Ohio has a rich, proud history in agriculture. The following vintage photos showcase 17 Ohio farms from the 1930s and 1940s. (Their original captions have been included.) It’s interesting to see how the land and techniques have evolved over the years. Are you familiar with any of these farmlands or the families that ran them?
- “Farm in Ross County.” (Located along State Rt. 180 today.)
Arthur Rothstein/yale.edu Taken February 1940.
- “Farm near Dayton, Ohio.”
Dorothea Lange/yale.edu Taken August 1936.
- “Rustan brothers preparing a ‘warm drink’ for their hogs. Farm is now owned by loan company. Has not been owner-operated for six years. Title is not clear but loan company collects rent and makes very few repairs. Two hundred forty acres, crop share. Near Dickens, Ohio.”
Russell Lee/yale.edu Taken December 1936.
- “Rio Grande, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Reed Hall at their new home on a 500 acre dairy farm in Gallia County, Ohio. Mr. Hall was placed on this farm after attending the farm labor training school at Rio Grande College, Ohio.”
John Vachon/yale.edu Taken February 1943.
“Rio Grande, Gallia County, Ohio. Reed and Evelyn Hall have their own chickens on dairy farm where Mr. Hall was employed as a result of the training program.”
John Vachon/yale.edu Taken February 1943.
“Rio Grande, Gallia County, Ohio. Mr. Bailey, FSA (Farm Security Administration) county supervisor, visiting Reed Hall on his unproductive farm in the hill section of this county. Mr. Bailey is attempting to recruit men from this type of farm for farm labor training and relocation in more productive farming areas.”
John Vachon/yale.edu Taken February 1943.
- “Farm at Greenhills, Ohio.”
John Vachon/yale.edu Taken October 1939.
“Cultivating ground at Greenhills, Ohio farm.”
John Vachon/yale.edu Taken October 1939.
“Shucking corn on Greenhills, Ohio farm.”
John Vachon/yale.edu Taken October 1939.
- “Farm in Ross County, Ohio.”
Arthur Rothstein/yale.edu Taken February 1940.
- “Corn shocks on Phil Gay’s farm in the Scioto River Valley at the foot of the hills. Ross County, Ohio.”
John Vachon/yale.edu Taken October 1940.
- “At the foot of the hilly farm section of Ross County, Ohio. Town of Chillicothe in background.”
John Vachon/yale.edu Taken October 1940.
- “Virgil Thaxton, farmer, in barnyard of Thaxton farm, near Mechanicsburg, Ohio.”
Ben Shahn/yale.edu Taken in 1938.
“Virgil Thaxton closing door to corn crib; corn crib and barn on farm, near Mechanicsburg, Ohio.”
Ben Shahn/yale.edu Taken 1938.
“Mechanicsburg (vicinity), Ohio. Harvest hand and helper on the Virgil Thaxton farm.”
Unknown photographer/yale.edu Taken 1938.
- “Hayrake on farm near the Greenhills Project, Cincinnati, Ohio.”
Theodor Jung/yale.edu Taken April 1936.
- “Fields and farm building at Hartman Farms, near Columbus, Ohio.”
Ben Shahn/yale.edu Taken 1938.
“Fields and farm buildings at Hartman Farms, near Columbus, Ohio.”
Ben Shahn/yale.edu Taken 1938.
- “Barn on farm near Dayton, Ohio.”
Marion Post Wolcott/yale.edu Taken October 1941.
- “Rehabilitation client looking over farm implements, Jackson, Ohio.”
Theodor Jung/yale.edu Taken April 1936.
- “Rio Grande, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Younkers, former Kentucky farmers, in front of their new home on Fred Bower’s poultry farm.”
John Vachon/yale.edu Taken February 1943.
“Rio Grande, Gallia County, Ohio. Mr. Younkers in the poultry house on Fred Bowers farm. He was hired here after he completed a farm labor training course at Ohio State University.”
John Vachon/yale.edu Taken February 1943.
“Rio Grande, Gallia County, Ohio. Mrs. Younkers grading eggs. There are three boys in this family who will also help with farm work.”
John Vachon/yale.edu Taken February 1943.
- “Rio Grande, Gallia County, Ohio. Farm labor trainees attaching disc plow to tractor at the Rio Grande College.”
John Vachon/yale.edu Taken February 1943.
“Rio Grande, Gallia County, Ohio. Vinton Kerr (on the tractor), a local farmer hired to instruct farm labor trainees at Rio Grande College.”
John Vachon/yale.edu Taken February 1943.
- “Barn on farm near Dayton, Ohio.”
Marion Post Wolcott/yale.edu Taken October 1941.
“Dairy cows in pasture on farm near Dayton, Ohio.”
Marion Post Wolcott/yale.edu Taken October 1941.
- “Rio Grande, Gallia County, Ohio. Jim Stevens and Samuel George feed 100 head of hogs on Harry Linebaugh’s farm.”
John Vachon/yale.edu Taken February 1943.
Did any these photos incite nostalgia in you? If you grew up on a farm in Ohio, share some of your memories with us in the comments below!
Arthur Rothstein/yale.edu
Taken February 1940.
Dorothea Lange/yale.edu
Taken August 1936.
Russell Lee/yale.edu
Taken December 1936.
John Vachon/yale.edu
Taken February 1943.
Taken October 1939.
Arthur Rothstein/yale.edu
Taken October 1940.
John Vachon/yale.edu
Ben Shahn/yale.edu
Taken in 1938.
Taken 1938.
Unknown photographer/yale.edu
Theodor Jung/yale.edu
Taken April 1936.
Ben Shahn/yale.edu
Marion Post Wolcott/yale.edu
Taken October 1941.
Marion Post Wolcott/yale.edu
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