Cars And Storefronts Downtown And On Main Street, 1950s and 1960s

Text by Patrick Bell.

We are taking a tour today to some small to medium towns around the U.S., plus one north of the border.  The itinerary is vintage views showing how it used to be.  Some of these places have changed very little, but many would be difficult to recognize today.  Climb aboard and we will get rolling!

Our tour begins on Carey Avenue in Cheyenne, Wyoming.  We are looking towards the Tivoli Building, an 1892 structure that has been restored and is about the only thing left in this image.

On this side of the street were three Fords; a 1951 Crestliner that was missing its grille, a 1948-1950 F-series pickup, a 1952-1954 sedan behind the pickup in the shadows.  Across the street was a new looking 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Club Victoria, 1951 Buick Roadmaster 2 door Riviera, and a 1955 Chevrolet One-Fifty 4 door sedan in taxi duty.

We are now on Main Street/US Route 12 in Lewiston, Idaho, in an image dated August, 1952.  This one is difficult to compare to the current view, as much has changed.  I think the J. J. Newbe… building on the right edge remains, but that is about it.  The banners were advertising the Lewiston Roundup, an annual event in September that has survived.

In the lower right corner was a 1952 or 1953 Ford, and behind it was a 1951 Chevrolet Styleline De Luxe 4 door sedan.

This one is in Omaha, Nebraska, and the street may have been North 16th as both the Neville Hotel and Hotel Loyal were once located there.  This section of downtown Omaha has been completely rebuilt, so this is difficult to back into with a current image.  White license plates were used for forty years in Nebraska beginning in 1962, which gives a date reference.

After a first look at the cars, one could be excused for thinking it was a 1950’s photo, that is until you see the bronze 1963 Chevrolet Corvair Monza coupe hiding behind the 1958-1962 Checker cab.  And stopped at the cross street from the right were a 1954 Chevrolet, 1955 Oldsmobile, and a 1955 Chrysler seen through the rear door glass of the Checker.

Let’s head east to Flushing, New York, on Roosevelt Avenue at Main Street.  The United building is now AT&T, and the Whelan Drugs building remains, but is hard to recognize.

Oldsmobile Super 88s dominate this image, with a 1955 Holiday Coupe in the foreground, and a green 1956 4 door sedan rounding the corner.  In between them was a 1951 Pontiac Chieftain Business Coupe or 2 door sedan.

Heading back to the west we are taking a stop in Central City, Colorado, where we are taking a look at the town spread up the hill.  Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church was in the center, and it does survive.  Several of the buildings below it are also still around, and I believe the street in front of them is Central City Parkway.

Three Fords were congregated by themselves in the lower center with two 1951 2 door sedans and a red and white 1956 Fairlane Town Sedan, which is among the newest I can see.  Above them was a blue and white 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air 4 door sedan, and a turquoise and white 1955 Plymouth Belvedere 4 door sedan.  And an interesting bus roof was in the lower left corner.

This one is said to be Houston, Missouri, but I cannot confirm it (Update: It’s Mountain Home, Arkansas).  The license plate on the blue 1954 Mercury Sport Coupe heading away did look like a Missouri issue that was used from 1955-1960.

The local law was making a left turn in a 1953 Chevrolet, and parked against the curb was a 1956 Chevrolet Two-Ten 2 door sedan.  Further down seen to the right of the police car, was a 1957 Cadillac, the newest in sight.

Now we are on East Franklin Street in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where the University United Methodist Church steeple rises from behind the streetside buildings.  This scene has not changed very much since this image was taken.

There were 11 parked cars facing away, and 6 of them (over 45%) were Chevrolets.  The license plates were probably 1962 issue, as North Carolina used yellow during even years at that time, and the newest cars are 1961 models; the tan Chevrolet wagon, blue Rambler, and the pale yellow Rambler American convertible was at least a 1961 model.

We are back in Wyoming, on Greybull Avenue at North 5th Street in the town of Greybull in a 1967 photo.  The Standard station has been replaced by a bar, and all the buildings on the other side from the white house to the Big Horn Hotel remain, but the covered wagon is gone.

On this side, from the right corner, was a 1966 Chevrolet Impala 4 door sedan, 1964 or 1965 Plymouth Barracuda, 1965 Dodge Dart GT hardtop, 1964 Ford F-100, and across the side street was a 1959 or 1960 Studebaker Lark.

This is the 400 block of Penn Street in Reading, Pennsylvania, in the early 1960’s.  Several of the buildings along the left side have survived, while the Pomeroy’s Department Store building did not.  WEEU radio is now at 830 on your radio dial, and a Sunshine Beer sign is in the center distance.

On the left were a group of six cars that were bookended by Volkswagens; a red Type 1, 1958 Pontiac, 1958 Chevrolet, 1956 Chevrolet, unsure, and a Karmann Ghia on the end.

Here we are in Woodstock, Vermont, on Elm Street in a 1967 image.  The only real changes in the building have been the occupants.  Mr. Cabot’s diversified business is no longer there, and the restaurant and dairy bar are now a law office and a real estate office.

From the left was a 1964 Ford Country Sedan with a whip antenna passing by, a 1965 Chevrolet Impala Super Sport Coupe with snow tires, and a 1962 Mercury Comet 4 door sedan.  And peeking around the end of the building on the right was a Volkswagen T1 Transporter.

We have driven about forty miles and now are in Claremont, New Hampshire, on Opera House Square.  Just ahead is Broad Street, and City Hall is the building with the clock tower.  It and the building this side of it on the left are still there, but the three story brick dead ahead is not.

In the center foreground was a 1961 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special Sedan, and in front of it a 1967 Pontiac Bonneville.  To the left was a 1964 or 1965 Rambler American 220 2 door sedan, a 1963 Buick LeSabre 4 door hardtop, and a 1963 Chevrolet Bel Air 4 door sedan.  Above the LeSabre’s roof in the distance was a green 1969 Ford Mustang, the new one of the bunch.

We have headed back towards the west and are now in Manistee, Michigan, on the 300 block of River Street.  The businesses have all changed, but the buildings have survived.

In the lower right was a 1961 Mercury Commuter wagon, and in front of it a 1965 Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe with a 1969 Michigan license plate issued in Manistee County, so this one was a local.  Ahead were two Ford sedans; a 1968 Custom 500, and a 1964 Galaxie 500.  Across the street was a well used Chevrolet Greenbriar Sports Wagon, and further up a 1961 Ford full size wagon.

Let’s head north to Montreal Road in what was Eastview (now Vanier), Ontario, in a 1968 photo.  The cross street to the right was Saint Anne Avenue. Amazingly, the three buildings still exist, and Wing’s Chinese Food is still in business, at least as of about a year ago.

In the foreground was a 1966 Pontiac Grand Parisienne Sport Sedan, and behind it was a white 1964 full size Chevrolet.  On the other side was a white 1965 Ford Galaxie 500 2 door hardtop, a 1967 or 1968 Cadillac sedan, perhaps a 1967 Oldsmobile 88, and a 1966 Chevrolet Caprice Custom wagon.

Our final stop in this tour is Wall, South Dakota, where we are on Main Street in 1968.  None of these buildings survive, as Wall Drug has become a legendary tourist attraction and taken over the whole block.

On the right was a 1963 Chevrolet Bel Air 4 door sedan with a 1968 South Dakota license plate issued in Pennington County, where the seat is Rapid City.  To the left was a 1957 Ford Custom 300 4 door sedan, a 1966 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 Celebrity Sedan, and the newest of all, the all new 1969 Ford Club Wagon.  And to the left was a 1966 Chevrolet Chevy II wagon.

Thanks for touring with us and have a great day!

 

More Vintage Photos Here