Year 1949: Fun Facts, Trivia, and History
This quick read presents a mix of fun facts, trivia, and history events from the year 1949.
This quick read presents a mix of fun facts, trivia, and history events from the year 1949. Discover the year’s top news stories, most influential people, sports facts, retail prices, entertainment trivia, and much more.
Take a journey through history in just minutes.
In 1949, Harry S. Truman (D-Missouri) was the president of the United States, and Alben W. Barkley (D-Kentucky) was the nation’s vice president.
The 80th Congress was in session, and there were 246 Republicans and 188 Democrats.
Unemployment peaked at 7.9% in October.
Inflation rate for the year: -1.24%
Average annual household income: $2,950
Average cost of a new house: $7,450
Average monthly rent: $50
Average cost of a new car: $1,420
Average cost of a gallon of gas: 17 cents
A first-class stamp cost three cents.
The price of gold averaged $31.69 per troy ounce.
On December 31, the Dow closed at 200.13.
After 20 years of hardship due to the Great Depression (1929-39) and World War II (1939-45), post-World War II economic expansion (1950-73) in the U.S. was delayed because of a recession. The recession of 1949 began in November 1948 and lasted until October 1949 and followed “a period of monetary tightening by the Federal Reserve.” Unemployment peaked at 7.9% in October 1949, but the GDP shrunk by only 2% during the 11-month downturn.
Between 1949 and 1952, the White House reconstruction took place. After 150 years of “hurried renovations,” this massive project was “a comprehensive dismantling and rebuilding of the interior of the White House,” from the ground up.
From January 4 to February 22, a series of winter storms ravaged Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming with winds of up to 72 mph. As a result, tens of thousands of cattle and sheep perished.
In his State of the Union address to Congress on January 5, President Harry Truman announced a Fair Deal and recommended that all Americans have health insurance, that the minimum wage be increased, and that all Americans be guaranteed equal rights.
On January 11, Los Angeles had its first recorded snowfall.
On January 17, the first Volkswagen Beetle arrived in the United States—a 1948 model.
On January 20, about 10 million people watched President Truman’s inauguration on network television.
On January 28, the New York Giants signed their first Black players—Monte Irvin and Ford Smith.
On February 7, Joe DiMaggio became the first New York Yankees player to earn $100,000.
On April 19, the New York Yankees dedicated a plaque to MLB legend Babe Ruth.
On May 23, the Federal Republic of West Germany was created out of the American, British, and French occupation zones.
On June 3, Wesley Anthony Brown became the first African American to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy.
On June 8, American celebrities including Helen Keller, Dorothy Parker, Danny Kaye, John Garfield, and Edward G. Robinson were named in an FBI report as members of the Communist Party. History.com tells us that "The FBI report was part of a continuing campaign by the U.S. government to suggest that Hollywood was rife with communist activists who were using the medium of motion pictures to spread the Soviet party line."
On June 8, George Orwell’s seminal novel, 1984, was published in Oceania.
On June 23, the first 12 women graduated from Harvard Medical School. They were Doris Rubin Bennett, Martha Kern Caires, Raquel Eidelman Cohen, Shirley Gallup, Dora Benedict Goldstein, Marcia Gordon, Marjorie Kirk, Clare Kent Marshall, Edith Stone, Edith Schwartz Taylor, Jo Ann Tanner Taylor, and Ladislas Wojcik.
On July 12, at the 16th All-Star game, the American League won, 11-7, at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn.
On July 13, Pope Pius XII excommunicated all Communist Roman Catholics.
On July 24, Fausto Coppi of Italy won the 36th Tour de France.
On August 3, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball League (NBL) merged to form the National Basketball Association (NBA).
On August 10, the National Military Establishment was renamed the Department of Defense.
On August 24, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) came into force. According to History.com, “the United States and 11 other nations established the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which was a mutual defense pact aimed at containing possible Soviet aggression against Western Europe.” (The first 12 members of NATO were the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, Belgium, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, Portugal, Luxembourg, and Iceland.)
On August 28, the last six surviving veterans of the American Civil War met in Indianapolis.
On September 23, President Truman announced that the USSR had detonated its first nuclear device.
On October 6, President Truman increased the minimum wage from 40 cents to 75 cents per hour.
On October 9, the New York Yankees defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers, 4 games to 1, to win their 12th World Series title.
On October 24, construction began on the headquarters of the United Nations in New York City.
On October 26, the minimum wage increased from 40 to 75 cents per hour.
On November 18, MLB player Jackie Robinson became the National League’s Most Valuable Player (MVP).
On November 24, the British iron and steel industry was nationalized.
On November 25, MLB player Ted Williams became the American League’s Most Valuable Player (MVP).
On December 1, the MLB announced that attendance for the 1949 season was 20.2 million, down from 20.9 million in 1948.
In 1949, the most popular baby names for boys were James, Robert, John, William, and Michael. The most popular baby names for girls were Linda, Mary, Patricia, Barbara, and Susan.
The average life expectancy at birth in the U.S. was 65.2 years.
The most popular holiday gifts included Silly Putty and Candy Land.
Fashion icons in 1949 were Lauren Bacall, Ava Gardner, Betty Grable, Rita Hayworth, and Lana Turner.
Jacque Mercer (Arizona) was crowned Miss America.
Time magazine’s “Person of the Year” was Winston Churchill, who served as the prime minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955.
Motor Trend magazine began publishing.
Harvard raised its tuition to more than $500 a year.
The first self-defrosting refrigerators were sold in the U.S.
U.S. agricultural exports were about $2.42 billion, or 22% of total exports.
Earl Olson of Minnesota founded Jennie-O, which would later become “the world's largest turkey processor.”
Milk was 84 cents a gallon, a 16-ounce loaf of bread cost 15 cents, and bananas were 15 cents a pound.
Bleach (Clorox): 49 cents a gallon
Broom: $1.49
Coffee maker (General Electric): $1.95 to $3.98
Garbage can (steel, 20-gallon size): $1.97 to $2.69
Ironing board (steel): $5.63 to $5.98
Laundry detergent (Fab): 27 cents for an 18-ounce box
Lawn seed (Willowlawn): Five pounds for $4.50
Shower curtain (vinyl): $2.98 to $5.95
Toaster: $10.95 to $19.95
Wax paper (Cutrite): 23 cents for a 125’ roll
In 1949 as well, the words “allergy shot,” “aromatherapy,” “baggage claim,” “big bang,” “binge drinking,” “break a leg,” “clock radio,” “closed-circuit,” “desegregate,” “diddly-squat,” “dog park,” “dollar day,” “Dow,” “dragon lady,” “freeze-dry,” “Green Beret,” “jetliner,” “jet set,” “lonely hearts,” “macho,” “Monte Carlo,” “overnighter,” “postnasal drip,” “streetwise,” “supercomputer,” “Tex-Mex,” “traffic cone,” “triple-header,” and “writer’s block” all appeared in print for the first time.
References:
https://popculturemadness.com/1949-trivia-history-fun-facts/
https://www.mclib.info/Research/Local-History-Genealogy/Historic-Prices
https://www.foodreference.com/html/html/food-history-1946.html
https://www.reference.com/world-view/were-average-prices-everyday-groceries-1949-f21b01fd4c73145c
Disclaimer: In writing and editing this article, Gregory DeVictor has made every effort to ensure historical accuracy and not to mislead his audience. In addition, the contents of this article, including text, graphics, and captions, are for general informational purposes only.
© 2026 Gregory DeVictor
About the Creator
Gregory DeVictor
Gregory DeVictor is a trivia enthusiast who likes to write articles about American history and nostalgia. Each of his articles presents a mix of fun facts, trivia, and historic events about a specific calendar year, decade, or century.
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