From 39 years ago, here is the July 4th, 1977 issue of Time Magazine. It's Time Magazine's "Here Comes Summer" issue and it covers Amusement Parks, Beer, Food, Swimsuits and more!
The magazine starts out with President Jimmy Carter's 1976 income tax return.
The country had just finished celebrating it's year-long bicentennial celebration and Jimmy Carter had only been in office for 6 months. This intro gives an idea of what else was going on in the country at the time.
After the brief 1977 history recap, we move on to the fun stuff. Amusement Parks:
Walt Disney World's Space Mountain is pictured above, but there is no mention of Disneyland's Space Mountain, which would have opened just about 6 weeks earlier.
I wonder how many of the amusement parks mentioned below are no longer in business? I know for sure that Circus World, Astro World and Opryland have all closed. And a family of four could get into Disney World for around $30? Wow, times have changed!
I'm also wondering how many of these roller coasters are no longer standing. I know that Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida tore out their Python coaster (an identical twin of Knott's Berry Farm's old Corkscrew) in 2006 and replaced it with a Sesame Street themed children's area.
Beer and Bluegrass:
Summer Camp for adults:
I have to apologize here. The section covering swimsuits was ripped out by my older brother back in 1977 and the second page to this article about the National Parks went with it.
Also torn out, along with the women in seventies swimwear, was the first page of this article about food.
Here are a couple car ads. It seems that back in the day, most of the ads in Time magazine were for cigarettes, so I didn't bother scanning them since I don't want to encourage anyone!
That Toyota ad seems to be using only half of their slogan from the time period. I still remember the commercials and the jingle, "You (BOOM!) asked for it, YOU GOT IT TOYOTA!"
Here are a couple Toyota car commercials that used that jingle.
By the way, yellow was a popular color for cars back then! And I think that's Edie McClurg (wearing the glasses) as one of the "starving" interns in this second video.
Happy 4th of July, everyone! And I hope you all have a great summer, wherever you go or whatever you do!
I have this magazine! I actually have several magazines from the 1970's theme park era.
ReplyDeleteThe "Sky Whirl" (triple arm wheel) from Marriott's Great America is long gone. It was such a unique ride. Also from the same park I think the "Barney Oldfield Speedway" is gone too.
The "King Kobra" is now long gone from Kings Dominion and the "Turn of the Century" (custom corkscrew coaster) was modified and became "The Demon" in 1980. Both the "Great American Scream Machine" (GASM)at Six Flags over Georgia and the "Rebel Yell" at Kings Dominion are still standing and thrilling visitors to this day. You al ready answered the fate of "The Python".
You are correct about the parks that have been closed, but of course a lot of the theme parks from the 1970's changed ownership through the years, even some went through multiple ownerships from different entertainment companies.
Interesting that you mention it was the bicentennial era, as Marriott's Great America was finished just in time for the bicentennial year celebration on March 1976.
Hope I answered your questions about the coasters and theme parks. Another great aticle! Thanks, TokyoMagic!
Thank you, Ken! And thank you for the additional info...it is much appreciated! I wish I had been able to experience one of those Sky Wheel thingies. I never even got to go on the double version at Magic Mountain! Hey, so you still have the "women in seventies swimwear pages" intact! I didn't think to ask my brother if he kept those pages. I somehow doubt it. Although I kept the rest of the magazine all these years. Hmmmmmmm, that gives me an idea.
ReplyDeleteI love looking at old magazines - my aunt used to put 50 year-old LIFE, Saturday Evening Post, and Good Housekeeping magazines on her coffee table. And my grandma had an attic full of National Geographics that wet back to the 1920s.
ReplyDeleteSo fun to see the way the country was 40 years ago. Jimmy Carter! I love those roller coasters, and enjoyed those amazing Sky Wheel-type rides at Magic Mountain and Hershey Park.
Funny that your brother ripped out the swimsuit girls. Did they wind up on his bedroom wall, or in his school locker? Just you mentioning cigarettes has turned me into a smoker, way to go! Also, it is important that you wish people a “bitchin’” summer, like in my high school yearbooks.
Major, I'm glad you enjoyed these articles. I'm not sure where the swimsuit pages ended up. I'm doubting that my brother hung them in his school locker. I'm going to see him tomorrow and I was planning on asking if he still has them. He is a "saver" like me, so there is a chance.
ReplyDeleteOh...and Major, "I've enjoyed getting to know you this year. You are a really fun guy with a great personality....don't ever change! I hope I have you in some of my classes next year. - TokyoMagic! P.S. Have a real bitchin' summer!"
ReplyDeleteHa ha, thanks, I finally got the yearbook entry that I always wanted! For some reason I remember a lot of the ones from guy friends ended with, "Hope you get a job". Good times!
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