14 Houses From The Great Depression Era In Iowa

It’s hard to imagine what life was like in Iowa just a few generations ago. That’s why these rare photographs, released by Yale University and the Library of Congress, are so valuable. We’ve compiled a variety of images of housing from the Depression era of the 1930s-40s. What you’ll see is a mix of old farm houses, homeless shelters, and shacks made of any scrap materials. These powerful shots were a part of a collection put together by order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Policies to capture folks in the midst of economic struggle. Have a look:

1. A mother and child sit together in a crowded bedroom at a house in Clay County. A husband, wife, seven children, and a grandchild all lived together in the house.

2. This photo shows part of "Shantytown" in Spencer.

3. A woman sweeps the steps of her shack in "Shantytown."

4. This photo shows the crowded dormitory of the homeless men's bureau in Sioux City.

5. These children stand in the doorway of their family's shack in Woodbury.

6. A woman and her children stand in the doorway of their home near Smithland, where she and her husband work as tenant farmers.

7. This farmhouse near Anthon may not look like much to us, but during the Depression era, this house would have been above average.

8. This two-room farmhouse near Terril sits on 130 acres, and is rented by a tenant farmer.

9. A young girl from Milford sits on a makeshift bed she shares with her siblings. There are no sheets, pillowcases, or pillows, and the bedding consists of castoff rags and a few old blankets.

10. A man and his family eat dinner together in shack that he built himself. The man worked as a hired hand, and managed to save enough to make a partial payment on seven and a half acres of land near Spencer.

11. Christmas dinner for this family in Smithfield consisted of potatoes, cabbage, and pie.

12. The daughter of a hired hand in Ringgold County sits on a makeshift couch stuffed with blankets and rags.

13. A man and his family lived in this house near Anthon for two years.

14. These homesteaders near Granger were able to start a small farm with the help of the Resettlement Act.

These vintage photos really make us appreciate all the modern conveniences we are so fortunate to enjoy today. Have any Depression-era stories from your own family? Better yet, have any photos? We’d love to see them – feel free to share them with us!

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These 14 Houses In Iowa From The 1930s And 40s Will Open Your Eyes To A Different Time

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These 14 Houses In Iowa From The 1930s And 40s Will Open Your Eyes To A Different Time

Michaela Kendall

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