These 15 Houses In Arizona From The 1930s and 1940s Will Open Your Eyes To A Different Time
By Monica Spencer|Published December 22, 2015
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Monica Spencer
Author
Monica is a Diné (Navajo) freelance writer and photographer based in the Southwest. Born in Gallup and raised in Phoenix, she is Tódich'ii'nii (Bitter Water People) and Tsi'naajinii (Black Streak Wood People). Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. You can reach her at monica.d.spencer@gmail.com.
A person’s home can say a lot about them and their life. If a stranger were to look around your home, inside and out, what would they have to say about you? Here’s a look at a few Arizona homes from 75 or so years ago. Let’s see what their residences reveal about their lives.
1. These old shacks sat on the outskirts of Tombstone in 1940. I wonder how long they stood there?
3. On the other hand, some were disheveled homes awkwardly pieced together. These ones were found in Casa Grande in May 1937 and were housing for cotton field laborers.
7. Here's another look at one of the metal agricultural shelters in Agua Fria along with the resident planting flowers outside. The photographer noted that migrant workers could stay 364 days (and not a day longer) but were allowed to make small improvements like this.
9. Described as the home of a tenant purchase client, this shows one of the ways in which residents cooled their homes in the middle of summer in Maricopa County.
This woman, perhaps the home's resident, is prepping her chiles so she can dry and sell them. The photographer noted the chiles were this woman's main cash crop.
Seems luxurious compared to how other homes looked.
What differences do you notice between how people live today and how they lived nearly a century ago? Do you have any stories about how your family lived during this time period? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section.
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