A Look Back At
Born in 1959
What Was Life Like in 1959?
Who Was in Charge?
President
Dwight D. Eisenhower
What Things Cost
Gas (per gallon)
$0.31
Loaf of Bread
$0.20
Average House
$11,500
Weekly Wage
$83
Events of 1959 in the United States
A selection from Wikipedia's '1959 in the United States'. Not a complete list.
- January 3 – Alaska is admitted as the 49th U.S. state (see History of Alaska).
- January 12 – The Motown record label is founded as Tamla by Berry Gordy in Detroit.
- May 8 – The first Little Caesars pizza restaurant is opened by Mike Ilitch and his wife Marian in Garden City, Michigan.
- August 17 – Miles Davis' influential jazz album Kind of Blue is released.
- August 21 – Hawaii is admitted as the 50th and last U.S. state (see History of Hawaii).
- September 17 – The hypersonic North American X-15 research aircraft, piloted by Scott Crossfield, makes its first powered flight at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
- October 2 – Rod Serling's classic anthology series The Twilight Zone premieres on CBS.
- November 18 – MGM's widescreen, multimillion-dollar, Technicolor version of Ben-Hur, starring Charlton Heston, is released and becomes the studio's greatest hit up to this time.
Popular Toys & Games
- Barbie
- Chatty Cathy
- Lego
Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 on 1 January 1959
The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)
The Chipmunks with David Seville