Work

Gilbreth Stopwatch

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.

Place: Salinas Valley

Braceros Working with Short-Handled Hoes

Photograph: Braceros stoop down with short-handled hoes to cultivate a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros stoop down with short-handled hoes to cultivate a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.52.22
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.52.22

Bracero Loading Lettuce

Photograph: A bracero loads a Toro lettuce box onto a truck in a lettuce field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero loads a Toro lettuce box onto a truck in a lettuce field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.40.12
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.40.12

Braceros at Meal Time

Photograph: Braceros have lunch next to a truck in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros have lunch next to a truck in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.37.28
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.37.28

Bracero Camp

Photograph: Braceros' living quarters stand at a camp in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros' living quarters stand at a camp in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.35.42
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.35.42

Braceros at Meal Time

Photograph: Braceros have lunch at the edge of a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros have lunch at the edge of a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.37.24
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.37.24

Braceros Preparing a Meal

Photograph: Braceros prepare food in a kitchen at a camp in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros prepare food in a kitchen at a camp in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.35.41
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.35.41

Braceros Picking Lettuce

Photograph: Braceros pick lettuce in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros pick lettuce in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.43.08
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.43.08

Braceros in Lettuce Field

Photograph: A man on a truck uses a machine to assemble Toro lettuce boxes, which braceros pick up to fill with lettuce in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A man on a truck uses a machine to assemble Toro lettuce boxes, which braceros pick up to fill with lettuce in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.37.02
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.37.02

Bracero Doctor's Office

Photograph: The doors of a medicine cabinet sit open at the clinical practice of Dr. Stanley Savoy in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: The doors of a medicine cabinet sit open at the clinical practice of Dr. Stanley Savoy in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.47.05
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.47.05

Bracero Preparing a Meal

Photograph: A bracero slices onions in a kitcken at a camp in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero slices onions in a kitcken at a camp in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.35.37
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.35.37

Braceros Picking Lettuce

Photograph: Braceros pick heads of lettuce and place them in boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros pick heads of lettuce and place them in boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.34.09
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.34.09

Braceros Packing Lettuce

Photograph: Two braceros close a filled Cookie lettuce box while others work behind them in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Two braceros close a filled Cookie lettuce box while others work behind them in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.56.32
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.56.32

Bracero in Pepper Field

Photograph: A bracero stands in a pepper field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: A bracero stands in a pepper field in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.26.28
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.26.28

Braceros Loading Lettuce

Photograph: Braceros load Toro lettuce boxes onto a truck in a lettuce field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros load Toro lettuce boxes onto a truck in a lettuce field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.40.13
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.40.13

Braceros Picking Onions

Photograph: Braceros pick onions in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros pick onions in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.31.15
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.31.15

Bracero on Lettuce Truck

Photograph: Standing on a truck, a bracero leans against a stack of Toro lettuce boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Standing on a truck, a bracero leans against a stack of Toro lettuce boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.40.20
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.40.20

Bracero Carrying Lettuce

Photograph: A bracero carries a Cookie lettuce box in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: A bracero carries a Cookie lettuce box in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.20.23
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.20.23

Braceros Loading Lettuce

Photograph: Braceros load lettuce boxes onto a machine in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros load lettuce boxes onto a machine in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.43.02
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.43.02

Braceros in Lettuce Field

Photograph: Braceros load lettuce while men assemble lettuce boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros load lettuce while men assemble lettuce boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.43.12
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.43.12

Braceros in Lettuce Field

Photograph: Braceros perform stoop labor in a lettuce field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros perform stoop labor in a lettuce field in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.43.06
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.43.06

Braceros in Lettuce Field

Photograph: Braceros line up Toro lettuce boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros line up Toro lettuce boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.40.28
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.40.28

Braceros at Meal Time

Photograph: Braceros have lunch at the edge of a lettuce field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros have lunch at the edge of a lettuce field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.37.16
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.37.16

Braceros Waiting for Doctor

Photograph: Braceros, one with a thermometer in his mouth, sit in a waiting room at the clinical practice of Dr. Stanley Savoy in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros, one with a thermometer in his mouth, sit in a waiting room at the clinical practice of Dr. Stanley Savoy in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.47.12
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.47.12

Braceros Loading Lettuce

Photograph: Braceros load Toro lettuce boxes onto a truck in a lettuce field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros load Toro lettuce boxes onto a truck in a lettuce field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.40.09
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.40.09

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