Man was yet to reach the moon, the internet was years away and, most pressing for the locals at Waikouaiti, last drinks were called at 6pm.
But one thing had not changed when the 50th anniversary of the hotel’s opening was marked on Saturday — it was still packed wall-to-wall.
Waikouaiti resident Paul Bartlett remembered the day the bar opened.
"That bar was chocker," he said.
"There were vehicles everywhere and [staff] were serving people out the window for those who couldn’t get in."
Bill Ross, who played an important part in getting the hotel to Waikouaiti, said part of the excitement surrounding the opening of the bar was how far residents had to travel to get a drink before it opened.
"It was a marvellous opening because we had been a dry [pub-free] area for years and years," he said.
"You had to go to Port Chalmers, Macraes or Dunedin [before the hotel opened].
"This was the best thing that ever happened."
It was little surprise then that the "whole town went crazy" for the opening.
"It was about 11 o’clock [on the morning the hotel opened] and it was packed right through," Mr Ross said.
The hotel was opened by the Oamaru Licensing Trust, but it was the support of the town’s residents that made it happen, he said.
Publican Allan Hall said the locals still supported the hotel today.
He was pleased with the turnout on Saturday to mark the 50th anniversary celebrations.
"It’s a great turnout. There’s a lot of old, familiar faces,’’ he said.‘‘It’s a good pub, good people, good area."
