Hello Friends!

As June quickly comes to a close, we’re finishing up our American history articles and getting ready to shift back to local stories, events, and all the things happening right here in our own backyard.

While researching American history over the past few weeks, I realized some of the most interesting parts of history aren’t always the major events we learned in school. Sometimes it’s the random, funny, and slightly unbelievable moments that make you stop, laugh a little, and wonder… who came up with this?

This week, I went down another history rabbit hole and found a few lesser-known moments from America between 1926 and 1976 that deserved a little spotlight.

📞 1930s: Before cell phones, people called to ask what time it was! That’s right—there were actual phone numbers dedicated to announcing the exact time. Imagine waking up late and saying, “Sorry I’m late… I had to call and find out what time it was.” I was only able to find one number that still works today, so if you’re feeling curious and want a tiny step back in time, give it a try: (303) 499-7111.

🍞 1930s: Sliced bread became the newest technology. When people say something is “the greatest thing since sliced bread,” they mean it literally. Pre-sliced bread became widely available, and people thought it was revolutionary. Imagine showing someone a self driving car after they just got excited about pre-sliced bread.

🚗 1950s: The rise of the American road trip. As cars became more common and highways expanded, families started hitting the road like never before. Road trips weren’t just travel—they were the vacation. Kids packed into the back seat, windows down, paper maps unfolding like puzzles, and the classic question every 10 minutes: “Are we there yet?”

I still remember family road trips back in the 1980s when I was younger, driving from Washington State to California with the windows down and the wind blowing through the car. My dad would come back with just one sunburned arm from hanging it out the window the entire drive. We’d stop at Denny’s to eat, and no matter what time it was, my sister always ordered French toast.

🥕 1940s: Victory Gardens took over America. During World War II, families across the country planted vegetable gardens to help support food supplies. Millions participated, and backyard tomatoes and potatoes were basically serving their country.

🧪 1960s: Cold War ideas got… Interesting. The government explored some pretty unusual ideas during this era. Not all of them made a lot of sense, but they definitely proved people were willing to try almost anything in the name of innovation and staying ahead.

If you’ve never heard of the Edgewood Arsenal human experiments, it’s an interesting piece of history to look up. The U.S. Army conducted research involving thousands of service members and studied the effects of different substances and protective measures. Years later, the program came under scrutiny as questions were raised about whether participants fully understood what they had agreed to and the long-term effects of the research. My personal opinion is that this research project should never have been done, but we won’t go down that rabbit hole. If history proves anything, it’s that people have always been willing to test some pretty wild ideas in the name of progress.

🪨 1975: America really paid money for rocks? One of the biggest trends of the 1970s? Pet Rocks. People bought regular rocks packaged like pets, with care instructions included. Millions sold. Whoever thought of selling something people could pick up for free deserves an honorary business degree.

History can feel serious when we look at it through textbooks and timelines, but moments like these remind me it’s also full of humor, curiosity, and a little bit of “what were they thinking?” From phone calls just to check the time to pet rocks and family road trips, people have always found creative—and sometimes questionable—ways to live, learn, and entertain themselves. And maybe that’s the part of history that connects us most… the fact that no matter the decade, people are still people figuring it out as they go.

Sunday, June 28th

Monday, June 29th

Take time to slow down and refresh your mind.

Tuesday, June 30th

Wednesday, July 1st

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Wed, June 25: Hot and humid with scattered afternoon storms — 90° / 77°
Thu, June 26: Cloudy, muggy, and breezy with rain chances — 89° / 76°
Fri, June 27: Partly sunny with isolated thunderstorms — 90° / 77°
Sat, June 28: Summer heat with pop-up storms possible — 91° / 78°
Sun, June 29: Humid with on-and-off showers — 89° / 76°
Mon, June 30: Warm, sticky, and unsettled Gulf moisture — 90° / 77°

We’re deep into that classic Gulf Coast summer stretch where the air feels thick, the storms show up uninvited, and the weather app basically just shrugs and says, “Good Luck.” Stay cool, stay flexible, and keep an eye on the sky!

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Just remember, we’re only human, but we’ll do our best to make this your newsletter.

The Galveston Bay Buzz 🐝

Jessica Johnson

Publisher/Founder

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