Family of a Construction Worker

Family of a Construction Worker at the Naval Air Base
United States
United States › Texas › Corpus Christi
1940

This photograph from 1940 shows the family of a construction worker from northwest Texas who was then employed at the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi. The couple sits together on a sofa with their two young children inside their modest home.

The father holds a small child on his lap while the mother cradles a baby in her arms. Their serious expressions and simple surroundings reflect the realities of many American families at the end of the Great Depression, when employment in military construction projects became an important source of stability.

During the late 1930s and early 1940s, the expansion of naval air facilities in places like Corpus Christi created new jobs for workers from across Texas and other parts of the country. These projects were part of the broader military buildup that preceded the United States’ entry into World War II.

The photograph offers a quiet and intimate glimpse into the everyday life of a working family during a time of economic recovery and growing national mobilization. 📷

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