Figure 1.--This 1901 stereo card shows a mock up of an American parlor. Often children were no allowed upspervised in the parlor, in part to protect all the nick-nacks and the carpets. Such conventions were in part affected by sicial class and the number of rooms in the home. In the 20th century, the parlor would evolve in to the modern living room. Notice the imprtance of the carpets. his card was marked 'Cake walk'--a period dance. Source: George W. Griffith stereo card company.

We do not have a lot of parlor/livingroom information before the 20th century. there are some paintins, but relatively few. The formal 19th century parlor is the fore-runner of the more relaxed 20th century living room. The primary difference is formality. They were so formal that often children were not permitted in to parlor except under supervised appearances. There were often lots of items that could be broken. And expenses rugs that could be soiled. This was especially true in America and a few other countries where so many boys went barefoot. Of course boys did not have shoes in many poor countries, but this was not the case in Americ and a few other countries like Australia and New Zealand. And barefoot boys would track all kinds of dirt into the home and very quickly ruin carpets. A good example is an unidentified boy on a family outing. American boys in the 19th century might have only worn shoes in the winter and when dressing up. And carpets were an important part of any fashionabale parlor. This continued into the early 20th century. It appears to have been an American creation, primarily after World War I when we begin to hear the term living room being used rather than parlor. Children by the 1940s began to see the term 'parlor' as a little old fashioned. And the shift is reflected by the name. The living room became the center of life. It was here the radio and then the TV was placed and often where the children plyed when indoors.

Created: 12:47 AM 2/8/20161
Last updated: 12:47 AM 2/8/2016