Iowa City in the 70's

[JRHawk2003]

The IC Public Library has a great photo collection on it site.

Its does not look much different than now really. Note the old St Mary's High School/Center East where the current Newman Center sits.

http://history.icpl.org/items/browse?collection=6

 

[torbee]

One of the endearing things to me about Iowa City is that the very central core - Pentacrest and nearby downtown blocks - really haven't change much over the years.

Every time I go back to Madison I'm shocked at how much the city and the UW area has changed from when I lived there. It's really becoming a big city and has lost a ton of its "college town" feel. It's a fantastic and fun city, but it has lost a little soul, IMO. Iowa City, on the other hand, still feels quirky and soulful like a quintessential "college town".

 

[cigaretteman]

The IC Public Library has a great photo collection on it site.

Its does not look much different than now really. Note the old St Mary's High School/Center East where the current Newman Center sits.

http://history.icpl.org/items/browse?collection=6

I remember sitting in Shaeffer Hall and watching them tear down the old buildings across Washington Street during class. Also remember the temporary buildings parked on Clinton street containing Bushnell's Turtle and BJ Records among other businesses.

 

[Lone Clone]

That must be late '70s. I think in the early '70s they still had all the paper shacks downtown, didn't they?

 

[cigaretteman]

That must be late '70s. I think in the early '70s they still had all the paper shacks downtown, didn't they?

If you're referring to the temporary building parked on Clinton Street, they were still there in the late 70s south of Washington Street.

 

[ThorneStockton]

You take out the buses and I wouldn't have noticed the difference without looking closely at businesses/awnings.

Very cool.

 

[DanL53]

I remember sitting in Shaeffer Hall and watching them tear down the old buildings across Washington Street during class. Also remember the temporary buildings parked on Clinton street containing Bushnell's Turtle and BJ Records among other businesses.

I visited an apartment located above Bushnell's in 1979. At least I think it was Bushnell's, I took a lot of drugs back then. Anyway, it was the entire length of the building and the ceiling was so tall they had built a small loft where the bed was located. Old brick walls, so long it seemed narrow but it wasn't. It was a fantastic place to live!!!

I don't remember who I knew that lived there, or was it his nutty girlfriend? Or both? No, wait, I think it turned out he was gay and even hit on me...she was just a friend of his and it was her place.

She was a flag waiver and/or a marching band member...anyway, must have been drinks and such involved because I do recall that at some point he was reduced to dodging about rolling on the floor, laughing, while she went loony and attacked with a flagstaff and was trying to club him with it. She was spinning the staff and twirling like a routine from the band, gave me an odd impression of a martial arts film.

Ah, Bohemia. We traveled to Duck Creek Plaza in Bettendorf to watch the second anniversary showing of "Rocky Horror Picture Show". I had a date, he didn't and of course we know why now. My date was stunned......shocked.....and she had a great time.

Iowa City though has changed quite a bit. Just down Burlington there used to be a big old building that was a Disco? I think? I believe the whole building is gone. I was very much living the "Fear and Loathing in Iowa City" lifestyle in 1979 and 1980 so I was there but no witness. Wow...the more I think about it...I was about three when I first road the train at City Park. Spent much time in Iowa City with relatives from the early 1960's to my eventual pretense at being a college student. Returned in the mid 1980's and stayed until the mid 2000's. So I guess I could say Iowa City is as much my hometown as anywhere......or at the same time for 45 years?

I often think how cool it would be still to have that apartment above Bushnell's, or whichever one of those buildings it was...but I'd want to be nineteen or twenty again. No, I'd want it to be then again.

 

[joelbc1]

I beg to differ. Back in the early 70's there was no Ped Mall and the buildings by the hotel were empty warehouses that were used to show "art movies" back in the day. It's still recognizable on Dubuque and Iowa but the southern part to Burlington has changed a plenty in my opinion.

 

[theVoicefromtheTomb]

The IC Public Library has a great photo collection on it site.

Its does not look much different than now really. Note the old St Mary's High School/Center East where the current Newman Center sits.

http://history.icpl.org/items/browse?collection=6

Believe the temp buildings never extended to the Pentacrest. Would have been out of view for this picture.

Went to St Mary's for grade school.

 

[Lone Clone]

I beg to differ. Back in the early 70's there was no Ped Mall and the buildings by the hotel were empty warehouses that were used to show "art movies" back in the day. It's still recognizable on Dubuque and Iowa but the southern part to Burlington has changed a plenty in my opinion.

Yeah, that was my point. I'm pretty sure Iowa City had the longest-lasting urban renewal project in America. Seriously. There were "temporary" buildings in the middle of the street for like 15 years. That may be an exaggeration, but I'm not sure it is. I was thinking Bushnell's was one of them.

 

[Zarkus Ali]

The bushes are much different now.

 

[theVoicefromtheTomb]

Yeah, that was my point. I'm pretty sure Iowa City had the longest-lasting urban renewal project in America. Seriously. There were "temporary" buildings in the middle of the street for like 15 years. That may be an exaggeration, but I'm not sure it is. I was thinking Bushnell's was one of them.

The huts ran from Washington to Burlington. West of Clinton, now the Mall< became an open lot in the early 70's

Deadwood, Things all in the huts

 

[Tom Paris]

The IC Public Library has a great photo collection on it site.

Its does not look much different than now really. Note the old St Mary's High School/Center East where the current Newman Center sits.

http://history.icpl.org/items/browse?collection=6

Hey! The Four Cushions...later One Eyed Jakes!

 

[Tom Paris]

One of the endearing things to me about Iowa City is that the very central core - Pentacrest and nearby downtown blocks - really haven't change much over the years.

Every time I go back to Madison I'm shocked at how much the city and the UW area has changed from when I lived there. It's really becoming a big city and has lost a ton of its "college town" feel. It's a fantastic and fun city, but it has lost a little soul, IMO. Iowa City, on the other hand, still feels quirky and soulful like a quintessential "college town".

Yet so much has changed. I walked around downtown this summer and was excited to see places still open, and sad to see others had gone. There is just such a special feeling for me in that town. It's an internal thing and hard to explain.

 

[uniFIGHTuniFIGHT]

I would have really liked the 70s. Damned shame. I'd like things now if we could keep high-speed internet but get rid of mobile phones.

 

[theVoicefromtheTomb]

I would have really liked the 70s. Damned shame. I'd like things now if we could keep high-speed internet but get rid of mobile phones.

The late 60s and early 70s were a great time to be young. Except for that Vietnam thing.

And then they invented disco.

 

[uniFIGHTuniFIGHT]

The late 60s and early 70s were a great time to be young. Except for that Vietnam thing.

And then they invented disco.

I wouldn't have enjoyed the disco, but I totally missed out on good coke.

 

[DanL53]

The late 60s and early 70s were a great time to be young. Except for that Vietnam thing.

And then they invented disco.

Disco was a formidable enemy. We killed it, but not without the sacrifice of many brave souls. Keith Moon, Sid Vicious, many more. But we killed it.

 

[SoonerBeAHawk]

Disco was a little before my time but I'll stick up for it nevertheless.

Every wedding reception I go to there are disco songs played. Songs that have become standards (now I'm sounding like a Time-Life infomercial).

You know 'em ... YMCA, I Will Survive, That's the Way I Like it ... ...

 

[uniFIGHTuniFIGHT]

Disco was a little before my time but I'll stick up for it nevertheless.

Every wedding reception I go to there are disco songs played. Songs that have become standards (now I'm sounding like a Time-Life infomercial).

You know 'em ... YMCA, I Will Survive, That's the Way I Like it ... ...

That's just because couples think they have to have terrible wedding receptions to please everyone.

 

[Hawkeyemc]

Disco was a little before my time but I'll stick up for it nevertheless.

Every wedding reception I go to there are disco songs played. Songs that have become standards (now I'm sounding like a Time-Life infomercial).

You know 'em ... YMCA, I Will Survive, That's the Way I Like it ... ...

You can hate it all you want but disco will go down in history as one of the strongest genres ever in the music industry. If you're a hater it's because you can't dance.

 

[Lone Clone]

The late 60s and early 70s were a great time to be young. Except for that Vietnam thing.

And then they invented disco.

I'd say the mid-to-late '60s were the best except for Vietnam.

1. Never before or since has there been such a plethora of truly great music that spanned several genres. There was folk, rock, hard rock, C&W, pop, Motown.......we're talking about a time period where the there were huge hits from Dylan, the Four Tops, the Supremes, Peter, Paul & Mary, the Beach Boys, the Beatles, the Stones, etc., etc., etc., etc.

2. The Pill had been invented but STDs had not.

 

[DanL53]

Disco had one purpose, and that was to gather women together in one place so they were easy to find. On the subject of Iowa City, yes, you had the Fieldhouse which had Disco. But there was also Maxwell's where real Rock music was played. And, I never gave two cents about whether I could dance or not. You can't watch that link I posted, if you were around back then, and not remember how hated Disco was by a large chunk of youth. It was created by record producers who wanted happy, sweet people willing to party quietly. To dance. Like good little boys and girls.

By the way. I noticed recently on a trip to watch the PTL that there is a bar/restaurant in North Liberty that has some of the old Hawkeye stuff from the Field House on it's walls. There were some great illustrations way back then. I think it would be worth it to Hawkeye memorabilia collectors to try to track down where the rest of that stuff went...maybe.

 

[Chewback]

I always remember when Iowa City brought in their first Urban Renewal consultant, around 1963 or so. He spent a week or so wandering around town, getting his picture in the ICPC standing on the roofs of downtown buildings gazing thoughtfully into the middle distance. Finally he issued his findings which he summed up by saying that downtown Iowa City was on its way to becoming a ghost town and the best thing would be to let it die naturally.

Of course he was run out of town and I'm not sure if he was ever paid. In any case, the city council learned that before you hire a consultant, be sure you know that his findings are going to match what you want them to be.

 

[lucas80]

I'm old enough to remember those buses. They didn't use them regularly, but, when I was a kid they still had a few of them in reserve for emergency purposes. They were hot, noisy and cramped.

 

[Todd Lickliter]

Great thread and I've learned a lot. Mostly that even old people, while dangerous behind the wheel, are capable of posting innthe internets.

 

[theVoicefromtheTomb]

Great thread and I've learned a lot. Mostly that even old people, while dangerous behind the wheel, are capable of posting innthe internets.

Says the guy with three posts

 

[Accipiter]

I'd tell you all about the time I got teargassed in downtown IC during the Vietnam War protests, but it was so long ago I don't remember the details anymore.