51 Amazing Vintage Photos of Corona, Queens form the 1970s

Step back in time with us to Corona, Queens, in the 1970s.  It was a different world then, a melting pot of cultures, buzzing with life on every corner. From bustling streets to family-run shops, Corona was a place where everyone knew your name and life moved at a slightly slower pace.

Corona was, at its heart, a neighborhood of families.  Stoops and sidewalks were gathering places for kids playing stickball and hopscotch, while parents chatted and watched over them.  The aroma of home-cooked meals, from Italian red sauce to Dominican sancocho, filled the air.  It was a time when doors were left unlocked, and neighbors looked out for one another. The streets of Corona were alive with the sounds of different languages – Spanish, Italian, and English blending together in a unique symphony.  Immigrants from all over the world, especially Italy and Latin America, had found a home in Corona.

Corona even had its brush with fame.  Louis Armstrong, the legendary jazz musician, lived in a modest house on 107th Street.  His home, now a museum, stands as a testament to the neighborhood’s rich cultural history. 

Locals had their favorite spots, too.  Leo’s Latticini, known for its creamy ricotta and mozzarella, was a staple for Italian families.  For a taste of Latin America, Rincon Criollo served up delicious Cuban dishes, while Parkside Restaurant was the go-to spot for a classic diner experience.  And who could forget Lemon Ice King of Corona, where long lines formed on hot summer days for a taste of their famous Italian ices?

Life in Corona wasn’t always easy.  The 70s were a time of economic challenges, and the neighborhood faced its share of struggles.  But amidst these difficulties, the people of Corona persevered, finding joy in simple pleasures, and leaning on their strong sense of community. 

Block parties were a common sight, with music, laughter, and the tantalizing smells of barbecue filling the air.  Kids spent their days playing in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, home to the iconic Unisphere and the New York Mets.  The park was a place where families gathered for picnics, couples strolled hand-in-hand, and children’s laughter echoed through the open spaces.

#1 The Lemon Ice King Of Corona storefront on 108th Street in Queens’ Corona, 1975.

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#2 A pizzeria and an Italian grocery store on Corona Avenue in Queens’ Corona, 1975.

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#3 The Plaza Movie Theater and other small businesses along Roosevelt Avenue in Corona, Queens, 1974.

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#4 New York Fire Department’s Engine Company 324 station on Horace Harding Expressway in Queens’ Corona, 1975.

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#5 View along 44th Avenue in Queens’ Corona neighborhood, 1970s.

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#6 Residential and commercial buildings from the elevated subway platform at 103rd Street in Corona, Queens, 1970s.

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#7 The M&M National Corp produce market on National Street in Queens’ Corona neighborhood, 1974.

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#8 A woman exiting a produce market on National Street in Corona, Queens, 1970.

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#9 Graffiti covers the Junction Boulevard subway sign on the elevated line in Corona, Queens, 1970s.

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#10 A street corner in Corona, Queens, 1970s.

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#11 A US Mail truck sits parked in front of the Corona, NY Post Office, 1970s.

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#12 A graffiti-covered subway car and the adult-oriented Plaza Movie Theater at street level, 1970s.

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#13 Tom’s Latticini’s grocery store on National Street in Queens’ Corona neighborhood, 1974.

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#14 A covered staircase leading to an elevated subway platform on Roosevelt Avenue in Queens’ Corona neighborhood, 1975.

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#15 Two men talking at the corner of National Street and 41st Avenue in Corona, Queens, 1970.

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#16 Residential homes and local businesses at the corner of Corona Avenue in Queens’ Corona neighborhood, 1970s.

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#17 The Corona-Elmhurst branch of the United States Post Office on Junction Boulevard in Queens’ Corona neighborhood, 1970s.

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#18 A Bingo Parlor and other small businesses lining Roosevelt Avenue in Corona, Queens, 1970s.

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#19 Lee’s Bar & Grill and residential homes on 110th Street in Queens’ Corona neighborhood, 1974.

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#20 Graffiti-covered cement staircases that lead down to 37th Avenue in Queens’ Corona neighborhood, 1974.

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#21 Commuters waiting for a train at the Willets Point-Shea Stadium subway station in Queens’ Corona, 1975.

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#22 The elevated subway line on Roosevelt Avenue in Corona, Queens, 1970.

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#23 Two men talking on National Street in Corona, Queens, 1970.

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#24 A boy walking past a street sign on Roosevelt Avenue in Corona, Queens, 1970.

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#25 A residential building at the corner of Alstyne Street in Queens’ Corona neighborhood, 1970s.

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#26 Corona Avenue with residential homes and local businesses, in Queens’ Corona neighborhood, 1970s.

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#27 Small businesses lining Roosevelt Avenue in Corona, Queens, 1970s.

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#28 Commuters board a graffiti-covered subway car at the Junction Boulevard station in Corona, Queens, 1970s.

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#29 The number Seven Train pulls into the elevated subway station at 103rd Street in Corona, Queens with the New York City skyline visible in the background, 1970s.

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#30 Residential homes next to the elevated subway line at 39th Avenue in Corona, Queens, 1970s.

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#31 A graffiti-covered subway train at the Junction Boulevard station in Corona, Queens, 1970s.

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#32 A Spanish Medical Center and other small businesses along Roosevelt Avenue in Corona, Queens, 1970s.

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#33 A subway train sits with its doors open at the 82nd Street subway station in Corona, Queens as commuters enter and sit down, 1970s.

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#34 A young girl looking at loaves of Italian bread through the window of a bakery shop on 108th street in Queens’ Corona neighborhood, 1970s.

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#35 Residential buildings and commercial businesses at the corner of 104th Street and Roosevelt Avenue in Corona, Queens, 1974.

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#36 Iglesia Metodista De Corona church on 104th Street in Queens’ Corona neighborhood, 1974.

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#37 A tinsmith and roofing company and a wig shop on 108th Street in Queens’ Corona, 1975.

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#38 ‘The News’ delivery truck parked at the corner of National Street in Queens’ Corona neighborhood, 1970s.

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#39 A street lined with small businesses in Corona, Queens, 1970s.

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#40 A lady exits a fruit and vegetable stand below the elevated subway line on Roosevelt Avenue in Corona, Queens, 1974.

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#41 The number Seven Train travels along the elevated subway tracks through a residential neighborhood in Corona, Queens, 1974.

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#42 A street-level view under the elevated subway line along Roosevelt Avenue in Corona, Queens, 1974.

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#43 Three commuters sit in a graffiti-covered subway car as it travels through Corona, Queens, 1974.

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#44 People outside Hugh Carey’s campaign headquarters on Roosevelt Avenue in Queens’ Corona neighborhood, 1974.

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#45 The construction of an apartment building on 37th Avenue in Queens’ Corona neighborhood, 1974.

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#46 Small businesses along Junction Boulevard in Queens’ Corona neighborhood, 1974.

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#47 Junction Boulevard elevated subway station in Queens’ Corona neighborhood, 1974.

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#48 Graffiti on the side of a train at the 103rd Street-Corona Plaza subway station, Queens, 1975.

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#49 Graffiti on the exterior of a 7 train at the Junction Boulevard subway station in Queens’ Corona, 1975.

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#50 The staircase leading to the elevated subway on Roosevelt Avenue in Corona, Queens, 1970.

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#51 Residential buildings along 36th Avenue in Queens’ Corona neighborhood, 1974.

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