What Every Small Town In Mississippi Had In The 1930s. It Was A Simpler Time.
By Daniella DiRienzo|Published January 23, 2016
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Daniella DiRienzo
Author
Though Daniella was born in New York and has lived in a couple of other states, Mississippi has been her home for more than 30 years. After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, Daniella began to hone her writing skills through various internships. In the years since, she’s had the privilege of having her articles appear in several publications, such as the Mississippi-based Parents & Kids Magazine. She’s also had the honor of interviewing actress Sela Ward for The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience.
In the throes of the Great Depression, life in small town Mississippi was very different during the 1930s. Residents were merely trying to get by and the bare minimum became the norm; however, despite the country’s financial issues, life had to go on. These 15 vintage photos will give you a glimpse into what life was like in a typical Mississippi town during one of the nation’s most trying times.
1. No small Mississippi town would be complete without a church. This particular one was photographed in Cruger in 1938.
5. During the 1930s, several factories were opened in Mississippi as cities began to focus on economic development. This particular factory was located in Terry.
7. Although less common with the onset of the Great Depression, blacksmith shops, such as this one on a Sunflower plantation, could still be found in some towns.
8. Farmers often shopped for supplies at plantation stores, just like this one in Clarksdale. Many times, farmers would purchase items with credit and repay their debt with the crops they yielded.
9. Acres upon acres of crops, especially cotton, could be found pretty much anywhere in the state. The farm shown was photographed in Coahoma County in the summer of 1937.
10. Even with the hard times the decade brought, theaters were popular during the 1930s. The Leland theater in this picture was photographed in June of 1937.
14. Even with thousands of banks closing nationally during the course of the Great Depression, they were still pretty common sights. This Tchula bank was photographed in 1939.
15. In order to provide for the residents that did own vehicles, many towns were equipped with gas stations. Taken in 1939, this Sinclair station was located in Jackson.
What’d you think of these photos? Have your own story about life in Mississippi during this time period? We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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