Complex sentence: Following a decade of prosperity, the great depression led to the ruin of the majority of the area's small landholders; the city soon began to recover, however, and celebrated the opening of the Municipal Fine Arts Museum in 1936, for instance.
Split into simpler sentences: Following a decade of prosperity, however, the great depression led to the ruin of the majority of the area's small landholders. The city soon began to recover, and celebrated the opening of the Municipal Fine Arts Museum in 1936, for instance.