In the 1950s, owning a car was a very big deal in America. During this time, cars were seen as a symbol of freedom and people enjoyed taking their cars out for drive around town and on long trips. Lots of people customized their cars with different features such as chrome exhaust pipes, fancy paint jobs, and big tail fins. Cars were also seen as a way of expressing yourself. People often used bumper stickers, license plates, and decals to show their favorite sports teams, vacation destinations, or sayings. There were many car shows, which were events where people could show off their cars by competing in contests and races to see who had the best car. Automobile culture was a big part of the 1950s in the United States.