golden Age, other superheroes would make their debut to critical acclaim, including The Flash and Green Lantern (1940), and Wonder Woman and Marvel’s Captain America in 1941.

“The period from 1938 through the mid-1940s represents the peak of comic book popularity. Whereas current monthly sales of popular comic book titles hover around 100,000 copies, in the early 1940s, Superman, Batman, and Captain Marvel titles each regularly sold in the range of 1.5 million copies per month,” according to an article on illustrationhistory.org.

The new scapegoat

Postwar America in the late 1940s and all of the 1950s saw a small dip in comic book sales as American families focused on building careers and lives together.

Psychiatrist Dr. Frederic Wertham’s book “Seduction of the Innocent” painted comic books as harbingers of societal and moral decay; his crusade against comic books and the comic industry was so widespread and feared that comic book publishers banded together to form the Comics Code Authority, an organization tasked with regulating the content churned out every month.

Among the Code’s edicts:

“In every instance good shall triumph over evil…”
“If crime is depicted, it shall be as a sordid and unpleasant activity.”
“Females shall be drawn realistically without exaggeration of any physical qualities.”
“…vampires and vampirism, ghouls, cannibalism and werewolfism are prohibited.”

Comic books’ popularity rebounded during their Silver Age, which took place between the mid-1950s and early 1970s. During that time, comic books “saw a change from dark and supernatural comic book themes to the other end of the spectrum with books containing silly plots and a high degree of camp,” according to illustrationhistory.org. “Such plots involved Superbaby and ‘The Super-Monkey from Krypton in Superboy #76 (October 1959) and Batman and Robin teaming up with comedian Jerry Lewis to fight the Joker in Jerry Lewis #97 (December 1966).” The Batman television series of the mid-1960s would introduce even more bizarre characters and give the program an overall campy feel

They’ve gone through significant construction and design changes, but there’s one thing that is unchanging when it comes to porch swings – their status as a place to relax on a nice, sunny day.

The front porch itself isn’t a concept that’s as old as you might think, but the swing, when placed in a garden or other outdoor setting – has been around since the ancient world. In ancient Greece and Rome, the design of the porch swing was quite simple, being made of wood and ropes. Since they were symbols of leisure and a simple, worry-free time, the wealthy were among the first to feature it prominently in their gardens (though all Greeks and Romans would come to enjoy them eventually), according to an article by Ashley Hanson on backyardboss.com.

The wealthy class were among the first to enjoy the porch swing as the centuries passed. During the Renaissance period, the design of the swing became more elaborate and made with higher-quality wood. The swing became a symbol of opulence, remaining at the center of many a large garden.

In Colonial America, “the garden swing gained popularity as a garden design feature of the upper class during America’s colonial era.

Although these swings were usually hand-made, they featured a very straightforward design that gave a comfortable way to enjoy the outdoors. Swings were more about relaxation at this point than anything else,” Hanson writes. “Over the ages, garden swings underwent substantial design and construction changes that reflect broader socioeconomic trends as well as advances in materials and technology.”

Along came the porch itself during the second half of the 19th century, in the middle of the Victorian era.

“Porches were originally built for good, practical reasons but quickly became important social gathering spots.  Porches were where social norms evolved as the use of porches evolved,” according to an article published by Quentin Robinson of the Tippecanoe County (IN) Historical Association. “Porches became the extravagant and important architectural feature that they were in 1900 as a result of American industrialization during the 19th century plus the suburbanization of our cities.”

Indeed, during the late 19th century, the porch itself reached its zenith as a social gathering space. Now, the porch was designed in both covered and uncovered versions; the porch swing would later hang from the porch’s ceiling. The porch became so popular that in 1873, U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes wrote in his journal, “The best part of his house is the veranda. But I would enlarge it. I want a veranda with a house attached.” 

Throughout the first half of the 20th century, porch swings continued to be made by wood, but wrought iron and plastic became increasingly used.

“The porch swing also saw a surge in popularity in the middle of the 20th century while becoming a mainstay in American households,” Hanson writes. “They attached to the porch ceiling and gave people a cozy spot to perch and watch the world go by.”

Still, as midcentury became the late 20th century, Robinson writes that the popularity of the porch swing saw a decline due, he says, to multiple factors.

“The automobile allowed people to get out of the house for entertainment and relaxation. The telephone allowed neighbors and friends to chat without meeting personally. Housing styles popularized in the construction boom following World War II eliminated the front porch as the back yard became the focus of family activity,” he writes. “The final nail in the coffin for the popularity of the porch were the inventions of air conditioning and television.  Why sit on the hot porch and watch traffic drive past when you could sit in your air-conditioned living room and be entertained by a program playing on that magic box?”

Vintage kitchen appliances aren’t just cool to look at, easy to use, and have a long lifespan. They also heralded the end of one of the country’s darkest periods and the start of a financial boon for the nation and its growing population.

When World War II ended in 1945, so did the moratorium on certain industries and companies which had to refocus all their resources on the efforts to defeat the Axis powers abroad. Post-1945, these companies stopped manufacturing war materials and resumed producing their peacetime consumer goods.

Not so coincidentally, as soldiers returned home from the war and began families in the ever-growing suburbs, innovations in everything from entertainment to technology to everyday goods surged. The Baby Boomer era had begun, and with it came appliances that could not only accommodate growing families – they could also make easier the lives of everyday Americans.

Nowhere was that more apparent than in the kitchen.

“The Boomers were raised in 1950s kitchens that seem basic by today’s standards,” writes blogger Scott McBride of Fine Homebuilding, who was born in 1955, “but to their parents, who lived through the Great Depres-sion, they were heaven. … Whereas our parents’ generation is lauded for its self-denial, we boomers are known for our prodigious consumption; our endless clamoring for a succession of must-have toys from hula hoops to latte-makers.”

Sure, they were functional and made life easier for the average homemaker, but at the dawn of the Baby Boomer era, the newest, shiniest appliances also stood as a status symbol of sorts.

Refrigerators

By the end of World War II, nearly 90% of American households owned a refrigerator; General Electric, then as today, was the giant in an industry adding new manufacturers to the production landscape each year. In 1950, GE chose Louisville, KY, as its home base for its major appliance division. Within five years of that move, the company released its kitchen appliances in “Mix-Or-Match Colors” – that’s Petal Pink, Canary Yellow, Cadet Blue, Turquoise Green, Woodtone Brown, and, of course, classic white. By the end of the decade, the company had designed three refrigerators with wood paneling, which “played well with consumers’ taste for warm, inviting kitchens,” according to the GE Appliances website (geappliancesco.com). Besides their look, these refrigerators were built larger, with higher-quality materials; features such as automatic defrost and icemakers. Higher-end brands like Frigidaire retailed for a little less than $500 (and that’s before the cost of labor is factored in). Truly, these were luxury items (and built to last as well)!

To give you an idea of how far the refrigerator had come – Whirlpool reports that they first began to enjoy widespread popularity in the mid-1920s (before that, you used your good, old, sturdy icebox – cabinet-type structures that held large blocks of ice used to keep foods cool).

Ovens and stoves

If the kitchen is the heart of a home, then the stove (nowadays, the stove-and-oven combo, called a range) is one its most critical features. It’s where memories are made and traditions upheld, whether baking cookies with a loved one or warming up a hearty soup or stew on a chilly winter evening.
Early ranges burned wood or coal, with gas stoves not coming onto the scene until the 1920s. The electric oven followed soonafter, in the 1930s.

If you, like me, have ever wondered what the bottom drawer on your oven is for, it can be used for broiling or warming – and, obviously, it can be used simply as storage for your collection of metal baking sheets.

Like refrigerators of the same era, vintage ranges usually cost a few hundred (or several thousand today, when adjusted for inflation). Special features on some included a rotisserie cooker, a “grillevator” that lowered food close to flames for indoor barbecuing, and built-in salt-and-pepper shakers.

“Vintage stove brands have played an important role in the history of home cooking,” according to the blog on the website of New York-based Belgrove Appliance, which restores vintage stoves. “They have not only provided a means to prepare meals but also served as beautiful focal points in our kitchens. They are not only functional kitchen appliances but also beautiful pieces of history.”

Toasters

General Electric toasters hit the market in 1909; the earliest models toasted bread on only one side. Eventually, the Electric Stove Co. would release a toaster with an automatic bread turner. The first automatic pop-up toaster found its way to shelves as the Roaring ‘20s began. These newer models cooked bread on both sides, with the heating element set on a timer and eject the toast when the timer expires.

By the 1940s, Sunbeam Products dominated the toaster industry; toasters used the thermal expansion of the resistance wire in the center element to lower the bread. When done, a sensor “shuts the heaters off and the pull-down mechanism returns to its room-temperature position, slowly raising the finished toast.”