This nation’s major cities have undergone dramatic transformations over the past century. Slums have turned into desirable neighborhoods, populations have changed and grown, and the skylines of some of the country’s most dynamic metropoles have rocketed towards the sky. Check out these fascinating pictures of a handful of America’s major cities in the mid-1930s.

  1. The skyline in Detroit, Michigan.

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  1. A riverfront beach in Detroit, Michigan.

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  1. A second-hand store in Memphis, Tennessee.

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  1. A picket line in New York City.

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  1. Garment workers leave the factories for lunch hour on Seventh Avenue and West 28th Street, New York City.

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  1. An avenue of laundry between 138th and 139th Street apartments, just east of St. Anne’s Avenue, Bronx, New York City.

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  1. Mothers talking together while a child plays in the gutter on 139th Street just east of St. Anne’s Avenue, Bronx, New York City.

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  1. A man lounging in a downtown park in Jacksonville.

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  1. Drought refugees in Phoenix. During this time, many farming families were forced to look for work in the cities due to severe droughts.

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  1. A slum in San Francisco.

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  1. Mission District in San Francisco.

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  1. Mission District in San Francisco. Rent in this area averaged around 22 dollars a month for three or four rooms.

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  1. A street-side bear performance in New Orleans.

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  1. Applicants waiting for jobs in front of employment offices in New Orleans.

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  1. Boats bringing in scabs in New Orleans.

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  1. A slum street in New Orleans.

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  1. A French market sidewalk scene in New Orleans.

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  1. A gas station and gospel mission in Cleveland.

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  1. A poor area in Washington D.C. The capitol can be seen in the background.

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  1. Young boys playing on the sidewalk in Washington, D.C.

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  1. A slum neighborhood in Washington D.C.

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Were you surprised by any of these? If you’re interested in more vintage photographs of what life looked like in America in 1935, check out our previous similar article here.

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