Smithsonian Exhibit Celebrates the Invention of the American Backyard
Americans
love their backyards. Retreats for recreation, entertainment, dining,
and relaxation, they combine the comfort and convenience of living rooms
with the freedom of the open air. A new Smithsonian traveling
exhibition, "Patios, Pools, & the Invention of the Backyard,"
explores the transition from the front porch to the backyard patio, the
rise of the do-it-yourself homeowner, and the use of "chemical warfare"
to achieve the perfect lawn.
The
exhibition will be on display in the Library Building at the Eisenhower
Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home from March 21 through May
31. "We are thrilled to be the debut site of this intriguing traveling
exhibit. The Eisenhower Administration was known as the eight years of
peace and prosperity when the suburbs gained in popularity. Traveling
exhibits curated by the Smithsonian are always popular with our visitors
and we look forward to another successful showing," states Karl
Weissenbach, director of the Eisenhower Presidential Library.
Through
rare photographs, historic drawings and period advertisements, the
exhibit explores the mid-century backyard of the 1950s from the rise of
the suburbs and tract houses and the beauty of postwar garden design to
the birth of the environmental movement. Drawing from the collections
and research of the Smithsonian Gardens' Archives of American Gardens,
the exhibition is organized for travel by the Smithsonian Institution
Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES)
In the 1950s,
America was a nation emerging from the shadow of World War II, searching
for ways to enjoy its new found peace and prosperity. Postwar trends
such as the baby boom, a growing middle class, the do-it-yourself
concept and a dramatic rise in home ownership remade much of the U.S.
and contributed to the development of the suburban backyard.
Companies
produced an increasing number of products designed to lessen the burden
of yard work. Imported and hybrid grasses, herbicides and pesticides,
automated sprinkler systems, chemical sprayers and newly affordable lawn
mowers began to appear in sheds and garages around the nation. Many
contemporary backyards still boast the pristine lawn, low-maintenance
plantings, patios, outdoor furniture, grills and play equipment that
first emerged after World War II.
SITES has been
sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with
millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for more than 60 years.
SITES connects Americans to their cultural heritage through a wide range
of exhibitions about art, science and history.
Smithsonian
Gardens care for living plant, artifact and archival collections. Its
Archives of American Gardens collects and makes available for research
use images of and documentation relating to a wide variety of cultivated
gardens throughout the United States.
The
Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home, a nonpartisan
federal institution, is part of the Presidential Libraries network
operated by the National Archives and Records Administration.
Presidential Libraries promote understanding of the presidency and the
American experience. We preserve and provide access to historical
materials, support research, and create interactive programs and
exhibits that educate and inspire.
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