Skyline Farms, a resettlement community in 1935, to provide help to farmers in the Great Depression was built by the resettled farmers in Jackson County, Alabama. New houses were built with timber cut on the project in Jackson County, Alabama. Here are several at work at the sawmill and sandstone quarry.
The photographs below were taken by Arthur Rothstein in 1935. See more photographs
Men working at the sawmill – they built their own houses
A close-up photograph of the men working in the sawmill at Skyline Farms
The man below seems to be enjoying his break while a problem on the sawmill is being fixed.
In the photographs below, farmers are working in the sandstone quarry with the Project Supervisor looking on. I imagine it was hard, hot work.
Below is a photograph of some of the resettlement farmers working in the sandpit. It was hard work, but I imagine they were happy to at least be working since it was 1935, still during the Great Depression.
Another close-up picture of men working in the sandpit. Their shoes look awful thin and not made for such hard work.
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The man on the far left has a very small tool in his hand. I wonder what he was doing with it? He seems to have a different task from the other men.
Sometimes they encountered very large stones
All their work resulted in a new house to come home to.All their work resulted in a new house to come home to.
And watch their children play
It’s always great to ‘set’ and ‘chew the fat’ after a hard day’s work.
If you know the names of any of the people in the photographs, you can add them in the Reply section below.
More photographs of Skyline Farms
ALABAMA FOOTPRINTS Pioneers: Lost & Forgotten Stories (Volume 3)
About Donna R Causey
Donna R. Causey, resident of Alabama, was a teacher in the public school system for twenty years. When she retired, Donna found time to focus on her lifetime passion for historical writing. She developed the websites www.alabamapioneers and www.daysgoneby.me All her books can be purchased at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. She has authored numerous genealogy books. RIBBON OF LOVE: A Novel Of Colonial America (TAPESTRY OF LOVE) is her first novel in the Tapestry of Love about her family where she uses actual characters, facts, dates and places to create a story about life as it might have happened in colonial Virginia. Faith and Courage: Tapestry of Love (Volume 2) is the second book and the third FreeHearts: A Novel of Colonial America (Book 3 in the Tapestry of Love Series) Discordance: The Cottinghams (Volume 1) is the continuation of the story. . For a complete list of books, visit Donna R Causey
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Are there any records available that list any of the families of this community? We have family that lived in Jackson during this time. Thanks.
Pam I am the secretary for the Skyline Farms Heritage Association and we do have lots of records about who lived in the original community. You can contact us through our Facebook page or you can email me at the address above.
yes i have spoke with other members of my family , and the bottom photograph on your page the man sitting center with his hand on his face is my father/grandfather his name was Oscar Lee Hollaway. He worked as a rock mason on that project , he would tell me stories about those times in depth and how
tough it was back then. His wife taught school before the skyline school was completed , one of the old schoolhouses was located north of the present school a few miles, when we would pass the area he
point where it was back then.
Just thought i should drop you a few lines thank you Michael Hollaway
78 Hollaway drive
Scottsboro Alabama
35768
Thank you for adding your information. It looks like they had a rough time. I know you are proud of them.
Half of my family still lives up there around Gizzard Point. They bought their farms in the early 50s from some 1st Gen residents who had defaulted on their gov. loans.
My great grandfather bought one large parcel of foreclosed land in the 50s. They built their home, raised their kids on it, and as the kids grew up, they bought their own parcel around the perimeter of the farm. To this day, four generations (used to be 5) live on Gizzard Point Road – the Harrisons, Martins, and Utters, all descendant from the line/farm.
good job.
The Great Depression was really bad the only way I knew About it was my Grand dad would tale us how bad it was and He had A large Family to feed ,
Love reading these stories
Beth Hunter
They are beautiful old structures lovingly being restored by sweet people in Jackson County. The old store and school are very cool too. It was truly a time when the government tried to help the average family.
Thanks for sharing.
Run an expose on the Tysonville resettlement plan for Blacks in Macon Co please
Linda Green—-you might like reading this post.
Thanks, Bonnie! I read this a few months back on a Jackson County Historical site. Very interesting, don’t you think?
Linda Green yes! Definitely!