The houses around me were built in the late 50's/early 60's and have 1
car garages. Around what year(s) did it become commonplace to build
houses with 2 car garages? Links to a couple sources would be
appreciated. I don't expect a long answer.

Dear mark800-ga;

Thank you for allowing me an opportunity to answer your interesting question.

In this document, Fred Bruning of Sawhorse Design, a Design/Build
Renovation firm, gives us some insight into the era in which the two
car garages became commonplace:

?Bruning said traditionally, in the 1940?s and 1950?s two car garages
were a luxury and in the 1960?s, 70?s and 80?s two car garages became
more of a necessity??
GOLDEN VALLEY
http://www.ci.golden-valley.mn.us/BoardsandCommissions/BZA/BZAminutes/BZAminutes2004/BZAminutes2-24-04.htm

That led me to look at the 1950?s as the most likely era of change
where home garages are concerned. Sure enough, it seems that the trend
began in the post-war 1950?s when metropolitan and suburban middle
class America was considered somewhat affluent by the standard of the
times in comparison to minorities and poorer, rural, farm-subsistent
Americans (and regionally perhaps other types of Americans).
Ironically though it seems that the two-car garage was not so much
intended to provide storage for the two-car family (since cars still
typically costs too much for even a middle class family to own two,
generally speaking) but probably to fashionably accommodate guest?s
vehicles as needed. Here I have provided some sample statements from
around the country in support of this particular time frame.

?There is a very desirable New England town which began to sprout
two-car garages only in the 1950s. For one thing, who needed them?
And, most of the older lots were too narrow for even a one car
attached.?
MORTGAGE NEWS DAILY
http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/10142004_Buyers_Block.asp


?When Elmhurst was young, cars and garages were very rare. As Elmhurst
started to mature, garages became more commonplace, until about the
mid 1950?s when two car garages started to become the norm.?
CANDIDATE FOR ALDERMAN ~ WARD 5
http://www.lwvelmhurst.org/Parker.html


?In and about the downtown are the older neighborhoods: grid streets
lined with trees; garages separate from houses, a leftover from the
horse and buggy days; large Victorians, some of them subdivided into
apartments; bungalows; large rambling homes, circa 1920's and 1930's;
and homes built after the war with two car garages.?
CITIES OF NAPA COUNTY
http://www.gotnaparealestate.com/cities-2.htm


?Our streets were not built for four-car families," he said, noting
that the original Levittown homes all had one-car garages. "Who could
afford two cars in the 1950's??
NEW YORK WIKI
http://omor.com/ny/archives/cat_suffolk.html


I hope you find that my research exceeds your expectations. If you
have any questions about my research please post a clarification
request prior to rating the answer. Otherwise, I welcome your rating
and your final comments and I look forward to working with you again
in the near future. Thank you for bringing your question to us.

Best regards;
Tutuzdad ? Google Answers Researcher


OTHER INFORMATION SOURCES

Defined above


SEARCH STRATEGY


SEARCH ENGINES USED:

Google ://www.google.com




SEARCH TERMS USED:


TWO-CAR GARAGES

2 CAR GARAGES

1940?S

1950?S

ARCHITECTURE

DESIGN

BUILDING

COMMONPLACE

NORMAL

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Request for Answer Clarification by mark800-ga on 25 Apr 2005 20:19 PDT

Great! Just want I wanetd.. Not overyly detailed, but strong links. I
have another somewhat related question/ Can I request you or should I
add to this one and add a tip at the end? I won't close this until I
get your response.

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Clarification of Answer by tutuzdad-ga on 26 Apr 2005 06:10 PDT

Well, that depends on what it is. Let's hear what's on your mind and
I'll let you know if it ought to be a seperate deal or not. How's
that?

tutuzdad-ga

Excellent!  Thank you. 
I'll post my other question seperately.