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Food Supplies #9. Giving out bread and milk at no. 5 Engine House. “Leonard and Monroe”, N.W. [Shows an officer handing out milk to children and men standing in a line. The officer is in front of a cabinet (refrigerator?) which has unidentified supplies at the top, and milk bottles showing at the bottom. The boy at the front of the line stands next to a wagon with another child seated there.

 File — Box: 1, Folder: 3.3

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The collection contains approximately 500 photos of various projects undertaken by the program, such as parks improvements, road construction, sewer and water main projects, food preservation and distribution and two drives to raise food at Thanksgiving ("Fill the Barrel") and Toys at Christmas ("For an Empty Stocking"). The photos present a vivid depiction of local municipal welfare activities during the Great Depression, prior to any such federal action.

Most of these photo prints are 8x10, with two sets of old numbers on the back. A set of handwritten descriptions is usually found at the top, including the numbers used in the descriptions below. Another set of “PBD” or “OBD” numbers was probably from early library file processing.

While this is basically a photo collection, ancillary documents are now being appended which are associated with the images, such as the “City Social Service Grocery Order” form, which would have been used by those making requests from the various food stores depicted in the photos.

Dates

  • 1930-1932

Extent

From the Collection: 1.25 Linear Feet (Three boxes)

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Repository Details

Part of the Grand Rapids History Center Repository

Contact:
Grand Rapids Public Library
111 Library Street NE
Grand Rapids Michigan 49503 USA
616-988-5497