The Making of a WPA Inventory

January 19, 2016

The New Deal cared a lot about books–producing, consuming, maintaining them. SourceWordPress, 2010

I recently completed a new project for the Living New Deal: a list of about 1,500 writings, created between 1935 and 1943, by the Federal Writers’ Project and the WPA Writers’ Program. The writings include both published and unpublished items, and the titles came primarily from two sources: a list compiled by a Florida book seller in the 1970s and a list created by a private firm working in collaboration with the Library of Congress in 1987. Our list, which also includes contemporary scholarship, is organized alphabetically—by state and then by title—and uses a similar (but even more basic) style as the sources listed above. The goal was to make it reader friendly.

I learned two things while I was working on this project. First, creating an inventory of 1,500 writings is somewhere between less-than-fun and merciless torture. The second thing I learned is that the writers of the WPA wrote on a stunning variety of topics – even more topics than I had thought. We’re all familiar with the popular American Guide Series, detailing attractions and history in all states and select cities. But consider some of these other titles, which speak to local interests and idiosyncrasies: National Guard of Wyoming, Wisconsin Circus Lore, Churches of Roanoke, Baseball in Old Chicago, Recreational Activities: Christmas Tree Ornaments, Winter Hikes, Air Raid Warden’s Manual, Seminole Indian Canoes, and Gumbo Ya Ya.

And, really, this list has plenty of room to grow. For example, we could add research reports by WPA workers (traffic studies, disease studies, hydrographic surveys, etc.); books transcribed into Braille by WPA workers; or inventories of church records created by the WPA’s Historical Records Survey to name a few. Or our list could evolve into a larger “New Deal Inventory” that would include reports and writings by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Federal Emergency Relief Administration, and more. How large could such a list grow? 3,000 items? 4,000? 10,000? Perhaps one day we’ll have a list of every report, publication, manuscript, bulletin, and inventory made by FDR’s alphabet soup of agencies. Check out what we already have in our Bibliography.

Brent McKee is a Living New Deal Research Associate (the first, in fact!) and a core member of the LND team. He lives in West Virginia.

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Balboa Park: House of Hospitality Bas Relief – San Diego CA

Rose Hanks created this incised plaster relief depicting “Junipero Serra” for the fair.

Horace Mann School Mural – Oak Park IL

This oil on canvas mural, entitled “Community Life of Oak Park in the 19th Century,” was painted in 1936 by Emmanuel Jacobson and Ralf Henricksen, with assistance from Charles Copeland and Irene Biannucci. The work was funded by the WPA Federal Art Project. The mural, measuring 7′ by 75′, still resides in the corridor of the Horace Mann School.

Fair Park: Hall of State Mural – Dallas TX

The oil-on-canvas mural “Texas of History,” a ten-panel behemoth, each 30′ x 80′, was painted by Eugene Francis Savage as a New Deal project.

Post Office Bas Relief – Everett PA

The historic Everett post office houses an example of New Deal artwork: a pleaster bas relief sponsored by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts entitled “Signing of the Constitution.” The work was created by Hazel Clere.

Post Office Mural – Fulton NY

The historic post office in Fulton, New York houses an example of New Deal artwork: a Treasury Section of Fine Arts-funded oil-on-canvas mural entitled “Father LeMoyne Trying to Convert the Indians on Pathfinder Island.” Painted by Caroline S. Rohland, the work was installed in the post office lobby in 1942; it still resides there today.

Franklin Street Station Post Office Mural – Chapel Hill NC

Chapel Hill’s historic Franklin Street Station Post Office houses an example of New Deal artwork: an oil-on-canvas mural entitled “Laying the Cornerstone of Old East.” Painted by Dean Cornwell, the work was commissioned by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts.

Post Office (former) Mural – Guntersville AL

The oil-on-canvas mural “Indians Receiving Gifts from the Spanish” was commissioned by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts. The New Deal work was painted by Charles Russell Hardman and installed in the lobby of the historic Guntersville post office.

As of July 2007, when a new post office was constructed in Guntersville, the old post office sits vacant.

University City Station Post Office Mural – St. Louis MO

The mural “The Louisiana Purchase Exposition” was painted by Trew Hocker. The New Deal artwork was installed in the lobby of St. Louis’s University City Station post office and is still visible today.

Post Office Bas Reliefs – Springfield KY

The post office contains three limestone bas reliefs by Richard Davis: “Wood Chopper,” “Kentucky Pioneer,” and “Signing of the Marriage Contract of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks.” Installed in the lobby of the Springfield post office, the works were created under the auspices of the Treasury Section of Fine Arts.