Why it's there: Victory Garden

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Thursday, March 13, 2008
Matt Hochberg

To the side of Rosie's All American Cafe is a small garden continuing the theme of the Anaheim Produce area and specifically, Rosie's All Amercan Cafe. Rosies, named after the propoganda character "Rosie the Riveter", is themed to a World War II motif (1941-1945) and Rosie's character is one who is doing her role as a good American during the war by taking up important jobs in the factory that have been vacated by the men who went to war.

In addition, Americans to taking up jobs not previously known to them, Americans were also encouraged to make "victory gardens" (also called war gardens or food gardens for defense). Victory Gardens were fruit, vegetable and herb gardens that were planted and maintained at any regular American citizen's house during the War to help create a little more extra food. This was important during the war years since food was rationed by the government to each person but a victory garden would ensure citizens could have a little extra food.

Besides simply feeding Americans, victory gardens were important pieces of propoganda and aided in raising war-time morale among citizens because those making their own vicotry garden felt like they were contributing to the war effort. Nearly 20 million Americans had a victory garden during World War II and these gardens produced about 40 percent of all the vegetable produce in the country. In the Studios, we see not only plants but also some decorative features such as a scarecrow dressed as an airman as well as Uncle Sam as a wind spinner and a weathervane made to look like a battleship.