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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

Berkeley is a beautiful city located on the northeastern shore of San Francisco Bay. It is a diverse, educated city and mostly liberal enclave known for its food and ambitious people. It is expensive to live here, but there are also many unique features that make it attractive.

The Post-WWII era brought moderate growth to the city. During the 1960s the Telegraph Avenue became a focal point for the hippie movement, which spilled over the Bay from San Francisco. There was considerable overlap between the hippie movement and the radical left at that time. The battle over the disposition of People’s Park in 1967 resulted in a month-long occupation of Berkeley by the National Guard. During the 1970s and 1980s, activists increased their power in local government. This era also saw major developments in Berkeley’s environmental and food culture.

These stunning vintage photos by Richard Friedman show Berkeley from the late 1960s to the early 1980s.

#1 Berkeley street scenes, March 1968

Berkeley street scenes, March 1968

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#2 Ohlone Way, Berkeley, August 1969

Ohlone Way, Berkeley, August 1969

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#3 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley, May 1969

Telegraph Ave., Berkeley, May 1969

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#4 Industrial, Berkeley, 1976

Industrial, Berkeley, 1976

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#5 Live Oak Park Festival, Berkeley, September 1969

Live Oak Park Festival, Berkeley, September 1969

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#6 People’s Park, May 1969

People's Park, May 1969

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#7 Berkeley Folk Festival at Live Oak Park, June 1970

Berkeley Folk Festival at Live Oak Park, June 1970

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#8 Cafe Med, Berkeley, March 1971

Cafe Med, Berkeley, March 1971

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#9 Café Espresso on Hearst at Euclid, Berkeley, February 1975

Café Espresso on Hearst at Euclid, Berkeley, February 1975

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#10 People’s Park, May 1969

People's Park, May 1969

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#11 Berkeley Folk Festival, July 1970

Berkeley Folk Festival, July 1970

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#12 From the Shattuck Avenue studios, Berkeley, June 1970

From the Shattuck Avenue studios, Berkeley, June 1970

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#13 Moe’s Books, Berkeley, February 1975

Moe's Books, Berkeley, February 1975

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#14 Sproul Plaza, Berkeley, March 1968

Sproul Plaza, Berkeley, March 1968

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#15 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley, June 1970

Telegraph Ave., Berkeley, June 1970

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#16 Hearst at Euclid, Berkeley, February 1975

Hearst at Euclid, Berkeley, February 1975

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#17 Northside Books, Berkeley, 1975

Northside Books, Berkeley, 1975

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#18 The Med, Telegraph Ave., Berkeley, March 1975

The Med, Telegraph Ave., Berkeley, March 1975

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#19 Berkeley sunset, 1981

Berkeley sunset, 1981

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#20 Hearst at Euclid, Berkeley, June 1981

Hearst at Euclid, Berkeley, June 1981

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#21 Hearst at Euclid, Berkeley, June 1981

Hearst at Euclid, Berkeley, June 1981

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#22 Hearst at Euclid, Berkeley, 1981

Hearst at Euclid, Berkeley, 1981

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#23 Hearst at Euclid, Berkeley, June 1981

Hearst at Euclid, Berkeley, June 1981

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#24 Memorial Day, Berkeley, May 1969

Memorial Day, Berkeley, May 1969

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#25 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley, August 1969

Telegraph Ave., Berkeley, August 1969

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#26

Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#27 The venerable Caffe Espresso on the north side of the UC Berkeley Campus, Berkeley, October 1978

The venerable Caffe Espresso on the north side of the UC Berkeley Campus, Berkeley, October 1978

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#28 The Little Farm, Berkeley, December 1979

The Little Farm, Berkeley, December 1979

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#29 Berkeley Marina, May 1981

Berkeley Marina, May 1981

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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#30 Berkeley Marina, Berkeley, September 1974

Berkeley Marina, Berkeley, September 1974

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Vintage Berkeley: Stunning Throwback Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life 1960s-1980s

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Written by Aung Budhh

Husband + Father + librarian + Poet + Traveler + Proud Buddhist. I love you with the breath, the smiles and the tears of all my life.

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6 Comments

  1. It’s such a Eurocentric historical depiction of Berkeley’s past as if people of color were nonexistent in the creation of the culture of this city. Is it not enough that gentrification, rising housing costs and property taxes have made it easy to prey on and displace these groups from areas they were relegated to when considered undesirable. You could at least show the respect of acknowledging their presence and contribution to the city and region.