Who doesn’t love a look into the past? It’s so fun to see what’s still here, what’s gone since then, and just how different everything looked. Things from the ’80s are now considered “vintage” (which still seems crazy to those of us born in the ’80s), so let’s take a look at some awesome architectural photos from 1980.
- The Ben Franklin store in Seward
LOC/John Margolies Remember Ben Franklins and dime stores? It was always a special treat when we got to pick out a piece of candy there.
- The Sun Theatre in York
LOC/John Margolies The Sun looks just as magnificent today! You can still see first-run movies in the historic building.
- Harold Warp Pioneer Village in Minden
LOC/John Margolies The beloved attraction was a lot younger in those days. When this picture was taken in 1980, Pioneer Village was a spry 27 years old.
- Coney Island Lunch Room in Grand Island
LOC/John Margolies Coney Island, however, has been around even longer. The legendary lunch counter first opened its doors in 1933.
- Covered Wagon Gift Shop in Kearney
LOC/John Margolies Do you remember driving down Highway 30 and seeing this unusual sight? It drew in plenty of visitors thanks to its unexpected appearance.
- A former gas station in Crookston
LOC/John Margolies This building was abandoned when photographer John Margolies toured Nebraska in 1980, but today it’s still standing and has even been refurbished.
- The Fox Theatre in McCook
LOC/John Margolies This historic building was restored in the early 2000s, so it doesn’t look exactly like this anymore. But it’s still up and running thanks to the volunteers who keep it that way.
- The Star View Outdoor Theatre in Lincoln
LOC/John Margolies The Star View opened in 1948, so it was already considered vintage in this photo from 1980. The drive-in closed in 1987 and was demolished.
- Gering Bakery in Gering
LOC/John Margolies This popular local business is still alive and kicking and making some of the prettiest cakes in western Nebraska.
- The Jewel Diner in Mullen
LOC/John Margolies If you’ve ever been in Mullen and eaten at Big Red’s Cafe, you might already know that it has strong ties to the former Jewel Diner. This tiny building was constructed in the late 1940s and operated as the Jewel Diner until 1972 when the then-owners purchased a larger building nearby.
- The DLD Teepee Cabins in Hastings
LOC/John Margolies Back in the glory days of highway travel, these “teepees” (which were actually concrete structures with doors) provided an interesting place to stay on family road trips.
- The Wahoo Bakery and OK Meat Market in Wahoo
LOC/John Margolies Although the meat market is gone, Wahoo Bakery is still open in the same building.
This collection of photos came from John Margolies, a prolific photographer and architecture critic who loved documenting America’s quirky structures. What a great thing it is to look at his photos and remember Nebraska’s past!
LOC/John Margolies
Remember Ben Franklins and dime stores? It was always a special treat when we got to pick out a piece of candy there.
The Sun looks just as magnificent today! You can still see first-run movies in the historic building.
The beloved attraction was a lot younger in those days. When this picture was taken in 1980, Pioneer Village was a spry 27 years old.
Coney Island, however, has been around even longer. The legendary lunch counter first opened its doors in 1933.
Do you remember driving down Highway 30 and seeing this unusual sight? It drew in plenty of visitors thanks to its unexpected appearance.
This building was abandoned when photographer John Margolies toured Nebraska in 1980, but today it’s still standing and has even been refurbished.
This historic building was restored in the early 2000s, so it doesn’t look exactly like this anymore. But it’s still up and running thanks to the volunteers who keep it that way.
The Star View opened in 1948, so it was already considered vintage in this photo from 1980. The drive-in closed in 1987 and was demolished.
This popular local business is still alive and kicking and making some of the prettiest cakes in western Nebraska.
If you’ve ever been in Mullen and eaten at Big Red’s Cafe, you might already know that it has strong ties to the former Jewel Diner. This tiny building was constructed in the late 1940s and operated as the Jewel Diner until 1972 when the then-owners purchased a larger building nearby.
Back in the glory days of highway travel, these “teepees” (which were actually concrete structures with doors) provided an interesting place to stay on family road trips.
Although the meat market is gone, Wahoo Bakery is still open in the same building.
Want to go even further into the past? Take a look at these photos from the early 20th Century.
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