Vintage Look: New York City In The 1970s

By | November 23, 2015

American-based photographer Andrew Blair has been taking snapshots of the various scenes, building and people in the US since he was a teenager. Some of his 1970s shots wonderfully captured a vintage New York.

Let's take a journey back in time to see how one of the most important cities in the world has evolved.

 
Smoggy winter sunset from the Empire State Building North-East to the PanAm and Chrysler buildings, Triboro Bridge and Hell Gate Bridge, New York, Jan 21 1973
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Smoggy winter sunset from the Empire State Building south to Lower Manhattan, the World Trade Center and the harbor, New York, Jan 21, 1973
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Broadway and Dekalb Avenues with elevated railroad from inside a black Pontiac, Brooklyn, New York, June 1974
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Brooklyn Battery Tunnel traffic, New York, March 1973
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Brooklyn Bridge walkway, New York, June 1974
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Ellis Island and industrial Jersey City shoreline across the Hudson with abandoned CRRNJ railroad terminal, New York, June 1973
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Rooftop of the Empire State Building looking down Broadway 6th Avenue and 33rd Street (Korean Town), 1974
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Empire State Building South-East to East River and Brooklyn, New York, Jan 21, 1973
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Empire State Building sunset view of Lower Manhattan, East River and the harbor, New York, Jan 21, 1973
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Empire State Building to the Chanin and Chrysler buildings, East River, 59th Street Bridge and Queens, New York, Jan 21, 1973
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Empty blocks North of the World Trade Center from the 58th floor of the North Tower, this is Tribeca now,
and the igloos were sales offices for Independence Plaza North, New York, April 19

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FDR Expressway, the East River, Triboro Bridge, Hell Gate Bridge, New York, March 1975
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Incredibly colorful 1960s and 1970s cars at the Staten Island Ferry dock on Staten Island, New York, May 1973
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Lots of 1970s cars and Volkswagens parked on 95th St. and West End Ave looking East, New York, 1972
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Lower West Side from World Trade Center North Tower 58th floor, Independence Plaza North going up in foreground, New York, 1974
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Maiden Lane at lunch hour, New York, April 1974
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McKinley Street in Brooklyn with lots of battered 1960s cars parked, New York, 1972
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Morningside Drive and 118th Street in late afternoon light with lots of cool 1970s cars parked on the street,
the Empire State Building is visible in the distance, New York, Sept. 1973

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New York Stock Market at 3.40 pm, March 1975
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Restoration and expansion of the Bowling Green in Lower Manhattan, New York, June 1974
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Burned out, graffiti covered MTA train in Midtown Manhattan, New York Subway, April 1976.
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The East River, Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge on a smoggy day from the 58th floor of the World Trade Center, New York, 1975
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View from Pier A's fire escape. Battery Park City landfill, West Side Highway, World Trade Center and
lots of colorful 1970s cars, New York, 1975

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View from the Empire State Building at sunset East to the Con Ed plant, East River, Newtown Creek and Long Island City in Queens, New York, Jan 21, 1973
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Wall Street dudes stroll around during lunch hour while 1970s Plymouth Fury taxis navigate the narrow streets of Lower Manhattan, April 1974
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Queensboro Bridge looking to Manhattan, New York. May 1912
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Cool aerial view of the World Trade Center twin towers going up, Battery Park City being filled-in, the old industrial Jersey City waterfront, New York, 1972.
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23rd St. and abandoned West Side Highway, a battered Ford Galaxy 500 drives by on cobblestones, NYC, April 1975
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Abandoned and closed West Side Highway north to the World Trade Center and Battery Park City landfill at left, New York, 1975
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H/T Andy Blair