This 1939 photo, taken in Pittsboro, always had us curious about what a "Pickle Low party" might be.

In her trek through North Carolina in 1939, famed documentary photographer Dorothea Lange captured the photo above in Pittsboro. Lange offered no details other than those that appear in the caption “Sign tacked to pole near the post office. Main street, Pittsboro, North Carolina.” At the time, the Pittsboro Post Office was located in the main block of Hillsboro Street.

Perhaps Lange decided to photograph the sign because she too was curious about it. A little online research suggests that "piccolo" was slang for jukebox, or recorded music. The sign has the word spelled in an unusual way but the message was likely clear to all potential participants -- Come dance to canned music.

Hosting the party was GW Leach--likely George W. Leach, who lived with his wife Sallie on Masonic Street. Note the admission charges included on the sign: Single man, 10 cents; man and woman, 15 cents. Commenters on other sites have suggested that this was what was called a "rent party." Especially during the Great Depression, this was a party with music and dancing, given to raise money for the host's rent or household expenses by collecting a contribution from each guest. Sometimes food was sold at the event. Too bad Lange didn't stay in Pittsboro to photograph the party!

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