What were gas prices when USA celebrated 200-year anniversary?

Gas prices have dropped again in Florida as of June 22, dipping down 20 cents per gallon in the last week, according to AAA, as millions of Floridans get ready for July 4th roadtrips to celebrate America's 250th birthday.

So, how much was gas during the country's 200th birthday?

1976 was the bicentennial, a major milestone commemorated with recreations of the Boston Tea Party and George Washington crossing the Delaware River, events at major historic landmarks, a bicentennial-themed Super Bowl, a state visit from Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, and countless exhibits, parades, and elaborate fireworks displays.

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Gas prices at the time were in a better place, sandwiched between two major oil crises. In 1973, nearly every Arab state embargoed oil against Israel-supporting countries, sending fuel prices skyrocketing around the world. Gas prices in the U.S., which had remained relatively stable since the Great Depression, shot up 36% by 1974, according to History.com, and low supplies led to long lines at gas pumps. Prices eased once the embargo was lifted.

In 1979, the price of crude oil went back up after an oil worker strike during the Iranian Revolution dropped oil production, and it got worse when the country shut off oil exports to the U.S. entirely. More high prices, more lines.

Since then, gas prices have fluctuated (but mostly risen) from waves of supply and demand, global conflicts and interactions, supply chain disruptions during the COVID pandemic, and plain old inflation.

How much is gas in Florida in June 2026?

The average price per gallon of gas in Florida on June 23 was $3.684, according to AAA, well under the national average of $3.926.

That's down more than 70 cents from a month ago, but still about 60 cents a gallon higher than last June. The recent fluctuations are due to the U.S.-Iran war and Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz, through which flows about 20% of the world's oil.

How much was gas in Florida in 1976?

The price of unleaded gas in June 1976 was $0.621 a gallon, according to an archived story from the Daytona Beach Morning Journal.

"Regular" gas (gasoline with lead added, phased out in the U.S. by 1996) was $0.596 a gallon, and premium was $0.647.

The prices were taken from "self-service" gas stations, the reporter pointed out at the time. Full-service stations, where attendants would fill your tank and often check your oil, water, and tire levels, charged a few cents more per gallon.

The national average for unleaded gas was $0.61, according to in2013dollars.com.

How much was gas in Florida in 1976, adjusted for inflation?

While those prices sound ridiculously cheap, if you adjust for inflation, they seem more in line with today's reality.

Adjusted for inflation, the 1976 price for unleaded gas in Florida would be about $3.60, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

What was the highest gas price in Florida?

The highest recorded average price in Florida was $4.89 per gallon of unleaded, on June 13, 2022.

Other historical prices, if adjusted for inflation, may have been higher.

C. A. Bridges is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida's service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida's best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: What were gas prices when USA celebrated 200-year anniversary?

Reporting by C. A. Bridges, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida / The Daytona Beach News-Journal

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This story was originally published June 23, 2026 at 1:29 PM.