Life in the 1940s was much different than today. In Connecticut, families were still recovering from the Great Depression and the outbreak of World War II created an uncertainty in the air. Take a look at these candid photos to peek into the lives of Nutmeggers during the 40s.
- Men hard at work in the Vought-Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation plant.
Photogrammar/Jack Delano/LC-USF33-020683 Stratford, 1940
- Children shining shoes on a street corner in Hartford.
Photogrammar/Marion Post Wolcott/LC-USF33-031259 Hartford, 1941
- Neighbors meeting the mail carrier at the crossroads to pick up their mail.
Photogrammar/Jack Delano/LC-USF347-020717-M5-Q Ledyard, 1940
- A blacksmith carefully shoeing a horse.
Photogrammar/Jack Delano/LC-USF34-041944 Wallingford, 1940
- A farmer working at Levine & Levine dress and coat factory.
Photogrammar/Jack Delano/LC-USF34-042225 Colchester, 1940
- A family living in their cellar, the only thing left after the house was destroyed by a hurricane.
Photogrammar/Jack Delano/LC-USF34-042231 Canterbury, 1940
- A group of friends having a beer at “Art’s Sportsman’s Tavern”.
Photogrammar/Jack Delano/LC-USF347-042297 Colchester, 1940
- Farm workers stripping tobacco after the crop was harvested.
Photogrammar/Jack Delano/LC-USF34-042288 Windsorville, 1940
- A family preparing Thanksgiving dinner together.
Photogrammar/Jack Delano/LC-USF34-042430 Ledyard, 1940
- Children running out from a country schoolhouse during lunch hour.
Photogrammar/Jack Delano/LC-USF34-042447 Ledyard, 1940
- A young lady working at the Denomah textile mill.
Photogrammar/Jack Delano/LC-USF34-042555 Taftville, 1940
- Pratt and Whitney workers purchasing lunch at the cafeteria.
Photogrammar/John Collier/LC-USF34-080791 East Hartford, 1941
- Families shopping at the local harvest market for produce.
Photogrammar/John Collier/LC-USF34-080983 Windsor Locks, 1941
- A farmer’s wife feeding the chickens.
Photogrammar/John Collier/LC-USF34-083811 Hartford, 1942
- Children rounding up scrap for victory in the salvage drive.
Photogrammar/John Collier/LC-USF34-083834 Norwich, 1942
- Women inspecting a parachute for flaws at the Pioneer Parachute Company.
Photogrammar/William M. Rittase/LC-USE6-D-005824 Manchester, 1942
- Men grinding trunnion blocks for .50-caliber machine guns that will be used in the armed forces.
Photogrammar/Andreas Feininger/LC-USE6-D-006248 Hartford, 1942
- Workers testing an airplane propeller for oil leakage at a plant in Hartford.
Photogrammar/Andreas Feininger/LC-USE6-D-008100 Hartford, 1942
- Blowing off some steam on the bumper cars amusement at Lake Compounce.
Photogrammar/Fenno Jacobs/LC-USW3-041981 Bristol, 1942
Do you have any photos from the 1940s buried in old family photo albums? Share them in the comments section below, we’d love to see them. Back in the 1930s, the Merritt Parkway was being built, check out photos of its construction here.
Photogrammar/Jack Delano/LC-USF33-020683
Stratford, 1940
Photogrammar/Marion Post Wolcott/LC-USF33-031259
Hartford, 1941
Photogrammar/Jack Delano/LC-USF347-020717-M5-Q
Ledyard, 1940
Photogrammar/Jack Delano/LC-USF34-041944
Wallingford, 1940
Photogrammar/Jack Delano/LC-USF34-042225
Colchester, 1940
Photogrammar/Jack Delano/LC-USF34-042231
Canterbury, 1940
Photogrammar/Jack Delano/LC-USF347-042297
Photogrammar/Jack Delano/LC-USF34-042288
Windsorville, 1940
Photogrammar/Jack Delano/LC-USF34-042430
Photogrammar/Jack Delano/LC-USF34-042447
Photogrammar/Jack Delano/LC-USF34-042555
Taftville, 1940
Photogrammar/John Collier/LC-USF34-080791
East Hartford, 1941
Photogrammar/John Collier/LC-USF34-080983
Windsor Locks, 1941
Photogrammar/John Collier/LC-USF34-083811
Hartford, 1942
Photogrammar/John Collier/LC-USF34-083834
Norwich, 1942
Photogrammar/William M. Rittase/LC-USE6-D-005824
Manchester, 1942
Photogrammar/Andreas Feininger/LC-USE6-D-006248
Photogrammar/Andreas Feininger/LC-USE6-D-008100
Photogrammar/Fenno Jacobs/LC-USW3-041981
Bristol, 1942
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