40 Years Ago – Quincy 12th Street Businesses as They Were in 1982

It doesn't feel like 1982 was that long ago to me, but yes it's been 40 years now. Thanks to government photo archives, you can look back at a couple of Quincy businesses that were staples on 12th Street back during that era.

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If you're interested in history, you really should dig into the Library of Congress archives. They have a deep archive of pictures that sometimes date back a century or two. I found many of Quincy including these two businesses in 1982.

The first is what used to be Earel & Buss Drugs at 12th and Broadway in Quincy.

The Quincy Herald-Whig did an excellent story on the history of Raleigh Earel and how this business came to be over a century ago. I distinctly remember driving by that building with the steeple on the corner back in the day.

I also remember what used to be Uptown Cleaners on 12th Street in Quincy, but I can't recall the exact location.

My understanding is that building is gone now, but I did have a friend who thought it might have been near 12th and Vermont. Steve commented on our Facebook page the following:

Steve Buckman - "The Uptown Cleaners was on the north east corner of 12th & Hampshire. It's a vacant lot now."

Even though this picture was taken in 1982, I remember that pergola-like grill which held the sign in place looking very 1960's even in the 1980's.

If 1982 also doesn't seem like it should be 40 years ago now, consider this. 1980's Flashback remembers that gas was $1.30 a gallon in 1982. A stamp was 20 cents and the average household income was around $20,000. Ah, the good ole days.

I highly recommend checking out other Quincy photos that the Library of Congress maintains. It's quite a throwback to a year that is now 4 decades behind us.