It can be difficult to afford living in New Jersey now but during the Great Depression, it was difficult to afford living. Forget renting because buying a home is too expensive, you’d be lucky to find a simple shack. The Depression began in 1929, by 1933, 10% of our state’s population was dependent on Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal.
New Jersey issued begging licenses to the poor and unemployed and the Works Progress Administration was in full force, leading to the development of projects including the Rutgers Stadium in Piscataway, Roosevelt Park in Edison and the expansion of Fort Dix. My grandfather even participated in some of these projects!
- Homes like this were not uncommon. This community, located in Paterson, primarily consisted of textile workers.
Wikipedia/Lewis Hine
- Can you believe this is Newark? These homes are located in a city dump.
Arthur Rothstein/Library Of Congress
- This is a more urban area of Newark, with the skyline in the distance.
Arthur Rothstein/Library of Congress
- Jersey City’s skyline has changed a bit since the 1930s.
Arthur Rothstein/Library of Congress
- Factories were abundant in Camden.
Arthur Rothstein/Library of Congress
- But so were farms.
Arthur Rothstein/Library of Congress
- Atlantic City was very different but just as impressive. Pictured is the Traymore Hotel.
Wikipedia/Public Domain
- This quaint home in Bivalve serves as a US Customs Center.
Arthur Rothstein/Library of Congress
- And this larger home might sleep dozens. It’s a boarding house in Freehold.
Arthur Rothstein/Library of Congress
- New Brunswick seems to be faring well in 1936 but this one photo doesn’t paint the entire picture.
Carl Mydans/Library of Congress
For a better understanding of life in New Jersey during the Great Depression, here are some facts and figures. Our state’s per capita income fell from $839 in 1929 to $433 in 1933 and over 140 banks closed between 1928 and 1933. Also in 1933, over 100,000 New Jersey families faced eviction.
Wikipedia/Lewis Hine
Arthur Rothstein/Library Of Congress
Arthur Rothstein/Library of Congress
Wikipedia/Public Domain
Carl Mydans/Library of Congress
I can’t imagine how difficult life must have been but the Garden State persevered. My grandmother worked as a seamstress and managed to support her 10 siblings. Do you have a Great Depression story? Please share! For photos of more recent times, check out these photos from the 1970s. Yes, we were in the middle of the Cold War but it wasn’t all bad…the iconic Stone Pony opened in 1974.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
