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Nebraska History

16 Rare Photos Taken In Nebraska During The Great Depression

By Christi | Published December 15, 2015

The Great Depression left deep and lasting scars upon the people of Nebraska, especially the farming families who were forced to leave their homesteads in search of a living. The droughts and locusts left the land barren and infertile, causing much of Nebraskan agriculture to cease. Here are some heart-wrenching photographs taken in Nebraska during the Great Depression.

1. Farmers were forced to auction off their possessions due to drought rendering their homesteads barren.

2. Workers cut fence posts in Pine Ridge.

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3. A drought committee inspects a dam in Chadron.

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4. A farmer and a child relax for a moment.

5. People doing light shopping in Lincoln on a Saturday afternoon.

6. Farmers in Lincoln load a truck with their beet crop.

7. A women looks thoughtful on her homestead in Lincoln.

8. A house built entirely of bales of hay in Lexington.

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9. A man in Omaha is unable to find employment.

10. This pencil salesman in Omaha is also a war veteran.

11. This truck in Omaha is carrying a poster for a film.

12. A blind man loiters in downtown Omaha.

13. A girl carries her father's lunch pail in Omaha.

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14. Farmers bid at an auction in Hastings.

15. Workers erect a snow fence in York County.

16. Horses take a drink in Scottsbluff.

Wow. Do you have a family legacy from this era? Share your story below.

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