While searching our collections for a photo, I came across the following image and my natural curiosity required me to zoom in and read the text:
Because I didn’t grow up in a region known for potato farming, it was surprising to learn of potato barrel rolling as an event! I absolutely had to find out more. Farm Security Administration photographer Jack Delano spent some time in Presque Isle, Maine, in October 1940 and answered many of my questions about this event through the photos he took. Join me as I show you what I learned.
At the very top of this post, you’ll see a photo of the “Pototem Pole” constructed in the main street of Presque Isle out of potato barrels. It towers above the town, quite a (temporary) monument!
The main street was lined with townspeople to watch a parade, which included this large potato float.
The potato was meant to open and reveal these young drum majorettes, though it malfunctioned and got stuck repeatedly!
In addition to the more expected school band, the parade included schoolgirls marching in formation, carrying sticks with local Aroostook potatoes stuck to the top.
And then, of course, we had the main event – the potato barrel rolling contest. Each barrel contained 200 lbs of potatoes, and lanes were set up on the main street of town for the competition, as seen below. The barrels were open at the top, so it took quite a bit of control to maneuver them down the street, it seems. No mention of the winner, but it looks hotly contested!
The poster that first caught my attention mentioned that a potato barrel rolling champion named Day would be there, and so he was, with this wonderful custom jacket:
The fun-filled day ended with an evening dance right on the main street:
Photos like these are unmatched in their ability to share local town events and customs, bringing them to life more than text alone ever could. I feel like I’ve stepped back in time and lived through my first potato barrel-rolling event, and maybe you do too!
Learn More:
- Explore all the photos Jack Delano took in Presque Isle during this festive day in October 1940.
- Enjoy photos of parades all over the country in small towns and big cities, through the photos of the Farm Security Administration.
- Read previous Picture This posts about the Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Collection.
from Picture This https://blogs.loc.gov/picturethis/2023/02/you-say-potato-i-say-pototem/
