ANNANDALE OF OLD MORE ANNANDALE RETROSPECTIVE AND HISTORY
THE YEAR WAS 1955
By: M. Callahan
GOVERNMENT
US President: Dwight Eisenhower
Vice President: Richard Nixon
VA Governor: Thomas B. Stanley
US Senators from VA: Harry Flood Byrd & Absalom W. Robertson
Chief Justice US Supreme Court: Earl Warren
Speaker of the House: Joseph W. Martin then Sam T. Rayburn
MAJOR EVENTS
Winston Churchill retires as British Prime Minister.
US occupation of Japan ends.
The Warsaw Pact is signed.
Federal Republic of West Germany becomes a Sovereign State.
Argentina’s Pres. Juan Peron is overthrown.
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat in Alabama.
Hurricane Diane wrecks havoc on NE US.
Annandale High School completed in 1954.
AWARDS & PRIZES
Pulitzer Prize: A Fable by William Faulkner
Nobel Peace Prize Winner: None was awarded.
Miss America: Lee Meriwether from CA
Best Picture of the Year: Marty
Best Actor: Ernest Borgnine, Marty
Best Actress: Anna Magnani, The Rose Tattoo
SPORTS
NCAA Basketball Champion: San Francisco
Stanley Cup Winner: Detroit Red Wings
College Football Champion: Oklahoma
Heisman Trophy Winner: Howard Cassady from Ohio StateUS Open Winner: Jack Fleck
World Series Champion: Brooklyn Dodgers
EVERYDAY LIFE
Velcro and Legos are invented.Fish Fingers marketed by Birds’ Eye
The Johnny Carson Show airs on TV.
Captain Kangaroo, a locally produced show, premiers on TV.
The minimum wage increases to $1 per hour.
Disneyland opens in California.
First McDonald’s opens.
Col. Sanders opens Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Cost of a new house: $10,950.00
Average Income: $4,147.00
New Car: $1,910.00Gasoline cost $.023 per gallonUS Postage Stamp cost $.03
Gallon of milk cost $.92.
BIRTHS:
Bruce Willis, Kevin Costner, Kelsey Grammer
DEATHS:
James Dean, Albert Einstein.
What was happening in Annandale?
Saturday, September 24, 1955
A festival, simply known as Annandale Days, was celebrated by merchants and citizens alike. The following schedule provides an insight into the activities. According to their program, the stores in Annandale featured the best bargains of the year along with free balloons and other gifts for children.
10:00 AM - DOG SHOW - on the grounds of the new Annandale Recreation Center Entries in the following classes were judged. Two prizes in merchandise certificates were awarded for each class. The judge was Frank S. Deane.
10:30 AM – BABY SHOW - at the auditorium of the Annandale Elementary School on Columbia Pike where ACCA can now be found, babies had to be 6 month to 2 years of age. Separate classes were judged for boys and girls, and two prizes in merchandise certificates were awarded for each class. The judges were John Ferguson and Thelma S. McLaughlin.
11:15 AM – DEDICATION OF SWIMMING POOL – Annandale Recreation Center (Little River Turnpike behind Burger King) This was the largest community swimming pool in the entire Metropolitan Washington area. There was also a ball field to be well used throughout the coming years, and the first wing of the Community Center Building – the TEENSPOT. In order to finance the entire project, shares of stock were sold to community members. Their long term plans were to build a skating rink, a large community center building, tennis courts, playgrounds, and as many other facilities as they could find the money and/or the help to build. For the dedication ceremony picnic tables and facilities were available along with sandwiches and soft-drinks. (Interesting to note, Annandale is still waiting for our Community Center to be built.)
1:00 PM – PARADE Starting at Chatelain Village just east of the Baptist Church and traveling west on Columbia Pike and Little River Turnpike, the PARADE will proceed to McWhorter Place where they will take a left to disband. Prizes were awarded to the following groups and judged by Charles R. Chase and J. Leslie Ehringer.
1. Best band
2. Best float entry
3. Best Marching unit
4. Best fire department unit
5. Most original entry
2:30 PM – PARADE PRIZES to be awarded – Football Grounds at Annandale High School Announcement of Winners and Awarding of Prizes for the Annandale Essay Contest for School Children – Sponsored by Mr. Henry J. Rolfs
3:00 PM – FOOTBALL GAME – At Annandale High School, opened in 1954 - Annandale High vs Falls Church High Half-time activities by the Annandale High School Band
This is the first game to be played on home grounds. Game Results: Annandale 0, Falls Church 7 (AHS went on to be a football powerhouse ten years later.)
9:00 PM – DANCE – At Annandale Fire House sponsored by the Ladies Auxiliary. The Popularity Queen was crowned at 10 PM.
Annandale Retail Establishments in 1955
The number of businesses in Annandale more than doubled between 1950 and 1955. At least 100 businesses belonged to the Chamber. You were able to live in Annandale and buyall commodities and services right in town. During this same five year period the housing developments of Broyhill Crest, Rolf Heights, Lake Barcroft, and Raymondale were built. Because of the huge influx of new Annandale residents, retail and business development also increased.It was possible to live in Annandale in 1955 and purchase most every commodity and service right in town.
Annandale Animal Hospital
Annandale Associates, Inc.
Annandale Barber Shop .
Annandale Cab Co.
Annandale Co-Op Pre-School
Annandale Dry Cleaners Annandale Florist
Annandale Hardware & Supply Co. Annandale Market
Annandale Millwork Corp. Annandale Motor Clinic Annandale Pet Supply
Annandale Pharmacy
Annandale Recorder
Annandale Service Co.
Annandale Sheet Metal Co.
Annandale Supply Co.
Annandale TV Service
Annandale Variety Shop
Arfax Furniture & Carpet |
The Bank of Annandale Bergen’s Men Shop
Berry’s Sawmill & Lumber Yard
Besley Realty Co.
M.T. Broyhill & Sons Corp
Campbell & Ferrara Nurseries
Casa Mia Italian Restaurant
RM Cantrell & Sons
HD Deavers Electric Motor Service
DeLaughter TV Sales & Service Ellicott’s 5 & 10
Galanis Service Station Garwood & Claffy
Hagan’s Bakery
Iva Trice Dress Shop
John Hampton Plumbing & Heating
FW Harris Plumbing & Heating
Harvey’s Hickory Hut
Mason and Omar Hirst
Portraits by Julian
Kirby's Sales and Service,Inc.
E.W. Long & Sons, Inc.
Lake Barcroft Developpment
McCormick Jewelers
Merrydowns School (present Pinecrest School)
Michael Development Corp.
Mike's Barber Shop
Mills Realty Co.
J. Mettauer (Original Occupants of Omni Building)
Justus 'Jack" Ange Well Drilling
Nay's Garage
Dr. Gilbert Nelson, Optometrist
O'Brien & Rohall, Inc.
Martin T. Webb, Real Estate
Payne-Oliver Concrete Co.
Produce Stand (The)
Realty Investment Corp.
Reid's Amoco
Roadside Market
Robert's Esso, Inc.
Rolf Heights Development
Raymondale Development
Shirkey Drug
Star Supply
Stewert's Radio & TV Service
Stokely-Simpson Equipment Co.
Swanee-Lee Antiques
Taylor Insurance Co.
Taylor Appliances
Todd's Texaco Service
Triangle Shell Service
Turnpike Press
E.K. Uhler & Co. Insurance
Wanner's Amoco Service Station
Wes's Tavern
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