Unique Photos That Capture The 1970s In America

The seventies for Americans was a time of bad fashion, odd fads, and disco dance music, but there was much more to the time period than that. Historians have increasingly portrayed the 1970s as a “pivot of change” focusing especially on the economic outbreaks following the end of the postwar economic boom. As the 1960s came to an end, the rapid development of the American postwar decades took a significant toll on the environment, and the public called for action. In November 1971, the newly created Environmental Protection Agency announced a massive photo documentary project, called DOCUMERICA, to record the unfavorable effects of modern life on the environment.

Roses Are Red

Taken in Staten Island, New York in 1973, this photo captures the pristine appearance of these white houses down a street in Great Kills Park.

Almost like the houses in Stepford, the lawns on these front gardens are trimmed to perfection while some are also home to neatly trimmed bushes, white statues, and splashes of red roses. Otherwise known as the “forgotten borough,” Staten Island has many negative stigmas attached to it. However, it is clear during the 1970s these were less precise.

Day Becomes Night

In 1971, the EPA launched Documerica, a project to capture images of environmental problems, EPA activities, and everyday life in America. Freelance photographers captured more than 15,000 photos of the heightened air and water crises of that time.

Taken in North Birmingham, Alabama in July 1972, neighbors from this quiet street got together to watch day become night when the industrial smog became so heavy. Sitting adjacent to the U.S. pipe plant, this is the most heavily polluted area of the city.

Overcrowded Signs

This 1972 photo really captivates that Las Vegas is the city of bright lights and signs. The beautiful scenic view of mountains is almost disguised by the countless mostly red, eye-captivating signs down the street.

Being ranked as one of the world’s most visited tourist destinations, as well as being extremely densely populated, even during the ’70s, it is no wonder why so many hotels, motels, and apartments were advertising their services. These motorists have unlimited options of where to go for a quick catnap.

Taking Off

Ladies of the 1970s were all about flared high-waisted trousers, funky patterns, and hippie power, and these women display exactly that.

As the jet takes off from National Airport in Washington, District of Columbia in May 1973, one of the four ladies covers her ears against the roar of the engine. While being fascinated with the large advanced vehicle taking to the sky, these ladies remain basic with their environmentally-friendly two-wheeled bicycles as they take a trip around the city.