While recently surfing the web, I stumbled across the Library of Congress "American Memory" collection of historical photos. After doing dome searching, I have put together a collection of vintage photography of old workshops and in some cases the workers who inhabited them. Most of the photos date back to the 1930's through the 1940's so in most cases they contain pictures of vintage machinery, mostly the type that runs off of flat belts and steam.

Below is a collection of links to related photos. Hope you enjoy.

Ben's Mill - Many of you may already be somewhat familiar with Ben's Mill located in Barnet Center, Caledonia County, VT. My first encounter with Ben's Mill came from The Workshop Book by Scott Landis and published by Taunton Press. Scott wrote up a nice little piece on Ben's Mill in the first part of his book. Also, back in the early 1980's the PBS series NOVA did a special documentary on the mill, which I am fortunate enough to have a copy of. Fortunately the Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record did a special report on this building and in the process took plenty of pictures to document the report. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the collection. This collection of photos includes five photos, showing the wagon wheel making area and the blacksmith shop.

FSA Camp, Robstown, Texas - Back during the Great Depression of the 1930's the US Government set up an organization called the Farm Security Administration (FSA). In rural areas across the country, camps were set up to teach farmers, who had been forced out of farming due to the national crisis, other skills including woodworking. Here are some photos from such a camp located in Robstown, Texas. Photos show people using hand tools and there is a hanging tool box in the back ground full of hand tools. Includes two photos.

FSA Camp, Eleven Mile Corner, Arizona Some more photos from another FSA Camp in Eleven Mile Corner, Arizona. Mostly children in the photos including a couple of an older man teaching a boy how to use a plane (looks like a Stanley #5). Includes five photos.

Schwamb Mill 17 Mill Lane, ARLINGTON, Middlesex County, MA. Unfortunately, there just were not any descriptions to along with this series of photos. However, if you are a wood turner, you have to see them! Mostly shots of vintage machinery and some really cool wood lathes. OSHA would have a fit with all of the leather belts flapping in some of these shots. There are a total of 13 photos all together in this series but worth the wait for the download!

Thomas A Edison Labs This is a collection of photos taken in the pattermaking shop of Thomas Edison Labs located in West Orange, NJ. Mostly photos of vintage machinery. A total of six photos.

City Blacksmith Shop in Redwood County, MN. A series of seven nice interior shots of a blacksmith shop. Includes the forge and anvil, trip hammer, and a mandrel among other things.

Various Blacksmith Shops.  A series of three photos from different blacksmith shops.

Various Machine Shops. Photos from different machine shops.

"A Typical Woodworking Shop, junior high school, Philadelphia." A 1930 photo of a woodworking shop from Industrial Education Magazine.

Interior view of the Marsh Contracting Shop, Fort Madison, Iowa. A 1915 photo from American Carpenter and Builder.

e-mail: krucker@friendlycity.net