"Mrs Hale and her oldest son in front of their home near Black River Falls, Wisconsin. This farm house was built with a total expenditure of three dollars in money"
The inscription and photo above is from the Library of Congress collection and was recorded by Lee Russell, a Federal Works employee during 1937. This was at the height of the Great Depression.
The depression lasted from 1929 through the early 1940s. Its devastating effects on the economy peaked in 1935 -- unemployment reached 25% at that time. There was also a record numbers of defaults on loans.
Mrs Hale could have been a victim of the depression? I imagine her and her family reacting to this financial plight with a "make do," mentality. Perhaps this house was the result.
Old photographic images can conjure up stories of folkways or material culture. Mrs Hale and maybe with her son built this three dollar house -- perhaps built it so cheaply because of their predicament during the depression? Perhaps not, perhaps so?
What kind of photos will we have in our future of the current housing crisis?
Today and then -- Deja vu.
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Sunday Simplicities is about -- my outlook on life. Now in retirement I am observing new horizons -- opportunities have surfaced. Economies have changed as well as my perspective on what is truly important in my simple life. Stay tuned.
