Work

The tools, rules, and relationships of the workplace illustrate some of the enduring collaborations and conflicts in the everyday life of the nation. The Museum has more than 5,000 traditional American tools, chests, and simple machines for working wood, stone, metal, and leather. Materials on welding, riveting, and iron and steel construction tell a more industrial version of the story. Computers, industrial robots, and other artifacts represent work in the Information Age.

But work is more than just tools. The collections include a factory gate, the motion-study photographs of Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, and more than 3,000 work incentive posters. The rise of the factory system is measured, in part, by time clocks in the collections. More than 9,000 items bring in the story of labor unions, strikes, and demonstrations over trade and economic issues.

Photograph: Braceros stand at a street corner in Watsonville, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros stand at a street corner in Watsonville, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.55.32
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.55.32
Photograph: Braceros stand near the entrance to a cafe in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros stand near the entrance to a cafe in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.55.26
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.55.26
Photograph: Braceros pick strawberries in a field near Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros pick strawberries in a field near Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.26.02
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.26.02
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
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
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
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
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
Photograph: Braceros wait in front of the Pajaro Steam Bath in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros wait in front of the Pajaro Steam Bath in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.27.07
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.27.07
Photograph: Braceros check for mail at the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros check for mail at the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.27.23
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.27.23
Photograph: Viewed from a street, the Los Gatitos cafe stands beside a growers association office in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Viewed from a street, the Los Gatitos cafe stands beside a growers association office in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.27.11
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.27.11
Photograph: Clothes dry on a chain link fence at the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Clothes dry on a chain link fence at the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.27.20
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.27.20
Photograph: Braceros examine their paychecks outside of a building in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros examine their paychecks outside of a building in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.44.12
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.44.12
Photograph: A bracero counts boxes of strawberries and punches tally cards on the edge of a field near Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero counts boxes of strawberries and punches tally cards on the edge of a field near Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.31.06
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.31.06
Photograph: A hillside slopes town to the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A hillside slopes town to the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.38.34
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.38.34
Photograph: Braceros enter a taxi in the town of Watsonville, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros enter a taxi in the town of Watsonville, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.29.30
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.29.30
Photograph: Braceros check for mail at the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros check for mail at the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.27.33
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.27.33
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
2004.0138.27.31
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.27.31
Photograph: Braceros stand in front of a cafe in Watsonville, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros stand in front of a cafe in Watsonville, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.55.34
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.55.34
Photograph: Viewed from a street, the Los Gatitos cafe stands beside a growers association office in Watsonville, California.
Description
Photograph: Viewed from a street, the Los Gatitos cafe stands beside a growers association office in Watsonville, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.27.13
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.27.13
Photograph: Braceros stand in front of a Radio and Smoke Shop in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros stand in front of a Radio and Smoke Shop in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.55.18
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.55.18
Photograph: Braceros stand in front of a Radio and Smoke Shop in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros stand in front of a Radio and Smoke Shop in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.55.28
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.55.28
Photograph: Braceros stand across the street from a movie theater in the town of Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros stand across the street from a movie theater in the town of Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.29.40
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.29.40
Photograph: Braceros stand between living quarters and a chain link fence at the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros stand between living quarters and a chain link fence at the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.27.21
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.27.21

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