October 1939. "Western Pacific line runs through unclaimed desert of northern Oregon. Ten miles from railroad station at Irrigon. Morrow County, Oregon." Photo by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.

October 1939. Gem County, Idaho. "Member of Ola self help sawmill co-op lives in what was once the 'Jackknife Saloon.' This type building is characteristic of early Idaho. The stagecoach used to stop here to change horses and for the refreshment of travelers. This was discontinued in 1914." Medium format nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.

February 1937. "Abandoned house on the Withlacoochee Land Use Project, Florida." Medium format nitrate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.

Philadelphia circa 1904. "City Hall clock tower from South Broad Street." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size.

The Mississippi River circa 1905. "Union Depot and steamboat landing at foot of Jackson Street, St. Paul, Minnesota." Starring the sidewheeler Hiawatha. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size.

Circa 1898. "Armored cruiser U.S.S. Brooklyn, stern view." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size.

From Columbus, Georgia, or vicinity circa 1959 comes this uncaptioned shot of a guy and his guns, all ready for a well-regulated sleepover. 4x5 inch acetate negative from the Shorpy News Photo Archive. View full size.

May 1938. "Southeast Missouri Farms. Son of sharecropper washing hands." Our title for this photo comes from the things in this photo. Medium format negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.