Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
U.S. Work Projects Administration records, 1935-1943
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- United States. Work Projects Administration
- Title
- U.S. Work Projects Administration records
- Dates
- 1935-1943 (inclusive)19351943
- Quantity
- 40 linear feet of shelf space
- Collection Number
- MC 77 (collection)
- Summary
- These records (1935-1943) of the U.S. Work Projects Administration (WPA) in Montana consist of administrative materials; historic record surveys of county, state, and federal agencies and local service and church organizations; and writers' project materials, including correspondence, research files, interviews with pioneers, and drafts of articles and books including Copper Camp, Land of Nakoda, and Montana Almanac, 1941.
- Repository
-
Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
The Work Projects Administration (originally the Works Progress Administration) was established in 1935 with Harry Hopkins at its head. Under Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration the WPA directed all relief projects except the CCC and the PWA. It was established to complete projects on public property at federal expense. By 1943, its termination date, the WPA had spent eleven billion dollars, given work to eight million people, and completed 250,000 public-works projects. President Roosevelt believed that artists, actors, musicians and writers were entitled to government aid during the depression, as well as farmers and other workers.
Two WPA programs undertaken in Montana were the Federal Writers' Project and the Historical Records Survey.
Montana's Writers' Project, guided by Byron Crane, employed teachers and writers to write state and local histories, interview pioneers, and prepare guidebooks for tourists. A few of the project's notable publications were Copper Camp (Butte history), Land of Nakoda (Assiniboine Indians), and the Montana State Almanac. In addition other unpublished accounts explored the state's livestock and mining history.
Montana's Historical Records Survey, headed by Paul C. Phillips, completed a massive statewide survey of private and public repositories. Included were records in Montana's fifty-six county court houses, state agencies, various civic organizations, churches, and federal offices located in the state. The project's field workers systematically surveyed these records and prepared inventories that were later published.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
These records are divided into three categories; Administrative, Federal Writers' Project, and Historical Records Survey. The administrative files include general correspondence, subject files, some financial records, and reports. The Writers' Project contains original writings, interviews, research data, and secondary source material. The bulk of this segment is various drafts of published works (Copper Camp, Land of Nakoda, etc.). Contained within the records are survey forms that detail the types of records maintained in the different county, state, and federal agencies. These vary from building forms to map surveys and were included in a final published format. The majority of the records (approximately 26 feet) comprise this final segment of WPA Papers.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
The Montana Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library before any reproduction use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Preferred Citation
Item description and date. Name of Collection. Collection Number. [box and folder number]. Montana Historical Society Research Center. Archives. Helena, Montana.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection
Administration Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
General Correspondence |
||
Box/Folder | ||
1 / 1 | Marcellene Baxter (Certification Officer) |
1938-1939 |
1 / 2 | W.T. Beaumont (State Statistician) |
1937-1938 |
1 / 3 | E.R. Blinn (Director of Finance) |
1937 |
1 / 4 | Clara E. Bower |
1939-1940 |
1 / 5 | Rose C. Bresnahan (Director of Women's and
Professional Projects) |
1938 |
1 / 6 | Eugene C. Burris (Director of Employment Division) |
1938 |
1 / 7 | B-D (correspondents include Roy Bass, Benjamin H.
Chaffin, Dorothy Clark, Ezra L. Crane, Joyce Daggett) |
1938-1939 |
1 / 8 | Sargent B. Child (Director of Historical Records
Survey) |
1939-1942 |
1 / 9 | Pearl B. Crane |
1939-1940 |
1 / 10-12 | Federal Editorial Staff (Agriculture Department-Veterans
Administration, Misc.) |
1936-1940 |
1 / 13 | Field workers: Elmer D. Baird |
1939-1941 |
1 / 14 | Field workers: Robert F. Carter |
1939 |
1 / 15 | Field workers: Sylvia Goldberg |
1940-1942 |
1 / 16 | Field workers: Henry Jorgensen |
1938-1942 |
1 / 17 | Field workers: C.H. Lyman |
1939-1940 |
1 / 18 | Field workers: Douglas McMurtrie |
1939-1941 |
1 / 19 | Field workers: Mary Aidan Murphy |
1939-1941 |
1 / 20 | Field workers: Freida Selberg |
1939 |
1 / 21 | Field workers: L.E. Thompson |
1940-1941 |
1 / 22 | Field workers: vital statistics |
1940-1941 |
1 / 23 | Field workers: Beaverhead County |
1937-1940 |
1 / 24 | Field workers: Big Horn County |
1938-1939 |
1 / 25 | Field workers: Blaine County |
1938-1941 |
1 / 26 | Field workers: Broadwater County |
1938-1939 |
2 / 1 | Field workers: Carbon County |
1940-1942 |
2 / 2 | Field workers: Carter County |
1940-1941 |
2 / 3 | Field workers: Cascade County |
1937-1941 |
2 / 4 | Field workers: Chouteau County |
1937-1941 |
2 / 5 | Field workers: Custer County |
1938-1941 |
2 / 6 | Field workers: Daniels County |
1938-1940 |
2 / 7 | Field workers: Dawson County |
1941-1942 |
2 / 8 | Field workers: Deer Lodge County |
1939 |
2 / 9 | Field workers: Fallon County |
1941 |
2 / 10 | Field workers: Fergus County |
1938-1941 |
2 / 11 | Field workers: Flathead County |
1937-1940 |
2 / 12 | Field workers: Gallatin County |
1938-1939 |
2 / 13 | Field workers: Garfield County |
1938-1940 |
2 / 14 | Field workers: Glacier County |
1940-1942 |
2 / 15 | Field workers: Golden Valley County |
1938-1941 |
2 / 16 | Field workers: Granite County |
1938-1940 |
2 / 17 | Field workers: Hill County |
1941-1942 |
2 / 18 | Field workers: Jefferson County |
1938-1939 |
2 / 19 | Field workers: Judith Basin County |
1938-1939 |
2 / 20 | Field workers: Lake County |
1937-1940 |
2 / 21 | Field workers: Lewis and Clark County |
1937-1941 |
2 / 22 | Field workers: Liberty County |
1938-1941 |
2 / 23 | Field workers: Lincoln County |
1938-1939 |
2 / 24 | Field workers: McCone County |
1941 |
2 / 25 | Field workers: Madison County |
1938-1940 |
2 / 26 | Field workers: Meagher County |
1937-1942 |
2 / 27 | Field workers: Mineral County |
1939 |
2 / 28 | Field workers: Missoula County |
1938-1939 |
2 / 29 | Field workers: Musselshell County |
1937-1942 |
2 / 30 | Field workers: Park County |
1939-1940 |
2 / 31 | Field workers: Petroleum County |
1941-1942 |
2 / 32 | Field workers: Pondera County |
1938-1941 |
2 / 33 | Field workers: Phillips County |
1941 |
2 / 34 | Field workers: Powder River County |
1941-1942 |
2 / 35 | Field workers: Powell County |
1938-1939 |
2 / 36 | Field workers: Ravalli County |
1937-1940 |
3 / 1 | Field workers: Richland County |
1938-1942 |
3 / 2 | Field workers: Roosevelt County |
1938-1940 |
3 / 3 | Field workers: Sanders County |
1937-1940 |
3 / 4 | Field workers: Sheridan County |
1937-1942 |
3 / 5 | Field workers: Silver Bow County |
1937-1941 |
3 / 6 | Field workers: Stillwater County |
1938-1941 |
3 / 7 | Field workers: Sweetgrass County |
1938-1941 |
3 / 8 | Field workers: Teton County |
1938-1941 |
3 / 9 | Field workers: Toole County |
1938-1939 |
3 / 10 | Field workers: Treasure County |
1940 |
3 / 11 | Field workers: Valley County |
1938-1941 |
3 / 12 | Field workers: Wheatland County |
1937-1941 |
3 / 13 | Field workers: Wibaux County |
1940-1941 |
3 / 14 | Field workers: Yellowstone County |
1938-1942 |
3 / 15 | James Gilligan |
1941 |
3 / 16 | Sylvia Goldberg (Supervising Clerk) |
1941 |
3 / 17 | P.M. Hamer |
1937-1941 |
3 / 18 | H-M (correspondents include Leah Harlow, Harley A.
Howell, Henry Jorgensen, Mary V. Kelly, Dean Lowry, Joseph A. Mayo, Robert J.
Mercer, Grace Miles) |
1938 |
3 / 19 | Charles H. Lyman (State Supervisor): Historical
Records Survey |
1938-1941 |
3 / 20 | Charles H. Lyman (State Supervisor): miscellaneous |
1938-1942 |
3 / 21 | Frank McCarthy (State Procurement Officer) |
1937 |
3 / 22 | Mary A. Murphy (Supervising Clerk) |
1939-1941 |
3 / 23 | Paul O'Gorman (Assistant Director of Finance) |
1937 |
3 / 24 | Harry I. Oleson (Chief of Payroll Division) |
1937 |
4 / 1 | Paul C. Phillips (State Director) |
1937-1939 |
4 / 2 | P-S (correspondents include Carl Frank Penland,
Edith Potter, Mabel V. Reynolds, J. Brad Seely, Ida May Stewart) |
1936-1939 |
4 / 3 | C.R. Quigley (Senior Accountant) |
1937 |
4 / 4 | G.A. Robertson (Chief Clerk) |
1938 |
4 / 5 | Thomas E. Rosenberger |
1938-1939 |
4 / 6 | F.J. Shryne (Chief of Payroll Section) |
1937 |
4 / 7 | Robert H. Slover (Regional Director) |
1940 |
4 / 8 | Harry Tibbs (Chief Assignment Officer) |
1937 |
4 / 9 | T-Y (correspondents include Donald S. Uggan, Donald
W. Upham, George T. Young) |
1938-1939 |
4 / 10 | Miscellaneous (correspondents include Historical
Records Surveys from other states, E.W. Hunke, Charles H. Lyman) |
1939-1941 |
Subject Files |
||
Box/Folder | ||
4 / 11 | Alphabetical index |
undated |
4 / 12 | American Imprints Inventory |
1938-1941 |
4 / 13 | Applications |
1939-1940 |
4 / 14 | Bibliography of Graduate Theses |
1942 |
4 / 15 | Birth certificate information: WPA workers |
1941-1942 |
4 / 16 | Budget |
1936 |
4 / 17 | Church records manual |
1939 |
5 / 1 | Church records: inventory |
1940 |
5 / 2 | Circular letters: from Paul C. Phillips |
1937-1939 |
5 / 3 | Civic organizations: Havre and Roundup |
1936 |
5 / 4 | Civilian defense |
1941-1942 |
5 / 5 | Civilian organization survey |
1939-1942 |
5 / 6 | Clerk of district court duties |
1937 |
5 / 7 | Conference (Chicago, Illinois) |
1936 |
5 / 8 | Conference (Salt Lake City, Utah) |
1939 |
5 / 9 | Conservation of civilian resources |
1941-1942 |
5 / 10 | Contributions to Historical Records Survey |
1939-1942 |
5 / 11 | Corporation license tax |
1933-1937 |
5 / 12 | County Clerk: abstract of laws |
undated |
5 / 13 | County Commissioners: abstract of laws |
1941-1942 |
6 / 1 | County Commissioners: abstract of laws |
1941 |
6 / 2 | County Commissioners: powers and duties |
undated |
6 / 3 | County offices: official duties |
1938-1940 |
6 / 4 | County officials: commendations of survey |
1940 |
6 / 5 | County records |
1938-1941 |
6 / 6 | County records: permission to survey |
1939-1942 |
6 / 7 | County Treasurer: abstract of laws |
1940 |
6 / 8 | Cross referencing |
1937-1938 |
6 / 9 | Description and purpose of Historical Records
Survey |
1938-1939 |
6 / 10 | "Directory of Churches and Religious Organizations
in Montana" |
1941 |
7 / 1 | "Directory of Federal Agencies in Montana" |
1936-1939 |
7 / 2 | Editing |
1936-1938 |
7 / 3 | Editorial comments on inventories |
1938-1940 |
7 / 4 | Exemptions for workers |
1937-1938 |
7 / 5 | Field workers |
1938-1939 |
7 / 6 | Form 403 (re employment) |
1936-1938 |
7 / 7 | Forms: instructional |
1937-1939 |
7 / 8-9 | "Guide to Public Vital Statistics in Montana"
[first and final drafts] |
1940-1941 |
7 / 10 | "Instructions for Public Records Inventory" |
1941 |
7 / 11 | Mailing lists [for publications] |
1939-1942 |
8 / 1-11 | Mailing lists [for publications] |
1938-1943 |
8 / 12 | Manuscript repositories |
1938-1941 |
8 / 13 | Manuscript Survey: Madison County |
1936 |
8 / 14-16 | Manuscript Survey: for Montana Historical Society |
1936 |
9 / 1-4 | Manuscript Survey: for Montana Historical Society |
1936 |
9 / 5 | Manuscript Survey: miscellaneous |
1936 |
9 / 6 | Map inventories |
1942 |
9 / 7 | "Men at Work" |
1940-1941 |
9 / 8 | Missoula County publicity |
1938 |
9 / 9-11 | Newspaper surveys: Montana Historical Society |
1936 |
9 / 12 | Painting and statue surveys |
1936 |
9 / 13 | Project encumbrance requests |
1937-1939 |
10 / 1 | Project proposals |
1936-1941 |
10 / 2 | Project proposals: rejected |
1942 |
10 / 3 | Project publicity |
1939-1940 |
10 / 4 | Projects pending |
1939 |
10 / 5 | Records filing: court houses |
1940 |
10 / 6-7 | Records preservation |
1939-1940 |
10 / 8 | Requests: Historical Records Survey |
1939 |
10 / 9 | Requests: information |
1939-1940 |
10 / 10 | Scrap salvage (re recycling) |
1942 |
10 / 11 | Special projects |
1943 |
10 / 12 | Sponsor's contributions |
1938-1939 |
10 / 13 | State Almanac, 1940 |
1938-1940 |
10 / 14 | Survey of Federaal Archives |
1937-1940 |
10 / 15 | Timekeeper's Manual |
1939 |
Financial Records |
||
Box/Folder | ||
11 / 1 | Job schedules |
undated |
11 / 2 | Payroll |
1936, 1938 |
11 / 3 | Travel: Paul C. Phillips |
1936-1939 |
11 / 4 | Travel: Michael J. Walsh |
1938-1939 |
11 / 5 | Travel: miscellaneous |
1938-1939 |
Reports |
||
Box/Folder | ||
11 / 6-7 | Daily reports of work |
1941 |
11 / 8 | Labor reports |
1938-1939 |
11 / 9 | Progress reports of Historical Records Survey |
1939-1940 |
12 / 1-2 | Reports of progress and cost |
1940-1941 |
Federal Writers' Project Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Writings |
||
Box/Folder | ||
12 / 3 | Bozeman Avant-Courier excerpts |
1871-1887 |
12 / 4 | "The Bulletin" (Serviceman's newsletter) |
1942 |
12 / 5-6 | Butte City Guide |
1936-1937 |
12 / 7 | "Cattle Ranching in Montana" (partial segment) |
undated |
13 / 1-2 | Copper Camp (press copy) |
1943 |
13 / 3 | "From Beaver to Beef" (chronology of livestock
industry) |
1941 |
13 / 4-6 | "From Beaver to Beef" (draft and final draft) |
1941 |
13 / 7-8 | Glacier National Park (The American Guide Series) |
1939 |
13 / 9 | "Grazing History" (biographical and reference
material) |
1940 |
14 / 1-6 | "Grazing History" (sections I-VIII) |
1940 |
14 / 7 | Helena City Guide |
1938 |
14 / 8-10 | "Hell to Breakfast Tales" (rough draft, carbon and
press copies) |
1941 |
15 / 1 | "Hell to Breakfast Tales" (manuscript and
illustrations) |
1941 |
15 / 2 | William Henry Jackson Photograph Album |
1940 |
15 / 3-8 | Land of Nakoda (1st-4th drafts) |
1939-1941 |
16 / 1-7 | Land of Nakoda (4th draft, revised and press
copies, illustrations) |
1941 |
17 / 1-4 | Land of Nakoda (handwritten notes) |
1939 |
17 / 5-6 | Land of Nakoda (revisions, notes, etc.) |
1941-1942 |
17 / 7 | Land of Nakoda (research material) |
1941-1942 |
18 / 1 | Land of Nakoda (page proofs) |
1941-1942 |
18 / 2 | Lewistown Guide Book |
1942 |
18 / 3 | "Men at Work" (Montgomery M. Atwater writings) |
1941 |
18 / 4 | "Men at Work" (William A. Burke writings) |
1941 |
18 / 5 | "Men at Work" (Ralph Powell writings) |
1941 |
18 / 6 | "Men at Work" (Ed Reynolds writings) |
1941 |
18 / 7 | Mineral County histories and interviews by Mabel
Olson and Pearl Crane (include James Harmon, Lizzie Miles, J.T. LaCasse, Henrietta
LaCasse, Charles Gildersleeve, Lee Gildersleeve, George Gildersleeve, Henry Reslip,
Alec Berg, Adam Thielan, Laura Riefflin, Orrin Emera Hutchins, James Harman;
Superior, Cedar Creek, Moose City, Meadow Creek, Carter, mining) |
1939-1940 |
18 / 8 | Mineral County histories and interviews by Mabel
Olson and Pearl Crane (include Mr. and Mrs. Harmon J. Bennett, Irene Bundrick, J.C.
Hadley; re "Cedar Creek towns", "Superior Hotel", "Superior Postoffices", "Sage of
Saltese...", Sunrise City, Pardee, Superior, Quartz Creek) |
1939-1940 |
18 / 9 | Mineral County histories and interviews by Mabel
Olson and Pearl Crane (include George W. Thomas, Alec Berg, Cready Forry, James
Stewart, Mrs. E.J. Edwards, Mrs. Thomas Hanlon, J.W. King, William Beach, Howard
Nickle; re pioneers, mining, Iron Mountain Tunnel, Amador Mine, packing, Mullan
Trail) |
1939-1940 |
18 / 10 | Mineral County histories and interviews by Mabel
Olson and Pearl Crane (include Sam Clem interview plus many excerpts from newspapers
re mining in Mineral County) |
1939-1940 |
18 / 11 | Mineral County histories and interviews by Mabel
Olson and Pearl Crane ("Small Metal Mining Questionnaire" includes Alec Berg, Mary
Frances Dill, James Harmon, Everett William Harrison, J.W. King, Jacob Krulatz,
Louie Lozeau, Adam Thielan, Frederick William Wilson, John Wheeler, plus numerous
small placers) |
1939-1940 |
18 / 12 | "Mining History" (re jargon) |
undated |
18 / 13 | "Mining History" (Montana ghost towns by Si
Stoddard: includes Black Paddy, Black Pine, Burlington, Cable, Champion, Glendale,
Neihart, New Chicago, Pioneer, Quigley, Silver Bow) |
1941-1942 |
18 / 14 | "Mining History" (Montana ghost towns by Gerald
Shepherd; includes Burlington, Butte, Cataract, Basin) |
1941-1942 |
19 / 1-2 | "Montana, a Dramatic Chronicle" (director's manual
and edited version) |
1939 |
19 / 3-5 | "Montana, a Profile in Pictures" (revisions and
copies) |
1940 |
19 / 6-9 | State Almanac (original entries) |
1941 |
20 / 1-3 | State Almanac (original entries) |
1941 |
20 / 1-7 | State Almanac (research questionnaires) |
1938 |
20 / 4-5 | State Almanac (1940 draft) |
1940 |
20 / 6-7 | State Almanac (press copy) |
1941 |
21 / 1-7 | State Almanac (research questionnaires) |
1938 |
22 / 1-7 | State Almanac (research questionnaires) |
1938 |
23 / 1-7 | State Almanac (research questionnaires) |
1938 |
24 / 1-7 | State Almanac (research questionnaires) |
1938 |
25 / 1-4 | State Almanac (research questionnaires) |
1938-1940 |
25 / 5-7 | "Montana Livestock History" (outline) |
1870-1917 |
25 / 8-9 | "Montana Livestock History" ("Beaver to Beef") |
1954 |
26 / 1 | "Montana Livestock History" (McCone County) |
1936-1942 |
26 / 2 | "Montana Livestock History" (range cattle) |
1940-1942 |
26 / 3 | "Montana Livestock History" (research) |
1940 |
26 / 4 | "Montana Livestock History" (unidentified) |
undated |
26 / 5-38 | Montana State Guide [follows order of published
book] |
1938 |
27 / 1-19 | Montana State Guide [follows order of published
book] |
1938 |
27 / 20-23 | Montana State Guide (corrections, criticisms,
supplementary instructions) |
1938 |
27a / 1-2 | Montana State Guide (printers' proofs) |
1939 |
27b / 1-11 | Montana State Guide (state editorial copy: follows
order of published book) |
1939 |
27b / 12 | "1940 Almanac" (stories not used) |
1940 |
27b / 13 | "1940 Almanac" (first draft) |
1940 |
27b / 14 | "1940 Almanac" (research material) |
1940 |
28-31 / | Printed material from a variety of sources A-Y |
|
31 / 34-35 | Radio scripts (Montana Boosters) |
1938 |
32 / 1 | Radio scripts (Montana Boosters) |
1939 |
32 / 2 | Radio scripts (Northwest Tribute) |
undated |
32 / 3 | Radio scripts (miscellaneous) |
1938 |
32 / 4 | Service Man's Almanac (first draft and handwritten
copies) |
1942 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Authors
- Genealogy--Sources
- Ghost towns
- History--Research
- Mines and mineral resources--Montana--Mineral County
- Public works
Corporate Names
- United States. Work Projects Administration (creator)
Geographical Names
- Black Pine (Mont.)--Industries
- Burlington (Mont.)
- Cable City (Mont.)--Industries
- Cataract (Mont.)
- Champion (Mont.)
- Glendive (Mont.)--Politics and government
- Mineral County (Mont.)--Industries
- Neihart (Mont.)
- New Chicago (Mont.)
- Pioneer (Mont.)
- Quigley (Mont.)