Nostalgia: Past Decades Trivia

1. When it was established in the 1920s, where in New York City could fashionable young Americans go for an illicit alcoholic drink?

From Quiz Young Americans

Answer: 21 Club

The club went through a few different names since cousins Jack Kreindler and Charlie Berns opened the bar in 1922. It became 'Jack and Charlie's 21' in 1929. As a speakeasy during the prohibition era, a lever system was used to empty the alcohol into the sewers when police raided the building. There was also a secret door in a brick wall which led to a hidden wine cellar.

From Quiz Mostly Gone With the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s (US)

Answer: Trading Stamps

Most of us baby boomers remember saving books of S&H green stamps, Top Value stamps, Plaid stamps, Gold Bond stamps, Eagle stamps, and Blue Star stamps. We would pour over the redemption catalogs to see how many books of stamps were needed to acquire our favorite reward. The stamps were given out initially in department stores, and later spreading to grocers and service stations. They were eventually phased out in the 1970s.

From Quiz On the Street Where I Lived

Answer: the Merry-Go-Round truck

It was music to our ears as we dashed to our homes to get a dime for the Merry-Go-Round truck! With its six stationery wooden horses enclosed by a strong red wire cage ,children used the short ladder attached to it to climb into the cage. We kids ran as fast as we could to be the first ones on one of the wooden horses that went up and down. Little did we children know that we lived in the city of the second largest manufacturer of merry-go-rounds. The Philadelphia Toboggan and Coaster Company employed some of the most renowned wood carvers for the animals on merry-go-rounds. Included among their employees were the famous wood carvers Leo Zeller, brothers, Daniel and Fred Mueller, and Frank Coretta. There was not enough room for a two-seater gondola on this small replica merry-go-round and we children would not have sat on it if we knew the popular nickname for the gondola was "the lover's seat".

From Quiz Whatever Happened to Mood Rings?

Answer: Kissing Potion

What made this product different was that it was a roll-on gloss. If you look at old ads for Kissing Potion you'll see actress Kim Basinger, a former model, rolling Kissing Potion on her lips.

From Quiz Don't You Remember?

Answer: 1917

The United States entered World War I on April 6, 1917 (a war that the Americans had wanted to stay out of) when Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare in the Atlantic. The National Hockey League formed in November, consisting of the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, and Montreal Wanderers. The Pulitzer Prizes were handed out for the first time, with four categories: Editorial Writing, Reporting, Biography, and History.

From Quiz Kids' Things From Long Ago (All American): II

Answer: 7-Up

This ad campaign made the drink very popular as an alternative to Coke and Pepsi.

From Quiz A Bit of Nostalgia - The Letter People !

Answer: Munchy Mouth

The first letter person introduced, Mr. M was the one that had the Munchy Mouth. His song started out with "I'm Mister M, with the munchy mouth -- my mouth goes munch, munch, munch...."

From Quiz 1920s-70s: Having Fun Yet?

Answer: Bingo

Begun by Edwin Lowe as a "Christian fundraiser", it became a Roman Catholic pastime by the mid 1930s. Bingo supported many cash-desperate parishes during difficult times. My mom once won for me a stuffed pink poodle playing this game. I still carry it with me wherever I go.

From Quiz Mixed Nostalgia

Answer: FDR's private railroad car

From Quiz Fads, Fads, Fads!

Answer: Frisbee

The Frisbee is a fad that still is used a lot today with adults, children and even dogs! Note that a metal had already been invented in the 1920s by Yale students.

From Quiz Which Year Was it?

Answer: 1974

She later joined the Symbionese Liberation Army, with which she committed robbery.

From Quiz As Time Goes By

Answer: Rebecca

"Rebecca" (1940) was based on the popular Daphne du Maurier novel and starred Joan Fontaine (a childlike bride), Laurence Olivier (her weird widower husband) and a mad housekeeper, who played by Judith Anderson. This was the 13th Academy Awards and honoured the films that were seen during the year 1940. It is interesting to note that this was the first year that envelopes were used and the phrase "May I have the envelope, please" entered the Academy Awards lexicon. As well, this was the first year that the company of Price Waterhouse was charged with counting the ballots. A new beginning for the movie industry and for me, a newborn babe.

From Quiz Young Americans

Answer: Eugenie hat

The Eugenie hat was fashionable in the mid-nineteenth century, but became popular again when Greta Garbo wore one in the film 'Romance'. The hat is usually made of felt or velvet, and is tilted downwards. A capotain is the black hat usually associated with Puritans in the 16th and 17th centuries. While the fedora was popular for most of the twentieth century, Greta Garbo was not the one who made them famous. The bowler hat is associated with 19th and 20th century businessmen.

From Quiz Smart Start: Aussie Childhood Rites of Passage

Answer: How to surf

My father considered learning to surf was an essential part of any childhood. Like most Australian kids we lived near the beach, the only trouble was we lived in Cairns which is protected by the Great Barrier Reef which runs the length of the Queensland coastline south to Gladstone. So when I was four the whole family shipped off to my uncle's place at Christmas time to the Sunshine Coast where the surf was high, 1200 miles south of Cairns, for my uncle and my dad to teach me how to surf. Every year for his birthday, even though he is eighty now, I send my uncle an Hawaiian shirt or some Surf Music. I reckon I am one of the few kids introduced into music via artists such as Dick Dale, The Ventures and The Atlantics.

From Quiz On the Street Where I Lived

Answer: P.S.P.C.A.

With fear in my heart, as I see the P.S.P.C.A truck approaching, I run screaming for my dog! My Mom comes out on our porch to tell me my dog is in the house. Owning dogs in those years (1940-1955), when most dogs and cats were let outside without a leash, could be terrifying. If it was not the fear of the dog-catcher it was the frightening experience of watching a dog-fight on your street. Thank goodness most dogs are walked on leashes in these more modern times. It would have been to our benefit to know that Colonel M. Richard Mucklé of Pennsylvania established the second government sanctioned law enforcement society for the prevention of cruelty to animals and was not our enemy but our hero. Colonel Mucklé advanced this humane cause by first addressing the cruelty to horses. The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, (P.S.P.C.A.) was founded by Colonel Mucklé and chartered in April of 1868. Today the Society functions as a compassionate agency with its emphasis on the adoption, light veterinarian care, and the spaying and neutering of animals.

From Quiz Whatever Happened to Mood Rings?

Answer: Pepper

Who can forget actor David Naughton, dressed in a white shirt and vest, suddenly breaking out in song and leading a queue of people down the street singing "I'm a Pepper, he's a Pepper, she's a Pepper, we're a Pepper. Wouldn't you like to be a Pepper, too?"

From Quiz Don't You Remember?

Answer: 1923

Warren Harding became the sixth US president to die in office when he passed away in August of 1923. The Walt Disney Company was founded on October 16th of the year by Walt and his brother Roy. The New York Yankees met with the Giants for the third consecutive year in the World Series, with the Yankees coming away with their only win of the three matchups.

From Quiz Kids' Things From Long Ago (All American): II

Answer: Nehru jackets

Jawaharlal Nehru was India's first Prime Minister after the country declared independence from Great Britain in 1947, and was the father of another Indian leader, Indira Gandhi.

From Quiz A Bit of Nostalgia - The Letter People !

Answer: Miss O

Miss O, the obsinate one -- she carried a mirror everywhere because she thought she was so beautiful.

From Quiz 1920s-70s: Having Fun Yet?

Answer: Miniature Golf

Garnet Carter, the proprietor of Carter's Lookout Mountain Hotel in Tennessee is believed to be the creator of miniature golf. He set one up as a diversion for his guests. It quickly spread to hotels across the country.

From Quiz Kids' Things of Long Ago

Answer: Sugar Bear

Remember the bear who sang 'Can't get enough of Super Sugar Crisps'...)? Incidentally, the cereal changed over to 'Super Golden Crisps' as parents became concerned over the overstimulation of their children. Dig'em the Frog sold Sugar Smacks (now called Honey Smacks). Linus was on the front of Crispy Critters Cereal and Harry Hippo sold Quaker Oats Punch Crunch.

From Quiz Mixed Nostalgia

Answer: Zero

From Quiz Fads, Fads, Fads!

Answer: Koosh Balls

The Koosh Ball comes in regular or animal shapes. They are shot with a rubber band.

From Quiz Which Year Was it?

Answer: 1959

She was created by Ruth and Elliot Handler, who founded Mattel in 1945.

From Quiz Small Town USA

Answer: Young Inexperienced Persons

A whippersnapper is a young inexperienced person who is considered to be presumptuous. Cocky. Rude. Sassy.

From Quiz Young Americans

Answer: Sicily

Operation Husky began on 9th July and involved Allied troops from the United Kingdom, the United States, Free France and Canada. The invasion was a success and brought an end to facism in Italy. Despite its success, over 6,000 American soldiers were injured. 2,811 were killed in action, and 686 were missing in action.

From Quiz Mostly Gone With the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s (US)

Answer: Ditto Machine Solvent

Ditto machines, also known as spirit duplicators, because they used a solvent instead of ink, were introduced in the 1920s. The solvent would dissolve some of the wax pigment (usually purple) from a stencil wrapped around a drum, and deposit it on sheets of paper. The solvent had a unique and appealing smell.

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Last Updated Aug 08 2026 5:44 AM

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