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Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte
1972 was a good year for Somerville.
The city celebrated its Centennial and they also won the All America City award. There was a lot to be happy about.
In 1972, Nixon was re-elected for a second term beating the hippie’s candidate George McGovern. (I was a full-fledged hippie back then, not happy about Nixon.)
In 1972, the price for a house was around $7,375. A new car would cost you about $2,072 and gas was 55 cents a gallon. On television, we were watching Hawaii Five -O, All in The Family, and Sanford and Son.
Todi’s Sub Shop, formerly in Ball Square.
Most of our favorite places were still up and running, like Todi’s Sub Shop in Ball Square (Todi’s mother made homemade sauce) and Somerville Lumber. Steve’s Ice Cream was just one year away from opening in 1973. The train still ran through Somerville before it became the bike trail.
Remember stopping at the railroad crossing on College Ave. and counting the cars? I was having a great time in the summer of 1972. I was 19 years old and a freshman at Emerson College. A lot of my friends who got kept back from SHS graduated in 1972. We went to our own graduation parties in ’71, and a few more in ’72.
Somerville elected a new mayor in 1970. S. Lester Ralph and his administration was supposed to clear City Hall of the embarrassing corruption of previous years. From the web: “Ralph is credited with revitalizing the city through infrastructure and public parks projects and helped bring the Red Line to Somerville, boosting the Davis Square area. His work paid off in 1972 when Somerville was awarded the All America City Award.”
Kids celebrating Somerville’s centennial with Mayor S. Lester Ralph, 1972.
The original Somerfest was up and running in 1972. Somerville bands performed on blocked off streets, sometimes on stages. My band, Shadowfax, played in front of our house, my aunt’s house on Josephine Ave., and my grandma’s house on Elmwood St. A huge concert at Powder House Park featured three bands, Shadowfax, Dillinger, and Zenophon. What a crowd! Somerville was Woodstock for one day. Somerfest is also where I met my pal Big Sal Q.
The vintage bumper sticker says, “we the people take pride.” True that.
Somerville went on to win the All America City Award again in 2009 and 2015. I was with the 2009 team (see photo)
Lester Ralph got the ball rolling for important changes to Somerville from 1970 to 1978. In 1980 we elected Eugene C. Brune, and for the next ten years he really went to town. Somerville was coming into its own with changes that we still enjoy today, like The Red Line extension. Gene Brune was the best mayor in Somerville’s history.
In 1972 we would enjoy a Saturday afternoon of walking to the Bal A Rou (in Meffa!), skating for a while (no skating backwards), and cross the street to Kemp’s Hamburgers to pig out. Then at night we would hop in the trunk and head for the Meadow Glen Drive- In.
But first I’d pop over to Bradlees on Somerville Ave. to buy a pair of Wrangler Jeans for $12, preferably bell bottoms. Hopefully, Roma bakery across the street would have the HOT BREAD sign on. 1972 was a good year for Somerville.
Home of “Mrs. B.”
From 2009’s winning All America City skit (me in T cap).
All America City 1972 bumper sticker.
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Wow! Bal A Rou in Meffa!
Kemps was the home of the 15 cent hamburger. I remember when it became the Golden Egg Restaurant. I took a date there one night and the mother of all brawls broke out. The waiter handing us our menus said “This is the biggest one yet!” I had a table at the window and a guy came up to the window all bloodied. Then the Medford and Somerville Police showed up.
I had ringside seats for the first time in my life and a fine meal!
Jimmy: another great article. Here’s what I remember from 1972, January 4, I was on the plane for Parris Island, South Carolina, USMC. The Vietnam war was still goin on, I was 19 and a half. Served but did not go over. Many friends did. Oh ya one more thing a joint cost a buck.
Actually, 55 cents a gallon for gasoline sounds kind of high. We paid 59 cents a gallon at the Gulf on Somerville Ave. in July, 1978. Seems it ran around 40 cents a gallon (at most) until the Arab Oil Embargo in late 1973.
Ma and Dad paid $13,900 for the two-family house in 1956. Cigarettes were 50 cents a pack. If you went to New Hampshire, you could get a carton of Marlboros for $8-$9. If it was Sunday, you couldn’t go shopping anywhere other than a corner store. Blue Laws.
In October, 1972, the City celebrated its 100th Anniversary with a big parade. A year from this October will be the City’s Sesqi-Centennial celebration. I wonder if they’ll do the same thing?
I was at the Southern Jr. High School in 1972. When we went back to school that September, the teachers went on strike and were out for about 2 weeks. There were 16,000 students in the Somerville Public Schools at the time.
Interesting times were they!
BTW, in 1972, Somerville Lumber was still in its original location. I believe the fire was in 1975, after which they rebuilt into the larger facility. I remember the original store. Quite cramped with stuff piled high to the ceiling.