Boston in the Seventies

"We Eccept Food Stamps"

Awesome.
 
^ +1

Love the shots of Brookline Village. Even my horrible office building made the cut.
 
g11.jpg


I've never been able to decide whether I love or hate those globe trees.
 
depends on how much bird shit was on them ,thats how I remember them covered in bird shit!
 
Apparently we celebrated the Fourth of July and Christmas on the same day back in the '70's? I can't tell what time of year it is from this photo.

There's not much you can draw in conclusion from this one photo. Yes, it's very busy and yes, every single person looks to be Caucasian. Compare this to today (well, not today, but maybe another day?).

Considering that Filene's is closed, that other shops are boarded up, that the downtown retail market has been further displaced into the suburbs, is it any wonder we consider DTX to be "underutilized"?

I'm not sure any of the types of people in that photo will be coming back to DTX. In the future, it will be business workers, kids from Roxbury and Dorchester, and college kids. And condo/apartment owners scuttling back into their homes at One Franklin.
 
I'm pretty sure Filene's kept the flags up year round.
 
That kid on the left is wearing a T-shirt. I would say that this is either early Spring or around Thanksgiving.
 
I was thinking it was probably an unseasonably warm day in Nov/Dec.
 
Didn't the town of Brookline decide to remove that bridge? Why is it still there?
 
I ask myself the question frequently, Ron. Significant work has and continues to take place on the building, but the bridge remains, in a disused and nonfunctional state. I asked a colleague in our facilities department some months ago, when the renovation and addition work began, and he didn't know either.
 
Is there two threads for "Boston in the 70s / Seventies"? I can't find the other one.

Anyway, my new obsession (guaranteed to last at least a day or two) is about arson in the Fenway / Boston in the 1970s. I just watched 'Drunk History' on Comedy Central and there was an episode about this very topic.

Below is the clip (from when it first appeared on 'Funny or Die') followed by a YouTube video advertising a coming documentary on the very subject.

If you're not familiar with it, these two clips will help.

Anyone know of a definitive work on the subject - a book by chance? I've saved up a dozen links on the internet but each has bits and pieces.

PS. The Fenway arson problem was what rocketed ex-Boston City Councilor David Scondras to fame.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ftVEVUYkAw

Also:

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/775a1c22cc/drunk-history-the-gold-dust-twins
 
It also looks like they're tearing down part of South station for the S& W building, great photo!
 
Boston circa 1974.

From the Boston TV News Digital Library.

http://bostonlocaltv.org/catalog/2394_02192

The photo album:

http://s369.photobucket.com/user/JohnAKeith/slideshow/Boston 1974

South End, Boston Center for the Arts, looking toward my apartment. You can see the National Theatre (sort of) to the left and the Olde Dutch Candy Shoppe in the distant center, now the site of The Chevron.



BCA, opposite direction and from the ground:





BCA looking toward Clarendon Street. The corner store is now the Bank of America and beyond that, the sign saying "Liquors" is now Stephi's on Tremont.



A mock-up of how the BCA used to look:



Three from Faneuil Hall, pre-renovation and one from in front of the Chart House:







 
Those Faneuil Hall Marketplace photos are just stunning. What a difference. A standing ovation goes to Kevin White and the Rouse Company for believing that a festival marketplace was attainable in this car-strewn run-down wharf area.
 
^ Amen! There's no other decade that I both love and hate so intensely.

And John, I love all these vintage film grabs. Please keep 'em coming!
 
Okay, I'm bored of this. Last one I promise.

From the Boston TV News Digital Library.

http://bostonlocaltv.org/catalog/2394_01384

Apparently, there was a huge protest by construction workers who were annoyed that the Park Plaza project (among others) was being held back by a lack of money (or was it political will?).

Just a couple of shots including one of the Playboy Club in the distance across from the Public Garden, a construction worker labeled "Unemployment" hung in effigy (huh?), and one of some guy who was the spokesman for all the trade unions. Anyone recognize him?

The union workers marched down Boylston to City Hall Plaza where there were speeches and then on to the State House where there were more speeches. Governor Sargent came out to meet them and then several union leaders went in to talk with him.

If you watch the video you can see - this protest was huge. They crowded the City Hall Plaza and stopped traffic on Beacon and Park streets.

At the time, the front gates to the State House were open so they marched right up them. One protester shimmied up the flag pole out front ... but then his sign broke so he came back down.







 
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