Allcut Push Lawn Mower

The Auto-Sickle Company of South Natick, Massachusetts produced this Allcut model push lawn mower around 1930. This type of side-wheel, cutting cylinder style mower was popular in America. Most Americans before the Civil War did not have lawns because grass was for animals. With a growing trend toward suburbs and single family homes came the need for lawn maintenance.

Many factors led to the suburban design of the single family home surrounded by a yard, including mid-19th century romanticism, transportation, real estate developers, architects, water and sewer systems, and new magazines about suburban life. Research and educational materials from the Department of Agriculture, The U.S. Golf Association and the Garden Club of America also popularized lawns. Garden clubs promoted the "City Beautiful" Movement before WWI, and federal support of the Victory Garden during WWI added to the idea. After the war, the desire was also shown in the middle-class auto suburbs. By the 1930s lawns were a standard suburban landscape feature across America.