This documentary is a visual essay portraying farm families during the Great Depression through World War II and the postwar years, as seen through the eyes of Iowa photographer Pete Wettach who took nearly 50,000 pictures of rural America, mostly Iowa, over a span of 40 years. Wettach was born in New Jersey but his fascination with rural life, particularly with farming, led him to Iowa where he would remain until his death in the late 1970s.

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More Iowa Stories

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Iowa Pathways

Explore Iowa's history in a whole new way

From the first farmers to pioneer settlers; new immigrants to Iowa innovators, discover how the experiences of the past tell the story of who we are as Iowans. Produced in partnership with the State Historical Society of Iowa, IPTV's Iowa Pathways brings together vast resources into an online destination examining the people, places, events and ideas of Iowa.

• Over 300 articles about Iowa history topics
• Nearly 1,000 images, videos, and interactive maps
• Interactive timeline of over 500 historical events
• Over 1,000 links, activities and classroom resources

Visit Iowa Pathways at www.iptv.org/iowapathways.