Emergency Caravan

U.S. Trailer Camps (1943)

Across the length and breadth of America at war can be seen compact colonies of strange little cottages on wheels. These vehicles, each boasting all the comforts of home on a miniature scale, are known as trailers. A group or colony of them is a trailer camp. They are used to house workers in American war industries and other plants which have sprung up like giant mushrooms all over the United States. An owner, with his auto, which pulls his trailer, may journey 500 to 1,000 miles to join some trailer camp near the factory where he intends to work.¹

Image information from the Library of Congress

Title: Emergency caravan. To provide temporary housing for defense workers while more permanent quarters are being built for them, this caravan of trailers crosses Memorial Bridge, Washington, D.C., on its way to Wilmington North Carolina. Trailers are being used all over the United States to provide this type of emergency defense housing. This caravan of 50 is the first shipment of more than 2000 currently being constructed
Creator(s): Dixon, Royden, photographer
Related Names: United States. Office for Emergency Management.
Date Created/Published: 1941 Apr.
Medium: 1 negative : safety ; 4 x 5 inches or smaller.
Reproduction Number: LC-USE6-D-000564 (b&w film neg.)
Call Number: LC-USE6- D-000564 [P&P] LOT 3474 (corresponding photographic print)
Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Notes:
…..Actual size of negative is D (approximately 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 inches).
…..Title and other information from caption card.
…..Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944.
…..More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is available at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.fsaowi
…..Film copy on SIS roll 37, frame 435.

Library of Congress item permalink

A larger version of this image than what is available online at the Library of Congress is available on Wikimedia Commons

Mike’s notes:

Image restoration note – This image has been digitally adjusted for one or more of the following:
– fade correction,
– color, contrast, and/or saturation enhancement
– selected spot and/or scratch removal
– cropped for composition and/or to accentuate subject matter
– straighten image

Image restoration is the process of using digital restoration tools to create new digital versions of the images while also improving their quality and repairing damage.

1. Vorse, Mary Heaton. “U.S. Trailer Camps.” Office of War Information (OWI), 1943. https://exit78.com/defense-worker-trailer-camps/.