The 1970s: Upheaval and Discontent
Many historians remember the 1970s as a dark decade in the latter half of the 20th century, when the generation of change lost its innocence to political scandal and cultural tragedies. Many attractions from that era focus on letdowns and losses.
Historic Happenings: The 1972 break-in at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, as well as the ensuing cover-up, led to the downfall of Richard Nixon’s presidential administration, making Nixon the only American president to resign the post. Though its name is now synonymous with scandal, the Watergate Hotel is still a stylish, luxurious hospitality property, newly renovated in 2014, and welcomes guests for pampering and historical reminiscence.
Presidents and Politics: Nixon’s resignation set the stage for the presidency of Gerald Ford, an unlikely leader who took over under difficult circumstances. The Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan, introduces visitors to Gerald and Betty Ford and gives them an overview of his significant role in leading America through the mid ’70s in the wake of presidential scandal.
Architectural Achievement: The architecture of the 1970s is often viewed disapprovingly by modern critics, but that doesn’t mean the decade was without its achievements. One of the most renowned projects of the time is the Kahn Building at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas. Opened in 1972, the smooth, concrete-vaulted surfaces of the building are considered quintessential examples of modern architecture.
Pop Phenomenon: Elvis Presley had dominated the worlds of music and film for decades before his untimely death in 1977. In Memphis, Tennessee, his Graceland Estate is preserved much as he left it when he died, showcasing the opulence of his lifestyle and the design sensibilities of the era.
The 1980s: Greed Is Good
Shaking off the doldrums of the 1970s, Generation X seized American culture in the 1980s and embraced the pursuit of immense wealth and a luxurious lifestyle. The relative peace and economic stability of the decade allowed people to focus on more self-centered pursuits.
Historic Happenings: Natural disaster grabbed headlines at the beginning of the decade with the unexpected eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington state in 1980. The eruption killed 57 people and permanently changed the landscape, and today the area is preserved as a national monument, where visitors can admire the area’s beauty and learn about the seismic activity that triggered the eruption.
Presidents and Politics: For many people, the politics of the 1980s are synonymous with Ronald Reagan, the actor-turned-president who is credited with ending the Cold War and ushering in the era of modern American peace. The Reagan Presidential Foundation in Simi Valley, California, offers guests a look at Reagan’s remarkable life and the issues and challenges that defined his presidency and, with it, the decade.
Architectural Achievement: Opened in 1983, the 135,000-square-foot building designed by Richard Meier to house the High Museum of Art in Atlanta is considered one of the most beautiful buildings of the era, winning the Pritzker Prize for architecture in 1984. Though additional facilities have since been added to the High, the Meier building remains a central feature of Atlanta’s architectural identity.
Pop Phenomenon: The 1989 film “Field of Dreams” became one of the most memorable films of the decade and garnered an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. Visitors can see the farmland and baseball diamond where key scenes from the film were shot at the Field of Dreams Movie Site in Dyersville, Iowa, fulfilling the signature line “If you build it, they will come.”
The 1990s: Dawn of the Digital Age
After the end of the Cold War, the 1990s emerged as a decade of progress and prosperity. Much of the new wealth was a result of massive progress in technology as the world began to see the power and potential of the nascent World Wide Web.
Historic Happenings: Americans reacted in horror at the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1995. Today, the Oklahoma City National Memorial stands on the site of the bombing as a moving tribute to the victims and the community members who united to recover in the aftermath of the event.
Presidents and Politics: Though Bill Clinton generated plenty of scandal and controversy during his two-term presidency in the ’90s, his personal charisma and the era of prosperity over which he presided make him a popular figure. Groups can learn all about Clinton’s background and time in office by visiting the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Architectural Achievement: Opened on the banks of Lake Erie in 1995, Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is both a seminal music museum and a shining example of the Picturesque architectural movement of the 1990s. The 150,000-square-foot facility features two glass-enclosed pyramids and a 162-foot tower, which make the museum an unmistakable fixture of the Cleveland skyline.
Pop Phenomenon: In a time of blockbuster summer movies, 1993’s “Jurassic Park” captured audience’s imaginations with its stunning scenery and its pioneering use of computer-generated imagery to bring dinosaurs to life on the screen. Though the dinosaurs are strictly digital, the landscape featured in the film is real and can be found at Kualoa Ranch and other locales in Kauai, Hawaii, where numerous tours offer guests glimpses of the scenic settings that made the movie memorable.
