The Early Homeless

The Early Homeless. . Even after the great national stock panic of 1893 disabled the labor force in America, many events such as the Spanish American War and World War I – temporarily glossed over the plight and discontent of the American working class. Then, the Great Depression of the 1930s opened the condition of the laborer in America to full public view. Because of its railroads and the mild climate, Sacramento became one of the most desirable destinations for unemployed migrants, especially during winter months and harvest seasons. The City shelter located on Front and I Streets could not serve the high number of homeless in the area, who camped wherever they could, setting up shanty towns called “Hoovervilles” throughout the Sacramento region. The core businesses which had been established in the older part of the City moved out, leaving the buildings to an evolving class of migrant laborers. The West End developed into a ghetto for migrant labor forces and others down on their luck. , , Inset Image: , Sacramento Men’s Center, 1930 – from the Sacramento City Parks and Recreation Collection.