The Depression, WWII

During the season of Thanksgiving, the Franconia Museum urges you to remember the difficult times earlier residents of our community faced during the Depression of the 1930s and World War II of the 1940s. Because Franconia was mainly a farming community, the lack of finances didn’t hit quite as hard here as in other localities. Nonetheless, times were tough and families existed on small budgets, living mostly off the land.

One example was the daily soup lunch provided at Franconia School during the Depression so children would have at least one hot meal per day. Residents donated the ingredients, and volunteers cooked the soup for the children and the staff. When supplies ran low, the school sent notes home asking for donations of food and the coffers were quickly refilled. There was a paid coordinator who kept track of the process and was paid $3 per week!

Although beef and gasoline were rationed during World War II, chickens were exempt so most local farms were overrun with the fowls and their eggs. Many took their chickens, eggs and vegetables to market at City Hall in Alexandria for the weekly Saturday markets.

There was a large chicken farm run by the Gailliot family at the corner of Beulah Road (now Beulah Street) and Telegraph Road. It supplied chickens to both the public at the farmer’s market in Alexandria, and to the government. A local tragedy occurred in 1951 when a fire destroyed thousands of chickens and their roosts. Wegmans and surrounding stores are now located on that site.

The Franconia Museum urges you to support our less fortunate neighbors by contributing food, clothing and money to our local chapter of Koinonia, the non-profit organization that limits its programs to the Franconia area.  Contact them through the internet at Info@koinoniacares.org or by calling 703-971-1991. The organization is located at the Franconia United Methodist Church, 6037 Franconia Road, next to Franconia School.  Koinonia operates a food pantry, clothing closet and offers financial and educational assistance.

DEPRESSION-ERA FRANCONIA CHILDREN WITH THEIR FAVORITE COW
L-R:  Bob Cole, Jack Dalton, Bob Dalton, Jack Simms, Bill Dalton, Dick Higham, Lois Simms, & Jean Cole
 

FRANCONIA REMEMBERS:
This is one of the Franconia Museum’s occasional articles highlighting the area's history.  If you would like for a friend to receive these FREE articles, contact us at franconia.museum.newsletter@gmail.com. Memberships also are encouraged so we can continue our work. The Museum is located in the Franconia Government Center, currently located at 6121 Franconia Road, Alexandria, Virginia 22310. The hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. The Museum is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization as approved by the Internal Revenue Service.

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Join us in celebrating our 23rd year of preserving and protecting the history of our unique community. Our collections are growing, and we are starting to purchase electronic equipment for displays that will be available in the new Franconia Govt. Center coming in 2024 next to Lane Elementary and Beulah Park. Make the move with us by becoming a member! Additional donations are especially welcome! We are a tax-exempt, volunteer organization.  There are no fund-raising costs! Come see us and learn about our past, present and future! Join us as a new member, renew your 2024 membership, or become a Lifetime or Founding member.  We need to fill vacancies on our Board of Directors, and need volunteers to help man the Museum on Mon-Tues-Wed-Sat.
 
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            Franconia Museum, 6121 Franconia Rd, Franconia, VA 22310
 
Open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Questions: Call Carl Sell at 703-971-4716 or email sellcarl@aol.com