Today’s gallery covers a variety of neighborhoods across America in the 1970s, featuring a mix of city, suburban, and small-town environments. And as usual, I tried to pick images with some vehicles of interest.
The images come from the Documerica Project of the National Archives and have been slightly color-corrected for this post. The lede photo is at a mobile home park in New Ulm, Brown County, Minnesota.
Near Wood Island Station, East Boston, Massachusetts, 1973.
White Cloud, Kansas, 1974.
Outdoor Food Market at Haymarket Square, Boston, 1973.
Rifle, Garfield County, Colorado, 1973.
El Paso, Texas, 1972.
Main Street of Dehue, West Virginia, 1974.
Avenue D Housing Project, Lower East Side of Manhattan, NY, 1974.
Shepherd home near Leakey, Texas, 1973.
Newport Beach, California, 1975.
We often say that older cars didn’t last as long as newer ones, but in El Paso there are 12 and 14 year old Chevrolets still going!
But today, I might have trouble telling a 2012 Chevy from a current one. The oldies in the photo were exceptionally different looking from the new 1972 models.
White Cloud looks a bit neater now, with some businesses repurposed as houses.
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.977432,-95.2963334,3a,75y,270.08h,86.39t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s2rHikmhoCCBaECJtzfPM3g!2e0!7i3328!8i1664?entry=ttu
One of my most vivid memories as a young kid of the early to mid 1970’s, was the volume of trash, and discarded items, everywhere. On city streets, along highways, in parks. Deep in a forest, you’d find tin cans, and litter. Genuine laziness, and disregard for proper disposal of things, seemed quite normal back then.
Looking at the White Cloud pic, a less obvious sign of town/urban decay, was roads that weren’t swept after winter. Seeing accumulations of roadside grit and sand in summer, told me as a kid, that town had no money! Especially, as it went on for years.
I don’t miss the overuse of billboards, outdoor signage, and heavy commercialization of downtowns. We have improved in many ways, that some people may not realize.
I’m not nearly as attracted to 1960’s Detroit Iron, as many here at CC, as I am from a younger generation. Many of these large domestic cars were polluting heaps by the ’70’s. And I equated many of these cars with poverty and urban decay. For my childhood eyes, a blight in many regards.
I miss a commercialized “downtown”!!
That Boston Market shot looks more than a bit junky IMO!
Haymarket Square isn’t so much a food market as it is a commodities market and the commodity is food. With new shipments expected, the Boston wholesalers sell their unsold produce to vendors who then sell it at Haymarket Square at greatly reduced prices. It is often bought by produce dealers who then sell it to restaurants that will use it up before it spoils. That is why it has sort of a “junky” look.
I was referencing the billboards and large signage in the background for liquor, and other products.
I totally understand a wholesale produce market is going to have piles of empty crates, etc.
I knew that you were referencing the billboards and large signage in the background for the liquor and other products. I also knew that you would totally understand a wholesale produce market is going to have piles of empty crates etc. I’m wicked smart like that. I just wanted to talk about Haymarket Square. Those empty crates don’t look junky at all. The bill boards do. But you already knew that.
You mean when car dealers were actually “downtown”? In the 1970’s, the major car dealers in Edmonton started vacating the downtown area, and moved into more spacious locations on the edge of the city.
“Eeek”! Several of these pics make our dingy neighborhood (of the “60’s/70’s) look so good..lol
The goal of the EPA’s insultingly named Documerica project was to photograph the ugliest places in the USA. Imagine what it would look like if you did that today. I guess the EPA hasn’t worked too many miracles in exchange for obliterating the limits on government laid out in the US Constitution.
The goal of Documerica was to document the blight and pollution that was rampant at the time, as well as the various remedial actions being taken.
Given the profound improvements in air and water quality and other environmental improvements, I’d say it is close to a miracle. I guess you don’t remember (or have chosen to forget) how bad the pollution was back then.
I found the clean looking ’67 Chevelle SS sitting in that sketchy looking garage unexpected.
Hot car?
I like the shot of the guys working on their car on the street, with the sketchy bumper jack, real men. Rarely see people working on their own cars anymore.
The ambulance in “near Wood Island Station” catches my eye—I remember when rock bands were using those to haul their gear around, heading into the period when gas prices started inching up.
The photos remind me that I tend to view the era through rose-colored glasses….not everything as was as tidy as I (want to) remember…..
In the top photo, the trailer park looks to be in good shape.
In Florida, I’ve passed a few trailer parks that look better than some suburban neighborhoods.
The first beer I had was with my dad when we replaced the fuel tank straps in his 68 Ford country squire wagon, I was 15 and learned quite a bit between then and know, I wish it was 1975 again.
I’d go visit “75”. Would not want to stay too long.
It could be interesting to see neighborhoods across Canada and Australia in the 1970s as well.
Judge, much? We learned, as your generation will too.
Loved seeing 2 door hardtops.4 door hardtops.2 door sedans,etc..And all American makes to boot…..Now pretty much all everyone offers are garbage econobox 4 door sedans…..And whoever does offer a 2 door considers them to be a “premium” car.I’ll take an American,V8 powered 2 door hardtop over anything offered by anyone…Yesterday or today.
Back in the day, car owner manuals came with instructions and directions for doing a wide variety of automotive maintenance on your car, how to set valves, replace head gaskets and such. How to tear your car down and rebuild it.
Nowadays car owner manuals and their instructions tell you not to drink the antifreeze.
In a few years it will do not test EV battery strength by touching the – and + leads to your tongue.
Cute Jay Leno quote. I’ve heard him say the don’t drink contents of battery 1000x..
Hey, let’s not forget the pull off tabs on the soda pop cans. They were just one of the things I had to clean up off the ground as a young teenager when I did my chores around mom and dads 24 hour laundromat that never even had a lock on the door in Jackson Ohio!
Trailer Park Boys 1970s mobile home park in New Ulm, Brown County, Minnesota.
Those wide, open, almost “old, wild West” hills in 1975 Newport Beach, California are now almost completely covered with luxury homes. The large, undeveloped Irvine-family ranch became the model city of Irvine. More change there in the last 50 years, than the previous one thousand !
Opening shot of New Ulm MN. trailer park. Bet all those cars rusted away a long time ago! Probably not long after Pic was taken. Got to love MN. and their use of salt. Dad’s family is still there today. It’s a beautiful town. Home of Herman the German!