Something About the Summer of 1948

In the beginning.

Lewis Barnavelt moves to New Zebedee in the summer of that year (The House with a Clock in its Walls, 3). What else happened this summer?

• June 3
• The Palomar Observatory telescope is finished in California.  Interesting, since Lewis is said to eventually wind up working here.
• July 29
• The 1948 Summer Olympics began in London, the first Summer Olympics since World War II.
• August 15
• The Republic of Korea is established.  That’s South Korea, for those playing along at home.
• August 16
• Babe Ruth passed away.

In addition, singer Cat Stevens, Doonesbury cartoonist Garry Trudeau, and authors George R. R. Martin and Susan Hinton (The Outsiders) were born during the summer months.

Okay...so it's 1948. Does that impact the story any? Are you reminded anywhere throughout the story the events of the book took place, at this writing, 70-plus years ago? Or are you given this date as early as possible so you can move on to other pressing issues? How viable would the story be without a specific year given?