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Queens in the 1970s: A Photographic Journey through the Streets, Landmarks, and Everyday Life

Step back in time and imagine the vibrant borough of Queens in the 1970s.  Far from the quiet bedroom community it was in the early 20th century, Queens had blossomed into a diverse hub of activity.

Walking down the streets of Queens in the 70s, you’d hear a symphony of languages – Spanish, Greek, Italian, Chinese, and many more.  Immigrants from all over the world chose Queens as their new home, bringing their traditions and creating a unique cultural tapestry.  Little Italy in Astoria bustled with the aroma of fresh pasta and espresso, while Flushing’s Chinatown offered dim sum and vibrant New Year celebrations.  Greek tavernas in Astoria spilled out onto the sidewalks, filled with the sounds of laughter and lively music.

Family Life in the Borough

Queens was a haven for families.  Rows of tidy houses with well-kept lawns offered space for children to play and parents to relax after a hard day’s work.  Neighborhoods like Bayside, Forest Hills, and Douglaston were known for their strong community spirit, with block parties and barbecues bringing everyone together.  Kids spent their days riding bikes, playing stickball, and hanging out at local parks, forming friendships that would last a lifetime.

Sports Fever and Green Spaces

Shea Stadium, home to the New York Mets, was a Queens landmark.  The roar of the crowd during a game could be heard for miles around, and Mets fans were known for their unwavering loyalty, even through the team’s ups and downs.  For those who preferred a slower pace, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, the site of the 1964 World’s Fair, offered vast green spaces for picnics, leisurely strolls, and weekend fun.

Food Adventures

Queens was, and still is, a foodie paradise.  From family-run pizzerias with their secret sauce recipes to authentic Chinese restaurants serving Peking duck, the culinary options were endless.  Greek tavernas offered delicious souvlaki and gyros, while Italian delis tempted passersby with fresh mozzarella and cured meats.  No matter your craving, you could find it in Queens.

Entertainment

The 1970s saw the rise of multiplex cinemas in Queens, offering the latest Hollywood blockbusters and independent films.  Local theaters hosted community plays and musicals, providing entertainment for all ages.  Music lovers flocked to dance clubs and bars, where they could groove to disco beats or rock out to the latest hits.

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

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

#6 A woman and a young child ride a subway train, Queens, 1970s.

#7 The neon Pepsi Cola sign on the Queens side of the East River in Long Island City, 1970s.

#8 Queens Boulevard in Queens, headed toward the East River and Manhattan, 1973.

#9 The parking area outside Shea Stadium in Flushing Meadow, Queens, 1973.

#10 A professional apartment for rent in Jackson Heights, Queens, 1972.

#11 One of the first drive-thru McDonald’s restaurants in Queens Village, 1972.

#13 Elevated subway with a view from Queens towards Manhattan, 1970s

#17 Subway and Manhattan’s skyline from Queens, New York, 1970s

#18 Garden apartment buildings for the Queensboro Corp., Jackson Heights, Queens, 1970s

#19 Garden apartment buildings for the Queensboro Corp., Jackson Heights, Queens, 1970s

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

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

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

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

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

#25 Street scene in Astoria, Queens with the Keystone restaurant, 1970.

#26 The three chapels at Kennedy Airport in Queens, 1970s.

#27 A worker heads for the block tower during the morning shift change at the Jamaica LIRR station, Queens, 1970s.

#28 Members of the New York Mets take the field at Shea Stadium, Queens, 1970s.

#29 Residents of the Forest Hills neighborhood of Queens stage a protest at plans to build a low-income housing development, 1970s.

#30 An unmanned fire hose sprays water on a row of retail shops that were destroyed by fire on 63rd Drive in the Rego Park neighborhood, Queens, 1970s.

#31 Cousin Tony’s Top Hat Bar in Flushing, Queens, 1970s.

#32 Cars parked in the lot in front of Lefrak City, an apartment block in Queens, 1970s.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#44 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#66 A 7 train pulling into the Queens Plaza elevated subway station in Queens’ Long Island City neighborhood, 1974.

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

#68 The RR and 7 subway trains at the Queens Plaza elevated subway station in Queens’ Long Island City neighborhood, 1974.

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

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

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

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

#73 La Epoca restauarant and the Plaza theater marquee on Roosevelt Avenue, 1975.

#74 An Exxon Gas Station on Woodhaven Boulevard in Queens’ Forest Hills neighborhood, 1975.

#75 A diner on Woodhaven Boulevard in Queens’ Woodhaven neighborhood, 1975.

#76 A Sunoco Gas Station on Woodhaven Boulevard in Queens’ Forest Hills neighborhood, 1975.

#77 Children play on disused railroad track near Woodhaven Boulevard in Queens’ Forest Hills neighborhood, 1975.

#78 A car wash beside a Texaco gas station on Woodhaven Boulevard in Queens’ Forest Hills, 1975.

#79 People watching a baseball game near Woodhaven Boulevard in Queens’ Forest Hills, 1975.

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

#81 View through the open door of 7 train at the 61st Street-Woodside subway station, Queens, 1975.

#82 A Mobil Gas Station on Woodhaven Boulevard in Queens’ Rego Park, 1975.

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

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

#85 A picnic on the grass at the water’s edge in Flushing Meadows Park, Queens, 1975.

#86 A hot dog vendor standing beside his cart in Flushing Meadows Park, Queens, 1975.

#87 Teenagers at one of the game of chance booths at a traveling carnival in Flushing Meadows Park, Queens, 1975.

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

#89 Children gathered around a ‘Good Humor’ ice cream truck on Fitchett Street in Rego Park, Queens, 1976.

#90 Ditmars Theatre, a local movie house, showing Greek movies on 31st Street in Astoria, Queens, 1977.

#91 A train travels along the Honeywell Street Bridge that crosses the Sunnyside Yards in Long Island City, Queens, 1977.

#92 The Sunnyside Yards in Long Island City, Queens, 1977.

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

#94 Drake movie theater on Woodhaven Boulevard in Queens’ Rego Park, 1975.

#95 Container freight cars sit on the railroad tracks in the Sunnyside Yards in Long Island City, Queens, 1970s.

#96 A subway train travels under the railroad viaduct that crosses 31st Street in Queens, 1970s.

#97 Anti-SST protest at Kennedy Airport in Jamaica, Queens creates a traffic jam, 1970s.

#98 A vendor sitting at her table at an outdoor flea market on Woodhaven Boulevard, in the Rego Park, Queens, 1970s.

#99 Two children at a lemonade stand pouring a drink for a passerby on Fitchett Street in Rego Park, Queens, 1970s.

#100 Vendors and customers at an outdoor flea market on Woodhaven Boulevard in Rego Park, Queens, 1970s.

#101 Children at a lemonade stand on Fitchett Street in Rego Park, Queens, selling two sizes, 1970s.

#102 Vendor tables filled with merchandise at an outdoor flea market on Woodhaven Boulevard in Rego Park, Queens, 1970s.

#103 Vendors sitting at their tables at an outdoor flea market on Woodhaven Boulevard in Rego Park, Queens, 1970s.

#104 A trio of musicians performing at an outdoor flea market on Woodhaven Boulevard in Rego Park, Queens, 1970s.

#105 A child approaching a vendor’s table at an outdoor flea market on Woodhaven Boulevard in Rego Park, Queens, 1970s.

#106 A Good Humor ice cream man selling on Fitchett Street in Rego Park, Queens, 1970s.

#107 Children playing on Fitchett Street in Rego Park, Queens, 1970s.

#108 Snow causes problems for traffic in the Rego Park area of Queens, 1970s.

#109 New York City Sanitation workers preparing for a snowstorm, 1978.

#110 Pedestrians walking in the middle of the street in Queens during the Blizzard of 1978.

#111 People and their pets walking in the middle of the street to avoid deep snow during the Blizzard of 1978.

#112 Vehicles parked on a residential street buried in deep snow during the Blizzard of 1978.

#113 Pedestrians crossing Queens Boulevard in Rego Park during the Blizzard of 1978.

#114 A car almost completely buried under deep snow in Queens during the Blizzard of 1978.

#115 A man digging his car out of deep snow on Woodhaven Boulevard during the Blizzard of 1978.

#116 A vehicle and parking meter on Woodhaven Boulevard almost completely buried under deep snow during the Blizzard of 1978.

#117 Parking meters and vehicles buried in deep snow along Woodhaven Boulevard during the Blizzard of 1978.

#118 Rows of parked cars partially buried in deep snow along a residential street in Queens during the Blizzard of 1978.

#119 Pedestrians braving blizzard conditions, walking in the middle of the street in Queens as a lone vehicle navigates deep snow during the height of the Blizzard of 1978.

#120 Two men digging out a Volkswagen Rabbit stranded in deep snow in a residential intersection in the aftermath of the Blizzard of 1978.

#121 A vehicle sits completely buried under deep snow in the driveway of a residential home in Queens in the aftermath of the Blizzard of 1978.

#122 Two vehicles sit buried on a residential street under deep snow drifts in the aftermath of the Blizzard of 1978.

#123 A home owner in Queens chips away at ice and snow on his sidewalk in the aftermath of the Blizzard of 1978.

#124 Rows of parked cars sit buried under deep snow drifts on a residential street in Queens in the aftermath of the Blizzard of 1978.

#125 A man digs his stuck vehicle out of deep snow on a residential street in Queens in the aftermath of the Blizzard of 1978.

#126 A man attaches a snow plow to the front of his Jeep, and clears snow off of Woodhaven Boulevard in Queens in the aftermath of the Blizzard of 1978.

#127 People venture out on Woodhaven Boulevard in Queens in the aftermath of the Blizzard of 1978.

#128 A group of men help push a stranded vehicle through a residential intersection in Queens in the aftermath of the Blizzard of 1978.

#129 A group of good Samaritans help dig out a vehicle stranded in deep snow in the aftermath of the Blizzard of 1978.

#130 Vehicles drive down a snow covered Woodhaven Boulevard in Queens the day after the Blizzard of 1978.

#131 A New York City Sanitation plow clears snow at a residential intersection in Queens in the aftermath of the Blizzard of 1978.

#132 A man runs through deep snow on a residential street, as a NYC Sanitation snow plow pulls up behind him in the aftermath of the Blizzard of 1978.

#133 A New York City sanitation plow clears snow at a residential intersection in the aftermath of the Blizzard of 1978.

#134 A resident of Jamaica, Queens, New York, looks at the snow covering his street in February, 1978.

#135 A young woman steers a horse-drawn wagon at the Queens Zoo in Flushing Meadows Park, Queens, 1978.

#136 Pedestrians in front of the Sunny Fruit & Vegetables market at the intersection of 63rd Drive and Austin Street in Rego Park, Queens, 1978.

#137 A man uses a stick to knock water off the awning of the Natural Identity hair salon on 63rd Drive in Rego Park, Queens, 1978.

#138 The Williamsburgh Savings Bank on 63rd Drive in Rego Park, Queens, 1978.

#139 Met Food supermarket on 63rd Drive in Rego Park, Queens, 1979.

#140 The Beverage Discount Center on Woodhaven Boulevard in Rego Park, Queens, 1979.

#141 True Value Hardware Stores and Park Pastry Shop on Woodhaven Boulevard in Rego Park, Queens, 1979.

#142 Menagerie II Restaurant on Woodhaven Boulevard in Rego Park, Queens, 1979.

#143 The Shoe-Town store on 63rd Drive in Rego Park, Queens, 1979.

#144 London Lennie’s restaurant on Woodhaven Boulevard in Rego Park, Queens, 1979.

#145 Nathan’s restaurant at the intersection of Woodhaven Boulevard and 63rd Drive in Rego Park, Queens, 1979.

#146 Two people going down a slide at the Resurrection Ascension Church carnival in Rego Park, Queens, 1979.

#147 A small group of people eating food at the Resurrection Ascension Church carnival in Rego Park, Queens, 1979.

#148 Parents watching their children on one of the rides at the Resurrection Ascension Church carnival in Rego Park, Queens, 1979.

#149 Children entering the ‘Sizzler’ ride at the Resurrection Ascension Church carnival in Rego Park, Queens, 1979.

#150 Children exiting the ‘Sizzler’ ride at the Resurrection Ascension Church carnival in Rego Park, Queens, 1979.

#151 A group of people waiting in line at one of the rides at the Resurrection Ascension Church carnival in Rego Park, Queens, 1979.

#152 A group of people gathered in front of one of the game of chance booths at the Resurrection Ascension Church carnival in Rego Park, Queens, 1979.

#153 A young man holding rolled-up posters beside a young woman who holds two stuffed animals at the Resurrection Ascension Church carnival in Rego Park, Queens, 1979.

#154 Parents and children exiting the ‘Sizzler’ ride at the Resurrection Ascension Church carnival in Rego Park, Queens, 1979.

#155 A sign in front of the gas pumps at a Mobil station in Queens reads “pumps closed”, due to the decreased oil output during the 1979 oil crisis.

Written by Adriana Palmer

Blogger, Editor and Environmentalist. A writer by day and an enthusiastic reader by night. Following the Jim Roh's prophecy “Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.”

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