Black of an auction at Figura farm, Burnsville, 1938.

Auction at Figura farm, Burnsville

Auction at Figura farm, Burnsville, 1938.

Black and white photograph of farmers who braved the picket lines to reach the Minneapolis city produce market during the truckers' strike, 1934. Photograph by the Minneapolis Tribune.

Farmers at Minneapolis produce market during the truckers' strike

Farmers who braved the picket lines to reach the Minneapolis city produce market during the truckers' strike, 1934. Photograph by the Minneapolis Tribune.

Black and white photograph of drought farmers working on a farm to market road in Foster Township, south of Beardsley in Big Stone County, 1936.

Drought farmers working on a farm to market road

Drought farmers working on a farm to market road in Foster Township, south of Beardsley in Big Stone County, 1936.

Black and white photograph of a Federal Emergency Relief Administration farm to market road construction project near Alexandria, 1936.

Farm to market road construction

Federal Emergency Relief Administration farm to market road construction project near Alexandria, 1936.

Black and white photograph of workers on State Emergency Relief Administration (SERA) farm near Duluth, Lake County, 1935.

Workers on State Emergency Relief Administration

Workers on State Emergency Relief Administration (SERA) farm near Duluth, Lake County, 1935.

Black and white photograph of a starving farm family who appealed for aid, Hollandale, Freeborn County, 1929.

Farm family that applied for aid

Starving farm family that appealed for aid during an agricultural depression, Hollandale, Freeborn County, 1929.

Agricultural Depression, 1920–1934

Minnesota farmers enjoyed a period of prosperity in the 1910s that continued through World War I. Encouraged by the US government to increase production, they took out loans to buy more land and invest in new equipment. As war-torn countries recovered, however, the demand for US exports fell, and land values and prices for commodities dropped. Farmers found it hard to repay their loans—a situation worsened by the Great Depression and the drought years that followed.

Color image of Lake Wilson with grain elevator in background, 2016.

Lake Wilson

Lake Wilson with grain elevator in background, 2016.

Color image of a grain elevator in Dovray, 2016.

Grain elevator in Dovray

Grain elevator in Dovray, 2016.

Black and white photograph of Jacob DeMong Farm, Murray County, ca. 1910.

Jacob DeMong Farm, Murray County

Jacob DeMong Farm, Murray County, ca. 1910.

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