Fascinating Food Images From Depression-Era America

By Food & Wine

Updated October 08, 2015

Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [LC-USF33-012795-M5]

When thinking about the Great Depression, the images we conjure are likely stark, Dust Bowl conditions and people waiting in lines for government cheese. In the late 1930s, after many aspects of the first New Deal had been repealed in the courts, President Roosevelt commissioned photographers to take pictures of just such devastation. Tasked with capturing the wide-sweeping hardships across the country, the Farm Security Administration amassed over 170,000 photographs of Americans living their daily lives. The purpose was to bolster support for government programs to aid families and relocate struggling farmers.While they likely picked and chose the most desperate imagery, despair was certainly not the only thing that was documented. Thanks to Yale University's Photogrammar website, the entire meticulously labeled catalog has been uploaded, tagged and even mapped. Here is just a taste of the fantastic food images in the collection.

Start Slideshow

1 of 13

Dinner's Ready

Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [LC-USF34-004700-D]

The chef at the Rimrock Camp in the central Oregon land development project gets ready to go into action on the dinner gong. Oregon; 1936

2 of 13

Choose Your Pie Wisely

Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [LC-USF33-001957-M1]

Bakery shop at House of David. Benton Harbor, Michigan; 1940

3 of 13

What a Peach

Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [LC-USF33-012331-M1]

Grocery boy leaning on basket of peaches. Muskogee, Oklahoma; 1939

4 of 13

Yes, We're Open

Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [LC-USF33-012499-M3]

Proprietor of small store in market square. Waco, Texas; 1939

5 of 13

An Apple a Day

Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [LC-USF33-030364-M5]

Shopping at grocery store. Lakeland, Florida; 1939

6 of 13

Chicken Dinner

Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [LC-USF34-028385-D]

Mrs. Milton Robinson, wife of FSA (Farm Security Administration) borrower, in the kitchen of her farm home. Greeley, Colorado; 1939

7 of 13

Making Biscuits

Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [LC-USF34-032157-D]

Migrant mother making biscuits in tent home near Mercedes, Texas. 1939

8 of 13

Picking Peas

Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [LC-USF34-035234-D]

Daughter of Pomp Hall, tenant farmer, picking peas for supper. Creek County, Oklahoma; 1940

9 of 13

Whipped Topping

Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [LC-USF34-035334-D]

Putting whipped cream on cake which will be served for refreshments at home demonstration club meeting. McIntosh County, Oklahoma; 1940

10 of 13

Finishing Touches

Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [LC-USF34-080304-E]

Craig Field cooks loading up platters of crisp fried chickens, supplied through the FSA (Farm Security Administration) "Food for Defense" program. Craig Field, Southeastern Air Training Center, Selma, Alabama; 1941

11 of 13

Crisp Carrots

Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [LC-USF34-100278-D]

Buying carrots from a shopping list in the Giant Food shopping center on Wisconsin Avenue. Washington, D.C.; 1942

12 of 13

Sharing a Bite

Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [LC-USF33-012786-M2]

Eating dinner at the all day community sing. Pie Town, New Mexico; 1940

13 of 13

Eat Up!

Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [LC-USF33-012795-M5]

Youngster eating dinner at all day community sing. Pie Town, New Mexico; 1940

Replay gallery

Up Next

By Food & Wine

Your Profile

Fascinating Food Images From Depression-Era America

1 of 13

Dinner's Ready

1 of 13

2 of 13

Choose Your Pie Wisely

2 of 13

3 of 13

What a Peach

3 of 13

4 of 13

Yes, We're Open

4 of 13

5 of 13

An Apple a Day

5 of 13

6 of 13

Chicken Dinner

6 of 13

7 of 13

Making Biscuits

7 of 13

8 of 13

Picking Peas

8 of 13

9 of 13

Whipped Topping

9 of 13

10 of 13

Finishing Touches

10 of 13

11 of 13

Crisp Carrots

11 of 13

12 of 13

Sharing a Bite

12 of 13

13 of 13

Eat Up!

13 of 13

Share the Gallery

Up Next

Share the Gallery

Everything in This Slideshow