Historical Context

This letter, dated June 20, 1932, was written by Evan's father, Thomas Call, from Afton, Wyoming.

The date of this letter—June 1932—places it at the absolute nadir of the Great Depression in the United States. This context explains Thomas’s anxiety over the $75.00 typewriter (which would be roughly $1,700 in today's currency). The mention of working for someone who hasn't paid yet reflects the widespread "liquidity crisis" of the era, where even those with work often struggled to collect wages.

Before the internet, "Catalogue Houses" like Montgomery Ward (mentioned as "Montgomery") and Sears were the primary way rural Americans in places like Afton, Wyoming, accessed high-end goods.