Cabell County Library

We took a very informative look at the archives of the Cabell County Library on September 30. We were able to peruse the microfiche copies of both the Herald Dispatch and the Huntington Advertiser from the Great Depression era. I began my search in October of 1929 and researched from October 24,1929 (Black Thursday) forward through the end of November. What I found was not necessarily one day where it seemed the world ended (figuratively of course), but day after day of stocks falling and then rising for a day or two, only to fall again. The period of October 24, through October 29, saw the market enter its darkest days.
From my knowledge and studies of the period, I really thought there would be "a day" where it seemed that everything came crashing down. Rather than a quick deep gash that immediately put industrialized world into a death spiral, I found day after of day of shallow gashes that continued over time and resulted in what is now known as the Great Depression.

Jason explaining how the microfiche machines work.

Huntington Advertiser headline from October 29,1929.

An article blaming Herbert Hoover, President of the United States, of the stock market decline.

Local advertisement

Before Roosevelt even took office on March 4, Congress had already given him broad powers to help stem the tide of the depression.

Roosevelt took office the same day as West Virginia's new governor, H. Guy Kump. Ironically, Kump would fight much of the New Deal in West Virginia because he didn't want to contribute state funds.

As FDR's programs began to take effect Huntington began to see immediate changes.

An evil greater than the Great Depression took power in Germany in 1933. Adolf Hitler grabbed power with horrific consequences for the world.

Huntington had reason to cheer on another front as FDR helped end Prohibition. Fesenmeier Brewery reopened in Huntington in April of 1933. 

We finished our evening examining a WPA built building just across the street from the library, the United States Court House.