The 1930s proved to be a "quiet interlude" between two more dramatic eras.
The "Roaring Twenties," a period of dramatic growth and social changes in the U.S., came to a fairly abrupt halt in late October 1929.

The stock market had tumbled before, so people weren’t initially as alarmed as what we might think they would have been today. In the 19th century, such economic downturns were referred to as “panics” and they weren’t normally of too long a duration. In time, businesses would get back on their feet. There might be a number of failures, but this simply cleared the decks for another period of growth – if not outright prosperity.

But the 1929 collapse was different. There were no sustainable rallies following the great crash, and the market just wouldn’t restore itself, as it had done so many times in the past.

The Hoover administration tried to deal with the crisis, but, do what it would, it was always at least one step behind.

The bankruptcies, unemployment and greatly reduced business activity resulted in the election of a Democrat, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, as president. He was only the third Democrat to be elected since Abraham Lincoln became the first Republican president in 1860 and the last previous Democratic president, Woodrow Wilson, was initially only elected because of a schism in the GOP. Although Roosevelt swept the country, he couldn’t carry Leelanau County (Lyndon Johnson, in 1964, was the only Democratic presidential candidate ever to win the county’s vote).

But perhaps things weren’t all that different in Leelanau County, which had been in a bit of its own depression even before 1929. In a region where lumbering activity had once played such a large role, the population had been declining since peaking out (at 10,608) in the 1910 census. The tourism business was good, but this was seasonal, with most of the valued “resorters” returning to their respective homes at summer’s end.

When Roosevelt took office, the country was at a near economic standstill, and one of his first measures was to declare a “bank holiday.”

“Banking Situation Now Is Somewhat Improved” read the page one headline in the March 23, 1933 edition of the Leelanau Enterprise.

“The local banking situation has improved during the past week,” the story began “with the reopening of the State Bank of Cedar and the Empire State Bank.”

“These two banks were among the first in the state to be granted permission to do an unrestricted business, following the expiration of the national banking holiday decreed by President Roosevelt,” the story added.

Unemployment during the Depression ran as high as one out of four workers and production plummeted.

On at least one occasion, the fabled 20th Century Limited express train, which connected Chicago and New York, pulled out of the station with only a single passenger.

Those who lived through the Depression were profoundly affected by it and because of its severity, the very word “depression,” in an economic context at least, fell out of general use. We now talk about “recessions” instead.

Very gradually, the national economic picture began to improve, and Roosevelt was easily re-elected in 1936, but without receiving Leelanau’s vote, which went to Alf Landon of Kansas.

The worst was behind the country, although there would be another downturn in 1938.

But, if things were looking better here, the European situation was steadily looking more dire. War clouds were on the horizon there after the middle of the decade and many claimed it was just a matter of time before there was a general conflagration.

Curiously enough, a very short “canned” item that appeared in the Enterprise speculated on who would “light the match” in Europe and stated it would be Joseph Stalin.

On Sept. 7, 1939, the Enterprise stated “the long expected has come. Grim visaged war now stalks over Europe. Within the last few days following an attack by Germany upon Poland, England and France have begun fighting their ancient enemy Germany.

“How much of the continent and of the world will be involved it is hard too say. All are hoping that the United States will not become involved. In a radio address, the President said that he would do all that he could to see that this country remains neutral. It is hoped that this promise he will keep. There seems at the present time no possible excuse for involving this country.

“It is the duty of every American citizen to want peace and to talk peace. When America suffers an attack, then it is soon enough to talk war.”

And that of course, as events played out, was exactly how the U.S. did become involved.

When Pearl Harbor was attacked, there was no more talk of peace.

Dec. 7, 1941, was the date a dramatic new era began for the United States.

Just as October 24, 1929, was the date an earlier, much happier pre-Depression era ended.