Color photos of America in the early 1940s

[Jyqm]

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/boundforglory/glory-exhibit.html

[Richard B]

Amazing how primitive some parts of the country were in 1940. I'll take the big city any day over those Little House On The Prairie landscapes. Ugh.

[Jyqm]

Amazing how primitive some parts of the country were in 1940. I'll take the big city any day over those Little House On The Prairie landscapes. Ugh.

I don't think I'd really have enjoyed living there beyond a couple of days either, but they're beautiful photos, aren't they?

[Richard B]

I don't think I'd really have enjoyed living there beyond a couple of days either, but they're beautiful photos, aren't they?
Yes they are. Some of them quite striking and very thoughtful.

[Serrart]

Beautiful photos, I love that kind of realism in photography. It reminds me Weegee (http://museum.icp.org/museum/collections/special/weegee/) in a way.

Romy

[ragandbone]

Everytime I go to the Library of Congress page or the Smithsonian page, I am happily lost for hours - just like in the real library! I especially love the collections of field recordings.


Thanks for the link.
I like the one of the kids asleep on a bed during a square dance.

[tuigirl]

Fascinating photos! Times back then I'm sure were harder (esp for any African Americans) but geez, a heck of a lot simpler and maybe even less stressful than today..just look at the main street in Cascade...give me a prairie house and an old Ford any day.

[DavidMn]

I liked the one where the family is eating dinner at the tabel, its the one in the top right corner.

[chiliD]

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/boundforglory/images/bg0016.jpg

This looks incredibly like the gas station/market that was a block away from my grandparents' house (circa 1962-70, only the gas pumps were more "modern")...and what is weird is that they lived only about 15 miles east of downtown San Diego (in Spring Valley...which ironically is where the current Heisman Trophy winner, Reggie Bush is from).

Amazing how quickly the "suburbs" grew from what we now consider "megalopolises"; they weren't all that "big city" 40 years ago.

[DavidMn]

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/boundforglory/images/bg0016.jpg

This looks incredibly like the gas station/market that was a block away from my grandparents' house (circa 1962-70)...and what is weird is that they lived only about 15 miles east of downtown San Diego (in Spring Valley...which ironically is where the current Heisman Trophy winner, Reggie Bush is from).

Amazing how quickly the "suburbs" grew from what we now consider "megalopolises"; they weren't all that "big city" 40 years ago.So true. Nostalgia aint all bad.