Two young girls stand at the forefront of a labor parade in New York City on May 1, 1909, wearing banners calling for the abolition of child labor in English and Yiddish. At the time, many children worked long hours in factories and mills, sparking public concern and reform efforts. Protests like this helped push forward laws that limited child labor and improved working conditions in the United States.
Spring Pulpwood Drive on the Brown Company Timber Holdings in Maine
Loggers guide pulpwood across floating timbers at Long Pond in Maine during the spring drive of 1943, using pike poles to control the movement of logs into a sluiceway. Seasonal log drives were a critical part of the northern timber industry, moving cut wood from remote forests to mills by water when rivers and ponds thawed. Operations like those run by the Brown Company supplied raw material for paper production, supporting wartime demand for packaging, printing, and military needs.
Pres. Wilson Throwing Out 1st Ball, Opening Ballgame, Griffiths Ball Park, 1916, Wash. D.C.
Woodrow Wilson throws the ceremonial first pitch at a 1916 opening day game at Griffith Stadium. The tradition of a president opening the baseball season dates back to the early 20th century and connected the sport to national life. At the time, baseball was firmly established as a major part of American culture, drawing large crowds and serving as a shared pastime across the country.
Farmers Freezing Ice Cream. Pie Town, New Mexico
Two farmers in Pie Town, New Mexico make ice cream by hand in June 1940, using buckets packed with ice brought in from miles away. In this rural community, ice was scarce and often stored in small homemade houses insulated with sawdust. When a supply arrived, families gathered to share it, turning a simple treat into a social event that reflected the resourcefulness and close-knit life of the area.
Victory Food from American Waters
A fisherman unloads baskets of rosefish from a dockside net in 1942, part of the steady supply of seafood moving from American waters to processing plants during World War II. The catch would be inspected, prepared, and shipped to help feed U.S. troops at home and overseas. Commercial fishing played an important role in the wartime economy, supporting both civilian needs and the military through increased food production.