A Trip Out East in 1950

Sixty years ago this month, Ray and I took a trip out east in a new little green Chevie. That was one of the only really long trips we ever took in the years we were married. One memorable spot we visited was Niagra Falls where we had dinner in the Rainbow Room of the Hotel General Brock. One day I found this menu and was amazed at the prices, although when I think of what we earned that is also amazing and went right along with the low prices of the times. Regardless, it's fun to just compare the cost of things back then and during the present time.

At least for part of the trip, I kept a notebook of all the costs of our trip. Parking, lodging, food, gas - all incredibly cheap. The last item on that page is what we spent for our meal in the Rainbow Room - including tip. There is also a note that we had dinner with a "Judge Avndemier" which I barely remember. What I do remember is that I had come down with a head cold and had lost my taste and smell. That was disappointing! And I can remember the colored lights on the falls. The meal with tip came to $5.25 for both of us. My scanned copy is dim even enlarged, but a motel was $7.00, beer, pop and hot dogs for both of us came to 80 cents. Gasoline was 1.78 for a fillup--probably 15 or 20 cents a gallon.

Here we are - Ray and Carol at Niagra Falls in August of 1950. Long, long ago!!!