I love looking at Florida in every decade, but the fun and fashionable ’70s will always hold a special place in my heart. A lot of thigs, from the silly to the serious, were changing in Florida at this time, and a fascinating photographic history was left behind. The following 31 photos show a slice of life in Florida during the 1970s:
State Library and Archives of Florida Young people standing on a pair of running horses at the Sarasota High School Sailor Circus, 1977.
State Library and Archives of Florida Crowded beach scene of people and automobiles - Jacksonville, Florida, 1973.
State Library and Archives of Florida View of people canoeing at Disney World - Orlando, Florida, 1971.
State Library and Archives of Florida Young people enjoy sand skiing - Fort Walton Beach, Florida, 1970.
State Library and Archives of Florida Unidentified people snorkeling at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park - Key Largo, Florida, 1977.
State Library and Archives of Florida People observing alligators at an alligator farm - St. Augustine, Florida, 1972.
State Library and Archives of Florida People examining painting of a weeping icon at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, Tarpon Springs, 1970.
State Library and Archives of Florida People building a sand sculpture on the beach at Siesta Key, Florida, 1976.
State Library and Archives of Florida People aboard the Buccaneer - Pensacola, Florida, 1971.
State Library and Archives of Florida People admiring automobile at an antique car show - Ormond Beach, Florida, 1970.
State Library and Archives of Florida People at the bar of Rosie O’Grady’s - Pensacola, Florida, 1971.
State Library and Archives of Florida People boarding a boat at the Fort Myers boating marina, 1972.
State Library and Archives of Florida Ron Kovic and Vietnam Veteran protestors at the 1972 Republican National Convention - Miami, Florida, 1972.
State Library and Archives of Florida View of a pool and people, 1975.
State Library and Archives of Florida People enjoying a day at the beach by the Cape Florida lighthouse, 1979.
State Library and Archives of Florida People looking at merchandise offered on the street - Apalachicola, Florida People looking at merchandise offered on the street - Apalachicola, Florida, 1973.
State Library and Archives of Florida View of people riding on an elephant at the Circus World theme park in Orlando, Florida, 1977.
State Library and Archives of Florida People buying strawberries at Plant City’s Strawberry festival, 1976.
State Library and Archives of Florida People gathered for the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival boat races - Fernandina Beach, Florida, 1972.
State Library and Archives of Florida View showing protester holding up a protest sign at a KKK rally on South Monroe Street in Tallahassee, Florida, 1977.
State Library and Archives of Florida Florida’s 37th Governor Askew tells people of bomb threat at his inaugural ball - Tallahassee, Florida, 1971.
State Library and Archives of Florida Tennis celebrity Bobby Riggs (center) talking with unidentified people - Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 1977 or 1978.
State Library and Archives of Florida People grilling food at the Ochlockonee River State Park near Sopchoppy, 1970.
State Library and Archives of Florida Unidentified people in a hot tub looking over materials from the Miami-Dade Community College Open College, 1979.
State Library and Archives of Florida People walking over sand dunes at the beach - Pensacola, Florida, 1971.
State Library and Archives of Florida Shoe shiner talking to people outside barber shop - Tallahassee, Florida, 1971.
State Library and Archives of Florida People in costume on a float in the Springtime Tallahassee parade, 1978.
State Library and Archives of Florida View showing members of the Pot People’s Party in Flamingo Park during the 1972 GOP Convention - Miami Beach, Florida, 1972.
State Library and Archives of Florida People dancing at the Portable Folk Festival - White Springs, Florida, 1977.
State Library and Archives of Florida Estee Lauder with David Field at a party in Palm Beach, 1971.
Bill Wolf via Flickr/Sean Savage Famous daredevil Evel Knievel in front of his house in Ft. Lauderdale, sometime in the 1970s.
What did you think of these photos? Do you remember what life was like in Florida in the ’70s? Share your memories and thoughts with us in the comments below!
State Library and Archives of Florida
Young people standing on a pair of running horses at the Sarasota High School Sailor Circus, 1977.
State Library and Archives of Florida
Crowded beach scene of people and automobiles - Jacksonville, Florida, 1973.
View of people canoeing at Disney World - Orlando, Florida, 1971.
Young people enjoy sand skiing - Fort Walton Beach, Florida, 1970.
Unidentified people snorkeling at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park - Key Largo, Florida, 1977.
People observing alligators at an alligator farm - St. Augustine, Florida, 1972.
People examining painting of a weeping icon at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, Tarpon Springs, 1970.
People building a sand sculpture on the beach at Siesta Key, Florida, 1976.
People aboard the Buccaneer - Pensacola, Florida, 1971.
People admiring automobile at an antique car show - Ormond Beach, Florida, 1970.
People at the bar of Rosie O’Grady’s - Pensacola, Florida, 1971.
People boarding a boat at the Fort Myers boating marina, 1972.
Ron Kovic and Vietnam Veteran protestors at the 1972 Republican National Convention - Miami, Florida, 1972.
View of a pool and people, 1975.
People enjoying a day at the beach by the Cape Florida lighthouse, 1979.
People looking at merchandise offered on the street - Apalachicola, Florida People looking at merchandise offered on the street - Apalachicola, Florida, 1973.
View of people riding on an elephant at the Circus World theme park in Orlando, Florida, 1977.
People buying strawberries at Plant City’s Strawberry festival, 1976.
People gathered for the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival boat races - Fernandina Beach, Florida, 1972.
View showing protester holding up a protest sign at a KKK rally on South Monroe Street in Tallahassee, Florida, 1977.
Florida’s 37th Governor Askew tells people of bomb threat at his inaugural ball - Tallahassee, Florida, 1971.
Tennis celebrity Bobby Riggs (center) talking with unidentified people - Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 1977 or 1978.
People grilling food at the Ochlockonee River State Park near Sopchoppy, 1970.
Unidentified people in a hot tub looking over materials from the Miami-Dade Community College Open College, 1979.
People walking over sand dunes at the beach - Pensacola, Florida, 1971.
Shoe shiner talking to people outside barber shop - Tallahassee, Florida, 1971.
People in costume on a float in the Springtime Tallahassee parade, 1978.
View showing members of the Pot People’s Party in Flamingo Park during the 1972 GOP Convention - Miami Beach, Florida, 1972.
People dancing at the Portable Folk Festival - White Springs, Florida, 1977.
Estee Lauder with David Field at a party in Palm Beach, 1971.
Bill Wolf via Flickr/Sean Savage
Famous daredevil Evel Knievel in front of his house in Ft. Lauderdale, sometime in the 1970s.
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