A symbol of the 1950s prosperity was the new suburban Levittown house. These homes, produced on a mass scale, show life as it was in the 1950s. A walk through tour of one of these homes symbolizes everything that was right and also everything that was wrong with the Eisenhower Consensus.
The rooms of the house show everything that was right with the 1950s. New technology and new entertainment were the high points of the Eisenhower Consensus. Yet as the tour continues, one would descend into the bomb shelter which became a common addition to many homes during the 1950s. The bomb shelter sybolized the problems during the Eisenhower Consensus such as the Cold War and the Civil Rights movement.
The 1950s was a unique time. Life was wonderful at home. Or so it seemed. Life was wonderful in the world. Or so it seemed. In both areas a silent war was brewing. A war that would explode over the next couple of decades. It is true that there was an Eisenhower Consesus in the United Stated during the 1950s. Yet the question remains: "What is the lasting legacy of the 1950s?" That is the purpose of this exhibit. A walk-through tour of a Levitt home would allow someone to gain a general, overall perspective on the 1950s. Then they could decide, for themselves, the lasting legacy of the 1950s.