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Photo Gallery: Athens in the 1970s and ’80s

Credit: Dan McClure

Buried in Athens-Clarke County Library, on the second floor in the Heritage Room, is a box of 35mm slides. The slides, no bigger than the palm of your hand, total around 965 photographs and reveal a different Athens than the one of today. But while some things change, other scenes have sparks of familiarity.

There are seven series of images containing snapshots of daily life from around 1970 to 1990. The slides of downtown Athens and the University of Georgia campus show the starkest changes, both physically and culturally. 

The photographs were taken by Dan McClure, who worked in the photography department at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education and traveled with the Bulldogs in the 80s. For 34 years, he specialized in portrait photography at McClure Studios before retiring to operate the Centerville Zaxby’s. 

McClure died last July, but he leaves behind a welcome contribution to the history of Athens. 

Special thanks to the ACC Library and the Heritage Room for this collection. See more of their collections at athenslibrary.org

Dan McClure slides, box 1-2, folder 1, Courtesy of the Heritage Room, Athens-Clarke County Library, Athens, Georgia
Dan McClure slides, box 1-2, folder 1, Courtesy of the Heritage Room, Athens-Clarke County Library, Athens, Georgia
Dan McClure slides, box 1-2, folder 1, Courtesy of the Heritage Room, Athens-Clarke County Library, Athens, Georgia
Dan McClure slides, box 1-2, folder 1, Courtesy of the Heritage Room, Athens-Clarke County Library, Athens, Georgia
Dan McClure slides, box 1-2, folder 1, Courtesy of the Heritage Room, Athens-Clarke County Library, Athens, Georgia
Dan McClure slides, box 1-2, folder 1, Courtesy of the Heritage Room, Athens-Clarke County Library, Athens, Georgia
Dan McClure slides, box 1-2, folder 1, Courtesy of the Heritage Room, Athens-Clarke County Library, Athens, Georgia
Dan McClure slides, box 1-2, folder 1, Courtesy of the Heritage Room, Athens-Clarke County Library, Athens, Georgia
Dan McClure slides, box 1-2, folder 1, Courtesy of the Heritage Room, Athens-Clarke County Library, Athens, Georgia
Dan McClure slides, box 1-2, folder 1, Courtesy of the Heritage Room, Athens-Clarke County Library, Athens, Georgia
Dan McClure slides, box 1-2, folder 1, Courtesy of the Heritage Room, Athens-Clarke County Library, Athens, Georgia
Dan McClure slides, box 1-2, folder 1, Courtesy of the Heritage Room, Athens-Clarke County Library, Athens, Georgia

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