Random Wrap-Up of 1966

Before we bid farewell to our 50th anniversary year, here are a few random things that happened in 1966. What a weird and wonderful time it was!

In October of 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed off on the National Historic Preservation Act. Similar actions happened before this law. Teddy Roosevelt, for instance, had a deep commitment to preserving natural resources and archeological sites in our nation. But this law would encompass a wider range of what America would preserve. Institutions like the National Register of Historic Places, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the State Historic Preservation Office were established by act. 

Jacqueline Susann released her blockbuster book “Valley of the Dolls” earlier in the year. The book was quickly followed in 1967 by the movie because “Dolls” was a huge hit. It's not very PC for today’s audience, but the way it dished on sensational subjects like drugs, sex and fame were a revelation to mid-sixties America and still pretty darn relevant today.

Brookfield Zoo celebrated their 50th year of offering Mold-A-Rama figures in 2016. Every kid from Chicago probably made one in their youth and can clearly remember that hot, waxy smell. The “miniature plastic factory” became popular at the World’s Fair in New York City a few years earlier, but Chicago has had the closest relationship with Mold-A-Rama, with one of only two companies left that service the machines. There are only a few places left that feature these antiques. Brookfield offered special edition figures like the 1966 Walrus throughout this anniversary year. 

Also making her debut during the summer of 1966 was Peppermint Patty. She was the first female "Peanuts" character to wear shorts instead of a dress in an effort to recognize the women’s equality movement. Patty was unconventional in many ways and had a particularly close relationship with her dad who was a single parent .

2016 comes to a close soon and no one knows what 2017 has in store, let alone what 2066 will be like. Summer Place Theatre is ready to take on our first season of the next fifty years. We hope you will come along for the ride!