18 Photos That Capture Central Texas Life in the 70’s

From 1971 to 1977 the Environmental Protection Agency, with the help of freelance photographers nationwide, began a project called "Documerica" to photograph and document the state of the environment and daily life to be used as a baseline to compare with future life. Over 15,000 photographs were taken and saved to the National Archives.

One such freelance photographer, Marc St. Gill took over 200 photos in and around Leakey, Texas and the Garner State Park area. What remains today of those photos is a slice of 1970's Texas Hill Country life with the original captions, written by St. Gill. We've retouched these photos to restore some of their original color, which tends to be lost over the decades.

Campers in Garner State Park -- July 1972

Leakey Residents. The Harmonica Player Is 93 Years Old -- July 1972

Leakey Store Owners -- July 1972

Miss Junior Texas Shown with Friends in Leakey, Texas, Her Home Town, near San Antonio -- May 1973

Interior of a Local Gas Station in Leakey, Texas, During the Noon Hour, near San Antonio -- May 1973

Deer Hunters Relax between Kills at Their Permanent Camp in an Almost Inaccessible Part of the Forest. They Set Up the Camp through the Use of Jeeps and Airlifts -- November 1972

Sunday Services in Leakey -- July 1972

Leakey's Church of Christ after Sunday Services -- July 1972

Teenage Couple Embrace on the Bank of the Frio Canyon River near Leakey, Texas, and San Antonio -- May 1973

Young Man Picks Leaves from His Girl's Hair after They Had Embraced on the Banks of the Frio Canyon River near Leakey, Texas and San Antonio --May 1973

Boy and Girl Smoking Pot During an Outing in Cedar Woods near Leakey, Texas. (Taken with Permission) One of Nine Pictures near San Antonio -- May 1973

Group of Teenagers in the Town of Leakey, Texas, near San Antonio, May 1973

Teenage Girls Wading the Frio Canyon River near Leakey Texas, While on an Outing with Friends near San Antonio -- May 1973

Morris Fisher, Owner of the Local Grocery and Drugstore -- November 1972

Interior of the Local General Store in Leakey, Texas, near San Antonio -- May 1973

Main Street of Leakey -- November 1972

Drugstore at Leakey, Texas, During the Noon Hour, near San Antonio -- May 1973

Fur Skins of Fox, Raccoon and Bobcat Being Prepared for Market in Leakey, Texas, near San Antonio -- December 1973

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