1919 Winter Labor
In the chill of January 1919, a giant, rust-streaked molasses tank towers over the cobblestone streets of Boston’s North End. The streets are lined with brick tenements and weathered wooden storefronts displaying 'Purity Distilling Co.' signs. Workers donning wool newsboy caps and suspenders shovel coal, their breath forming visible puffs in the cold air. A horse-drawn cart loaded with barrels stops beneath the massive tank. The driver, wrapped in a heavy overcoat, shouts out to a woman in a long skirt and shawl carrying groceries. The gray-blue overcast sky emits a somber mood while factory chimneys release faint streams of steam. Textures are vivid with peeling paint, icy puddles, and the menacing groan of stressed metal.

