Lanark County, Ontario, 1895 While searching for photographs for my earlier blog post, I came across this beauty. It made me grateful for all the resources we have today as homeowners, Realtors and Lenders. Until the era following World War II, most homes in the United States and Canada were surrounded by what you see here.  Dirt!  Grass didn't come into popular use until the birth of the first subdivisions in the 1950s! Flower gardens were a luxury.  Vegetable gardens were out back by the kitchen, and had fences around them to keep out the deer, rabbits and other critters. If this house is still standing today, it's likely a beauty, surrounded by green grass and flowers.  How do you count your blessings? I'm Mike in Tucson, your preferred Tucson, AZ mortgage lender. 08/08/2007