Washington has had a fascinating history, particularly during the Great Depression from 1929-39 and into the early ’40s. While it can definitely be interesting to read about, these 18 rare photos from that time will really give you a feel for what life was like in the Northwest back in the day:
- Here’s the Grand Coulee Dam around the time it was built in 1941. It was actually constructed during the Great Depression era to help employment, since it would create as many as 100,000 new jobs.
Yale / Photographer Unknown
- A charming old shot of Main Street in Elma, circa August 1939.
Yale / Dorothea Lange
- Here was a farm worker in 1939 northeast of Elma, providing hand irrigation.
Yale / Dorothea Lange
- This was one of the largest sawmills in the world! Taken in Longview around July 1936.
Arthur Rothstein / Yale
- If you look really closely, you can see a man coming home from a long day’s work at the sawmill in 1939.
Arthur Rothstein
- A classic Seattle street scene during the Great Depression period.
Evan Thomas / Yale
- This was taken on a street in Buena, an area in the Yakima Valley, around August 1939.
Dorothea Lange / Yale
- Here’s a unique perspective of a farmer pulling through his wheat fields in Walla Walla, with mules leading the way.
Russell Lee / Yale
- The highway sign at Colfax in Whitman County.
Russell Lee / Yale
- Harvesting pears at the Pleasant Hill Orchards in August 1939.
Dorothea Lange / Yale
- Leaving the town of Tenino on U.S. 99, circa 1939.
Dorothea Lange / Yale
- Boeing workers constructing the B-17F, also known as the Flying Fortess, a well-known bombing plane.
Andreas Feininger / Yale
- Women working at the Seattle plant on a new B-17.
Andreas Feininger / Yale
- If you were thirsty for an ice cold pop in the summer of 1939, you could hit up this small crossroads store near Yakima.
Dorothea Lange / Yale
- Working on the farm near Bickleton in 1936.
Arthur Rothstein / Yale
- Here was a typical neighborhood street in the Longview area back in 1939. Rent was only $25 a month!
Dorothea Lange / Yale
- A fisherman on the banks of the Columbia River in 1941.
Russell Lee / Yale
- Aw Come On Inn was a cafe located on U.S. 99 by Centralia - taken in 1939.
Dorothea Lange / Yale
Aren’t these vintage photos of our state amazing?? Which one was your favorite?
Yale / Photographer Unknown
Yale / Dorothea Lange
Arthur Rothstein / Yale
Arthur Rothstein
Evan Thomas / Yale
Dorothea Lange / Yale
Russell Lee / Yale
Dorothea Lange / Yale
Andreas Feininger / Yale
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