Since the financial meltdown of 2008, New York City has lost a little of the luster it had in the go, go 90s. The subway wait is a bit longer. Trash cans in the parks seem to be emptied a little less frequently, and the grass allowed to grow a little taller between cuts. Overall, everything is a little bit rougher around the edges. Still, it is nothing like the 1970s. It is difficult to convey to the under thirty-five crowd the depths to which New York City had fallen in that long time ago era. We are talking about the Big Apple as depicted in such films as Mean Streets, Midnight Cowboy, and Taxi Driver. One thing that is important to keep in mind about the 1970s, though, is that while the city was falling apart millions of people were still living happy and productive lives despite the crime, inflation, garbage strikes, and long gas lines. The Documerica Photo Project captured New Yorkers, and indeed millions of other Americans, as they went about their business. An exhibit of a portion of the nearly 22,000 photographs taken is currently on display at the Lawrence F. O’Brien Gallery of the National Archive Building in Washington D. C. through September 8. Check out some of the photos of that long ago New York here.

(image/National Archives)