American Guide Series
The American Guide Series was a group of books and pamphlets published from 1937 to 1941 under the auspices of the Federal Writers' Project (FWP), a Depression-era works program in the United States. The American Guide Series books were compiled by the FWP, but printed by individual states, and contained detailed histories of each of the then 48 states of the Union with descriptions of every major city and town. In total, the project employed over 6,000 writers. The format was uniform, comprising essays on the state's history and culture, descriptions of its major cities, automobile tours of important attractions, and a portfolio of photographs.[1]
Cover of the Illinois state guide
Many books in the project have been updated by private companies or republished without updating. Although not then a state, a guide for Alaska[2] was published, and also for Puerto Rico (but not for Hawaii).
John Steinbeck wrote in Travels with Charley: "If there had been room in Rocinante I would have packed the W.P.A. Guides to the States, all forty-eight volumes of them...The complete set comprises the most comprehensive account of the United States ever got together, and nothing since has approached it."[3]
Titles
States
| State | Title | Google Books | HathiTrust | Internet Archive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama; a Guide to the Deep South, New York: Hastings House, 1941 | Google Books | HathiTrust | |
| Arizona | Arizona, the Grand Canyon State (4th ed.). New York: Hastings House. 1956. | 1940 ed. via Google Books | HathiTrust | |
| Arkansas | Arkansas: a Guide to the State, New York, 1941, OCLC 478887 | Google Books | HathiTrust | |
| California | California: Guide to the Golden State, New York: Hastings House, 1939 | Internet Archive | ||
| Colorado | Colorado: a Guide to the Highest State. New York: Hastings House. 1945. | 1941 ed. via Google Books | Internet Archive + 1970 ed. via Internet Archive | |
| Connecticut | Connecticut: a Guide to its Roads, Lore, and People. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 1938. | Google Books | HathiTrust | |
| Delaware | Delaware: A Guide to the First State. NY: Viking Press. 1938. | Google Books | HathiTrust | |
| Florida | Florida: A Guide to the Southernmost State, 1939 | Google Books | Internet Archive | |
| Georgia | Georgia: a Guide to Its Towns and Countryside. Athens: University of Georgia Press. 1940. | Google Books | Internet Archive | |
| Idaho | Idaho: A Guide in Word and Pictures. Caldwell, ID: Caxton Printers. 1937. | Internet Archive | ||
| Illinois | Illinois: A Descriptive and Historical Guide. Chicago: A.C. McClurg & Co. 1939. | Google Books | Internet Archive | |
| Indiana | Indiana: a Guide to the Hoosier State. New York: Oxford University Press. 1941. | Google Books | HathiTrust | |
| Iowa | Iowa: a Guide to the Hawkeye State, New York: Viking, 1938 | Google Books | HathiTrust | |
| Kansas | Kansas: A Guide to the Sunflower State, 1939. | Google Books | HathiTrust | |
| Kentucky | Kentucky: a Guide to the Bluegrass State. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company. 1939. | Google Books | HathiTrust | Internet Archive |
| Louisiana | Louisiana: a Guide to the State. NY: Hastings House. 1941. | Google Books | HathiTrust | |
| Maine | Maine: a Guide 'Down East'. Boston: Houghton Mifllin. 1937. | Google Books | HathiTrust | |
| Maryland | Maryland: a Guide to the Old Line State. New York: Oxford University Press. 1940. | Google Books | HathiTrust | |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts: a Guide to its Places and People, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1937 | Google Books | HathiTrust | |
| Michigan | Michigan: a Guide to the Wolverine State. New York: Oxford University Press. 1941. | Google Books | ||
| Minnesota | A State Guide, 1938 | Google Books | ||
| Mississippi | Mississippi; a Guide to the Magnolia State, New York: Viking, 1949, OCLC 478887 | 1938 ed. via Google Books | HathiTrust | Internet Archive |
| Missouri | Missouri: A Guide to the 'Show Me' State, New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce, 1941 | Google Books | HathiTrust | Internet Archive |
| Montana | Montana: a State Guide Book. NY: Viking Press. 1939. | HathiTrust | Internet Archive | |
| Nebraska | Nebraska: A Guide to the Cornhusker State, 1939 | Google Books | HathiTrust | |
| Nevada | Nevada: a Guide to the Silver State, Portland, Oregon: Binfords & Mort, 1957 | 1940 ed. via Google Books | HathiTrust | |
| New Hampshire | New Hampshire: a Guide to the Granite State. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 1938. | Google Books | HathiTrust | |
| New Jersey | New Jersey: a Guide to its Present and Past. NY: Hastings House. 1946. | 1939 ed. via Google Books | HathiTrust | |
| New Mexico | New Mexico: a Guide to the Colorful State. NY: Hastings House. 1940. | Google Books | HathiTrust | |
| New York | New York: a Guide to the Empire State. New York: Oxford University Press. 1940. | HathiTrust | ||
| North Carolina | North Carolina: a Guide to the Old North State. 1939. | Google Books | Internet Archive | |
| North Dakota | North Dakota: a Guide to the Northern Prairie State, State Historical Society of North Dakota, 1938 | Google Books | ||
| Ohio | The Ohio Guide, Oxford University Press, 1940 | Google Books | ||
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma: a Guide to the Sooner State, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1941 | Google Books | Internet Archive | |
| Oregon | Oregon: End of the Trail. Portland: Binfords & Mort. 1951. | 1940 ed. via Google Books | HathiTrust | |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania: a Guide to the Keystone State, New York: Oxford University Press, 1940 | Google Books | ||
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island: A Guide to the Smallest State. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 1937. OCLC 691847. | Google Books | HathiTrust | Internet Archive |
| South Carolina | South Carolina: a Guide to the Palmetto State, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1941 | HathiTrust | Internet Archive | |
| South Dakota | South Dakota Guide. 1938. | Google Books | Internet Archive | |
| Tennessee | Tennessee: a Guide to the State, New York: Viking, 1939 | Google Books | HathiTrust | Internet Archive |
| Texas | Texas: A Guide to the Lone Star State, New York: Hastings House, 1940 | Google Books | HathiTrust | Internet Archive |
| Utah | Utah: A Guide to the State, 1941 | Google Books | HathiTrust | |
| Vermont | Vermont: a Guide to the Green Mountain State. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Riverside Press. 1937. | Internet Archive | ||
| Virginia | Virginia: a Guide to the Old Dominion, Oxford University Press, 1941 | Google Books | Internet Archive | |
| Washington | Washington: a Guide to the Evergreen State, Portland, Oregon: Binfords & Mort, 1941 | HathiTrust | ||
| West Virginia | West Virginia: A Guide to the Mountain State. New York: Oxford University Press. 1941. | Google Books Google Books | ||
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin: A Guide to the Badger State, 1941 | Google Books | HathiTrust | |
| Wyoming | Wyoming: a Guide to Its History, Highways and People, 1941 | Google Books | ||
Cities
| State | City | Title | Google Books | HathiTrust | Internet Archive | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | North Little Rock | Guide to North Little Rock. 1936. OCLC 11575040. | Hathi | |||
| California | Los Angeles | Los Angeles: A Guide to the City and Its Environs. 1941. | HathiTrust | Internet Archive | ||
| California | San Diego | San Diego: A California City. 1937. | HathiTrust | |||
| California | San Francisco | San Francisco: the Bay and its Cities. 1940. | 1947 ed. via HathiTrust | Internet Archive | ||
| California | Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara: A Guide to the Channel City and its Environs. 1941. | Internet Archive | |||
| Delaware | Newcastle | New Castle on the Delaware. 1936. | HathiTrust | |||
| District of Columbia | Washington | Washington, City and Capital. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. 1937. | HathiTrust | |||
| Florida | Key West | A Guide to Key West. 1941. | HathiTrust | |||
| Florida | Miami | Planning Your Vacation in Florida; Miami and Dade County including Miami Beach and Coral Gables. 1941. | Internet Archive | |||
| Florida | St Augustine | Seeing St. Augustine. 1937. | HathiTrust | |||
| Georgia | Atlanta | Atlanta: Capital of the South. 1949. | Internet Archive | |||
| Georgia | Augusta | Augusta. 1938. OCLC 1411325. | HathiTrust | |||
| Georgia | Savannah | Savannah. 1937. | HathiTrust | |||
| Illinois | Cairo | Cairo Guide. | HathiTrust | |||
| Illinois | Galena | HathiTrust | ||||
| Illinois | Princeton | HathiTrust | ||||
| Iowa | Dubuque[4] | A Guide to Dubuque | HathiTrust | |||
| Iowa | Estherville | A Guide to Estherville, Iowa. 1939. | HathiTrust | |||
| Iowa | McGregor | A Guide to McGregor. 1940. | ||||
| Kentucky | Henderson | Henderson: A Guide to Audubon's Home Town in Kentucky. 1941. | ||||
| Kentucky | Lexington | Lexington and the Bluegrass Country. 1938. | HathiTrust | |||
| Kentucky | Louisville | Louisville: A Guide to Falls City. 1940. | ||||
| Louisiana | New Orleans | New Orleans City Guide. 1938. | Google Books | HathiTrust | Internet Archive | |
| Maine | Portland | Portland City Guide. 1940. | Internet Archive | |||
| Nebraska | Lincoln | Lincoln City Guide. 1937. | ||||
| New Jersey | Princeton | Princeton and its Neighbors.[4] | ||||
| New York | Albany | HathiTrust | ||||
| New York | New York City | The New York City Guide: A Comprehensive Guide to the Five Boroughs of the Metropolis; Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Richmond. 1939. | HathiTrust | Internet Archive | ||
| New York | Rochester[4] | |||||
| North Dakota | Bismarck[4] | |||||
| Ohio | Cincinnati | Cincinnati: A Guide to the Queen City and Its Neighbors. 1943. | HathiTrust | |||
| Oklahoma | Tulsa | Tulsa: A Guide to the Oil Capital. 1938. | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Erie | Erie: A Guide to the City and County. 1938. | HathiTrust | Internet Archive | ||
| Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | Philadelphia: A Guide to the Nation's Birthplace. | Internet Archive | |||
| Texas | Beaumont | Beaumont: A Guide to the City and Its Environs. 1939. OCLC 1386509. | ||||
| Texas | Denison[4] | |||||
| Texas | Corpus Christi | Corpus Christi, a History and Guide. Corpus Christi Caller-Times. 1942. OCLC 2674098. | ||||
| Texas | Houston | Houston, a History and Guide. 1942. | University of North Texas | |||
| Texas | San Antonio | San Antonio: A History and Guide. | HathiTrust | |||
| Wisconsin | Portage | HathiTrust | ||||
Regions and territories
| Region | Locale | Title | Google Books | HathiTrust | Internet Archive | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast | Bergen County Panorama. 1941. | Internet Archive | ||||
| Northeast | Berkshire Hills | The Berkshire Hills. 1939. | HathiTrust | |||
| Northeast | Cape Cod | Cape Cod Pilot: A Loquacious Guide. 1937. | ||||
| West | Death Valley | Death Valley: A Guide. 1939. | ||||
| West | Ghost Towns of Colorado. 1947. | |||||
| West | Guide to Alaska: Last American Frontier. 1939. | Google Books | ||||
| Midwest | Guide to Cedar Rapids and Northwest Iowa. 1937. | |||||
| Northeast | New England | Here's New England! A Guide to Vacationland. 1939. | ||||
| South | Intracoastal Waterway, Norfolk to Key West. 1937. | HathiTrust | ||||
| Midwest | Arrowhead Country | Minnesota Arrowhead Country. 1941. | ||||
| South | Mississippi Gulf Coast: Yesterday and Today, 1699-1939. 1939. | HathiTrust | ||||
| West | Monterey Peninsula | Monterey Peninsula. 1941. | HathiTrust | |||
| Northeast | New York Panorama. 1938. | Internet Archive | ||||
| South | Ocean Highway | The Ocean Highway: New Brunswick, New Jersey to Jacksonville, Florida. 1938. | ||||
| Midwest; West | Oregon Trail, US 30: The Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean. 1939. | Google Books | ||||
| Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico: a Guide to the Island of Boriquén. New York: University Society. 1940. OCLC 245805. | HathiTrust | Internet Archive | |||
| Northeast; South | U.S. Route 1 | U.S. One: Maine to Florida. 1938. | HathiTrust | |||
References
- "The American Guide Series" United States Senate. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
- https://www.amazon.com/WPA-Guide-Alaska-Frontier-Digital-ebook/dp/B00G1SRBNE
- DeMasi, Susan Rubenstein (2016). Henry Alsberg : the driving force of the New Deal Federal Writers' Project. Jefferson, North Carolina. p. 179. ISBN 978-0-7864-9535-1. OCLC 956984803.
- Federal Writers' Project (1938). Catalog: American Guide Series. Washington DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/mdp.39015033903686.
Further reading
- Christine Bold (1999), The WPA Guides: Mapping America, Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, ISBN 1578061946
- DeMasi, Susan Rubenstein. Henry Alsberg: The Driving Force of the New Deal's Federal Writers' Project, McFarland and Co., 2016.
- Kelly, Andrew. "Kentucky by Design: The Decorative Arts and American Culture", University Press of Kentucky, 2015. ISBN 978-0-8131-5567-8
- Gross, Andrew S. "The American Guide Series: Patriotism as Brand-Name Identification" Arizona Quarterly: A Journal of American Literature, Culture, and Theory. Vol 62 Number 1. p. 85-111.
- Mangione, Jerre "The Dream and the Deal: The Federal Writers' Project 1935-1943", Little, Brown, 1972
- Powell, Lawrence N. "Lyle Saxon and the WPA Guide to New Orleans." Southern Spaces 29 July 2009.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to American Guide Series. |
- American Guide Series: Guidebooks for each state, including Alaska, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii, published by the Federal Writers' Project of the Works Progress Administration, 1940–42, (121 titles dispersed in the division's collection). From the Rare Book and Special Collections Division at the Library of Congress
- University of South Florida Libraries: Tampa WPA Papers Manuscripts and revised typescripts of the Florida edition of the American Guide Series, particularly to the City of Tampa
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