The 1950s All-Electric House

Whether you're a child of the Fifties or just curious about lifestyles from this nostalgic era, The 1950s All-Electric House at the Johnson County Museum of History offers an eye-opening look at the technology of the times. Futuristic features include: hidden televisions, electric curtain openers, trendy appliances and "moon glow" lighting. Step inside this "house of the future" and its suddenly 1954 all over again!

In 1954, Kansas City area home buyers seeking the latest in time-saving technology could visit Kansas City Power and Light's All-Electric House in Prairie Village's most desirable neighborhood, Indian Fields. Technology was of keen interest to homebuyers during the 1950s, when wartime materials and mass-production techniques were applied to home construction, appliances, and furniture. The five-room ranch house captures the 1950s suburban ideal.

Kansas City Power and Light Company (KCPL) built this model home to showcase a new device "the year 'round air conditioner…known as the heat pump." KCPL portrayed it as a "house of many new applications and developments in electrical research…a home for modern American family living - comfortable and up-to-the-minute in every respect." Spectacular lighting and electrical features were located throughout the home. Remote control panels operated the lighting and temperature systems for the entire house.

The all-electric kitchen and adjoining laundry room were the essence of modern efficiency and convenience. The multi-purpose area featured an array of modern appliances, including a dishwasher, garbage disposal, freezer, clothes washer and dryer, and an electric water heater. From this modern laboratory, the woman could run the house with "the flick of switch," while she tended to the children who were playing in the adjoining living room or outside on the patio.

A family home for forty years, The 1950s All-Electric House is once again a model house. The house was relocated from its original site in Prairie Village to the Museum of History in 1994. Guided tours of the All-Electric House help visitors learn why a home in the suburbs was part of the American dream after World War II, and is an excellent complement to the Museum of History's exhibit Seeking the Good Life, which aims to tell the history of the city from a suburban perspective.

See The 1950s All-Electric House original floorplan!
See a photo of The All-Electric House bathroom & bedroom!