Vintage Snapshots: Parking Lots In The 1960s & 1970s
– Posted on August 1, 2024
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Where’s the time machine, I want to go back.
Love that last one with all the wagons!
I especially like that ’69 Impala (Kingswood?) Wagon on the left side of that shot.
I can’t even begin to recall the last time I saw one of those.
There are more GM clamshell wagons in that photo than there are Kmarts remaining in the US.
The B&W picture withe Autobianchi is interesting, and not just for the Bianchina. It looks like it may have been taken in 1964 or 1965, judging by a few cars, but the majority are from the Fifties, which seems odd for those times.
I’m not seeing anything newer than a couple of ’63s, but that shot grabbed me too. It has a certain college vibe to it; maybe lots of hand me down cars?
That picture grabbed my attention too. Turns out it’s the parking lot of a factory in Minneapolis. There was a Honeywell factory across the street (where they made HVAC control panels). The factory operated between the mid 1950s and mid 1960s.
The location (7th Ave NE & Ramsey St.) is unrecognizable today because the whole area was developed into a rather nice single-family neighborhood in the early 1980s.
That makes sense. Manufacturing jobs were not as high paying back then as some would like to remember. That means they bought used cars; I’ve been reading some old magazines and books, and new cars were generally bought by buyers that had white collar jobs.
I remember some of those times.
Nah – you can keep them.
How was your childhood, nilla?
The second picture takes me back many years seeing the S&H green stamps sign. I remember as a kid looking at toys in the S & H catalog. and making my wish list. I believe the last S & H store in Lancaster, PA closed around the mid ’80’s. Also in that second photo, that ’59 Cadillac ain’t too shabby. I would say I’d like to have it in my garage, but heck I’d need a bigger garage!
Just like Ford families or Chevy families, I think there were S&H Green Stamp people, and Blue Chip Stamp people. Our family was the latter (stamps, not cars).
Fourth pic, brown Chevy.
Off to the left the guy looks to be the twin of current Canadian Conservative leader Pierre Pollievre. Right down to the haircut and the way he is wagging his finger at the Prime Minister.
I see that now you mention it…
The Autobianchi looks like the Little Tikes Cozy Coupe compared to the “compact” Corvair
Ah! That’s what that is!! T/y. “Autobianchi” sounds like a “rash”..
The Autobianchi droptop looks like something Pee Wee Herman would drive!! ==:-)
Several of these have the look of a game day or a day at the fair. My wife grew up across a side street from the Indiana State Fairgrounds and her family made money by parking cars in their yard. They moved around 1970 and that neighborhood became the kind of place you would never hand your car keys over to some stranger, but up through the mid 60’s it was very much that kind of place.
That last shot of the KMart reminds me of my midwestern childhood – bog GM iron everywhere, with an occasional LTD or Duster thrown in.
Picture #6 is the rear of the Cathay Bank building in Chinatown, Los Angeles. Cathay opened as a bank serving primarily the Chinese-American community, and built this building as its headquarters in 1962. The building was designed with Chinese design themes, and it still serves as Cathay’s headquarters today, fortunately looking very much the same.
Then-and-now comparison below. Google StreetView link here:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/mohp3TLcpQ22M5do9
Astonishingly little change for such a long time period. Even the ATM looks similar. The biggest change I see is a new window added at the far left of the building.
Only one of those photos has cars in it.
There’s a neat looking white 1970 Mustang coupe with custom wheels in photo no. 6.
Next to that Mustang is a 68 Chevy Caprice with the very rare hidden headlights.
Spotted that Chevy as well. My parents had a ’68 Impala Custom back in the day in Grecian Green, and it was rare even when these were new to see a Caprice with the hidden headlights. That must’ve been an expensive option.
One of the “hidden headlamp, 68’s” was still riding around “Arlington /Falls Church VA”, in the “80’s”.
Remember seeing it on “Columbia Pike”/ “Carlin Springs Rd”/ “Leesburg Pike”. ((the general vicinity))
As it was a dated ride, it kind a stood out. ((med blue))
“Custom wheels”? Just white pained, with “hub caps”?
What’s that “cartoon car” , that stands out, in the “b/w”pic.
The one with the “S&H Greenstamp”, sign makes me wax nostalgic.
Autobianchi Bianchina. Italian car.
I too *instantly* glommed onto the B&W pic. with the Autobianchi, my first thought was “factory !” .
I thought the Cathay Pacific Bank looked familiar too but couldn’t remember where in So. Cal. it was for the life of me .
I’m with Eric = I do miss the cars and many aspects of the late 50’s and 60’s but overall it wasn’t a really happy time for many Americans .
-Nate
A Lot of interesting cars in pic 6, wild paint job on the Gremlin on the right
The cars others have mentioned, and a nice Plymouth Satellite on the left.
I love the shorts and the 61 Tempest. I long for the simpler times.
No, you would want to get into a serious accident in an Autobianchi; although one person DID, and lived to tell about it: He was a teenager, and turning left into his parents’ driveway when he was broadsided by an Impala, causing the ‘Bianchi to be hurled sideways into a tree. The young man was thrown clear, & miraculously lived (probably one of the rare times this happens). We all know this man today, and are fortunate for his survival. His name…? George Lucas. (yes, THAT George Lucas – of Star Wars fame).
That was supposed to be WOULDN’T want to get into an accident, btw! (you can’t edit comments on this site after posting, so be careful!) Still a great site tho. Thx
I was making $1.50/hr at a service station in 1964.