There’s no doubt, in many ways life in South Carolina in the 1930s was a much simpler time than life now 80+ years later. The farming towns, lumber towns and the mill towns each had their own characteristics, but they also had certain things in common. Take a look at what every small town in South Carolina had in the 1930s.

1. A fruit stand and...
Library of Congress LC-USF342-T01-008098/Walker Evans
2. ...even a mercantile store, if they were lucky.
Library of Congress LC-USF34-015763/Cox
3. Tenant farms were plentiful in the 1930s as the economy rebounded from the Great Depression.
Library of Congress LC-USF34-006811/Carl Mydans
4. Most people in small towns raised their own animals as a resource for feeding the family.
Library of Congress LC-USF34-043613/Jack Delano
Library of Congress LC-USF34-050641/Marion Post Wolcott
5. Most small towns had at least a small schoolhouse. This one at Camp Croft was rather large.
library of Congress LC-USF34-050548/Marion Post Wolcott
6. Advertising on the side of barns and other buildings. It seems no matter where you lived, in a big city or small town, you still needed to buy certain things.
Library of Congress LC-USF34-050583/Marion Post Wolcott

Related Stories

The Original Gullah Festival In South Carolina Is A Cultural Event You Won't Want To Miss

The Original Gullah Festival In South Carolina Is A Cultural Event You Won't Want To Miss

 It's An Epic Airborne Adventure Flying Vintage WWII Aircrafts In South Carolina

It's An Epic Airborne Adventure Flying Vintage WWII Aircrafts In South Carolina

 The Breathtaking Scenic Drive In South Carolina That Runs Parallel To The Ashley River

The Breathtaking Scenic Drive In South Carolina That Runs Parallel To The Ashley River
7. Big fancy homes where the wealthier families lived.
Library of Congress LC-USF34-050602/Marion Post Wolcott
8. ...and the homes where everyone else lived.
Library of Congress LC-USF34-050605/Marion Post Wolcott
9. A church.
Library of Congress LC-USF34-050458/Marion Post Wolcott
10. Most small towns set aside a place at or near the church to bury deceased loved ones.
Library of Congress LC-USF34-050640/Marion Post Wolcott
11. A post office was an integral part of the community in the 1930s. Sometimes they were located inside the mercantile/general store.
Library of Congress LC-USF34-050755/Marion Post Wolcott
12. Outhouses.
Library of Congress LC-USF34-051928/Marion Post Wolcott
13. A simple dirt road leading in and out of town.
Library of Congress LC-USF34-051911/Marion Post Wolcott

If you’d like to see more of South Carolina in the 1930s, then take a look at these 21 Rare Photos Taken In South Carolina During The Great Depression.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Related Articles