35 Vintage Photos from the Early 1970s

Vintage Photos May 2, 2025

Last Updated on May 2, 2025 by Colby Droscher

Bell-bottoms, station wagons, and 15-cent burgers: the early 1970s were equal parts gritty and carefree. Whether it’s girls cooling off on an NYC subway car or a wide-eyed kid meeting Andre the Giant, these 35 vintage shots frame a decade caught between the optimism of the ’60s and the pop swagger soon to come. Flip through and find out how close these snapshots land to your own family album.

1. A group of girls riding the NYC subway in 1970.

Four teenage girls in school uniforms sit and lounge on graffiti-covered seats in a sunlit, old subway car. The walls and windows show visible graffiti, and sunlight streams through the windows.
hotjohny

2. Sharp-dressed kids in Harlem in 1970

Three young men in colorful suits stand and walk on an urban sidewalk in front of closed storefronts, one holding a drink can. The setting suggests a city street scene from the past.
Str33twise84

3. This kid’s reaction to meeting Andre the Giant in the 1970s

A very tall man in a suit smiles down at a small child looking up at him in awe, both standing outdoors with a group of people in the background.

4. Inside a new 7-11 in 1973

A woman stands at a grocery store checkout counter, holding a wallet. The cashier, wearing glasses and a patterned shirt, smiles at her. Other customers and a cashier are visible in the background with shelves of products.
onepersononeidea

5. Truck stop waitress in New Mexico in 1972

A woman in a white dress stands behind a retro diner counter, smiling. The counter holds sugar, napkins, and condiments. Behind her are coffee pots, shelves, and wall decor shaped like birds.
userdeleted

6. Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, California, 1973

Street scene with vintage cars driving past a bright red building with striped awnings; the building houses “El Dray’s Whisky a Go Go” and a Shell gas station is visible to the right. Daytime, clear blue sky.
MyIpodStillWorks

7. “My uncle working at the toll booth to cross the Mexico border in 1970.”

A smiling man in a light uniform shirt stands at a toll booth window, holding a glass bottle. Behind him is a "TOLL PAID" sign and a line of cars waiting in lane. It's a sunny day.
rogerlion

8. “My uncle Bernie in 1972 after painting the house.”

A shirtless man holding a watering can stands on the lawn in front of a house painted with bright, abstract patterns in red, purple, yellow, orange, and blue. Shrubs and a parked car are visible nearby.
youbasicgeek

9. A young family at an amusement park in Santa Cruz, California in 1970

A man, woman, and child ride a ski lift chair against a clear blue sky. The man wears sunglasses and a patterned shirt; the woman also wears sunglasses. The child sits between them, partially visible.

10. Arnold Schwarzenegger at night school in California in 1973

A muscular man sits at a classroom desk, holding a notebook and pencil, while a woman stands behind him and other students sit nearby, all in a bright room with large windows.
MyCatNeedshelp207

11. “My mom and her siblings at the county fair in 1970.”

A clown with bright orange hair and a red nose poses with three young children, two standing and one sitting, at what appears to be a festive indoor event. The photo is dated May 1970.
UnraveledRaven

12. 13-year-old Melanie Griffith with her pet lion ‘Neil’ in 1971

A young girl sleeps in bed beside a lion, both covered with blankets. The lion rests its paw near the girl, and the room is decorated with various objects on shelves above the bed.
HashtagTJ

13. Johnny Cash on the set of Sesame Street in 1973

14. Check out that creepy Burger Chef clown from 1970.

Four people and a person dressed as a polka-dot clown stand smiling in front of a retro Burger Chef fast food restaurant with large vintage signs and outdoor tables visible.
userdeleted

15. Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds in 1972

Two women stand in front of pink curtains, both wearing short dresses. The younger woman wears a long-sleeved white dress, while the older woman wears a pink floral dress with a bright pink belt and ribbon detail.
amethoicalmadness

16. Grocery shopping in 197`

A woman wearing a blue shirt shops in a grocery store dairy aisle, looking at cartons of milk while her cart, filled with various groceries, is parked beside her. Shelves are stocked with milk and other dairy products.
j3434

17. Los Angeles, 1972

Three young people, two women and one man, relax and chat around a classic white Ford Mustang parked on a street at night, with bright lights and cars visible in the background.
Drteq

18. A 26-year-old Jackie Chan in 1970

A man with medium-length dark hair sits casually on a sofa, wearing a white shirt and blue jeans, with his hands resting on his lap. There is a lamp and a light-colored wall in the background.
Anatoliy-Baranov

19. Greektown festival in Detroit, 1972

Black and white photo of young people sitting at tables outside a shop. A boy in a paper hat sits on a table, while three young women eat and drink. A sign advertises “All Soft Drinks 25¢” above them.
Dave Jordano

20. Couple on the way to church in Alabama, 1972

An older woman in a plaid dress and hat stands next to an older man in a suit and hat on a grassy lawn, with large trees in the background. The man has his hands behind his back, and the woman holds a white purse.
Chester Higgins

21. Family relaxing on a back porch in 1972

A family of four sits on a small wooden porch outside a yellow house, enjoying a meal together. The adults are in lawn chairs, while a child sits on the step. Trees and a lake are visible in the background.
14thCenturyHood

22. “My mom voting for the first time in a presidential election in 1972 in Indiana, PA.”

A young woman smiles as she casts her ballot into a box labeled "Indiana," with several people waiting in line behind her in a polling place.
joekesbyjo

23. Shelf stocker stamping the price on some Staley Syrup in 1973

A young grocery store worker in a white shirt and black bow tie kneels on the floor, stocking shelves with canned goods from a box labeled “Staley Syrup.” Shoppers and store aisles are visible in the background.
HengistPod

24. Now that’s a pink 1970s Volvo

A woman in a white top and pink pants stands next to a vintage pink Volvo car, parked on a street with stone walls and greenery in the background.
wemtastic

25. Family dinner, 1973

Four women and a baby sit around a kitchen table set for a meal. The kitchen has yellow curtains, dishes, and visible cookware. The group is smiling and facing the camera. The setting appears vintage, possibly from the 1970s.
Slow-moving-sloth

26. Bruce Lee and Kareem Abdul Jabbar in 1972

Two men stand in a martial arts studio, one much taller than the other, both with arms extended horizontally in a T-pose. The taller man is in the background, the shorter man in the foreground wearing a bright yellow outfit.
LongLiveAlex

27. Running into people you know at the grocery store in 1972

Three people stand in a grocery store aisle near shelves of toilet paper, engaged in conversation. Two women listen while a man gestures and holds a piece of paper. Shopping carts are in front of them. The photo is black and white.
IonlyHaveOneHand

28. “My parents on their honeymoon in 1973.”

A smiling young man playfully carries a smiling young woman over his shoulder outside a brick building. The woman flashes a peace sign with her hand as they both look at the camera.
dispositionsn

29. United Airlines stewardess in 1970

30. Released POWs flying home from Vietnam in 1973

A group of astronauts and crew members cheer and smile while seated inside an aircraft, celebrating with raised arms and joyful expressions. The photo is black and white and shows a lively, energetic atmosphere.
AxlCobainVedder

31. “My dad and uncle in Warren, Ohio at a McDonald’s grand opening in October, 1973”

Two smiling children stand next to a person dressed as Ronald McDonald outside a building, with a crowd of people in the background. One child wears a balloon hat, and the other wears a white hat.

32. U.S. Army audiovisual technician\ stands at her videotape editing station in 1973

A woman in a light blue uniform stands smiling in a vintage control room filled with large panels, buttons, switches, reels, and multiple monitors. She holds a binder and clipboard. An empty chair and pink rotary phone are nearby.
subzeroo

33. International Society of Twins, Muncie, IN, 1973

A large group of adults and children, many dressed alike in pairs, pose for a photo in a decorated room with a red carpet and a "Welcome Twins" banner hanging on the wall behind them.
Neal Slavin/slow-moving-sloth

34. “My dad and his ‘dune buggy’ in 1973”

Five smiling children happily push and ride a homemade go-kart down a driveway, with houses and trees in the background. The scene is lively and playful, capturing a moment of outdoor fun.
snupit

35. Block party in Harlem, 1973

A group of people gather on a city street as a man and a woman enthusiastically dance. Onlookers of all ages smile and watch, surrounded by old brick buildings and summer sunlight.
GaGator43

Love wandering through the past?

If you’re craving even more bell-bottom-era vibes, flip through 70+ Photos That Totally Sum Up the 1970s, stroll the neon promenades in 18 Photos That Capture 1970s Mall Life, or find out exactly why everything seemed cooler in 45 Photos That Prove the 1970s Were Just Better.

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