Writers' Program of the Work Projects Administration in the State of New York Correspondence and Working Files of the District 1 Supervisor's Office A4190

Writers' Program of the Work Projects Administration in the State of New York Correspondence and Working Files of the District 1 Supervisor's Office

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Overview of the Records

Repository:

New York State Archives
New York State Education Department
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230

Summary:

This series contains mostly "field editorial copy" prepared by field workers for several statewide and local projects in District 1 (Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington Counties) including New York: A Guide to the Empire State (published); New York State Encyclopedia; New York State Almanac; Historical Album of New York State; and city guides. Essay topics include: local history; origin of place names; local biography; folklore; historic sites and structures; and natural history. Correspondence clarifies assignment requirements.

Creator:

Writers' Program of the Work Projects Administration in the State of New York

Title:

Writers' Program correspondence and working files of the District 1 supervisor's office

Quantity:

9 cubic feet

Inclusive Dates:

1936-1942

Series Number:

A4190

Arrangement

Arranged by editorial project or form of record, then alphabetical by author, county, or city.

Administrative History

District 1 of the Federal Writers' Project in New York included the area encompassed by the following counties: Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington. The district office apparently was in Glens Falls.

Scope and Content Note

The files mostly contain "field editorial copy" prepared by field workers for several statewide and local projects.

Each essay usually has a cover sheet giving the following information: author (field worker); title; subject; date; number of words; district number; county; city or town; and "index number" (a subject classification code number used for filing purposes). A set of field editorial copy was retained in the district office and other copies were forwarded to the state director's office in Albany.

This copy was used in the preparation of the following published and unpublished writing projects: New York: A Guide to the Empire State (published); New York State Encyclopedia; New York State Almanac; Historical Album of New York State; and various city guides.

The subjects of these essays vary widely. Some general topics included are: local history; origin of place names; local biography; folklore; historic sites and structures; and natural history.

Also included is some correspondence of the acting district supervisor with the state director and field workers. This correspondence is usually filed at the beginning of the files of field editorial copy for each major writing project. It contains information on: the amount of work completed on projects; the format of editorial copy requested by the state director's office; general work assignments; procedures for organizing and filing editorial copy; and the types of essays to be prepared for different projects.

At the end of the series are maps, pamphlets, brochures, local histories, and other secondary source material used by the district office.

Other Finding Aids

Available at Repository

Box 8 includes a 3" x 5" card index to municipalities, sites, and institutions in the counties of District 1.

Container list.

Custodial History

These records were transferred by the Writers' Project to the State Library at an unknown date. Subsequently, they were transferred to the Archives as boxes 52 (part), 53, 57, 62, 65, 68-71 of old collection #551, accession number -372.