The Federal Writer's Project (FWP) was established in 1935 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) under the direction of Henry G. Alsberg. The FWP was part of the New Deal's attempt to alleviate hardships caused by the Great Depression. One of the important achievements of the FWP was the publication of the American Guide Series. This publication series includes travel guides for the forty-eight states, Alaska and Puerto Rico; and principal cities, such as New York City, Los Angles, Philadelphia, and New Orleans; major highways like U.S. Route 1, which travels from Maine to Key West, the Ocean Highway, and the Oregon Trail; as well as small towns, villages, and counties. The guides also describe the culture, history, and geography of the United States. In addition, the series includes works on ethnic studies, folklore collections, local histories, and the natural environment. In all, the American Guide Series totaled more than 1,000 books and pamphlets. 

The rich details and descriptions of various aspects of American geography, life, and culture added important knowledge to our understanding of the American experience. Much of the information is still appreciated and used by modern-day researchers - to the point where many of the guides in Special Collection & Archives are used by students and faculty in disciplines like American Studies, History, Geography, Women's Studies, Transportation, and Environmental Studies.

 

Images are from dust jackets of books in the American Guide Series Collection, SC&A, GMU

GMU Library's Special Collections & Archives (SC&A) preserves and makes available to all students, faculty, and researchers many kinds of original scholarly materials. Subject areas in SC&A include Northern Virginiana, Planned Communities, Congressional Papers, Performing Arts, Maps, the Civil War, and George Mason University.  Formats in SC&A include manuscripts, rare books, playbills, musical scores, audio and videotapes, architectural drawings, photographs, and slides. 
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