ABSTRAKModernization theories often imply that Americans' leisure has become more organized, commercial, and privatized, replacing informal, active, and public recreation. This study examines changes in leisure activities in three northern California towns between 1890 and 1940. It draws on published accounts, oral histories, and a numerical analysis of newspaper reports. The evidence suggests that all sorts of leisure activities increased during the half-century, most notably club-sponsored active recreation, such as sports and dances. Speculations about leisure history may err in assuming that one kind of activity necessarily displaces another. Instead, both the volume and variety of leisure activities probably increased in this era.
