An Archive of Photographs and Correspondence from an Iowa based C.C.C. Electrician; 1938-1940
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- Iowa, Minnesota etc. , 1938-1940
Iowa, Minnesota etc., 1938-1940. 39 black and white snapshot format photographs, 11 of which have identifying captions; 66 ALS and 2 Typewritten letters (totalling to approximately 10,000 words or more). Original envelopes, a number of them torn during opening. Some light wear in places but extremely legible, a very good, well maintained collection. The photgraphs are similarly all in very good or better condition, with a number of them being "Elko" prints with decorative borders, popular during the 1930's and 40's for their speed and ease of processing, the distinctive border, and the claim that the images would be longer lasting and more durable "They're Fadeproof!" as the slogan ran.
A fascinating archive of vernacular snapshots of working life in the C.C.C., and dense stack of 'from the horse's mouth' correspondence documenting Marion Brunia's work as a C.C.C. electrician in various working camps throughout Iowa and Minnesota. Brunia was an Iowa native, hailing from Des Moines, and the first 25 letters are written from hospital in Iowa City, where he was being treating for a clearly serious, but unspecified, illness; the inference is that he possibly had tuberculosis. The majority of the letters are a record of Marion's personal and work experiences at camps in Oskaloosa, Guthrie Center, Lake View, Solon, Lamont, Bancroft, Clarinda, Shenandoah, Missouri Valley, Whiting, Janesboro (MN), and Lewiston (MN).
"Boy oh boy did we ever work today. The other electrician wasn't so busy but I made my helper step, and I worked too. We were working in the Hospital in the attic in a 2 by 4 space. We got practically finished but the Dr. is saying that now the lights don't work in one room, I'll have to check up on it but I think they were using the wrong switch...This camp is moving down from Hampton and they sold me these envelopes from the junk they brought down...the camp is going to be practically deserted tomorrow, all the CCC boys are going home to-nite for Christmas vacation. About 30 will have to stay to take care of the fires, and cook, and staff. The poor overworked electriciansd will have to work until Saturday nite, but if I get 3 more buildings finished by Saturday morning I'll sneak off and go home Friday nite or Sat. morning" [ALS December 22, 1938, Guthrie Center, Iowa]
"Boy, did they ever have a fire here last nite, the wash house and the supply room just burnt like a match. Bill came in a 130 in the morning and got us out of bed, it wasn't very big then yet. The camp is just outside the city limits and the city wouldn't send the truck out here at first, they sent a little twoo wheeled cart out with a chemical tank on it. Those men sure looked funny, they got that little wagon out here but it wouldn't work. The truck got to it finally and saved the back house end of the building. Lt. Pienes said $5000 worth of supplies burnt up." [ALS Solon, Iowa, 2/1/1939]
Brunia subsequently moved from Iowa to California, working as an electrician at Folsom Prison, where he became the Supervisor of Mainenance.
A strong, clean written and visual record of life and labor in CCC camps immediately prior to the US entry into WW2.
A fascinating archive of vernacular snapshots of working life in the C.C.C., and dense stack of 'from the horse's mouth' correspondence documenting Marion Brunia's work as a C.C.C. electrician in various working camps throughout Iowa and Minnesota. Brunia was an Iowa native, hailing from Des Moines, and the first 25 letters are written from hospital in Iowa City, where he was being treating for a clearly serious, but unspecified, illness; the inference is that he possibly had tuberculosis. The majority of the letters are a record of Marion's personal and work experiences at camps in Oskaloosa, Guthrie Center, Lake View, Solon, Lamont, Bancroft, Clarinda, Shenandoah, Missouri Valley, Whiting, Janesboro (MN), and Lewiston (MN).
"Boy oh boy did we ever work today. The other electrician wasn't so busy but I made my helper step, and I worked too. We were working in the Hospital in the attic in a 2 by 4 space. We got practically finished but the Dr. is saying that now the lights don't work in one room, I'll have to check up on it but I think they were using the wrong switch...This camp is moving down from Hampton and they sold me these envelopes from the junk they brought down...the camp is going to be practically deserted tomorrow, all the CCC boys are going home to-nite for Christmas vacation. About 30 will have to stay to take care of the fires, and cook, and staff. The poor overworked electriciansd will have to work until Saturday nite, but if I get 3 more buildings finished by Saturday morning I'll sneak off and go home Friday nite or Sat. morning" [ALS December 22, 1938, Guthrie Center, Iowa]
"Boy, did they ever have a fire here last nite, the wash house and the supply room just burnt like a match. Bill came in a 130 in the morning and got us out of bed, it wasn't very big then yet. The camp is just outside the city limits and the city wouldn't send the truck out here at first, they sent a little twoo wheeled cart out with a chemical tank on it. Those men sure looked funny, they got that little wagon out here but it wouldn't work. The truck got to it finally and saved the back house end of the building. Lt. Pienes said $5000 worth of supplies burnt up." [ALS Solon, Iowa, 2/1/1939]
Brunia subsequently moved from Iowa to California, working as an electrician at Folsom Prison, where he became the Supervisor of Mainenance.
A strong, clean written and visual record of life and labor in CCC camps immediately prior to the US entry into WW2.