American life in 1914: How we lived a century ago

[ZLoth]

Major Events in 1914

Charlie Chaplin makes his film debut in "Making a Living." (February)
President Woodrow Wilson orders troops to take military action against Mexico following the Tampico Incident. (April)
Mother's Day is recognized as a national holiday in the U.S. (May)
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria is assassinated, unofficially beginning World War I. (June)
Babe Ruth makes his debut with the Boston Red Sox. (July)
The Panama Canal is inaugurated. (August)
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is established. (September)
The Federal Reserve opens (November)

Enjoy the pictures.

[xcellntbuy]

I like articles like this.

The year 1914 is a major watershed of history.

Cars were just starting to become more available, many roads were not paved outside of cities (and inside some cities, as well), radio was just becoming to develop as an organized communications medium, land-based long distance travel was by railroad, man could only fly for 10 years and boarding a ship was the only way to get around the globe.  Women could not vote in the great majority of the country.  The first modern war (the American Civil War) had only ended 49 years before with a much bigger war just beginning to engulf the world.

[nexus73]

Speaking of radio, the ARRL (American Radio Relay League) was formed in 1914 by Hiram Percy Maxim.  Thanks to their efforts after World War I, amateur radio was brought back alive as during the war, the US government had prohibited amateur radio activity and there was no guarantee that this new for the time technology was going to be opened up for the citizens of the USA to enjoy and experiment with.

For a local history look back, North Bend OR, my home city, got it's first paved streets in 1914.  The railroad bridge crossing the body of water called Coos Bay (which is by North Bend) was completed.  Tower Ford, the oldest dealer in SW Oregon located in the city of Coos Bay, then called Marshfield, opened in 1914 and it is still around today, with the current owner being the former general manager when the last of the Tower family sold the dealership to him.

Rick