Taking a trip back in time is easy in the historical City of Cleveland, which has taken great measures to preserve and celebrate its history. Even recent years have been well-documented, offering a nostalgic freeze frame in time. One of the more interesting eras to look back on is the 1970s, when Cleveland was changing in an entirely new way, growing cleaner and more glistening year by year.

1. A baseball game in the early 1970s.
Frank John Aleksandrowicz/Wikimedia Commons
Baseball, it seems, has always been a sport beloved to Cleveland. Locals can trace the history back quite a bit, with the earliest mention of the sport coming from the 1850s. By the 1970s, the sport was so beloved that passerby would often stop to watch casual competitions.
2. A casual day in the Cleveland Civic Center.
Frank John Aleksandrowicz/Wikimedia Commons
The Hanna Fountains in the Civic Center Mall were a lovely place to enjoy a casual bag lunch or people-watch. Its visitors often remarked about what a stunning place this strip of greenery became after the sun went down. This picture was taken in the summer of 1973, long before the fountains started leaking into the convention center. Purportedly, this was the cause of their removal.
3. This smoggy summer in the early 1970s.
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In 1969, the Cuyahoga River caught fire. While it did not shock locals, necessarily, it shocked the nation. Within the following half-decade, both the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act were passed, and polluted regions began to clear.
4 The Arcade in 1973, looking remarkably similar to its appearance today.
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The Arcade stands out as one of the notable gems in Cleveland history. It was one of the first indoor shopping malls in the nation, and it has remained impressively well-preserved despite the years.
5. A dreamy trip to Brandywine Falls in Autumn of 1975.
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Ohio is crisscrossed with wonderful waterfalls, which have been a favorite day trip destination since the earliest area settlers discovered their indescribable beauty.
6. A trip to the Ohio & Erie in the mid 1970s.
Frank John Aleksandrowicz/Wikimedia Commons
Lock 28, the deepest of the locks in the canal system, has been a beloved Metro Park in Summit County since 1934. Each year seems to make the remains seem more and more beautiful.

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7. A look back at the polluted banks of the Cuyahoga River.
Frank John Aleksandrowicz/Wikimedia Commons
In the 70s, pollution was undeniably a problem across the country. Here is a heartbreaking reminder of what we subjected our natural wonders to during the decade.
8. Freeway construction near Brook Park Road.
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Even back then, construction just seemed absolutely endless.
9. "SORRY NO GAS," the anthem of the 1973 Energy Crisis.
Frank John Aleksandrowicz/Wikimedia Commons
The petrolium shortages faced in the 1970s shocked the world, leaving businesses related to the industry to face escalating issues. The most painful years for the country were 1973 and 1979.
10. The unveiling of Lakefront Station in 1977.
AMTRAK News/Wikimedia Commons
The station still operates today near the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, remarkably untouched by time.
11. This reminder of how commonplace cigarette ads once were.
Frank John Aleksandrowicz/Wikimedia Commons
It was incredibly common to encounter cigarette ads across the cityscape back in the day. Winston, shown in this ad, was was the most popular cigarette in the world from 1966 until 1972.
12. This portion of the Superior Avenue Viaduct, which was 101 years old when the photo was snapped.
Library of Congress/Wikimedia Commons
In the summer of 1979, this piece of the viaduct was long defunct. It had carried traffic across the Cuyahoga River up until 1923, when bits and pieces of it began to undergo demolition. This is one of the few remaining arches, now on the National Register of Historic Places.
13. A stunning view of the Cleveland skyline.
Frank John Aleksandrowicz/Wikimedia Commons
Despite gloom and pollution that hung over the city, Cleveland was (and still is) unshakably beautiful.

Though Cleveland has changed notably since the 1970’s, its nontarnishable charm seems to have spanned across decades. For more Cleveland history, take a look back at the evolution of our automotive industry.

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