Figure 1.--This portrait was taken in Arkansas we believe during the 1880s. It looks to us like a poor farm family. Notice that there are not yet any overalls and the boys wear long pants.

Here we have an image of an unidentified Arkansas farm family. Arkansas was a poor, largely rural state. The economy had been damaged by the Civil War and even by the 1880s the lingering impact of the War was still affecting Arkansas and the other Southern states. We believe the portrait here was probably taken in the early-1880s, but are not quite sure precisely when. The family was in Logan County. The father's beard is one factor suggesting the 1880s. The portrait was presumably taken by an itenerate photographer. The family is posed on a bench of some kind in the outdoors. The children's clothes are interesting. Notice that overalls are not yet being worn. Also the children are barefoot which suggests, as does the rest of the clothing, that the family was not very prosperous. Also note the boys wearing longpants. Many American boys by the 1880s were wearing kneepants. This was less common anmong urban working poor as well as poor farm families. We suspect that the family may be share cropers.

Created: 9:32 PM 12/3/2004
Last updated: 9:32 PM 12/3/2004