Writers' Program of the Work Projects Administration in the State of New York Correspondence and Working Files of the Long…

Organized into three subseries: #1. Geographical File; 2. Subject File; and 3. Working Files of Publications.

Geographical File:arranged alphabetically by name of community.

Subject File:arranged alphabetically by subject.

Working Files of Publications:arranged by publication.

This series contains the surviving administrative and working files of Federal Writers' Project District Number 4, comprising Long Island exclusive of New York City.

The first two subseries contain notes, drafts of editorial copy, extracts from primary sources (e.g. municipal records or newspapers), sketch maps, and occasional correspondence between the district supervisor and field workers or the state director concerning publications in progress. These two subseries apparently were used to file source material for several published and unpublished writing projects, such as the New York State Guide, New York State Almanac, and a variety of local guides. They contain information on the history, customs, cultural activities, folklore, agriculture, natural history, and architecture of Long Island communities.

The third subseries contains notes, drafts, and some correspondence concerning planned local guides to the communities of Babylon and Hempstead. These publications cover a similar range of physical, cultural, and historical aspects of the communities. Apparently, neither of these two guides was ever published.

Container list.

These records were transferred to the NYSL at an unknown date. Subsequently they were transferred to the Archives as boxes 1-6 of old series 551, accession number -372.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.