What Every Small Town In New York Had In The 1930s. It Was A Simpler Time.

The first partially successful photograph was taken over 200 years ago, a technological step forward we couldn't be more grateful for. It helps us see just how much the times have changed. Looking through old photos of New York is always interesting to see, it takes you on a trip back to a time when things were much simpler. Get your daily dose of nostalgia with these mind-blowing photos showing life in the 1930s in New York.

1. A Main Street

Taken in the town of Middletown in Orange County, this shot from 1939 gives you a peek at how New York's small towns were centered around this strip of road.

2. A General Store

Something that's usually now considered a bit of a hidden gem, General Stores used to be in every small New York town. Pictured here, you can see the old Sterlingville general store that was once up in Jefferson County in the late 1930s.

3. A Park To Explore

It was during this time in history when more and more of New York State's parks began to become developed. While many know Watkins Glen as being one of our most stunning state parks, many may not realize that this land has been managed by New York since 1924. Also, make sure to take notice of the outfits in this photo!

4. Milk Service

Before New Yorkers were busy running to the local grocery store for milk, they were having their delicious dairy delivered right to their homes! Captured in 1939, you can see a family's milk delivery by the side of the road somewhere out in Orange County.

5. A One-Room Schoolhouse

To imagine elementary schools as anything other than considerable-sized buildings with hallways full of classrooms is a hard idea for some of us. Historic photos of New York like this one from 1939, remind us that one-room schoolhouses like this were in every small New York town.

6. And Desks That Looked Like These

Children's school desks now come in a more simplistic design, where they're lightweight and easy to pick up and move around a classroom. But back in the 1930s, it took a bit more craft to create these heavy desks like the ones you see here captured in 1937 in Albany County.

7. A Barn

Nowadays, barns can often feel few and far between, with businesses and neighborhood developments being built up everywhere. But back in 1937 in Otsego County, you could find charming little barns like this on almost every road you traveled along.

8. A Local Train Station

Something that you also don't see as much nowadays, train stations were once always a quick ride or walk away from where you lived. Here you can see an old railroad station out in Cooperstown from 1937. Sadly, it seems that closing down New York's railways has become a more popular decision to be made in modern days.

9. A County Fair

Small-town fun is something New Yorkers have been enjoying for ages! Here you can see a shot of a local flyer for the Cortland County Fair from 1939.

10. A Laundry Room That Looked Like this

The days of scrubbing our clothes clean in a barrel may seem like they're far behind us, but it wasn't until the 1950s that automatic washing machines became popular and entered the American household. Pictured in this shot from 1936, you can see what laundry rooms once looked like in Albany County.

11. Dirt Roads

Not all of New York's roads were paved during the 1930s. In this shot from Otsego County, you can see what it was like in the 1930s in New York as a family walked their cows down a dirt road during September of 1937.

Looking at the oldest photos in New York, it's always interesting to see how much our state has transformed over the years. Life in the 1930s in New York was certainly different than it is now.

To immerse yourself in more state pride, check out Wear Your Roots. Then, for fun, see if you can pronounce these 16 words - it might just tell you if you are a true New Yorker.

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/new-york/hard-to-pronounce-ny/