Effects of World War II

World War II affected the community in deep and unforeseen ways. During the war Reardan and every other community in the country was asked to sacrifice:

• Rationing of food (sugar, butter, etc.).
• Rationing of gasoline and tires.
• Scrap drives to recycle unused iron.
• Bond drives to raise money for the war. Individual towns were tracked to pressure them into contributing their fair share.
• Maintain production of wheat and other farm products.

Sending young men and women off to war, meant that women had to pick up some of the slack by working in the fields. Death of several members of the community left a permanent scan upon the residents.

The Reardan area was also undergoing technological changes. Tractors were replacing horses to do field work. Self propelled combines were being introduced. Through the Rural Electrification Act (REA), farms were becoming electrified. Work on Grand Coulee Dam was completed and work on clearing the resevoir behind the dam was finishing up in 1940. The Bonneville high tension power lines were install from Grand Coulee to Spokane, Portland and Seattle.