My Great Aunt Janie Brand (my Granny’s sister) turned 95 January 20 and I went to visit her with m y camera.
After listening to her tell me about growing up without television and other things with her huge family, I decided to look some things up from the year 1931.
• President Herbert C. Hoover was President,
• it was the very early years of the Great Depression, • the Star-Spangled Banner was officially named the National Anthem, • the Empire State Building was completed that year,
• Wiley Post and Harold Gatty accomplished the first around the world flight in a single engine plane in 8 days, 15 hours, and 51 minutes,
• the George Washington Bridge across the Hudson River opened and became the longest span in the world at 3,500 feet,
• the Porsche company was founded by Ferdinand Porsche,
• Jane Adams is the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize,
• Thomas Edison passes away at the age of 84 years old,
• the first infrared photograph is produced,
• the first ice machine starts selling 25 lb. bags of ice for 15 cents,
• Al Capone is sentenced to 11 years in prison,
• a new car in 1931 was $640,
• a new house $6,790,
• a loaf of bread was eight cents,
• a movie ticket was 23 cents,
• a gallon of gas 10 cents,
• postage stamp two cent,
• average income $1,850.
Some more notable people who were born the same year of my great aunt were James Earl Jones, James Dean, William Shatner, Willie Mays, Barbara Eden, George Jones, Angie Dickinson, Mickey Mantle, Dan Rather and Skeeter Davis.
Aunt Janie told me I was welcome to come back anytime and more often, just next time leave my camera at the house. She knows me better than that.
• Wayne Morgan is freelance wildlife photographer and author.
