Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Documerica Project - Photographs by Marc St.Gil

  
For the Documerica Project (1971-1977), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hired freelance photographers to capture images relating to environmental problems, EPA activities, and everyday life in the 1970s.

The U.S. National Archives digitized more than 15,000 photographs from the series, and they can now be seen online.

 Marc St. Gil was one of nearly one hundred photographers hired for DOCUMERICA. His assignment was to document the water and air pollution crisis in and around Houston, Texas.

While documenting the apparent pollution issues, St. Gil also captured striking images of rural life in 1970s in the Houston and San Antonio areas.

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Here are a few of my favourites from Marc St.Gil's set, 
along with the photographs original captions. 


Above 2 pics - Campers at Garner State Park, 07/1972


 Leakey, a Small Town near Garner State Park, Derives Much of Its Income from Summer Tourists and Fall Deer Hunters, 07/1972

 Leakey Resident Cooling Her Feet in the Rio Frio, 07/1972


Owner of the Local Grocery and Drugstore, 11/1972


 Abandoned Oil Field, 06/1972


 Cut-Rate Gas Station Operates Out of Bus, 06/1972


 Lunching on the Beach Opposite the Olin Mathieson Chemical Plant, 06/1972


 Olin Mathieson Chemical Plant on Far Side of Lake 07/1972


 The Polluted Lake Charles Which Has a Dangerously High Level of Mercury. Olin-Mathieson Plant in Background 06/1972


 Teenagers Enjoy Each Other's Company on the Bank of the Frio Canyon River near Leakey, Texas, and San Antonio 05/1973


 Area Young People Gather in the Cedar Woods by the Frio Canyon River near Leakey, 
Texas, and San Antonio, 05/1973


 Den behind a Store Which Caters to the Teenage Group in Leakey, Texas, near San Antonio, 05/1973


 The Atlas Chemical Company Belches Smoke across Pasture Land in Foreground. 06/1972


 Milk Wort and Butterfly in the Texas Countryside, near San Antonio, 06/1973



5 comments:

  1. These photos are awesome Donna. I think that's all I need to say...

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  2. Thanks Kylie! Marc St. Gil took some beautiful pictures.

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  3. Great pics, not sure about the swimming across from the chemical plant though! You have been spammed! You have made it in the world, congrats! :)

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  4. Gotta love the spam. Had abit lately...hhmmmm.
    Yes, the photos are great. I know what you mean about the lake/chemical plant pics. I want to scream at them 'Get out of the water!!!', but I also find them very interesting - how little people knew about environmental impact and what was going into the water, ground and air from these chemical plants etc. xx

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  5. Love these pics, the colours scream 70's, hubby wants a van to go away on dirty (childless) weekends.

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