New York City's Pollution Problems of the 1970s

New York City from the Staten Island Ferry pictured in 1973.

This shows you just how bad it was: John F. Kennedy Airport surrounded by Dumped Cars in 1973.

Old Refrigerators and the abandoned shell of highrise at Breezy Point stopped by New York City in a major battle with land developers in order to preserve area for public recreation.

This may sound unbelievable but the Marshlands of Jamaica Bay were used as the city dump by New York until the middle of the 1970s.

Abandoned Silver Gull Private Swimming Club at Breezy Point, near Jamaica Bay, New York 1973.

Abandoned car and another abandoned shell of highrise at Breezy Point stopped by New York City in a major battle with land developers in order to preserve area for public recreation.

Jamaica Bay was used to dump "everything" until the early 1970s.

Several abandoned shells of highrise buildings at Breezy Point stopped by New York City in a major battle with land developers in order to preserve area for public recreation (wonder what happened to the land developers...).

Jamaica Bay residents did not have a sewer system and their raw sewage ran untreated in the bay.

Channel Choked with Wastes at the Municipal Incineration Plant at Gravesend Bay.

Trash from Construction near the Community of Broad Channel in Jamaica Bay 05/1973

When the Beach was a Municipal Dump: Abandoned Cars everywhere along Jamaica Bay in 1973.

South Beach Staten Island New York City: Seek Shelter if there is a Lightning Stor.

50 cents burger and 20 cents coffee in 1973.

Down and Out in New York early 1970

Broken glass everywhere
People pissing on the stairs, you know they just don’t care
I can't take the smell, I can't take the noise no more
Got no money to move out, I guess I got no choice
Rats in the front room, roaches in the back
Junkie's in the alley with a baseball bat
I tried to get away, but I couldn't get far
'Cause a man with a tow-truck repossessed my car

The U.S. National Archives has released historical images about New York's massive pollution problems of the early 1970s.  At the time, the city was notoriously dirty, gritty and dangerous; yet extremely interesting from a creative point of view.  These photographs were taken by photographer Arthur Tress and capture our favorite city during one of the most challenging times in its history.   Beaches were used as the dump for the city.  Abandoned cars everywhere; some of them stolen and left behind.  Nobody seemed to care...
It sure puts that Grandmaster Flash song in perspective.

It's like a jungle sometimes it makes me wonder How I keep from going under It's like a jungle sometimes it makes me wonder How I keep from going under

ah huh-huh-huh

Visit 42nd Street in New York City during the late 1970s and early 1980s