97 Years Ago Today
From the National Archives, Identifier 522877.
The original caption is “Women Rivet Heaters and Passers On, Ship Construction Work. Navy Yard, Pugent Sound, Washington.” Taken May 29, 1919.
Most of them are wearing proper boots with heels, but a few of them are wearing flat-heeled work boots.
Look at the lady sitting up straight and tall with glasses on. Don’t you know she would have been “mom” to the group, reminding the younger girls to behave themselves?
And what is up with the girl all the way to the right, who won’t look at the camera? Was she tired of posing? Picking a splinter out of her hand?
Here is its catalog page, but I got the higher resolution image of it above, from one of the online exhibitions, Picturing the Century.
And here is the list of those online exhibitions, so you can explore more yourself if you’re interested.
The National Archives divisions have several blogs — one that I am following is The Unwritten Record, from the Special Media division, which houses the films, photographs, maps, etc.
Love old photos like this – looking at the people and figuring out who they might’ve been 🙂
I know, I feel like I can figure out the ones I would’ve felt comfortable with, the one who was always the life of the party, the one who was kind to new workers…
What a great photo. I can’t imagine doing that kind of work, let alone doing it in heels. The woman all the way on the right looks like so many people look in photos today when they are checking their cell phones.
I know, she really looks like she does not want to be there. Maybe she thinks her boyfriend will see the picture and she only wants him to see her dressed up. Or maybe the photographer just took too long setting up and she got bored. 🙂
Thanks for the links to these wonderful resources. Many historical photos are available free. You just have to know they’re there.
And I was so impressed by the quality and sharpness of this one too! I can spend hours looking at photos like this, and wishing they had more detailed captions. On this one, the photographer is not even known.
Fascinating to really look at this!!!! Thanks for sharing!!!!!!
I am always happy to pull up a little piece of our past. 🙂
There was that famous picture of Rosie the Riveter, too. It must have been quite an awakening to discover all the jobs that women could do and do them well, My mother worked at Cracker Jack on the assembly line that made up the K ration packages to be sent overseas. She worked the night shift. My dad worked days building bomb parts. It must have been tough for them but I never knew it.
But this was World War I! It seems they had to learn those lessons of what women can do, all over again in WW II.
Oops! I missed that. 97 years ago should have been a clue!!!! Guess some of my thoughts are elsewhere these days.
But you’re right, we do think of women going to work in the shipyards, etc. more in connection with WWII. And they are wearing coveralls, sweaters, etc. that probably wouldn’t have looked much different on WWII crews.
Wow! Looks too modern to be 97 years ago! Fun picture.
Yes, it is definitely one I could hang on the wall and probably notice new things each time I looked at it!
Women rule! For all the times women stepped up and did what needed to be done and then got put back in a lesser place–this photo shows grit and so much personality in the different faces.
I love it. It reminds me of that famous picture of construction men sitting on a girder, and that has gotten its own documentary, and a statue made where people can sit and pose as one of the men. I think this would make a good statue too!
That was wonderful! I have a pair of High Top’s in Blue and yellow with Rosie the Riveter all over them saying……….WE CAN DO IT……..printed all over. Love them! Got them from Bagginsshoes.com. It’s in BC.
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