Knox County, Kentucky, 1940
In 1940 the photographer Marion Post Wolcott photographed Barbourville and the coal camps in Knox County, Kentucky, for the Farm Security Administration. These are 12 of those negatives, with the captions she wrote for them.
The negatives are federal works. They are in the public domain, they are held by the Prints and Photographs Division of the Library of Congress, and anyone may reproduce them. Each caption below is hers, transcribed in full — including the parts a video has no room for.
Dutton ("Dut") Calleb and his family with their homemade hoes on the porch of their home. Southern Appalachian Project near Barbourville, Knox County, Kentucky
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, 1940. Library of Congress record.
Two of Dutton ("Dut") Calleb's children on the back of a mule. Southern Appalachian Project near Barbourville, Knox County, Kentucky
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, 1940. Library of Congress record.
Noah Garland sitting on the steps of his son's home, Southern Appalachian Project, near Barbourville, Knox County, Kentucky
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, 1940. Library of Congress record.
Mr. and Mrs. S. Castle or Mr. and Mrs. William S. Allen standing before their new storage house. Southern Appalachian Project, near Barbourville, Knox County, Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. S.W. Castle, in front of his new storage house her husband built on their farm, with FSA (Farm Security Administration) help. Southern Appalachian Project, near Barbourville, Knox County, Kentucky
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, 1940. Library of Congress record.
FSA (Farm Security Administration) borrower's children returning home on muleback with a sack of meal. Knox County, Kentucky
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, 1940. Library of Congress record.
Josh Calahan's wife with some of her canned goods in the cellar of their new home. Southern Appalachian Project near Barbourville, Knox County, Kentucky
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, 1940. Library of Congress record.
Part of the canned goods and home grown vegetables in the new storage house of Mr. and Mrs. William S. Allen. Southern Appalachian Project near Barbourville, Knox County, Kentucky
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, 1940. Library of Congress record.
Mule carrying sack of meal in front of country store, Knox County, Kentucky
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, 1940. Library of Congress record.
Homes of Noah Garland's son and a neighboring FSA (Farm Security Administration) borrower along the creek. Near Barbourville, Knox County, Kentucky. Southern Appalachian Project
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, 1940. Library of Congress record.
John Patterson and S.H. Castle inside Mr. Castle's store and post office. Southern Appalachian Project, Knox County, near Barbourville, Kentucky
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, 1940. Library of Congress record.
New general store, Knox County, Kentucky
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, 1940. Library of Congress record.
Dr. R.B. Fulks, county health officer, John E. Hale, contractor and builder of sanitary units, and B.H. Pitt, inspector of sanitary units, making a sanitation inspection on the farm of Hobert Hammons, FSA (Farm Security Administration) borrower. Southern Appalachian Project, near Barbourville, Knox County, Kentucky
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, 1940. Library of Congress record.