Records from the Great Depression
Cath Madden Trindle
Overview
There is a wealth of records online for finding our ancestors, but for every record found online there are dozens more hiding in the world’s repositories. With the recent release and swift indexing of the 1940 census we have a massive finding aid to the records of the Great Depression.
The agencies of the Great Depression provided jobs, sustenance and encouragement for nearly every family in the United States. Here are just a few samples of what might be found in the records, which are among the collections at the National Archives and Records Administration.
- Report of WPA Activities of the Golden Gate International Exposition., 1940, Records of the Work Projects Administration, 1922 – 1944; Series:Report of WPA Activities of the Golden Gate International Exposition, 1940. This report includes dozens of pictures from WPA and the Exposition.
- Perhaps your family lived in Fontana. You will find a few pictures online from Records of the Farmers Home Administration, 1918 – 1975, General Correspondence (I) to 1943, 1935 – 1943 . What else might be hiding in the boxes.
- Hiding in the records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs you will find the records of the Civilian Conservation Corps Indian Division.
Where was your family living in 1940? Were they employed by the government? Were they on the Dole? Did they receive a home, farm or electrical loan? Did they receive a farm subsidy? Did they buy their first house? Did they leave the city and build bridges and dams?
Watch for more information on the records of the Great Depression and where they might be located, both here on the blog and in the CSGA Newsletter.
For your viewing enjoyment I leave you with the WPA (Works Progress Administration) – 1937
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