These stunning photos taken by Marion Post Wolcott for the United States Farm Security Administration and Office of War Information (FSA-OWI) give us a glimpse of an interesting time in our state’s history. In 1939, things were starting to improve for some, but the Great Depression was still in full swing in many areas. The captions have been provided below the photographs.
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress Post office. Miami.
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress One of Miami’s streets showing varied small shops, signs, and tourist bureaus. Miami Beach
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress June in January, Miami Beach
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress Federal theatre. Miami.
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress June in January, Miami Beach
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress Horse races, Hialeah Park, Miami
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress Even the gas stations are on an elaborate scale, often modern in design, resembling hotels. Miami Beach
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress Part of Florida home in wealthy residential section. Miami Beach
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress Wandering preacher, often seen in the South. “Before I knew our Lord I used to be a terrible sinner. I’d get so drunk I couldn’t stand up.” Belle Glade
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress Plant City, Florida, strawberry festival and carnival
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress Plant City, Florida, strawberry festival and carnival
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress Front of thatched house made of palm leaves near Moore Haven
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress Old trolley car, now a liquor store, along highway near Perrine
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress Migrant laborers’ camp near Canal Point, Florida. In foreground is a bean hamper which they use to sit on and they call a “muck rocker.” Some of them are from Missouri and Arkansas
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress “Buddy,” youngest child of migrant packinghouse worker from Tennessee, sitting on the only bed for six people, which is rolled out on the ground at night and pushed into the back during the day. Belle Glade. Both parents work, so the children are often left alone.
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress Home, Lake Harbor, Florida, of migrant agricultural workers just returning from fields
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress Tom Tom Herb Tonic trailertruck in transient laborer’s cabin and trailer camp. Belle Glade.
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress General town meeting place: the park. Lakeland, Florida
Marion Post Wolcott/Library or Congress A tourist “attraction.” Aztec wishing well and “sausage” tree near Homestead, Florida
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress USSC (United States Sugar Corporation) hauls sugarcane from the fields to its mill by their own railroad system. Clewiston
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress Movie theatre. Moore Haven
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress Typical Florida country near Moore Haven
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Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress
Post office. Miami.
One of Miami’s streets showing varied small shops, signs, and tourist bureaus. Miami Beach
June in January, Miami Beach
Federal theatre. Miami.
Horse races, Hialeah Park, Miami
Even the gas stations are on an elaborate scale, often modern in design, resembling hotels. Miami Beach
Part of Florida home in wealthy residential section. Miami Beach
Wandering preacher, often seen in the South. “Before I knew our Lord I used to be a terrible sinner. I’d get so drunk I couldn’t stand up.” Belle Glade
Plant City, Florida, strawberry festival and carnival
Front of thatched house made of palm leaves near Moore Haven
Old trolley car, now a liquor store, along highway near Perrine
Migrant laborers’ camp near Canal Point, Florida. In foreground is a bean hamper which they use to sit on and they call a “muck rocker.” Some of them are from Missouri and Arkansas
“Buddy,” youngest child of migrant packinghouse worker from Tennessee, sitting on the only bed for six people, which is rolled out on the ground at night and pushed into the back during the day. Belle Glade. Both parents work, so the children are often left alone.
Home, Lake Harbor, Florida, of migrant agricultural workers just returning from fields
Tom Tom Herb Tonic trailertruck in transient laborer’s cabin and trailer camp. Belle Glade.
General town meeting place: the park. Lakeland, Florida
Marion Post Wolcott/Library or Congress
A tourist “attraction.” Aztec wishing well and “sausage” tree near Homestead, Florida
USSC (United States Sugar Corporation) hauls sugarcane from the fields to its mill by their own railroad system. Clewiston
Movie theatre. Moore Haven
Typical Florida country near Moore Haven
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