25 Rare Photos Taken In Maine During The Great Depression

The stock market crash of October 1929 brought on one of the hardest times in America’s history. The Great Depression, which took place during the years 1929-1939, caused as many as 15 million Americans to be unemployed. During this difficult time in history, the New Deal was put into place by President Roosevelt. An important part of this reform was the Farm Security Administration, which worked to alleviate poverty among some of the most rural areas in America.

Maine was largely held intact by this element of the New Deal. And it helped the potato farming industry hugely. In these recently released photographs we see how rural Maine made it through the Great Depression. It’s nice to see that despite the hardships, between the poor, rural homes and hard work, some smiles can be seen.

Farm Security Administration client, Mrs. Patrick Dumond, a potato farmer with two of her children at home. (Lille, 1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF33-020682

Grading potatoes at the Woodman Potato Company, Caribou. (1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF33-020675

Lobsterman’s home in the Trevett section of Boothbay. (1939)

Herbert Mayer / Library of Congress LC-USF342-015855

Dumping potatoes into the grader at the Woodman Potato Company. (Caribou,1939)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF34-041699

Loading sacked potatoes into freight car for shipment. Woodman Potato Company. (Caribou,1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF347-041700

Poster distributed throughout Aroostook County, Maine by the potato growers association advertising the barrel rolling contest. (Presque Isle, 1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF34-041729

Baskets used for gathering potatoes are dipped in an acid bath as a preventive measure against bacterial wilt and other diseases. Woodman Potato Company Farm. (Caribou, 1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF347-041753

Workmen at the Woodman Potato Company just finishing lunch in a small room at the store house that serves as a lunchroom. (Caribou, 1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF34-041782

Farmhouse at dusk. (Presque Isle, 1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF34-041790

Potato farmer on his horse-drawn digger on a small farm. (Caribou,1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF34-041799

Children of an Aroostook potato farmer. (Fort Kent, 1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF34-042143

Very often entire families would become part of a large crew of potato pickers. This mother, father and son are taking a break during their lunch hour in a field. (Caribou,1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF34-041848

Sleeping quarters provided for pickers working at the Woodman Potato Company. (Caribou,1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF34-041879

Known as the “greatest potato shipping point in the world” this is the local railroad station. (Caribou,1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF34-042037

Children of The Great Depression. (Caribou,1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF34-042024

Prize bull owned by Robert Cunningham, Farm Security Administration client. Beef cattle was introduced to supplement potatoes as a source of income. (Washburn, 1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF347-042054

Potatoes being unloaded at one of the many track storage warehouses on the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad. (Fort Kent, 1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF34-042070

Main Street, Caribou. (1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF34-042083

Farm Security Administration client, Mrs. Patrick Dumond, weaving toweling on a old loom in her attic. (Lille, 1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF347-042092-D

Rural living with firewood gathered for winter. (Van Buren, 1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF34-042094

At the freight yards of the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad. (Caribou, 1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF34-042114

Temporary depression-era housing. (Bath, 1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF34-042584

Children of Baptiste Deprui, French-Canadian potato farmer. Deprui ran a small seed foundation unit and also raised some certified seed oats. The barrels in front of the house were left there after he had stored all the potatoes in the cellar of the house. The potatoes completely filled the cellar as high as the floor boards. (Soldier Pond, 1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF34-042110

Rural homes. (Fort Kent, 1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF34-042140

Trailers near the shipyward. (Bath, 1940)

Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF34-042605

Do you have any family stories about getting through these times in rural Maine? We’d love to hear them!