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44 photos show what living in °µÍø³Ô¹Ï was like in the early 1980s
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44 photos show what living in °µÍø³Ô¹Ï was like in the early 1980s

  • Dec 3, 2019
  • Dec 3, 2019 Updated May 7, 2020

A look at °µÍø³Ô¹Ï in the early 1980s. 

University of Arizona Homecoming

University of Arizona Homecoming

University of Arizona mascot Wilbur the Wildcat tries to lead cheers at a 1980 Homecoming Pep Rally on the UA Mall. Under the Wilbur head? Sophomore Nancy Benedict.

H. Darr Beiser / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen

Ugly But Honest

Ugly But Honest

Clyde Wanslee, owner of Clyde Wanslee Auto Sales in March, 1980. 

Jeffrey Hamilton / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï

American Meat Company

American Meat Company

Reuben Islas (left) and his younger brother, Filiberto, working at the American Meat Company on South Fourth Avenue, which Reuben started with his older brother, Alex. 

°µÍø³Ô¹Ï.

'Star Wars' fans

'Star Wars' fans

Anxious Star Wars fans wait in line to see Darth Vader who visited Levy's Department Store at El Con Mall on June 7, 1980. Among the parents and children waiting in line for two hours was Linda Gross who was wearing "The Empire Strikes Back" t-shirt. Leaning against the ropes was Michael Cutter, 9, middle, wearing the ball cap, Brian Cutter, 6, and Ronnie Chapman, 9, also wearing a ball cap. Vader came to visit prior to the opening of The Empire Strikes Back which appeared in theaters here on June 18. 

Jeffrey Hamilton / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï

°µÍø³Ô¹Ï Rodeo

Arizona Daily Star Rodeo

A calf roper reaches for the pigging string in his mouth as he sprints towards his calf on February 22, 1980 during La Fiesta de los Vaqueros. 

Jim Davis / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï

El Parador

El Parador

El Parador in °µÍø³Ô¹Ï in 1980.

Scott Braucher / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï

Miners in San Manuel

Miners in San Manuel

Miners watch as material drops down a chute underground at the Magma mine in San Manuel on August 7, 1981. 

Jim Davis / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï

Aerospace and Arizona Days

Aerospace and Arizona Days

A member of the Air Force Academy's Wings of Blue parachute team drifts to the ground leading a trail of smoke at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base as spectators watch from a distance during the annual Aerospace and Arizona Days at the base on March 15, 1981. In a two day period more than 180,000 visitors were able to view vintage aircraft, transports, plus other types of aircraft on display as well as the famous Thunderbirds as they flew across the skies. 

Dan Tortorell / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen

Ford Firearms commercial filming

Ford Firearms commercial filming

Check out the vintage equipment being used for this Ford Firearms commercial that filmed at Old °µÍø³Ô¹Ï in 1980. 

°µÍø³Ô¹Ï

'Stir Crazy' filming

'Stir Crazy' filming

Actor Sidney Poitier filming "Stir Crazy" on location in °µÍø³Ô¹Ï on April 10, 1980. 

°µÍø³Ô¹Ï

El Casino Ballroom

El Casino Ballroom

El Casino Ballroom at 437 East 26th St. in May of 1980. 

°µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen file

University of Arizona Band

University of Arizona Band

141 members of the University of Arizona band practice their letters on Sept. 24, 1980. 

°µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen file

The Nantucket Lobster Trap

The Nantucket Lobster Trap

John Soper, waiter at the Nantucket Lobster Trap, 6958 E. Tanque Verde Road, on February 14, 1980. 

Benjie Sanders / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï

Penneys at El Con Mall

Penneys at El Con Mall

Shoppers crowd around Penney's at El Con Mall in December, 1980. 

°µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen file

Musicland

Musicland

Shoppers scour a Musicland store in El Con Mall for albums and cassette tapes in December, 1980. 

°µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen file

Farrell's Ice Cream

Farrell's Ice Cream

Brian Goodluck serves up a float to customers at Farrell's Ice Cream at El Con Mallon March 31, 1980. 

Art Grasberger / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï

Fencing at San Xavier

Fencing at San Xavier

Fencers promote a "Duel at Dawn" on the hillside east of Mission San Xavier del Bac on April 11, 1981. Bill Johnson, left, challenges Robb Holmes, while local kids watch. 

Jeffery Hamilton / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï

Picacho Peak war museum

Picacho Peak war museum

John Furrer Sr. next to a 1917 Renault tank on May 29, 1980, at his war museum at Picacho Peak, Ariz. 

Lew Elliott / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen

University of Arizona Homecoming

University of Arizona Homecoming

The fashion of the times in 1980 during a UA Homecoming Pep Rally on the UA Mall.

H. Darr Beiser / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen

University of Arizona Homecoming

University of Arizona Homecoming

UA students donned homemade soda cans of Orange and Grape Crush (and little else) in keeping with the 1981 Homecoming Parade theme of "Crush Washington State."

Joe Vitti / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï

Swan and Sunrise

Swan and Sunrise

From the cutline: Commerical growth at the intersection of Swan and Sunrise roads has been almost frantic as developers rush to meet the demand of the rapidly increasing population in the area. A shopping center at the southeast corner anchored by a large Safeway store is about 80 percent leased." 

Lew Elliott / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen

Johnny Gibson

Johnny Gibson

Johnny Gibson, cutting hair in his barber shop in 1980.

°µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen file

La Fuente

La Fuente

A relaxing lunch at La Fuente restaurant in 1980.

Joe Vitti / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï

Las Posadas

Las Posadas

Las Posadas led by Father Vicente Lopez at °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Museum of Art in December, 1981. The group sought refuge for Mary and Joseph at the homes of Barbara Grygutis and Julia Valdez before being welcomed in at La Casa Cordova, one of the oldest homes in °µÍø³Ô¹Ï.

°µÍø³Ô¹Ï file

Grant Road Lumber

Grant Road Lumber

°µÍø³Ô¹Ï Firefighters at the scene of a fire at Grant Road Lumber on Aug. 25, 1980. 

Jack Dykinga / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï

The Outlaw bar in °µÍø³Ô¹Ï

The Outlaw bar in °µÍø³Ô¹Ï

Couples swing and two-step to country music at The Outlaw Bar, 144 W. Lester St., in °µÍø³Ô¹Ï in 1980.

H. Darr Beiser / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen

KXEW radio studios

KXEW radio studios

Ernesto Portillo talks to Margarita Robles in the KXEW radio studios in °µÍø³Ô¹Ï in March, 1980. 

H. Darr Beiser / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen

Christmas carolers

Christmas carolers

Christmas carolers on horseback and on wagons on Sorrel Lane near °µÍø³Ô¹Ï on Dec. 21, 1980. 

Benjie Sanders / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï

East Grant Road traffic in 1981

East Grant Road traffic in 1981

Traffic on East Grant Road in February of 1981. 

°µÍø³Ô¹Ï

Bopp Health Food Store

Bopp Health Food Store

A funeral wreath on the door of the Bopp Health Food Store in downtown °µÍø³Ô¹Ï on Jan. 21, 1981. Owner Walter Bopp was a longtime °µÍø³Ô¹Ï businessmen. He was tied up and beaten in the back of his Speedway store in December of 1980. He died from his injuries in January of 1981. 

Lew Elliott / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen

Downtown °µÍø³Ô¹Ï looking east

Downtown °µÍø³Ô¹Ï looking east

Downtown °µÍø³Ô¹Ï looking east from the Chase Bank Building at Congress (left-center) and Stone Ave. in August, 1980.

P.K. Weis / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen

Congress Street looking east

Congress Street looking east

Congress Street in °µÍø³Ô¹Ï, looking east from the Chase Bank building at Stone Ave. in August, 1980.

P.K. Weis / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen

Downtown °µÍø³Ô¹Ï looking west

Downtown °µÍø³Ô¹Ï looking west

Downtown °µÍø³Ô¹Ï looking west from the Chase Bank building at Congress (right side) and Stone Ave. in August, 1980.

P.K. Weis / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen

Downtown °µÍø³Ô¹Ï looking northeast

Downtown °µÍø³Ô¹Ï looking northeast

Downtown °µÍø³Ô¹Ï looking northeast from the Chase Bank Building at Congress (lower part of photo) and Stone Ave. in August, 1980.

P.K. Weis / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen

Transit strikes in °µÍø³Ô¹Ï

Transit strikes in °µÍø³Ô¹Ï

Eleanor Hershey got three local donut shops to donate three dozen donuts to feed hungry union members on the picket line at Sun Tran in °µÍø³Ô¹Ï on January 17, 1980. 

Gary Gaynor / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen

Barry Goldwater

Barry Goldwater

This is a 1980 file photo of Sen. Barry M. Goldwater, R-Ariz., as he arrived by plane, to °µÍø³Ô¹Ï.

°µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen file

Robert Redford

Robert Redford

Actor Robert Redford was in °µÍø³Ô¹Ï to attend Rep. Morris K. Udall's fundraising party held at the Doubletree hotel on September 25, 1981. 

Joan Rennick / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen

Fox Theatre

Fox Theatre

People waiting for their bus to arrive in front of The Fox Theatre on West Congress St., December 30, 1980. 

H. Darr Beiser / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen

Searching for a body

Searching for a body

Searchers work to free the body of a flash flood victim pinned beneath rocks in the raging waters of the Tanque Verde Wash northeast of °µÍø³Ô¹Ï in 1981. At least five victims had been recovered as of Tuesday, and another three people who disappeared in Sunday's flood were being sought. 

Peter Weinberger / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen

°µÍø³Ô¹Ï Rodeo

Arizona Daily Star Rodeo

The action in the bleachers was as hot as in the °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Rodeo arena Wednesday as these unidentified youngsters played out their Old West fantasies during Rodeo Week in °µÍø³Ô¹Ï on February 21, 1980. 

°µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen file

Roller skating through °µÍø³Ô¹Ï

Roller skating through °µÍø³Ô¹Ï

Los Angeles roller skater Ron Mossler, 20, (left) claims he has broken the world roller skating distance record by skating 4,901 miles from Los Angeles to Philadelphia and back. He says he broke the record north of °µÍø³Ô¹Ï on Interstate 10 in an effort to raise money, an expected $15,000, for muscular dystrophy. He plans to skate to Phoenix today and then back to Los Angeles. Accompanying him on the trip, is Steve Watson, 22, (holding bike) who also drives a van and pulls a camper. 

°µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen file

Sunset Lumber fire

Sunset Lumber fire

Soaking it Down- Firefighters douse the charred wreakage left this morning by a million-dollar midnight fire, which destroyed lumber and roofing materials at Sunset Lumber Distributors Inc., 970 S. Cherry Ave. 

°µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen file

Charlie Daniels fans

Charlie Daniels fans

Two female Charlie Daniels fans dance in the aisle at the °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Community Center on July 27, 1980. 

Lew Elliott / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen

Devo in °µÍø³Ô¹Ï

Devo in °µÍø³Ô¹Ï

The music group DEVO performs at the °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Community Center. December 17, 1981. 

Lew Elliott / °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Citizen

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