Dust Bowl Farmer in Cimarron County, Oklahoma, April 1936

The image shows a farmer digging up a fence and attempting to move it higher to prevent it from being buried in the dust that is accumulating around it. There is a young boy on his knees close by.

Courtesy of Library of Congress, Rothstein, Arthur, "Dust bowl farmer raising fence to keep it from being buried under drifting sand. Cimarron County, Oklahoma," April 1936

Description

The 1936 photograph by Arthur Rothstein shows a farmer digging up a fence and attempting to move it higher to prevent it from being buried in the dust that is accumulating around it. There is a young boy on his knees close by. This photo was taken in Cimarron County, which is located in the westernmost part of Oklahoma.

Source-Dependent Questions

Using evidence from the image, what is the man doing in this photo?
Describe the land in the image. Could crops grow in this soil? Would livestock be able to graze on this land? Explain why or why not.
How did the Dust Bowl era impact the soil in the Great Plains?

Citation Information

Rothstein, Arthur, "Dust bowl farmer raising fence to keep it from being buried under drifting sand. Cimarron County, Oklahoma," April 1936. Courtesy of Library of Congress