The thirteen photographs in this slideshow depict farm laborers, factory employees, and other Wisconsin workers from the 1890s to the 1970s. Looking at these images, we wonder: what was on the minds of these now-anonymous men and women as they posed for the photographer? Were they proud of their work, their uniforms, their employers? Were they pleased to have a break or anxious to get back to the task at hand?
-
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Employees of the American Brass Company assembled outside the Kenosha plant, ca. 1913. Source: Kenosha County Historical Society. -
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Employees pose outside of H. J. Ammann Cigar Factory with a portrait of company founder Henry Ammann in the foreground, Kiel, ca. 1900. Source: Heritage Collection, Kiel Public Library.
-
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Workers at City Hall construction site, Milwaukee, 1896. Source: Milwaukee Public Library. -
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Warner Dredging Company work crew, Adams County, ca. 1912. Photo by Taylor Brothers. Source: UW-La Crosse. -
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Two paper counters at the Bergstrom Paper Company, Menasha, ca. 1910. Source: Menasha Public Library. Read more about Wisconsin's history of paper manufacturing in the Fox Valley Memory Project. -
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Pure Foods Company employees with a shipment of Jiffy-Jell (a precursor to Jell-O) destined for France, Waukesha, 1917. Photo by Warren O'Brien. Source: Waukesha County Historical Society. -
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Globe Shipbuilding employees, Superior, ca. 1942. Globe built ships for military use during World War II. Source: UW-Superior. Read more about wartime shipbuilding in the Dictionary of WI History. -
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
"Gaynor's Rakers" - harvesting crew for Gaynor Cranberry Company, Wisconsin Rapids, 1912. Photo by Taylor Brothers. Source: South Wood County Historical Corporation. -
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
"The stacking crew" posed in front of a haystack, Cornfalfa Farms, Waukesha County, early 20th c. Source: New Berlin Historical Society. -
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Badger Auto Service attendants, Milwaukee, 1936. Source: Milwaukee Public Library. -
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Bus drivers for the Milwaukee County Transit System, 1952. Photo by Fred Stanger. Source: Milwaukee Public Library. -
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Staff of the Bank of Brodhead, 1960s or 1970s. Photo by Truman Olin. Source: Brodhead Historical Society. -
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
A logging crew relaxes in the bunkhouse, unidentified Northwoods location, 1900-1920. Photo by A. J. Kingsbury. Source: Langlade County Historical Society.
Sources
The images in this slideshow come from the following digital collections. Follow the links to browse and search the full collections.
- Big Streets in a Little City: Downtown Street Scenes in Kiel, 1860-1980, Kiel Public Library. Part of the State of Wisconsin Collection from University of Wisconsin Digital Collections
- Brodhead Historical Society Online Archive
- Great Lakes Maritime History Project. Part of the State of Wisconsin Collection from UWDC
- Kenosha’s Lost Industries: Photographs and Corporate Materials, 1850s-1990s, Kenosha Public Library and Kenosha County Historical Society. Part of the State of Wisconsin Collection from UWDC
- Langlade County Historical Society
- Menasha Local History Collection, Menasha Public Library. Part of the State of Wisconsin Collection from UWDC
- Milwaukee Historic Photos, Milwaukee Public Library
- New Berlin Historical Society
- Taylor Brothers Photographs, Murphy Library, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Part of the State of Wisconsin Collection from UWDC
- Waukesha County History 1870-1920, Waukesha Public Library and Waukesha County Historical Society. Part of the State of Wisconsin Collection from UWDC
- Wetherby Cranberry Library Digital Archives, Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association
The post Portraits of Wisconsin workers appeared first on Recollection Wisconsin.