17 Rare Photos Of Colorado During The Great Depression

The holiday season is a wonderful time to enjoy family and count your blessings. Don’t you agree? It may not always seem like it, but 2015 is a good time to be living in Colorado with its ample job opportunities, traditions and overall beauty. However, this hasn’t always been the case… In fact, Colorado has seen its fair share of tough times, as shown by these 17 stunning photos taken during the Great Depression:

1. “Child labor in the onion field, Delta County.” (1939)

Yale/Arthur Rothstein

2. “One of the four outhouses which serve fifty people. Great Western Sugar Company’s beet sugar workers’ colony at Hudson, Colorado.” (1938)

Yale/Jack Allison

3. “The mother said ‘I keep her dressed nice every day, because she is the only girl I’ve got.’ Great Western Sugar Company’s beet sugar workers’ colony at Hudson, Colorado.” (1938)

Yale/Jack Allison

4. “Marking sheep for fur. Stockyards, Denver, Colorado.” (1939)

Yale/Arthur Rothstein

5. “Sugar beet lifter. Adams County, Colorado.” (1939)

Yale/Arthur Rothstein

6. “Conveyors used for storing bags of sugar. Brighton, Colorado.” (1939)

Yale/Arthur Rothstein

7. “Mrs. Ernest W. Kirk Jr., wife of successful client, with her daughter on farm near Ordway, Colorado.” (1939)

Yale/Russell Lee

8. “Free lunch at farmers field day, U.S. Dry Land Experiment Station, Akron, Colorado.” (1938)

Yale/Arthur Rothstein

9. “High school band welcomes officials arriving for farmers’ field day, Akron, Colorado.” (1939)

Yale/Arthur Rothstein

10. “Dust storm. Baca County, Colorado.” (1936)

Yale/D. L. Kernodle

11. “Mr. Bosley of Baca County, Colorado.” (1939)

Yale/Russell Lee

12. “Prowers County, Colorado. Dust storm.” (1935)

Yale/Unknown

13. “Berthoud Pass.” (c. 1930s)

History Colorado/2014.33.24

14. “Carousel at Elitch Gardens.” (c. 1930s)

History Colorado/DFA.PROP.377

15. “Living quarters of Mexicans at La Junta, Colorado.” (1939)

Yale/Russell Lee

16. “A little water for a thirsty land. Drought committee inspects artesian well irrigation project. Baca County, Colorado.” (1936)

Yale/Arthur Rothstein

17. “John Adams, FSA (Farm Security Administration) borrower, harvesting apples. Fremont County, Colorado.” (1939)

Yale/Arthur Rothstein

These photos certainly put things into perspective. Did you live through Colorado’s Great Depression? What do you remember? Let us know in the comments.

Yale/Arthur Rothstein

Yale/Jack Allison

Yale/Russell Lee

Yale/D. L. Kernodle

Yale/Unknown

History Colorado/2014.33.24

History Colorado/DFA.PROP.377

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