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Today's Top 5
Young Pete: 1913
Submitted by Dave on Thu, 01/08/2009 - 7:14pm.
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November 1913. Huntsville, Alabama. "Pete Henson, 414 C Street. Mother said he was 12 two months ago, but has been sweeping in the Merrimack Mill for seven months, so he began at 11 years. Brother Edward said to be 13 years, but doubtful. Mother said they had no Family Record here and gave me ages from memory." Photograph and caption by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size.
Sad little boy
Submitted by daniel wright on Fri, 01/21/2011 - 5:42am.
Some of the kids in the child labor photos on this site have a hard and flinty look in their eyes. This one looks like life has already broken him.
Pete and C Street
Submitted by Anonymous Tipster on Sat, 02/21/2009 - 11:56am.
I live in Huntsville. I am going to look for the memory of Pete Henson at 414 C Street.
It is what it is...
Submitted by Older than Yoda on Fri, 01/09/2009 - 3:26pm.
No self-pity, my name is Pete,
If I don't work, then I don't eat.
Hello, Pete
Submitted by dgorsline on Fri, 01/09/2009 - 2:24pm.
Such haunting eyes. I'm honored to make your acquaintance.
Poor Pete
Submitted by Maharg on Fri, 01/09/2009 - 11:12am.
I remember being so proud at age 13 when I secured a paper route for my hometown weekly. I delivered 100 papers twice a week and considered it hard work. Poor Pete, he knew real work at an early age. No lighthearted fun for him. What a grim life!
Reality check
Submitted by ilduce on Fri, 01/09/2009 - 10:01am.
I am going to stop whining about what I percieve to be my my own financial woes now.
The view from 2009
Submitted by David Bain on Fri, 01/09/2009 - 9:36am.
The sobering thing is that those kids were working to make sure the family ate. Computer games, cars and the latest phone fad were still some way off.
He might be right this time...
Submitted by dpatten on Fri, 01/09/2009 - 9:08am.
Mr. Hine was frequently skeptical about the ages of the kids in his pictures and was frequently wrong about it.
I think he's right to doubt this kid. Even taking into account poor nutrition, etc. The boy only looks about 9 or 10 to me.
Can we really imagine what it means?
Submitted by Wolf from Germany on Fri, 01/09/2009 - 6:00am.
I could cry if I see pitures like this one. Children without childhood. Thanks for all the great photos (watching since more than two years)!
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Shorpy.com | History in HD is a vintage photo blog featuring thousands of high-definition images from the 1850s to 1950s. The site is named after Shorpy Higginbotham, a teenage coal miner who lived 100 years ago.
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Today's Top 5