The Dust Bowl

With the dust storms still ravishing their land, their homes and their family, many of those affected had a tough decision to make; leave in search of a better life or stay and face the seemingly never-ending storms. By 1936, nearly a quarter of the people living in the southern Plains had begun to leave, driven from their homes by the Great Depression and the unrelenting drought. Many headed for California, a land supposedly full of jobs and opportunity. Nevertheless, around 75 per cent of those enduring intense hardship decided to stay put and retain their land even though the drought was already in its fifth year.