This is a picture of West First Street, Oswego, N.Y. in 1906 – Just over a century ago
The year is 1906. What a difference a century can make!
Here are some interesting statistics for the Year of 1906 in Oswego, New York:
- The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.
- Fuel for cars was sold in drug stores only.
- Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.
- The maximum speed limit in Oswego was 10 mph.
- The average wage was 22 cents per hour.
- The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
- A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year and a dentist $2,500.
- More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME naturally and no drugs.
- Ninety percent of all Doctors had no college education! Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and by the government as ‘substandard.’
- Sugar cost four cents a pound.
- Eggs were a penny each twelve cents a dozen.
- Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
- Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax and egg whites for shampoo.
- There was no Mother’s Day and no Father’s Day.
- There were about 230 reported murders in the entire nation.
- The American flag had only 45 stars.
- Three out of every 10 adults couldn’t read or write and only {6 percent} graduated high school.
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Most people only bathed once a week {the Saturday night bath} “in the summer”… winter was a long time between bathes for most.
The five leading causes of death in 1906 were:
1. Pneumonia and Influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke
It is really hard to believe the changes in just over the past 100 + years… what will Oswego be like in 2113?
Somethings in Oswego will never change;
- The Oswego River will still be flowing into the Great Lake Ontario every second of everyday
- Oswego will get cold and snow in the winter
- Some politicians will always be trying to figure out how to get more of the citizens money!
- And the sun will rise in the east and set beautifully over Lake Ontario.
- For the rest of it… only time will tell, however assuredly someone will be there to tell the children of the illustrious past of the beautiful little city with the wonderful history that sits at the mouth of the Oswego River on the Southeast shores of Lake Ontario.
