# 90 years ago today



## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

Black Tuesday. Stock market crashed. Thousands out of work and homeless almost overnight. My grandma was 21 and would tell stories of the Depression. In her eyes, FDR and the New Deal was the saving grace. WPA built loads of bridges around there that are mostly gone now but some still remain.

In the combine now unloading, when I get more time I'll post some of her hardship stories as a reminder to all.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

An interesting side note, is there wasn't that many what I call regular folks that owned stocks back then. Unlike today, with IRAs, 401(k), 403(b), 457, Roth's pensions, etc.

Banks weren't regulated as well neither, IIRC. Some of the stock market and banking rules passed back then are still in effect today. The Depression (devaluation of money) was what was a hurting the regular, common man/woman. My grandfather, bought our farm the second time (tried to give it back to the original owner, because he didn't have the $$ to make the payments, but the couple was old and just re-wrote the loan).

Larry


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

My great grandfather lost his farm in the 30s. He had owned it for quite a few years prior to that, but didn't have it paid for. The depression was the end of the gold standard for the US dollar.


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

This story was from maybe 1932? We were pretty dry here in southern MN but that’s a good thing for us. They were dry in SD too and crops were burning up. Selling calves cheap. Great Grandpa didn’t have any money but my grandma and her sister did as they were teachers in town. Great Grandpa and my great-uncles went out to SD and bought some cheap feeder calves. They got home grandma asked did you get any calves? Great uncle Leonard said “we sure did, 2 rail cars worth!” She never said how many calves that was but I’m thinking about 50 as a typical 36’ boxcar would hold 12 mature cows.


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