It's hard to overstate how different the standards were back then. Much of the housing that was built pre-1940 has been demolished, but if you find an average neighborhood still around from that era, you'll find tiny 2 bedroom houses in which parents raised often 3 or more kids, and this was the middle class norm. In the US, the average person has way more living space today than back then

[–] xpinchx@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

I'm 37, say that to my 1 BR apartment me and my fiance live with. I don't m kw the square footage but maybe 800-900?

I was about 10 when my mom was this age, my middle class parents owned a veritable mansion by today's standards in a suburban CO town. I think it was 4 bedrooms - one for mom and dad, one for me, one for my brother, and an office/den.

[–] Tavarin@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I can't afford a small 2 bedroom in my city. Hell I can barely afford 1. I wish two bedrooms now were the price they were back then (inflation adjusted of course).

[–] Trainguyrom@reddthat.com 2 points 1 year ago

Check out some small towns if you want to see pre war homes. I almost bought a craftsman but ended up with a house built sometime around 1900 (the documents I've seen list varying dates) it got an expansion in the 40s and a detached garage in the early 50s, and at some point someone enclosed the porches creating some nice mud rooms and the main floor bathroom appears to have been redone around the 80s or 90s.

My in-laws lived in a 19th century log cabin which had seen several expansions and renovations over the many decades it stood. Ultimately that was it's downfall though as some old electrical wire caught fire and as it burned the fire just got stuck deep in the layers of wall and ultimately had to be knocked down in order to put out the fire

Most prewar homes that are still standing have seen many expansions and updates and as such are just teaming with character and charm