These stunning photos taken by the United States Farm Security Administration and Office of War Information (FSA-OWI) give us a glimpse of an interesting time in Florida's history. With the nation still recovering from the Great Depression and entering the Second World War, it may have been a simpler time, but it surely wasn't an easier time. The captions and dates have been provided below the photographs.
Soldiers on street corner in Starke, Florida. December 1940.
De Land. The La Roe family of Eustis, Florida, after a day's work for the De Land industrial pool. Left is Mrs. La Roe with her two-year-old granddaughter, next is four-year-old Eugene, Clarence La Roe's son, and Mr. La Roe. March 1942.
Lido Beach casino. Sarasota, Florida. January 1941.
Agricultural day laborers cultivating celery near Sarasota, Florida. January 1941.
Guests of Sarasota trailer park, Sarasota, Florida, enjoying the sun and sea breeze at the beach. January 1941.
De Land industrial pool. La Roe shop. Fifty-three-year-old Earl La Roe, commander-in-chief of the La Roe family war production army at Eustis, Florida, used to be an automobile mechanic. He came from Akron, Ohio in 1920. He is drilling a much needed gear for the De Land community pool's million-dollar war contract. Eight machines work at full speed in his three-car-garage; all of them operated by his wife, sister, both grandmothers, his son, and one helper. March 1942.
Agricultural and packing house workers' children playing outside of twenty-four hour a day nursery at Osceola migratory labor camp. Belle Glade, Florida. February 1941.
Truckloads of celery arriving at packing house. Belle Glade, Florida. January 1941.
Juke joint and bar in the Belle Glade area, vegetable section of south central Florida. February 1941.
Guest of Sarasota trailer park, Sarasota, Florida, with his family, picnicking at the beach. January 1941.
Amish farmers from Pennsylvania observing farming methods near Sarasota, Florida. January 1941.
Guests of Sarasota trailer park, Sarasota, Florida, at the beach. January 1941.
Escambia Farms, Okaloosa, Florida. Boiling wash water on the McLelland farm. June 1942.
De Land industrial pool. Aircraft construction class. Clyde Williams, instructor in the Daytona Beach, Florida Vocational School, guides the hands of Marie Myers in the first steps of becoming an aircraft welder. Marie was a high school student taking a business course, when she gave it up for defense training entitling her to a high school diploma. She has two brothers in the Army. April 1942.
Guests at Sarasota trailer park. Sarasota, Florida. January 1941.
Juke joint and bar in the Belle Glade area, vegetable section of south central Florida. February 1941.
Playing in the playground in Sarasota trailer park. Sarasota, Florida. January 1941.
De Land pool. Moving circus. War production in Florida cost these circus animals their winter home for the duration. They are shown as the Johnny J. Jones show vacated its winter quarters at the Volusia County fairgrounds to make room for subcontractors in the De Land pool, who turned the fairgrounds' buildings into a large war production plant. April 1942.
Agricultural workers' children outside the twenty-four hour a day nursery at Osceola migratory labor camp. Belle Glade, Florida. February 1941.
Shuffleboard enthusiasts. Sarasota trailer park, Sarasota, Florida. January 1941.
Guests of Sarasota trailer park, Sarasota, Florida, picnicking at the beach. January 1941.
Construction workers drinking beer in Soldier's Joy Cafe near Camp Blanding, Starke, Florida. December 1940.
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