The Lost Art Of Leaning

Little-known history

All photos via Simpleinsomnia • Creative Commons

It’s rarely given a second thought nowadays, but there was a time when leaning was highly valued. Standing up straight was considered lazy and lacking style. A good lean was something to be seen.

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People built their houses to lean. Fences leaned. Flagpoles leaned. Entire towns were constructed to lean. Leansville, Montana had a considerable lean that made dogsled racing an uphill challenge.

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From a very early age, children were encouraged to lean. Here is Billy Incline practicing his lean while his dog Slant looks on.

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Ships leaned into leaning ports. Wives leaned while waiting for their leaning sailor husbands to return from sea.

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People leaned canoes as far as possible when rowing. People took pride in their leaning.

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Colossal metal structures were built simply to lean and be leaned on.

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Young folk practiced leaning using the help of a stick. Here is Sally Angle working on her lean.

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Young men talented in the art of leaning used their lean and swagger to attract young women.

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Even if you were heading out into the woods backpacking, you leaned. It didn’t matter if no one but a moose saw it, you leaned.

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If you worked in a leaning town, you leaned.

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If you were going on vacation, you leaned in your vacation photos.

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Leaning was elevated to an art form. A lifestyle. And leaning was good.

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Then one day, Larry Level and his business partner Sam Square drove into town.

Larry stood upright and proud, as did Sam. They considered leaning foolishness that only led to falling. They were young and bold and planned to change the world.

Larry had just invented a new tool that allowed builders to build things without any lean. He called his invention The Level. A little arrogant, perhaps, but soon the name of the tool became the word that described its function. Larry and Sam became incredibly rich.

And leaning became a lost art.