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Photos of life in Tucson in the late 1970s
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Just In

Trump signs order directing creation of a national voter list, a move already facing lawsuit threats

Top Story

Photos of life in Tucson in the late 1970s

  • May 1, 2023
  • May 1, 2023 Updated Jan 4, 2025

From camping out for The Rolling Stones to exploring new malls, see how Tucsonans lived in the late 1970s. 

For more historical Tucson photos delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for the Star's Tucson Time Machine newsletter here.

First Tucson McDonald's closes

First Tucson McDonald's closes

The first Tucson McDonald's, located in the Speedway-Swan area, closed in 1979, nearly 20 years after the pioneering franchise made its debut in the Old Pueblo.

Art Grasberger / Arizona Daily Star

Martha Vazquez, PM Magazine

Martha Vazquez, PM Magazine

Martha Vazquez and Michael Cowman, hosts of P.M. Magazine, in the Arizona Daily Star newsroom in December, 1979. 

Alan Berner / Arizona Daily Star

UA vs ASU showdown

UA vs ASU showdown

Fans scream at Arizona Stadium during a Nov. 25, 1978, showdown between Arizona and Arizona State in Tucson. 

H. Darr Beiser / Tucson Citizen

Little Joe at El Casino Ballroom

Little Joe at El Casino Ballroom

Little Joe of Little Joe, Johnny and la Familia performs at El Casino Ballroom at 437 East 26th St. in Tucson on July 29, 1979. 

Art Grasberger / Arizona Daily Star

Tucson mayor Lew Murphy

Tucson mayor Lew Murphy

Tucson Mayor Lew Murphy pauses during an interview in his office on October 25, 1979. 

Jose Galvez / Arizona Daily Star

Rolling Stones cleanup 1978

Rolling Stones cleanup 1978

Assorted trash and some sleeping bags were all that remained after crowds of people gathered to purchase Rolling Stones tickets in 1978. 

Scott Braucher / Arizona Daily Star

The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones at the Tucson Convention Center Arena in 1978. 

Joe Vitti / Arizona Daily Star

Rolling Stones fan surge

Rolling Stones fan surge

The crowd surges before the Rolling Stones concert at the Tucson Convention Center Arena in 1978. 

Joe Vitti / Arizona Daily Star

UA pie service

UA pie service

University of Arizona students demonstrate their pie in the face service on Feb. 16, 1979. 

Jim Davis / Arizona Daily Star

Rex Allen

Rex Allen

Rex Allen returned to Willcox in 1979 to perform at the town's annual Rex Allen Days festival. 

Don Dale

Congress Hotel Barber Shop

Congress Hotel Barber Shop

Scene from inside the Congress Hotel Barber Shop. 

Tucson Citizen file

Anselmo Valencia

Anselmo Valencia

A photo of Anselmo Valencia, Executive Director of the Yaqui Indian Tribe, taken in 1979. 

Tucson Citizen file

Alice Cooper in Tucson

Alice Cooper in Tucson

Ghoulish rocker Alice Cooper performs at the Tucson Community Center on April 10, 1979. 

Lew Elliott / Tucson Citizen

Mann Theatres in Tucson

Mann Theatres in Tucson

A line at Mann Theatres on July 1, 1978.

Tucson Citizen file

More movie lines

More movie lines

Line of moviegoers at the Buena Vista on July 1, 1978. 

Tucson Citizen file

Tucson Monastery

Tucson Monastery

Sister Elsa maintains candles in 1978 in the sanctuary of the Tucson Monastery of Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, 800 N. Country Club Road.

Joe Vitti / Arizona Daily Star

Arizona State Museum work

Arizona State Museum work

Dr. Walter Birkby, forensic anthropologist, at work at the Arizona State Museum in 1979.

Manuel Miera / Tucson Citizen

Joseph Bonanno, Sr.

Joseph Bonanno, Sr.

Joe Bonanno, Sr, at the federal courthouse in Tucson in 1979.

Jack W. Sheaffer / Arizona Daily Star

Sabino High students

Sabino High students

A student in a Sabino High School math class uses a calculator during class on Oct. 8, 1979. 

Scott Braucher / Arizona Daily Star

Eric Clapton gets married in Tucson

Eric Clapton gets married in Tucson

Legendary British rock guitarist Eric Clapton, left, exits Bethel Temple in Tucson with Pattie Boyd in Tucson on March 27, 1979, after the two were married. Boyd was formerly married to George Harrison of the Beatles. Boyd said in her autobiography that she became involved with Clapton after hearing "Layla," which he wrote with drummer Jim Gordon while with the group Derek and The Dominos. "It was the most wonderful song I had ever heard," she wrote. 

Bruce Hopkins / Tucson Citizen

Cortaro General Store

Cortaro General Store

Signs near the Cortaro General Store on the northwest corner of Cortaro Road and I-10 in December, 1978.

Joan Rennick / Tucson Citizen

Cortaro General Store

Cortaro General Store

The Cortaro General Store on Cortaro Road was where northwest residents shopped in 1978.

Joan Rennick / Tucson Citizen

Davis-Monthan base housing

Davis-Monthan base housing

Base housing on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in 1978. 

Tucson Citizen file

Jet crash

Jet crash

Davis-Monthan Air Force Base firefighters pull their hose to spray the area around the engine of an A-7D Corsair II jet fighter after it crashed near the University of Arizona on October 26, 1978. It crashed on to North Highland Avenue near East Sixth Street. A car carrying two sisters was engulfed in flames, killing both women. The pilot safely ejected. 

Manuel Miera / Tucson Citizen

Jet crash near the UA

Jet crash near the UA

This is the aftermath of the crash of an A-7D Corsair II jet fighter after it crashed near the University of Arizona on Oct. 26, 1978, as it was approaching Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. 

Photo credit: Manuel Miera, Tucson Citizen

First day of school around Tucson

First day of school around Tucson

Principal Jo Musser plays guitar and sings to children on the first day of school at Borton Elementary in Tucson, 1979.

Joe Vitti / Arizona Daily Star

President Ford and Mariachi Cobre

President Ford and Mariachi Cobre

Former President Gerald Ford meets with members of Mariachi Cobre during a Tucson Open Pro-Am Awards Banquet on Feb. 14, 1979. 

Art Grasberger / Arizona Daily Star

Goldwater's at El Con

Goldwater's at El Con

People wait outside on opening day at Goldwater's in the El Con Mall.

Tucson Citizen file

Goldwater's at El Con

Goldwater's at El Con

Opening day at Goldwater's in El Con Mall in 1978. It was the fifth store in the chain, built at a cost of $8 million.

Tucson Citizen file

Granada Avenue

Granada Avenue

Granada Avenue as it looked on June 11, 1979. At one time, the city considered widening the half-mile stretch north of the Redondo Towers, but residents protested the proposal. 

Manuel Miera / Tucson Citizen

University of Arizona Homecoming

University of Arizona Homecoming

The Ooh Ah Man leads students and administrators in chants during a Homecoming Rally on the UA Mall in October, 1979.

Jack W. Sheaffer / Arizona Daily Star

University of Arizona Homecoming

University of Arizona Homecoming

Dancers swing their heads and hair to the music of Chuck Wagon and the Wheels during a 1979 Homecoming Rally on UA Mall.

Jack W. Sheaffer / Arizona Daily Star

Johnny Gibson

Johnny Gibson

Johnny Gibson cutting hair in his barber shop, June 26, 1979.

Arizona Daily Star file

Las Posadas

Las Posadas

Children at Carrillo School near downtown Tucson sing during Las Posadas in December, 1978. The school has hosted the annual procession since 1937.

H. Darr Beiser / Tucson Citizen

Macrame furniture

Macrame furniture

Willie Knight working on macrame furniture, July 3, 1978. 

Scott Braucher / Arizona Daily Star

North Oracle business view

North Oracle business view

A look at businesses, both new and established, along North Oracle Road between West Roger Road and West Limberlost Drive on March 7, 1979. 

H. Darr Beiser/ Tucson Citizen

O'Rielly signage

O'Rielly signage

A sign for O'Rielly's Econo Leasing Inc. which in 1979 was located on North Oracle Road at the Rillito River. 

H. Darr Beiser/ Tucson Citizen

Escape artist

Escape artist

Escape artist Charlie Myrick emerges from captivity after being handcuffed by Tucson Police officer Mark Miranda, left, and Arizona DPS Officer Robert Gilmartin during the Pima County Fair in April, 1978. 

Lew Elliott / Tucson Citizen

Pueblo High basketball champions

Pueblo High basketball champions

Pueblo High School coach Roland LaVetter hugs guard Lafayette Lever in the Arizona State AAA basketball championship game vs. Rincon High School in Tempe, Ariz. on March 4, 1978.

Jose Galvez / Arizona Daily Star

Former California Gov. Ronald Reagan

Former California Gov. Ronald Reagan

Former California Gov. Ronald Reagan, and his wife Nancy, are on the stage of Flowing Wells High School for Bellamy Award Day on October 26, 1979. Reagan, who was the favorite as the 1980 Republican presidential nominee, had not officially entered the race at the time. 

Joan Rennick / Tucson Citizen

Tanque Verde Swap Meet

Tanque Verde Swap Meet

Tanque Verde Swap Meet at Grant and Tanque Verde roads in January, 1979. 

Dan Tortorell / Tucson Citizen

Tanque Verde Swap Meet

Tanque Verde Swap Meet

Tanque Verde Swap Meet at Grant and Tanque Verde roads in January, 1979. 

Dan Tortorell / Tucson Citizen

Ralph's Service Station

Ralph's Service Station

Ralph's Service Station at S. 4th Ave. and E. 19th St. in January, 1979. 

Jon Hemmer / Tucson Citizen

Congress Street looking west from Stone Avenue

Congress Street looking west from Stone Avenue

Congress Street in downtown Tucson, looking east from Stone Avenue, in November, 1978.

P.K. Weis / Tucson Citizen

Fugitive manhunt

Fugitive manhunt

Law enforcement officers search vehicles at a roadblock in August, 1978, during the hunt for fugitive escapee Gary Tison and the Tison gang.

Tucson Citizen file

Fallout shelter

Fallout shelter

John Stufflebean appears at the door of the family's fallout shelter on Kilmer Street in Tucson in November, 1978. 

Manuel Miera / Tucson Citizen

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

A union member outside the Sun Tran bus yard takes a siesta during a long day of picketing on Aug. 11, 1978. 

Bruce Hopkins / Tucson Citizen

Billy Joel in Tucson

Billy Joel in Tucson

The "Piano Man" Billy Joel performs at the Tucson Community Center on November 14, 1978. 

Tucson Citizen file

Magic Carpet Golf

Magic Carpet Golf

Magic Carpet Golf in Tucson in July, 1978. 

Manuel Miera / Tucson Citizen

Apache Drive-In Theater

Apache Drive-In Theater

Apache Drive-In Theater in Tucson showing The Jungle Book in June, 1978. 

Tucson Citizen file

Gene Wilder in Tucson

Gene Wilder in Tucson

Actor Gene Wilder, center, with Harrison Ford, right, while filming of "The Frisco Kid" along the road to Sasabe, southwest of Tucson on Nov. 30, 1978.

Jose Galvez / Arizona Daily Star

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