Free Essay Sample on 20th Century American Leisure: Parks, Gyms, & Sports

Introduction

The 20th century American is one that had a lot of money to indulge in pleasures and interests. As such, people were more focused on developing places to spend their leisure time. The Americans valued the leisure time so much, and they used it both as a means of relaxation and a cultural and educational venture. The 20th century Americans had a peculiar way of spending leisure time. Most of the time was spent in public parks, gyms, and sports to help the people relax and also stay fit.

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The way Americans spent their leisure time was particular for a number of reasons. For instance, unlike in the modern world where the leisure time is meant for relaxation only, the Americans used this time for self-improvement. This was a time where people could learn new skills, conceive new thoughts, and also question some of the repugnant practices. This was possible because people could get away from their homes and take a vacation. Although the rich people took vacation always, it was the middle class that used their leisure time to go on vacation and replenish their spirit.

Regular Leisure Time

The regular people would not afford to tour Europe like the rich did, but they would take vacations within the country and have fun. The use of the leisure time was intentional and purposeful. The Americans convinced themselves that the use of their leisure time was essential as they used it to fulfill some of the cultural and educational aspects. They made extensive use of the medicalized spas, which gave them a cure (Stanley, Lecture). There are others who spent their time at the public parks. It was important as it helped them to free their minds from long days of work and also gave them an opportunity to reconnect with their loved ones and create that social bond. One of the major parks that the Americans used was Central Park. Here, they would enjoy themselves to the fullest.

The Americans observed their leisure time with so much zeal so that the transportation companies found a venture that they could profit in. The development of the Coney Island was a borne out of the need for transportation companies to make profits. The car barn in Brooklyn is a place where cars were stored so that people could use trains for traveling during their leisure time, and this added revenue to the transportation companies.

Play Lands

Leisure time was so much valued by the Americans that they even built what were referred to as the play lands to help them enjoy their leisure time more. The parks were very essential to people during their free time, and some took advantage of this popularity to make an extra coin. There were services that were provided to help people to reach the parks. People also enjoyed art and artistry, such as the Coney Island circus sideshow, which kept people entertained when they visited the parks.

Gyms were other areas that people focused on during their leisure time. These gyms were usually found in clubs, and they not only helped people to pass the time but also to keep fit. Some Americans, together with the German immigrants, brought what was referred to as turnvereins. The turnvereins were clubs devoted to calisthenics, where people jumped around. There were beer gardens, which was part of the old world reborn in the new. Those who were more experienced in calisthenics and other art would train others.

America was set in such a way that there were town dwellers and the rural people who spent most of their time in the farms. These two groups of people experienced different kinds of exercises. In the city, people played games during their leisure time. Some of the famous games that the urban people participated in included croquet, tennis, and archery. Most of these games were imported from England, but the Americans enjoyed them as their own. Some other games such as skating were common, although they were not played by many people since they required higher skill levels. With time, more people participated in skating, and more skating rinks were built. For example, there was a 69,000 square foot rink built at the Olympian Club in San Francisco, which was quite amazing, and there were more than 5,000 pairs of skates for use, which pointed to the increasing popularity of the sport (Stanley, Lecture).

Conclusion

In conclusion, leisure was an essential factor in the life of a 20th century American. The Americans valued the leisure time so much, and they used it both as a means of relaxation and a cultural and educational venture. They engaged in sports such as croquet, tennis, and archery, calisthenics. Parks also formed perfect places for people to spend their leisure time. Amidst this relaxation, the transportation companies found a venture that they could profit in. The development of Coney Island was a borne out of the need for transportation companies to make profits.