Famous Migrant Mother photo.

Photo Spot of Famous Depression Mom

In 1936, government photographer Dorothea Lange snapped one of the most famous photos of the Great Depression, a "Migrant Mother" looking disheartened-yet-strong while three of her kids hid behind her. Unfortunately, Lange never asked the woman's name and couldn't recall exactly where she snapped the picture.

It wasn't until the 1970s that the mom was identified as Florence Thompson. In 2013, a California professor finally pinpointed the spot as a former migrant labor camp along US 101. Florence and her kids had been left there while her husband and two oldest kids went to repair the radiator of their broken-down car. The professor hopes to erect a marker at the spot, but for now it's just a weedy field.

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Photo Spot of Famous Depression Mom

Address:: N. Frontage Rd, Nipomo, CA
Directions:: US Hwy 101 exit 179. Drive north along the frontage road (along the southbound side of the highway) for about three-quarters of a mile until it veers sharply left. The overgrown road straight ahead is the spot.
Admission:: Free

Nearby Offbeat Places

Luffa Farm, Nipomo, CA - 3 mi.

DeMille's 10 Commandments Buried Here, Guadalupe, CA - 7 mi.

Swinging Bridge, Arroyo Grande, CA - 7 mi.

In the region:

Bubble Gum Alley, San Luis Obispo, CA - 19 mi.

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