Grandma Soper, Willow Creek area, Malheur County - 1939

Grandmothers (and grandfathers) often moved to Oregon during the Depression with their children's families when they came to look for better farming opportunities. Grandma Soper was part of a large family that traveled from Montana to the Willow Creek area of Malheur County. Like many new settlers at that time, they lived in a small dugout home, mostly below ground, that gave them protection against both hot summers and cold winters. Photographer Dorothea Lange has again managed to capture the unspoken story of one of her subjects in what appears at first glance to be a straightforward portrait. -- This photo is restored and printed by Old Oregon.