Posted in Pennsylvania History January 15, 2016 by Christi

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

The Great Depression struck America like a sack of bricks during the 1930s, and caused many people to drastically alter their ways of life. Of course, housing is a huge part of this, which is why in Pennsylvania during this time, tenements were common and people often lived in crowded conditions. Many people were able to sustain lifestyles that appeared unaffected by the depression, though. Check out these photographs of houses in Pennsylvania from the 1930s; they are sourced from Yale and the Library of Congress.

1. These row houses in Bethlehem don't look too different from what you might see today, even though this photograph was taken in 1935.

2. You can tell from these ladies' dress, though, that this photograph was taken decades ago. They talk outside their house in Shenandoah in 1938.

3. This ramshackle shed and the house in the background stood in Nanty Glow, PA.

4. Some housemates hang out in their bedroom, 1938. This house at Kings Farm in Morrisville was occupied by nearly 40 people.

5. A girl pours coffee in the kitchen of the same crowded house from the previous photo.

6. This gorgeous Victorian house in Easton looks like something out of Hansel and Gretel. This picture was taken in 1935 by Walker Evans.

7. At the opposite end of the social spectrum, many families lived in tenements such as this one in Midland, 1938.

8. The Royer family eats supper in their kitchen, 1938. The family lived in Lancaster county and ran the Enos Royer farm.

9. This is the Yuengling Mansion as it stood in Pottsville in 1938.

10. These boys are waiting for their fathers to come from work in the mines to pick them up from a party. The house is located in Shenandoah.

11. Some houses in Shenandoah, a coal town, in 1938.

12. This house in Upper Mauch Chunk looks rather austere.

13. Two men stand in the dining room of a house in Gilberton, 1938.

14. Some buckets are arranged to catch rainwater that drops from the ceiling in Beaver Falls.

Do you recognize any of the places in these photographs? Some of them make me grateful for the comfortable living conditions I enjoy. Have any Great Depression stories or photographs? Share them below.

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

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