58 Wonderful Color Pictures Document Everyday Life at Pie Town, New Mexico in 1940

Russell Lee (1903 – 1986) was an American photographer and photojournalist, best known for his work for the Farm Security Administration (FSA). His technically excellent images documented the ethnography of various American classes and cultures.

These wonderful photos Lee captured everyday life at Pie Town, New Mexico in Octorber 1940.

School at Pie Town, New Mexico is held at the Farm Bureau Building

School children singing, Pie Town

Team pulling a car out of the mud, the roads are not improved

The Faro Caudill [family] eating dinner in their dugout, Pie Town

Tying a ribbon on a calf's tail was one of the feature attractions at the Pie Town, New Mexico Fair rodeo

At the fair, Pie Town

Bill Stagg turning up his beans

Bill Stagg turning up pinto beans

Bill Stagg, homesteader, in front of his barn

Bill Stagg, homesteader, with pinto beans

Church at Pie Town, New Mexico. This building was a cooperative community enterprise

Church at Pie Town

Crowd eating free barbeque dinner at the Pie Town, New Mexico Fair

Cutting the pies and cakes at the barbeque dinner, Pie Town

Driving calves into the corral for roping at the rodeo of the Pie Town, New Mexico Fair

Dugout house of Faro Caudill, homesteader with Mt. Allegro in the background

Exhibit of crops and vegetables at the Pie Town, New Mexico Fair

Faro and Doris Caudill, homesteaders, Pie Town

Field of beans and farmstead of Bill Stagg, homesteader, Pie Town, New Mexico

Filling station and garage at Pie Town

Friends meeting at the Pie Town

Fruit wagon at the Pie Town, New Mexico Fair

Fruit wagon at the Pie Town

Garden adjacent to the dugout home of Jack Whinery, homesteader, Pie Town

Gathering corn in the field

General Merchandise store, Main Street, Pie Town, New Mexico

Getting ready to serve the barbeque dinner at the Pie Town

Grace was said before the barbeque was served at the Pie Town

Group of homesteaders in front of the bean house which was used for exhibit hall at the Pie Town, New Mexico Fair

Harvesting corn

Harvesting new corn from the field of Jim Norris

Home of Jim Norris, homesteader, Pie Town, New Mexico

Homesteader and his children eating barbeque at the Pie Town

Homesteader feeding his daughter at the Pie Town, New Mexico Fair free barbeque

Initial pin souvenirs at the Pie Town, New Mexico Fair

Jack Whinery and Jim Norris, homesteaders, looking at roots of stalk of corn

Jack Whinery, homesteader, and his family, Pie Town, New Mexico

Jack Whinery, homesteader, repairing fence which he built with slabs

Jack Whinery, homesteader, with his wife and the youngest of his five children

Jim Norris, homesteader, cutting a head of cabbage

Jim Norris, homesteader, Pie Town, New Mexico

Les Thomas, homesteader, Pie Town

Llano de San Juan, New Mexico, Catholic Church

Main Street, Pie Town

Many automobiles were parked in the grove at the Pie Town

Men in front of outdoor fire

Men of the community of Pie Town eating at the barbeque

Mr. Leatherman, homesteader, coming out of his dugout home

Mr. Leatherman, homesteader, shooting hawks which have been carrying away his chickens, Pie Town

Mr. Leatherman, homesteader, with his work burros in front of his barn, Pie Town

Mrs. [Jim] Norris with homegrown cabbage, one of the many vegetables which the homesteaders grow in abundance

Mrs. Bill Stagg with state quilt that she made, Pie Town

Mrs. Bill Stagg with state quilt which she made, Pie Town

People at the Fair, Pie Town, New Mexico

Pinto beans, main crop at Pie Town

Rodeo at the Pie Town, New Mexico Fair

Rodeo at the Pie Town, New Mexico Fair

Saying grace before the barbeque dinner at the Pie Town, New Mexico Fair

(Photos by Russell Lee, via The Library of Congress)