Contributed by Aroostook County Historical and Art Museum
Description
In 1944 a major part of the Houlton Army Air Base was made into Camp Houlton, a Prisoner of War (POW) internment camp. It was a violation of the Geneva Convention to force POWs to work but they could volunteer to work.
Camp Houlton provided laborers for local farms to harvest peas, pick potatoes and other work but not all POWs were allowed to work on the farms for security reasons.
Many farmers came to see the POWs who worked their fields as good laborers rather than enemy soldiers. The prisoners were paid a dollar a day in scrip that they could spend at the post exchange, the base store, for toiletries, tobacco, chocolate, and even beer.
Pictures of prisoners of war are unusual because taking them was not allowed.
About This Item
- Title: Prisoner of war picking potatoes, Houlton, 1945
- Creation Date: circa 1945
- Subject Date: circa 1945
- Location: Houlton, Aroostook County, ME
- Media: Photographic print
- Dimensions: 5.3 cm x 7.8 cm
- Collection: Catherine Bell Collection
- Object Type: Image
Cross Reference Searches
Standardized Subject Headings
- Detention facilities--Maine--Houlton
- Camp Houlton (Me.)
- Concentration camps--Maine--Houlton
- World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners
- Prisoners of war--German--Maine--Houlton--Photographs
- Farms and farming--Maine--Houllton
- Potatoes--Maine--Houlton
Other Keywords
For more information about this item, contact:
Aroostook County Historical and Art Museum109 Main Street, Houlton, ME 04730
207-532-4216
Website
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. No Permission is required to use the low-resolution watermarked image for educational use, or as allowed by the applicable copyright. For all other uses, permission is required.
More to Consider
Item 103805
Camp Houlton POW area, Houlton, ca. 1945
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