These images are part of a series made by Arthur Rothstein, likely for use in a feature that was published later in 1938 in Progressive Farmer magazine. Along with Chester Foster’s family, the McDuffie family was the best-documented of the entire project.
Arthur Rothstein/Library of Congress (May 1938)
In a previous post I discussed the popularity of baseball at Irwinville Farms. This group of photographs represents a cache of lesser-known images, outtakes that weren’t chosen or approved for publication for one reason or another. I think they are as interesting as the better-known images. Identifications of players or people are welcome.
Chester Foster batting. (Above)
George Clements is seen in the background above, and batting, below. Thanks to Pam Bishop Johnson for the identification.
John Vachon/May 1938 (Library of Congress)
This gentleman is not identified but is thought to have been photographed in the earliest days of the Irwinville Farms Project.
Arthur Rothstein/Library of Congress (August 1935)
Filed under FSA Photographer Arthur Rothstein, Irwinville People
John Vachon/Library of Congress (May 1938)
This is a wonderful tribute to the Irwinville Farms Project! Erin O’Quinn expertly blends archival photographs with the anthem of the Great Depression, Happy Days are Here Again, to set the context and has a great interview with Irwinville Farms resident Edward McIntyre.
In her book about Irwinville Farms, Joy Wilson McDaniel identifies these twins as Ruby Deen & Francine Thomas. It’s one of my favorite photos from Irwinville.
It looks like the children of Irwinville had as much fun as the adults.
These are cataloged as “unidentified” within the Library of Congress Irwinville collection, but since they virtually match other shots from the May Day Picnic of 1939, the assumption of archivists is that they were made the same day.
Marion Post Wolcott/Library of Congress (Spring 1939)
This was among the most common styles of housing in South Georgia prior to the Great Depression; many structures of this style remain today in various stages of modification. Thanks to Gary McDaniel for identifying this as his grandparents’ home. It was archived as a typical home of an Irwinville Farms client before resettlement. The young boy on the front porch, barely visible on the right, is his uncle, Bill Wilson. Gary’s mother, Joy Wilson McDaniel, is an Irwinville native and the author of the wonderful history: Irwinville Farms Project: The Making of a Community.
Arthur Rothstein/Library of Congress (September 1935)
Here’s a link to the photograph of Bill Wilson:
While men were out tending the fields, women often kept a small produce garden. Here, a client inspects her bountiful work with a home demonstration agent.
The photo below is a proof of sorts. I don’t know why they were hole-punched, but quite a few I’ve found recently have this defect. It’s possible that they were rejected by the Washington office and deemed not publishable, for whatever reason, but I really have no idea. It could be that the photographers and/or subjects just didn’t like them for some reason.
John Vachon/Library of Congress (May 1938?)
I don’t have an identification for these gentlemen, but the wagon was sold by I. C. Touchstone of Tifton.
John Vachon/Library of Congress (May 1938)
John Vachon/Library of Congress (May 1938)
I first thought this was Glendyon Foster but thanks to Joy Wilson McDaniel I now know it was his brother, Leonard. There may be other photos where I’ve incorrectly identified Leonard as Glendyon. If so, let me know! He and his family were well-documented by John Vachon during the course of the project. I have another photo from the same day, which is slightly damaged, but I will add it to the post when I’ve finished editing it. How about those No. 3 washtubs? I loved playing in my great-grandmother’s when I was a boy!
Filed under FSA Photographer John Vachon, Irwinville People
