Industrial revolution photos
Photographs of industry in America from the late 19th century to the 1930s: steel mills, textile mills, coal mines, assembly lines and the men, women and children who worked in them.
Why they are free to use: Most were published before 1931 or made by US government photographers: no US copyright. Each photo's page shows its own licence basis and a credit line.
Factories and assembly lines
Search “workers on a factory assembly line in the early 1900s” for more, or ask Claude for it
Negro men and women work side by side on the production lines at the Saint Louis, Missouri plant of the Airplane Division of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation. The male inspector in the rear checks the accuracy of the completed work of the women in the foreground Date Created/Published: between 1935 a
1935–1945 · Wikimedia Commons
Workers at a new bomber production plant
c. 1942 · U.S. National Archives
Camden, New Jersey - Radio. RCA Victor. End of feeder line during which transformers, coils, capacities, cables, and tube sockets are put on. After inspection (the man is the inspector for this line), it is ready for wiring.
1937-03-04 · U.S. National Archives
Camden, New Jersey - Radio. RCA Victor. End of Chassis assembly line - assembling 5-tube radio chassis.
1937-03-04 · U.S. National Archives
Americans of various racial groups contribute to the war effort in a large eastern plant which produces propellors for military aircraft.
c. 1942 · U.S. National Archives
Enemy Activities - Miscellaneous - Industrial Germany in war time. An electrical company in Berlin showing effort put forth in war time. A good propaganda picture
1917–1918 · U.S. National Archives
Workers assembling the bottom of an aircraft
c. 1942 · U.S. National Archives
Two workers installing single row intake pipes on a new Pratt and Whitney airplane engine in a big Eastern plant.
c. 1942 · U.S. National Archives
Coal mines
Search “coal miners at the mine entrance” for more, or ask Claude for it
Miners prepare to ride down into the mine
1942-11 · Library of Congress
Pennsylvania coal miners
1942-11 · Library of Congress
Pennsylvania coal miner, 1942
1942-11 · Library of Congress
Coal miners
1910 · Library of Congress
Coal miners, Birmingham, Alabama, 1937
1937-02 · Library of Congress
Textile mills
Search “workers at spinning machines in a textile mill” for more, or ask Claude for it
Spinnsalen Gårda textilffabriker 1930-t Åberg
1930 · Wikimedia Commons
Paterson, New Jersey - Textiles. After drying, the skeins are taken from the rack and each skein is put on a swift of the winding machine. This machine winds the yarn from the skein on to bobbins. Nederlands: Overspoelen van strengen op flensspoelen (verouderd).
1937-03-18 · U.S. National Archives
Paterson, New Jersey - Textiles. After drying, the skeins are taken from the rack and each skein is put on a swift of the winding machine. This machine winds the yarn from the skein on to bobbins.
1937-03-18 · U.S. National Archives
Millville, New Jersey - Glass wool. Frederick and Dimmock spinning glass wool
1937-03-26 · U.S. National Archives
Paterson, New Jersey - Textiles. Man working at machines.
1936–1937 · U.S. National Archives
Paterson, New Jersey - Textiles. Redrawing: This operation is performed on the winding machine. In making the warp, thread is wound off the bobbins (the bobbins seen in the picture). The practice is to take bobbins from the creel with some yarn left on them. This leaves bobbins partially filled for
1937-03-18 · U.S. National Archives
Paterson, New Jersey - Textiles. Silk skeins on winding creels or swifts. The yarn is wound from the skein on to bobbins.
1937-03-18 · U.S. National Archives
Paterson, New Jersey - Textiles. Madison Silk Co. General view of up-to-date large silk plant (not automatic).
1937-03-18 · U.S. National Archives
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