Drought affected areas of the Great Plains during the Dust Bowl in the U.S. Dry, parched land. Shepherds with their sheep. A wind mill at a farm. Sheep ranchers draw water. A rancher with barrels of water in a cart. He pours water into a trough for the sheep. Sheep drink water from the trough. Birds on parched ground. A farmer couple haul water from distant places in a horse cart. They pour water from barrels into a tub. Cows drink water. Ranchers on horses with a herd of cattle on dry land. The herd and cars pass through the town. Ranchers herd the cattle into rail cars to be transported to greener pastures. The train begins its journey. 'Trail City, Post Office' sign on a building. A notice by the Township Board regarding the use of water from the relief well. Men, women and children line up and draw water from the relief well. The water carrier or delivery man goes door to door to distribute water. He takes water in a bucket from a carriage and pours in into a barrel outside a house. Men dig a deep well using equipment and machinery in search of water. A horse pulls to rotate the digging equipment.
Narrator, Lewis Nordyke, recalls seeing farm families passing through Dalhart, Texas, on their way West, to escape the dust bowl and start anew in California. Farmers and their families traveling in trucks. They stop and make camp for the night. Two farmers in conversation. Woman feeding a baby. Woman drying clothes. Girl sleeping. Journey starts again, with trucks piled high with belongings driving on roads. A sign marked with 'Arizona Welcomes You' can be seen as they pass through the Inspection office. Entering California, a board marked 'Needles welcome You to California'. Farmers go through inspection process in California.
Amelia Earhart stands on the wing of her Lockheed Electra. Earhart enters the cockpit of the Lockheed L-10E Electra. Wide shot as the Lockheed Electra takes off.
A man installs an anti-skid device he invented for the brake system of an automobile. The man tries the brakes on the car. Demonstration of the device in action. Comparison between a car with the device and another without. The one without the device skids on a curve.
An inventor and his safer automobile that resembles an insect. The designer of the car stands near it. The engine of the car is in the rear and it has a single front seat that holds 5 passengers, but no backseat for additional safety. The number plate of the car reads '8P 58 39'. man seated in the car. The car on the roads with other vehicles. From an April 27, 1961 newsreel showing events 25 years earlier.
A sledgehammer pounds a fence stake into the ground. A plow is used to break the land of the Great Plains. A farmer takes soil into his hands and throws it back as it crumbles in his hands. Combine harvesters pulled by teams of mules harvest a large wheat crop. Wheat grain pours into a sack on a harvester.
CRITICALPAST.COM: About Us | Contact Us | FAQs - How to Order | License Agreement | My Account | My Lightboxes | Shopping Cart | Advanced Search | Featured Collections | Website Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy ©2026 CriticalPast LLC.
License Agreement |
Terms & Conditions |
Privacy Policy
©2026 CriticalPast LLC.