September 1938. "Mother, wife and child of unemployed coal miner. Marine, West Virginia." View full size. 35mm negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the FSA.
Submitted by RV Droz on Thu, 05/29/2008 - 11:33am.
There's not much of a place there on Google maps or Live Search, just WV Highway 7. Mohegan is nearby and still on most maps. Welch is the nearest community of any size.
Submitted by RV Droz on Wed, 05/28/2008 - 11:06am.
Similar shacks are seen in many pictures of the era, precursors to today's mobile homes. Perhaps this one was a trailer not too long ago. Holes in the walls behind Grandma inside the trailer lend additional credence to the hard times. However, no one here looks like they are starving, especially the baby. One more sign of wealth - notice the baby is wearing shoes, which would have been a luxury 20 years before.
[This is not a trailer-shack but a largish two-story house. Marine was described by the photographer as "Abandoned mining community. Almost everyone on relief." - Dave]
Either that's a really big RV, or they stuck an old license plate on the wall there, or what's left of the wall. Looks like they tear off the siding for firewood, or to make shingles to eat off of, or chew toys for the baby.
Ma likes to flaunt her cleavage, or just likes to be ready for feeding time.
These women look totally worn out, but the child looks fit. I hope their life improved. The husband probably went back to work as the war came closer and defense industries needed the coal.
