1957 saw the continued growth of bigger taller tail fins on new cars and more lights, bigger with more powerful engines and an average car sold for $2,749.
The Soviet Union launched the first space satellite Sputnik 1.
Movies included “Twelve Angry Men” and “The Bridge Over the River Kwai”, and TV showed “Perry Mason” and “Maverick” for the first time. The music continued to be Rock and Roll with artists like “Little Richard”.
The popular toys were Slinkys and Hula Hoops.
The continued growth of the use of credit was shown by the fact that 2/3 of all new cars were bought on credit.
Some of the areas that would cause problems later were starting to show South Vietnam is attacked by Viet Cong Guerrillas and Troops are sent to Arkansas to enforce anti segregation laws.
Peak of the Baby Boomer years
Toyota starts selling cars in the US
Suez Canal Crisis Ends
Asian Flu Pandemic
USSR launches Sputnik 1
South Vietnam attacked by Viet Cong Guerrillas
Elvis Presley purchases Graceland
First Nuclear Reactor plant opens Pennsylvania
Population:
- Wake County (1960 census): 169,082
- NC: 4.368,000
- USA: 172,000,000
National Debt:
- $27,000,000,000 (1957)
- $18,152,809,942,589 (2015)
Value of a Dollar: $1 in 1957 is $8.50 in 2015
Cost Of Living 1957:
- Yearly Inflation Rate USA: 3.34%
- Average Cost of new house: $12,220
- Average Monthly Rent: $90
- Average Yearly Wages: $4,550
- Cost of a gallon of Gas: $0.24
- Bacon per pound: $0.60
- HI-FI Portable Record Player: $79.95
- Children’s Shoes: $5.95
- Cheeseburger at McDonald’s: $0.15
- Ticket to Disneyland: $1.00 – (Rides and attractions were a separate fee via individual tickets. Three months after the park opened, books of tickets were available; the tickets were labeled “A” to “C.”)
Ounce of Gold Price:
- The cost of an ounce of gold was $34.95
- The inflation-adjusted price of an ounce of gold was $298.72
Cost of a movie ticket: $0.50
Inflation-adjusted price of a movie ticket: $4.27
The cost of a movie ticket in 2015: $7.92
Top 5 Movies:
- 12 Angry Men
- Paths of Glory
- The Seventh Seal
- Wild Strawberries
- Throne of Blood
- Best Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
- Best Actor: Alec Guinness – The Bridge on the River Kwai
- Best Actress: Joanne Woodward – The Three Faces of Eve
- Best Supporting Actor: Red Buttons – Sayonara
- Best Supporting Actress: Miyoshi Umeki – Sayonara
- Gunsmoke – CBS – 18,067,520
- The Danny Thomas Show – CBS – 14,797,760
- Tales of Wells Fargo – NBC – 14,755,840
- Have Gun Will Travel – CBS – 14,127,040
- I’ve Got a Secret – CBS – 14,001,280
- The Life & Legend of Wyatt Earp – ABC – 13,665,920
- General Electric Theatre – CBS – 13,204,800
- The Restless Gun – NBC – 13,162,880
- December Bride – CBS – 12,869,440
- You Bet Your Life – NBC – 12,827,520
- Elvis Presley – All Shook Up
- Pat Boone – Love Letters In The Sand
- Diamonds – Little Darlin’
- Tab Hunter – Young Love
- Jimmy Dorsey – So Rare
- Pat Boone – Don’t Forbid Me
- Guy Mitchell – Singing The Blues
- Sonny James – Young Love
- Elvis Presley – Too Much
- Perry Como – Round And Round
- Everly Brothers – Bye Bye Love
- Debbie Reynolds – Tammy
- Buddy Knox – Party Doll
- Elvis Presley – Teddy Bear
- Harry Belafonte – Banana Boat (Day-O)
- Elvis Presley – Jailhouse Rock
- Marty Robbins – A White Sport Coat (And A Pink Carnation)
- Del-Vikings – Come Go With Me
- Everly Brothers – Wake Up Little Susie
- Sam Cooke – You Send Me
- Young Love – Sonny James
- There You Go – Johnny Cash
- Gone – Ferlin Husky
- All Shook Up – Elvis Presley
- A White Sport Coat – Marty Robbins
- Honky Tonk Song – Webb Pierce
- Four Walls – Jim Reeves
- Bye Bye Love – The Everly Brothers
- (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear – Elvis Presley
- Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin On – Jerry Lee Lewis
- Fraulein – Bobby Helms
- My Shoes Keep Walking Back To You – Ray Price
- Wake Up Little Susie – The Everly Brothers
- Jailhouse Rock – Elvis Presley
- My Special Angel – Bobby Helms
ACC Football Champ: NC State
ACC Basketball Champs: North Carolina (UNC 95 – USC 75)
World Series Winner: Milwaukee Braves over NY Yankees
NFL Championship Game: Detroit Lions (Detroit 59– Cleveland 14)
NASCAR Season Winner: Buck Baker
Masters Winner: Doug Ford (won $8,750)
Wimbledon Winners:
- Men’s Singles: Australia Lew Hoad defeated Australia Ashley Cooper 6–2, 6–1, 6–2
- Women’s Singles: United States Althea Gibson defeated United States Darlene Hard 6–3, 6–2
- Men’s Doubles: United States Budge Patty / United States Gardnar Mulloy defeated Australia Neale Fraser / Australia Lew Hoad 8–10, 6–4, 6–4, 6–4
- Women’s Doubles: United States Althea Gibson / United States Darlene Hard defeated Australia Mary Bevis Hawton / Australia Thelma Coyne Long 6–1, 6–2
- Mixed Doubles: United States Darlene Hard / Australia Mervyn Rose defeated United States Althea Gibson / Australia Neale Fraser 6–4, 7–5