"In the summer of 1972, photographer Rick McCloskey went to Van Nuys to shoot this series of photographs, the culture on the boulevard had become an amalgamation of various lifestyles, automobiles, and very different looks and styles. The tribes included surfers, low-riders, muscle cars, street racers, and even “retro” styles from the 1950s. McCloskey’s photos offer a fascinating portrayal of the young people, their cars, and iconic backgrounds; a world that has long since vanished.
"There were other cruising spots in the city, but Van Nuys, for some reason or other, got nailed as the street to cruise on, specifically, a 3-mile stretch from Ventura Boulevard to about Sherman Way. People would come from as far as Santa Barbara or Orange County to cruise Van Nuys, a wide street with many lanes. Gas was relatively cheap at the time, and that made cruising an affordable way to spend a night out."
Thank you for this article. I was born & raised there and cruised the blvd many times starting in the 60's. By the 70's however, it had changed a lot!
ReplyDelete