Although backyard vegetable gardens have been popular for years, they were especially common during World War II. All over the United States, people turned unused yard space and vacant lots into Victory Gardens to raise fresh produce. This 1943 photo shows Ballard High School students and teachers working in their garden.

Note from MOHAI records: Photo includes botany teacher Bess Burleigh and principal Heber D. Johnson.
Handwritten on negative: 2/16/43 Ballard high gardens.
Handwritten on sleeve: World War II-Seattle-Victory Gardens-Ballard High School, with: Roberta Davis, May Wickstrom, Beatrice Hillery, Ethel Hansen, Charlie Gruber, Bud Foltz, Donna Foltz, and, Botany teacher Bess Burleigh, Principal Heber D Johnson (per Thelma Sigurdson Cagle)
Date photograph was filed at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (date of photograph and file date may differ by a month or more): February 20, 1943.