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How the great depression birthed a homesteading lifestyle in 1935
Turning hardship into homesteads: Roanoke Farms
Wēouthir
04 Feb
The story of Roanoke Farms, in Halifax County, North Carolina is a testament to the impact of President Franklin D. Roosevelts New Deal policies. The New Deal aimed to address the difficulties caused by the Great Depression by creating homestead communities that encouraged land ownership and agricultural skills. In North Carolina these resettlement projects provided people with opportunities to own land and establish livelihoods.
Launched in 1935 Roanoke Farms was a project in the state. It stood out for its approach as it allocated sections for both Black and white settlers - an uncommon practice at that time. Within Halifax County Roanoke Farms had sections known as Roanoke Farms for white settlers and Tillery Farms for Black settlers.
 Homesteader at Roanoke Farms, North Carolina. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress. |  Wife of a resettled farmer. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress. |  Homestead owner and brother leaning on top of a well. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress. |
Out of the 113 resettlement projects 13 offered homesteads to Black individuals. Roanoke Farms consisted of 294 forty acre farms, each priced at around $7,454. People from states such, as North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, Florida and Arkansas came to settle at Roanoke Farms.
The main objective of the project was to promote a sense of togetherness among the homesteaders by emphasizing the importance of working as a community. This approach, which prioritized spirit and cooperation played a role in the resettlement program and continued to shape the Roanoke Farms community for many years.
 Unloading parts of a prefabricated house. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress. |  Farmer with cotton seed, fence posts and wire. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress. |
 Son of homesteaders at Roanoke Farms, North Carolina. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress. |  Farmer in front of a smokehouse. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress. |
Today we can see the lasting impact of Roanoke Farms in the sense of community that was fostered during the New Deal era. The program not only provided people with an opportunity to own land it also had a profound effect on the social fabric of the region. The story of Roanoke Farms represents a chapter in North Carolinas history and stands as a testament to efforts made during a critical period in American history to address economic challenges.
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