During the early years of the 20th century, American families witnessed amazing changes in their daily lives—the arrival of plumbing and electricity in their homes, the first automobiles, and thanks to the Eastman Kodak Company, the first affordable, portable, photographic instrument, the box camera. Many families purchased the box camera (for $1) and began to document their own histories. It is upon these histories that North Dakota places its focus.
Nowhere were the changes so dramatic as on the Great Plains, and in the state of North Dakota especially. Due to the huge influx of immigrants, mostly from Scandinavia, the state's population more than doubled from 1900 to 1940, roughly the period covered in North Dakota. But this was also a time of hardship and struggle, as the Great Depression, the
Dustbowl, and war took their toll on North Dakota families. But through hard work and perseverence, most of these families survived, and thrived, and now share with us the story of that time.