This first issue of 2024 features articles which begin an extended series on the 1930s, the Great Depression and the “Dirty Thirties” (Dust Bowl):

● The Dirty Thirties: The Big Myth: Rain Follows the Plow - It goes without saying that the 1930s were some of the most challenging and difficult years America has ever experienced. Not only was the nation’s economy in tatters and its populace in widespread despair after the bottom dropped out of the red-hot speculative era of the 1920s, but a large swathe of land known as the “Dust Bowl” suffered through years of drought and winds which devastated the landscape which had not-so-long-ago been vast wheat lands full of grain, commanding the best prices in the world.

● Mining Genealogical Gold: Finding Records of the Nineteen Thirties (and the stories behind them) - Because the 1930s are remembered as the Great Depression, there are a number of records which will assist you in researching your ancestors: the 1930 census and various New Deal records. Part 1 covers the 1930 census and the New Deal program known as the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), the first work relief program created by Franklin Roosevelt upon taking office in 1932.

● The Dash: S.A. Applin (1895-1932) - This is a poignant story of a hard-working and loving mother who was fondly remembered by her family. During the 1930s numerous articles pointed to an epidemic of botulism. Sadie Applin fell victim to this horrible illness after tasting some home-canned corn. The article also discusses incidences of botulism which made headlines in the early 1930s.

Enjoy the issue! The next issue will continue the theme with lots more stories, including how to find more records from the era, how Americans dealt with the financial hardships, and for those living on the Great Plains, the devastating Dust Bowl.