State Historical Society of Iowa

Dust Bowl Farmer in Cimarron County, Oklahoma, April 1936

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Courtesy of Library of Congress, Rothstein, Arthur, "Dust bowl farmer raising fence to keep it from being buried under drifting sand. Cimarron County, Oklahoma," April 1936

Description

The 1936 photograph by Arthur Rothstein shows a farmer digging out fence posts to keep them from being buried under drifting dirt and sand. There is a young boy on his knees close by and a cow in the background. This photo was taken in Cimarron County, which is located in the westernmost part of Oklahoma and situated in the heart of the Dust Bowl.

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Source Dependent Questions

  • Look closely at the photo. What are the most significant features? How do these features help you understand the Dust Bowl and its impact?
  • How did the Dust Bowl impact the soil in the Great Plains? How did this affect the farmer's ability to grow crops and raise livestock? How would the region's agricultural economy be impacted?
  • Create your own caption for this photo. Justify your creation using evidence from the photo.
  • Use evidence from the photo to make an inference about the degree to which this farmer is committed to enduring the Dust Bowl on his farm. What would it take to reach a breaking point and a decision to abandon it?

Citation Information

Rothstein, Arthur, "Dust bowl farmer raising fence to keep it from being buried under drifting sand. Cimarron County, Oklahoma," April 1936. Courtesy of Library of Congress Courtesy of Library of Congress