Agriculture

John Deere Model D Tractor

From butter churns to diesel tractors, the Museum's agricultural artifacts trace the story of Americans who work the land. Agricultural tools and machinery in the collections range from a John Deere plow of the 1830s to 20th-century cultivators and harvesters. The Museum's holdings also include overalls, aprons, and sunbonnets; farm photographs; milk cans and food jars; handmade horse collars; and some 200 oral histories of farm men and women in the South. Prints in the collections show hundreds of scenes of rural life. The politics of agriculture are part of the story, too, told in materials related to farm workers' unions and a group of artifacts donated by the family of the labor leader Cesar Chavez.

John Deere Plow
John Deere Plow, 1830s
Place: California

Bracero Living Quarter Entrance

Photograph: A step at the entrance to a living quarter at a bracero camp in California reads, "Dios es amor" [God is love].Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A step at the entrance to a living quarter at a bracero camp in California reads, "Dios es amor" [God is love].
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.42.32
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.42.32

Braceros in Pepper Field

Photograph: Braceros perform stoop labor in a pepper field in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros perform stoop labor in a pepper field in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.49.11
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.49.11

Bracero Washing Clothes

Photograph: A bracero does his laundry at an outdoor washing facility at a camp in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero does his laundry at an outdoor washing facility at a camp in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.27.06
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.27.06

Braceros Walking to Camp

Photograph: Two braceros walk along the road leading to the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California, while a truck passes by.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Two braceros walk along the road leading to the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California, while a truck passes by.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.27.15
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.27.15

Water Fountain at Bracero Camp

Photograph: A water spigot stands outside at a camp in Tracy, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A water spigot stands outside at a camp in Tracy, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.23.29
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.23.29

Doctor Examining Bracero

Photograph: Dr. Stanley Savoy examines a bracero's teeth at his clinical practice in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: Dr. Stanley Savoy examines a bracero's teeth at his clinical practice in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.25.06
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.25.06

Bracero Living Quarter Entrance

Photograph: A step at the entrance to a living quarter at a bracero camp in California reads, "Dios es amor" [God is love].Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A step at the entrance to a living quarter at a bracero camp in California reads, "Dios es amor" [God is love].
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.42.31
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.42.31

Braceros Waiting for Documents

Photograph: Braceros wait to receive documents in Stockton, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros wait to receive documents in Stockton, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.39.06
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.39.06

Bracero Cleaning Head of Lettuce

Photograph: A bracero removes bad leaves from a head of lettuce while standing in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero removes bad leaves from a head of lettuce while standing in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.34.36
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.34.36

Bracero Living Quarter

Photograph: Bunk beds sit inside a living quarter at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Bunk beds sit inside a living quarter at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.46.21
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.46.21

Braceros in Town

Photograph: Braceros walk the streets and look into shop windows in Watsonville, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros walk the streets and look into shop windows in Watsonville, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.55.20
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.55.20

Braceros Loading Lettuce

Photograph: Braceros load boxes of Farm Fresh lettuce onto a truck in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros load boxes of Farm Fresh lettuce onto a truck in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.20.12
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.20.12

Braceros at Camp

Photograph: Braceros walk outside their living quarters at the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros walk outside their living quarters at the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.27.29
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.27.29

Braceros in Field

Photograph: Braceros work in a field in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros work in a field in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.33.06
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.33.06

Braceros Picking Lettuce

Photograph: Braceros pick lettuce in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros pick lettuce in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.56.31
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.56.31

Braceros Playing Cards

Photograph: Three braceros sit and play cards in a living quarter at a camp in California, while a fourth bracero looks on from the doorway.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Three braceros sit and play cards in a living quarter at a camp in California, while a fourth bracero looks on from the doorway.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.21.29
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.21.29

Bracero Working with Short-Handled Hoe

Photograph: A bracero sharpens a short-handled hoe with a knife at the edge of a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero sharpens a short-handled hoe with a knife at the edge of a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.52.14
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.52.14

Braceros Waiting with Belongings

Photograph: Braceros sit beside suitcases and other belongings in Stockton, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros sit beside suitcases and other belongings in Stockton, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.39.34
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.39.34

Braceros Working with Short-Handled Hoes

Photograph: Braceros, using short-handled hoes, cultivate the soil in a field in California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros, using short-handled hoes, cultivate the soil in a field in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.31.11
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.31.11

Braceros Exiting Truck

Photograph: Braceros unload from a truck at the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros unload from a truck at the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.27.25
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.27.25

Braceros in Field

Photograph: Braceros sit and stand near trucks at the edge of a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros sit and stand near trucks at the edge of a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.37.33
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.37.33

Braceros Attending Mass

Photograph: Braceros kneel on the ground between living quarters during an outdoor camp service in California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros kneel on the ground between living quarters during an outdoor camp service in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.46.06
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.46.06

Braceros at Meal Time

Photograph: A bracero carries a plate of food and gets a drink in a dining hall at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero carries a plate of food and gets a drink in a dining hall at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.47.25
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.47.25

Braceros Working with Short-Handled Hoes

Photograph: Braceros perform stoop labor and hoe rows with short-handled hoes in a field in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros perform stoop labor and hoe rows with short-handled hoes in a field in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.31.13
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.31.13

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