During the difficult years of the Great Depression, the national unemployment rate was sometimes over 25 percent. In North Carolina’s mountains, it was probably higher, so a lot of people didn’t have the luxury of driving.
Most folks, young and old, walked everywhere they went, even if it was several miles.
There were stories of those with automobiles from better times hooking mules to the vehicles and riding in comfort without gasoline. Such make-do forms of transportation were jokingly referred to as “Hoover mobiles” because President Hoover was widely blamed for the Great Depression.
During those tough times, building contractors relied on small jobs and looked for bargain materials. In some Southern states, an unusual source was license-plate suppliers. Thousands of metal license plates could not be sold for the intended purpose because folks couldn’t afford to drive. Builders purchased truckloads of outdated, new tags at the low price of two for one penny (200 for $1.00). Then, they hauled them to job sites and cleverly repurposed the license plates as roofing shingles. Such “Hoover roofs” were economical for homeowners, and they lasted longer than standard roofs.
But the hard times were unrelenting. Businesses were closing, banks were failing, and farmers were facing foreclosure. The overwhelming election of 1932 delivered 42 of the 48 states (including North Carolina) to Franklin Roosevelt. He started to reverse the economic downturn. But recovery was slow, especially on mountain farms.
In the late 1930s, used cars sold for as much as $500, and automobile-operating expenses could be considerable. In addition to license plates, oil, and repairs, gasoline cost perhaps 19 cents per gallon. About 15 miles per gallon was standard, and even the best Depression-era tires didn’t last long. Scraps of blown-out tires were commonplace along mountain roadsides.
In the distressed economy, young men who were successful enough to drive their own cars never lacked for friends. They became instantly eligible and could attract almost any girl in the country. Those girls also had other friends with boyfriends. Then, some younger cousins would join the group. Gathering a carload of young people to enjoy a Sunday afternoon drive was easy when “riding somewhere” was a real treat.
Still, the international news was troubling. Despite U.S. avoidance of overseas entanglements, President Roosevelt began strengthening the military for self-defense. The rumbles of European wars were coming closer with German U-boats trolling the Atlantic. However, Japanese capabilities were grossly underestimated. The far-off Empire of Japan was viewed as problematic, rather than threatening. But the malicious Pearl Harbor attack was secretly being planned, and it would happen on December 7, 1941.
In the meantime, young people were focused on good times they could enjoy now. Back then, car seats were designed like upholstered benches, so as many folks as possible rode along for the trip. Before modern seatbelts and individual seats, teenagers enjoyed seeing how many friends could fit into their cars.
Imagine traveling 35 mph on U.S. Hwy. 25 toward Hendersonville (and beyond) with a handsome young man at the wheel of his own roadster. Someone usually brought a Kodak box camera, and friends posed at each other’s homes and at scenic stop-offs to have their pictures made with the wonderful cars.
Finding several of those photographs in old albums has been enlightening and interesting. They were made in the late 1930s and through the summer of that fateful year of 1941. From the clothing worn by young ladies and gentlemen to the vintage automobiles, the history is fascinating.
The suave fellow in the double-breasted suit, white shirt, tie, and two-tone, wingtip shoes could well be some local person’s great-grandfather. During the Great Depression, especially in Appalachia, he would have been extremely well-dressed, and quite sporty in such fashionable clothes. In fact, double-breasted suits were the latest trend. They had been newly revived during the 1920s and 1930s, having not been stylish since Prince Albert popularized the look in the mid-1800s.
The renewed design remained popular through the 1950s, and in difficult economic times of the 1930s, a double-breasted suit was high fashion. So were the two-tone, wing-tip shoes. Black-and-white or brown-and-white shoes had become popular when the Prince of Wales began wearing that style in the 1920s. And they were further promoted when Fred Astaire wore them while he danced in movies. Young folks in our mountains were staying current with the times.
In searching for clothing styles worn by the girls, I discovered an almost-identical coat in a vintage catalog. The teenaged girl standing by the 1931 Model-A Ford Deluxe Coupe was definitely wearing a fashionable winter coat, most likely ordered from Sears-Roebuck.
However, socks worn with high-heeled shoeswould not necessarily have been by choice. Silk or rayon hosiery was expensive and impractical for mountain girls, and stockings were becoming increasingly unavailable at any price. Since the United States was preparing for a possible war, the government needed those raw materials.
Nevertheless, the flared skirt and button-front, summer dresses with belts are similar to styles shown in catalogs of the era. They appear to be classic 1930s fashions that remained popular for several years. Dresses in the early 1920s had been almost ankle-length, loosely fitted, and without defined waists. But times had changed, and longer hemlines quickly became outdated. Even in our secluded mountains, girls chose a more-modern look. Dresses and skirts were much prettier, shorter, and shapelier by the late 1930s.
It is easy to imagine that old-fashioned mothers might have been quite concerned about their daughters wearing “short” dresses and riding in fast roadsters driven by boys. In the old days, “courting” visits were in the front parlor under the watchful eye of the mother. A Sunday afternoon drive was in a horse and buggy — without the dangers posed by new-fangled automobiles speeding around mountainsides on narrow roads.
With their mothers’ permission (hopefully) these young people were enjoying pleasant Sunday-afternoon drives. But that carefree era would be forever changed when Pearl Harbor was bombed. It is great to think they had these good times before the war and that the recovering economy enabled their friends to own and operate vehicles.
In preparing this article, it has been helpful to have the expert assistance of Roland and Lois Hoots, members of the Carolina Mountain Car Club. They are quite knowledgeable about antique cars, and I appreciate their information about the makes and models.
Because I plan to donate these photos to the Henderson County Genealogical and Historical Society, it would be helpful to have reader input to identify the young people shown with the vintage automobiles. If you recognize the ladies, men, or children, you are welcome to share that information with me at backintheday1943@outlook.com. Since they were probably Zirconia or Tuxedo residents, several generations of their descendants may live locally. Isn’t it interesting to think of one’s great-grandmother as a beautiful young lady posing beside a 1930s roadster?
In addition to possible information about the photos, think about Depression-era stories and pictures that have been passed down in your family. The late 1930s was a special time. Just before the harsh reality of World War II, young people had the opportunity to wear the fashions of the day and to gather with friends. They felt privileged to enjoy scenic, Sunday-afternoon drives in Model-A Fords and other older cars.
