During The Great Depression, which took place during the years 1929-1939, 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, and more specifically how life continued during the Second World War, which followed.

  1. Here we see the post office and general store, Trevett, in the town of Boothbay.

Herbert Mayer LC-USF34-015842 / Library of Congress

  1. The snow still fell! Shopkeepers in Fryeburg shoveled paths and sidewalks.

Marion Post Wolcott LC-USF34-053415 / Library of Congress

  1. Two Caribou boys working on a farm near town. The one on the left is a foreman - most ate lunch in the fields.

Jack Delano LC-USF34-041845 / Library of Congress

  1. At the Woodman Potato Company in Caribou, men grade the product.

Jack Delano LC-USF33-020675 / Library of Congress

  1. These children of French-Canadian potato farmers stand at the back door of their home in Lille.

Jack Delano LC-USF33-020682 / Library of Congress

  1. During an annual festival, folks took part in the beloved barrel rolling contest in Presque Isle.

Jack Delano LC-USF347-041764-D / Library of Congress

  1. These are previous winners of the annual barrel rolling contest that took place in Presque Isle.

Jack Delano LC-USF34-041762 / Library of Congress

  1. Hard at work. This is a tractor-drawn potato digger in a field near Caribou.

Jack Delano LC-USF34-041891 / Library of Congress

  1. A typical rural Maine landscape. this one was off U.S. 1 near Van Buren.

Jack Delano LC-USF34-042020 / Library of Congress

  1. Waiting for pressure to build up in hoses during a firemen’s muster in Boothbay.

Herbert Mayer LC-USF34-015845 / Library of Congress

If you’re interested in seeing more vintage photos of Maine, check out what our state looked like 100 years ago!

Herbert Mayer LC-USF34-015842 / Library of Congress

Marion Post Wolcott LC-USF34-053415 / Library of Congress

Jack Delano LC-USF34-041845 / Library of Congress

Jack Delano LC-USF33-020675 / Library of Congress

Jack Delano LC-USF33-020682 / Library of Congress

Jack Delano LC-USF347-041764-D / Library of Congress

Jack Delano LC-USF34-041762 / Library of Congress

Jack Delano LC-USF34-041891 / Library of Congress

Jack Delano LC-USF34-042020 / Library of Congress

Herbert Mayer LC-USF34-015845 / Library of Congress

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