Get off my lawn

Lawns are a pure piece of middle class Americana these days, but they didn’t start out that way. Here’s how the patch of grass went from status symbol to a property value must-have.

Editor’s note: Here’s a recent edition of Tedium, the twice-weekly newsletter that goes on a hunt for the end of the long tail. (The original is here.) Enjoy what you read? Subscribe here and check out our archives. Oh, and follow us on Twitter.

Rich people care about their grass way more than normal people do. Now, rarely is this an issue, but in recent months, the ongoing California drought has made this mundane issue a political one.

This week, the city of Rancho Santa Fe became a target of this culture clash after The Washington Post highlighted the water-rationing requirement it soon faces. Local residents aren’t happy. “When we bought, we didn’t plan on getting a place that looks like we’re living in an African savanna,” said conservative radio host and local resident Steve Yuhas. This whole sitch is a reminder that the roots of the traditional lawn started as a status symbol for the well-to-do…