HOPE IN HARD TIMES
New Deal Photographs of Montana, 1936-1942


In 1931, John Hauge wrote to Governor John Erickson from Paradise, Montana: “I’m taking the liberty of writing you to see if there is anything you can possible [sic] do for the unemployed people of Sanders County. Work is what they want not dole. The world owes no man a living, but it certainly owes all of its people a chance to make a living.”

Montana was hit particularly hard by the Depression, with farmers struggling on barren fields plagued by grasshoppers and crickets, miners struggling through crashes and loss of mines, and families struggling through loss of industry and lack of work. By 1937, 22% of Montanans were out of work, the highest in the county.

From 1933-1939, the federal government created a series of public work projects and relief programs designed to lift the country out of the Depression. As part of this project, photographers Marion Post Wolcott, Arthur Rothstein, Russel Lee, and John Vachon were sent throughout the United States to photograph the changing landscape, both the struggles brought on by the Depression and the hope and recovery brought on by the New Deal’s programs. 

​The FSA photographers did not stop in Jefferson County during their fieldwork. However, the stories these photos tell is not unknown to the residents of Jefferson County. “Hope in Hard Times” gives us a glimpse of history that is otherwise lost to time. We can see Montana’s small towns before paved streets or automobiles. We can see the hard work and determination of Montana’s farmers, ranchers, miners, and families. Most importantly, we can see ourselves in their struggles and their triumphs. 

Special Features
Guest exhibit curated by the Montana Historical Society

More Information
Purchase a copy of Hope in Hard Times from the Montana Historical Society, reserve a copy from your local library, or read online.

The exhibit was also made into a slide presentation for use in classrooms. View it here, or download it here (requires Microsoft Powerpoint)

Montana: Stories of the Land Chapter 18: The Great Depression Transforms Montana, 1929-1941. Reserve a copy from your local library, or read the chapter online.

Watch "Montana Mosaic: 20th-Century People and Events" Chapter 3: The Great Depression (18 minutes)

The Montana Historical Society's resources for educators teaching the Great Depression
Russel Lee - John and Mayree Harshbarger and their family, Sheridan County, November 1937
Russell Lee - Bess Harshbarger, Nine Years Old, Sheridan County, November 1937