Dead Ox Flat Collection

The Schroeder familys new house, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
The Schroeder familys new house. Cleared and irrigated fields of their land beyond. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Section of lone road approaching the Schroeder place, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939
Section of lone road approaching the Schroeder place. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Wife of FSA borrower keeps account of loan of... Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Wife of FSA (Farm Security Administration) borrower keeps account of loan of seven hundred and forty-eight dollars. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

FSA borrowers on new farm keep account of their loan, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939
Farm Security Administration borrowers on new farm keep account of their loan. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

The longest siphon in the world crosses the Malheur Valley, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
The longest siphon in the world crosses the Malheur Valley. It carries water to the bench land beyond a division of the project called Dead Ox Flat. Malheur County, Oregon-67

The Wardlow family in their dugout basement home, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
The Wardlow family in their dugout basement home. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Mrs. Wardlow bakes her own bread in her dugout house, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939
Mrs. Wardlow bakes her own bread in her dugout house. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Mrs. Wardlow baking corn bread in her dugout basement home, Dead Ox Flat, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Mrs. Wardlow baking corn bread in her dugout basement home. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Congregation leaving after services, preacher in doorway, Dead Ox Flat, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Congregation leaving after services. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

The youngest Wardlow boy copies out a recipe for his mother, Dead Ox Flat, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
The youngest Wardlow boy copies out a recipe for his mother. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Mrs. Free in doorway of her basement dugout home, Dead Ox Flat, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Mrs. Free in doorway of her basement dugout home. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Mr. and Mrs. Wardlow at entrance to their dugout basement home, Dead Ox Flat, Oregon, 1939 Creator: Dorothea Lange
Mr. and Mrs. Wardlow at entrance to their dugout basement home. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Mr. and Mrs. Wardlow at entrance to their dugout... home, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939
Mr. and Mrs. Wardlow at entrance to their dugout basement home. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

The Free children in doorway of their home in Sunday clothes, Dead Ox Flat, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
The Free children in doorway of their home in Sunday clothes. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

The Wardlow family in their dugout basement home on Sunday, Dead Ox Flat, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
The Wardlow family in their dugout basement home on Sunday. The youngest boy copies out a recipe for his mother. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Entrance to Mr. and Mrs. Wardlows dugout basement home, Dead Ox Flat, Oregon, 1939 Creator: Dorothea Lange
Entrance to Mr. and Mrs. Wardlows dugout basement home. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Mrs. Wardlow, Friends church (Quaker), Dead Ox Flat, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Mrs. Wardlow after church services at the Friends church (Quaker). Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon]

All the members of the congregation, Friends church (Quaker), Dead Ox Flat, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
All the members of the congregation. Friends church (Quaker). Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Mrs. Wardlow after church services, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Mrs. Wardlow after church services. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Friends church (Quaker), Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Friends church (Quaker), Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon. The entire family after Sunday morning services. Preacher is a young farmer. Man at left holding baby

Siphon - the worlds longest - which carries water 5 miles to Dead Ox Flat, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
[Untitled, possibly related to: Siphon--the worlds longest--which carries water five miles to Dead Ox Flat. It is eight feet in diameter. Malheur County, Oregon]

Water seepage from newly irrigated land on top of bench, eroding sides, Dead Ox Flat, Oregon, 1939
Water seepage from newly irrigated land on top of bench, eroding sides. A problem for the Reclamation Service, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Landscape on top of bench, showing new lands, and farms... Dead Ox Flat, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Landscape on top of bench, showing new lands, and farms beyond. Road was built by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps). Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Irrigation canal and the preachers farm, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Irrigation canal and the preachers farm. These large haystacks are characteristic of the country at this period of development. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Mrs. Hull drying corn, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Mrs. Hull drying corn. She hopes to sell enough to help her son through Bible school. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Mrs. Hull in one-room dugout basement home, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Mrs. Hull in one-room dugout basement home (note blackboard.) " I wanted a blackboard for a long time for my Bible verses, to keep them in our mind

Mrs. Hull and corner of her one-room basement dugout, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939
Mrs. Hull and corner of her one-room basement dugout. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon. [Note L. & H. Economy stove]

Stoves outside the Browning house being repaired for winter use, Dead Ox Flat, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Stoves outside the Browning house being repaired for winter use. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

The Browning home, a partial dugout, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
The Browning home, a partial dugout. Seven children live here. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Water seepage from newly irrigated land... Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Water seepage from newly irrigated land on top of bench, eroding the sides. A problem for the Reclamation Servive. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Children get into school bus on a fall morning, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939 Creator: Dorothea Lange
Dead Ox Flat. Children get into school bus on a fall morning. Malheur County, Oregon

Home of the Williams family, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Home of the Williams family. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon. [Note entrance to below-ground dwelling]

Mr. Browning in his field getting ready to mow hay, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Mr. Browning in his field getting ready to mow hay. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

The Emmett Smith house, one of the best of the flat, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939
The Emmett Smith house, one of the best of the flat. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

View from the Smiths place across the road, showing uncleared land, Dead Ox Flat, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
View from the Smiths place across the road, showing uncleared land. Dead Ox Flat. Malheur County, Oregon

Farmer in his field getting ready to mow hay, Dead Ox Flat, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Possibly related to: Mr. Browning in his field getting ready to mow hay. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Temporary buildings on Williams new farm, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Temporary buildings on Williams new farm. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Irrigation ditch, showing drop in canal, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Irrigation ditch, showing drop in canal. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

The preachers house, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
The preachers house. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

The Hull family haul their drinking water... Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
The Hull family haul their drinking water, and when the irrigation water is shut off (about October 15th) they will have to haul water for the stock. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Shows construction of chicken house, sage bush thatched, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939
Shows construction of chicken house, sage bush thatched. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon (name: Hull)

Two-year old barn, sage bush thatched (name: Hull), Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Two-year old barn, sage bush thatched (name: Hull). Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Mrs. Wardlow has 500 quarts of food in her dugout cellar, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon
Mrs. Wardlow has 500 quarts of food in her dugout cellar. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Mr. Wardlow says grace before dinner, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Mr. Wardlow says grace before dinner. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Mrs. Wardlow getting dinner after church in her basement... Dead Ox Flat, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Mrs. Wardlow getting dinner after church in her basement dugout home. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon. [Note plates upside down to prevent contamination by flies]

Congregation leaving after services, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Congregation leaving after services. Preacher in doorway. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

The Schroeder family on their new farm, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
The Schroeder family on their new farm. When they first came two years ago lived in shed shown. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Four of the seven Browning children wait for the school bus... Dead Ox Flat, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Four of the seven Browning children wait for the school bus at the road by their farm. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

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"Life on Dead Ox Flat: Capturing the Resilience and Struggles of Malheur County, Oregon in 1939" Step into the world of the Schroeder family as they settle into their new home on Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon. The vastness of this remote area is evident as we witness a lone road leading to their place, surrounded by untouched landscapes. In this challenging environment, even keeping track of loans becomes a vital task for the wives of FSA borrowers. Their meticulous record-keeping reflects their determination to make ends meet in Dead Ox Flat. The Wardlow family's dugout basement home stands as a testament to resourcefulness amidst adversity. Mrs. Wardlow bakes her own bread from scratch, using every ounce of creativity to provide for her loved ones in this harsh setting. As we delve deeper into daily life on Dead Ox Flat, we encounter moments that highlight both community and faith. Congregations gather after services while preachers stand at doorways - unity and spiritual solace are essential pillars here. Even the youngest members contribute; the Wardlow boy diligently copies out recipes for his mother, showcasing resilience passed down through generations. Mrs. Free stands proudly at her basement dugout home entrance - an embodiment of strength against all odds. And Mr. And Mrs. Wardlow share an unwavering bond as they navigate life together in this unforgiving land. Amidst it all lies one astonishing sight - the longest siphon in the world crossing Malheur Valley - symbolizing human ingenuity striving to conquer nature's challenges head-on. Dorothea Lange's photographs capture not only faces but also stories etched deep within each frame from Dead Ox Flat during 1939 – tales that remind us how people can thrive amidst adversity with sheer determination and unyielding spirit.