What Was It Like In Times Square In The 1970’s
The Big Apple, as it’s affectionately called by its residents, is one of the most iconic cities in the world and a place where you can experience all that is New York City. When you think about Times Square and how popular it used to be during the ‘70s and ‘80s, you might get a little nostalgic.
So let me take you back to an era when Times Square was packed with bustling restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, theaters, arcades and a whole lot more. This was a city that thrived on its energy, the kind of energy that makes you want to jump out of your seat every time you walk past it.
What Did Times Square Used To Be Like
First of all, it was a very busy place, with so many people hanging around the area day and night and became very crowded and dirty in the process. If you think about it, it’s crazy how much has changed in New York since the 70s and Times Square was no exception.
The roads were full of potholes and often blocked with trash and constantly crowded with drivers honking their horns. In the center of it all, Times Square was full of bustling gritty activities with something going on in every direction.
If you’re a young person today, you probably have no idea what Times Square was like in the 1970s, however, if you were a kid in the city back then, you’ll definitely know exactly what we’re talking about. Times Square was an amazing place to be, filled with dizzying lights, energetic noisy traffic and fun activities for everyone.
Kids used to love to spend their time in this part of the city because there were so many things to do. You could even visit the many arcades and amusements where you could play a wide variety of games on huge electronic screens bolted to the floor making Times Square a great place to be if you were a kid in those days.
People also hung out in the park across the street as it was a popular place to go for a smoke and a drink. The city was bursting with energy and excitement, with the Theater District being one of the busiest places in the whole of New York.
Times Square’s energy was so great that it even caught the attention of the international film and tv industry and much of the world’s most famous movies were shot there. Many classic shows like Taxi, The Odd Couple and Kojak were also filmed around Times Square, Manhattan and other parts of New York City in the 1970’s.
There Were A Million Vendors And They All Wanted Your Money
When you think back to Times Square in the 70s, you are likely to remember all of the street vendors. Back then, there were actually a million of them! They were lined up from one end of the street to the other, selling all sorts of things. In order to survive, these vendors had to get people to buy their goods.
What they chose to sell, however, didn’t matter all that much as they had a tendency to walk up to passers by and try to sell whatever it was they had on their cart. Sometimes they would try to sell tickets to concerts or movies but most of the time they just sold trinkets like pens, key chains and T-shirts.
In general, they were annoying and they all wanted your money so the only and best thing you could do was walk past them quickly and don’t look back.
Popular Places In Times Square In The 70’s
There were actually a lot of cool places to hang out in Times Square during the 70s. In fact, there were two places that were especially popular. The first was the “Times Square Ballroom.” It was a popular dance club that was filled with people every single night. In addition to that, there was also the “Times Square Theater.”
This was a popular theater that was all the way in the middle of Times Square. It was actually one of the most popular places to see plays in the city. The best part about all of these places is that they were free. So, if you were in Times Square, you could always go to one of these venues to have a good time free of charge.
Popular Restaurants In Times Square In The 70’s
There were actually a ton of restaurants in Times Square during the 70s that were open to the public. Many of them charged an admission fee and were expensive, but they were still a lot of fun to go to. One of the most popular places to eat in Times Square was called “Elbow Room.” It was a restaurant that had a lot of interesting things on the menu.
In addition to that, it was also known for its weird ingredients. One of the most popular things to eat there was called “nacho-burger.” In general, there were a lot of fun and interesting things to eat in Times Square during the 70s.
Most Popular Nightclubs In Times Square In The 70’s
There were actually a lot of nightclubs that were open to the public in Times Square during the 70s. One of the most popular ones was called “The Studio 54.” It was a popular place to dance and was filled with people every single night. Another fun thing to do in Times Square was to go to the “Ripcord.”
This was a popular roller-coaster that was located right in the middle of Times Square. If you went there with a group of friends, it was a ton of fun to ride. There were a lot of great things to do in Times Square during the 70s.
Popular Theaters In Times Square In The 70’s
The theaters on 42nd Street were actually one of the most popular places to go in Times Square as there were a number of different theaters in the area, including “Alley Theater,” “Bitter End Open Stage,” “Pete,” “Minskoff Theater” and “The Village Gate” and many of them were filled with people every single night and especially on weekends.
New York City Sports Stars And Venues In The 1970’s
Times Square was a center of international attention, drawing in huge crowds, who watched and cheered on various sporting events. Numerous sports venues were located in the area, including Yankee Stadium and Madison Square Garden, which hosted basketball and hockey games, and were popular places for fans to congregate.
A number of the country’s most famous athletes got their start in Times Square, including boxer Muhammad Ali, who fought many of his early fights there and baseball legend Babe Ruth, who put on exhibition games for fans.
Times Square was a popular place for concerts too with acts like the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith and Pink Floyd performing there as well as many others.
Times Square And Its Cultural Icons
Times Square was a place where cultural icons could be found walking around as well as shopping and eating at the many restaurants in the area.
It was full of bold and colorful characters like the Times Square Mayors who would dress up and perform skits in the middle of the road and the Cop-Killer, who would walk around with a dummy cop hanging from his belt, wearing a sign around his neck that said “I killed a cop.”
There’s no way in hell you’d get away with that nowadays, in fact the first time you did it, you’d be arrested and thrown in jail.
How Has Times Square Changed Over Time
Times Square and New York City as a whole have changed dramatically over the years, with many of the iconic landmarks being replaced by new buildings and many of the events that used to take place there have been moved elsewhere.
However, the city and its iconic place in the world will continue to thrive, thanks to the energy and excitement it still generates.
So if you’re thinking about visiting the Big Apple, do it, you’ll be sure to have a good time especially if you visited the city and Times Square in those glory days and you can even get back in touch with your old 70’s self and reminisce as you wander around.
One thing is for certain in my opinion, Times Square in the 1970’s was a much more interesting and wild place than it is today!