Most of the photos on this site were extracted from reference images (high-resolution tiffs, 20 to 200 megabytes in size) from the Library of Congress research archive. (To query the database click here.) Most were digitized by LOC contractors using a Sinar studio back. They are adjusted by your webmaster for contrast and color in Photoshop before being downsized and turned into the jpegs you see here.

March 14, 1940. Washington, D.C. "Veteran Polish weather expert joins staff of Smithsonian Institution. With home, laboratory, and invaluable records of years presumably lost in the recent Polish War, Dr. Henryk Arctowski of the University of Lvov, one of Poland's foremost scientists and former Antarctic explorer, has started at the Smithsonian Institution the monumental job of determining direct effects of changes in the Sun's radiation on weather conditions on Earth. Recognized in all countries as one of the greatest living authorities on world weather, Dr. Arctowski is continuing his studies in efforts to find relationships between solar conditions and rainfall, barometric pressure, etc. His earliest meteorological observation began as a young geologist on the Antarctic exploring ship Belgica in 1897-99." Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size.

August 1942. "As an NYA trainee working inside the nose of a PBY, Elmer J. Pace is learning the construction of Navy planes at Corpus Christi Naval Air Base, Texas." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Howard Hollem. View full size.

October 1943. Washington, D.C. "Boys watching the Woodrow Wilson high school cadets." Photo by Esther Bubley, Office of War Information. View full size.

October 1942. "Two assembly line workers at the Long Beach, California, plant of Douglas Aircraft Company enjoy a well-earned lunch period. Nacelle parts of a heavy bomber form the background." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information. View full size.

February 1942. A.C. Gilbert Company, New Haven, Connecticut. "Conversion. Toy factory. Stephanie Cewe's skill with this electric screwdriver has been turned to the aid of Uncle Sam's war machine. Stephanie used to assemble toy locomotives; today, she uses the same screwdriver to assemble parachute flare casings." Photo by Howard Hollem, Office of War Information. View full size.

October 1942. "A new B-25 bomber is brought for a test hop to the flight line at the Kansas City, Kansas, plant of North American Aviation." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer, Office of War Information. View full size.

January 1943. Washington, D.C., war workers at home. "A radio is company for this girl in her boardinghouse room." Medium-format nitrate negative by Esther Bubley for the Office of War Information. View full size.