MINNESOTA WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION:
An Inventory of Its Writers Project Research Notes at the Minnesota Historical Society
Manuscripts Collection
OVERVIEW
| Creator: | Minnesota Works Progress Administration. | |
| Title: | Writers Project Research Notes, Minnesota Works Progress Administration collection. | |
| Dates: | circa 1935-1943. | |
| Language: | Materials in English. | |
| Abstract: | Contains research notes, articles, drafts, and completed histories of counties, ethnic and nationality groups, Minnesota rivers, and miscellaneous subjects. | |
| Quantity: | 7.5 cubic feet (15 boxes). | |
| Location: | See Detailed Description for shelf locations. |
HISTORICAL NOTE
The Federal Writers' Project (FWP) was established in July, 1935, as part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a New Deal agency responsible for operating a wide variety of "socially useful" work-relief programs. The WPA was renamed the Work Projects Administration in 1939 and was transferred, along with several other relief agencies, to the newly created Federal Works Agency. After the United States entered World War II, the FWP was renamed the Writers' Unit of the WPA's War Services Division. Its projects were liquidated, along with the other remaining WPA programs, in July, 1943.
Writers' projects were organized in states throughout the country, including Minnesota, as work-relief programs for unemployed white-collar professional workers such as authors, lawyers, ministers, journalists, librarians, and teachers. These workers presumably possessed one skill in common, their writing ability, and could, therefore, be classified as "unemployed writers." These state projects originally were directed from the national level by WPA-appointed state directors; the projects came under state control in 1939 when the directors began to be appointed by the governors.
The Federal Writers' Project best known work, the American Guide Series, consisted of separate guides for each state, principal cities, counties and their towns, and major highways. In addition to the guides, the state projects issued articles, pamphlets, books, and monographs on many aspects of American life, including history, folklore, nature, geography, and ethnic groups.
The Minnesota Federal Writers' Project began in November, 1935. During its seven-year existence it issued a number of publications, including a state guide and several county and municipal histories. In addition to these endeavors, there were a number of works in progress, including the Annals of Minnesota, when the Minnesota FWP was discontinued late in 1942. For additional information on the accomplishments and activities of the Minnesota Federal Writers' Project see "Achievements of the Minnesota Writers' Project of the W.P.A. (The Final Report)," [1942], which precedes the Annals on rolls 1, 46, and 132.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
COUNTY FILES
| Box | |||||||||||||
| BC8.1 .W956 | 218 | Becker County. | |||||||||||
| Includes a 'forward' containing a description of the county; notes on geography; an article by Arthur P. Foster on "Hamilton's Aquatic Farms of Becker County," and a 53-page manuscript, with bibliography, by Arthur P. Foster on "Becker County and the Detroit Lakes area." | |||||||||||||
| Benton County. | |||||||||||||
| Blue Earth County. 61 pages. | |||||||||||||
| Brown County. 58 pages. | |||||||||||||
| Carlton County. | |||||||||||||
| Carver County. | |||||||||||||
| Chisago County. 2 folders. | |||||||||||||
| Articles and other materials on county history, including transcripts of articles from Chisago County newspapers, and brief histories of the Bethesda Old People's Home, Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, and other organizations. | |||||||||||||
| Chisago County. | |||||||||||||
| Interviews by Paul A. Bergquist with: Andrew G. Anderson, A.H. Doll, Alfred Glyer, Robert Glyer, Herbert Peterson, Alex Smith, Carl E. Strand, C.E. Swenson, and Charles A. Wallmark. | |||||||||||||
| Clay County: County history by A. M. Potekin. 108 pages. | |||||||||||||
| Clearwater County. | |||||||||||||
| Cook County. | |||||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| BC8.1 .W956 | 219 | Cottonwood County. | |||||||||||
| Crow Wing County. 6 folders. | |||||||||||||
| 171-page manuscript by Mary Gardner Pruitt entitled "History of the McGregor Lakes Region;" information on Sandy Lake and on the United States Government reservoirs on the Mississippi River headwaters; notes and interviews on the McGregor Lakes region; a manuscript entitled "Old Crow Wing"; a 119-page untitled manuscript by Hilding A. Swanson on Brainerd (see also Hilding A. Swanson papers); notes and articles on the county; and interviews with Martha Cornish, George Dodge, Axel P. Johnson, G.W. Price, Matt Randa, Anthony Spicola, and George Smith. | |||||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| BC8.1 .W956 | 220 | Isanti County. | |||||||||||
| Itasca County. 6 folders. | |||||||||||||
| Manuscript entitled "Logging Town, The Story of Grand Rapids, Minnesota" and notes used in preparing it, and newspaper notes on Grand Rapids. | |||||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| BC8.1 .W956 | 221 | Itasca County. 7 folders. | |||||||||||
| Interviews, notes, diary transcripts, and history manuscripts. | |||||||||||||
| Kandiyohi County: Manuscript entitled "The Kandiyohi Country and Its People" by W.A. Harju. 121 pages. | |||||||||||||
| Kittson County. | |||||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| BC8.1 .W956 | 222 | Koochiching County. | |||||||||||
| Notes and articles on the county, including "Reminiscences of Rainy Lake City" by John Berg. | |||||||||||||
| Lac qui Parle County: Manuscript entitled "Lac qui Parle County." 53 pages. | |||||||||||||
| Lake County. | |||||||||||||
| Lake of the Woods County. | |||||||||||||
| Articles on county history including an interview with Theodore Rowell on the burbot [fish] oil industry. | |||||||||||||
| Le Sueur County: Manuscript entitled "The Story of Le Sueur County." 2 folders, 79 pages. | |||||||||||||
| Lyon County: Manuscript entitled "History of Lyon County." 54 pages. | |||||||||||||
| Mahnomen County. | |||||||||||||
| Articles and notes on the county, including data on the White Earth Reservation. | |||||||||||||
| McLeod County. | |||||||||||||
| 59-page manuscript entitled "McLeod County, Minnesota," and a transcript of a story in the Minneapolis Journal (June 7, 1939) on the Biscay Cooperative Creamery. | |||||||||||||
| Mower County. | |||||||||||||
| Articles and notes, including data on Austin and a fictionalized account of Mower County. | |||||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| BC8.1 .W956 | 223 | Norman County. | |||||||||||
| Articles on county history, including data on Ada. | |||||||||||||
| Pine County. | |||||||||||||
| Articles on county history, including data on Hinckley and Askov. | |||||||||||||
| Polk County. | |||||||||||||
| Pope County. 70 pages. | |||||||||||||
| Ramsey County: | |||||||||||||
| Articles on White Bear history. | |||||||||||||
| "St. Paul, The City" manuscript by Harlan Crippen and Robert Cary. 5 folders. | |||||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| BC8.1 .W956 | 224 | "St. Paul" manuscript by Harlan Crippen. 54 pages. | |||||||||||
| Rice County. | |||||||||||||
| Roseau County. | |||||||||||||
| St. Louis County. 3 folders. | |||||||||||||
| Articles and notes, including data on the iron ranges, the Duluth-Superior harbor, marine disasters, and biographical sketches of the following St. Louis County pioneers: the Merritt brothers (Leonidas, Alfred, Cassius, and Napoleon), Henry Wakeman Wheeler, Christian Wieland, Mrs. Laura Stacklie, George Riley Stuntz, and A.B. Wolvin; also includes a history of the Duluth Water and Light Department by Charles Karson. | |||||||||||||
| Sibley County: Article by Mary Simonson on the history of the county. | |||||||||||||
| Steele County. | |||||||||||||
| Articles on county history, including data on the Farmers Bank in Owatonna designed by Louis Sullivan. | |||||||||||||
| Swift County: Manuscript on the history of the county. 11 pages. | |||||||||||||
| Wabasha County: County history by Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge. 71 pages. | |||||||||||||
| Wadena County. 3 folders. | |||||||||||||
| Two manuscripts on county history prepared for children: 71 page "Doctor Tinkle Tells the Kids a Story" and 84-page "Hooty Owl Joins the Picnic Party" by Mortimer E. Nicol; and a 204-page Sebeka School history. | |||||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| BC8.1 .W956 | 225 | Waseca County. | |||||||||||
| Washington County. | |||||||||||||
| Articles and notes on the history of Stillwater and the St. Croix Valley. | |||||||||||||
| Watonwan County. | |||||||||||||
| Wilkin County. | |||||||||||||
| Winona County. | |||||||||||||
| Articles on county history, including data on flour milling and other industries, Whitewater State Park, and the J.R. Watkins Company. | |||||||||||||
SUBJECT FILES
| Box | |||||||||||||
| BC8.1 .W956 | 225 | "In Grandfather's Day:" | |||||||||||
| Series of news releases on various subjects in Minnesota history prepared by the Writers' Project. An index to the articles appears in the first folder. Each series listed in the index is filed in a separate folder. | |||||||||||||
| Folders 1-6. | |||||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| BC8.1 .W956 | 226 | Folders 7-12. | |||||||||||
| "Minnesota Fact Book" by Harold Jorgenson. 2 folders. | |||||||||||||
| Survey of Minnesota's natural resources and geography. | |||||||||||||
| "Minnesota Recreation Guide." 49 pages. | |||||||||||||
| Tourist information on historic sites and other locations of interest. | |||||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| BC8.1 .W956 | 227 | Finns in Minnesota: | |||||||||||
| "Iron Man: The Finns of Minnesota," 2 folders. | |||||||||||||
| Correspondence relating to the project of writing a history of the Finns in the state. | |||||||||||||
| Articles regarding Finns. | |||||||||||||
| Includes data on the Socialist Party in Crosby, cooperatives in Crosby, the 1924 disaster at the Milford Mine near Crosby, the villages of Gilbert and Finland, silicosis, and cultural activities of the Finns. | |||||||||||||
| Interviews and biographies: 4 folders. | |||||||||||||
| Addy, Dr. E.R. | |||||||||||||
| Aho, Alex. | |||||||||||||
| Alto, Hilda. | |||||||||||||
| Anderson, Mrs. Jack. | |||||||||||||
| Anderson, Jack. | |||||||||||||
| Antila, Henry. | |||||||||||||
| Antila, Matt. | |||||||||||||
| Autio, Thomas. | |||||||||||||
| Beck, Mary. | |||||||||||||
| Bodas, Herman. | |||||||||||||
| Bogema, Isaac. | |||||||||||||
| Cygnaeus, Uno. | |||||||||||||
| Davis, Ellen. | |||||||||||||
| Deering, Fred. | |||||||||||||
| Eskili, Matt. | |||||||||||||
| Gustafson, Mrs. Aug. | |||||||||||||
| Gran, Victor H. | |||||||||||||
| Haapakoski, Victor. | |||||||||||||
| Hakala, Mrs. Olga. | |||||||||||||
| Hallio, John. | |||||||||||||
| Halmi, Fannie. | |||||||||||||
| Harju, Lydia. | |||||||||||||
| Hartman, Dr. Konstant. | |||||||||||||
| Hautala, John. | |||||||||||||
| Heiskari, Mrs. Ida. | |||||||||||||
| Heikkila, Matt. | |||||||||||||
| Hendrickson, Edward. | |||||||||||||
| Hill, Jack. | |||||||||||||
| Hill, Matias Emil. | |||||||||||||
| Hill, Matt. | |||||||||||||
| Holmi, Matt. | |||||||||||||
| Homppi, Ero. | |||||||||||||
| Hultkrantz, Mrs. Carl. | |||||||||||||
| Isaacs, Rev. Walter. | |||||||||||||
| Jackla, Carl. | |||||||||||||
| Jacobson, Mrs. Mary. | |||||||||||||
| Johnson, Eino. | |||||||||||||
| Johnson, Mr. M.H. | |||||||||||||
| Johnson, Nicolas. | |||||||||||||
| Joki, Olga. | |||||||||||||
| Jurva, Ida M. | |||||||||||||
| Kaatiala, Gust. | |||||||||||||
| Kainula, Henry. | |||||||||||||
| Kaivos, Onni. | |||||||||||||
| Kanerva, John P. | |||||||||||||
| Kangas, Mrs. Anna. | |||||||||||||
| Karkkanen, Emil. | |||||||||||||
| Karonen, Henry. | |||||||||||||
| Kaskell, Aili. | |||||||||||||
| Kauppi, Charles. | |||||||||||||
| Kauppi, John F. | |||||||||||||
| Kehto, Mrs. A. | |||||||||||||
| Kinnunen, Hilda G. | |||||||||||||
| Kinunen, Joseph. | |||||||||||||
| Kivi, Mrs. N. | |||||||||||||
| Koivunen, Sam. | |||||||||||||
| Kolander, Charels. | |||||||||||||
| Komanti, Eli. | |||||||||||||
| Korpela, Fannie. | |||||||||||||
| Korpela, Mrs. S. | |||||||||||||
| Koskela, Heikki. | |||||||||||||
| Koski, Aldrich. | |||||||||||||
| Kuikka, John. | |||||||||||||
| Kuittunen, William. | |||||||||||||
| Kuosisto, George. | |||||||||||||
| Kykyri, Konstant. | |||||||||||||
| Kyykhynen, Axel. | |||||||||||||
| Laakeri, Isaac. | |||||||||||||
| Laaksonen, Hjalmar. | |||||||||||||
| Lahde, J.W. | |||||||||||||
| Lahti, Mathew. | |||||||||||||
| Laine, Lydia Tiitoi. | |||||||||||||
| Lake. Henry. | |||||||||||||
| Luoma, Mr. J. | |||||||||||||
| McInnis, Dr. Florence. | |||||||||||||
| Maki, Albert and Eino. | |||||||||||||
| Maki, Emil and Iver. | |||||||||||||
| Maki, Iver and John Johnson. | |||||||||||||
| Maki, Nick and Robert. | |||||||||||||
| Maki, William. | |||||||||||||
| Mattala, Mrs. Mathias. | |||||||||||||
| Mattila, John. | |||||||||||||
| Mattila, Lillian. | |||||||||||||
| Mattinen, John A. | |||||||||||||
| Mattinen, John. | |||||||||||||
| Mattson, Hilma. | |||||||||||||
| Mattson, Matt. | |||||||||||||
| Nadus, Fred. | |||||||||||||
| Newman, Ivar E. | |||||||||||||
| Neimi, Martha. | |||||||||||||
| Niskanen, Lucy. | |||||||||||||
| Big Otto. | |||||||||||||
| Paaso, Charles. | |||||||||||||
| Palonen, Dr. Yrjo. | |||||||||||||
| Pesonen, John. | |||||||||||||
| Piippo, Johan. | |||||||||||||
| Pisila, Arne. | |||||||||||||
| Raisanen, Catherine (Hanson). | |||||||||||||
| Rajanen, Adolph Emil. | |||||||||||||
| Rantaaho, Liisa. | |||||||||||||
| Riska, Victor. | |||||||||||||
| Roanen, Ida Juhanna. | |||||||||||||
| Rovainen, John Abraham. | |||||||||||||
| Rovasaari, Karl. | |||||||||||||
| Ruth, Mrs. T. | |||||||||||||
| Saarenpaa, Peter. | |||||||||||||
| Saari, Charles. | |||||||||||||
| Saari, Gene. | |||||||||||||
| Sahlman, George. | |||||||||||||
| Salmi, Anton. | |||||||||||||
| Salo, John. | |||||||||||||
| Sanda, Miriam. | |||||||||||||
| Santabacka, Signey. | |||||||||||||
| Sarvela, Seraphine. | |||||||||||||
| Siren (Sireen), Carl. | |||||||||||||
| Stark, Charles. | |||||||||||||
| Steel, Norman. | |||||||||||||
| Strathern, Dr. M.L. | |||||||||||||
| Suomela, Arvo. | |||||||||||||
| Tan, Andrew. | |||||||||||||
| Tehunen, Henry. | |||||||||||||
| Tenhunen, Otto. | |||||||||||||
| Tiittoi, Lydia (Laine). | |||||||||||||
| Toivanen, Mrs. Helen. | |||||||||||||
| Tolberg, John. | |||||||||||||
| Tomberg, Ernest. | |||||||||||||
| Torma, Arthur. | |||||||||||||
| Torma, Toiva. | |||||||||||||
| Tornio, Matilda. | |||||||||||||
| Tryke, August. | |||||||||||||
| Tumberg, Julia. | |||||||||||||
| Tuori, Eino M. | |||||||||||||
| Vartiainen, Aino. | |||||||||||||
| Vietanen, Jack. | |||||||||||||
| Vihomenen, Mr. | |||||||||||||
| Waldeen, Carl. | |||||||||||||
| Walberg, Matt. | |||||||||||||
| Wallin, John. | |||||||||||||
| Wanhala, Olga. | |||||||||||||
| Wata, John. | |||||||||||||
| Willows, Anna. | |||||||||||||
| Willows, Nestor. | |||||||||||||
| Wilminko, Matt. | |||||||||||||
| Wirta, Andrew. | |||||||||||||
| Woolo, Mrs. Oscar. | |||||||||||||
| Ylanen, Axel. | |||||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| BC8.1 .W956 | 228 | Articles and notes on cooperatives. 2 folders. | |||||||||||
| Notes on labor. 3 folders. | |||||||||||||
| Notes and transcripts, general. 2 folders. | |||||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| BC8.1 .W956 | 229 | Notes and transcripts, general. | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| BC8.1 .W956 | 230 | Indians in Minnesota: | |||||||||||
| Interviews and reminiscences: | |||||||||||||
| "Indians Pick Pine Cones" by George B. Selkirk. 1 item in folder. | |||||||||||||
| "Reminiscences and Actual Experiences in the Sioux Massacre of 1862 in Minnesota" by Mrs. Julia E.F. Lobdell. 1 item in folder. | |||||||||||||
| "Personal Reminiscences of Early Minnesota" by Susan (Mrs. Gust) Bahr. 1 item in folder. | |||||||||||||
| "White Earth Indian Reservation" by William Madison. 10 pages. | |||||||||||||
| George B. Selkirk articles. | |||||||||||||
| "A History of Indians in Minnesota" by Frances Densmore. 147 pages. | |||||||||||||
| Lithuanians in Minnesota, Biographies and Reminiscences: | |||||||||||||
| Bart, George. | |||||||||||||
| Bieza, Joseph J. | |||||||||||||
| Jody, Mary. | |||||||||||||
| Mondyke, Mrs. Frank. | |||||||||||||
| Mwanouskos, Joe. | |||||||||||||
| Pappas, Mary. | |||||||||||||
| Sielini, Thomas. | |||||||||||||
| Skriebes, M. (nee Terebeyza). | |||||||||||||
| Stiklis, Antone. | |||||||||||||
| Yugoslavs in Minnesota: Articles and notes. | |||||||||||||
| Negroes in Minnesota: | |||||||||||||
| Includes interviews with four former slaves. | |||||||||||||
| First Negro Church in St. Paul. | |||||||||||||
| Dorsey, Nelson. | |||||||||||||
| Hickman, Rev. Robert Thomas. | |||||||||||||
| Mother Allen. | |||||||||||||
| Sellers, Mary. | |||||||||||||
| Thompson, Laura. | |||||||||||||
| Minnesota Rivers: | |||||||||||||
| Background data on the project. | |||||||||||||
| Manuscripts by L.S. Staples on islands in the Mississippi River. | |||||||||||||
| Manuscripts by George V. Jehu on the Mississippi River: | |||||||||||||
| Steamboats and Cargoes. Pages 1-28. | |||||||||||||
| Notable Persons. Pages 28-29. | |||||||||||||
| Captains and Pilots. Pages 29-33. | |||||||||||||
| Captain William F. Davidson. Pages 33-35. | |||||||||||||
| Keel Boats. Pages 36-40. | |||||||||||||
| Indian Attacks. Pages 41-44. | |||||||||||||
| Biography of William F. Davidson. Pages 45-47. | |||||||||||||
| Problem of Fueling. Pages 48-52. | |||||||||||||
| Steamboat Racing. Pages 53-55. | |||||||||||||
| Raft Boats. | |||||||||||||
| Rafts of Lumber. Pages 1-4. | |||||||||||||
| Largest Rafts, etc. Pages 5-10. | |||||||||||||
| Steamboat Disasters. Pages 12-17. | |||||||||||||
| Early Pilots on Raft Boats. Pages 18-21. | |||||||||||||
| Steamboats above St. Anthony. Pages 22-23. | |||||||||||||
| George Byron Merrick. Pages 24-25. | |||||||||||||
| Jo Reynolds and the Diamond Jo Line. Pages 26-40. | |||||||||||||
| Samuel R. Van Sant. Pages 41-50. | |||||||||||||
| Steamboat Women. Pages 51-52. | |||||||||||||
| Louis Robert. Pages 53-58. | |||||||||||||
| Minnesota River (tributary). Pages 59-90. | |||||||||||||
| "Drainage Areas of Minnesota Streams and Method of Estimation Probable Flood Flows" by E.V. Willard. 17 pages. | |||||||||||||
| "Upper Mississippi Barge Lines and Nine Foot Channel." 107 pages. | |||||||||||||
| List of Minnesota Rivers. | |||||||||||||
| Bridges. | |||||||||||||
| "Bridges Over the Mississippi River in Minnesota" by Ben Phillips and a list of bridges in Minnesota or on the Minnesota-Wisconsin border. | |||||||||||||
| Water power articles and notes. | |||||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| BC8.1 .W956 | 231 | Notes and transcripts of materials on Minnesota rivers. | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| BC8.1 .W956 | 232 | "The Cooperative Store Movement" by Frank C. Eustis. | |||||||||||
| Public Health Nursing notes and articles. | |||||||||||||
| "The A.A.A. of 1938" by Curtis Erickson. | |||||||||||||
| "Minnesota Saves the World for Democracy" by Curtis Erickson [Minnesota Commission of Public Safety]. 17 pages. | |||||||||||||
| "The Father of the Lone Eagle" by Curtis Erickson. 16 pages. | |||||||||||||
| "The Farmer-Labor Party" by Curtis Erickson. 28 pages. | |||||||||||||
| "Historical Site Markers in Minnesota" by C.W. Haas. 34 pages. | |||||||||||||
| James Finnegan (Offag'in, onag'in) story from Austin Daily Herald, December 27, 1933. | |||||||||||||
| "Minnesota's St. Croix River" by Earl Guy. | |||||||||||||
| "The Sioux Uprising of 1862," anonymous. | |||||||||||||
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