In 1976, Farrah Fawcett was hot. So was that hammock.

In celebration of national independence, your local classic rock station has no doubt been playing block after block of hits from 1976. Was 1976 a pivotal year in rock ’n roll? Kind of. But the real reason we’re celebrating the spirit of ’76 is that it was a major year in American history, of course. Let’s take another trip down vintage lane and discover what was happening in culture and décor.

In the year MCMLXXVI, we celebrated our Bicentennial with special issue coins, license plates, parades, massive fireworks displays, and…Farah Fawcett. Also hot that year? This hammock:

Charlie’s Angels made its television debut in 1976, as did a range of other kick-butt independent heroines, including Laverne & Shirley and The Bionic Woman.

Another feminine touch, this Danish pottery plaque:

These floral glasses are also ultra-femme with characteristically dependable 1970s heft.

In music, The Ramones released their debut self-titled album and make their first “official” appearance in the punk rock den of CBGBs. Duly of note, U2 is formed after drummer Larry Mullen posts a note seeking fellow band members of the bulletin board of his Dublin school. Sweet…now check out these speakers:

Finally, in health, according to the landmark Nurses’ Health Study (which started in 1976), over one third of the participants surveyed were smokers with half-a-pack-a-day habits. Perhaps this Knoll Ashtray from the “Tulip Pedestal Series” designed by Eero Sarinen would have appealed to them:

By 1989, the percentage of current smokers was down to 13.5 percent and by 2003, just 8.4 percent. Here’s to progress…and freedom.

Images: Wright; His For Home; Kaboodle; Teddy; ebay

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