"Houses were shut tight, and cloth wedged around doors and windows, but the dust came in
so thinly that it could not be seen in the air, and it settled like pollen on
the chairs and tables, on the dishes."
- John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath
so thinly that it could not be seen in the air, and it settled like pollen on
the chairs and tables, on the dishes."
- John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath
The Dust Bowl and Oklahoma
One of the worst dust storms during the Dust Bowl happened in Oklahoma, and it badly affected the economy and the environment. Many Dust Bowl survivors stated that since there was so much dirt and dust, everything was so dark and black that it was very hard to see most of the time. One of the worst parts was that nobody could escape the dust. It was everywhere. As hard as they might have tried, nobody could keep their houses clean. The Dust Bowl also ruined the landscape of Oklahoma by destroying farms, fields, and other areas. Farmers were especially affected by the Dust Bowl because much of their land and crops were destroyed. They could not produce enough food for themselves or for anyone else. The fact that farmers could not grow enough crops to sell for money created a serious hardship for them and shortage of food for others. Despite these harsh conditions, some people decided to stay hoping that the next year to come would be better, but many others started believing that migrating west, specifically to California, would bring them new opportunities and a better life. As a result, tens of thousands started to make the long journey to the west in hopes for better conditions, new jobs, and the beginning of a new and better life.