WWII makes people think of war and Europe. But have you ever wondered what your state may have looked like back then? Well let me tell you, it was a much simpler time. These photos capture the beauty and simplicity of Connecticut in the years during WWII.
- Railroad workers eating lunch.
Russell Lee/Yale.edu In October 1939, these workers in Windsor Locks take a lunch break along the tracks.
- Apples for sale!
Russell Lee/Yale.edu A roadside stand just a few miles from Berlin sells apples for low prices.
- Ice cream stand.
Russell Lee/Yale.edu You could pull off the highway and enjoy soft serve on your way home.
- Textile Mills.
Russell Lee/Yale.edu This Windsor Locks factory was actually on the small side.
- Tobacco barn.
Jack Delano/Yale.edu This was taken on a farm in Thompsonville, owned by a Polish-American woman.
- A farmer.
Jack Delano/Yale.edu I love that suspenders were so commonplace back then. This Suffield farmer is taking a break after stacking his corn.
- Repair shop.
Jack Delano/Yale.edu In the 1940s, this is where you’d get your bike fixed. They used an actual bike for the overhead sign.
- Church.
Jack Delano/Yale.edu The church is beautiful, but what I really love about this photo is the full suit and button down dress of the lovely couple.
- Carpet mill.
Jack Delano/Yale.edu It appears to go on forever. The Biglow-Sanford Rugs and Carpets Company was a big employer in town.
- Clothes hanging out to dry.
Jack Delano/Yale.edu This shot was actually taken in Waterbury. This part of town was reserved for the working class.
- The leaning silo.
Jack Delano/Yale.edu In 1941 North Branford, this photo was used as an example of unsafe farming practices.
- Ladies in waiting.
Jack Delano/Yale.edu At an auction in Derby, the wives wait outside while their husbands try to snag some farming equipment.
- New Haven
Jack Delano/Yale.edu This was “the whole of” New Haven in the summer of 1940.
- Burning leaves.
Jack Delano/Yale.edu Residents of Norwich burn their piles of leaves in the street.
- Hamilton Standard Propeller Corporation
Jack Delano/Yale.edu Workers grind and finish airplane propellors.
- Stonington.
Jack Delano/Yale.edu The bank and town square in 1940 was very quaint.
- Norwich
Jack Delano/Yale.edu This is the view of town you would have had from the train station.
- Pratt & Whitney.
Jack Delano/Yale.edu Cylinders for engines being painted in East Hartford.
Pretty cool, huh? Was it exactly how you pictured it or were you surprised?
Russell Lee/Yale.edu
In October 1939, these workers in Windsor Locks take a lunch break along the tracks.
A roadside stand just a few miles from Berlin sells apples for low prices.
You could pull off the highway and enjoy soft serve on your way home.
This Windsor Locks factory was actually on the small side.
Jack Delano/Yale.edu
This was taken on a farm in Thompsonville, owned by a Polish-American woman.
I love that suspenders were so commonplace back then. This Suffield farmer is taking a break after stacking his corn.
In the 1940s, this is where you’d get your bike fixed. They used an actual bike for the overhead sign.
The church is beautiful, but what I really love about this photo is the full suit and button down dress of the lovely couple.
It appears to go on forever. The Biglow-Sanford Rugs and Carpets Company was a big employer in town.
This shot was actually taken in Waterbury. This part of town was reserved for the working class.
In 1941 North Branford, this photo was used as an example of unsafe farming practices.
At an auction in Derby, the wives wait outside while their husbands try to snag some farming equipment.
This was “the whole of” New Haven in the summer of 1940.
Residents of Norwich burn their piles of leaves in the street.
Workers grind and finish airplane propellors.
The bank and town square in 1940 was very quaint.
This is the view of town you would have had from the train station.
Cylinders for engines being painted in East Hartford.
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