Campton, KY 1940....in Living Color

When I drive to eastern Kentucky to work on a Teaching American History grant every few months, I drive through Wolfe County and the tiny town of Campton, Kentucky. Recently, I was surprised to find a number of photographs on the Library of Congress website that depicted a number of scenes in Campton in 1940. 

I suppose I was not so much surprised to find pictures from this area from 1940, but I was astounded to find a number of them in color. Seeing the past in color adds so much to my perception of what things were like in history. Too often, from looking at so many black-and-white photographs, I catch myself thinking in my mind's-eye that the world was black-and-white way back when. I'm glad that images such as these have survived to remind me that life was lived in color.

A street scene on court day. I love the Ale-81 sign in the center background. If you are from, or have lived in Kentucky, you probably are familiar with the soft drink.

Farmers trading horses and mules near the Wolfe County Courthouse.

These men remind me of my grandfather, especially the third man from the right. Grandpa wore overalls everywhere except to church.

Street scene in the center of town on court day.

This photograph is identified as being on "Jockey Street" near the Wolfe County courthouse. I assume that Jockey St. is a pun for the horse and mule trading that went on here rather than the actual name since it is in parentheses.

Images courtesy of Library of Congress