1960s El Paso

Money and Prices

 
 To provide an estimate of inflation we have given a guide to the value of $100 US Dollars for the first year in the decade to the equivalent in todays money 
If you converted $100 from 1960 to 2005 ,it would be about $679.09.

 In 1960 the average new house cost $12,700.00 .By  1969 was $15,500.00.
In 1960 the average income per year was $5,315.00 and by 1969 was $8,540.00
In 1960 a gallon of gas was 25 cents and by 1969 was 35 cents.
In 1960 the average cost of new car was $2,600.00 and by 1969 was $3,270.00.
Volkswagon Beetle was about $1,769 from Car Prices in the 60's.

Ford Mustang 2 door hardtop $2,368.00  

Misses Swinging Shifts Skirts $5.00 From Prices for clothes and fashions in the 60's 

Oxford mens Shoes $12.95 

Automatic Can Opener $8.88 From Electrical and Electronic Prices in the 60's 

Automatic Electric Blanket $9.94

Oranges 89 cents for 2 dozens

Oven ready Turkeys 39 cents per pound From Price of Food 60's 
Modern Walnut Bookcase $29.27 From Furniture Prices 60's

Coal $14.95 ton From Prices for other stuff

Example of a home from our Property for sale in the 1960's
1963 New Homes Lowell Massachusetts 
large tree wooded plots, colored bath and kitchen fixtures, full basement Formica kitchen 3 bedrooms From $15,500 
You Will find many more prices in dedicated 60's sections

Events 1960'sThe 60's were a decade once again dominated by a war ( VIETNAM )not a world war but the effects were still felt throughout the world. It is also the start of showing how the people can effect politics through the power of "peaceful" demonstrations , students were the driving force because with education comes empowerment and with empowerment comes a voice , and in the 60's students learnt how to use that voice. 

In the West although politicians would have liked to stopped demonstrations ( and tried ) against their policies, due to "freedom of speech" it was not possible 

Many of the conflicts during the 60's could be considered to be part of the ongoing cold war between the East and the West ( Communism -- Capitalism ) , but due to the Nuclear Capabilities of both sides nether wanted to start a full scale war as they realized there could be no winner but both believed their ideology was best, they tried in other ways to influence the politics throughout the world. 

Many believe the closest the world has come to a World Wide Nuclear War was in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis 

John F. Kennedy became the 35th President of the United States From January 20, 1961 till his assassination on November 22, 1963 at Dallas, Texas by Lee Harvey Oswald. His presidency although cut short due to his murder is remembered for multiple reasons including his commitment that the United States Of America should commit itself to landing a man on the Moon and returning him back safely to the earth before the end of the decade. The Cuban Crisis and Bay of Pigs Invasion. And creating the Peace Corps to help underdeveloped nations in areas such as education, farming, health care and construction. For such a short term in office his achievements endeared him to the American People. 

During the 60's the Charismatic Martin Luther King who was a civil rights advocate and exceptionally gifted speaker , followed other great leaders throughout history by using non-violent means together with the power of speech and managed to create change through his influence created by the strong following he had. He was assassinated on March 10th 1969 By James Earl Ray

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and The Voting Rights Act of 1965 changed the lives of the African Americans minority by ensuring equal rights for all

The Sixties also bought the space race to new heights and ended the race to land a man on the moon and bring him back when America through the Apollo 11 mission on July 20,1969 put Neil Alden Armstrong and Edwin Eugene 'Buzz' Aldrin, Jr. became the first humans to land on the Moon fulfilling the American Dream to place a man on the moon before the Russians ( Space Race ). The words spoken by Neil Armstrong "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" going into the history books for now and future generations to come. 

Both martin Luther King and John F Kennedy were assassinated during the 60's

Popular Culture

This was the Decade of the Smiley Face found on anything and everything around the world including T Shirts , it's popularity was at it's peak in the mid to late 1960's

This decade can also be summed up with a few well chosen phrases which epitomize the decade " The Space Race ", " Cuban Missile Crisis" , " Continuing Cold War", "Kennedy Assassination", " Martin Luther King", "Vietnam", "Civil Rights and Riots", "Hippies and Flower Power" , "The Beatles and Rock and Roll"

This was the start of the skateboarding era which was started by some surfing enthusiasts in California who were frustrated by the weather and put roller skates on the front and back end of wooden planks

Fashion

Early 60's for women wore mini skirts and leather boots and men wore Paisley shirts and velvet trousers Later 60's from 1966 started the introduction of Psychedelic clothes with bright colors for both men and women and the age of the Hippie is born. Men started to wear hair longer and women identified with the hippie look by wearing skirts and dresses longer often known as Maxies and anything and everything had color including the body

Some of the Most Well Known Movie Stars of the Sixties
John Wayne
Elizabeth Taylor
Richard Burton
Paul Newman
Elvis Presley
Julie Andrews
Doris Day
Roch Hudson

Music 1960's

Following on from the 50's rock and roll with Bill Hayley and Elvis Presley new groups appear in the 60's who are considered as an alternative music culture but become so popular that they quickly become mainstream, two of the dominant forces being THE BEATLES and THE ROLLING STONES who gain world wide notoriety and popularity.