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On the date

Thursday, October 21, 1920

From the day

Perspective: The Future Historian · Tactile

Tracing the coarse, red yarn hair of my new Raggedy Andy, I feel the shift as the rigid era of war yields to a soft, chaotic "return to normalcy." My fingers catch on the rough, uneven weave of a cheap rayon dress, a tactile reminder that while the police seize fortunes in illicit spirits, the common table still demands $0.11 for a single loaf of sustenance. Nearby, the static hiss of a primitive radio receiver crackles through the room, its mechanical heat singeing the air like the metallic scent of a brand-new hair dryer. The world is tightening its belt even as it beads its silk, a paradox felt in the grit of the bread crust and the smooth, cold click of a T-strap buckle.

Memories from that day

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The Headlines

$225,000 IN LIQUOR SEIZED IN 2 RAIDS; Police Find $100,000 Worth at Midnight--Rest Taken in Descent Upon Wholesaler. JAIL FOR ALL RUMSELLERS Federal Judges Agree That Two Weeks Shall Be the Minimum for First Offenders.

Read in The New York Times →

Best-selling Sheet Music

Whispering

John Schonberger

The must-have

Raggedy Andy

Slang

Slang of the decade

General

applesaucebaloneycheaterscrush

Flapper

bee's kneescat's pajamasgiggle watershebahotsy-totsy

Gangster

big cheesebump offstool pigeongatfall guy

Catchphrases of 1920

  • Return to normalcy

Tech Check

Commercial Radio Stations (KDKA), Hair Dryer & Band-Aid.

Style of 1920

Silhouette: Straight and drop-waisted (Flapper)

Material: Beaded silk and rayon

  • Bobbed hair
  • Cloche hats
  • T-strap heels

Cost of Living (1920)

Loaf of Bread

$0.11

Gallon of Gas

$0.30

Average Home

$6,296

New Car

$575

Meanwhile

  • Post-WWI RecessionSevere deflation and collapse of agricultural prices.

Time Elapsed

38,578 days ago

(105 years, 253 days)